Element Christian Church
Not So Little Women: Week 7 - Vashti
Locations & Times
Element Christian Church
4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Welcome to Element
We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! We aim to glorify God by teaching and living out the Scriptures, transforming community into Gospel community, and planting churches.
Community Dinners
Throughout November, Element's Gospel Communities will be hosting community dinners to celebrate the season together--these will take place at various locations throughout our community! If you are interested in attending one of these gatherings you can click this link or come talk to us at the Welcome Center.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/642121Youth Community Dinner and Cook Off
Students in grades 6-12 AND their families are invited to share a meal with 2 of our Gospel Communities and show off their baking skills! See details at link below.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/508014Youth Winter Camp
See dates and details at link below
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/calendar/event/140035913eKids Winter Camp
See dates and details at link below
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/638436Missions Newletter Update
Get the latest on the various local and global ministries Element helps support.
https://www.ourelement.org/downloads/2023/2023_11_fall_MissionsUpdate.pdfDelta Staff Holiday Meal
A tradition that is near and dear to our hearts. Please sign up to help with a food item or decorations.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/643414Delta Holiday Store
We are once again hosting the Delta High School Holiday store Dec 4th-8th. We need help with donations and staffing. List of items can be found at the Welcome Center and sign ups to help are at the link below
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/639461WE NEED HELP
We are in GREAT need of help in all areas on Sunday mornings. Time commitment can be as little as 15 minutes once a month. Please consider serving your church in some capacity.
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/people/forms/395779Stay Connected - Download the Church Center App
https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/setupThis week's song list
Interested in looking for some of the songs we sang this week? Here's the titles and original artists:<br><br>The Lord Our God <br>Your Glory - All Sons & Daughters<br>Revelation Song - Jesus Culture<br>Forever Reign - Hillsong Worship<br>In Tenderness - Citizens
Vashti
Today in our Not So Little Women series, we are looking at Vashti, a Babylonian queen who was married to the Persian king, Xerxes.
• Who is Vashti? Xerxes had many wives and concubines; God shows us what happened to Vashti, one of the relatively unknown wives. The Babylonian rabbis cast Vashti in a negative light, saying she was a “wicked Jew-hater.” The rabbis of Erez Israel (meaning from the land of Israel) portrayed her in a mostly positive manner. They describe Vashti as a “scion of a royal dynasty and deported herself with the proper honor and nobility.”
• What happened? Almost all Jewish scholars agree that Vashti was commanded to come before King Xerxes and all of his inebriated officials wearing only her royal crown (naked). Xerxes treats Vashti like prioerty, not like a wife. Esther 1:12 But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Vashti refuses to come and is most likely punished with death. The king’s ego suffers a blow, and he passes laws (while intoxicated) decreeing that all women must obey their husbands.
• What do we learn from Vashti? Honor. She spoke and acted in accordance with her principles, and she lived and died for the sake of it. You see Vashti fulfill her role as a queen and member of the royal household until it violated honor.
• We are to live honorably because we represent Christ. “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.”
Jesus calls His followers to be salt and light in the world. We are meant to be honorable and trustworthy, not because that is what saves us, but because we are to be a blessing and reflect Jesus to the world. After all, we have first been blessed!
1. We should lovingly cultivate honor in others because they are made in God’s image. In Jewish midrash, it is spoken of how Vashti tried different ways to help her husband not act dishonorably.
Vashti was most likely not a follower of God, but she shows us the truth about character. Our world tires of people who do not live with integrity. We are to offer integrity and grace to those around us--loving as God calls us to love, living as He calls us to live. Our honor is a response to His grace extended toward us.
2. While character is important, we are saved by grace, not our morality.
The way home for rule-breakers is the way of grace through repentance.
Ask/ Discuss:
• What did you learn about God in this passage/ message?
• What did you learn about yourself/humanity in this passage/message?
• How can we better reflect Jesus together as we live in diverse community?
• How do you feel led to foster healthy, Gospel-centered community this week?