February 21, 2015 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "Esther: Living With the “If”" Part 4: Unsung Heroes - Carla Gober-Park

Pastoral Welcome: Miguel Mendez

Baptism: David Johnson - Bernard Taylor

Scripture Reading: Esther 9:27–28, TNIV - Christina Jobe, Melanie Jobe

Note: Child Dedications and Baptisms are on the extras section of the dvd.

Sermon Notes:

The story of Esther is familiar to us all. One woman refuses to appear, while another one appears uninvited. A king gets mad and other men fear for their own households – one woman scares the whole lot! Another man rises in power only to “bow down” to the one despised. Eunuchs, couriers, nobles, and wives all have ideas, but not especially good ones. God is not mentioned at all, but we call it providence.

Events come together in uncanny ways – the midnight reading of chronicles, a convict honored, and unsuspecting banquet guests – only to unravel and unravel again. There are unsung heroes in this text, but who are they? While there are many characters – Vashti, seven eunuchs, seven nobles, Shaashgaz, Hegai, Hathak, Mordecai, Esther, Haman, the king, the couriers, royal secretaries, Harbona, Zeresh, ten sons of Haman – the obvious heroes have been “sung.”

What is it about this story that is worth celebrating for the rest of time? What is worth the feasting and joy, and giving gifts to the poor? What is it about this story that should be remembered forever – observed in every generation, by every family? Perhaps its time to “sing”… again….and again….and again.

Carla Gober-Park

Director for the Center for Spiritual Life and Wholeness and
Associate Director for the Wholeness Institute
Loma Linda University Health
Director for the Doctoral Degree Program in Religion and Health and
Assistant Professor of Religion and Health, School of Religion
Loma Linda University