WEDNESDAY 21ST JUNE 2017 MORNING
EPHESIANS 5:8-14
8 In the past you were full of darkness, but now you are full of light in the Lord. So live like children who belong to the light. 9 Light brings every kind of goodness, right living, and truth. 10 Try to learn what pleases the Lord. 11 Do not do the things that people in darkness do. That brings nothing good. But do good things to show that the things done in darkness are wrong. 12 It is shameful even to talk about what those people do in secret. 13 But the light makes all things easy to see. 14 And everything that is made easy to see can become light. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper!
Rise from death,
and Christ will shine on you.”
As Christians we are saved by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ who died for us and rose again. We cannot earn our salvation by good works. However we should do our best to turn from sin and to obey God’s laws. We should reflect the light of Jesus Christ. This is what the Apostle Paul urges the Christians in Ephesus to do. Many of them had come from a pagan background worshipping the goddess Artemis whose Temple was in Ephesus. They lived among people who worshipped idols and who lived immoral lives. Paul calls them to turn from such things and to live in the light.
Remember Jesus said that He is the Light of the World and He also called us to be light and to shine for Him in this world.
JUMATANO TAREHE 21 JUNI 2017 ASUBUHI
EFESO 5:8-14
8 Kwa maana zamani ninyi mlikuwa giza, bali sasa mmekuwa nuru katika Bwana; enendeni kama watoto wa nuru,
9 kwa kuwa tunda la nuru ni katika wema wote na haki na kweli;
10 mkihakiki ni nini impendezayo Bwana.
11 Wala msishirikiane na matendo yasiyozaa ya giza, bali myakemee;
12 kwa kuwa yanayotendeka kwao kwa siri, ni aibu hata kuyanena.
13 Lakini yote yaliyokemewa hudhihirishwa na nuru maana kila kilichodhihirika ni nuru.
14 Hivyo husema, Amka, wewe usinziaye, Ufufuke katika wafu, Na Kristo atakuangaza.
Sisi tumeokolewa kwa Neema kwa njia ya imani katika Yesu Kristo ambaye alitufia msalabani na kufufuka tena. Hatuwezi kupata wokovu kwa njia ya kutenda mema. Lakini tunapaswa kujitahidi kuacha dhambi na kufuata amri za Mungu.
Mtume Paulo aliwaandikia Wakristo walioishi karne ya kwanza BK katika mji mkubwa wa Efeso. Katika mji ule kulikua na Hekalu kubwa la mungu mwanamke, Artemis. Wana Efeso wengi walimwabudu mungu huyu na kuishi maisha ya anasa. Mtume Paulo anawasii Wakristo wawe tofauti. Wawe na madili mema na watembee Nuruni.
Yesu Kristo alisema kwamba yeye ni Nuru ya Ulimwengu na sisi tunapaswa kuwa Nuru pia kama wawakilishi wa Yesu Kristo hapa duniani.
