Christians celebrate Palm Sunday to usher in Easter festivities
Christians celebrated Palm Sunday yesterday with church services to set this year’s Easter festivities in motion.
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Some congregants, especially from the orthodox churches, waved palm branches and sang ‘Hosanna’ while in procession, just as the first followers of Jesus did to celebrate the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem.
At the Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church (ECC) at Adenta in Accra, palm fronds were distributed to the parishioners, including children, who carried them in a procession to the church.
People made miniature crosses out of the palms fronds to take home with them.
Accra
Preaching the sermon at the Kaneshie branch of the Christian Divine Church to mark the occasion, the Area Head of the church, Rev. Francis Fosu Manu, urged Christians to use the occasion to unite, forgive one another and continue to live as one people and work for the progress of the nation, reports Ebo Hanson.
He appealed to the public to maintain peace in the country and expressed optimism that Ghana would receive more blessings if the people allowed God to direct their activities.
The Resident Pastor of Faith Cathedral of the Royalhouse Chapel International at Ashaley Botwe, Pastor Fred Nii Odioo Tetteh, called on Christians to celebrate Palm Sunday by reflecting on the significance of the day, writes Gertrude Ankah Nyavi
He said the use of palm branches was a prophetic act, which had a link to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Rev. Tetteh explained that every palm tree that died regenerated; hence, the use of the palm fronds when Jesus entered Jerusalem.
He added that irrespective of the difficulties the children of God were going through, there was an assurance that success and glory would eventually reign.
Tema
At the Hope Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Sakumono-Estates, Rev. Andrew Shardow, an Assistant Minister in charge of the congregation, explained that Jesus rode a donkey to connect with the ordinary people, reports Benjamin Xornam Glover.
Preaching the sermon on the theme "The Victorious Christ" on Palm Sunday, Rev. Shardow said Jesus’ choice of a worthless donkey (as an instrument of victory) was to demonstrate how he could use the ordinary things of life to illustrate God’s power in the affairs of men.
He said life was not easy for a Jew living under Roman rule in those days, and that Jesus's choice of a donkey instead of a horse was God’s way of saying that he came as a king who would serve and save the oppressed.
He admonished Ghanaians, irrespective of their circumstances, to remember that just as Christ used a worthless donkey as an instrument to bring victory for the Jews, God was ready to intervene in their daily lives and help them survive the vicissitudes of life.
Sunyani
From Sunyani, Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah reports that the Sunyani East District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) Reverend Kwadwo Asamoah, admonished Christians to reach out to their neighbours through the sharing of the message of obedience that Jesus Christ portrayed on Palm Sunday.
He said even though Jesus was the son of God, he chose to use a donkey instead of a horse to portray the message of obedience and submission to his followers for them to achieve the purpose for which they were called.
Rev. Asamoah preached the sermon on the theme “The Victorious Christ” at the Glory Congregation of the church at Agyeiano South, a suburb of Sunyani, to mark this year’s Palm Sunday.
He explained that Palm Sunday was very significant to Christians because it made Jesus Christ very different from those before him who claimed to be the Messiah.
“Even though he was a King, he chose not to use Rambo-style to conquer his enemies in order to bring salvation to his people”, he said, and urged Christians to follow the footprints of Jesus Christ in their quest to win more souls.
Bolgatanga
From Bolgatanga, Vincent Amenuveve reports that the Superintendent Minister of the Bolgatanga Circuit of the Methodist Church, Very Reverend Cosmos Kabaya, stated that Palm Sunday was worth celebrating because of the good legacies Jesus Christ left for mankind.
He, therefore, urged Christians to uphold the good values of Christianity.
He bemoaned the lackadaisical attitude of some Christians towards church on Palm Sunday.
The Rev. Minister stressed that "this is one of the reasons why Palm Sunday has lost its significance."
Speaking to the Daily Graphic at Bolgatanga Sunday, he said: "The youth today are interested in engaging themselves in social vices, which destroy their destiny. When you go on social media, those characters are always busily doing evil things instead of attending church to build themselves spiritually.”
Very Rev. Kabaya also blamed the apathy of the youth in accepting the word of God on the influx of quack pastors and religious men in the country.
"Before you become a pastor, you should have been called by God. The call of God has to do with good morals and you cannot find yourself in an ordained ministry without having a personal encounter with God. We see a lot of people ordaining themselves as pastors, prophets or whatever, and when you hear their bad deeds, people are discouraged to accept the word of Christ", he stated.
