MONROVIA – As a new year gazes upon the nation on a new horizon, Liberians have been admonished to be circumspect in their engagements and decision-making, especially when it comes to group things and crowd-following. “Don’t hold yourself down behind any crowd standing before you because that crowd could be opposed to you and your set goals,” remarked Rev. Dr. Kortu K. Brown, Bishop of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church when he delivered his Sunday sermon on October 9, 2022 during the climax of two special prayer events by the New Water in the Desert Assembly in Brewerville, Montserrado County to mark an intercession being upheld for the family, church and nation.
Preaching from the New Testament book of St. Luke Chapter 19: 1-10, the Apostolic preacher narrated the story of Zaccheus, a chief tax collector who sought to see Jesus but was prevented by the crowd before him while Jesus entered and passed through the city of Jericho. The man that the Bible considered as a rich man and also a son of the patriarchal father Abraham, observing that his desire to see Jesus would be undermined by the crowd before him, decided to run ahead of the crowd to position himself in a place where he could easily see Jesus. He chose the Sycamore tree.
According to Bishop Brown, the man Zacchaeus made a very important decision that each of Christian should consider when making decisions in life that will lead to forward movement. Bishop Brown narrated that Zacchaeus’ decision enabled him to see Jesus and accomplished his desire, goal and/or objective set for that day.
“He did not stay walking behind the crowd that was preventing him from seeing Jesus,” Rev. Brown said, noting that unlike Zacchaeus, “many persons are not achieving their objectives in life because they are walking behind the crowd when they should be ahead of the crowd”
Stop walking behind the crowd
The Pentecostal cleric averred that if Zacchaeus had been like many other Liberians or people in present-day Liberia, he would not have achieved his desire to encounter Jesus that day. But when he left his office in Jericho, he was determined that nothing would stop him from seeing Jesus.
“Many Liberians are waking behind the wrong crowd spiritually, politically, socially, etc. or they are wasting their time behind a crowd that will not enable them to achieve their goal in the mediate and long term”, Rev. Brown said, reiterating, “stop wasting your time behind the blocking crowd. Some of the crowds you are walking behind will hold you just where you are until everything is over and you have achieved nothing.”
Eschew pride
If one must move forward, the preacher admonished his parishioners and all Liberians, to eschew pride. Being a chief tax collector, rich and a son of Abraham, could have prevented Zacchaeus from “wasting his time” to see Jesus. When he made the first attempt and encountered opposition, he would have reverted to his office to carry on his normal duties.
“However, he laid down his pride. Pride is killing a lot of Liberians and making it difficult for them to have a closer relationship with God. They already believe they have everything, so why go to church or waste their time in church?”, Rev. Brown averred.
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