King Xerxes cannot sleep. This minor detail begins a turn of events that reverses the fortune of Mordecai, Queen Esther, and the Jewish people. Meanwhile, Haman enters the king's court after spending the night erecting a large stake to crucify Mordecai on. Before can get permission from the king to carry out his plan, Xerxes asks Mordecai what he should do to honor a man he delights in. Haman, a classic narcissist, things the king speaks of him. He does not. He intends to honor Mordecai for an earlier, overlooked act of valor. Haman's narcissism is exposed. His dramatic fall begins. Narcissism never ends well. We all must beware of it, forgetting ourselves, and looking to Jesus.

Mordecai and Esther communicate through various servants after she learns of his public display of affliction. She cannot persuade him to change clothes and silence his grief. Instead, Mordecai vents his anger about Haman's plot and tries to command Esther to take action. She agrees but on her own terms. She will not be managed. She will seize the moment God has given her. This focuses on God's providence and human responsibility.

Exile dramatically shaped Jewish history. It was their low point, rock bottom. In exile, they began to reinterpret the past, pour out their laments, and grasp for hope. Some Jews in exile grew rigid. Others became fragile. Those that comprised the faithful remnant remained flexible: seeking the peace of the foreign city while staying faithful to God's commands. Esther 2:5-20 provides an historical glimpse into this period of exile and how two Jews--Mordecai and Esther--sought to live faithfully, albeit imperfectly, in the age of exile.

After looking at the "harassed and helpless" crowd and calling for prayer, Jesus summons his disciples by name to go, show, and tell about the inbreaking kingdom of God. They become short-term missionaries with a simple strategy. Unfortunately, certain opposition will come, both within the family and from the government. However, Jesus reassures the Twelve that God has their back and His Spirit will provide the words when they give witness. This Missionary Discourse has relevant application today for followers of Jesus. We too should go public and not panic, knowing God's got our backs.

Pride is the final and foundational "deadly sin." It surfaces in the Garden of Eden, evident and Adam and Eve's choice to reject God's law and pursue their own deification. They take from the Tree of Knowledge and eat so they could be "like God." This act is the archetype of pride, which sets independence over submissions. Pride says, "You can't tell me what to do." It looks for loopholes in laws and treats personal tradition as more important than divine mandate. God wants our submission. He orders life for our good. We must learn to trust him.