Admin l Sunday, December 08, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria – Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria continued their 2019 Love Never Fails! Convention Program in Lekki, Badagry and Daluwon Assembly Halls in Lagos and Ogun State.
The Convention was presented in French & Mandarin Chinese, Igbo and English at the respective locations. The program includes a mix of sermons, interviews, video dramas, demonstrations and musicals.
One of the sermons entitled “Teach Your Children How to Show Love” focused mainly on parents. The Speaker, Olusegun Eroyemi, explained with reference to Matthew 24:12 that the love in the world is gradually dying off.
He mentioned that children today resent corrections because they have been pampered to a fault. This has resulted in many children lacking in love. Referring to 2Timothy 3:14, 15, he emphasized the need to start the training of children to learn to show love from infancy.
The effort to train children to learn to love cannot be too early but can be too late. Parents need to start by teaching their children the need to love others and not to think they are superior to others. According to Mr. Eroyemi, children need to be taught how to be humble, be kind and patient toward others as outlined at Philippians 2:3, 4.
To do this, parents need to ensure the following:
- Correct any sign of boastful attitudes immediately
- Assign household chores to children
- Teach children how to give gifts and share
- Show by examples the importance of humility by avoiding a boastful attitude
- Display kindness and be cheerful givers
During the public Bible Discourse: True Love in a Hate-Filled World—Where?, the speaker, Mr. Dessene Fanou, a fulltime Minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses, acknowledged that hate is everywhere in the world today, resulting in genocides, wars and other violent hostilities.
But referencing John 13:34 and 35, he emphasized that true disciples of Jesus are identified by their love for one another and for others. That scripture states: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.” He then referred the audience to Jesus Sermon on the Mount, in which he taught the following principles of love:
- Love brings happiness – Matthew 5:9
- Be prompt in making peace with your fellowman – Matthew 5:21-26
- Love even those who do not like you – Matthew 5:43-48
- Be willing to forgive – Matthew 6:14,15)
- Avoid being judgmental – Matthew 7:1-5
- Treat others as you would want to be treated – Matthew 7:12
The speaker then reminded the audience of the evidence of true love that they have already seen at the Convention – the quiet, peaceful and cooperative disposition of all in the audience, who are of various ages, nationalities and races, without need for any security operatives.
The sermon concluded by encouraging the audience to study the Bible, and for new attendees to commence a program of Bible study with the Witnesses and more directly and deeply experience the love that never fails. In the near future, ended the speaker, all humans alive on earth will form one loving and united family of worshippers of God. All those who now practice unfailing love will be part of this future happy family.
The 2019 Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses is being held in 6 continents, over 200 countries and over 400 languages. Over 50 of such conventions are now running in and around Lagos – Lekki, Badagry, Daluwon, and Ota. The program is being presented in English, Gun, Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo Efik, Mandarin Chinese and French.
More information about the conventions may be found on jw.org. website. The conventions continue during the next 2 weekends in Daluwon, Ota, Ibadan and Badagry.
