By Paul Eduarko Richardson
Accra, March 24, GNA – The Reverend Father Theophilus Addo-Botchway, Assisting Priest, Saint Anne Anglican Church, Abeka, has urged Christians to live life of sacrifice as they commemorate Palm Sunday.
In his message themed: “My Expensive Sacrifice,” based on Mark 14: 3, he said Mary Magdalene, who was seen as a sinner, sacrificed expensive oil to prepare for Christ’s death and burial.
That remarkable act, he said, served as an example for Christians to follow by sacrificing something precious unto God.
“So, as God is about to sacrifice His Son for us, we also have to sacrifice something for Him,” he said.
He added: “In the olden days, the Israelites sacrificed human beings and animals. In our days, Christ has died for us, so we don’t need to sacrifice animals and human beings again.
“Whatever God has blessed us with, we have to sacrifice that thing for Christ,” he said.
Rev Addo-Botchway noted that God had blessed His people with many gifts and talents that Christians could apply to serve God.
He urged Christians to help the work of God by giving their money, time, and possessions.
Rev Addo-Botchway stressed that: “As a Christian, for your sacrifice to be acceptable unto God, you must go deep within your heart and search for the most expensive thing that you can sacrifice unto the Lord.”
Rev Fr Dr Samuel Quartey, the Parish Priest, St Anne Anglican Church, said Palm Sunday signified the bold decision that Jesus took to enter Jerusalem regardless of the consequences that awaited him.
He said Christians must also be bold witnesses for Christ so that others may know the victory of the sacrifice that Christ had brought to mankind.
“Palm Sunday also teaches us to be humble, loving and steadfast in the Lord, as Christ’s victory is an assurance that even though the Christian life will be full of trials, persecutions and tribulations, through it all, God will be there to save us and bless us,” he noted.
As Ghana prepared for the 2024 General Election, Rev Quartey called on the country’s political party leaders to let Christ be their example by humbling themselves.
He said: “In elections, is either you win or you lose. So when you win, you give glory to God. When you lose too, you give glory to God.
“It’s God that appoints leaders. It’s God that appointed Jesus to come and die for mankind.
“As we go into elections, Christians must pray to God for Him to grant the nation victory as He granted Jesus Christ victory over the devil.”
Rev Quartey urged Christians to be channels of peace and unity throughout the elections to maintain the nation’s stability and speed up growth and development.
The Church Choir led the congregation to sing the Passion according to Saint Mathew with meditations on Jesus’ trial, death, victory over sin, and mankind’s reconciliation with God.
GNA