"Love and Sacrifice"
Esther 7:1-3; 8:5-6, 16-17; Acts 13:47-52
Chan Willis – C.P.C.
May 9, 2010
“Love and Sacrifice”
Esther 7:1-3; 8:5-6, 16-17; Acts 13:47-52
This morning we continue in our examination of Scripture taken from the “Visioning lectionary”… that collection of passages selected for their bearing on the vision and mission (or “vission”) of the church. God’s goals for where we are going, and how to get there. Today we have read about Esther, a beautiful Jewish woman who has kept her identity a secret from her husband, the Persian King Xerxes…until doing so would mean death to the family she loves. We have also read about that ‘dynamic duo’ of Barnabas and Saul… or “Paul”… and the 1st Missionary journey that Paul makes in spreading the Good News of the Gospel to the Gentile world of Asia and Europe. This story speaks of the successes… and challenges… of Paul’s encounters in his first ventures into ‘global evangelism.’
Two powerful experiences, each in their own right. But also two seemingly very different. How do these two stories relate to one another? How do they express a common vision for us, as the church called out into the world? The first has to do with a woman who grapples with hiding who she is; the second, with a man who goes ‘out of his way’ (quite literally!) to make his identity clearly known! In the former, the Jews are an oppressed, marginalized people; in the latter, they wield much more power. Esther’s experience involves a limited cast of characters, centering around one location; Paul’s touches numerous people in different locales. So what is the common thread of these two Bible passages that you and I should ‘hold on to’?
I must admit that as I read and re-read these two, I had a hard time figuring out just what Mr. Tom Bandy, the church growth specialist who put this ‘reading list’ together, was thinking the connection was. It’s hard, isn’t it, to put yourself in someone else’s head? Heck, its challenging enough just being in the head we’ve got! But as these two passages floated around in this crowded cranium of mine, there came to me a link between them. One that also relates to how we are to live out our lives as followers of the one True God. Both Esther and Paul demonstrate the importance of living a life of ‘love and sacrifice.’
First consider Esther. A Jew by birth, raised by her cousin Mordecai, she found favor with the king. Mordecai instructed her to not reveal her lineage to anyone, for to do so would put her in great peril. But there came a time where she felt compelled to go against Mordecai’s wishes… indeed, in order to save his life…as well as those of their countrymen. Because of the love that Esther felt for the man who had been as a father to her, and the love for her people,
she was willing to risk her own well-being, her own life. In her own words, “How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?” For the love of another, Esther was willing to sacrifice herself.
And then there’s Paul. A ‘Hebrew of Hebrews’ who had once persecuted Christians in the same way that his Jewish ancestors had been persecuted in the time of Esther. But, because of his ‘Damascus Road experience,’ Paul saw Christians in a whole new ‘light.’ His love for Jesus burned brightly now… so much so, that he would travel hundreds, thousands, of miles in order to share his passion for Christ with others. His fervent desire was to pass along to other ‘converts’ the command he heard from God: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” In order to obey God’s command, Paul would indeed make great sacrifice… carrying to the ‘ends of the earth’ the light of God’s love in Jesus Christ.
So what does the example of Esther and Paul mean for us? What can we learn from these two heroes of the faith about love and sacrifice that we don’t already know? Don’t we already have a pretty good idea about what it means to care enough about someone else to give of yourself?
Think about the special occasions we observe today. First and foremost, Mother’s Day. That one day out of the year, like so many special ‘days’, when we make an often feeble attempt to express our gratitude for all that we should be saying ‘thank you’ for the other 364!
Let’s face it, most of us have (or have had) mothers who loved us, and sacrificed for us, more than we deserved. Those women who made sure we were fed, clothed, housed, educated, nurtured, protected… often times putting our well-being ahead of their own. Further, as we honored our high school graduates, we are also mindful of the love and sacrifice made by parents, and grandparents, to see them through to this day. We don’t need ancient examples of love and sacrifice… we have them right here, today, now. But, for as many of us that have had great role models in how to care for others, there are many others that have not. Even the best of parents can know that there were ways in which they fell short, made mistakes. In ALL of our relationships… between parent/child, husband/wife, family members, close friends and co-workers… there are ways that we can improve how we think, and act, toward others. We must continually ask ourselves, “Is there more to the love and sacrifice God calls me to than what I am doing now?”
I would lift up to you two ways that Esther and Paul demonstrated sacrificial love that we might benefit from. First, you remember what Esther declared before her husband, King Xerxes: “How can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?” She knew that if she did not act… if she did not speak up, even at the risk of subjecting herself to harm… those whom she loved would suffer. And to know that she could have intervened, and did not, was a burden she did not want to bear.
Who do you know in your life for whom you can be that intercessor? That one who needs to speak up with words of caution and wisdom for someone heading for disaster. (through their selfish actions) Or, perhaps you need to offer words of comfort and hope to someone at the brink of despair. (for the situation they find themselves in, not even of their own making)
I am reminded of a long-time friend back in B.R. He and his family have been special to Barrie and I for a long time. I used to coach this guy in church-league basketball, even though I’m only about 5 yrs. older than he. He has always been someone who enjoyed life… maybe a little too much. Not much of a church-goer, not much direction in life. Never got married or had children. And even tho we hadn’t seen each other in years, I have always had a special place in my heart for this ‘young man.’
Well, come to find out he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pretty far advanced. Treatment options are pretty radical… drastically changing his quality of life. Needless to say, he was having a real hard time with it, really struggling with just what to do. So, I got his number from his sister, called him up, and scheduled a meeting at a Waffle House over near where he lives. And we talked. I mainly listened. Not sure that I gave him any real inspiring words of wisdom. Just that I loved him. And so did God. And that no matter what happened, he needed to make sure he was right with that God.
How much better off is my friend after our conversation? Only time will tell. The point is this: You and I can make a difference in others, if only we will make the effort to do so. Sometimes, the greatest ‘sacrifice’ we can make is simply giving someone else our time. For, in Esther’s words, “how can I bear to see the destruction of my family” … and do nothing?
The other example of how we are to demonstrate our love for others by our sacrifice is in Paul’s experience. Remember his words: “this is what the Lord commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Something that jumped out at me was a note I read about the Greek grammar in this verse. The personal pronoun in the Greek is singular, not plural. God, through Paul, is not saying ‘I have made y’all to be a light, and bring salvation to the world, but you.’ It is not a collective command so much as it is an individual one.
This is the struggle I have with our corporate prayer of confession. When we confess ‘our’ sins, we can lose sight of the ‘my’ part. In the same way, when we talk about the church’s role in bringing others to Christ, each of us can forget that I am the church! Not just we…but ME!
Several members of this church exercised that ‘identity’ yesterday. They went out into the neighborhood and hung door hangers on the houses, letting them know about our outdoor service next Sunday. Just as importantly, they let them know that this church is HERE, alive and well! (Nestled very unobtrusively between the grocery store and the Catholic church!)
And just so that those few faithful servants wouldn’t have all the ‘fun,’ after my 26-mile bike ride for N’lake Crisis Pregnancy Ctr, I came down and joined them. Just so that you will know that I really do try to ‘practice what I preach.’ And it was very rewarding… not that it didn’t have its trials. It was pretty hot. I was kind of weary. But I only had ONE negative response. This guy hollered at me down the block, “come back and pick up this garbage… I didn’t ask for this!’ So I walked back down to his house, took it from him, apologized for the ‘inconvenience’ (yes, this was hard!) and then did like Paul did in Pisidian Antioch: ‘shook the dust from my feet and went on…’
What I was reminded of yesterday is my personal responsibility as a believer in Jesus Christ. That just like Paul, I have been commanded to be a ‘light’ for God. And to carry the Good News of salvation not only ‘to the ends of the earth,’ but to the ‘ends’ of Jefferson Street and 21st Avenue! Even when I’m hot and tired. True love… for God, and for His people… requires true sacrifice.
On this day in which we honor the mothers who have loved us, and given themselves for us, let us remember the One who enables us to love in the first place: Jesus Christ. May other words of Paul, to the church in Galatia, be true for us as well: “The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (2:20) Let us live a life of love and sacrifice, through Jesus Christ…the One who made the ultimate sacrifice for those he loved—you and me. Amen.
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