A Story of Resistance

This sermon explores the tension of living faithfully in a culture that tempts us toward assimilation or isolation. In The Work of God: A Story of Resistance, the story of Esther continues as Mordecai finds himself at a moral and spiritual crossroads. Esther has been taken into the king’s palace, caught in a dehumanizing empire obsessed with power, beauty, and control. Her identity as one of God’s people remains hidden, raising questions about compromise, identity, and survival in exile.

Mordecai’s refusal to bow to Haman in chapter 3 becomes the turning point of the sermon. Once willing to assimilate, Mordecai now boldly proclaims his Jewish identity: “Because I am a Jew.” His resistance is not merely political—it’s theological. It is a rejection of idolatry, a renunciation of the empire’s power dynamics, and a re-entry into the story of God’s people. Through this act, the sermon unfolds a contrast between two pathways: assimilation (which fails to resist) and isolation (which fails to love). Instead, we are called to a third way—the way of vulnerability.

Vulnerability, as defined by Andy Crouch, is “the capacity for meaningful risk.” The sermon powerfully contrasts this biblical vulnerability with the modern obsession with victimhood—where moral accountability is exchanged for social leverage. Citing Mike Cosper and René Girard, the sermon challenges cultural narratives on both the secular left and religious right, exposing how the pursuit of victim status often mimics worldly power struggles.

Ultimately, the sermon invites believers to follow the path of Mordecai and Esther—courageously stepping into risk not for personal gain but for the sake of others. In a society obsessed with influence and control, we’re reminded that true faithfulness looks like embodied, risky love in the face of power, injustice, and fear.