The story of Esther seems to be a story about effective whistleblowing. You have all the classic characters:
- Xerxes is the corporate leader who want to be able to say, "I wasn't aware of it," when something in the company goes wrong.
- Haman is the "go-to guy" when you want to get something done, even if it's something outside of accepted boundaries.
- Mordecai is a good and decent person who lacks both the power and wealth to do anything about his problem.
- Esther is the government insider, he one the king trots out when he wants to impress visiting dignitaries.
Esther takes great personal risk to "blow the whistle" on Haman. But doing so is rewarded with Haman's destruction and the preservation of the Jewish people. It's an event that is still celebrated today with the festival of Purim.
Yes, the story looks like it's about whistleblowing. But it's not. It's not about Esther, or Mordecai, or Haman or Xerxes. It's about God delivering His people
So why turn to this text on Worldwide Communion Suday? Simple, both Purim and Holy Communion celebrate God's deliverance of His people. Purim memorializes God temporarily preserving a remnant of Jews from destruction in Persia. Holy Communion celebrates God's permanent deliverance of all His people from sin and death.
As we gather around the table, we take the bread together. No doubt we all use different types of bread. But the type doesn't matter. Because it's not about the bread; it's about what the bread represents...the body of Christ, broken for us.
As we gather around the table, we take the cup. Some use wine. Some use grape juice. But the contents of the cup don't matter. Because it's not about the liquid; it's about what the liquid represents...the blood of Christ that washes away our sin.
Thanks be to God!
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