“Remember whatever you do, however you do it and wherever you do it, is not a secret. You are not alone, you are not abandoned, you are being watched. Like the cameras here seeing and recording all we are doing here, God is watching and people are watching. There is reward for whatever you do.”
SERMON PREACHED AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF LATE MOST.REVD. MAXWELL ON THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2023 AT ST. FAITH CATHEDRAL, AWKA BY MOST REV. DR. BLESSING C. ENYINDAH, JP
Topic : Comfort in a troubled worldTextJohn 14:16
PrayerMay the words of my mouth and the meditation our hearts be acceptable in thy sight O LORD our strength and our redeemer. Amen (Ps 19:14). Greetings We are on this Pulpit this morning for the Most Rev. Henry Chukudum Ndukuba, the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). He was here earlier but has to leave for another important assignment. So, on his behalf, we greet everyone who has found time to attend this funeral service especially the Bishops of our church and other distinguished Nigerians who have travelled came from far and near parts of this country to be with the family in this funeral service. Your presence here is an indication of the respect you all have for the departed servant of God and the love you have for the bereaved family.
Thank you for making out time to be here.At the appropriate time the protocol people will do what they know how to do.CommiserationThe truth remains that no matter how old you are and your status in the society, or how old that your relative was before he or she passed on, there will always be the feeling of losing somebody so dear to you.
On behalf of the Primate of our Church and the entire leadership and membership of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, we commiserate with the family of late the Most Revd. Maxwell Anikwenwa, especially Mama and their children. I am aware that the primate had visited you at home and prayed for you. May the good Lord grant you the fortitude to bear the absence of your husband and father.
ABOUT THE MAN – MOST REVD. MAXWELL ANIKWENWA. I will like to take a look at the man in whose honour we are here gathered from my own perspective.I was a Deacon serving in St, Pauls Cathedral Diobu in 1996 when I met him as the Bishop of Awka. He came to Port Harcourt on a certain day for a programme. He arrived very late and I was assigned by our called up late that evening to escort him to the Hotel in GRA. Sitting in front of his car I could not alter a word or move my body. He had an intimidating aura and presence.
And I can’t imagine myself sitting in a car with a bishop. After 11 years, we met again in the house of bishops in April 2007 when I had the privilege of joining the house. He was already a very senior Bishop before we came into the house. He was one of the fathers who welcomed us into the house. I had to introduce myself as that young Deacon who was his excort in in Port Harcourt in 1996. In him we saw a great and strong personality.
A man who speaks strongly and passionately on matters of faith and order. He stood for whatever is right for the Church. An Anglican Bishop of great repute. So passionate about education that led to us having paul University standing today.
He was respected in the house. He became Dean of the Church, he was popularly called Dean! He was a mentor to some of us. Archbishop Anikwenwa, the Dean, will be missed by so many people who related with him and whose lives he impacted. And of course, he will be missed by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). It is always hard to lose someone, especially if that someone is like Nnayi Anikwenwa.
But in the midst of grief we can rejoice for the life he lived and the impact he made in his family, the Church and the society at large. So this gathering is not to mourn him, it is to celebrate a life well lived and ignite hope for the living. He lived for 82 years. Not 82 wasted years.
But 82 eventful, valuable and meaningful years.Therefore, we appreciate all who played one role or the other in order to give this great man, the last honuor he deserves.What more can we say about this spiritual and ecclesiastical giant of his time, nothing more but to say that he should sleep on in peace until the resurrection morning.
THE MESSAGE
My sermon and admonition for the family and all who are affected will be based on the second Scripture reading. My topic is “Comfort in a troubled world”The farther we travel down this road of life the, the more we realise that this is not our home.The disciples of Jesus had good reason to be troubled because a few moments earlier He spoke of the traitor in their midst ( (John 13:12), and his leaving them and going where they do not know and could not follow Him (33.36). Jesus saw in their faces, confusion, hurt, disappointment, fear, frustration and bewilderment. There world was caving in around them like a earthquake.They were indeed troubled. He Consoles them and reveals a greater understanding of Himself to them.His word of consolation and comfort is “Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God and believe also in me” (Vs 1).Application In the world today there is no gain saying that we are troubled.
We are pained by various ugly and painful situations we pass through in life in this world like the obvious unending troubles of our nation Nigeria where we move from one trouble to another from cash crunch to fuel subsidy and who knows the next trouble. All these in the midst of insecurity where, killing and kidnapping. We are also faced with all manner of decease, death and bereavement like the situation on ground that the person with you years ago is now lying here not noticing all that is happening here.When we face these situations, as “treasure in jars of clay”, frail, fallible, weak and emotional human beings, who are pressed on every side by troubles, we feel the world is caving down on us like earthquake, we have come to the end of the road, we despair, we are depressed, we feel denied, rejected and persecuted, suffering, abandoned and we even desire to die.Irrespective of what you passed through, may be passing through, Paul says we are not abandoned, we are never at the end of the road, there is hope for us (2 Cor. 4:7-14). Jesus says we should be comforted. Why? Because God never abandon us. God’s power, love and mercy works for us and in us.
Through His son Jesus Christ, he gave us victory even over the sufferings of this world and death. In Him we have eternal life. In Him we are not crushed.Jesus never abandoned us He says in our text “In His father’s house there are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you and I will come and take, that where he is now, we shall also be there. He says “I am with you always”Therefore, all the pains and trials, are opportunities for Christ to demonstrate His power and presence in and through us.In Christ we can be comforted and we handle suffering and pains better. We must face life and what it brings our ways looking to God for strength. So, we encourage members of the bereaved family, and all of us to “be strong in the Lord and the power of His might”Persevere when things become hard.
Persevere when you face tough times. You can always conquer through patience and faith in God.Believe in God, believe also in His son Jesus Christ and it shall be well with you.This implies that, not minding who you are, total surrender to God through Jesus can bring solitude, comfort, love, unity, peace and prosperity in the family and in the world.It is when you imbibe all these virtues that you can live your life and maintain the good legacies left behind by the deceased.We want to remind you at this point that in all you pass through in life, gain or loss, one question is pertinent. How are you living your life. And how did you live the life I gave you is what your creator will ask you.
Bishop, Clergy Christian, politicians, what are you doing? And how are you doing what you are doing?What this means is that you cannot live anyhow against the will and ways of God. Remember whatever you do, however you do it and wherever you do it, is not a secret. You are not alone, you are not abandoned, you are being watched. Like the cameras here seeing and recording all we are doing here, God is watching and people are watching. There is reward for whatever you do.End with the story of a mad man and the corpse going to the Church.Let us pray.+ Blessing29/06/23
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