Theology

 *01/03/2023* *MID WEEK SERVICE* *40 DAYS FASTING AND PRAYERS* THEME: *UNNAMED PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE* TOPIC: *SHUNAMMITE WOMAN* Text: 2 Kings 4:8-37 The friendship of Elisha with the woman at Shunem is also similar to the friendship of Elijah with the widow of Zarephath 1 Kings 17:8-16 She perceived Elisha was truly set apart for the ministry and a holy man of God. Recognizing Elisha as one of God's choice servants, the Shunammite woman was especially concerned that the normal measure of hospitality be applied even more fully. Elisha decided that the best thing he could do for the woman was promise her the birth of a son, despite her years of frustration about this. The Shunammite woman felt that even Elisha could not fulfill such a promise. The birth of the son to the woman was similar to the fulfillment of the promise of God in the birth of Isaac. Genesis 21 Placing the body of the dead son on the bed of the man of God showed the strong faith of the woman and also kept his death a

 *26/02/2023* *ANOINTING HEALING AND COMMUNION SERVICE* *40 DAYS FASTING AND PRAYERS* TOPIC: *THE GREATEST NATION* (a revived Roman Empire) Text: Daniel 2:31-45; 7:7,23 Isaiah 9:7; 60:12 *"... and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth"* Daniel 2:35 Cont'd THE SECOND NATION The second empire - the chest and arms of silver according to Daniel 2:32 was Medo - Persia. Daniel 5:28; 8:20; 11:2 As silver is inferior to gold, so Medo - Persia was inferior to Babylon, not in size but in its effectiveness in governing its people. If the lion with eagle's wings represents Babylon according to Daniel 7:4, the bear - in line with Nebuchadnezzar's first dream - represents Babylon's successor, the Medo - Persian Empire (the second world empire) Daniel 2:38,39 The Persians were greater and more powerful than the Medes. The Medo - Persians devoured three Kingdoms including Babylon, Lydia and Egypt. The ram also represents Medo - Per

 *22/02/2023* *MID WEEK SERVICE* *40 DAYS FASTING AND PRAYERS* THEME: *UNNAMED PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE* TOPIC: *WIDOW AND HER POT OF OIL* Text: 2 Kings 4 The fate of widows was perilous in the ancient Middle East. A practical test of biblical piety was to observe how those in power treated widows and orphans. Job 24:21; Psalms 146:9 Both the Bible (Leviticus 25:39-45) and other ancient laws permitted selling one's family members into slavery for payment of debts. God's law worked toward limiting the abuse and the length of time in such a situation. The small flask held olive oil intended for anointing rather than food or fuel. Such a small flask was not very valuable. Elisha met not only her immediate needs but the long-range ones as well. *©2023* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*

 *19/02/2023* *THIRD SUNDAY SERVICE* TOPIC: *THE GREATEST NATION* (a revived Roman Empire) Text: Daniel 2:31-45; 7:7,23 Isaiah 9:7; 60:12 *"... and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth"* Daniel 2:35 Cont'd THE FIRST NATION This refers to the Babylonian Empire, personified in Nebuchadnezzar. The first world-wide empire according to Daniel 2:32 was Babylon. Daniel 2:38; 7:17 The lion and the eagle are commonly recognized as the King of the beasts and the King of the birds respectively, a fitting description of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire. Daniel 7:4; Jer.49:19,22 *©2023* *Ecumenican Church Nigeria ®* Instagram: *@ecumenicanchurch* WhatsApp/Telegram: *+2348052366039* Email: *johnifesanya@gmail.com* *www.johnifesanya.blogspot.com* *#ECN Ibadan #* Powered by *JDIS*

 *15/02/2023* *MID WEEK SERVICE* THEME: *UNNAMED PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE* TOPIC: *WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY* Text: John 8:1-11 Abruptly during the teaching of Jesus, the adulterous woman was brought into the midst of the proceedings. The Pharisees were the reason for this confrontation John 7:45 Stoning was specified in certain cases of adultery Deuteronomy 22:23,24, though not all. (It is not clear why the authorities intended to punish the woman but not the man). The religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus into saying something that was contrary to the Law. If Jesus had said not to stone her, He would have contradicted Jewish law. If He had said to stone her; He would have run counter to Roman law, which did not permit Jesus to carry out their own executions. John 18:31 What Jesus wrote on the ground is a matter of conjecture. Some suggest that He wrote the Ten Commandments recorded in Exodus 20. *Sin no more* implies that Jesus forgave her. He did not condemn her, but neither did He c

 *12/02/2023* *SECOND SUNDAY SERVICE* TOPIC: *THE GREATEST NATION* (a revived Roman Empire) Text: Daniel 2:31-45; 7:7,23 Isaiah 9:7;. 60:12 *" .... and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth"* Daniel 2:35 INTRODUCTION The image that Nebuchadnezzar saw represented *four kingdoms* that would rule over all the earth. 1. An image with a head of fine gold Daniel 2:32 2. An image with a chest and arms of silver Daniel 2:32 3. An image with a belly and thigh of bronze Daniel 2:32 4. An image with legs of iron and feet of iron and clay Daniel 2:32 The dream of Daniel in Daniel 7 also corroborated the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. *The dream of four beasts explains the four world-ruling nations* 1. A beast like a lion with eagle's wings Daniel 7:4 2. A beast like a bear with three ribs in its mouth Daniel 7:5 3. A beast like a leopard with four wings Daniel 7:6 4. A beast with iron teeth and ten horns Daniel 7:7 The vision of Daniel in Daniel

 *08/02/2023* *MID WEEK SERVICE* THEME: *UNNAMED PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE* TOPIC: *WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH* Text: 1 Kings 17 Zarephath was in Phoenician territory, seven miles south of Sidon, the stronghold of Baal. The Lord's sustaining Elijah first by a raven and then by a widow provided the prophet with a dramatic test of faith at the outset of his ministry. The widow, too, would be taught the value of trusting in God alone. 1 Kings 17:24 Many widows were exceptionally poor, as they had few options in an agrarian culture. This widow was in a desperate plight when she encountered God's prophet. The widow of Zarephath was a woman of faith in the living God, even though she lived in a foreign land. Elijah's challenge to the widow would call for faith in the midst of her desperate circumstances. While an apostate Israelite nation suffered because of the drought, God supplied the daily necessities to a non-Israelite who willingly took Him at His word. The fresh supply of oil and flour

 *05/02/2023* *THANKSGIVING SERVICE* TOPIC: *WHAT IS GREATNESS?* Text: Matthew 20:20-28; 23:11 1 Peter 5:3 Luke 22:27 *The measure of greatness is not position, power or prestige; it is service* The mother of James and John, who may have been related to Jesus' mother, acted on their behalf to try to secure them key posts in Jesus' Kingdom. Matthew 20:20-21 Her reasoning must have been that if Jesus was the Messiah, he would surely take the throne of his father David in Jerusalem. His claim to the throne would be accepted by the custodians of the promises of God, and he would rid Palestine of the Romans. James and John wanted to be in on the action, and sought through their mother to secure themselves positions of authority in the Kingdom of heaven. The other disciples had no better insight into Jesus' messiahship, for when they discovered what James and John had tried to do behind their backs, they were indignant with the two brothers. Matthew 20:24 Their minds were focused

 *01/02/2023* *MID WEEK SERVICE* THEME: *UNNAMED PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE* TOPIC: *QUEEN OF SHEBA* Text: 1 Kings 10 Sheba is located in southwestern Arabia (present-day Yemen), Sheba was the homeland of the Sabeans, a people whose far-flung commercial enterprises stretched from Syria to east Africa to distant India. The Sabeans dealt in such precious commodities as gold, gemstones, perfumes and rare spices. The queen of Sheba came to ask Solomon hard questions to satisfy her own mind and to examine his wisdom. Solomon's brilliant replies to the queen of Sheba's difficult questions (1 Kings 10:3), as well as the skillful use of his wisdom for the needs and interests of his kingdom convinced her that such wisdom must be divinely bestowed. Her acknowledgement of Solomon's God and the Lord's covenant faithfulness toward Israel does not necessarily mean that she made a commitment of personal faith in the Lord. Such recognition of foreign deities was common in the literature of th