1. Ahn Sung-ki, often called a national actor, worked nearly seven decades and kept his calling even while battling illness.
2. His last film, "Birth," was filmed during chemotherapy; facing long dialogue, he said, "I will do it," and completed the scenes.
3. His life models fidelity to vocation, humility before colleagues, and care for audiences as acts of service.
4. From his example we learn balanced stewardship: persist in calling, but also honor the body and community around us.
5. The sermon asks: what will be our own faithful "final work"—a legacy of love, service, and faithful finishing?
Introduction: A Life That Stayed
Many of you know the name Ahn Sung-ki — born in 1952, he began as a child actor and across nearly seventy years appeared in roughly 170 films. In recent days his life and last film, titled "Birth," have become a modern parable for calling and finish. The church can learn from a man who, even amid blood cancer and medical treatment, chose to show up where he had been placed. He did not insist on grand platitudes; rather, he quietly took his place on set and delivered lines that moved colleagues to tears. This is a story about vocation that refuses to abandon the post it was given. As we listen, let us ask not simply how he served art, but how his pattern points us toward stewarding the call God gives each of us.
- He was faithful over decades.
- He finished what he began.
- He modeled humility and responsibility.
1) Calling and Responsibility: "I will do it"
Ahn Sung-ki’s remark on set, translated as "I will do it," speaks plainly to the biblical idea of stewardship. Scripture calls people to tend what has been entrusted to them: gifts, tasks, relationships. In his decades of work he received the trust of filmmakers, colleagues, and audiences. When illness could have been an acceptable reason to step away, he accepted the responsibility he had been given and completed the work entrusted to him. From a pastoral standpoint, there is a sanctifying rhythm here: calling is both gift and duty. We honor God when we attend to our responsibilities with humility and care, not for accolades but as faithful stewards of what we have been given. God’s calling often comes to ordinary places — and ordinary people — who simply say, ‘I will do it.’
- Accepting a role as stewardship.
- Showing up even when it is costly.
- Completing tasks as service to neighbor.
2) Enduring in Suffering: Character Revealed
Suffering has a way of stripping away pretense and revealing character. Ahn Sung-ki’s illness did not erase his professionalism or tenderness toward others; instead, it clarified what mattered to him. He did not perform for praise; he maintained dignity under pressure and concern for his colleagues’ work. In Christian teaching, trials test and refine faith (James 1:2–4). When a person chooses to remain faithful amid weakness, the community sees not self-glorification but perseverance shaped by love. The church must be careful to learn two lessons: first, honor faithfulness in suffering; second, guard against idolizing “self-sacrifice” that neglects wise care for the body God gave us. Both are needed: fidelity and wise stewardship of health.
- Suffering refines character.
- Faithfulness can be humble and quiet.
- Balance devotion with care for the body.
3) A Life That Comforts: Art as Service
Ahn Sung-ki’s craft was not merely performance; it was a ministry of attention to human life. Colleagues remembered how he listened, respected scenes, and used his skill to bring others forward. The Gospel calls us to love our neighbor — sometimes that love finds expression in steady work that comforts, challenges, and opens hearts. His long career reminds the church that calling can be a means of blessing: a faithful teacher, a humble volunteer, a patient spouse, a diligent worker — each may, through their vocation, offer solace to others. This is an important theological claim: not all ministry happens in a pulpit. Many finish well by bringing God’s compassion into ordinary places through excellence and gentleness.
- Art that heals and points beyond itself.
- Ministry lived in everyday workplaces.
- Comfort given by steady presence and craft.
4) Our Own "Final Work": Legacy and Preparation
Every life ends with a last work — an act or pattern by which people remember us. Ahn Sung-ki’s final contribution was a testament to finishing well: even when fragile, he used his gifts to bless others. The Bible invites us to consider the end of our lives with sobriety and hope. Preparing to finish well does not mean living in fear; it means investing in what lasts — love, faithfulness, reconciliation, and service. We are asked to steward our time, resources, and relationships so that in the end our testimony aligns with Christ’s call to love God and neighbor. In practical terms this might be seeking forgiveness, mentoring a successor, or simply saying the hard words of gratitude and farewell while there is time.
- Legacy is shaped by daily choices.
- Preparation includes spiritual and relational work.
- Final acts reflect what we valued.
Conclusion: Stewarding a Faithful Finish
As we reflect on Ahn Sung-ki’s faithful end, the Gospel asks us to consider more than imitation: God calls us into a posture of faithful stewardship, compassionate service, and wise care for our bodies and communities. Let us celebrate those who finish well, learn the balance between sacrifice and self-care, and commit to small daily acts that shape a good ending. May our lives, in vocation and love, point people toward God’s mercy. May we be known not for showy displays but for being present, dependable, and kind — people who, when it matters most, quietly say, ‘I will do it,’ and then do it for the glory of God and the good of our neighbors.
- Honor the call God has given you.
- Persevere with love and wisdom.
- Invest now in the legacy you hope to leave.
