Shadow Mission [Shadows] — Pastor Jason Burns

Devotional

Day 1: Living on Mission, Not in the Shadows

God has created each of us on purpose for a purpose, but it is easy to drift just a few degrees off course and settle for a “shadow mission”—a life centered around something unworthy, selfish, or dark. The shadow mission often feels close to God’s calling but is ultimately a distortion, shaped by our wounds and egos, leading us away from the life we were truly made for. Instead of settling for comfort or self-centeredness, we are called to live intentionally, embracing the unique mission God has for us and refusing to let the shadows define our story. [03:43]

Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)
"Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you sense you may be settling for comfort or self-interest instead of God’s true mission for you? What would it look like to realign that area with God’s purpose today?

Day 2: For Such a Time as This

There are moments in life when we are confronted with the choice to step into our God-given calling or to shrink back in fear, believing we are powerless or insignificant. Like Esther, we may feel unqualified or afraid, but God has placed us exactly where we are for a reason, and He invites us to trust that our position, influence, and resources are not accidental but divinely appointed for this very moment. Embracing our calling means recognizing that we are here “for such a time as this,” and that our obedience can have a ripple effect far beyond what we can see. [20:25]

Esther 4:14 (ESV)
"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?"

Reflection: Where has God uniquely placed you right now—in your work, family, or community—that you might be overlooking as part of your calling? How can you step into that purpose this week?

Day 3: Courage to Risk for God’s Mission

True courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to act in faith, even when the outcome is uncertain or costly. Esther’s decision to risk her life for her people—declaring, “If I perish, I perish”—shows that one act of sacrificial courage can change the course of history. God calls us to be bold, to speak up, to serve, and to give, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable, trusting that He is with us and that our obedience matters more than our safety or comfort. [26:49]

Esther 4:16 (ESV)
"Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish."

Reflection: What is one courageous step you sense God is asking you to take right now, even if it feels risky? What would it look like to say “yes” to God in that area today?

Day 4: Using Your Resources for God’s Purposes

Everything we have—our time, money, energy, and talents—are resources entrusted to us by God to be used for His mission, not just for our own comfort or advancement. A key indicator of whether we are living on mission or settling for a shadow mission is how we steward what we’ve been given: are we using our resources to serve others and make a difference, or are we spending them solely on ourselves? God invites us to see every resource as an opportunity to partner with Him in blessing others and advancing His kingdom. [23:27]

2 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV)
"You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."

Reflection: Take inventory of your time, money, and talents—how could you intentionally use one of these this week to serve someone else or meet a need you see?

Day 5: Responding to the Needs God Shows You

God has wired each of us to notice certain needs—whether injustice, poverty, loneliness, or something else—and He intends for us to respond, not just observe. The burdens and needs that break your heart are often clues to the mission God has for you; it is not your fault that you see them, but it is your time to do something about them. When we step up to meet the needs God places before us, we become part of His redemptive work in the world, and our obedience can lead others to experience His love and salvation. [25:26]

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)
"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'"

Reflection: What is one need or injustice you’ve noticed lately that others seem to overlook? What is one practical step you can take this week to address it or bring hope to someone affected?

Sermon Summary

Today, I was deeply moved by the sense of gratitude I feel for each of you and for the season our church is in. We wrapped up our “Shadows” series by exploring the difference between living on mission and settling for a shadow mission—a life that’s close to God’s purpose, but not quite what He intended. Shadows are those subtle diversions that seem almost right, but ultimately lead us away from the fullness of God’s calling. I shared my concern that many of us might live lives that are “close, but not quite”—almost fulfilling God’s purpose, but missing it by just a few degrees.

We looked at the story of Esther, a real person who found herself in a position she never asked for, facing circumstances she never wanted. Esther’s journey is a powerful reminder that God places us where we are for a reason, even when we don’t understand it. The story unfolds with King Xerxes, whose shadow mission was self-indulgence and pride, and Haman, whose shadow mission was the pursuit of power. Esther, at first, believed her role was simply to survive and keep her head down, but through the challenge of her cousin Mordecai, she realized she was called for “such a time as this.”

I challenged us to consider four questions: Who is your Mordecai—the person who speaks truth and calls you to God’s mission? What position has God placed you in, and are you seeing it as a calling or just a career? What resources has God entrusted to you, and are you using them for yourself or for His purposes? And finally, what spiritual needs do you see around you that break your heart? These are not accidents; they are invitations from God to step into His mission.

Esther’s courage to risk everything changed the course of history, preserving the Jewish people and paving the way for Jesus. Her story calls us to reject the comfort of the shadows and embrace the risk and reward of living fully on mission with God. It’s not about self-preservation or comfort, but about saying, “If I perish, I perish”—trusting God with everything. May we never settle for a shadow mission, but instead, give God our hearts, our time, our resources, and our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. The Danger of the Shadow Mission A shadow mission is a subtle distortion of God’s true calling, often rooted in our wounds, egos, or desires for comfort and self-advancement. It can feel almost right, but it leads us away from the life God designed for us. Recognizing and rejecting the shadow mission requires honest self-examination and a willingness to let God realign our hearts. Don’t let your life be “close, but not quite”—press into God’s true purpose for you. [03:43]
2. The Power of Divine Placement God’s sovereignty means you are not where you are by accident. Your job, your neighborhood, your relationships—these are all intentional placements by God for His mission. When you see your position as a calling rather than just a career or coincidence, you begin to live with purpose and impact those around you for eternity. Embrace the truth that you are where you are “for such a time as this.” [22:05]
3. Courage in the Face of Risk Esther’s defining moment came when she chose to risk her life for the sake of others, declaring, “If I perish, I perish.” True calling often requires courage to step out of comfort and into uncertainty, trusting God with the outcome. One act of sacrificial courage can change the course of history—not just for you, but for generations to come. Let your faith be marked by bold obedience, not self-preservation. [26:49]
4. Stewardship of Resources and Influence Everything you have—your time, money, energy, and influence—is a resource entrusted to you by God for His mission. If your resources are only used for your own comfort and advancement, you are likely living out a shadow mission. Generosity and service break the grip of self-centeredness and align your life with God’s heart for others. Ask God how you can leverage what you have to make an eternal difference. [23:27]
5. Responding to the Needs You See The burdens and injustices that break your heart are often God’s invitation for you to act. You are uniquely wired to notice certain needs, and it’s not by accident. Don’t wait for someone else to respond—step into the gap and let God use you to bring hope, justice, and healing. It’s not your fault that the need exists, but it is your time to respond with faith and action. [25:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction to the Shadows Series
[01:00] - “Close, But Not Quite” Moments
[03:05] - The Risk of a Shadow Mission
[04:27] - Introducing the Story of Esther
[06:44] - King Xerxes and His Shadow Mission
[08:15] - Queen Vashti’s Defiance
[10:11] - The Search for a New Queen
[12:06] - Esther’s Ordeal and the Reality of Her Situation
[14:26] - Esther Becomes Queen
[15:01] - Mordecai, Haman, and Rising Tensions
[16:44] - The Genocide Decree
[18:39] - Mordecai’s Challenge to Esther
[20:25] - “For Such a Time as This”
[21:23] - Four Questions for Living on Mission
[24:07] - The Test of Stewardship
[25:26] - Seeing and Responding to Spiritual Needs
[26:49] - Esther’s Courageous Decision
[28:06] - The Power of Women’s Voices
[29:30] - What Is Your Shadow Mission?
[31:17] - Breaking Free from Self-Centeredness
[32:09] - Prayer for Courage and Commitment
[33:09] - Invitation to Follow Jesus
[34:07] - Celebration and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Esther 4:11-17 (ESV) — 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that 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.
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?”
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,
16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Observation Questions

What was the law regarding anyone who approached King Xerxes without being summoned, and how did this affect Esther’s decision? (Esther 4:11)
According to Mordecai, what was the possible reason Esther had become queen? (Esther 4:14)
In the sermon, what are some examples of “shadow missions” given for King Xerxes and Haman? [07:00]
What did Esther ask the Jewish people in Susa to do before she went to the king? (Esther 4:16)

Interpretation Questions

The sermon describes a “shadow mission” as something that feels almost right but is actually a subtle distortion of God’s true calling. What are some ways a person might end up living a “close, but not quite” life when it comes to God’s purpose? [03:43]
Mordecai challenges Esther to see her position as a calling, not just a coincidence. How does this challenge the way people view their own jobs, neighborhoods, or relationships? [22:05]
Esther’s response, “If I perish, I perish,” shows a willingness to risk everything. What does this reveal about the kind of courage God’s mission sometimes requires? [26:49]
The sermon asks, “Who is your Mordecai?”—someone who speaks truth and calls you to God’s mission. Why is it important to have people like this in your life? [21:23]

Application Questions

The sermon warns against settling for a “shadow mission”—a life that’s close to God’s purpose but not quite what He intended. Can you identify an area in your life where you might be living “close, but not quite”? What would it look like to realign with God’s true mission for you? [03:43]
Who is a “Mordecai” in your life—someone who challenges you to live for God’s mission? If you don’t have one, what steps could you take to find or invite someone to speak truth into your life? [21:23]
Think about your current job, school, or neighborhood. How might God be calling you to see this place as a mission field rather than just a place to survive or get by? [22:05]
The sermon asks what resources (time, money, influence) God has entrusted to you. Are you using these mostly for your own comfort, or are you leveraging them for God’s purposes? What is one specific way you could use your resources differently this week? [23:27]
What is a spiritual or physical need around you that breaks your heart? How might God be inviting you to step into that need, even if it feels risky or inconvenient? [25:26]
Esther’s courage changed the course of history. Is there a step of faith or act of courage you sense God is asking you to take right now, even if it feels scary? What would it look like to say, “If I perish, I perish” in your own situation? [26:49]
The sermon ended with a prayer asking if God truly has your heart, time, resources, and life. Is there one area you feel God is asking you to surrender more fully to Him? What’s holding you back, and how can your group support you in this? [32:49]

Sermon Clips

A shadow mission is allowing our lives to center around something unworthy, dark, or selfish. The shadow mission often feels like the mission of your life, but often it's just like five degrees off. It's close, but it's not quite the mission of your life. This is when your wounds and your egos get all mixed up in the mission of your life. And what can happen is you can get just slightly off, or the course, or the mission for your life, and end up in an entirely different life than you were created for. [00:03:46] (29 seconds) #AvoidTheShadowMission

I think we take the story of Esther, and we tend to, like, romanticize it. We tend to glamorize it. We turn it into, like, a Miss America or an ancient Miss Persia contest to see who's the most beautiful one. If you could really kind of strip away some of the romanticized language we've heard, this is actually really one of the first pictures of sex trafficking in the Bible. They went to every single province. Remember how many provinces there were? 127. And they pulled young girls out of their houses and forced them to come present themselves to the king. [00:11:58] (38 seconds) #UnseenRealities

Can I tell you one of the greatest indicators that you are living and settling for the shadow mission? It's what you do with your commodities. It's what you do with your time. It's what you do with your money. It's what you do with your energy. And if all of these things in your mind exist to serve you and make your life better, if you think all of your money is to make your life more comfortable, if you think all of your time is about getting through this, through work so you can get to the weekend or so you can relax, you've missed the mission of your life. Everything you have is a tool entrusted to you by God to use to make a difference on mission with God. [00:23:19] (37 seconds) #StewardshipMatters

If you're here and you're not serving, if you're not serving someone else with your life, what are you doing? Like we have needs in our church. People look around our church now. They see this big church. In fact, someone told me this week that they believe our church has become the largest church in this area. And you can come to our church, you can come to one of our locations and look around and be like, oh, everything must be good. It's not good without you. Like we need you, we need your giftings and your talents serving other people. [00:24:10] (27 seconds) #ServeWithPurpose

Maybe you're like Esther and you see needs around you. You see spiritual needs and physical needs. You see them all around you. And I want to say this clearly to somebody today. It's not your fault, but look at me. It is your time. It's your time to do something. It's your time to respond. Step into the moment of divine calling that God has for you. [00:26:09] (21 seconds) #TimeToRespond

If you are here and you are a woman, and you have allowed the pressure of society, if you have allowed the voice of others to silence your voice because you're a woman, cut it out. The world needs you. God needs you. One moment of sacrificial courage can change the whole world. [00:28:01] (23 seconds) #WomenOfCourage

It's the reason I give. It's the reason I prioritize giving way above myself. Because giving breaks that hold of materialism and selfishness and greed off of me. What is your shadow mission? What would it look like? We just made this decision today to say to God, whatever your mission for me is, I'm all in. If it's finally having the courage to walk across the street and share my faith with a neighbor, if I perish, I perish. If it's leaving this place of safety and security to step out and trust God, if I perish, I perish. If it means speaking out against an injustice that I see, if I perish, I perish. If it costs me everything through an act of audacious generosity, if I perish, I perish. [00:31:07] (50 seconds) #GenerousLiving

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