Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church

Selected verses from Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther

“Unlikely Heroes”

Rev. Meagan M. Boozer

Reader’s Digest has a regular monthly feature entitled, “Everyday Heroes.” Each month you can read about a regular person who ended up doing something amazing to help others. Often these stories are about saving another person’s life. In May, the story was about Larry Cummins, a 37-year-old Navy aircraft mechanic who dove into dark murky water to try to save two people whose car had plunged into the water. Time and time again, without being able to see even his hand in front of his face, he dove down to try to get the doors open in the car. Finally he was able to find a 15-year-old girl, already unconscious, and pull her out. He was also able to pull out her grandfather, who had already died. The young girl, Alena, said, “I was so scared. I’m amazed at Larry’s strength and his willingness to never give up.” The Fire Department Captain said, “If Larry hadn’t stepped up, it’s very unlikely that Alena would have lived. Another two minutes, and she wouldn’t have made it.” (Reader’s Digest, May 2006, p. 32-36) We’d call Larry Cummins a hero, wouldn’t we?

A hero, according to Webster’s Dictionary is: 1 a: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b: an illustrious warrior c: a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d: one that shows great courage.

I found a web page about heroes that asked these questions: What makes a person a hero? Is it the firefighter who charges into a burning building because he thinks that there may be someone in there? Is it the basketball start who has used his fame and fortune to develop an after school program for kids in his hometown? Is it the teacher whose dedication to her students helps them not only learn about history, math, and science, but also what it means to be a good person and care for others? Is it the mom who has to work two jobs to support her children and still makes the time to show her kids she loves them, and to play a game of Memory with them? There are countless definitions of heroes in our world, but most people’s ideas about the characteristics of a hero are fairly consistent: Sacrificial for the sake of others, determined, loyal, courageous, dedicated, intrepid, valorous, selfless, convicted of a strong belief, focused, perseverant, full of fortitude, and brave.” 1

Wow! That’s quite a list. I think for many of us, we would, agree on calling our men and women in uniform, heroes. Any who have served throughout the years in times of war, are heroes in our book. Did you know that last month, Buck and Elsie Baker traveled to South Korea with other veterans who had served in the Korean War? They will tell you that they were treated like heroes. Their bus had police escorts wherever they went, and they both received impressive medals of honor and gifts as an act of gratitude from the South Korean people for their acts of sacrifice and heroism on their behalf. I think we all agree that people who put their own life at risk for other people are heroes. Little Billy Peppernick, though he doesn’t understand it yet, performed an act of heroism to save his brother, Matthew, by donating bone marrow to save Matt’s life. Maybe, we can say, “there’s a hero inside each of us- given the moment of opportunity to serve as such.”

In our Scripture readings for the past weeks we have moved through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah- and today we begin the journey through Esther. There are particular things about each of the people whose names have become the titles of each book. Let me just give you a very brief overview:

First we have Ezra. Ezra was a priest during the time when the nation of Israel had been exiled from their homeland. God chose Ezra to be an instrument of good, a hero of sorts, to the nation of Israel that he might bring honor back to the priesthood, the glory of which had been greatly damaged during the captivity of the Jews. King Cyrus of Persia released the Jews to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the house of the Lord, and Ezra, a scribe (which was, in his case, and official of the Persian Empire and a person (v. 7:6) skilled in the law of Moses) had heard and obeyed the call to return to Jerusalem. Chapter 7:10 tells us this about Ezra, “Ezra set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the statues and ordinances in Israel.” He also helped to make and enforce a very, very difficult decision regarding the purity of the exiles. He oversaw the sending away of all the foreign women and children who had been taken in marriage by Jewish men- and if the men wouldn’t let them go- Ezra sent the men away with the women and children, in an effort to do what God had instructed the nation of Israel to do. Ezra had a long vision for his people, and though at the time, many would not have called him a hero, we can see now that he was certainly courageous, putting his own life on the line for God’s chosen nation- the people of Israel.

Now on to Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. When wine was served, Nehemiah carried the wine and gave it to the king. He had developed a respectful relationship with the king, close enough that one day when Nehemiah was troubled, the king noticed his countenance. Chapter 2, v. 2, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This can only be sadness of heart.” And Nehemiah answered with fear and trepidation, “Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my ancestor’s graves, lies in waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” (He was talking about Jerusalem.) The king ended up granting Nehemiah permission to leave Susa and return to Jerusalem to see about restoring the city. Nehemiah was able to lead the exiles in the rebuilding the walls of the city in only 52 days with his heroic style of courageous leadership. He led the people to take care of their poor and be diligent in protecting the great city. He insisted on keeping the Sabbath holy in the city, even though those around him thought he was being ridiculously strict. The book ends with Nehemiah’s simple prayer, “Remember me, O my God, for good.”

There are several heroes in the book of Esther. The first is Queen Vashti who refused to be manipulated and exploited by a drunk king who wanted to parade her in front of all his drunk friends. Her refusal cost her her position as queen, but at least she was able to walk away with her head high. Her refusal also made way for a young Jewish girl named Esther who made a very risky move on behalf of the Jewish people. It was not known to her husband, the king, that she was of Jewish descent. When an official order had been written to kill all the Jews, Esther had to step forward, risk her own life, and beg for the lives of her people. The notable verse in Esther is found in Chapter 4:16, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” Esther was a true hero for the Jewish people.

What do you think is God’s definition of a hero? Do you think it is the same as we’ve already defined it today? Do you think God says a hero is someone who is: sacrificial for the sake of others, determined, loyal, courageous, dedicated, intrepid, valorous, selfless, convicted of a strong belief, focused, perseverant, full of fortitude, and brave? Does God say that Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther are heroes? Does God say that Larry Cummins, who dove into the water to save complete strangers, is a hero? Does God say that Buck is a hero for fighting in the Korean War?

Please turn with me to the book of Revelation, Chapter 21 beginning in verse 5: And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

I see in these verses, God’s definition of a hero.

1. The thirsty: First, God honors the person who has the courage to admit they need, and are thirsty for the living water that only God can provide. God honors the on who believes by faith Jesus’ words that call out to all of humanity, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believers heart shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37,38) God honors the person who is able to stop trying to fill the deep yearning within their beings with anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ. This person is honored by God as a hero, because God knows how difficult, and unpopular, and even dangerous it is in these days to speak and live out our faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to our Creator and Father in heaven.

To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

2. Those who conquer. Now, it’s really helpful to know that the form of this verb translated, ‘conquer,’ is a present, active, participle in the Greek- emphasizing ongoing activity, continuing even right now, before our eyes. So, to make it clear, God honors those as heroes who admit they are thirsty for Jesus, and who are constant, everyday conquerors. Conquerors over what or whom? Only the Bible can give us the right answer.

Let’s turn to Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day and having done everything, to stand firm.”

God says that those who conquer, who overcome the schemes of the devil, are the heroes. Well, what are the schemes of the devil? Again, let’s stick with the Scripture to answer our question. Please turn to John 10:10, “The thief (the devil) comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.”

It’s pretty simple: The devil wants to: 1. steal from you the relationship with God that Jesus died to give you. The devil wants to: 2. kill your hope of ever having your thirst fully satisfied except through selfish, sinful means. And, the devil wants to: 3. destroy your life, literally, for all eternity.

The devil wants you to get so distracted by other interests (some of them seemingly good things) that you neglect nurturing your relationship with the Lord. He doesn’t want you to come to worship. He doesn’t want you to serve in the church. He doesn’t want you hanging out with committed Christian people. He doesn’t want you reading your Bible. He wants to lure you away, sometimes just one small step at a time (not coming to worship on Sunday a month, then it’s two, then it’s hardly ever), and sometimes he jerks us away quickly, and frightfully completely. He uses all sorts of methods to do so. The devil does not want you to talk to other people about the living water Jesus gives. He doesn’t want you inviting people to come with you to worship. He doesn’t want you in Sunday school, developing sweet, close relationships with the people God has given to you as your church family. He surely doesn’t want you bringing your children or grandchildren or great grandchildren to Sunday school. See, the devil know that if he can keep the children away from the church when they are young, that it is much more likely that he will be the one who conquers by stealing, killing, and destroying their lives forever and ever.

I want us to be thirsty for Jesus alone! I want each of us to take our stand against the devil! I want to laugh in his face as the Lord says, “No!” to him on my behalf, telling him, “Hand’s off. This is Meagan. She’s my child.” I want all that! But, I also want each of us to be a big, big part of defeating the devil’s schemes for the people around us! God wants each of us to be a hero that doesn’t just save a person from drowning, God wants us to be heroes, maybe in the world’s eyes unlikely heroes, but God really wants us to be heroes who save people from the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

I don’t want to spend so much time on stupid stuff that doesn’t matter and allow the devil to win the battle for the souls of the people God has given me to influence, do you? How can it be that we spend so much time on ourselves, our yards, our houses, our clothes, etc.- and so little time in the ongoing activity, continuing even right now, before our eyes, of telling others where they can find the living water?

When we went to New Orleans, both times, we were treated like heroes. People would stop us and thank us for coming to help their city. We felt pretty good- because it does feel good to help people, God calls us to help people- and it feels good once in a while to have people take notice of our help. It felt good to Buck and Elsie to be treated with such pomp, and with such grateful respect in South Korea last month. It will feel good for the Camden mission team to go and help others who are in such dire need of care and support. I’m sure it feels great to Larry Cummins to know that a young girl is alive because of his efforts to save her live. But you know, even those good feelings for such good work are temporary. Over time, they fade almost completely away. The only thing that lasts, the only thing that keeps us in the conquering, overcoming position of victory in this life, giving us joy in our hearts and a passion in our souls that never fades, is a vital, ongoing, continuing even right now before our eyes, relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s it. But, this relationship takes effort. It takes time. It takes daily commitment. This awesome relationship is what the Lord has given to us, as a gift of eternal love and salvation.

May we be those who admit our thirst for the Lord Jesus, and may we be ongoing conquerors against the schemes of the devil in our own lives (last week we had many people who stepped forward to let go of old wineskins, old ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving in exchange for God’s new ways. I prayed for you all week that you would be conquerors in those areas of your lives.). May we be ongoing conquerors against the schemes of the devil in the life of this congregation, and may we be ongoing conquerors for the lives of those around us.

One day, may there be a huge cloud of witnesses in heaven from Path and Amberson Valleys because of the victories God gave to each of us in the strength of his power to do what he calls us to do- so that we too, can be called everyday heroes, not in the eyes of Reader’s Digest, but more importantly, in the eyes of God. (And Buck, in my opinion, you qualify for both.)

Help us, Lord, to be your heroes and grow your Kingdom for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

1 (http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d46/psy/dev/Fall01/hero/traits.html)

Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church

07-23-06