PRAYER SERVICE. Lent (Genesis 2:15-18, Genesis 3:1-3, Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11) 13th Mar 2011

PREACHER: REV. SETH KISSI         

The 40 days of fasting and prayer excludes fasting on Sundays because it was a day Christians fast. It recalls the fast of Jesus Christ and calls on us to depend on him, through emphasizing a series of disciplines for the year. The period involves cultivating the habit of humbling yourself before God through fasting and prayer, seeking God’s face through repentance and of forgiveness sins and a deliberate effort to align your life with the will of God as presented to us in his word.

People deliberately stay away from food and commit themselves to the call to do good so that our lives can be marked by these disciplines. We wait before God in fasting, prayer and in the study of his word.(Matt 4) through this period we prepare ourselves in prayer for the temptations that this life provides to Christians, drawing strength from God to overcome these temptations and live for him. Through tempted in the very ways, he did not sin unlike Adam who brought sin to the world. Today we are presented forcefully with the victory of Jesus over sins to help us draw from his strength and grace to be victors over sin. 

OUR TRANSFIGURED LORD.TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY (Matt 17:1-9) 6th Mar 2011

PREACHER:REV.FIIFI FOH ARKHURST

Transfiguration is derived from the Greek word “metamarpho” which means to change or transform between the inner circles (three disciples). It occurred when Jesus visibly changed in the presence of peter, James and John when they were on the mountain. Peter gives his own eyewitness account of the event; same was for James and John and what it implied to us the followers of Jesus Christ as recorded in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). It took place six clear days when Jesus told his disciples about his suffering, his death and his resurrection. It portrays the transfiguration as an outwardly visible sign consisting of an actual physical change as far as Jesus was concerned. They saw Jesus having changed as far as the physical body was concerned. Luke put it as the appearance of his face changed (9:29), his face shine like the sun (Matt 17:2) and Mark, he glowed, his face became dazzling (9:3).

The appearance of Moses and Elijah has been given different interpretations. Some are of the opinion that Moses, representing the law witnessed to the Lord Jesus Christ. While Elijah representing the prophets does the same. Others put it that both were carried to heaven and their appearance was to prove that no one knew where their graves were. Why was Jesus Transfigured? And what was the significance of the cloud in which Jesus was changed? Jesus was transformed for various reasons. It is an experience in which Jesus entered into the spiritual realm from this perspective, Peter gave his own eyewitness and referred to the mountain as a sacred one. John, also an eyewitness described the same spiritual experience and said “we have seen the glory of the one and only one who came from the father, full of grace and of truth”.

Peter in the 2^nd reading says transfiguration among other things is one of the proves of the Majesty of Jesus Christ. The majesty he describes as the glory and honour God gave him. It is the manifestation of God’s glory and the revelation of Christ as the true and real son of God, as he spoke “this is my beloved son in whom I’m well pleased”. Through this we know we are serving the true God. The fulfillment of scripture with respect to the sonship of Jesus Christ. It displays the shakana glory of God incarnate in Jesus Christ. A unique display of his divine character and a glimpse of the glory Jesus had before coming to this earth. It was a visible sign of the presence and the reliable witnessing the disciples gave us. It helps us strengthen our faith and that of the disciples because these disciples were to play a key role as far as the Church is concerned. What happens deepens and strengthens their faith. It is no wonder that after 32years, this vision was so vivid in Peters mind as in (2Pet 1:16-18). It was a foretaste of the Kingdom of God.

The cloud which is a visible collection of water suspended in the air, which produces rain. In the scripture it represents God’s glory given on the transfiguration. In the days of Moses, the glory of God appears in the cloud, during the crossing of the red sea the Israelites were baptized in the Cloud, it guided the Israelites by day, while a pillar of fire led them by night. In the pillar of cloud, God revealed his presence during the exodus of the Israelites. A cloud covered the tabernacle and in revelation, the second coming of the Lord would be accompanied by a cloud.

This morning God wants to assure us that his presence is with us in our going and coming. We need to take his word seriously and we must listen to him to portray the significance of the transfiguration. The narratives written in the synoptic gospels were post resurrection narratives because Christ warned the disciples not to tell anyone till he had resurrected. Peter was deeply moved by the narratives and did not want this to happen to Christ. He didn’t want them to descend to the other disciples, thinking only about themselves. He wanted to capture the moment, instead of learning from it. The transfiguration came during prayer, its significance is that it should help us spend quality time with the Lord and deepen our faith in Christ as the messiah as making his presence felt all the time in our going and coming. We pray the good Lord reveals himself to us in our going and coming. Amen

The Gospel - The Power of God, Matt 5:1-12 30/01/11

PREACHER: REV. CANON NEEQUAYE             

The readings comprise the greatest sermons ever preached; they tell us what to be like as children of God. So what are we supposed to be like? In chapters 5, 6, 7 these sermons spoke to our hearts, they are things that will send us to heaven if we noticed. Christ will not ask about material things on the day of judgement, but about our relationship with God.

Blessed comes from a Latin word ‘biatos’ which means divine joy and perfect happiness. These are the fruits we would reap from God’s words. S/he is perfect in the relationship with God despite what is happening around this cannot be termed abstract. Happiness is not about what we eat or drink but loosing everything to gain Christ. Whether your brother dies, or all your things are burnt by fire, your being resolute after all these show perfect joy. The world looks at the outward things and concludes who is blessed, but God sees your relationship and how close you come to him.

The poor in spirit is the one who is inwardly humble, to empty oneself. He who confesses to God I know nothing despite being a professor; doctor et.c of all the apostles Paul said he was the least. Moses was called by God to lead his people; he looked to the fire [supposed God before him] and said he was a stammerer asking God to choose someone else thereby emptying himself before him. He went ahead to select Aaron for God (Exodus 4:10), Jeremiah also said he was a little child and did not know nothing. Isaiah told God he was a sinner when God spoke to him through the angels. Peter saw Jesus Christ and said he was a sinner, asking God to go away from him, he became the greatest apostle (Luke 5:8). Paul said “I have given up everything I own and all I want to know is the power that raised Jesus from the dead so I can be used by him” (1 Cor. 2:1-5,2 Cor.  3:5). In you I put aside everything that I have.

When someone walks up to you to congratulate you on a job well done, do you emphasize Christ enables you to do what you’re doing. The one who always says to God, you are the source of my living. That in Christ you can do all things.

Blessed are those who mourn for they would be comforted refers to those who constantly reflect on their lives and ask the Holy Spirit to overcome.

Blessed are the meek. The world says if you want to inherit the earth get money, power, fame et.c., Jesus said be meek, meekness means being humble before God. It is a power used in the power of God. Micah 6, I’m the one who gives everything. What have I done wrong to you? I brought you out of Egypt, gave you a leader, is same Jesus says when he brings us from slavery and says he would stay with us till the end of the Earth. In v.8 he shows what is good and to walk humbly with God.

The rest of the verses, the one who hunger and thirsts for righteousness sake is studying God’s word. You will be filled when you hunger for righteousness. Pure in heart engulfs all the things God wants us to do. You cannot be a peacemaker, a forgiver if you do not make peace or forgive. Jesus is the peace of God to us to reconcile us before God. This is what we are called to do to bring peace into the life of others.

People of old were determined to be burnt for their faith. Some of us today would run away and ask for repentance. Most of us misuse his grace but today, may god in his wisdom help us to live a life of righteousness.

COMMUNION/PRAYER SERVICE 13/03/11

THEME:”BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WORD.”


PREACHER: REV. SETH KISSI

Wednesday the 9th commemorated the beginning of the lenten period. Lenten is a period of fasting for 40 days. It recalls the fasting of biblical figures like Jesus in the wilderness for forty days, which because of his disposition and reliance on God he overcame. This is contrasted to Adam's fall, and shows the victory of Jesus. Our call today is to rely on him since our efforts would not last us.

Home call

Home call

Mr Oppong-Kyekyeku, Mens Fellowship President, has left us for eternity. He was called home after a short ilness. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.  May his soul rest in peace.

:”OUR HEAVENLY FATHER CARES FOR US” 27/02/11

PRAISE AND WORSHIP SUNDAY.
BIBLE READINGS:(Isaiah 49:8-16a, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Matthew 6:25-34)


God cares for us .if thus we need to:

1. Take his word serious even when we pray and see no sign of healing or deliverance. We worry because we haven’t put our cares before God.

What a friend we have in Jesus which was written by a man who lost his fiancée in a tragic accident a day before their wedding ceremony. After, he went back to his native Canada where he found his new love who was a friend’s sister she also died before their wedding. He decided to put his trust in his never failing friend Jesus.

As we go through this week let’s consider all the things that give us headaches and see if it’s really worth it.

Obey God's Word and Live. February 13, 2011

PREACHER: Rev Dr D.N.A. Kpobi
 BIBLE READINGS:Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37)
                                           
SUMMARY
People of Israel you have life and prosperity, death and destruction choose life so that you and your children would live. God

i. Wants the right choices for us. He is always part of our choices. Whether we choose between cheating/honesty et.c he urges us on in all these decisions. Choose life that you might live.

ii. There was a burden on the people in the time of Jesus, obedience was not attractive. We need to rely on Christ in able to live according to the word that is why he says our efforts cannot measure up.

Today, we are being tasked to choose life not death and obey life in all areas, work, home et.c. God help us to do his will.

The Gospel: The Power of God

Preacher: Revd Canon G.K. Neequaye
Micah 6:1-8
1Cor 1:19-31
Matt 5:1-12

The Beatitudes or the Sermon on the Mount is one of the greatest sermons preached by Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 5. These messages (Matt 5-7) tell us what we should be like as children of God; how our hearts are supposed to live for God. They are not material things; they are things that will send us to heaven if we take note of them.
How we live for God on earth is not in the food we eat, the car we drive, the bed we sleep in nor the clothes we wear. It is about our relationship with God and with human beings; how we live to glorify Him. Blessed means Divine joy and perfect happiness. The one who is blessed is not moved by happenings around him. Please listen to the message.

Revd Canon Neequaye is an Anglican Minister and Lecturer at the Trinity Theological Seminary

Our Testimony About Christ

Preacher: Revd Isaac Etuah-Jackson
16th Jan, 2011
2nd Sunday After Epiphany

Text::
John 1:29b "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!


John 1:34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."


We are grateful to God once again that we have come to His house to share in His word.

Isaiah and the other prophets gave prophesies that described the new era of liberty and joy which the long-awaited Messiah would bring as promised to Abraham.

These prophesies were studied by devout Jews and was evident in the prayer that Simeon prayed for the baby Jesus. Because of his saintly life, Simeon had been promised that he would live to see the promised Messiah. This promise was fulfilled when the baby Jesus was brought to the temple. Simeon carried him in his arms and prayed for him – Lk2 27-32.

Lu 2:27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,
28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;
30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."

Two thousand years on, we today can also sing the song of Simeon with heart-felt joy and gratitude; for we can see, with the eyes of faith, that our saviour, the Son of God has come among us and enlightened us with the true knowledge of the real purpose of our life on earth.

Simeon’s testimony about Jesus was that he will be a light to the Gentiles.

John the Baptist paid a spontaneous tribute to Jesus: the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world; the Son of God.

John 1:29 b "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

To John, the Lamb of God was greater and more valuable than the Passover lamb, which had to be offered every year - Ex 12:11-14 - He knew this because he was the son of a priest.

Ex 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.


13 The blood shall be a sign for you, upon the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall fall upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.


14 "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as an ordinance for ever..

The Lamb of God was a once-for-all sacrifice. Jesus the Christ is the one true sacrifice which can deliver us from death. Through his death on the cross our sins are forgiven.

John made it clear what his own function was i.e. to bring men to Christ; so he claimed no greatness for himself. He introduced two of his own disciples to Jesus and they went and followed him. His disciples deserted him. But he must decrease while Christ increased.

Andrew was a man with a ‘missionary heart’. When he found the Messiah, he first introduced his brother Simon (Peter). His testimony was that ‘we have found the Messiah’

What is your testimony about Christ?

As we mark Evangelism Week this week, let us use the opportunity that comes our way to testify about Jesus. When we testify about the love and goodness of God, it would challenge others to give their lives to Christ.

If we can win a soul a month this year, we bring12 souls to the saving knowledge of Christ and when He comes into his Kingdom, we would have a place there with him.

In the Second Service, Sis Doris Achampong’s Sermon was more interactive.

She said to be able to testify about Jesus; we must be able to praise him; for praise enables us to testify about him. We must also have faith in him.

God testified about Jesus by saying ‘this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’.

Jesus testified about himself when he said ‘I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me’.

The woman of Samaria, after her discourse with Jesus went back to the village and gave a testimony about Jesus ‘John 4:28 So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? ’’

What is our testimony about Jesus?

Jesus is our Healer, our sustainer, our glory and the lifter of our heads.

She asked the men what they would do at home to be able to testify about Jesus; and Bro David Nyako said he will forgive his wife for whatever she does. The men agreed with him.

Our daily lives must be a testimony about Jesus. A testimony that He lives in us.

Donation of Musical Instruments

A group of church members that wants to

remain anonymous has donated a set of musical instruments, made up of Electronic organs, guitars etc to enhance the Ministry of One Voice and the Choir. It is also to enable the seasoned musicians in the church to train the young ones. In the picture on the left Revd Seth Kissi, the Minister-In Charge, prays over the equipments and dedicates them for the work of God.

Assisting him are the Assistant Ministers; Revd Foh Arkhurst on his right and Revd Etuah-Jackson on his left.

        

May God bless the donors!

Earlier in the month, the Young Adult Fellowship had donated 1,000 customised Sermon Note Pads. It was very thoughtful of them! In the note pads are the dates and themes for every Sunday of 2011. The essence is to enable church members to write notes as the sermon is preached; and then refer to them at home to recapitulate.

Chosen for the Mission of the Father

Readings: Is 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43 & Matt 3:13-17

Preacher: Revd Isaac Etuah-Jackson

Text: Mt 3:17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Let us look at the theme in two parts

1) Jesus Christ as the chosen one for mission and

2) Jesus Christ as the one we pattern for mission

The description of the Saviour in Isaiah written some 5 centuries before Christ’s birth showed that he did not proclaim himself to be sent by God but chosen by God – Is 42:1 he came to the world to teach both Jews and Gentiles the new law of God which was the love and mercy of God.

Jesus as the son chosen by the Father for His mission had a universal vocation to bring salvation to mankind. God was to reach out to man through this salvation plan which was to all peoples – Jews and Gentiles. Mt 28:19
John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare his fellow Jews for the inauguration of the messiah’s kingdom which they had waited for centuries; by washing them in the waters of the Jordan – an outward sign of their inner repentance and of turning their hearts to God.

Jesus’ baptism by John did not mean that he had any sin to repent of but to fulfil all righteousness; for he had to be baptised and anointed for the mission of the Father. He came to take away the sin of the world. Jn 1:29

The baptism made Jesus’ perfect righteousness to be imputed to his followers because he came to save them.

At the baptism of Christ, the Father spoke from heaven and proclaimed that Christ Jesus was His beloved son and he was pleased with him. At that point the Trinity was present to play their role. The Holy Spirit descended upon him to anoint him as the Messiah. It was a hallowed and memorable occasion where God the Father spoke from the scripture from Psalm 2:7 and Is 42:1 in delighted acknowledgment of his dear son.

Ps 2:7 ¶ I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son, today I have begotten you.

Isa 42:1 ¶ Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations.

God spoke about Jesus and showed him to the world that this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

But can these words be said about any of us?

Are we an example to our household and work place?

Christ came so that we come to the saving knowledge of God.

The greatest barrier to the spread of the Gospel in the first century was the Jew-Gentile conflict where the Jews claimed to be the chosen ones and we gentiles were not part of God’s Salvation plan. But through Jesus we know that God’s salvation is to all peoples – Jews and gentiles alike as God Himself demonstrated when he asked Peter to take the Gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile.

Our physical situation - our language, culture, prejudices, economic status etc therefore should not be a barrier to the spread of the gospel. We must remember that when one soul is won there is celebration in Heaven.

Today as Christ has been manifested to us we must launch into the deep to give the message of salvation to unbelievers and the unsaved around us.

Jesus as the chosen Messiah of God is calling on us to extend his mission. We are to continue his work till he comes back and we will give account. The salvation messages that we hear every Sunday must be translated into soul-winning and personal growth. We must grow in the area of bible study and obedience to the word.

May God say to us that he us well pleased with us for the way we are ordering our lives.

May Jesus find us worthy to enter into his kingdom when he comes back.

Eager to Maintain the Unity of the Spirit

Bible Readings: Eph 4:1-7; 1Cor 12:22-27

Preacher: Revd Seth Kissi

Covenant Service / Teaching on our Theme for 2011

We thank our God for a New Year and are grateful for this first service of the first month of the New Year.

Our Theme for this year, 2011, is Eager to Maintain the Unity of the Spirit – Eph 4:3

Ephesians 4 is a letter Paul sent to a church in gentile land reminding them to walk and live a life worthy of their calling.

Paul identified their challenges in verse 2 as

Lowliness

Meekness

Patience to forbear one another in love and

Diligence

If there is anything that has fought the church from the beginning to this time, it is the threat of division – sometimes in subtle ways.

Therefore we must make the spirit of unity the common denominator of all members in the common bond of peace. It means if you have been restored to fellowship with Christ, then there is peace between you and God and therefore between you and me. That is the common bond of peace.

One of the threats against the unity of the early church was ethnicity - where you come from; and that gave Paul a lot of struggles in his missionary work.

Paul saw himself as the apostle to the gentiles and so he preached faith in Jesus Christ as the basis on which God accepts and saves us; but the Jewish Christians in Ephesus could not accept that teaching and so they tried to persuade the churches in the gentile lands to behave like Jews – circumcision, keeping of the Sabbath, abstaining from eating certain foods, purification rites etc - in order to be accepted by God; and Paul fought against these teachings; and that has made it possible for us to worship today as Christians without the Jewish rites being an obstacle.

In 1Cor 12: 22-27, the situation was different. The issue that divided the church in Corinth was a spiritual one i.e. the alignment of the people to the leaders who had ministered in the Corinthian church. Some said they belonged to Paul, others to Apollos, others to Cephas (Peter) and others said they did not belong to any human leader, they belonged to God. In all these associations they were trying to tell each other that I am more superior than you are because my leader is more spiritual.

The other issue was the importance they placed on the gifts in which members operated. They said the gifts were more inspired than the works and services. And so those who operated in works and services were ordinary people. This was a church that was endowed in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and demonstrated these gifts well and that made Paul angry with them and accused them of being carnal. Paul addressed this issue of the gifts and defeated their wrong notion in a very excellent manner: the gifts and works and services come from the same Lord. Paul employed the human body metaphor to bring home the fact that individually we are members of the same body; some we do not even see (the heart, liver, kidney, lungs etc) but which play very important roles.

In the body there is recognition, forbearance, harmony and unity. Our differences should not serve to divide but to unite us.

In the body, we treat the less honourable members with a lot of care and modesty and so Paul argued that granted that indeed some gifts were more inspired than others, then the less important members ought to be treated with a lot of love and care and attention.

This year we want to put in everything possible to live in unity (in the ‘united’ church) to maintain the unity of the Spirit.

Please Download audio here

Christ The Saviour Is Born

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE

PREACHER: REVD SETH KISSI

READINGS: IS 9:2-7; TITUS 2:11-14; LK 2:1-14

We thank God that we can celebrate this Christmas with some joy and happiness and blissful expectations. Not everyone. Some are in mourning at this moment; and our hearts, thoughts and prayers must go to such people so that our God can hold and sustain them. Christmas has always been associated with love, joy and excitement; and rightly so because there is something about the season that makes us expectant and wanting to experience it over and over again. The event that occurred on that day- the birth of a saviour of the world - is an event that is supposed to bring us joy. When angels announced the good news to the shepherds they sang a song made up of just two lines: Glory be to God on high And on earth peace and goodwill to men When there is peace and the favour of God is upon us, God is glorified. Let us examine how this favour and peace translate into the experience of those who first heard it and of us who are celebrating the good news of Christmas. Two kinds of people were given the Christmas message; 1. Mary and 2. The shepherds Mary is isolated for the favour of God – a blissful and happy experience. She is highly favoured – the most favoured - among all women; the angel Gabriel told her. Her experience was that she was pregnant without a husband which in no doubt may have created a difficulty for her trying to explain her pregnancy to family members. To make matters ‘worst’ she delivered in a manger. But the child she delivered was not an ordinary child; he was different from all other children. The favour and grace of God were on him and he had wonderful abilities that the people in the temple could not come to terms with. They described him as mad. Luk 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Mary was always aware that the favour of God was on her and so the Bible tells us Mary kept all these in her heart. At the cross of Jesus she might have asked herself so many questions. But the favour and grace of God enabled her to go through the pain of seeing her own son crucified – death in a most shameful and degrading way. Mary must be revered for what she went through and did for us. Sometimes the favour of God comes opening the door to all sorts of challenges and experiences including pain and shame; and Mary’s was no exception but the same grace that was to make her the mother of our saviour was sufficient to sustain her and to enable her go through the pain. In spite of the trials, temptation and pain it is worth it – to have the favour of God upon us. We must not give up. The grace of God is always available to give us strength to go through our trials. How does this favour of God translate into our experience as we celebrate Christmas in the 21st century? For many including the shepherds and Mary, the news of the birth of Christ was vague; even the disciples were not so sure; but to us the birth of Christ is great light. We no longer live in darkness. We have been redeemed by the saviour. We have hope of salvation. As we celebrate the birth of the saviour, we must be able to say that our hearts are filled with joy and peace because our encounter with the Saviour turned us from the path of death and the wrath of God to the path of redemption and hope of a salvation. Christ came so that our story of hopelessness and fear and anxiety about his second coming will disappear and give way to peace, joy, hope and blessed expectation of eternal life.

Please Download audio here

ADVENT REFLECTIONS – Day 2

Revd Prof J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu


Date 23nd Dec 2010

Readings: Lk2:21-35

The important thing about Jesus is that he was born. Whether or not December 25 is his actual date of birth is not important. There is enough evidence in both the Old and New Testaments that he existed.

At Christmas we give presents and gifts to our friends and loved ones. Sometimes those gifts are not meaningful or useful to them. The wise men gave gifts to Jesus. They gave gold to signify that he was a King, Myrrh to represent the peace he brought on earth and frankincense to represent his priesthood.

God’s gift of Jesus that we celebrate at Christmas is very precious and what He expects to receive from us is our heart.

In those days every first born son must be consecrated to the Lord and this was done on the eighth day. Samuel, John the Baptist and Jesus were consecrated as such. There lived at the time of Jesus’ birth a righteous and devout man of God called Simeon. God had promised him that he would not see death until he has seen the Lord’s Christ. The Spirit therefore led him to the temple at the time the baby Jesus was being presented on the eighth day.

The man Simeon took the baby Jesus up in his arms and blessed God and said,
Lu 2:29 "Lord, now let thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;
Lu 2:30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
Lu 2:31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
Lu 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."
Lu2:33 And his father and his mother marvelled at what was said about him;
Lu 2:34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against.
Lu 2:35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."
How would some fall and others rise because of Jesus?

The Christian life is full of choices and the choices we make would determine whether we fall or rise. Our attitude towards Jesus would determine whether we fall or rise.

1. From childhood, the rich young man had done everything the law said he should do, but when Jesus asked him to go and dispose of his wealth and give to the poor, he went away sad. He was not prepared to pay the price of discipleship

2. The Pharisees failed to admit that Jesus was the son of God even when there was every indication that he was. A forty-year old man who was born blind was healed by Jesus and the Pharisees decide to quiz him about his healing to make sure he was indeed born blind and Jesus had indeed healed him

3. Judas was a member of the twelve but fell because of greed and disloyalty

However there were others who rose

1. The twelve left family and business to follow Jesus

2. The Samaritan woman at the well after her encounter with Jesus went back to her village and declared she had found the Messiah

3. Bartemeus, the blind man, shouted for Jesus to call him and heal him. He followed him praising God

4. Zaccheus realised where he was standing was not good enough to catch Jesus’ attention and so he climbed a tree and that day he received his salvation

5. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to seek explanations on how he could be saved. He was a secret follower of Christ.

6. Paul thought he was doing the right thing by persecuting the believers, but when he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, he repented and preached the gospel to the extent that he said:
1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!


In conclusion,

1. it is up to us make choices that honour God

2. we must display more inward form of Christianity where we worship from our hearts, in spirit and in truth

ADVENT REFLECTIONS - DAY 1

By: Revd Prof J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu


Date 22nd Dec 2010

Readings: 1Sam Chaps 1-4, Mt 1:18-25

Let’s begin the Christmas story from a very unlikely place in 1Samuel chapters 1-4; Is2 12-17.
Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas were priests in Israel.

Eli’s sons were wicked and had no regard for the Lord. They took the best parts of the offering even before it was presented to the Lord. In fact they treated the Lord’s offering with contempt. They also slept with the women and abused them.

Eli was very old at this time. One day he called his sons and asked them a question:

1Sa 2:25 If a man sins against a man, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?" But they would not listen to the voice of their father; for it was the will of the LORD to slay them.

So one day Israel went to war with the Philistines and the Ark of the Lord was captured. Eli’s two sons were killed. As soon as Eli was told this, he fell over his chair, broke his neck and died.

The wife of Phinehas was pregnant and about to deliver and when she heard that her father-in-law and her husband were dead she went into labour and not even the knowledge that she had given birth to a son was good enough news to make her live. She lost her life in child-birth. But before she died she named her child Ichabod meaning ‘The glory has departed from Israel’ because the Ark had been captured.

In those days the Ark symbolised the presence of God among His people and its capture meant the people of Israel were left without a covering.

In the New Testament, in the birth of Jesus, that Glory has been restored.

1. The name Jesus means he will save his people from sin

Mt 1:21 she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

2. Immanuel means God with us; His presence - His Glory- which was taken away has been restored to those who confess him as their Lord and saviour

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel

Joh 1:12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God;


Lu 2:9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.


Lu 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

As we celebrate Christmas let’s remember the change of name from Ichabod to Immanuel, meaning God’s favour and presence have been restored and we now have His covering over us.