Theology

 *29/11/2020* *FIFTH SUNDAY SERVICE* THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *PETER* Text: Acts 12:6-11 *#to escape Herod's prison#* Peter was arrested and slated to be executed like James (Acts 12:2). However, Peter's execution was delayed because it was against Jewish law to have a trial or sentencing during the Feast of Unleavened Bread better known as Passover. This was Peter's third arrest (Acts 4:3; 5:18). During a previous incarceration, Peter had miraculously escaped with the help of an angel of the Lord who opened the gates of the prison (Acts 5:19,20). This time Peter was placed under maximum security in the care of four squads of soldiers of four men each. The soldiers worked three-hour shifts. Both of Peter's wrists were chained, and he had a soldier on each side. Outside Peter's cell, two more soldiers stood guard. *#delivered from the hand of Herod#* Why was Peter's life spared while James life was ta...

 *25/11/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *PHILIP* Text: Acts 8:26 *#to witness to the Ethiopian#* *go toward the south along the road:* This road descended from Jerusalem to Gaza, southwest of Jerusalem, near the Mediterranean coast of Palestine. Gaza was the last settlement before the desert wasteland stretching to Egypt. This was the road most travelers took to Africa. God had a divine appointment for Philip to meet the Ethiopian eunuch. The gospel would take a leap from the Samaritans to the "end of the earth" (Acts 1:8) - in this case, Africa. Acts 6:5 The seven chosen to serve bear Greek names including Philip. The selection of Hellenists no doubt was a wise and gracious gesture to the people who had initially raised the complaint concerning the widows. Acts 6:1. *Copyright 2020. The Ecumenican Church Nigeria* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp: *+2348052366039* Email: *jo...

 *22/11/2020* *FOURTH SUNDAY SERVICE* THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *CORNELIUS* Text: Acts 10:3-8 *#to call for Peter#* Those who were scattered by persecution from Jerusalem had been preaching the gospel only to Jews (Acts 11:19). At this point, they began to overcome their prejudices and carry the message of Christ to the Gentiles. As a *centurion*, Cornelius would have been part of a cohort, a regiment of the Roman military. A legion numbered about six thousand men. Each legion had ten cohorts of about six hundred men each. The cohorts were divided into centuries of a hundred men, and each century was commanded by a centurion, something like a modern sergeant. Cornelius was a Gentile of Italian descent. He and his family were "God-fearers", similar to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:27). Caesarea, which was about thirty miles north of Joppa on the coast, was the capital of Judea under the Roman procurators. *lodging wi...

 *18/11/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *APOSTLES* Text: Acts 5:19-20 *#to release them from prison#* *an angel of the Lord:* The word for angel basically means "messenger". The phrase "angel of the Lord" is commonly used in the Old Testament to refer to spiritual messengers of God. *Sometimes these messengers were human beings and other times they were angelic beings.* In some places the phrase may even refer to the preincarnate Christ. Considering the events of this particular passage, it is clear that a supernatural visitor is in view. Note that the angel's orders were not to escape from the city, but to return to the temple courts, where the disciples had been first arrested, and speak to the people. The fact that the disciples would return to the place of their arrest was an open testimony to the Jewish leaders and the general public that these men were willing t...

 *15/11/2020* *THIRD SUNDAY SERVICE* THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *JESUS* Text: Luke 22:43 *#praying and weeping in garden#* *strengthening Him:* God's answer to Jesus' prayer did not allow His Son to avoid suffering. However, God did provide angelic help for Jesus to face what was coming. Sometimes God answers prayer by eliminating trials; sometimes He answers by strengthening us in the midst of them. Matthew 4:11 *angels came and ministered:* Having rejected Satan's offer of bread, assistance from angels, and earthly kingdoms, Jesus was immediately visited by angels who helped Him. James 4:7 *submit to God:* We must follow in order the two commands in this verse. First we must submit to God by abandoning our selfish pride (James 4:1-6). Submitting to the Lord also involves putting on the whole armor of God, an image that includes everything from placing our faith in Him to immersing ourselves in the truth of God...

 *11/11/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *SICK* Text: John 5:4 *#to stir up water of healing#* Jesus had gone to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews (John 5:1). It may have been Passover, Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, or the Feast of Tabernacles. Whichever it was, it would have meant that many people were in Jerusalem. While there, Jesus went to the pool of Bethesda, which is located near the Sheep Gate (John 5:2). Jerusalem was surrounded by a protective wall with gates. The sheep gate was on the northern side of the city and led directly into the temple. Through it the animals were brought for sacrifice. One of the many who lay in the five colonnades that surrounded the pool of Bethesda, waiting for the water to move, was a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years but *had not given up hope* (John 5:3-5). *Copyright 2020. The Ecumenican Church Nigeria* Instagram: *@ecumenicanch...

 *08/11/2020* *SECOND SUNDAY SERVICE* THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *SHEPHERDS* Text: Luke 2:8-16 *#at Jesus' birth#* The night *watch* was kept to protect sheep from robbers and wild animals. *Glory* refers to evidence of God's majestic presence, later associated with Jesus (Acts 7:55). In this scene, the glory is the appearance of light in the midst of darkness. *The city of David* here refers to Bethlehem. In other passages, the phrase means Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7). *Savior... Christ... Lord:* These three titles together summarize the saving works of Jesus and His sovereign position. What God was called in Luke 1:47, Savior, Jesus is called here. The word Christ means "Anointed", referring to Jesus' royal, messianic position. The word Lord was the title of a ruler. The meaning of the word is defined by Peter in Acts 2:30-36. Jesus is destined to sit and distribute salvation's benefits from God's...

 *04/11/2020* MID-WEEK *HOLY COMMUNION* SERVICE THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *ZACHARIAS* Text: Luke 1:11-19 *#sees Gabriel in the temple#* *fear fell upon him:* To be afraid at the presence of God or His messenger is common in Scripture (Luke 1:29,65; 2:9; 5:8-10,26; 7:16; 8:37; 9:34; see also Exodus 15:16; Daniel 8:16,17; Acts 5:5,11; 19:17). *Do not be afraid:* Angels often calmed the fears of those to whom they appeared (Luke 1:30; 2:10; Genesis 15:1; Daniel 10:12; Matthew 1:20; Acts 18:9; 27:24; Revelation 1:17). *your prayer is heard:* The angel was probably referring to the prayer for the redemption of Israel that Zacharias had recited in the holy place, or to his earlier prayers for a child. *you shall call his name John:* When God names a child, greatness usually follows (Genesis 16:11; 1 Kings 13:2; Isaiah 7:14). *Copyright 2020. The Ecumenican Church Nigeria* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp: *+234805236603...

 *01/11/2020* *THANKSGIVING SERVICE* THEME: *ANGELS: MESSENGERS OF GOD* TOPIC: *ANGELS MINISTERED TO MANY PEOPLE* SUB-TOPIC: *MARY* Text: Luke 1:26-38 *#mother of Jesus, sees Gabriel#* Saint Luke's account of the announcement of Jesus' birth tells the story from Mary's perspective, while Matthew 1:18-25 focuses on Joseph and cites Isaiah 7:14. The announcement in Saint Luke's parallels similar announcements in the Old Testament (Genesis 16:7-14; 18:1-5; Judges 13:3-23). *In the sixth month* means six months after John the Baptist was conceived. *Nazareth* was a little village in Galilee, a region north of Jerusalem. *blessed are you among women:* Mary was blessed because she received God's grace, not because she bestowed it. *The Highest* is another way of referring to the majesty of God. *David:* Jesus fulfilled (and will fulfill) God's promise to David concerning an unending dynasty. The Old Testament develops in detail this promise of an eternal Davidic Kingd...