One Night With The King

The characters

Synopsis

(1) King Xerxes holds a week-long feast at his winter palace, complete with lots of drinking. He orders Queen Vashti to parade in the front of the guests in order to show her off. Annoyed, she refuses, and winds up banished for this insubordination.
(2: 1-12) Xerxes' advisers suggest finding a replacement queen, and recruit women from throughout Persia to the harem for beauty treatments. Hegai the eunich is in charge of the harem. Mordecai prepares Hadasseh for the harem by changing her name to Esther, and telling her not to reveal she is a Jew. She quickly becomes Hegai's favorite candidate.

Introduction (15 min)

Opening prayer
Read Esther 1
Read Esther 2: 1-12
If time allows, Chapter A of Esther (fCatholic Bible) contains Mordecai's dream foretelling the struggle between the Persians and the Jews.

Film (30 min)

Discussion questions (15 min)

Mordecai counsels Esther not to reveal she is a Jew. Are there times when you have felt it safest to not reveal your religious beliefs?
Review Matthew 10:16. How do Jesus' directions apply to us? Is secrecy sometimes the means to God's will?
Are there times you refrain from inquiring of a person's religious beliefs? What holds us back?
Read more of Jesus' advice on this topic in Matthew 10:19-20, and 26-31.

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Revised May 30 2016 by Rick Mills rickmills9@gmail.com • This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.