THURSDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2020 MORNING
New International Version (NIV)
1Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’
3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’
5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
6 “‘Nine hundred gallons[a] of olive oil,’ he replied.
“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’
7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’
“‘A thousand bushels[b] of wheat,’ he replied.
“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’
8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
Jesus is saying that, Christians ought to help the poor, and that God will bless them for it. Not only will the poor in heaven remember their kindness, but also so will God. See, for example, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19-31).
We are not saved by giving to the poor (though a saved person will certainly do that), but we are rewarded on earth and in heaven for it.
ALHAMISI TAREHE 17 SEPTEMBA 2020 ASUBUHI
LUKA 16 :1-9
1 Tena, aliwaambia wanafunzi wake, Palikuwa na mtu mmoja, tajiri, aliyekuwa na wakili wake; huyu alishitakiwa kwake kuwa anatapanya mali zake.
2 Akamwita, akamwambia, Ni habari gani hii ninayosikia juu yako? Toa hesabu ya uwakili wako, kwa kuwa huwezi kuwa wakili tena.
3 Yule wakili akasema moyoni mwake, Nifanyeje? Maana, bwana wangu ananiondolea uwakili. Kulima, siwezi; kuomba, naona haya.
4 Najua nitakalotenda, ili nitakapotolewa katika uwakili, wanikaribishe nyumbani mwao.
5 Akawaita wadeni wa bwana wake, kila mmoja; akamwambia wa kwanza, Wawiwani na bwana wangu?
6 Akasema, Vipimo mia vya mafuta. Akamwambia, Twaa hati yako, keti upesi, andika hamsini.
7 Kisha akamwambia mwingine, Na wewe wawiwani? Akasema, Makanda mia ya ngano. Akamwambia, Twaa hati yako, andika themanini.
8 Yule bwana akamsifu wakili dhalimu kwa vile alivyotenda kwa busara; kwa kuwa wana wa ulimwengu huu katika kizazi chao wenyewe huwa na busara kuliko wana wa nuru.
9 Nami nawaambia, Jifanyieni rafiki kwa mali ya udhalimu, ili itakapokosekana wawakaribishe katika makao ya milele.
Yesu anasema kuwa, Wakristo wanapaswa kuwasaidia masikini, na kwamba Mungu atawabariki kwa kutenda hivyo. Siyo tu kwamba masikini wataukumbuka wema wao kule mbinguni, bali Mungu pia atawakumbuka. Tazama mfano wa tajiri na Lazaro (Luka 16:19-31). Hatuokolewi kwa kuwasaidia masikini (ingawa mtu aliyeokolewa hufanya hayo), bali tunapewa thawabu hapa duniani na kule mbinguni kwa kutenda hivyo.
