JUMANNE TAREHE 10 AGOSTI 2021, ASUBUHI
Luka 20:17-26
17 Akawakazia macho akasema, Maana yake nini basi neno hili lililoandikwa, Jiwe walilolikataa waashi, Hilo limekuwa jiwe kuu la pembeni?
18 Kila mtu aangukaye juu ya jiwe hilo atavunjika-vunjika; na ye yote ambaye litamwangukia litamsaga kabisa.
19 Nao waandishi na wakuu wa makuhani walitafuta kumkamata saa iyo hiyo, wakawaogopa watu, maana walitambua ya kwamba mfano huu amewanenea wao.
20 Wakamvizia-vizia, wakatuma wapelelezi waliojifanya kuwa watu wa haki, ili wamnase katika maneno yake, wapate kumtia katika enzi na mamlaka ya liwali.
21 Wakamwuliza, wakisema, Mwalimu, twajua ya kwamba wasema na kufundisha yaliyo ya haki, wala hujali cheo cha mtu, bali unafundisha njia ya Mungu kwa kweli.
22 Je! Ni halali tumpe Kaisari kodi, au sivyo?
23 Lakini yeye alitambua hila yao, akawaambia,
24 Nionyesheni dinari. Ina sura na anwani ya nani? Wakamjibu, Ya Kaisari.
25 Akawaambia, Basi, vya Kaisari mpeni Kaisari, na vya Mungu mpeni Mungu.
26 Wala hawakuweza kumshitaki kwa maneno yake mbele ya watu; wakastaajabia majibu yake, wakanyamaa.
Haki huinua taifa bali dhambi ni aibu ya watu wo wote.
Leo asubuhi tunasoma Yesu akifundisha hekaluni, kuhusu jiwe kuu la pembeni, walilolikataa waandishi na Mafarisayo. Yesu anajifunua kama jiwe kuu, ambalo ukiliangukia unavunjika vunjika, na likikuangukia unasagika kabisa. Yesu alimaanisha kuwa yeye ndiye njia ya kweli, yenye haki.
Asiyekuwa naye (Yesu) hawezi kwenda inavyostahili. Mafarisayo walichukia, maana aliwagusa. Sisi tusichukie, tumpokee Yesu aliye jiwe kuu, ili njia zetu ziwe za haki.
Baadaye Mafarisayo wanawatuma watu kumjaribu Yesu ili wamkamate, wakimuuliza kuhusu kama ni halali kulipa kodi. Tumeona Yesu akiwaambia wampe Kaisari ya kwake, na Mungu ya kwake.
Yesu leo anatufundisha kutimiza wajibu wetu, tukitenda inavyostahili kwa anayestahili, awe ni mtu au mamlaka. Tukitenda yanayotupasa tunamhubiri Kristo wa kweli, na haki inatawala kati yetu, kuanzia kwenye familia, Kanisa na Taifa kwa ujumla.
Siku njema.
TUESDAY 10TH AUGUST 2021, MORNING.
LUKE 20:17-26
17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’[a]?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20 Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
Footnotes
- Luke 20:17 Psalm 118:22
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a shame to any people.
This morning we read Jesus teaching in the temple about the great cornerstone which the Pharisees and the teachers of the law had rejected. Jesus reveals Himself as a great cornerstone, which if you fall on, you will break, and if it falls on you, will be utterly shattered. Jesus meant that he was the true and the just way.
He who does not have (Jesus) cannot go as He should. The Pharisees hated it, because he had touched them. Let us not reject, let us accept Jesus who is the great conerstone, that our ways may be just.
Later the Pharisees send men to test Jesus to get him arrested, asking him if it is lawful to pay taxes. We have seen Jesus tell them to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.
Jesus today teaches us to fulfil our responsibility by doing what is right for the one who deserves it, be it a person or an authority. When we do that, we are preaching the true Christ, and righteousness reigns among us, starting with the family, the Church and the Nation as a whole.
Good day.