WEDNESDAY 24TH JANUARY 2018 MORNING
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 New International Version (NIV)
The Church and Its Leaders
1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
This week we are thinking about the importance of Christian unity. Paul in writing to the Christians in Corinth is disappointed about the different factions within the church. He says they all belong to Christ not to the human leaders whom God used to bring them the gospel.
We are Lutherans but much more important we are Christians. Let us show love and co-operation to all true Christians and not emphasize our denominational differences.
JUMATANO TAREHE 24 JANUARI 2018 ASUBUHI
1 KORINTHO 3:1-9
1 Lakini, ndugu zangu, mimi sikuweza kusema nanyi kama na watu wenye tabia ya rohoni, bali kama na watu wenye tabia ya mwilini, kama na watoto wachanga katika Kristo.
2 Naliwanywesha maziwa sikuwalisha chakula; kwa kuwa mlikuwa hamjakiweza. Naam, hata sasa hamkiwezi,
3 kwa maana hata sasa ninyi ni watu wa tabia ya mwilini. Maana, ikiwa kwenu kuna husuda na fitina, je! Si watu wa tabia ya mwilini ninyi; tena mnaenenda kwa jinsi ya kibinadamu?
4 Maana hapo mtu mmoja asemapo, Mimi ni wa Paulo; na mwingine, Mimi ni wa Apolo, je! Ninyi si wanadamu?
5 Basi Apolo ni nani? Na Paulo ni nani? Ni wahudumu ambao kwao mliamini; na kila mtu kama Bwana alivyompa.
6 Mimi nilipanda, Apolo akatia maji; bali mwenye kukuza ni Mungu.
7 Hivyo, apandaye si kitu, wala atiaye maji, bali Mungu akuzaye.
8 Basi yeye apandaye, na yeye atiaye maji ni wamoja, lakini kila mtu atapata thawabu yake mwenyewe sawasawa na taabu yake mwenyewe.
9 Maana sisi tu wafanya kazi pamoja na Mungu; ninyi ni shamba la Mungu, ni jengo la Mungu.
Wiki hii tunakumbuka umuhimu wa umoja. Mtume Paulo anasikitika kuona makundi makundi ndani ya kanisa kule Korintho. Watumishi mbalimbali waliwapeleka injili lakini wote ni watumishi wa Yesu Kristo.
Sisi ni Walutheri. Lakini muhimu zaidi sisi ni Wakristo. Tushirikane na tupendane na Wakristo wote, tusikuze tofauti zetu za kidhehebu.