永生神是一個宣教的神

The Living God is a MISSIONARY God

Esther 以斯帖 4:7-14

策略性地安置祂的子民

Strategic Placement of His People

為現今的機會

為現今的機會

Who am I? 我是誰？ Why am I here? 我為什麼在這裡？

7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther

Esther 以斯帖 4:7-147 末底改將自己所遇的事，並哈曼為滅絕猶大人應許捐入王庫的銀數都告訴了他。 8 又將所抄寫傳遍書珊城，要滅絕猶大人的旨意交給哈他革，要給以斯帖看，

and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. 9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that

又要給她說明，並囑咐她進去見王，為本族的人在王面前懇切祈求。 9 哈他革回來，將末底改的話告訴以斯帖。 10

以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去見末底改，說： 11 「王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一個定例：

if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said.

若不蒙召，擅入內院見王的，無論男女，必被治死，除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。」 12 人就把以斯帖這話告訴末底改。

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

13 末底改託人回覆以斯帖說：「你莫想在王宮裡強過一切猶大人，得免這禍。 14

此時你若閉口不言，猶大人必從別處得解脫蒙拯救，你和你父家必致滅亡。焉知你得了王后的位分，不是為現今的機會嗎？」

為現今的機會I. A Time of Crisis (3:5-6) 現今的危機

• People need the gospel 人們需要福音

為現今的機會

CRISIS 危機

險 Danger會 Opportunity

為現今的機會II.A Time of Opportunity 現今的機會• Requires my acknowledgment 需要我的確認 The opportunity of a life time 千戴難逢的機會 The cost of keeping silent 閉口不言的後果

為現今的機會II.A Time of Opportunity 現今的機會• Requires my moral courage 需要我的道德氣節 The calling 呼籲的聲音 (4:8-14) The respond 回應 (5:1-7)

為現今的機會All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing 邪惡之所以能得勝只需要義人坐手旁观 -- 愛德蒙•伯克 Edmond Burke

為現今的機會II.A Time of Opportunity 現今的機會• Requires our persistent prayer (4:15-17) 需要我們的懇切祈求

為現今的機會III. A Time that Turns Sorrow into Gladness

轉悲為樂的時代 (9:21-22)• Be the conduit of the blessings to many 成為萬人祝福的管道

obliging them to keep the fourteenth Day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness

Esther 以斯帖 9:21-22囑咐他們每年守亞達月十四、十五兩日，以這月的兩日為猶大人脫離仇敵得平安，轉憂為喜，轉悲為樂的吉日。在這兩日設筵歡樂

obliging them to keep the fourteenth Day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness

Ezk 以斯帖 3:17-19囑咐他們每年守亞達月十四、十五兩日，以這月的兩日為猶大人脫離仇敵得平安，轉憂為喜，轉悲為樂的吉日。在這兩日設筵歡樂

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; andfrom the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (NIV)

Luke 路加福音 12:48b

因為多給誰，就向誰多取；多託誰，就向誰多要。

為現今的機會Who am I? 我是誰？ Why am I here? 我為什麼在這裡？ Why now? 為什麼是現在？

為現今的機會Why am I here in the 21st century, in N. America? In St. Louis? CGC?我為什麼在第 21世紀的北美，在聖路易？在福音教會 ?

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; andfrom the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (NIV)

Luke 路加福音 12:48b

因為多給誰，就向誰多取；多託誰，就向誰多要。