This past Sunday, I preached through Esther 1. It’s a chapter that doesn’t usually make the top ten list for most sermon series. Afterward, a church member came up to me and said, “That was the best sermon I’ve ever heard on that passage.”
I smiled and asked, “How many sermons have you heard on Esther 1?”
His reply: “That’s beside the point.”
The truth is, it’s not beside the point. For many believers, certain sections of Scripture remain untouched. We read the “big” stories and beloved chapters, but other passages—whether obscure, challenging, or uncomfortable—often get skipped in preaching and teaching.
That’s one of the reasons I love expository preaching.
When you preach through books of the Bible, you don’t get to skip the parts that are awkward or difficult. You don’t get to rush past the passages that don’t seem immediately inspiring. Instead, you dive into the text and let God’s Word speak for itself. As Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Preaching Esther 1 forces us to see God’s truth even in a chapter where His name is never mentioned, the leaders are morally bankrupt, and the culture is spiraling out of control. It helps us wrestle with what God might be showing us through history, power dynamics, and human sinfulness. And in doing so, it teaches us that God’s providence isn’t just in the spectacular moments—it’s in the shadows too.
When we handle obscure passages well, several things happen:
- We teach the whole counsel of God. People learn that every chapter matters.
- We model how to mine for truth. By working through difficult sections, we train our people to study deeply, not just skim devotionally.
- We grow in trust of Scripture. When we see God’s wisdom in unexpected places, our confidence in His Word expands.
- We prepare believers for real life. Life is messy and complex. So is the Bible. Learning to find God’s truth in the messy parts helps us live faithfully in the messy parts of our own stories.
The temptation is always to stick with “safe” or “familiar” passages. But when we commit to walking line by line, chapter by chapter, we discover treasures hidden in plain sight.
Obscure passages are often where God surprises us the most. Sometimes, the sermon that wows people is the one they didn’t even know they needed.
