Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, has advised Christians to make the Church a place where true worship and affectionate love among brethren can be greatly felt.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi said this yesterday when he joined members of the Danquah Worship Centre in the La Area of The Church of Pentecost for the first Sunday service of the year 2023.
In his sermon titled: “Discerning the Body of Christ,” the General Secretary explained that the Church is a group of believers or disciples of Jesus Christ who are related through consistent gathering and membership in a Christian denomination that serves as their spiritual family for nurturing, guidance, support and ministry or service (Ephesians 4:12-16).
He also described the Church as the household of God made up of all those who have been redeemed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, stressing that, as members of God’s household, Christians must value and treat each other with love.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi further posited that Christian churches exist because of the love of Jesus, and they grow with the love of every believer strengthening the family of God.
“Each follower of Christ is part of God’s universal family, and as children of God, we enjoy His fellowship through the life of every believer,” he said.
According to the General Secretary, fellowship is a gift from God to help the believer enjoy their faith journey with like-minded people. He said that, through Christian fellowship, the believer is able to help, encourage, strengthen, teach, and comfort other Christians – and receive the same from them.
Referring to Acts 2:42, Apostle Kumi-Larbi highlighted the strong bond that existed between the early Christians, who devoted themselves to “teaching, fellowship, prayers, and breaking of bread.”
He explained that early believers willingly shared what they had with their brethren to the point that they had no needy persons among them, and, thus, urged contemporary Christians to emulate this “great display of brotherly love.”
The General Secretary also urged Christians to share each other’s burdens by comforting the afflicted, encouraging the disheartened, visiting the sick, and praying for those who are weak or struggling in the Christian faith.
“Every follower of Christ carries a burden for His kingdom, and these loads become lighter when shared,” he said.
Touching on the spiritual significance of the Church, Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that, beyond fostering healthy relationships among brethren, the gathering of Christians has spiritual implications for God’s mission on earth.
“Every Christian is like a stone, and the Church is the spiritual house that God is building. The Lord Jesus is the foundation of this spiritual temple. He is a great stone. Every Christian is a small stone built upon the Lord Jesus to become the temple of God and the habitation of God,” he explained.
He further noted that Christians, as living stones, are therefore being built up to become “God’s spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5).
“The purpose of our being built up as a spiritual house is to form a collective priesthood that is continually offering spiritual sacrifices to God,” he added.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, called on Christians to lead righteous and holy lives at all times to make their bodies acceptable sacrifices that God could use for His purpose.
He also advised them not to speak disparagingly about the Church and God’s people as this brings the Church, and extension, God’s name, into disrepute.
“Rather, make your concerns and grievances known to the appropriate authority for explanation or redress, he advised.
PENTECOST NEWS.
