For Such a Time as This

Today is the third Sunday of Lent, the season during which we focus closer attention on the Lord’s suffering and death – suffering and death for our sakes, for our salvation. The season culminates with Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. 

But during this past week, a holy day passed without much notice in most churches. It was the holy feast day of Purim. 

You’ll find the story surrounding Purim in the Biblical book of Esther. The evil Haman -- a devil like the later Adolf Hitler – Haman developed a vendetta against Mordecai the Jew. But instead of executing only one man, Haman decided to destroy Mordecai and every other Jew scattered across the Persian empire. So, he smooth-talked the king, Xerxes, to order their annihilation and take their homes and possessions as plunder. 

What Haman did not know (nor, by the way, did the king) – was that Xerxes’ queen – her name was Esther – was a Jewess. Nor did Haman know Mordecai was like a father to Esther. 

If it’s been a while since you’ve read the book of Esther in the Old Testament, I recommend investing the 20 minutes or so it will take to read the 12 short chapters. 

Despite the impending disaster to her people, Esther was terrified about barging uninvited into the king’s throne-room to plead for them. In the Persian culture of the day, doing so could mean her death – even if she was the queen. And that is when Mordecai said to her “Who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) 

And that background brings us to my message on this third Sunday of Lent. As with the impending disaster facing the Jews of Persia, an impending disaster is facing everyone in this building – and some are closer to it than others. 

No, I am not at all taking about the coronavirus. Not at all. I am talking about something more serious and more deadly. I am talking about the wages of sin which are always death – eternal death. And I am talking about the free gift of God – which is complete forgiveness of sin which leads to eternal life through Christ Jesus, the Lord of life and of the grave. 

I ask this question at least once a year: How many of your family and friends died in the last 12 months? And only God knows how many in our circles of family and friends will die in the next 12 months – each of whom will go to their eternal home either around God’s throne, or in the eternal clutches of the devil in hell. 

Esther was raised to her position for such a time as the time in which she lived. But she is not the only one whom God has raised up for such a time. The sovereign God has also placed us where He has placed us, wherever it is we live and work – for such a time as this in the year 2020. 

Take a long look at the people you know – especially those now in their 70s and older. Pay special attention to how many of them in years gone by were virile, strong, robust, and active. Many of them held positions of authority and status and respect. They spoke, and people listened. They asked, and people did. They awakened in the morning full of renewed energy and didn’t hardly rest until late in the evening. They were full of life and love and hope and dreams. 

And although they knew this day would eventually come, it seemed so far off in the distance that most gave hardly a thought to their slowly aging body. 

But now it’s all many of them can think about as varying degrees of illness and weakness nearly consume their day to day activities. They realize – even if they avoid thinking of it – death is breathing down their necks. 

As I said at the beginning, this coronavirus scare is just one more burden on top of all their other burdens.  But what does Jesus say? “Come to Me, all you who are burdened and heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yolk upon you and learn from Me.” (Matthew 11). That’s also why Solomon wrote these words of sober truth: "It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting, for that is the end of every man." (Ecclesiastes 7:2) 

At this Lenten season we take time to remember Jesus is on His way to the cross. Why do we think He submitted Himself to that whip?  Why do we think He surrendered Himself to the punches and the spitting and the cursing and the blasphemies of those He created – every one of whom He could have crushed like a bug with a simple glance toward heaven? Why did He permit any of it? 

You know the answer. Because He loves you. And me. And He hoped His suffering would call each of His beloved men and women to repentance and conversion. 

Listen to me, please. Do you think it was YOUR decision to live where you live and work where you work? Or it was your spouse’s decision, Or your children’s? Or someone else’s? 

No. No. No. 

You are where you are today because the All-Sovereign God moved whatever and whomever He needed to move, to move you to where you are today. Why? Perhaps He did so . . . 

For such a time as this. 

God wants to use all your life experiences; your failures and successes, your struggles and your victories, your health and your faltering health, your past sins and the forgiveness you received through confession and the precious blood of Jesus . . . . 

He wants to use ALL of it. Everything God has permitted to enter your life, everything over which He has wept with you and rejoiced with you – and caused all of it to bring you to wherever you are today – for such a time as this.


As I prepared this message my thoughts carried me to a 16th century poem written by St. Teresa of Avila: 

“Christ has no body but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.” 

Through Mordecai, the Holy Spirit encouraged a fearful Esther to use her position to make a difference in the lives of her people. And in the same way, through the timeless words of Scripture, the Holy Spirit encourages us today to use whatever position and situation in which we find ourselves to make a difference in the lives of those around us. 

The story of Esther and Mordecai is more than a historical account of God’s intervention in the lives of His people. It provides precious encouragement for you and me in the 21st century. What do any of us have that we have not been given to use for our King? What position or station in life have any of us attained that has not ultimately come from God to be used for His glory? 

Today is a time like few others wherein people around us struggle with a plethora of burdens. Some suffer with crushing financial weight. Some, chronic and debilitating illnesses. Some endure miserable loneliness; others, despair; some border on panic over becoming infected with the corona virus. Others suffer the effects of a host of destructive sins from which they cannot free themselves, despite how they wish for freedom. 

YOU ARE HERE for such a time as this. 

Ponder once again what St Therese of Avila said: “Christ has no body on earth but yours; No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world; Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good; Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.” 

You are where you are in life – Listen! You are where you are today, in whatever circumstance you find yourself – because God wants to use you wherever it is you are – for such a time as this. 

So, what does He want you to do to remind others of their impending eternity? What does He want you to do to tell other how to receive forgiveness of their sins? How can you tell them of Jesus, who died in their place, as their sacrificial Lamb? 

Oh, Lord help us! As we continue our journey toward Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday – help us, Oh Lord, to let you extend Your hand through our hand, to bring others with us to Your Celestial Kingdom. Amen.