₦sermon 4
(A Sermon Preached by Rev. Fortune Emerence Chinemerem Nwaiwu)
“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” —Psalm 139:7 NLT.
Texts: Jonah 1-4
Brethren, I want to tell you that we have been called by God to effectively carry out our ministerial duties. His calling is patently inescapable. Thus, we can never run away from it.
I was once working with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the programme “NTAC” around 2010. Though I was sent to one lucrative Obiye Secondary School that pays well, I was receiving from the school and from the NDDC. By then, I had a call to serve my God but I was delaying. One certain time, my mind grew bitterly and I told some of my co-workers that I would not work again and they should not tell the owner of the school because she would not allow me to leave. I packed all my things and went back home. What happened next? I was arrested. God arrested me and that is how I started this pastoral work. I began to imagine what manner of God we serve. Thus his call is inescapable.
Jonah was a prophet during the time of Jeroboam (2King 14:25). At this time, the Assyrian nation was expanding their empire and threatening war against Israel. The Assyrian nation with Nineveh as its capital city became so wicked. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh to announce his judgment against the nation. Jonah fervently refused and sailed to the opposite side heading to Tarshish. Some people believe that why Jonah refused to go to Nineveh is that his own nation, Israel and Assyria were not in good terms. The Assyrians were threatening war against Israel while others believe from what Jonah said that God is a merciful God and would no longer carry his judgment against Nineveh and therefore, he saw no need to go and evangelize the nation (Jonah 2:1-4).
One thing is that we cannot claim to be wiser than God and if we do, he will teach us unforgettable lessons. As Jonah was running away from God’s calling, God hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. The sailors became much apprehended. They cast lots and it was discovered that Jonah is the cause of the tempest. Jonah admitted it and told them that he was running away from God.
Ministers of God today are just like Jonah. Majority of them abandon God and his Holy Ghost power to look for spiritual power from demons. Some of them buy all form of spiritual oil as to gain souls. Churches nowadays have become a business enterprise. No one cares to lead the flocks to heaven. All they need is money; some of them have abandoned their callings for another thing. Some have mingled their calling with politics. You need to come back and serve your God. You have been called to serve God in spirit and in truth.
When we come to some churches where there are rich men and women, “we will see ministers preaching prosperity and neglect to preach about repentance. Do we preach for money or to win soul to Christ? If we refuse or neglect to preach repentance to our flock (just like what Jonah did at the initial time) what happened to Jonah will also happen to us. Jonah may even be better because he was given a second chance but if you misuse the chance now to come and bear your calling, you may get drowned in your unfaithfulness.
……………Meditation Point…………………………..
Lord, help me to serve you with all my heart!
(A Sermon Preached by Rev. Fortune Emerence Chinemerem Nwaiwu)
“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!” —Psalm 139:7 NLT.
Texts: Jonah 1-4
Brethren, I want to tell you that we have been called by God to effectively carry out our ministerial duties. His calling is patently inescapable. Thus, we can never run away from it.
I was once working with Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the programme “NTAC” around 2010. Though I was sent to one lucrative Obiye Secondary School that pays well, I was receiving from the school and from the NDDC. By then, I had a call to serve my God but I was delaying. One certain time, my mind grew bitterly and I told some of my co-workers that I would not work again and they should not tell the owner of the school because she would not allow me to leave. I packed all my things and went back home. What happened next? I was arrested. God arrested me and that is how I started this pastoral work. I began to imagine what manner of God we serve. Thus his call is inescapable.
Jonah was a prophet during the time of Jeroboam (2King 14:25). At this time, the Assyrian nation was expanding their empire and threatening war against Israel. The Assyrian nation with Nineveh as its capital city became so wicked. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh to announce his judgment against the nation. Jonah fervently refused and sailed to the opposite side heading to Tarshish. Some people believe that why Jonah refused to go to Nineveh is that his own nation, Israel and Assyria were not in good terms. The Assyrians were threatening war against Israel while others believe from what Jonah said that God is a merciful God and would no longer carry his judgment against Nineveh and therefore, he saw no need to go and evangelize the nation (Jonah 2:1-4).
One thing is that we cannot claim to be wiser than God and if we do, he will teach us unforgettable lessons. As Jonah was running away from God’s calling, God hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. The sailors became much apprehended. They cast lots and it was discovered that Jonah is the cause of the tempest. Jonah admitted it and told them that he was running away from God.
Ministers of God today are just like Jonah. Majority of them abandon God and his Holy Ghost power to look for spiritual power from demons. Some of them buy all form of spiritual oil as to gain souls. Churches nowadays have become a business enterprise. No one cares to lead the flocks to heaven. All they need is money; some of them have abandoned their callings for another thing. Some have mingled their calling with politics. You need to come back and serve your God. You have been called to serve God in spirit and in truth.
When we come to some churches where there are rich men and women, “we will see ministers preaching prosperity and neglect to preach about repentance. Do we preach for money or to win soul to Christ? If we refuse or neglect to preach repentance to our flock (just like what Jonah did at the initial time) what happened to Jonah will also happen to us. Jonah may even be better because he was given a second chance but if you misuse the chance now to come and bear your calling, you may get drowned in your unfaithfulness.
……………Meditation Point…………………………..
Lord, help me to serve you with all my heart!
This is a wonderful sermon. Thank you pastor, Fortune.
ReplyDelete