C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 4, 2018. UNIT II: MAN’S LOVE TOWARD MAN, PART II – ESTHER RISKED MUCH FOR THE JEWS

By | November 3, 2018

C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

UNIT II: MAN’S LOVE TOWARD MAN.

November 4, 2018.

PART II.

ESTHER RISKED MUCH FOR THE JEWS (Esther 4;5;7;8)

Esther was willing to step into the unknown, and risked her one and only life. She played her part, not knowing how the king would react with her action which was a form of disobedience to the king’s order.

A.    RISKED HER LIFE FOR THE JEWS (4:1-17; 5:1-2)

And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish! (4:16c)

i.     Taking rust for the love of others, started with God (cf. Jn. 3:16). To take a risk is to do something that involves the possibility of injury, damage, harm or death. Only love propels such.

ii.   4:13-14: There was a serious threatening situation on ground (vv. 1ff) that prompted Mordechai to speak somewhat harshly to make Esther use her good office to save God’s people. We have a similar divine challenge (evangelism and missions) to take risks for the salvation of the dying sinners (cf. 1 Cor. 9:16ff).

iii.  vv. 16-17: Esther’s request for the fasting, herself inclusive, stemmed from her love for, and selfless dedication, and loyalty to God and His people.

iv. By saying, and if I perish, I perish! Esther was ready and determined to risk everything to save the people. Jesus did more for us (Phil. 2:5-11).

v.  5:1,2: It was a very high risk that Esther took here. What if the thing didn’t work out and Esther had to be executed according to the Law? Esther damned the consequences to do the right thing. What was the motivation? True love! (cf. 8:6).

vi.  True love would cause you to overlook the pain, wound or even death that can come out of rescuing other people’s life.

B.    ROSE IN THE PEOPLE’S DEFENCE (5:1-8; 7:3-10; 8:1ff)

For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen? (8:6)

i.    5:1-8: We see God in action working in favour of the loving Esther (vv. 1-3). Then Esther applied wisdom in taking the risk (cf. Hos. 14:9; Matt. 10:16). Apply the wisdom of God when taking any risk.

ii.   7:3,4: The time came for her to present her case wisely. True love helped her. She spoke directly for herself and her people. She interceded for her people as to the dangerous situation Haman was putting them.

iii.  vv. 5-10: God moved the king for them in response to the loving intercession of Esther (v. 5). Esther didn’t waste time to identify the foe (v. 6) whom had undone himself (vv. 6-10).

iv.  8:1ff: Esther didn’t relent in her loving efforts, until she saw that God’s people were totally freed from foes’ ulterior motives. Why? She couldn’t withstand the sight of the destruction of her country people (v. 6) —- deep love and compassion.

v.   How deeply concerned are you for God’s purpose, people, programme, and projects?

vi.  Esther put her life on the line in a desperate attempt to save the Jews.

LESSON DERIVED

1.   You must be ready to take risk and make sure the love of Christ reaches the ends of the earth. That would determine what you get from Him.

2.   Do not hesitate to give whatever it takes to rescue your world from the devil’s clutches.

QUESTIONS

1.    Why do you think the love and godly relationship displayed by Ruth and Naomi is so scanty among mother-in-laws and daughters-in-laws today?

2.    Esther risked her life for the deliverance of the Jews. Why is it difficult for Christians today to sacrificially take risk even to go on missions?

SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

ANSWER TO QUESTION 1

The love and godly relationship displayed by Ruth and Naomi is so scanty among the mother-in-laws today, because of the following:

*   Lack of GENUINE SALVATION (1 Corth. 5:17),

*   Lack of sincere love toward one another,

*   Jealousy and rivalry,

*   Hatred and envy,

*   Suspicion,

*   Absence of sympathy and apathy,

*   No circumcision of the heart,

*   Weak and dead conscience, etc.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 2

Christians today find it difficult to sacrificially take a risk, even to go on mission, because:

i.    Christ’s followers today, lack passion for souls,

ii.   Christians today choose to disobey their creator,

iii.  They didn’t regard the great commission,

iv.  They want to protect their lives themselves,

v.   They lack the knowledge of what mission work is all about and they don’t want to know,

vi.   The love of Christ is not in them unlike the true disciples,

vii.  Selfishness and self-centerdness,

viii. They prefer profits and gains (blessings, crown) to responsibility (evangelism).

LIFE APPLICATION

There was once a woman who was hated and rejected by her mother-in-law, who daily rained curses and all forms of abuse and proverb on her daughter-in-law, but she would not give a damn nor allow all these to stop her from carrying-out her roles or responsibilities over her home and her mother-in-law. It got to a time, the mother-in-law brought in a lady into the house and commanded her son to sleep with her. The lady got pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy. The woman took the responsibilities upon herself to take good care of both the lady and her new born baby, she was so much loved every one of them not minding what they said or did to her. God, seeing her sincere love and how she forgot her sorrow and barrenness to care for others. God blessed her to conceive and gave birth to triplet. This propelled a passion to accept her God, that is, her mother-in-law, through unexpected miracle that God performed in her life. Imagine her great endurance! Love in action.

CONCLUSION

We need to critically examine the love we claim to have towards God, our neighbours, friends, enemies, colleagues, boss, customers, spouse, children, in-laws and everyone. Is our love for them godly, genuine and sincere? The lifestyle portrayed by Esther, Ruth and Naomi had highly challenged all believers, women and men alike, to take risk and ready to sacrifice one’s life for the sake of others. Naomi carefully hatched a plan and Ruth put it into an action with sincere heart, unconditional love and passion for the bereaved widow. What had seemed like an utterly hopeless situation in the land of Susan, had been turned around by the dedication and sacrificial life and step of Esther. DO YOUR BEST.

Click to read previous CAC Sunday School Manuals here

READING ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE SECOND WEEK

Mon.   Oct. 29:   Ráhábù Accommodated God’s Servants(Jos. 2:1)

Tue.    Oct. 30:   Rahab Risked All for God’s Servants (Jos. 2:2-3)

Wed.   Oct. 31:   Rahab Hid the Spies (Jos. 2:4-7)

Thur.   Nov. 1:    Rahab Confessed Her Love for Yahweh (Jos. 2:8-11)

Fri.      Nov. 2:    Rahab Interceded for Her Household (Jos. 2:12-14)

Sat.     Nov. 3:     Rahab Saved the Spies’ Lives (Jos. 2:15-18)

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