– The Image of God Series –
ON PURPOSE . POWER . PREJUDICE . PEOPLE
*WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Talk through these three questions in your group:
- What are three ways that someone has power over you?
- What are three ways that you have power?
- What is one example of how someone else has used their power to help you?
*Everyone has power to use for the good of others, but because of sin, power is often abused. Let’s take a look at the story of Esther in the Bible and how power was used in her situation.
WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT THIS?
The book of Esther has some great things to teach us about power. Here is a summary of the book of Esther:
ESTHER
*Esther was born almost 500 years before Jesus. She was Jewish, an orphan, and lived with her cousin Mordecai in Persia which is now called Iraq. As a teenager, Esther and other young women were taken from their homes to the palace of King Xerxes because he was looking for a new wife. Because of her great beauty, Esther was summoned to be groomed as a possible wife for the King. In Persia, Jewish people were looked down upon and faced constant threats to their lives because they were from another country and did things differently. Because of this, Esther did not reveal her heritage as a Jew to the palace officials.
Esther was chosen as the king’s new wife but continued to receive help and encouragement from her cousin Mordecai.
King Xerxes gave much of his power to Haman, his assistant who hated the Jews. Haman was angered by Mordecai, who as a Jew refused to bow down to him. From there Haman made a plan to kill the Jewish people and wipe out their entire nation.
1. What is power?
2. Read Esther 3:1-2. In the book of Esther both Haman and Esther had power. Where did Haman’s power come from?
3. Read Esther 4:14-16. Where did Esther get her power and how was it different from Haman’s power?
4. Read Esther 7:9. What was the end result for Haman?
HOW DO WE APPLY THIS TO OUR LIVES?
5. Who has power?
Allow the group to discuss. God will provide all that we need: food, clothes, etc.
6. In what ways do you have power?
7. What are examples of people using power for good in the world?
8. What are examples of people using power for bad in the world?
9. Do you tend to use your power for good, bad, or not at all? Explain.
10. Can you think of a way that you, like Esther, can use your power for the good of others this week?
*In the end, Esther, who had access to the king, showed great courage as she and her cousin Mordecai came up with a plan to save their people. Haman died in the same way he planned to kill the Jews. Esther used her faith in God and her courage to save her people from further persecution and death.
What ideas do you have that could improve this study? Are there creative things you do to bring this topic home to your students? Please share with the community clicking the FEEDBACK button or leaving a comment below.
