The annual Anglican Diocese of Warri “Manifest” kicked off yesterday at the Cathedral with his lordship, the Rt Revd C E Ide, JP declaring the event opened.
This year’s theme is “From glory to glory” with the text taken from 2Corinthians 3:18. The guest preacher, the Rt Revd Godfrey Ifeanyi Ekpenisi, the Bishop of the Diocese of Ika who spoke on the theme, dwelt on the topic Accessing God’s Glory.
Due to the covid19 protocol, the event was held at the Cathedral Church of St Andrew, Warri and broadcasted live to viewing centres across the Diocese and on the Diocesan social media platforms on Facebook and YouTube
It was joy all over the Diocese of Warri (Anglican Communion) today as the news of the compassionate gesture of the Diocesan, the Rt Revd Christian E Ide, JP filtered to the clergy and members, that financial palliatives has been approved for disbursement to 1,113 vulnerable – widows, orphans, low income and disadvantaged members drawn from 77 out of the total number of Churches in the Diocese.
This is to help cushion the pressure of the ongoing lockdown in the state due to the covid19 pandemic.
May God bless our lord Bishop and our amiable mother in Israel, The Rt Rev’d & Mrs C E Ide, JP and the people of the Diocese of Warri in Jesus name.
Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.
And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
And He said to them, “What kind of conversation [is] this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
“and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
“But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
“Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
“When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
“And certain of those [who were] with us went to the tomb and found [it] just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
✝📃STUDY
In today’s passage, Jesus appears to two of His disciples going to Emmaus, one of them was Cleopas. These men apparently did not recognise Him for certain reasons. Consider Jesus statement to them “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken”(v.25).As followers of Jesus, we are expected to understand the scriptures and believe and act on them. They are not ordinary words; they are life (Deut. 32:47). Every Christian needs this understanding so that he can flow with the perfect will of God.
It was at the table when they reclined to eat with Him and He prayed that their eyes were opened (vs. 30-31). They recognised Him and He disappeared from them leaving them convinced that He is alive. The impact of their encounter with Jesus moved them to proclaim the good news about His Resurrection. Have you ever encountered Jesus in your life? What impact did this encounter create in you? This encounter is personal and necessary for our new life in Christ, empowerment, growth and relevance in the Kingdom of God.
✝🙏 PRAYER: I need a touch from the Master O! Lord.
