From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Senior Pastor, House of Purpose Ministry U/Sunday Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Apostle Yakubu Yusuf, has called on affluent citizens to extend their generosity to the poor during the festive season, emphasizing that such gestures are essential to bring hope and relief to citizens grappling with economic hardship.
The clergy asserted this while delivering his sermon to mark the Christmas celebration held in Kaduna today.
In his sermon titled ” Understanding the Birth of Christ,” he said the birth of Christ signifies the wisdom, love, peace, and power of God translated to mankind.
Drawing inspiration from the Book of Luke 1:1-12. Apostle Yakubu said the best way to celebrate the birth of Christ, who brings a love of God, as written in the Book of John 3:16, is to prioritize helping the downtrodden over self-serving projects that have little impact on people’s lives.
According to the clergyman, the greatest gift at any point is love.“We are looking at the Love of God expressed at Christmas“John 3:16 says for God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son.”
Apostle Yakubu said the display of love by God is not conditional; hence, everyone should be ready to emulate the gesture.
He said, “God’s love is not a relationship of give and take. He only wants a relationship between father and son.
Jesus Christ gave us two instructions; love your God with everything you have and love your neighbours as yourself. If you don’t love your neighbors, it means you don’t love God. So we are challenged in this Christmas celebration to love one another.
The clergy urged Christians to sustain the hope that the birth of Christ signifies beyond the yuletide celebrations, saying the lessons must not die once the jingle bell is over.
He described the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ as the most powerful message of hope, which brought liberation for mankind and urged Christians to find in it, a source of succour amidst socio-economic and security challenges facing the nation.
He said God works in a peculiar way that is beyond human comprehension, as exemplified in Christ, who was born a king, the Messiah, yet suffered death for the redemption of mankind.
“The message, therefore, is that we model our lives after Christ and not allow it to die immediately after the Christmas season is over. In other words, we must not succumb to the challenges of the day.
