BEWARE OF THE BRIBE

– Matt. 28:11 – 15

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Exhortation at F.G.C. Abesan Zonal
Council Meeting
th
on Sunday 5 August, 2018
by
Rev. Abayomi Oshin

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BEWARE OF THE BRIBE– Matt. 28:11 – 15
• ", Now while they were going, behold, some of
the guard came into the city and reported to the
chief priests all the things that had happened.
When they had assembled with the elders and
consulted together, they gave a large sum of
money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His
disciples came at night and stole Him away while
we slept.' And if this comes to the governor's
ears, we will appease him and make you secure."
So they took the money and did as they were
instructed; and this saying is commonly reported
among the Jews until this day. – Matt. 28:11-15
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(NKJV)
 BEWARE OF THE BRIBE
– Matt. 28:11 – 15
• Recognition of D.O., Z.S. and all protocols
• Introduction of topic and text
• Preview of the outline
– The Bribe of the Roman Soldiers to deny
resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.
– The situation of today’s pastor/clergy
– The danger of the denial; loss of eternal life.
– The Altar Call
 The Bribe of the Roman Soldiers to deny
resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
• The Sanhedrin conspired and crucified Jesus
Christ.
• They also thought that they could prevent His
resurrection with the stone at the tomb and the
Roman soldiers guard.
• But Jesus Christ rose from the dead as
promised.
• The soldiers instead of reporting to their
commander went to those with interest in the
matter – the Pharisees.
 The Bribe of the Roman Soldiers to deny
resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2
• The Elites, leaders of the people, the
traditionalists who refuse to repent could not
accept the truth but rather raised money to
silenced the Soldiers who knew the truth.
• A Roman soldier that sleeps on duty is liable to
death penalty cf. the case of the guard of prison
of Paul and Silas who wanted to kill himself.
• But the elites promised to take care of Pilate to
protect the lives of the soldiers. And that was
why they accepted the bribe.
 The situation of today’s pastor/clergy
• We as pastors/clergy are the custodians of
the truth of the gospel of the Resurrected
Jesus Christ today.
• The Elites are still here today in various
forms offering us bribe to deny the
resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• The public opinion and religious leaders,
the money bags in the congregation we
pastor who think they know better how and
what we should preach.
 The situation of today’s pastor/clergy 2
• There are people who offer us the bribe of
position of power, others offer us money
and some offer us the bribe of image
making, all to make us deny the power of
His resurrection.
• Many pastors today preach psychology,
business management principles
(Babylonian principles) instead of the
gospel of Jesus Christ so that they could be
accepted by the elites.
The situation of today’s pastor/clergy 3
• The Bible in 2 Timothy 3:4-5 call them
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God, having
a form of godliness but denying its power.
And from such people turn away!
 The Price of The Bribe
• A Roman soldier that sleeps on duty is liable to
death penalty cf. the case of the guard of prison
of Paul and Silas who wanted to kill himself.
• Matthew 28:14 says “And if this comes to the
governor's ears, we will appease him and make
you secure.“
• The price of a pastor that denies the resurrection
power of Jesus Christ is eternal life. Can you
afford to lose eternal life? Matt. 10:33 says “But
whoever denies Me before men, him I will also
deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
 The Charge and Altar Call
• The Elites, Public opinion/religious leaders
cannot bribe Jesus Christ for anyone in heaven.
• We all face this temptation in one way or the
other but we must decide who to obey, the
influential of this life or the controller of the life
to come.
• I pray that after all that we have endured here
we shall not miss heaven in Jesus name.
• Shall we pray.

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