The Sunday News
MORE than 120 000 congregants converged on the Zion Christian Church (ZCC)’s Mbungo in Bikita, Masvingo Province yesterday for the Easter pilgrimage amid calls for Christians to love one another in the same way Jesus taught his disciples.
Delivering a sermon during the ongoing conference Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi said Christians should be role models to the world by loving their relatives after which they will transfer that love to the community.
This year’s conference coincided with the church’s attainment of 40 years under the stewardship of Dr Mutendi after the death of his father and founder Bishop Samuel Mutendi. He said with the church attaining 40 years this year under his stewardship, there should be a demonstration and celebration of 40 years of love among the congregants.
Bishop Dr Mutendi also urged youths to remain faithful and steadfast before God so that they could be saved from the vagaries of the world such as HIV and Aids pandemic.
“You should love one another to show that you are Zionists. If you are a Zionist you will be loathed by some people like what Peter did on Jesus Christ. The church has attained 40 years under my stewardship and through the period there was a lot of deceit and conspiracy,” said Bishop Dr Nehemiah.
He said Christians were delivered from death to life because they love their relatives as opposed to those who plan evil against their relatives.
“You were given life because you love one another as what Jesus taught us. When you feel for your relatives then you have life not death. When you frown at your relative make sure you are planning for your death. You cannot expect to love strangers when you cannot relate to a family member. Jesus taught his disciples to love one another for through love there is victory and blessings,” said Bishop Dr Mutendi.
He said the devil had the capacity of deceiving one third of the angels in heaven but if one has love towards fellow Christians and relatives he is bound to prosper for in love there is abundance of God’s favour.
“If you don’t love one another you are as good as dead. All who hate their relatives have been exposed by God. Those who have spent 40 years loving one another you have been blessed by the Lord.”
He said anyone who is inclined to the evil spirits should be ashamed during this Easter when Christians are commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“We are happy with our youths who are here, they are healthy and God loving. I want to ask them, where were you when your age mates perished through HIV and Aids? I urge you to remain faithful to The Lord as Zionists. You should not remain inclined to bad spirits when such spirits are cast here,” he said.
The Bishop urged the youths not to pray like their elders who have developed a tendency of asking for something from God every time. Dr Bishop Mutendi said youths should ask God to make them faithful servants, good fathers, mothers and obedient youths. The conference continues today where a procession to mark Jesus’ Resurrection will be held. Congregants from the United States of America, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, among others, are also in attendance.
