Your will be done by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                                 

                                                     Text: Luke 22:36-42

Topic: Your will be done

 

The message will have the following sub-heading:

Jesus knew His purpose and time

He demonstrated a divine order of leadership

He prayed for Peter

He emphasized the need for preparation

Thy will be done

Jesus knew His purpose and time

God is the only perfect planner, He doesn’t only plan events, He plans destiny and He does this with eternity in view and with everything within His control and confines, What a mighty God we serve.

God deployed many plaques to set His people Israel free from the servitude cum oppression by the Egyptians, empty-handed He had carefully told the children of Israel to prepare meals that can stay for a while, and also ask for things from the Egyptians so that they do not go empty handed Ex.3:22.What a God, what a plan.  

He demonstrated a divine order of leadership

Jesus had a clearly different idea on leadership this was clearly stated in Vs:25-27.

The people of the world may call self-enthronement/dictatorship/manipulation or maltreatment leadership but this isn't so with our Jesus hallelujah.

Jesus’ idea of leadership is service, so if we are going to follow Him in words and deeds our leadership should be that of service,  whether we are at home, with family, office, in the community, or at work in the church, He gave us an edge to serve others, we celebrate always our servant leader and Saviour Jesus Christ today and always.

He prayed for Peter

Satan always desires what God desires albeit for a different purpose, Satan can never have a good intention towards anyone or anything, you can not be an exemption be wary of him 1pt.5:8, this he does to get back at God for being cast out of heaven and having a designed eternal fate in hell Is,14:12, Matt.25:41, run from the devil don’t let him add you to his company to hell.

He came for Adam Gen.3:1ff, and came for Jesus Matt 4:1ff, Peter was not an exception to this ugly trend but Jesus prayed for him. If you are truly a child of God, watch and pray in the words of Jesus Christ. Matt. 26:41. May every plan of the devil for us fail woefully in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

 

He emphasized the need for preparation

Jesus saw that the disciples weren't ready for the evil days that they were to shortly witness, they were casual, lacking stamina, were not equipped enough, didn’t possess the doggedness and requisite spiritual temperature to confront the looming set of event hence He told them to rise up/wake up Vs.36.events

However, the sword He spoke about wasn’t physical Eph.6:17.

Thy will be done 

We can take the following application from that expression in the passage Vs.42

1. That Jesus had an unbroken relationship with God throughout His voyage on earth. John 8:28-29

2. An outburst from a broken and sorrowful man.Vs.42

3. A statement of surrender. Have you surrendered your life to Him?

Please this year and beyond do not stand in the way of God, do not allow the devil and his cohorts to take you out of His will, God’s will is the best for us.

Shalom.

Go in this thy might by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                    

                                                       Text: Judges 6:7-14

Topic Go in this thy might 

This will be discussed with the following subheadings

Background

The children of Israel cried

The Lord answered

Go in this thy might

Background

Sin will always lead to disaster, it does not matter: who was involved, Saul was a king and God rejected him for Sin 1 Sam 16:1, where it is committed, the sons of Eli were committing sin right in the temple and they were judged appropriately 1 Sam.4:17-18, the number of people involved, you remember the Gen 7 and destruction of the earth then also the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Gen.19:24-25.An unrepentant sinner is a disaster waiting to happen Rom.6:23.This year be intentional about avoiding sin and all its pleasures, work out your salvation and sanctification with trembling and fear Phil.2:12. Summarily trust His finished work, pray for grace but be disciplined and flee all appearances of the sin and sinfulness.

Sin led the children of Israel into captivity several times one of such was that of the Midianites Judg. 6:1 the latter even had allies the Amalekites and the children of the East Judg.6:3-6, They overwhelmingly ravaged the Israelites, may God deliver us from every power that wants to or is already ravaging us in Jesus' mighty name Amen.

The children of Israel cried

Thanks be to God for creating prayers, prayer is an earthly permission for heavenly intervention, this year and beyond don’t only watch but also be a person of prayer, don’t bear any needless pain when there is a divine provision for our troubles, don’t get to the end of your strength before inviting God, we serve a prayer answering God. Jer. 33:3.The children of Israel called upon God. Vs.7.

The Lord answered 

The Lord answered His people when they called just like He will answer us today when we call 2 Chro.7:14, His answers had two immediate signs:

Firstly, He sent a Prophet to Israel vs. 8-10

Secondly, He sent His angel to Gideon may we enjoy angelic ministrations this year Amen. The angel said some things three of which are:

The Lord is with thee              vs.12

Thou mighty man of valour     vs.12

Go in thy this thy might           vs.14

We are focused on the last in our list for today.

Go in this thy might

We would as led see the application and implications of the statement, Go in this thy might:

( 1 ) You are the answer to the cry of Israel arise and shine, God is also telling us that we are answers to the cry of people but we must first arise and shine Is.60:1ff.

( 2 )  An Angel was sent to you for an encounter with divinity and also to give privileged information that this battle has been won from the realm of the spirit arise and go and take the victory. This year and beyond God will fight for us and we will take and enjoy the victory but we must be bold and not be idle. Josh. 5:13

( 3 ) An affirmation of divine presence and backup. God's: presence, protection, and Strength Rom.8:31.

If anyone asks you how is this year going to be tell them you are going with His might and in His strength just like Gideon.

Shalom.

 

 

 

 

The real message of the Christmas celebration by Pastor Gbenga Aluko

                                                                           

                                                           Text: Luke 2:1-11

Topic: The real message of the Christmas celebration

This will be done with the following sub-headings:

When was Christ born precisely

How Christmas is celebrated today

The real message of Christmas

When was Christ born precisely? 

There are lots of scholarly efforts and postulations about the exact date of birth of Jesus Christ as to whether it is the 25^th of December as celebrated largely in the world today while some debate this stance and even the manger birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, little wonder some religious folks avoid celebrating Christmas on December 25^th of every year because of these amongst other arguments.

Some scholars argued for the date example of such is Saint Augustine, Most Scholars of Catholic origin also follow the same route, other scholars use Astronomical, astrological and other methods to counter the 25^th assertion reasoning that:

( a ) calculating from the decree by Augustus Ceaser in Luke 2:1  which states that all should go back to their nativity for a census, kings have records which are passed down from generation to generation, and according to them from available records, it doesn’t show or add up that He was born 25^th December

( b )  Luke 2:9 states that while Shepherds watch their sheep by night a messenger from heaven visited them, they asserted that it was not possible to keep sheep in the deep winter around that time, shepherds themselves would rather be under their duvet with heaters in the room.

( c )The priestly duty ascribed to Zechariah in Luke 1:5 which can be traced didn’t connote the possibility of a December 25^th birth. Etc.

What should our reaction as Christians be?

( a )It is divine wisdom to be silent where and when the bible is Silent, as no exact date was stated in the scriptures, we should rather be more bothered about obeying/keeping the word/commandments of God as detailed in the scriptures.

( b )We are not particular about the date what we are celebrating is the Person, Purpose and Impart of our Lord Jesus on a general date taken as His birth. If a decree comes today and counters the third-century decree that enforced 25^th December we will still celebrate with the same understanding, vigour and funfair currently associated with 25^th December. 

How Christmas is celebrated today

Below is a list of how Christmas is celebrated in most parts of the world: 

l Going to church

l Donation to charity(ies)

l Concerts, Carols, Clubbing, watching movies

l Gift exchanges

l Food drinks and special meals

l Santa Claus

l Decorations, lights, Christmas trees

These are very good as far as it does not lead to sin or is sin in itself but Christmas is so MUCH MORE.

 

The real message of Christmas

1. God keep His promises: God has promised saviour for/to humankind from Gen.3:15, Is.9:6 although from the latter scripture to its eventual fulfilment was about 700 years according to theologians, but gladly this prophecy was fulfilled. If it is God who has spoken to you concerning a thing just maintain your purity and alignment he will surely bring it to pass. Num. 23:17

2. His lowly birth:  Luke 2:6-7,God in man born in a lowly place like a manger is full of lessons in itself, A message that great things don’t start great and that where we were born/raised isn't a benchmark for where God can take us to in as much as we remain in Him.

3. The greatest gift/giver and hope for the future: John 3:16 describes Jesus as a gift to save the world making Him the greatest gift ( a gift for the whole world not only that a gift to save the whole world) and God's greatest giver, with the rekindled hope that if He could give us His son, He will give us all that we ask according to His will Rom.8:32

4. A period of sincere assessment: If He left His glory, identity and personality for us Phil.2:7, He emptied himself, then the big question which we all need to answer is, what have I done, am I doing with and for Him?

 

Shalom