Members of the clergy have charged Christians and Ghanaians in general to act collectively and focus on things that unite the country rather than divide it.
They said as the hope of the world, Christians should promote peace and reconciliation wherever they found themselves in order to address the numerous conflicts for people to live in harmony and tranquillity.
In their various Easter messages, the religious leaders, among other things, cited the situation in places, including Nkwanta South, South Sudan and the Middle East.
The messages were from the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC), Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye; the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Most Rev. Professor Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu; the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Stephen Wengam; the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Eric Nyamekye, the Chairman of the Ghana National Council of the Great Commission Church International (GCCI), Apostle Dr Samuel Vincent Ansah, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr Lt Col. Bliss Divine Kofi Agbeko (Rtd).
Catholic Bishops
A message signed by the President of the GCBC, Most Rev. Matthew K. Gyamfi, said the celebration of Easter should make “us realise that as Ghanaians, we are one people”.
Rt Rev. Dr Lt Col. Bliss Divine Kofi Agbeko (rtd), Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana
“The peace that Christ gives at Easter should make us rise above all negative or harmful tendencies and see ourselves as members of one nation. As members of the one family of Ghanaians, let us realise that there is a need for us to live in unity and peace,” it said.
In the light of that, it said Ghanaians should eschew all ethnocentric tendencies, actions and statements that would not bring peace to the country.
“In the same vein, we should avoid saying and doing things that will bring about religious intolerance and conflict in our country.
We urge people of different religious persuasions to continue to live together in peace and to use peaceful and legitimate means to resolve all differences and challenges that may arise,” it said.
It said as Ghanaians celebrated the Lord’s resurrection, they should become new people, and that the newness should reflect in their daily activities.
Presbyterian Church
Rt. Rev. Dr Kwakye said Easter was not merely a season and that it was the very foundation of Christian hope, and indeed the hope of the world.
He said the event was the divine answer to human brokenness, the triumph of life over death, victory over sin and its related encumbrances, and the assurance that God’s redemptive purpose for the world cannot be thwarted.
“At the heart of this sacred season lies the essence of the Gospel: humanity, unable to save itself, is redeemed solely by God’s sovereign grace alone, through faith in Him alone, Christ alone, grounded in the witness of Scripture alone and ultimately for the glory of God alone,” he said.
He said the message of Easter spoke powerfully into the troubled world.
“Today, we witness conflicts, economic instability, injustice, and suffering on a global scale, particularly in the Gulf Region and other areas of conflict, where we see hostilities that continue to destroy lives and displace families.
“Back home in Ghana, we have recently received news of the escalation of conflict in Nkwanta and other areas.
This is unacceptable and must stop,” he said.
The Church, he said, was called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), shining ever brighter in times of darkness by nurturing faith, strengthening families, disciplining the youth, and building communities grounded in love and truth.
Methodist Church
Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu said, “May the celebrations of the death and resurrection of Christ, which we celebrate at this time, inspire in us the spirit of purpose and renewal as we seek to build our country and make our individual contributions to our collective destiny”.
“Easter assures us that the path of humility, service, and even suffering, when we walk with Christ, leads to fullness of life, and that the resurrection compelled mankind to confront the conditions that diminish human dignity and to work for the flourishing of all Ghanaians.”
This year, he said, the season of Lent coincided with the sacred period of Ramadan.
We thank God for our Muslim brothers and sisters who observed fasting and prayer, and we extend our greetings to them in the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr.
“Their discipline and devotion are a witness to the importance of faith in our national life.
We renew our commitment to interreligious dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence.
In this same spirit, The Methodist Church Ghana affirms the importance of religious freedom within our educational institutions.
Our faith communities must continue to be partners in education, forming young people in both knowledge and character,” he said.
Assemblies of God
Rev. Wengam said the significance of Easter ranked higher and ran deeper than what the celebratory mood generally portrayed.
Unquestionably, Easter, he said, was the most powerful and most hopeful moment in history and that to the Christian community in particular, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the anchor of faith.
“On the occasion of this year’s Easter, it is pathetic that darkness seems to have eclipsed much of the world.
Specifically speaking, war mongering is on the rise, and peace building is on the wane.
But it is not a basket case.
For, the faithful Lord will not leave us nor forsake us.
“For our part, we have a collective responsibility to act quickly and wisely to reverse this trend and move the world on a trajectory of enduring peace, unfading hope and unfaltering stability.
We must be agents of peace.
We must preach peace, facilitate peace and pray for enduring peace,” he said.
On the local front, he said the demonstration of a strong sense of unity by leaders and followers would impact communities powerfully and transform the nation significantly.
Church of Pentecost
For his part, Apostle Dr Nyamekye said the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the unshakeable foundation of the Christian faith.
He said the annual celebration of Easter was to reinforce the fact that the Gospel must be proclaimed, demonstrated and above all, preserved.
“In the light of this, I urge every Christian to view the Easter festivities not merely as a routine celebration, but as a transformative encounter with the Living God.
This season is not a mere tradition to be observed, but an invitation to encounter the Resurrection Power that inspires revival and breaks every yoke across our land.
“If Jesus could not be confined to the grave, then the resurrection power is not confined to the grave either.
It is out there in our streets and our homes for everyone to experience,” he said.
Great Commission
Apostle Dr Ansah, for his part, said Easter offered a profound opportunity to reflect on the blessings of the crucifixion, which Christians believed was God’s ultimate act of love and sacrifice that secured salvation and new life for mankind.
“The Bible records that the devil deceived man and he fell into sin, which simply is the power to live and do wrong.
Man’s life, subsequent to the Fall, has reflected his decadence and evil.
All social, economic and political evils stem from man’s inherited sinfulness.
The scourge of galamsey, corruption in high and low places, immorality and all kinds of moral perversion, every imaginable wickedness is the output of man’s sinful nature.
“But thanks be to God for His unspeakable love for man. He destroyed the power of sin, that is, the power to live and do wrong through His Son Jesus on the cross,” he said.
Evangelica Presby
Rt. Rev. Dr Lt Col. Agbeko (retd) said the Easter celebration reminded celebrants of the life, sacrifice and transcendent power of the Lord Jesus over life, death and eternity.
He said Jesus Christ’s humility reminded leaders that authority was not absolute and a leader was also under authority answerable to God, accountable to the people and subject to law and conscience.
Humility, he said, set aside pride and craved for recognition, focusing rather on faithful service to God and mankind.
The model for that balance, he said, was Jesus Christ himself.
“He accepted honour without clinging to it, he embraced suffering without resentment.
Leaders must learn to take high moment as if they were low and low moment without despair.
Courage enables you to stand firm and humility enables you to serve gracefully and neither is sufficient alone.
“Together, they form the pivot of godly leadership.
All must remember leadership is temporary but legacy is not, leaders must know they are custodians not owners.
We only hold in trust before God and the people.
We must serve well, serve humbly, serve courageously,” he said.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
