SUNDAY 22ND JULY 2018 , 8TH SUNDAY AFTER HOLY TRINITY
THEME: THE GOODNESS OF GOD DRAWS US TO REPENTANCE
Psalm 27:5-8, 2 Corinthians 7:11-12, Luke 15:11-32
Psalm 27:5-8 New International Version (NIV)
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
2 Corinthians 7:11-12 New International Version (NIV)
11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.
Luke 15:11-32 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinnedagainst heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
In this famous parable we tend to forget about the Elder son. The young son had done wrong in many ways and was far from his father but it came to his senses and truly repented of his sins and his father lovingly welcomed him and forgave him.
The Elder son stayed at home and worked for his Father. But it seems he resented the hard work and did not truly love his father and he resented his younger brother.
If we have grown up in the church we may pride ourselves on being good people. But let us remember we all need repentance and forgiveness from God. None of us is able to earn our salvation we must all receive it by faith through the Grace of God. God loves us all and is ready to welcome and forgive us.
JUMAPILI TAREHE 22 JUALI 2018, ASUBUHI, SIKU YA BWANA YA 8 BAADA YA UTATU
Zaburi 27:5-8, 2 Korintho 7:11-12, Luka 15:11-32
Zaburi 27:5-8
5 Mradi atanisitiri bandani mwake siku ya mabaya, Atanisitiri katika sitara ya hema yake, Na kuniinua juu ya mwamba.
6 Na sasa kichwa changu kitainuka Juu ya adui zangu wanaonizunguka. Nami nitatoa dhabihu za shangwe hemani mwake; Nitaimba, naam, nitamhimidi Bwana.
7 Ee Bwana, usikie, kwa sauti yangu ninalia, Unifadhili, unijibu.
8 Uliposema, Nitafuteni uso wangu, Moyo wangu umekuambia, Bwana, uso wako nitautafuta.
2 Korintho 7:11-12
11 Maana, angalieni, kuhuzunishwa kuko huko kwa jinsi ya Mungu kulitenda bidii kama nini ndani yenu; naam, na kujitetea, naam, na kukasirika, naam, na hofu, naam, na shauku, naam, na kujitahidi, naam, na kisasi! Kwa kila njia mmejionyesha wenyewe kuwa safi katika jambo hilo.
12 Basi, ijapokuwa naliwaandikia, sikuandika kwa ajili yake yeye aliyedhulumu, wala si kwa ajili yake yeye aliyedhulumiwa, bali bidii yenu kwa ajili yetu ipate kudhihirishwa kwenu mbele za Mungu.
Luka 15:11-32
11 Akasema, Mtu mmoja alikuwa na wana wawili;
12 yule mdogo akamwambia babaye, Baba, nipe sehemu ya mali inayoniangukia. Akawagawia vitu vyake.
13 Hata baada ya siku si nyingi, yule mdogo akakusanya vyote, akasafiri kwenda nchi ya mbali; akatapanya mali zake huko kwa maisha ya uasherati.
14 Alipokuwa amekwisha tumia vyote, njaa kuu iliingia nchi ile, yeye naye akaanza kuhitaji.
15 Akaenda akashikamana na mwenyeji mmoja wa nchi ile; naye alimpeleka shambani kwake kulisha nguruwe.
16 Akawa akitamani kujishibisha kwa maganda waliyokula nguruwe, wala hapana mtu aliyempa kitu.
17 Alipozingatia moyoni mwake, alisema, Ni watumishi wangapi wa baba yangu wanaokula chakula na kusaza, na mimi hapa ninakufa kwa njaa.
18 Nitaondoka, nitakwenda kwa baba yangu na kumwambia, Baba, nimekosa juu ya mbingu na mbele yako;
19 sistahili kuitwa mwana wako tena; nifanye kama mmoja wa watumishi wako.
20 Akaondoka, akaenda kwa babaye. Alipokuwa angali mbali, baba yake alimwona, akamwonea huruma, akaenda mbio akamwangukia shingoni, akambusu sana.
21 Yule mwana akamwambia, Baba, nimekosa juu ya mbingu na mbele yako; sistahili kuitwa mwana wako tena.
22 Lakini baba aliwaambia watumwa wake, Lileteni upesi vazi lililo bora, mkamvike; mtieni na pete kidoleni, na viatu miguuni;
23 mleteni ndama yule aliyenona mkamchinje; nasi tule na kufurahi;
24 kwa kuwa huyu mwanangu alikuwa amekufa, naye amefufuka; alikuwa amepotea, naye ameonekana. Wakaanza kushangilia.
25 Basi, yule mwanawe mkubwa alikuwako shamba na alipokuwa akija na kuikaribia nyumba, alisikia sauti ya nyimbo na machezo.
26 Akaita mtumishi mmoja, akamwuliza, Mambo haya, maana yake nini?
27 Akamwambia, Ndugu yako amekuja, na baba yako amemchinja ndama aliyenona, kwa sababu amempata tena, yu mzima.
28 Akakasirika, akakataa kuingia ndani. Basi babaye alitoka nje, akamsihi.
29 Akamjibu baba yake, akasema, Tazama, mimi nimekutumikia miaka mingapi hii, wala sijakosa amri yako wakati wo wote, lakini hujanipa mimi mwana-mbuzi, nifanye furaha na rafiki zangu;
30 lakini, alipokuja huyu mwana wako aliyekula vitu vyako pamoja na makahaba, umemchinjia yeye ndama aliyenona.
31 Akamwambia, Mwanangu, wewe u pamoja nami sikuzote, na vyote nilivyo navyo ni vyako.
32 Tena, kufanya furaha na shangwe ilipasa, kwa kuwa huyu ndugu yako alikuwa amekufa, naye amefufuka; alikuwa amepotea, naye ameonekana.
Katika mfano huu marufu wa Yesu Kristo mara nyingi tunasahau Nafasi ya Kaka mkubwa. Tunaelewa kwamba mdogo wake alikuwa mwenye dhambi. Kaka alionekana kama ni mwema lakini hakumpenda kweli baba yake na mdogo wake. Yeye alihitaji toba pia.
Kama tumelelewa katika kanisa tunaweza kujihesabia watu wema wenye haki mbele ya Mungu. Lakini sote tuahitaji kutubu dhambi zetu. Sote tu wenye dhambi. Hatuwezi kujiokoa. Sote tunapaswa kupokea zawadi ya wokovu kwa njia ya imani na neema ya Mungu. Mungu ni mwenye upendo kama baba kwenye mfano na utayari kutupokea sisi sote.
