1. Adult Bible Study Guide Jul Aug Sep 2015 Adult Bible Study Guide Jul Aug Sep 2015 powerpoint presentation designed by claro ruiz vicente http://clarovicente.weebly.com

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4. Biblical Missionaries Our Goal We will look at mission first and foremost as God’s means for commu- nicating the gospel. Mission is a core part of God’s sovereign activity in the process of redeeming humanity. We will study how God’s eternal purpose has been accomplished in the lives of individuals in the Bible whom He has used to be missionaries to the lost.

5. Biblical Missionaries Contents 1 The Missionary Nature of God 2 Abraham: The First Missionary 3 The Unlikely Missionary 4 The Jonah Saga 5 Exiles as Missionaries 6 Esther and Mordecai 7 Jesus: The Master of Missions 8 Cross-Cultural Missions 9 Peter and the Gentiles 10 Philip as Missionary 11 Paul: Background and Call 12 Paul: Mission and Message 13 Must the Whole World Hear?

6. Biblical Missionaries Lesson 6, August 8 Biblical Missionaries Lesson 6, August 8 Esther and Mordecai

7. Key Text Esther 4:14 NIV “ ‘ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.’ ”

8. Esther and Mordecai Quick Look 1. “Made...Queen Instead of Vashti” (Esther 2:17) 2. “For Such a Time as This” (Esther 4:14) 3. “Then Many...Became Jews” (Esther 8:17)

9. Esther and Mordecai Initial Words E STHER was lifted from obscurity and groomed to carry out an specialized mission. Her daring witness at the court of the Persian Empire saved her people and made them empire-wide objects of admiration. As a result, knowledge of the true God became more widespread among their heathen captors.

10. Esther and Mordecai 1. “Made...Queen Instead of Vashti” Esther 2:17 NKJV “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”

11. 1. “Made...Queen Instead of Vashti” Esther in the Persian Court So far in the story the real heroine is Vashti, who then disappears from history. Her modesty and stand on principle opened the way for Esther. In some cases, though, principled stands don’t always lead to an obvious good. In the end, why should we take principled stands, even if we don’t know the outcome of our actions?

12. 1. “Made...Queen Instead of Vashti” Esther in the Persian Court Twice Mordecai charged Esther not to reveal her nationality and family background. As we can see with the example of Jesus, one does not have to reveal everything at once in every circumstance. Prudence is a virtue. Have you been in a situation in which you deemed it prudent not to say too much about your faith or your beliefs?

13. Esther and Mordecai 2. “For Such a Time as This” Esther 4:14 TLB “ ‘If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?’ ”

14. 2. “For Such a Time as This” Death Decree Mordecai’s famous words to Esther: “ ‘Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ ” In what ways might the principle behind these words apply to you, right now?

15. 2. “For Such a Time as This” Death Decree Esther prepared to go before the king. She would become a Jewish breaker of royal Persian law by heroically entering the king’s presence without invitation, as part of a plan to foil Haman’s plot. Esther showed self-denial and heroism (4:16), tact (5:8), and courage (7:6).

16. 2. “For Such a Time as This” Death Decree The accounts of Esther’s two banquets bring the story to its crisis point. They also record the great reversal of the plotted ethnic extermination. The story exposes the difference between true honor and self-honor, and it records the punishment of the villain.

17. 2. “For Such a Time as This” Death Decree Esther and Mordecai used their positions, their knowledge of the culture in which they lived, and their faith in God’s covenant promises to His people to bring about their deliverance.

18. Esther and Mordecai 3. “Then...Many Became Jews” Esther 8:17 NKJV “And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.”

19. 3. “Then...Many Became Jews” Conversion of Gentiles Esther is not a “typical” story about out-reach and witness. And yet, we can see something like this scenario happening here toward the end. Some commentators argue that theirs could not have been a true conversion experience, since fear and anxiety should have no place in proselytizing.

20. 3. “Then...Many Became Jews” Conversion of Gentiles While that’s true, who knows in the longer run how these people, whatever their motives at first, might have responded to the working of the Holy Spirit, especially after seeing great differences between their beliefs and the belief and worship of the one true God?

21. 3. “Then...Many Became Jews” Conversion of Gentiles In the decrees against the Jews, not only were the Jews to be killed, but the ones to do it were told that they should “plunder their possessions” (3:13). Also, when the Jews were given permission to kill their enemies, they, too, were told that they could “plunder” the possessions of their enemies (8:11).

22. 3. “Then...Many Became Jews” Conversion of Gentiles However, three times (9:10, 15, 16) it specifically says that the Jews did not “plunder.” The fact that it was mentioned three times shows the emphasis that was placed on this act. Most likely they refrained because they wanted it known that they were acting out of self-defense and not greed.

23. Final Words Prophets and Kings 605 “The decree that will finally go forth against the remnant people of God will be very similar to that issued by Ahasuerus against the Jews. [T]he enemies...see in the little company keeping the Sabbath...a Mordecai at the gate. The reverence...for His law is a constant rebuke to those who...are trampling on His Sabbath.”