If I Perish, I Perish- For Such a Time as This "Small Group Guide"
Small Group Guide: "For Such a Time as This"
Sermon Date: Easter Sunday
Text: Esther 4 & Matthew 16:24-28
Theme: Choosing Christ over comfort when our moment comes
Opening Prayer & Icebreaker
Icebreaker Question: Share about a time when you had to make a difficult choice between doing what was comfortable and doing what was right. What did you choose and why?
Sermon Summary
This Easter message draws a parallel between Queen Esther's pivotal moment and our own "Esther moments" in life. Esther was raised to know about God but conditioned to pursue the crown—to excel in the world by staying silent about her faith. When faced with the potential genocide of her people, she had to choose between her comfort and her calling. Her declaration, "If I perish, I perish," represents the attitude Jesus calls us to have. Unlike Esther, who was conditioned to choose the crown, Jesus was born God but conditioned Himself to choose the cross. The resurrection proves that trusting God isn't a gamble—it's trusting in His providence.
Discussion Questions
Understanding the Message
Key Takeaways
✓ We are often raised to know about God but conditioned to pursue worldly success—we must recognize this tension in our lives.
✓ God positions us "for such a time as this"—our circumstances are not random but opportunities to be faithful.
✓ The "if I perish, I perish" attitude is required for true discipleship—we must be willing to lose what the world values to gain Christ.
✓ Trusting God is not a gamble—it's trusting in the proven faithfulness of the One who conquered death.
✓ The resurrection is our guarantee—because Jesus lives, we can face any sacrifice knowing death doesn't win.
Practical Applications
This Week's Challenge (Choose One):
Option 1: Identify Your "Crown"
Spend time in prayer asking God to reveal what "crown" you've been pursuing instead of Him. Write it down and confess it to a trusted friend or this group next week.
Option 2: Practice "If I Perish, I Perish"
Identify one specific area where you've been choosing comfort over obedience. Take one concrete step this week to choose Christ over that comfort (e.g., have a difficult conversation, set a boundary, make a sacrifice).
Option 3: Share Your Faith
Like Esther who had to reveal her identity, share your faith with someone this week who doesn't know you're a follower of Jesus. It could be a coworker, neighbor, or acquaintance.
Option 4: Fast and Pray
Following Esther's example (Esther 4:16), commit to a period of fasting and prayer about a specific "Esther moment" you're facing. Ask God for courage and clarity.
Prayer Focus
Pray for one another:
Looking Ahead
Next Meeting: Review how your practical application went. Share testimonies of faithfulness or struggles with choosing Christ over comfort.
Memory Verse for the Week:
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it." — Matthew 16:25
Closing Reflection
End your time by singing or listening to "Jesus Paid It All" together, reflecting on how the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus makes our own sacrifices possible and meaningful.
Sermon Date: Easter Sunday
Text: Esther 4 & Matthew 16:24-28
Theme: Choosing Christ over comfort when our moment comes
Opening Prayer & Icebreaker
Icebreaker Question: Share about a time when you had to make a difficult choice between doing what was comfortable and doing what was right. What did you choose and why?
Sermon Summary
This Easter message draws a parallel between Queen Esther's pivotal moment and our own "Esther moments" in life. Esther was raised to know about God but conditioned to pursue the crown—to excel in the world by staying silent about her faith. When faced with the potential genocide of her people, she had to choose between her comfort and her calling. Her declaration, "If I perish, I perish," represents the attitude Jesus calls us to have. Unlike Esther, who was conditioned to choose the crown, Jesus was born God but conditioned Himself to choose the cross. The resurrection proves that trusting God isn't a gamble—it's trusting in His providence.
Discussion Questions
Understanding the Message
- What does it mean to be "raised to know about God but conditioned to choose the crown"? How have you seen this pattern in your own life or in the church culture around you?
- Mordecai told Esther, "Perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this." What "positions" or circumstances has God placed you in that might be preparation for a significant moment?
- Pastor Logan said, "When you take a leap on principle to stand for God, you're really not making a gamble. You're trusting in His providence." What's the difference between gambling and trusting God's providence? Why is this distinction important?
- Read Matthew 16:24-27. Jesus says, "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it." What does this paradox mean practically in 2024? What does it look like to "lose your life" for Jesus today?
- The sermon mentioned several "if I perish, I perish" moments:
- If my career perishes...
- If this friendship perishes...
- If my comfort perishes...
- If my respectability perishes...
- Which of these is hardest for you to surrender? Why?
- How does the resurrection of Jesus change the equation when we're facing an "Esther moment"? What hope does Easter give us when we're called to sacrifice?
- Esther stayed silent about her faith to advance in the Persian Empire. In what areas of your life are you tempted to stay silent about your faith to avoid conflict or maintain comfort?
- The sermon stated: "Everything in your life is going to lead up to a moment where you are going to have to make a decision." Do you sense that you're approaching (or currently in) an "Esther moment"? What is it?
- Pastor Logan said Jesus "didn't gamble with the cross" but "submitted to a sovereignty that the world couldn't see." What would it look like for you to submit to God's sovereignty in a current situation where the outcome is uncertain?
Key Takeaways
✓ We are often raised to know about God but conditioned to pursue worldly success—we must recognize this tension in our lives.
✓ God positions us "for such a time as this"—our circumstances are not random but opportunities to be faithful.
✓ The "if I perish, I perish" attitude is required for true discipleship—we must be willing to lose what the world values to gain Christ.
✓ Trusting God is not a gamble—it's trusting in the proven faithfulness of the One who conquered death.
✓ The resurrection is our guarantee—because Jesus lives, we can face any sacrifice knowing death doesn't win.
Practical Applications
This Week's Challenge (Choose One):
Option 1: Identify Your "Crown"
Spend time in prayer asking God to reveal what "crown" you've been pursuing instead of Him. Write it down and confess it to a trusted friend or this group next week.
Option 2: Practice "If I Perish, I Perish"
Identify one specific area where you've been choosing comfort over obedience. Take one concrete step this week to choose Christ over that comfort (e.g., have a difficult conversation, set a boundary, make a sacrifice).
Option 3: Share Your Faith
Like Esther who had to reveal her identity, share your faith with someone this week who doesn't know you're a follower of Jesus. It could be a coworker, neighbor, or acquaintance.
Option 4: Fast and Pray
Following Esther's example (Esther 4:16), commit to a period of fasting and prayer about a specific "Esther moment" you're facing. Ask God for courage and clarity.
Prayer Focus
Pray for one another:
- For courage to face our "Esther moments" with faith rather than fear
- For wisdom to recognize when we're choosing the crown over the cross
- For trust in God's providence when obedience requires sacrifice
- For those in the group who don't yet have a relationship with Jesus
- For the Satterwhite family as they transition to their next season
Looking Ahead
Next Meeting: Review how your practical application went. Share testimonies of faithfulness or struggles with choosing Christ over comfort.
Memory Verse for the Week:
"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it." — Matthew 16:25
Closing Reflection
End your time by singing or listening to "Jesus Paid It All" together, reflecting on how the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus makes our own sacrifices possible and meaningful.