The Resident Pastor of NKST (Universal Reformed Christian Church), Iortyer in Iortyer-classis, Rev. Dr. Akpen Leva, has emphasized that Jesus’ appearances to his people can manifest in different ways, contexts, forms, and places.
Speaking on the theme “Jesus Appears to Those Who Are Obsessed with His Thoughts and Deeds” during the Tiv worship service at the church auditorium on Sunday, Rev. Leva encouraged Christians to welcome Jesus’ appearances in their lives, regardless of the form they may take.
Based on Luke 24:13-35, where Jesus joined two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Rev. Leva outlined several lessons from the passage. He highlighted the importance of patience, noting that the disciples listened to Jesus even when they were sad and preoccupied with thoughts of him.
The pastor also emphasized that Jesus’ appearance to the disciples demonstrates that he is omnipresent and can appear to anyone, anywhere, and at any time, regardless of status or age. He cited examples from the Bible, such as Samuel, Joseph, and Noah, to illustrate how God’s appearances often depend on the content of one’s heart.
Rev. Leva who is also the immediate past Chairman of Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Benue State chapter and the current Synod Executive Committee Member I, cautioned Christians that God’s appearances can sometimes be unexpected, such as in times of sickness or hardship. He encouraged believers to hold onto their faith, citing the examples of Job and Prophet Hosea, who faced challenging situations but remained faithful.
The pastor concluded by encouraging Christians to find comfort and strength in their faith, even in the midst of tribulations, and to look forward to the kingdom of God, which is worth all sufferings.
“I pray you should not give up like Job and many others in the Bible who went through challenging times but held unto their faith in Christ. This appearance should rather comfort and strengthen our faith in him so we don’t miss out his kingdom which worth all our sufferings and tribulations”.
