WEDNESDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2019 MORNING
Luke 18:9-14 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Pharisees were very respected Jewish Religious leaders. They did their best to keep all God’s laws and teach others to do so. The Pharisee in our reading was very confident that
God was pleased with him. He felt proud of his achievements. He also despised the Tax collector. Tax collectors were not well liked by the Jews because they worked for the hated Roman Colonial authorities. Many of the Tax collectors also cheated and took extra money from people.
However Jesus said that God more pleased with the Tax collector than the Pharisee. God was pleased with the humility and true repentance of the Tax collector.
Let us be humble and ready to come to God to repent our sins and not to despise other people.
JUMATANO TAREHE 4 SEPTEMBA 2019 ASUBUHI
LUKA 18:9-14
9 Akawaambia mfano huu watu waliojikinai ya kuwa wao ni wenye haki, wakiwadharau wengine wote.
10 Watu wawili walipanda kwenda hekaluni kusali, mmoja Farisayo, wa pili mtoza ushuru.
11 Yule Farisayo akasimama akiomba hivi moyoni mwake; Ee Mungu, nakushukuru kwa kuwa mimi si kama watu wengine, wanyang'anyi, wadhalimu, wazinzi, wala kama huyu mtoza ushuru.
12 Mimi nafunga mara mbili kwa juma; hutoa zaka katika mapato yangu yote.
13 Lakini yule mtoza ushuru alisimama mbali, wala hakuthubutu hata kuinua macho yake mbinguni, bali alijipiga-piga kifua akisema, Ee Mungu, uniwie radhi mimi mwenye dhambi.
14 Nawaambia, huyu alishuka kwenda nyumbani kwake amehesabiwa haki kuliko yule; kwa maana kila ajikwezaye atadhiliwa, naye ajidhiliye atakwezwa.
Wafarisayo walikuwa Viongozi wa Dini wa Kiyahudi ambao waliheshimiwa sana. Walitijahidi kushika amri zote za Mungu na kuwafundisha watu wengine kufanya hivi pia. Mfarisayo katika somo letu alijiheshimu sana na aliona kwamba Mungu atafurahi sana na mwenendo wake. Lakini Watoza Ushukuru walidharauliwa sana na kuhesabiwa kama Watenda Dhambi. Wayahudi hawakufurahi kwamba Watoza Ushuru walifanya kazi na Serikali ya Ukoloni wa Warumi pia na wengi walitoza fedha ya ziada.
Lakini katika somo letu la leo Mungu alimfurahia Mtoza Ushuru na siyo Mfarisayo. Ni kwa sababu Mtoza Ushuru alikuwa myenyekevu na alikiri na kutubu dhambi zake.
Tuwe tayari kukiri na kutubu dhambi zetu. Tusijihesabu bora kuliko watu wengine.
