Audio Messages

The final chapters of Esther are a wrap-up to the story, but they are not unimportant because they tell us why this story was written down. It was written so that the readers would remember why they celebrate the festival called Purim. It was written so that people would remember that God delivers His people. It was written because they dared not forget the past. And neither do we. When we forget our sinful past and God’s salvation, we run the risk of missing the rest that Jesus came to give.

As a rule, standing out in a world that calls us to blend-in to its value system is a good thing… except in the case of pride. Pride is an internal attitude of the heart that is focused on self – my needs, my hurts, my successes. Pride always, always, always will be reversed (see Job 20:6-7, Psalm 138:6, Proverbs 16:18, and Isaiah 42:8). In fact, like Haman, a great reversal awaits each and every one of us. It’s only a matter of whether the reversal is voluntary or forced

The focus of this chapter is on the hostility shown against God and His people, and how God responds. In this instance, the hostility manifests itself in the pride, attention-seeking, and vengeful attitude of Haman. In the middle of this, God shows His providence in controlling the roll of the dice that sets the date for the massacre of the Jews. As we face hate and attack, we are encouraged to wait patiently on God’s justice by demonstrating mercy.

Do you ever feel like a number, like just another cog in the machine, a nameless face in the crowd? Esther had a pretty face, but no one cared much what her name was. She was just one of 400 girls taken by force to be part of the empire’s machine-like process to find a new queen. She stood out from the crowd, but it wasn’t because of her beauty. Ultimately, it was God’s favor that made Esther stand out in her blend-in world. Remember that next time you’re feeling lost in the crowd.

There are a lot of pressures to blend-in with society, to fit in, just “do as you’re told,” and avoid making waves. The opening chapter of the story of Esther tell us that Esther, Mordecai, and their fellow displaced Jews lived in the same kind of culture. It was a culture that applied extreme pressure to fit in and feared the disruption caused by anyone who attempted to stand out. God’s people need to know that His kingdom surpasses every earthly empire and don’t need to be afraid to stand out.

All of us are influencers at one level or another. Influence is about more than just using the right words. It’s about recognizing and practicing some vital behaviors. In this message, Pastor John looks at the life of Paul to discover some keys to influence.

What does it mean to be made for more? It does not mean you were made for more stuff, not more power, not more money not more possessions. You were not born primarily for these things. Pastor John Stillman takes a deeper look into Psalm 122 to answer the question what were we made for.

Jesus’ church has been blessed and built up by a long and wonderful practice of sharing words of encouragement, direction, and praise. In this message, Pastor John provides a message to the church on how to commend the good in others while praising the glory of God.

What's holding you back from following Jesus? In this message, Pastor John looks at the story of a man who had been told lots of things that, before that moment, at least in his mind, kept him from making that kind of commitment. But then he hears of how Jesus came to remove the barriers that had kept him from a relationship with God.