Everlasting Gospel
First lesson: Matthew 11: 11
“Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist, notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Second lesson Matthew: 20:24-25.
“And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.”
Golden text Luke 9:47-48
“And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart took a child, and set him by. And said unto them, whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. “
2.1 God's kingdom is for the humble
Brethren, there are two things creating problems in the world. Both of them are addressed by Christ in the texts above. They are disobedience and over-ambition. When the mother of James and John (the two sons of Zebedee) requested that Christ should accept to have both of them to sit by His right and left hand sides when He should come in His glory, Christ inquired to know whether they could receive His type of baptism and drink of His cup. They said Yes. Christ told them that it is true they could do those things, but concerning those to sit on His left and right hands respectively, He said such was not under His authority but that those to stay there were destined by His Father. When Peter and Andrew who were first called by Christ heard the request made by the woman, they were troubled in their mind. This is the cause of confusion in the entire world. Do you see how Christ treated the issue? Did He ask them why they should think of sitting on His left and right hand sides? He simply called all His disciples and addressed them as contained in the golden text.
Beloved, you have to understand the issue at stake. Our Lord Jesus Christ had the power to query certain behaviours and actions of His disciples. Yet, He did not. He never showed any expression of anger. Rather, He told them that the princes of the world have dominion and authority over their subjects but that it should not be so among them. In another case, the disciples wanted to know who should be the greatest among them, He did not answer them, instead He brought a little child before them and said that anyone who would rejoice with the little child was rejoicing in Him and the greatest among them is the one who would humble himself as the little child. That was how Christ was resolving complicated issues.
2.2 Preach the virtues which constitute Christianity
Our Lord Jesus Christ is an embodiment of peace and no one has preached Christ to the world. People rather go about preaching confusion. You are expected to preach humility, meekness, peaceful nature, love, holy life, and practicalize them. These virtues constitute Christianity. Apostle Paul said that Christ did not commission him to go and baptise people but to preach the gospel. Thus, he refused to use his knowledge and ideas in doing so, lest the cross of Christ be made of no effect; He revealed that if He did not preach what Christ did, then His love, truth, mercy, patience, humility, temperance and all what Christ did would turn to a sheer waste of time. That was why Paul had to preach the gospel without rest. This too is incumbent on every person. Preach about all the virtues and life style of Christ. If you do this and demonstrate same, there will be no more problems in the world.
2.3 Revealing God and his word
The phrase "the word of God' means mercy, meekness, temperance, love, patience, long suffering, endurance. You must cultivate these virtues. You are still in the "Cross" because you have not learnt how to overcome problems. If you were 'to emulate the life style of Christ and preach same to the world, you would have advanced spiritually and there would have been no more problems in the world Showing God to the world means practising the teachings of Christ and teaching people the same. This is the truth and the greatest thing in this kingdom of God.
The first lesson states that of all the men born of women, none has risen above John the Baptist but the one who is greater than John is he who is humble. He has nothing to say in defense of himself at any point in time. He is the one who is not exasperated in any situation. And have you been able to find this type of person in the entire world today? If you have identified one, have you emulated Him?, have you equally gone to spread the tiding to the entire world? No one hears His voice in the streets, but does it mean he is not offended by people? Does it mean He has not been calumnized against or abused and accused falsely? His voice is not heard because of His humility. What you have to take to the entire world is the humility of Christ in practice, His quality of. meekness, His love, mercy, kindness, patience endurance, temperance righteousness. This is what is meant by the word of God.
2.4 Jesus Christ: the only righteous one
The reason we extol the name of Christ is because He is the only righteous one. And this is what you have to emulate and teach others. Abraham had faith in God, so also was Melchizedec, Isaac, Jacob and all the patriarchs of old but, our Lord Jesus Christ is the only one whose life style is commended. He is therefore the greatest in heaven and on earth. This is why you are expected to follow after His foot prints. Once you see anyone behaving like Christ, go and tell the rest.
2.5 Emulate me and convince others
The people of the world have spread all sorts of rumours concerning the Holy Father. He is called beelzebub, vampire, mermaid, apparition and all evil names but you have witnessed the contrary. If you had gone out to preach about the love which is here in abundance, and behaved in the same way, do you think there would have been any problems with you and in the entire world? Your main duty in this Kingdom is to experience this truth, practise it and then, take it to those who are not here. You have heard what is said about Christ and have read same from the scripture but now you have come to see these virtues practically. Here is a situation where you were told that when the Holy Spirit of truth will come,
He will teach you all things and lead you to the accurate knowledge of truth. Now He is here doing all these things. You witness these things everyday, yet you still engage in unwholesome acts. But once you practise what you see here, if you tell it to another person, he will not have any doubt because he has equally become an eye witness. If this was done by you then the whole world would have been converted to Christ before now.
What do you think makes the blind to see, the lame to walk, the dumb to speak or what do you think will make an infidel to believe that God exists? It is the practical demonstration of God's teachings. You have failed in your calling because you have refused to hear what you are told to hear and you have failed to testify about what you have witnessed. If you had performed your duties accordingly, the glory of God would have been revealed unto the entire world.
The one in your midst is God as well as the Holy Spirit promised to come and teach and lead man to the accurate knowledge of truth. You have seen someone who has never been angry with anybody. He never quarrels, fights with anyone or frowns his face. He neither ignores anyone, nor ever commits sin. These are the things you are supposed to emulate and then go to tell others about it. Then will the glory of God be revealed in earnest. If you go and do anything contrary to what I am telling you, then you are a rebel.
2.6 The greatest being in God's kingdom
The greatest person in this kingdom is the one who humbles himself. This is why Christ testified eloquently that among all born of women, none has risen above John, yet the least in the kingdom is greater than John. You have built a house for God, you have raised the dead, made the lame to walk but these do not make you great. The greatest person in the kingdom of God is the one who does not count sins on .others, does not contest anything, is not offended at any point in time, does not boast. He is always at the service of others. He is patient and endures every situation he comes across. He is meek and lowly in heart, he is truthful and loving. Such a person is the greatest. He is God Himself.
This is why you are told that to enter this kingdom, you must allow the will of God to prevail in your life always. Do not seek to introduce yourself as somebody worthy of recognition. Never argue the word of God with anybody, or even seek for recognition. If you go to somebody's house to look for him, and you are told he is not there, even if you see him, do not ask questions. Rather, go your own way. Such is the life pattern of God. Always be a silent guest in the midst of people, for such is the quality of the true children of God.
2.7 As a child of God, contest no person's statement
During the youthful days of Christ, He went to visit His friends but when the mother of those friends saw Him, she said that they were out. When Christ inquired to know who were inside the room, she said they were piglets. Christ retorted that it should be according to her statement and left. When He was gone, she went and opened the room; and behold the children were turned into piglets. So she ran after Him and confessed that His friends were in the room and not piglets. And He equally said, "Let it be as you have said," and they instantly became children. That is the life style of God. He is not given to contesting anything with any person.
2.8 God is a silent guest on earth
Greatness does not constitute in extracting things from others by force or in making noise. Such are not the ways of God. Why is it that the Father is here in the world yet “the world does not know Him?" is it not because of His silence? Has the Father ever claimed to be the one performing these feats in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star? What about Our Lord Jesus Christ; did He ever arrogate anything to Himself? Right now, after three days of death, He is with you and yet He does not make you to understand this. He is doing His work accurately, but none can ever identify Him apart from the Father and who ever the Father may wish to reveal Him to.
2.9 God's modus operandi
Recall when Our Lord Jesus Christ asked His disciples who the people said He was and they told Him their opinion. He then asked them what their verdict was, Peter replied that He was Christ, the Son of the Living God. Christ said to him, "Peter, son of Jona, flesh and blood has not revealed this thing to you but my Father who is in Heaven." That is to say He was appointed instantly as the head. He never introduced Himself as anything to anyone. He does not converse with anyone because He knows that the word is God, He does not joke with the word. It is what is used in identifying the children of God, but for the noisy ones, they have nothing in common with God, they are of the devil.
Christ declared that He could not do anything on His own but what He hears, same He declares to the ' people because He sought not for His will but that of the one who sent Him. This was because He knew that the word is God. He does not speak any how and once He makes any pronouncement, it comes to fulfillment. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave every glory to the Father. He is always in spirit and He always speaks in spirit. Once you do anything and express doubt as to whether you will be rewarded, you have failed completely, and even if you stay here to abuse God, He hears yet He utters no word. On the other hand, give Him ail the praises you can, He will not answer you. That is why you are confused about what you are doing.
You always wonder if what you are doing is pleasing unto God or not; whether He is seeing or hearing you, always you engulf in doubt. Till eternity you cannot know whom God loves or hates. God operates as a silent guest, whatever your thought is or what speeches you make, He is not concerned or perturbed. He will not answer you. If you ask whether He does not approve of it, He will not equally answer you. Whatever action you take does not bother Him. That is the modus operandi of God. But God stays with you all the time, does His work and the planning by Himself. He never relates His information to anybody and no one has any say concerning the operational pattern of God.
When the people took a woman who allegedly committed adultery before Christ and told Him how Moses commanded that anyone who committed adultery should be stoned to death, they demanded for His verdict. He asked anyone who had not committed any sin to cast the first stone on her. With that the people left one after the other in total shame. Turning to the woman, He asked, "woman where are your accusers?" She replied that they were all gone. And He told her that since they did not condemn her neither did He condemn her, He only bid her to go and sin no more.
In another instance, the people questioned Christ whether it was wrong to pay tribute to Caesar. With this question He demanded for a coin which they gave to Him. He asked them whose image was on the coin and they replied that it was that of Caesar. He therefore told them to give to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God what belonged to God.
It is stated that we do err in all things but if any man does not err in tongue, such a person is perfect. Who in the whole world has not offended in words? The only perfect person is our Lord Jesus Christ.
All others who are given to ill utterances are carnal and they have no association with God. Read the first lesson again.
First lesson Matthew: 11:11
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of woman there bath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”
2.10 A place for the humble
Beloved, anyone who humbles himself most is the greatest in the kingdom of God. If you brag about your wealth and position to others, of a truth you have no share-in the kingdom because you are a flippant child. When you are told of some other person's wealth and in the process, you start enumerating your achievements you have missed your wealth.
Anyone who knows God does, not do anything for people to see. If he intends to build a house, he will give the money in secret to people to go and do it. There is no point letting others know about your achievements for this egoistic behaviours can rob you of the kingdom. The secret of this kingdom is to allow others to praise you and not showing up, whatever thing you do, allow others to give the testimony. Any time you testify about yourself, you have failed completely and you are a very low person in this kingdom.
James 3:2 States:
“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body”.
2.11 Only God should make declarations
In the whole world, is there any person who has not offended in words? The word is God and only God is the one to make statements. This is because any word you utter will come to effect. For instance, you could tell someone not to do a particular thing and as a result of his abstaining from doing it, he perishes. In that case his blood will be upon you. Allow God to utter the word for He is the one to do everything.
If you desire to have a key position in this kingdom, then you must control your tongue. If you are hungry do not beg for food, if you are sick, do not report to any person, commit everything to the Father because everything is under His control. Whether you are poor or sick. the Father knows and anyone who demonstrates this is the greatest in the kingdom of God.
2.12 The greatest in the kingdom: he who humbles himself
Anyone who has faith in God knows that God is the truth and that He does everything and no one has a hand in the way things are done in the kingdom. You do not have any contribution to make as far as the scheme of things are concerned in the kingdom of God. You have been thinking that going on ministry work makes you number one in the kingdom of God or being charitable to people is the thing. You also think fasting makes you great in the kingdom of God. With such thoughts, you have failed. The greatest person in this kingdom is the one who humbles himself as a little child. You are told that by your words, you are justified or condemned but if you do not make any speech, you are the perfect master.
Read the second lesson again.
Second lesson Matthew 20:24-25.
"And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them".
2.13 Your utterances will stand against you
Note the reply given by Christ in the above portion? He knew the ten were aggrieved and if He were to make a speech, something would have happened and He would have been found wanting in the sight of the Father. Therefore if He had made any statement, He would have made Himself a judge and no more a Saviour. Thus, He would have failed in essence. All the words you utter will stand against you on judgement day, and you will be asked who authorised you to make such statements. Sometimes the statements you make affect you now and in future. When they come to pass, you forget that you made such statements. Because of your unguarded utterances, you are found retrogressing instead of acquiring the portion you are seeking for in the kingdom of God.
2.14 Your unguarded statement robs God of his glory
It is said that the greatest in the kingdom is the one who humbles himself and once you make any statement, it means you have exalted yourself. Why a humble person is compared with the little child is because the child cannot speak, does not know anything nor does he claim anything. The child is God in disguise. Therefore if you desire to be great in this kingdom, stop making unguarded statements. Do not talk about yourself or another person, do not talk about what you intend to or what you have already done.
Now, when you go out and start saying, "OLUMBA has caused the rain not to fall, He has made people not to die or He has made us to be here", how then can God who has really done these things be praised? The moment you rob God of His glory, it means you are not worthy of this kingdom. The greatest person in this Kingdom, is he who does not talk carelessly at any point in time. He is as humble as a small child. He is not given to anger; He does not make suggestions, does not begrudge people, does not complain to people, does not engage in any vain talk.
2.15 Bridle your tongue
You intend to give out something to some other person yet you go and announce this in the television or radio studio. Before you even do it, people have already heard about it and eventually, if you fail, people had heard and known about it. This makes you to fall short in the sight of God because you are a flippant child. This is why you are told that any one who professes to be a man of God but does not tame his tongue, his religion is in vain. When you talk at random, condemning people here and there, what type of person do you think you are. A local adage says that the monkey's voice kills it. The antelope says it is not the person who shoots him that he is angry with but the one who engineers the hunter to shoot him.
You say someone is evil and if he is eventually condemned, you will be responsible for his death. On the other hand, if you tell someone that God has blessed him and that he will receive something from God, if this fails to materialise, he will look for you because you have deceived him and he will he disappointed in you. Therefore, it is safe to be quiet and to control your tongue. Allow God to speak the word because the word is His and it is His Sole responsibility to make statements, God knows what to do at any given point in time. Therefore, do not be inquisitive, seeking to know what God will do to you when you do a particular thing. Do not tell people God had exalted them or they have been promoted and so on because such statements are vain. They only end up making the people to glorify you instead of God and this in turn will place you in a sad state in this kingdom.
If you want to be a real child of God, do not be angry with anybody no matter what and do not regret your services to God or your fellow man. Read the golden text again.
Golden text Luke: 9: 48
“And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart took a child, and set him by Him, And said unto them, whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me; for he that is least among you all. the same shall be great”
2.16 The child - symbol of humility
As you were called in here, God never told you He would send you into heaven or hell and when someone comes making such statements that you are a real child of God and so on, do not believe him. Such statements are blasphemous. They make one become insignificant in the kingdom of God. The greatest in this kingdom does not lack, he is not given to anger, does .not make suggestions and plans, he allows God to do His will. Read Matthew 6:4-6.
2.17 Let your good works be done in secret
Anybody who wants to do anything for God and makes proclamation concerning such things has already gotten his reward and God has nothing to do with him because he is seeking for his personal glory. But if you desire to do anything for the poor, do not allow your left hand to know what your right hand is doing. Anything you have to do, let it be in secret and God will reward you openly. Such action depicts humility. Anything you allow people to hear before doing amounts to self exaltation and you do not receive any reward from God. In a nutshell, the greatest person in this kingdom of God is the one who operates in secret. Whatsoever he does, he does not allow anybody to know.
It is said that a stroke of the cane is enough for the wise. He who has ears, let him hear what the Holy Spirit has imparted to the world. May God bless His holy words. Amen.
THANK YOU FATHER