Joseph Attoh 
The Sakumono Area of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Samuel Nana Yaw Agyei, recounted the ordeals Christ endured to redeem humanity, describing them as “tests” that believers must also confront.
He said this on the Good Friday when delivering the sermon at the English Assemblies Zone held at PIWC Sakumono auditorium on the theme, “Gethsemane to Golgotha,” gleaned from the overarching theme of the convention: “The Crucified Jesus Christ has Risen” (Matthew 28:2–7, Mark 16:5–7, Luke 24:6–7).
Apostle Agyei disclosed that Jesus prayed three times in agony at Gethsemane, yet heaven remained silent, saying, “Prayer did not change the circumstances, but prayer changed Jesus’ words.”
He explained that God’s silence was not abandonment but alignment with His greater will.
Touching on the test of unanswered prayers, he reminded believers that even Christ’s pleas were denied, stressing that, “If God did not answer His own beloved Son in His time of trials, why do you think all your requests must be answered?”
He cited Abraham, Moses, Paul and the Israelites as examples of prayers answered differently from expectation, underscoring that God’s plan often unfolds in unexpected ways.
On the test of separation, he stated that Jesus took Peter, James and John aside, showing the need for friends who remain steadfast in both triumph and vulnerability. He advised Christians to cultivate friendships that endure “in the valley as well as on the mountain top.”
Regarding the test of sacrifice, he illustrated how true devotion often requires leaving behind one’s best, citing Judas’s betrayal for silver to the woman with the alabaster box. He drew parallels with Elisha abandoning his oxen, Abraham leaving his homeland, and Jesus leaving his heavenly throne to take human form.
By weaving scripture with practical counsel, Apostle Samuel Nana Yaw Agyei urged Christians to see unanswered prayers and trials not as signs of neglect but as opportunities to align with God’s will.
Report by Yaa Asantewaah Adu Boahene
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