Wednesday 10th May 2017
JUBILATE - NEW LIFE IN CHRIST: HOW WE ARE PERCEIVED
2Corinthians 5:17-19
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Footnotes:
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.
The scripture we have read, admonishes us to pick up the pace, so that we can stand and be counted as new creatures in Christ, through the love of Jesus. The love that changed Paul, the author of this epistle, a man who once persecuted the church, but when he met with Jesus, he was changed to being an advocate for Christ and the Church. He was the vessel of honour that brought the gospel to the world. His zeal to save the world was greater than his former zeal to kill.
Accordingly it is impossible to have an encounter with Jesus and not to become a Christian. The Word says for one to be Christian you have to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead.(Rom 10:9)
Apostle Paul is one good example of the good changes that occurred after he met with Jesus. One who will gloat that he was a former tormentor, but now a new creature in Christ.
There is no way that one would have met Jesus and not be a changed to conform to the ways of Christ. It is impossible to hide the changes, because you cannot control what is happening. People will testify over the changes they see in you. Zacchaeus and Nicodemus were changed people after they met with Jesus.
Let us ask ourselves
What does God expect from us? Why did he seek to have us in His Kingdom at such a cost of letting His only son be crucified, a painful and a demeaning death.
Ask yourself earnestly, who are you to God, and what type of a relationship do you have with Him? What do you have to show to him that you will be proud of like a true Christian? Do you ever feel indebted to Him? Christ is calling us as free persons! Let us stand and be reconciled with Him and declare victory over sin, and not be snared by sin again, but be renewed in Christ Jesus! Behold, all things have become new!
MSHANGILIE BWANA - MAISHA MAPYA NDANI YA KRISTO: MUONEKANO WETU
2 Korintho 5:17-19
17 Hata imekuwa, mtu akiwa ndani ya Kristo amekuwa kiumbe kipya; ya kale yamepita tazama! Yamekuwa mapya.
18 Lakini vyote pia vyatokana na Mungu, aliyetupatanisha sisi na nafsi yake kwa Kristo, naye alitupa huduma ya upatanisho;
19 yaani, Mungu alikuwa ndani ya Kristo, akiupatanisha ulimwengu na nafsi yake, asiwahesabie makosa yao; naye ametia ndani yetu neno la upatanisho.
Neno linatuasa kukaza mwendo ili tufikie kuhesabiwa kuwa viumbe vipya ndani ya Kristo, katika upendo wa Yesu. Upendo ambao ulimbadilisha Paulo, mwandishi wa Neno hili, ambaye mwanzo alilitesa kanisa, lakini alipokutana na Yesu alibadilika akawa mtetezi mkuu wa Kristo na Kanisa lake. Alikuwa chombo cha Yesu cha kupeleka injili ya Yesu kwa Mataifa.
Hakuna anayekutana na Yesu asiwe mkristo. Neno linatuambia kuwa ili uwe mkristo lazima umkiri Yesu kwa kinywa chako kuwa ni Bwana, na kuamini moyoni mwako kuwa Mungu alimfufua katika wafu (Rum 10:9)
Paulo ni mfano wa watu wengi ambao baada ya kukutana na Yesu waliweza kujisifu ndani ya Yesu, wakisema hapo zamani walikuwa hivi walikuwa vile!
Ukikutana na Yesu, lazima itadhihirika jinsi ulivyobadilika, hutaweza kuficha. Muulize Kilichomkuta Zakayo na Nikodemo.
Tujiulize, wazo la Mungu juu yangu ni nini? Anataka nini kwangu hata kuingia gharama ya kumtoa mwanawe pekee kupitia njia ngumu ya msalaba. Jiulize, una uhusiano gani na Mungu? Mahali alipokuweka anataka aone nini? Na wewe unaona una deni kwake?
Kristo alituandika huru ili tufanane naye! Kama vile Yesu alivyovaa utu upya alipopaa mbinguni, basi basi pia tusimame tukiri ushindi wala tusinaswe tena na utu wa kale, tuwe viumbe viumbe vipya ndani ya Kristo. Ya kale yamepita, tazama! yamekuwa mapya.
