ESTHER - PART 1

Start by watching the following finance on behalf of the City Light Community

PRAY TO BEGIN

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Read Esther 1:1-8

1. What attributes or features of King Ahasuerus communicate a perception of power or control?
2. In what ways is this not dissimilar to today?

Read Esther 1:9-22

3. Through Queen Vashti’s resistance to Ahasuerus and his subsequent reaction, what impression are we left with of Xerxes?

4. What Does this Chapter expose about the limitations of Ahaseurus’s control?

Read Esther 2:1-20

One of the features of the Book of Esther, is there is a lot of moral ambiguity around the main characters and key events.
5. What parts of this story would lead you to think that Esther and Mordecai are to be seen as faithful people of God worth copying?

6. What aspects of this story appear to have Esther or Mordecai making problematic or compromised decisions?

7. From both of the above chapters, what indicators are there that God is guiding this story to bring Esther into this position of power?

APPLICATION

8. How does the story so far challenge the idea that “I can’t see what God is doing, therefore he must not be working”?

9. How does the story so far challenge the idea that “God only works in and cares about people who are always faithful and righteous”?

10: Optional: For each of the above, what other parts of the bible corroborate what we are seeing in the book of Esther?

SHARE AND PRAY IN RESPONSE TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

1. What is one area of your life that you are struggling to see how God is working, and that you would like prayer to be able to trust him?

2. Are you currently feeling that God could not or would not use you for his purposes? If so what is contributing to that thought?