A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FAREWELL SERVICE FOR REV. DR. K. OPUNI FRIMPONG

A SERMON PREACHED AT THE FAREWELL SERVICE FOR REV. DR. K. OPUNI FRIMPONG AS GENERAL SECRETARY OF CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF GHANA AT THE TEMA JOINT CHURCH COMMUNITY 7 ON SUNDAY,8^TH JULY 2018.

Text: Mark 6:7-13

Ezekiel 2:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:2-10

Theme: “Authority Over Unclean Sprits”

Occasion: Women’s Sunday
7^th Sunday After Pentecost

Today, we celebrate another success story of the Christian Council of Ghana as we bid farewell to the immediate past General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong for a work well done!

Osofo, the whole Christian community in this country congratulates you for the good work that you performed and the level to which you raised the Council especially, in its Advocacy agenda and the strategic management style that you adapted. Strategic management is a hallmark of great and excellent leadership. You indeed made a great impact as a Church leader in Ghana!

We say Congratulations! Osofo, Ahekoo! Mo ne yɔ!

As we bid you farewell, we also welcome your successor, Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose into office. This is also another success story. Together, we welcome you! (Weizorloo!)

The text chosen for us on this propitious occasion is from the Gospel of Mark—Mk 6:7-13 with the theme “Authority over Unclean Spirits.”

This is a well-known passage which talks about how Jesus sent out the Twelve. Jesus called the Twelve and prepared them for mission by giving them authority over unclean spirits. He then sent them with a strategy—two by two—making six pairs for partnership in ministry and companionship.

Jesus gave them detailed instructions such as how to get started; what to take with them and what not to take; detailing them also on how to display a good sense of etiquette when receiving hospitality; and how to respond to rejection. Jesus took them through all these.

With the authority given them, as the Twelve went out to preach, they cast out many demons and they anointed to heal many sick people.

Earlier inChapter 3:13-19, Mark tells us how Jesus called and chose the Twelve—giving their names and the reason for calling them. Mark 3:14-15 says:

¹⁴He (Jesus) appointed Twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach ¹⁵and to have authority to drive out demons.

In our today’s passage, we see Jesus going through, and following these steps one after the other. The first reason why Jesus calls is to establish a close relationship with those He calls; and second, He would give a ministry, in this regard Jesus gives the Twelve a preaching ministry—to go and preach. Third, they would have authority to drive out demons.

Let us remember the reasons and conditions for the calling of the Twelve; which also sheds light on why we are called today.

1. Relationship with Jesus
2. Ministry given by Jesus and
3. Authority given by Jesus.

One cannot say one is following Jesus and one reverses this order. For instance, you cannot say you have a ministry firstbut you do not have a relationship with Jesus.

Those who say they have a ministry but they do not have relationship with Jesus are those who in ministering would say: “The Holy Spirit says you should give your wife to me; or, your husband to me!”

It is better to have a relationship and not a ministry than the other way around. The robber at the right-hand side of Jesus on the cross did not have a ministry; it was the right relationship established with Jesus that sent him to Paradise.

It is in staying close with Jesus and having a relationship with Him that you will know Him and know His Will and you will be able to do His will in your ministry.

The Bible is its own interpreter. Our today’s passage tells us what we learn and receive when we stay with Jesus. We get instructions from Him. We are taught by Him. We are given training about the right attitude to develop in/for ministry.

Verses 8 to 11 give specific instructions to the Twelve:

Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.

There are instructions and tasks attached to whatever ministry one is called and chosen to perform. But this task can only be performed successfully if you stay close with the one who calls and gives the task. It is His Ministry. The Agenda is His to be followed. Those sent must take instructions from the Sender.

Do you have a ministry? What instructions have you received? And from whom? Do you meticulously follow these instructions? The ministry you have performed or are performing now, do you follow instructions? Whose instructions?

Do the instructions you receive say you should sell tickets to heaven to enrich yourself—which is happening in Zimbabwe?

Do the instructions say you should inspect the underwear of all women who come to church—which is happening in Ghana? Or,

Do you get instructions to command church members to go out to the field to eat grass like apɔnkyi—as is happening in Kenya? Or is it South Africa?

Such heresies and many more horrible and abominable teachings and practices are also happening here in this Country under the watch of Christian Council of Ghana, the National Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and other councils of Christian churches.

For the Christian Council of Ghana, it appears it has muzzled itself. Its own pronouncements and actions in the past have prevented and disabled any proactive action needed for today. Do you recall the response of Christian churches in this Country when a past government attempted to register and regulate churches?

Now, anyone can get up and start a church whether or nothe or she has got any theological or ministerial training.

Can someone call him/herself a lawyer and practice law in this Country without having been trained in the legal profession or without any authentic law certificate?

Or, can anyone be allowed to practice medicine in this Country without going to a medical school and without any genuine certificate of medicine?

The tripod on which every civilized society is supported and regulated include Law, Medicine and Theology. How then can the practitioners of Law and Medicine be allowed to operate only when they have been trained and certificated by accredited institutions for the purpose; and not the practitioners of Theology. Such a situation can only be a recipe for societal chaos.

The powerful influence of religion on society and on people’s lives must never be underestimated and taken for granted; and it is for these same reasons that the training of leaders of religious bodies must not be left to chance.

There is the need for regulation and control which must be done wisely and cautiously. Of course, some will oppose the idea of placing the church or the mosque in the hands of politicians; because we know who politicians are! But we also know what is happening in the churches!

Now, judge for yourself the prevailing circumstance. Anyone can confer on himself or herself any ecclesiastical title—reverend, bishop, archbishop, overseer, apostle, prophet, evangelist and pastor. And, also any academic degree—Doctor (the Rev. Drs are many), Professor and so on. These titles and degrees are sometimes offered for sale by dubious organizations;and people pay money to get them.

Everything under the purview of the Christian church must be done in a proper and orderly manneras the Apostle Paul advised the leaders of the divided Corinthian Church in 1 Cor. 14:40—“But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” I like the way the Asante Twi renders this verse:

                             Na monyɛ ade nyinaa fɛfɛɛfɛ, nekwan so, ne kwan so.

Have you heard of the Rwanda success story—what Paul Kagame is doing about churches with charlatan leaders and occultic backgrounds? He stopped them all and now sanity prevails! This can only be achieved when satanists, occultists and the charlatans are purged and removed from churches with the support of serious governments.

Perhaps, no one should be allowed to operate a church without seminary training andqualification; as we have in Law and Medicine.

Before being sent out, the disciples received thorough training and instructions from Jesus; Paul was in Arabia for some years’ preparation before he began ministry (Gal. 1:17-18). Who tells you that those who are called do not need training for ministry?

I charge Christian Council of Ghana to take the initiative with National Bishops’ Conference and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council in thisregard to bring about sanity and order in Christian ministry. We need it even if we don’t want it. Every disciple who has a relationship with Jesus has learnt from Him and will only say, as said the prophets of old: “Thus says the Lord.”

The true Church must halt dehumanization in church worship and uphold human dignity before the sovereign God in our churches. This means the inspection of ladies’ underwear in church; issuing physical tickets to spiritual heaven; and making worshippers eat grass must stop.

As it has been achieved in Rwanda, the same could be accomplished here in Ghana. Perhaps the Church in Ghana needs to send a delegation to Rwanda to observe and investigate what is going on in that country.

By the instructions Jesus gave the Twelve in vv. 8-11, Jesus brought out the ATTITUDE which the preacher of the Gospel ought to have in Mission and in Ministry.They are to go without taking anything except a staff. They are not to worry but to demonstrate radical and absolute trust that Jesus will provide— for, Jehovah Jireh is His Name. They should not worry about what they eat, how to pay for bills or what to wear because He would be with them to provide.

The bottom line is that we should depend absolutely on God rather than on our own resources. Are you aware of what Paul wrote to the Philippian Church about how he had learned to be content in all circumstances? Why? Because God “will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

Having received thorough instructions, the disciples went out and preached the message of the Master—not from their imagination. The content of the message was not from them but from the Lord Jesus. They proclaimed repentance.

The Greek word translated “repentance” in English is metanoia. The way the word is treated in Ghanaian homiletical discourse is interesting especially, as interpreted in the various vernaculars or the mother tongues. The Twi renders it “adwensakra” meaning “change of mind”; the Ga is“tsuitsakemɔ” and the Ewe “dzimetrɔtrɔ” all meaning “the change of heart.”

Repentance has to do with both the mind and the heart—all being centers for decision making. J. G. Christaller who led in translating the Twi Bible was a New Testament scholar who knew Greek very well. The Greeks were known for their philosophy and for them, the center for human decision making is the mind. Therefore, in calling people to decide on Jesus, being a Greek scholar Christaller translated metanoiaas “change of the mind.”

But John Zimmermann who led in translating the Ga Bible was an Old Testament scholar who knew Hebrew well. The decision-making center for the Jew is the heart (leb). The Jew thinks with the leb—the heart. Therefore, in translating metanoia, he made it “change of the heart.”

The Twelve went and preached repentance, the same message John the Baptizer preached—Mark tells us John was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). When He started His Ministry, Jesus also gave the same message: “The time has come,” He said,“The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).

Christianity is a calling, a vocation (from Latin — voco, vocare, vocavi, vocatum/vocatus = “to call”). The Christian message calls people to make way for the Kingdom of God to be established in their hearts. It is a message which calls people from something—sin, and at the same time calling people to Someone—Jesus. This must also be the Church’s message to the world today—people must repent of their sins and follow Jesus Christ.

Remember, it is a call from something to Somebody. And this calling is an upward calling, as Hebrew 3:1 says, it is “the heavenly calling” that we all share by fixing our thoughts on Jesus our eternal High Priest.

Verse 13 tells us what accompanied the message the Twelve proclaimed: “They drove out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them.”

These are the signs that will accompany those who believe and meticulously follow the instructions given by Jesus. This is the Spiritual authority attached to the ministry of those who have close relationship with Jesus Christ and have been sent by Him.

First, they will have authority over unclean spirits—they will drive out demons as the disciples did. This is what we call in contemporary parlance as “deliverance.” The Deliverance Ministry has been so abused in our churches today.

Wrongfully, people think “deliverance” is a gift. It is not a charisma or one of the charismata—the spiritual gifts. Rather, it is a sign that can accompany everyone who believes—i.e. all believers. Jesus says in Mark 16:17:“These signs will accompany those who believe; in My Name they will drive out demons . . .” the question is ‘Do you believe?’

Many churches calling themselves “Bible-believing” churches do not practice what the Bible says and have neglected this ministry which is part of Marcan version of the Great Commission.

Yes, they don’t practice but complain whenever other churches are doing it and do not do it according to the teachings of the Bible. We need Bible-believing churches and Christians; but, more than this, we need Bible-believing and -practicing churches and Christians. Bible-practicing churches are lacking!

If you do not obey the Biblical command to cast out evil spirits, you have no business criticizing those who are practicing it, even if they do it wrongly.  The Church that is called by Christ’s Name has been given authority over unclean spirits!

You who know the right way of going about things and call yourself “orthodox” but are not doing it must begin doing it or, perhaps shut up!

We do not just need “orthodoxy”; but more importantly, we need “orthopraxis” which is the right way of practicing biblical faith.

Let me ask this question! When was the last time that the Christian Council of Ghana organized a Deliverance Worship or Consultation to its member churches?

But there is a second assignment mentioned in v. 13 which the disciples performed: “they anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them.”

Anointing and Healing have posed great challenge to the mainline churches.Some of the older churches have not embraced these as the newer churches have done. Church members have needs and spiritual challenges to meet which are not been adequately met. Because of this lack,churches lose members.

There is enough evidence of people leaving the mainline churches to occultic ones—unfortunately. Although, such churches claim to follow Jesus, they use satanic and occultic powers in their operations.Since some of these charlatans have no theological training, they do not know that their utterances and actions are opposed to Scripture.

They do not detect any spiritual awkwardness and the embarrassment they are causing— they are not aware that they “are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace” and ridicule. (Hebrews 6:6).

Christ has given the Church authority over evil spirits to set people in satanic bondage free. If the Church which is called by Christ’s Name does not do it and do it correctly, charlatans will take over since they can make money out of it.

Therefore, we either wake up to our biblical responsibility or we keep quiet! But for the sake of the Gospel, some of us will not keep silent! What about you?

Let us pray!