Benjamin Disraeli once said: “youth is a blunder, manhood is a struggle, old age is a regret. However, Benjamin Alakoro debunked this notion in one of his ever-dynamic sermon that “every inadequate preparation must go towards a miscarriage. In fact, youth whose fashion and lifestyle cannot draw or command men to Godliness, sanctity, and consecration will be full of blunders, a life time of struggle and indeed regrettable.
“When I am lifted up from the earth” Jesus said, I will draw everyone to myself ( John 12:32). These words, which are so full of promises and hope, show us that Jesus didn’t come just to forgive us our sins. He also came to usher us into a realm of relationship with Him. He came so that we could be “drawn” to Him and be lifted up with Him to the presence of His heavenly Father.
“The rate with which some persons pencil their trousers. Even though I said you will not go to hell fire . Can you go for evangelism with this kind of lifestyle?”
Benjamin Alakoro made these observations while delivering his sermon. He was the guest speaker at the Spirit of Praise (SOP) 2019 Foursquare Gospel Church, Idah District Youth, Kogi State, Nigeria.
SOP is an annual gathering of youth -young and adult- hosted by the indefatigable and proactive Youth Pastor Shehu Ocheni. The 2019 attracted mammoth crowd not only to be a living witness to the event tagged LIFT HIM UP but to be a partaker and benefits from the well spring of the Holy Ghost through uncommon impartation from Minister Happiness songs, Danny sung redemption melodious tunes, Ufe Sax wisp of restitution, Benjamin Israel praises and worship songs obsessing everyone present, leaving no stone unturned to set the captives free, liberating the oppress and healing those in bondage or common calamities of life. It is indeed a sight to behold as you cannot afford to miss the next edition.
“There is a clear difference between seeing Jesus Christ and having an encounter with Him. Without an encounter with Jesus, those things you are still holding unto as the sole aim of lifting Jesus will not produce lifted men. If you can give it up, there will be testimonies; if you cannot give it up, you are still on a Sycamore tree. When Zacheaus changed platform, at first, Zacheaus thought climbing altar is being born again. But the moment he had an encounter with Jesus, he began to spend his money wisely with genuine brokenness. He never needed the Sycamore tree anymore. If the tree signifies eternity, strength , vision, Zacheaus would have became eternity, salvation and everything the Sycamore tree represents Zacheaus became a mobile type,” Alakoro said.
You are in church. You are talented, you carry the grace , the potential . However , you have not heard an encounter with Jesus Christ in choir , ushering department , sanctuary, of course you cannot be in prayer band except a negligible few. And you sing Jesus Christ with wonderful voice while we are happy cheering you up with clapping and waving of hands. Exactly the way some people were busy chanting Zacheaus ! Zacheaus! Zacheaus! For being smart to climb the sycamore tree just to see Jesus. He climbed the tree saying Jesus ! Jesus ! Jesus! Thinking that is the best way to lift the name of Jesus high. The Sycamore tree is not a wrong place.We are not looking for choir seat or ushers alone. We are looking for mobile altar or rather a mobile sycamore tree.
“This is a platform number one. You can’t see Jesus and your life will not change positively. The fact Zacheaus climbed the tree to see Jesus and be seen as well. It does not mean he is born again. However Jesus Christ looked up the tree and said; “Zacheaus, make haste and come down.” It was a short rebuke, Zacheaus was a wrong person in a right place. The Sycamore tree is this altar, choir stand and the church. But the question is are you on a Sycamore Tree ? Jesus is saying make haste and come down. Salvation has come to you. After having an encounter with Jesus , you need a building force followed by a sustaining character -I call this sanctity, righteousness, living a consecrated life,” he added.
– Inah Stephen
