Building An Enduring Legacy For God – Ven Dr. Fagbemi
Ven. Dr. Stephen Fagbemi said this yesterday during his message at the dedication of Holy Trinity Ang. Church, Oke Aro and the 11th Consecration Anniversary of Most Rev Simeon O. Borokini.
He urges Christians to build an enduring legacy for God.
The full message is below:
Kiko Ogun ini ti yio duro pe fun Olorun
Psa 145:3-4 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. (4) One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
Psa 145:3-4. Titobi li Oluwa, o si ni iyìn pupọ̀-pupọ̀; awamaridi si ni titobi rẹ̀. 4. Iran kan yio ma yìn iṣẹ rẹ de ekeji, yio si ma sọ̀rọ iṣẹ agbara rẹ.
Courtesies
- Adoration to God
- Felicitation to the congregation and Vicar of HTAC, Oke Aro Can Akinnubi, Ven Odufuye
- Congratulations to Baba & Mama Province many glorious years ahead IJN
- Gratitude for this privilege
Today is a day of double celebrations
On one hand we celebrate the dedication of these glorious edifice erected to the glory of God and for a place of worship for the people. It is the culmination of effort of several people over many years. We salute the effort of those who nurtured the idea, those who pioneered the work and those who completed it. (Especially at this financially difficult times)
Others have laboured
John 4:37-38 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. (38) I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
37. Nitori ninu eyi ni ọ̀rọ na fi jẹ otitọ: Ẹnikan li o fọnrugbin, ẹlomiran li o si nkòre jọ. 38. Mo rán nyin lọ ikore ohun ti ẹ kò ṣiṣẹ le lori: awọn ẹlomiran ti ṣiṣẹ, ẹnyin si wọ̀ inu iṣẹ wọn lọ
Also, today we are celebrating the consecration anniversary of our Father and Chief shepherd in this diocese under whose guidance the diocese has grown in leaps and bounds and at which time huge and landmark projects like these are taking place.
Just this time last year we were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Baba’s Episcopacy which also coincided with the 40th anniversary of the creation of our Diocese. That occasion was marked by so much project commissioning and ground breaking that we almost renamed our Archbishop as Baba project.
Yet one year on, the giant stride still continues, it is evident that Baba is determined to finish strong. It is our prayer that God will give Baba and Mama the grace to finish on a high and finish strong and fulfil the scripture that say
Ecc 7:8a Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:
8. Opin nkan san jù ipilẹṣẹ rẹ̀ lọ:
Yes, today is a day of rejoicing and a day of praise
That is why we are inspired in our text to declare like the Psalmist that:
Psa 145:3-4 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. (4) One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
Psa 145:3-4. Titobi li Oluwa, o si ni iyìn pupọ̀-pupọ̀; awamaridi si ni titobi rẹ̀. 4. Iran kan yio ma yìn iṣẹ rẹ de ekeji, yio si ma sọ̀rọ iṣẹ agbara rẹ.
In our text today the psalmist is extolling the praise of God
He makes certain categorical declarations
- That our God is great and he alone deserves to be praised
- That not only is God great in person his work is also great
- That the greatness of God’s work must inspire our praise
- That this praise of God must endure from generation to another
So, what is God saying to us
To the Members of Holy Trinity Anglican Church. We praise you for this great Legacy
- This sanctuary today inspires our praise as we see the great work he has accomplished in his people –
- It is indeed a testimony to God’s faithfulness that at this time of financial difficulty and high inflation yet God is able to bless his people and support them to do this.
- We can therefore trust God that even in our private and personal project he will be magnified
- This sanctuary must be a place of praise and prayer where the sacred name of the lord will be hallowed
- As we are witnessing all manners of activities and innovations that are taking place in the church nowadays, we must remember that this is primarily a place of praise and as Jesus declared it is a house of prayer.
- May we never allow by our lives or act to bring defilement into this house of prayer and may his praise continue unending here
- As we worship God here, we must pay attention to the next generation who will continue the praise – this is the concluding plea of the psalmist. It is good to build structures but we must also build the next generation
- By this we have shown that the legacy of sacrificial giving which we inherited from our fathers who built the earlier sanctuary still reside in us and we must pass it to the next so that when in due time they are called to take it to another level they will do so
- Let us pray that that what is taking place in Europe will not take place here, that this sanctuary will not be turned into a restaurant by our children and grandchildren
Next, I turn To Baba and Mama. I will like create his Grace indulgence for me to speak sincerely what the lord has laid in my heart
As we celebrate the goodness of God in Baba and Mama’s life we are equally inspired to praise God like this psalmist and say
Psa 145:3-4 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. (4) One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
Psa 145:3-4. Titobi li Oluwa, o si ni iyìn pupọ̀-pupọ̀; awamaridi si ni titobi rẹ̀. 4. Iran kan yio ma yìn iṣẹ rẹ de ekeji, yio si ma sọ̀rọ iṣẹ agbara rẹ.
Why should we praise
- For the good health and strength that God has given them and reserving the to see this day
- For landmark growth and progress that the diocese has experienced under their leadership ( for instance in this 11 years the number of parishes had almost tripled whilst te number of archdeaconries had doubled (in the first 30 years of Akure Diocese we had only about 11 archdeaconries but in this past 11 years under Baba & Mama we have doubled)
- Of course, there are other huge developments too numerous to mention
Therefore, the Lord is also using these same eternal words to admonish Baba on this anniversary to praise him. Whilst also subtly reminding him that the time left is very small but the work left is still much
So what is the Psalmist saying to Baba?
That he should ensure that he continues to engage in a work that will not only bring praise to him but also one that will leave an enduring legacy for future generation – The critical word is Legacy – especially in this twilight years left
Legacy that will be anchored on 3 core areas (infrastructure, institutions and individuals
- Infrastructure
In the short term left Baba must be focused on critical legacy and strategic infrastructures and projects that he has begun or that he has envisioned.
- The success of this sanctuary is a testimony to the fact that God’s priority project will always benefit from divine provision
- There are a handful of such projects on going already and some are just beinlg launced or about to take off
Examples include completion of the renovation of the diocesan headquarters and critical oversight for the renovation of the Cathedral – which happen to be Babas family church and a few others
- Institutions
Beyond infrastructure His grace also has to strengthen the institutions that will support the diocese or dioceses the years to come.
Akure Diocese is now a very big diocese and the idea of creation of one or more diocese from it is no longer a rumour but an impeding reality. It is not a matter of if but when. That is why God has made Baba an Archbishop to preside at this critical time on or affairs.
Bishops preside over creation of archdeaconries, but it takes the grace, experience and wisdom of an archbishop to supervise over saucerful creation of a diocese.
Baba has the difficult responsibility of repositioning Akure diocese so that when eventually other dioceses are created both the old and the new will be strong. As a son of this diocese he has no option – this is a big task that beacon to him, and by God’s grace he will succeed. Even if the creation do not happen in his time, like David did for Solomon he will put everything in place and it will be a great legacy for him.
- Individual
The toughest obstacle that Baba must face in this twilight years is to lift people much higher than he has done.
Building infrastructures and institutions are good but building individual is greatest and uppermost because It is people that will use the infrastructure and carry on with the institutions.
That is why the psalmist insist that one generation must hand over to the next
Baba as a bishop has made several Canons and Archdeacons but as an Archbishop must allow himself to be used by God to pull some into the Episcopacy. This is not new to him – he started his ministry in a seminary where he trained men into priesthood – it is only fitting that he ends it by raising men into episcopacy. This is not necessarily about Akure diocese or Akure sons but about God’s project
Of course, the challenge is that so many of us are not worthy, yet I will like to remind Baba that the house of bishop is not a house of saints or perfect people but of those who had obtained favour and grace. May God inspire Baba to find such men among his flocks of these 11 years. However in doing so he will not be motivated by parochial or ethnic sentiments but be inspired by sacred mandate that God has given him to preside on the see of Akure
Finally For the rest of us who have come to celebrate this 2 great events God is equally speaking to us in this psalm
We are the generation that are here today – we should praise God
- Our praise to God must be sincere, genuine and not sycophantic in nature, God desires us to do so
- God will like to work in us. God desires to show his mighty acts in our lives as well – our testimonies will inspire praise in the lips of others
- God will like to work through us We must yield ourselves totally to be his vessels
- No longer running after our greed or fame but living totally for him
- Taking time also to raise our children and disciples
A O GBE JESU GA LARA MI
A o ri O ri, A o mo O ri
Iru yin sowon o, Akawe yin soro
E ga fio, fio, fio
Giga yin o, Ko lafi we
Oke nla nla, Oke wewe
Ibi giga, ko le duro niwaju Re
Oluwa E ti tobi to o, Oluwa, E tobi