Christmas: Celebration of man’s salvation – Rev. Obadiah
OKERAFOR ATHANATIUS, JALINGO
The Pastor in-charge of the McBride Global Methodist Church in Nigeria (GMCN), Magami in Jalingo, Rev. Denis Obadiah Jen, has described Christmas as the celebration of man’s salvation.
Rev. Denis Obadiah Jen
Rev. Obadiah who said, christians globally, were celebrating the salvation Jesus brought into the World stated this while answering questions from Journalists shortly after delivering a Christmas church message to the congregation.
The Christmas service was held on Thursday, the 25th day of December, at McBride Global Methodist Church, Magami in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
Rev. Obadiah said christians globally, celebrated Christmas which celebration he aligned with the message he delivered to the congregation.
According to the clergy, christians were not just celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ but the salvation Jesus brought into the World.
“This is because Jesus brought salvation to mankind. Has it been that this salvation did not come, some of us could have been in the villages worshipping one idol or the other”,
“Again, right from the beginning, devil never wanted mankind to inherit the kingdom of God but with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were able to break that yoke. That’s why today, we are celebrating”, he said.
Dr. (Rev) John Pena Auta, Bishop, GMCN
He quoted Matthew, 1:20-21,which says that Jesus came into the world to save man from sins and Isaiah 9:2-7 where according to him the word of God admonished that it is because of the coming of Jesus Christ that the world today, have light, saying, the world were living in darkness but the coming of Jesus Christ brought light and salvation to mankind.
On the issues of services those placed at higher authorities presently render to humanity, the man of God said such services can never be compared with the services Jesus rendered while on earth.
Reiterating that Jesus said, He came to serve and not to be served, Rev. Obadiah emphasized that if the kind of services Jesus rendered are the same services those placed at higher authorities render today, the world could have been a better place to live.
He however, called on those who according to him are indulging in several activities like drunkenness, womanizing, smoking, in the name of celebrating Christmas, to repent and refrain from such acts.
Also speaking in an interview, Prince Sule Abasu, the State Episcopal Chairman GMCN Episcopal area, worldwide said the entire world were celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
Prince Sule Abasu
He pointed out that as a church, they also joined in the celebration, thanking God for bringing to the world the saviour of mankind.
Sule Abasu further charged christians in the State to continue to pray against insecurity and all other criminal acts that are putting man in bondage.
He also called on those who are incapacitated, sick or traumatized to focus on Christ, the author and finisher of their faith describing Jesus as the only hope of mankind.
He urged them to give their lives to Christ, admonishing that he’s the person that can give them hope, peace of mind, and happiness.
“We still have men of God who are serving God both in truth and spirit, that is why God has been intervening in our situations.
“Without these men of God, who are committed to the things of God, the situation of this country could have been worse. I call on men and women placed at different fora of life to serve, to do so with the fear of God, they should know that God put them at such positions to serve mankind and not to serve themselves alone”, he added.
