A CRAZED KING & A PAIR OF QUEENS (1)
by Brad Whitt
Scripture: Esther 1:1-22
This content is part of a series.
Title: A Crazed King & A Pair of Queens (1)
Series: Esther
Author: Brad Whitt
Text: Esther 1
INTRODUCTION
Take your Bibles this morning and turn to the Old Testament book of Esther. I love
a good story, and I think most people do too.
Question: How many of you love hearing or reading a good story?
Illustration: In a 2016 article on the American Management Association website, Jim and
Jennifer Poage explain why we love a good story and why good stories inspire people.
1. People pay attention
A good story draws you in and grabs your attention.
-Our minds fill in images and details. The most amazing and detailed
painter in the world is our human mind. (Sony and Pixar don't have
anything on the human mind.)
-Stories teach and prepare us. A good story can tell us how others faced
certain situations to prepare us for when we face similar situations.
-Stories create a lasting bond. Sharing stories creates common
experiences and unites people around common ideas.
2. Motivate action
Stories motivate us to act because they show how to behave in different situations.
Stories...
-Make us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.
-Trigger the "feel good" chemical oxytocin and activate sensory
centers in our brains.
-When you hear a good story, your brain puts you INSIDE the
story.
Illustration: Jonathan Gottschall, "We are addicted to story. Even when the body goes to
sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories."
QUOTE: Mark Twain, "I conceive that the right way to write a story for boys is to write so that
it will not only interest boys but strongly interest any man who has ever been a boy. That
immensely enlarges the audience." - Letter to Fred J. Hall, August 10, 1892 Everyone loves a
good story.
This morning, we will begin reading and learning from one of the most fascinating and
incredible stories ever told.
The story of Esther has all the elements that make up a great story:
-Plot
-Theme ...
Series: Esther
Author: Brad Whitt
Text: Esther 1
INTRODUCTION
Take your Bibles this morning and turn to the Old Testament book of Esther. I love
a good story, and I think most people do too.
Question: How many of you love hearing or reading a good story?
Illustration: In a 2016 article on the American Management Association website, Jim and
Jennifer Poage explain why we love a good story and why good stories inspire people.
1. People pay attention
A good story draws you in and grabs your attention.
-Our minds fill in images and details. The most amazing and detailed
painter in the world is our human mind. (Sony and Pixar don't have
anything on the human mind.)
-Stories teach and prepare us. A good story can tell us how others faced
certain situations to prepare us for when we face similar situations.
-Stories create a lasting bond. Sharing stories creates common
experiences and unites people around common ideas.
2. Motivate action
Stories motivate us to act because they show how to behave in different situations.
Stories...
-Make us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.
-Trigger the "feel good" chemical oxytocin and activate sensory
centers in our brains.
-When you hear a good story, your brain puts you INSIDE the
story.
Illustration: Jonathan Gottschall, "We are addicted to story. Even when the body goes to
sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories."
QUOTE: Mark Twain, "I conceive that the right way to write a story for boys is to write so that
it will not only interest boys but strongly interest any man who has ever been a boy. That
immensely enlarges the audience." - Letter to Fred J. Hall, August 10, 1892 Everyone loves a
good story.
This morning, we will begin reading and learning from one of the most fascinating and
incredible stories ever told.
The story of Esther has all the elements that make up a great story:
-Plot
-Theme ...
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