Ruth Purpose - Rhianna Johnson -9_16_2023
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class began with the teacher sharing personal family moments before transitioning to a lesson on purpose through the biblical figure of Esther. She explained Esther's background as an orphan raised by Mordecai, noting the significance of Esther 2:5‑7 and how her inner qualities—beauty, humility, and obedience—positioned her for the king's favor. The teacher emphasized that Esther, though unaware of her future role, was prepared to act when Mordecai reminded her of the looming crisis for the Jewish people, citing Esther 4:12‑14 as the pivotal call to courage. The teacher connected Esther's story to contemporary feelings of inadequacy, using a real‑world example of a friend working with traumatized teenage girls. She argued that, like Esther and Abraham, believers may not see the full scope of God's plan but can trust Him by responding obediently to open doors. The central message affirmed that God can use anyone’s gifts—whether beauty, compassion, or perseverance—to fulfill His purpose, and that our response, not our knowledge of the outcome, determines how we serve Him.
Key Scriptures
Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away. He was bringing up Hadassah. You guys remember that from last night? That is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at. And when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.