Will We Be Like Jesus?

Please Share:

Portuguese explorers Joham de Santaram and Pedro de Escobar set foot in Shama in the Central Region of modern Ghana in 1471, and is believed to be the genesis of Christianity in Ghana.

They were sent by Henry the Navigator, to explore the riches of West Africa and to form alliances with African kings, against the Muslim forces of North Africa.

The Portuguese explorers landed on the shores of Shama to take on drinking water, but saw gold and decided to monopolize the place. They decided to build the Elmina Castle, but the skills and logistics took 11 years to mobilize, till 1482.

It is believed the first ever Christian service held in the Gold Coast, was on 20^thJanuary 1482 before commencing the construction of the Elmina Castle.

At this Mass, the Portuguese, among other things thanked God for:

“Allowing them to praise and glorify him in the midst of those idolaters…that God would give them wisdom and grace to draw those idolatrous people to the Faith, so that the church which they would found there might endure until the end of the world.”

Chaplains were an important part of Portuguese voyagers in the fifteenth century, and had spiritual oversight of the sailors, and were paid by the shipping companies. They were also mandated to reach out to the Africans, and become the official representatives of their European Churches; and were given the necessary financial motivation to perform these tasks.

It is believed Prince Henry had decreed that twenty percent of the profits gained from trade should go to the Order of the Knights of Christ. But all these efforts failed!

As Rev. Alphonse Elsbernd later wrote:

“In every fort they built, Chaplains were stationed with orders, not only to serve the spiritual needs of the garrison, but also to go out and convert the natives in their villages. It is a sad fact that very few did this. They were Chaplains, paid out of the royal treasury to serve those in the fort. Even the few who had the zeal to do more for the Lord soon lost it, living as they did among the rough soldiers and greedy merchants. The lives of these adventurers, far from home, and separated from their families; was scandalous and had its influence on the Chaplains living among them.“

It had become clear by 1554 that the chaplains would not be able to reach out to the local people because of:

Their loose life.
Their greater interest in gold.

What happened to these Chaplains is very familiar.

READ Matthew 4:3-11

Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said,

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jesus said to him,

“It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said to him,

“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:3-11 NKJV)

In 1554, after 87 years of attempting to establish Christianity in the Gold Coast, the mission was declared a failure! The Chaplains had fallen to the seduction of loose life; and the lure of wealth, and the power that came with it. The tempter used very similar tactics when he tried to bring Jesus down!

He appealed to Jesus’s palate and sensory feelings by presenting food; appealed to Jesus’s ego and pride by repeatedly masking his subtle attacks with, “If You are the Son of God…”(vv 3-7). When these failed, he decided to use one of his biggest trump cards — greed for wealth and power — by promising Jesus the kingdoms of the world and their glory!

There are many who are obedient because they have not encountered wealth. Thank God, Jesus was obedient through and through.

How will it be like when we encounter wealth?

Are we going to be like the early chaplains that choose mammon over God (Matthew 6:24); or are we going to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor 15:58)?