The live stream video divine service being conducted in Nigeria since July continued on Sunday 23rd August 2020 even upon the reopening of all the congregations in the country.
Apostle Enobong Udoh of South west Nigeria conducted the service while District Elder Glory Chuku of PortHarcourt District South South Nigeria assisted the Apostle.
The Apostle read a bible text from: Acts 1:13-14
“And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
In his elaboration the Apostle emphasized on a few essential points of the message namely:
Collective prayer and supplication.
The officiating Apostle began his message by welcoming brothers and sisters and the connected congregation to the divine service. He expressed his joy that our heavenly Father Has invited us to His house to speak to us about the important things we need to know.
Prayer in the upper room.
The Apostles and believers in the early congregation went to the upper room to pray for God to quicken the sending of the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus Christ, to pilot the affairs of the Church and help them fulfill their commission and their prayers were answered by God.
The upper room is a place where the children of God prayed and experienced the miracle of God. Today, we can refer to our congregation as the upper room. Where we have the ministers of God, brothers and sisters having fellowship and communion with God.
Let’s do away with whatever will deprive us from attending divine services and coming together in fellowship in this upper room and receive God’s blessings.
The obligation of the congregation.
Praying together and having fellowship as a congregation is our obligation to God.
It is necessary we assemble together and pray together. The brothers and sisters who prayed in the upper room were in one accord. When we come to the house of God, our hearts should be focused on God while we avoid getting distracted with issues of life. When we allow ourselves to be distracted, then we are not in one accord.
Our lives are transformed positively and we become a better person when we focus on God in His house.
Praying in one accord.
To be in one accord means we are in one fold and in one spirit. When we are together, the blessings of God are upon us. The prayer of the Apostles was answered because they prayed in one accord. They prayed for the sending of the Holy Spirit and the replacement of Judas Iscariot, the Apostle of Jesus who got lost and God heard them the way they prayed for it. When we gather together in the house of our heavenly Father and pray together in one accord, have it in mind that what we prayed for will come to pass.
We gather in the congregation to pray our Lord’s prayer together God always hear our prayers and supplication. We pray for our brothers and sisters who are sick and God hears us. Praying together in the house of God is an essential component of our congregational life. Our heavenly Father blesses those who come together to pray in His house.
Let us have the longing of coming to the house of God so that we will be given an opportunity to pray together.
Praying for Jesus Christ to come soon.
We pray together as a congregation that our Lord Jesus Christ should come soon.
The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring Joy to those who have Him in mind. Especially those who accepted Him as their Lord and personal savior.
For those who love God and their neighbours, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring Joy to them.
Concluding his sermon, the Apostle told the congregation to continue with the communal prayers, love for God and all brothers and sisters so that our Lord Jesus Christ may quickly come for us, so that we can share in His Joy when He comes to take us home.
District Elder Glory Chuku from South-South working area of Nigeria was invited to serve along in the divine service.