Opinions of Monday, 28 December 2015

Columnist: Barning, Alex

Christians in all spheres of life must show examples worthy of emulation.

Christians in all spheres of life, more importantly in governments, must show examples worthy of emulation.

The Rev. Raymond Baah Abekah, Resident Minister of the Ghanaian Presbyterian Church, Toronto, Canada, has appealed to all Christians in all spheres of life, more importantly in Governments, to show exemplary lives for generations to emulate.
Delivering the sermon on Christmas Day, he regretted that Christians in positions of trust in government of Ghana are not exhibiting the trust reposed in them.
Rev. Baah Abekah was preaching at the Ghanaian Presbyterian Church, Toronto, under the theme: “CHRIST THE SAVIOUR IS BORN”. The birth of Jesus co-incided with the census the Governor had ordered.
Quoting from Ghanaian census held every 10 years, Rev. Baah Abekah observed 70 per cent of the people counted claim to be Christians and the minority of 30 per cent constitutes pagans, traditionalists and Muslims. Some of the Christians hold reputable leadership positions in various churches.
According to him, some of these Christians hold positions of trust, in the ministries of Ghanaian government and were expected to show leadership qualities of Jesus Christ, adding that the percentage of Muslims and others in government is negligible.
Rev. Baah Abekah told the congregation that “only yesterday, December 24, 2015, I was discussing the problems of Ghana with a fellow Ghanaian including the award of 3.6 million dollar public buses branding contract.”
According to Myjoyonline.com, “it also emerged that the cost of branding the 116 buses with photos of former heads of state and the current President John Mahama was inflated” pointing out that “sections of the investigative report says the single-sourced contract awarded Smarty’s Management and Production was bloated”.
As a result of this contract, Transport Minister Dzifa Attivor has voluntarily resigned.
He regretted the amount of money sank into the contract and hoped that “Christians will live soberly, righteously and look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ”.
On Christmas, Rev. Baah Abekah said many people including non-believers, pagans and Muslims are celebrating the day with exchange of gifts. Although I have not done any scientific research into why a child cries at birth, the people around are excited and happy. The birth of Jesus is therefore a precious gift to the world, he emphasised.

He told the congregants that “the birth of Christ moved us from darkness into GREAT LIGHT” as prophesied by Holy Prophet Isaiah many years before His Birth.
He charged the people to propagate the Gospel to the many people at their places of employment who need the news of GOOD TIDINGS that “Jesus is a Saviour”.
“May this Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ to the world, constantly remind us of the LIVING HOPE we have in HIM to perform what purpose HE has in our lives,” Rev. Baah Abekah concluded.

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Source: Elder Alex Barning