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Rev Enoch Thompson | March 25, 2023 | Matthew 1:11-16 KEY VERSE: If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. Matthew 10:13 (NIV) MESSAGE: Most people believe in the power of blessings and curses, and the Bible teaches a lot about blessings and curses. The God of the Bible is a God of blessings. His call of Abraham was one of the blessings (Gen. 12:1-3), and Abraham’s sons walked into those blessings. The Christian life is considered in the light of the foregoing; “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Gal 3:14 (NIV). In Deut 28 we have the record of an extensive list of blessings and curses that were to be experienced by the people of Israel. The God of the Bible is a God of blessings, but the blessings of God are not automatic or accidental. God’s blessings work based on conditions that are firmly set by God Himself. Our text today teaches us that the spread of the Good News of the Kingdom of God was to be accompanied with the spread of the Shalom, the peace of God which touches all aspects of human life and brings an added advantage and progress in the lives of people. When the Christ-followers went out they were to proclaim Shalom upon individuals, homes, families, and communities. , However, they were to note that the realisation of the peace of God they spoke was conditioned by the deserving reception of that peace: “If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” Matt 10:11-16 (NIV). There are many times that we may find ourselves in environments where blessings are spoken by godly agents of God, but we do not benefit from those blessings. Even a “Good morning,” spoken by a godly person carries a divine blessing, but the blessing will be missed if we have mental and spiritual attitudes that reject the blessing. A clearly antagonistic attitude to the preaching of the word of God before salvation or while we have become church members will remove the power of the word to impact us positively. Some have been cursed in their attendance of Christian services, and we must be careful we do not miss the blessings of God too (Acts 5:1-10; 1 Cor. 11:27-33). And for all these rejections of divine blessings, we shall be held accountable by the God who had desired to bless us. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: We need the blessings of God as we live in an evil fallen world where Satan and his agents are at work to undo us. Position yourself in mind, behaviour, and confession to receive and benefit from Kingdom blessings. PRAYER: Dear God of blessings, how I need you and your blessings as I battle out against all that is around me and against me. Please help me to re-orient my thoughts, words, and behaviour, so that your blessings will attach to me and follow me all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 24, 2023 | Matthew 10:5-11 KEY VERSE: Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8 (NIV) MESSAGE: It is commonplace practice in some “church” environments for those attending to have to pay consultation fees, or for preachers to charge inviting churches for the services they offer. Some “church leaders” have refused to attend to the prayer and other spiritual needs of people or have offered their gifts to those who can pay the highest fees. Ministry has become business, the making of profit by the exchange of goods and services. Business thinking is a normal and sometimes natural mode, for most people. People are smart enough to see opportunities for self-profiting by the use of the spiritual resources and gifts they may possess. And when the Lord gave authority to the Twelve to preach the Good News, to heal the sick, to cast out demons, and to raise the dead, He also foresaw the danger into which they may fall if they were not cautioned not to make a business out of their empowerment and their assignment. Business in itself is not evil, but in the matter of the Kingdom of God and its spread, it is wrong for us to put a price on our ministry services. The principle is that we have received freely of whatever we put back into ministry, and therefore we must give of it freely. While we are all called to pursue the agenda of the Great Commission, there are some who by divine giftings and callings commit themselves to full-time ministry. How would such servants of the Kingdom survive, then? This question was not forgotten by the Master. Kingdom workers must be taken care of by Kingdom resources, but not at a commercial value. Kingdom citizens must support Kingdom workers; "Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave.” Matt 10:11 (NIV). This principle in practice means that the full-time Kingdom worker must be provided for by committed capable and willing Kingdom finances and financiers. It also means that such workers do not take advantage of their entitlement and become a bother to other people. In fact, in the Gospel according to Luke, there is a prohibition added to the instruction: “Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.” Luke 10:7 (NIV). In a modern economy, the principle stands that those who work for the Kingdom on a full-time basis must be provided for sufficiently, so that they can focus on the strenuous tasks of preaching, teaching, healing, caring for souls and generally promoting the Kingdom agenda. Those who give the impression that full-time ministry is not important do not know what it involves and have not understood the biblical provisions for such. Full-time ministry is a serious spiritual business. It is the creation of excellent humans who benefit others in society and bring glory to God. Paul argues, “If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 1 Cor 9:11 (NIV). (Please read the chapter for further insight). It is the demand of the King of the Kingdom of God, that our work of ministry must be delivered free of charge, while structures are put in place by the Church to ensure that those who spend all their time in serving the Kingdom cause are well taken care of. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you tempted to commercialize your spiritual gifts? Say no to those temptations. Will you be the voice that speaks up for the full-time workers in your church context about their conditions of service? For all other things, remember that we have freely received from God, and we are to freely give unto other people. PRAYER: Lord, please make me aware of my gifts and talents. Help me engage them for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Please keep me from the sin of making a business out of your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 22, 2023 | Matthew 10:5-6 KEY VERSE: ⁵These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. Matthew 10: 5-6 (NIV) MESSAGE: Christ came for all humans? The text seems to say differently. He seems to have come for only the Jewish people, and that seems to be the reason for the assignment direction that He gave to His Apostles. Well, this is a misunderstanding of the text which comes up if we fail to understand the message of the text and fail to put the text in the larger context of the total Gospel narrative and the rest of the Bible. We need to understand this text so that we can celebrate God’s goodness towards us, whether we are Jews, Samaritans, or Gentiles. Christ came to save all humanity from the rule of Satan and the power of sin leading us to an eternal Hell. Evidently, the Lord Jesus in this assignment specifies the people to whom the Apostles must carry the Gospel. They were not to go among the Samaritans who were a “contaminated” mix of Jews and Gentiles, and the Gentiles of every kind and form. Did it mean that the Lord was not interested in the non-Jews then and now? Certainly not, if we understand the point, He was making. God is strategic in all His ways. In creation, He created the sea before He created fishes. In the new creation, He made Israel a pilot case of the salvation story before expanding it for the entire human race. The Jewish people had been prepared by the Law and the Prophets, and by the promises of God to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to be a special people who will be a servant people of God to the nations. The blessing of all humanity was contained in the blessing of Abraham in his call (Gen. 12:3). The twelve Apostles were chosen as a representative group of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were to take the Gospel to the nation of Israel, for the nation to become the servant of the Lord to take the Gospel to the nations. When Christ came He needed to offer Israel the first right to accept the Gospel as that chosen humanity that had been prepared for the truth that had been enacted daily in the Temple sacrifices. When they rejected the Gospel then it was taken to the nations. The Apostle followed the same tradition. When he went into a city he first looked out for the Jewish synagogue and presented the Gospel to the Jews. When they refused it, he turned to the Gentiles. Salvation was channelled through the Jewish nation, the Saviour, God in human-form was a Jewish man, the first Apostles of the Lord were Jews and the Church started as a Jewish movement. However, we do not need to become Jews to become disciples of Christ. Christ came for all humans, but He needed to use the nation of Israel as His agent in the publishing of the Good News and therefore needed to give them that first right of acceptance of the Kingdom. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Do you realize that God has given you certain privileged roles in some matters of strength, wealth, health, knowledge etc? Do you see these as opportunities to serve God and to be held accountable? Don’t miss out on your providential way and giftings. PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that you came for the world, not just Jews, and you came to save all, as many as would believe. I acknowledge you as my Saviour and my King, and I know I am accepted in the Kingdom of God. Please help me to bring other people to the same faith and acceptance. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 21, 2023 | Matthew 10:1-4 KEY VERSE: He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Matthew 10:1(NIV) MESSAGE: When we were in primary school, we used to sing a song in the local language which translates into the following: You have left home to come to school, For what purpose did you come? If you came to school to learn, Then don’t you be so playful. Do your best oh my dear friend, And work hard and work with joy. I find this childhood song a lifelong song which challenges us to understand the purpose of our every station in life and calls us to be up and doing. Out text today records the commissioning of the Twelve. The names of the individuals given in verses 2 to 4 are those of a selected few among the teeming crowds that followed the Lord. By this time in the Lord’s ministry, it had become clear to all that these Twelve were an inner closer group whose companionship with the Lord Jesus had become a regular feature of His Movement. Loose association and regular attachment must be taken to another level, and this the Master did when He called the Twelve and assigned them specific Kingdom roles. The Twelve was an assortment of individuals from different backgrounds, professions, and temperaments. And yet the Master called them and moulded them into one group around a common assignment. Their assignment is spelt out in verse 1: “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Matt 10:1 (NIV). In summary, they were to become His agents and assistants in the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. The mission of destroying the work of Satan and sin in the lives of humans, and to bring them into the liberty of the rule of God in their hearts and in their lives, was demonstrated by the Lord’s teaching of Kingdom principles with divine authority, His miracles of healing, and the casting out of demons. The provision of wine at Cana in Galilee and the feeding of the multitudes were all an announcement that the Kingdom had come. Into this praiseworthy assignment was the Twelve called. And they did their work so well that two thousand years later the Gospel and its positive effects are still advancing across the world. Our reflection today is to ask ourselves whether, in our own minds, we are aware of our calling and our commission in our time and space. We are saved by grace and not by works, and while we do not work to be saved, we are saved to work (Eph. 2:8-10). Our task is to demonstrate the transforming grace and power of God by a new life that reflects the divine nature in us (2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 5:17). By that and by our word of testimony we are to spread the Good News of that same saving grace and introduce Christ to the world. This is the Great Commission, and for that, we were called and saved. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Your Christian calling is not simply for your sake. God does not call us to make us comfortable. He comforts us so we can become His agents in comforting others. When we share the Gospel we are bringing divine comfort to harassed human souls and fulfilling our purpose in our salvation. PRAYER: Lord, please help me to know the purpose of my calling and of my blessings, and to go out there and share Christ accurately. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 20, 2023 | Matthew 9:35-38 KEY VERSE: ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV) MESSAGE: The nations of the world in the course of the first and second World Wars sent out notices to their communities to raise recruits into their armies to implement their war agenda. The battle against the forces of darkness by the Kingdom of Light requires human agents who take instructions from the King of the Kingdom and fight in the trenches of human existence wherever the Lord will send us. As the Lord came to the end of the rounds He had been making in the human wards of affliction in Matthew 8 and 9, He summarises His observations and makes a call for additional workers to accomplish His good intentions for humanity. Could the human condition have been described any better than this: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 (NIV). Then and now, in spite of the advancements in science and technology, and improved economic and material conditions of humans across the globe, human beings are still a helpless, hapless, hopeless set of creatures. We stand in the need of God, everyone of us, and to find meaning in life only in our association with Him and our self-definition in Him. Without Christ any human development, no matter how impressive, cannot free us from the enslavement and control we suffer from the Devil and his fallen kingdom. The Lord has compassion on poor humanity and makes an appeal for prayer by His Kingdom citizens so that more workers are released into the field of the harvest of human souls. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Do you see people as helpless and needing divine intervention, or are you blinded by the apparent sophistication and polishing by externalities that are often a cover-up for groans and moans under the affliction of the evil one? Let us get to prayer to the Lord of the harvest for workers in the ripe fields. Begin to consider yourself as a major part of the answer to your prayers. God needs you to work for Him because you are a beneficiary of His grace. PRAYER: Lord, I repent for the times when I have allowed myself to think that people are alright because they seem alright. May I see and feel the pain and the hurts of people around me, and may I reach out to them with the love and grace of God. Make me a candidate for Kingdom duties. I make myself available for Kingdom duties. For your dear Name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 19, 2023 | Matthew 9:32-34 KEY VERSE: “And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons." Matthew 9:33-34 (NIV) MESSAGE: The Lord Jesus Christ continues His rounds of the wards of human pain. In our text today He reaches once again into the human condition of demon-possession with physical consequences, in this case, the affected man could not talk, as a result of the influence of the demons in his life. There are many human conditions described by accurate scientific explanations and the advanced field of psychology, and given medical names, which are only symptoms of underlying spirit-harassment. We have a case right here in our text. But thank God for Kingdom authority in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. Thank God that even in twenty-first-century post-modern contexts the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ still breaks satanic bondages. The Name still works deliverance from all kinds of oppression. While we celebrate the healing of the blind man, and like the general population marvel at what God had done in the healing of the man, the knowledgeable Pharisees, stuck in their dislike for this young preacher from Nazareth choose to define the events of the day as the work of Satan. They did not capture the fulfilment before their eyes of the arrival of the Kingdom of God, that their Old Testament writings spoke about. The miracles of the Lord Jesus were the initial manifestations of passages like Isaiah 35. In His response to John’s disciples whether He was the one who was to come, the Saviour, He referred to His miracles as proof of the fact that He was the Messiah who was to come (Matt11:4-6). And yet the leaders of the nation accused Him of being an agent of Satan. Beware of unbelief, caused by hatred, lack of knowledge, following established traditions, and an unwillingness to change. It will rob you of the opportunity to meet the Lord and experience His saving power. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are there factors that are making you unwilling to accept Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world, or as the Master to whom you have to submit your whole life, and to follow unquestionably? Beware of unbelief, turn to the Lord Jesus in faith and total surrender. His miracles and teachings show that He was the Messiah, the God-man who came to restore us to Himself. PRAYER: Lord, if ever I doubted who you are, now I believe. Please help me to believe fully. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 18, 2023 | Matthew 9:27-31 KEY VERSE: As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" Matthew 9:27 (NIV) MESSAGE: It has been said that the worst disaster is to be born with eyes and not see. There are many people today who were born with normal sight and therefore see physically, but they have had their minds so much dulled by sin, Satan and the tantalizing deceptions of this life that they have become insensitive to spiritual truth, and therefore though seeing physically they do not see spiritually. In our text for the day, two blind men follow the Lord as He emerged from restoring the dead girl. They had heard of the fame of the Lord, and believed in Him, so much so that they wanted to have a direct contact with Him and to benefit from His abundant goodness and power. The blind men could “see” because they acknowledged the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was their long-awaited Messiah, the God-man to bring in the deliverance and renewal of their nation. The Messiah was expected to be a descendant of David, and so the term Son of David developed among the Jews. The blind men “saw” the Messiah while the seeing Pharisees and notables were blind. Their blindness was not only bad for themselves but also dangerous for their people who trusted them and followed their views about Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. The two men displayed both faith and knowledge. Their faith brought them to the Lord Jesus (v. 27), they affirmed their faith when questioned about it (v. 28), and their faith was rewarded (vv. 29-30). It is necessary to have faith because it is the currency of the Kingdom, but we must also have sound knowledge as revealed in the Bible. In fact, we are enjoined in 2 Peter 1:5, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;” (NIV). Faith without knowledge can be dangerous in many ways, and there are many who profess faith but lack knowledge. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: The grace and mercies of the Lord are not far away from anyone of us. We need faith to access God’s abundant blessings for us. But we must approach Him on the bases of how He has revealed Himself in the Bible. Do you have a need? Believe in the power and mercy of Jesus our Messiah to hear you, and answer you. See Him for who He truly is, and He will be for you all that He really is. PRAYER: Son of David, who is indeed the Lord of David, my Messiah and my all, I believe in you as my God and Master. I trust that you care about me and want to help me. Please help me to follow you in knowledge, and by faith. For your dear Name’s sake. Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 17, 2023 | Matthew 9:18-26 KEY VERSE: After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. Matthew 9:25 (NIV) MESSAGE: Our text for the day presents two of the most beautiful miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ, the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, and the bringing back to life of the young girl who died. All around us, there are people who are hurting and who need God’s intervention. Maybe we ourselves are victims of one or another of life’s challenges. We need the help of the Lord, and HE is willing to help, but sometimes the crowds of life tend to get in the way of our search for the intervention of God, and sometimes we are the victims or the causes of these crowd obstructions. The sick woman in her attempt to get to touch the Master was hindered by the crowd. Mark tells us in his account that “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, . . . “ Mark 5:27-28 (NIV). She had to force her way through the crowd. When the Lord arrived in the home of the man whose child had died, He was confronted with another crowd, a flute-playing and noisy crowd. How easily the crowds gather, wherever we find ourselves in life, and how readily the crowds get in the way. The woman had managed to beat the crowd and get her healing, but the crowd at the funeral were standing between the One who is Life Himself and the dead girl. When the Lord tried to let them know that there was hope for the dead girl, the crowd laughed at Him, and will not move out of the way. When the crowd was finally removed the Lord of Life was able to impart freshness of life to the dead girl. Glory be to God! There are crowds and crowds and crowds. The flute players and the noisy crowd will always show up when we face life’s circumstances, invited or uninvited. They seem to fill the gap of life for a lifeless girl and a mourning family. The crowds with their noise, lack of insight and meaningless laughter, must be put outside of our situations for the Master to get in and do His healing and resuscitating work in the human soul and situation. Christ may be in the house (v. 23), but may not have access to the full situation, because He is blocked by the noise and the din of the crowds, the human approach to things. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Are you part of some crowd blocking someone’s blessings? Are there crowds that you must break through or break away from to get the levels of a closer walk you need with the Lord, or even to access your blessings? Are there people, things or attitudes that get in the way of you experiencing the power and reality of God? Please put away the crowds, fast! PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am sorry if I have been the crowd that has stood in the way of someone’s experience with you. Please help me get out of their way. For the crowds that disturb and prevent my experience of you, please help me drive out those that lies in my power, and Lord please chase out those I cannot sack. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 16, 2023 | Matthew 9:14-17 KEY VERSE: "¹⁶No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. ¹⁷Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." Matt 9:16-17 (NIV) MESSAGE: Religious people know how to fast and love to fast. So, the disciples of John came to compare notes with the Lord on the subject of fasting. The Lord did not take away the importance of fasting; His disciples would fast after He had departed from them. The disciples of John and those of the Pharisees fasted often and were very strict about it. The other Gospels indicate that the question brought against Christ and His disciples was a joint effort of the disciples of John and those of the Pharisees (see Mark 2:18, see John5:33). It was an attempt to get the Jesus Movement to conform to what had become normal rigorous religious practice and formality. The Pharisees fasted at least twice a week and kept that as a regular rule. The disciples of John obviously followed the strict lifestyle of their leader as in Matthew 11:18. But the Lord Jesus led a more relaxed and liberal band of followers in the symbolic party of the Kingdom. The Lord uses the discussion of the fast to raise a more important question; is the Kingdom message to be presented and followed as a new mode of life with its new expectations and directives, or was it to be seen as a version of old religions and religious mindsets? His point was that Christianity was to be held as a new teaching and way of life, separate and distinct from any other religious understandings and forms that might have been in existence before, or around the believer. Its power and its effects are like new wine and must be kept in new wineskins in order to be preserved. The observation that the Lord and His disciples ate and drank often was not denied by the Lord. He had come to inaugurate the Kingdom of God, the feast to which all humanity was invited, and He symbolized that in His merry life. He indicated that in the period between His return to the Father (after His death and resurrection), and the future manifestation of that Kingdom, His disciples would fast. It was not therefore for the disciples of John and the Pharisees to determine the fasting timetable for the citizens of the Kingdom. Besides, if the disciples of the Lord fasted at any time it was not to follow the sombre mood that the disciples of John and the Pharisees did, for the Lord had asked His followers to hide their fasting from other people so that it would not appear to others that they were fasting. Whereas the Kingdom life will use some forms of religious expression that had existed in the Old Testament and may correspond to traditional expressions of spirituality, we must be careful not to force Christianity to look like anything we have been used to. Otherwise, we destroy the old practices and take away the message and teaching of the new life of the Kingdom. New wine must be kept in new wineskins! FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: We are the new people of the new Kingdom of God. Let us understand and preserve the new doctrine and practices of the new life. The new wine of the Holy Spirit of God in us must be kept in a new life and new lifestyles that glorify God. PRAYER: Lord, I acknowledge that I am religious and that there is so much religion around me. I do not just want to be religious; I want to be a Kingdom citizen, a faithful Christ-follower. Please help me, and all others like me, that we would be able to live the new life of the new Kingdom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 15, 2023 | Matthew 9:9:13 KEY VERSE: ¹²On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" Matt 9:12-13 (NIV) MESSAGE: The Lord Jesus called Matthew who was busy at his post as a tax collector to follow Him, and he responds beautifully by leaving everything to follow the Lord. Subsequently, Matthew throws a party to celebrate his new friendship with the Saviour, and to bring his friends and family to get to meet this wonderful Teacher. We learn from the case of Matthew that we do not need to make excuses and prolong our responses when we have heard from God’s invitation to us for a closer walk or some divine assignment. Matthew showed his appreciation for the privilege of his call by throwing a meal for his new Master Jesus, to which he invited his friends who attended in their numbers. The scenario of the Lord Jesus and his disciples sitting and sharing a meal with tax collectors who were called sinners in their culture, for many wrongs they represented in their culture, became an opportunity for the detractors of the Lord to raise issues against Him, through his disciples. They intended to accuse the Lord of impurity by his association with sinners, and maybe to lure his disciples away after them. The Pharisees who kept physical distance from the “sinners” accused the Lord of mingling with the unclean because they thought themselves better than those they condemned. They did not understand the grace of God for which the sinner is a welcome guest at the table of the holy God. When the Lord heard their complaint He responded, "¹²It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' a For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:12-13). The ministry of the Lord was one of repentance and forgiveness to those who repented. We must always remember to think and sing with the 19th century Charlotte Elliot, Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come! FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Yes, we may come to the Lord Jesus no matter how wrongly we have lived. He only requires of us that we turn away from sin (repent), and follow Him truly. Then He forgives us and shares fellowship with us. Have you turned from sin and sinful living, and pledged to follow the Lord Jesus? You are a welcome member of the family, a member of the Kingdom of God. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you that you accept me just as I am, and make me worthy of your holy company. All praise and honour to you. May I reach out to other people with your saving grace and enjoy the new life and privilege you give. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 14, 2023 | Matthew 9:1-8 KEY VERSE: “Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’” Matthew 9:2 (NIV) MESSAGE: In our text today the Lord Jesus heals a paralytic man, as part of the healing narratives of chapters 8 and 9 of Matthew. Suffice it to say that the healing itself is very spectacular, but we must also observe that Matthew develops another level of teaching through the narrative of the healing of the paralytic. Matthew was answering the question of the identity of the man Jesus. He was answering the question that had come up earlier, after the calming of the storm, “The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:27 (NIV), the question which would come up with His powerful preaching and teaching (Matthew 13:53-57). The Lord takes the discussion of the question of faith to another level. It was clear that the men who brought the paralytic had faith, for He saw their faith. It was however necessary to clarify in whom they were placing their faith, and who was bringing the solution they were seeking. Desperate people and religious humans have faith and may even find themselves in the very midst of Christian activity and commitment. But in whom do we believe when we say we believe in Jesus Christ? Is it the belief in another psychic, seer, healer, miracle worker or prophet? This fundamental question must be asked and answered by anyone of us who wants to be a true beneficiary of the Kingdom of God, saved from the reign and power of Satan and made into a true child of God. The Lord deliberately approaches the healing of the sick man by offering to forgive his sins. This certainly raised concerns among the very religious and knowledgeable teachers of the Jewish law; because they were very aware that the forgiveness of sins is a work of God which no ordinary human should presume to be able to do. They therefore concluded in their minds, in verse 3, that “"This fellow is blaspheming!” NIV. Having known their thoughts the Lord confronts them with what He had been doing, claiming to forgive the sins of the paralytic instead of just performing a miracle on him. Claiming to forgive sins was going to raise controversy and opposition, and an accusation of blasphemy as had just happened, (which had the punishment of death by stoning). On the other hand, a claim to have healed the paralytic, if it proved to be ineffective would only be a failure to achieve something he pretended to achieve. It was easier to pretend to be a healer than to pretend to be God. And then, to drive home His point, to show that He was aware of the more serious claims He was making to the effect that He was God, He makes the lesser claim of healer and by a word, causes the man to receive instant healing from his paralysis. When you hear people say that Jesus never claimed to be God, ask them to read the Bible carefully, and they will see everywhere that Jesus Christ of Nazareth affirmed His identity of being more than a mere miracle-worker; He was God Himself among His people as He had promised through the prophets. FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Who is Jesus Christ of Nazareth to you? In our desire to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven let us resolve once and for all the question of the identity of the One we are following. Jesus of Nazareth is more than an ordinary Jewish carpenter. He is God Himself in human form to bring about our salvation through His holy blood when He died on the cross. Let us like Thomas in John 20:28 fall on our knees and declare, “My Lord and my God.” PRAYER: Jesus, my Lord and my God, I acknowledge you for who you truly are. More than a mere mortal, God Himself in human form. To identify with me, and to be my perfect saving substitute, you took on human form. Please help me to follow you closely and to represent you accurately. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

Rev Enoch Thompson | March 13, 2023 | Matthew 8:28-34 KEY VERSE: Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. Matthew 8:34 (NIV) MESSAGE: What do we have to do with the Lord Jesus, or what does He have to do with us? These are important questions that must be asked and answered by people everywhere. Pilate asked a similar question in Matt 27:22, "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" NIV. The demons in the two possessed persons in our text raised that question, and the people of the region where the miracle of the deliverance from demonic oppression took place dealt with the question. We also need to consider the question, “What do I do with Jesus the Christ?” Satan, his demons, and humans who have given themselves over to him raise the question posed by the demoniacs, "What do you want with us, Son of God?”,"Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" Matthew 8:29 (NIV). They know the identity of the man called Jesus, that He is more than an ordinary human being. He is the Son of God, meaning He is God who took on human form, as properly understood by those who understood the language that was used (reflect on John 10:22-33; 19:7). The Jews understood by their culture, religion and language that by claiming to be the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus was claiming to be God! The demons understood that too when they referred to the Lord as the “Son of God.” The people of the town responded to the question of what to do with the Lord Jesus by deciding to send Him away from their community. The loss of their pigs, their business, and their income was sufficient grounds to get rid of God in their midst. They did not consider the benefit of the deliverance of two souls from satanic enslavement, they valued their pigs more than the souls of their fellow humans. Therefore, Jesus must go! FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE: Give the Lord your word of assurance, that though the whole world rejects Him you will always crown Him King of your life, and that there is room in all of your heart for Him, all of the time. PRAYER: Dear Lord and Saviour Jesus, I am privileged to know you as such. I crown you Lord over all, and covenant to yield my life to you as your throne. Live in me and live through me. May I never place any other thing or person over and against your kingship in my life. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen. THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING. SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!