Title: When I Die, I Die
Title: If you die, you will die (Esther 4:15-17)
According to the sermon on the fourth day of the General Assembly, Jan Hus, an early Protestant missionary martyr and president of Prague University, severely criticized the current leaders for church reform.
Jan Hus did not give up his argument, saying, “It is better to die than to live wrongly.” In the end, he was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake. The arrogance of the wealthy and powerful high-ranking church officials who at the time condemned and executed Jan Hus is now remembered as the most vicious anti-ecclesial figure of its generation. Jan Hus, who was dragged helplessly and burned to death, was a true Christian present
In this text, I hope that the work overflowing with grace will come as you see Esther moving forward with the faith that if she dies, she will die to save the nation.
The situation here is the case for the Jews who were held captive in Babylon and did not return to Jerusalem after the first return by Zerubbabel, but remained in Persia.
When Esther's uncle Mordecai saw that he did not kneel or bow down to Haman, the second ruler of Babylon, he became angry and decided to kill not only Mordecai but also all the Jews. This is the process of telling Queen Esther about this and trying to save the nation.
If Esther, the queen of Ahasuerus, who was notified to save the nation, goes to the king without being called, she will be killed.
Mordecai said you and your father's house were about to perish, and who knows if it was not for this time that you took the throne as queen?
15 Esther answered Mordecai and said, 16 Go, gather all the Jews who are in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. If I die, I will die.”
How precious is the determination to die to save the nation like this? What can't you do when you're ready to die?
I know that nothing will happen if I am prepared to die to save my family in order to save my people.
Jesus also gave his life and died on the cross to save mankind on this earth.
When Jesus was talking about taking up the cross, Peter caught Jesus and protested, saying, "No, Lord, this will never happen to you."
Matthew 16:23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan, for you are a stumbling block to me, for you do not think about the things of God, but rather the things of men.”
must die Athletes can be seen winning gold medals when they are prepared to die. We believe that if we are prepared for martyrdom for the sake of the gospel, everything will come true.
The Apostle Paul's confession is a confession prepared for death. Romans 14:8 If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Acts 20:24 “I do not count even my life of any value to be of any value, in order to finish the course I must run and the mission I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Paul, for the sake of the gospel, Romans 9:3 I wish that I myself should be cursed and cut off from Christ for my brethren, my kin
Please believe that the determination to save lives will save lives. Like Esther, I hope that the precious history of immortalizing the determination of martyrdom will come to pass if you die to save the nation.
When they came to Korea as missionaries, people like Underwood and Appenzeller were missionaries who received missionary support from their home country, and there are many others who came as independent missionaries without support.
One of them was Missionary Mackenzie, and Mackenzie knew that Koreans like to wear hanbok, so he decided to continue wearing hanbok. Mackenzie tried to embrace Korean culture. Seeing Mackenzie suffer so much, Underwood sent Western food, such as canned food. However, Mackenzie was concerned that he would no longer be able to eat Korean food if he ate Western food, so he gave it to all Koreans.
Please believe that in order to preach the gospel, you must have the spirit of martyrdom, ready to die. One life is more precious than the world, and I hope that we too will share in the spirit of martyrdom, that if we die like Esther, we will die in order to save our family and our nation.