SUNDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2017
THEME; WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE
Psalm 119:89-96, Romans 3:21-26, Matthew 20:1-16
Psalm 119:89-96New International Version (NIV)
89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.
Romans 3:21-26 New International Version (NIV)
Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousnessis given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[b] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Footnotes:
- Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of
- Romans 3:25 The Greek for sacrifice of atonement refers to the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant (see Lev. 16:15,16).
Matthew 20:1-16 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Footnotes:
- Matthew 20:2 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer.
We receive salvation by Grace. Eternal life is given to all who trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior and who repent their sins. Those workers who started earlier did not gain more. They can be likened to the Jews who had a long heritage of God’s Word but they still have to come to God through Jesus Christ. Also some people come to faith early in life and others on their deathbed. But all receive the same gift of Eternal life.
Thank God that you have come to faith in Christ and been given the gift of Eternal Life.
JUMAPILI TAREHE 12 FEBRUARI
WAZO KUU: TUNAOKOLEWA KWA NEEMA
Zaburi 119:89-96, Rumi 3:21-26, Mathayo 20:1-16
Zaburi 119:89-96
89 Ee Bwana, neno lako lasimama Imara mbinguni hata milele.
90 Uaminifu wako upo kizazi baada ya kizazi, Umeiweka nchi, nayo inakaa.
91 Kwa hukumu zako vimesimama imara hata leo, Maana vitu vyote ni watumishi wako.
92 Kama sheria yako isingalikuwa furaha yangu, Hapo ningalipotea katika taabu zangu.
93 Hata milele sitayasahau maagizo yako, Maana kwa hayo umenihuisha.
94 Mimi ni wako, uniokoe, Kwa maana nimejifunza mausia yako.
95 Wasio haki wameniotea ili kunipoteza, Nitazitafakari shuhuda zako.
96 Nimeona ukamilifu wote kuwa na mwisho, Bali agizo lako ni pana mno.
Rumi 3:21-26
21 Lakini sasa, haki ya Mungu imedhihirika pasipo sheria; inashuhudiwa na torati na manabii;
22 ni haki ya Mungu iliyo kwa njia ya imani katika Yesu Kristo kwa wote waaminio. Maana hakuna tofauti;
23 kwa sababu wote wamefanya dhambi, na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu;
24 wanahesabiwa haki bure kwa neema yake, kwa njia ya ukombozi ulio katika Kristo Yesu;
25 ambaye Mungu amekwisha kumweka awe upatanisho kwa njia ya imani katika damu yake,ili aonyeshe haki yake ,kwa sababu ya kuziachilia katika ustahimili wa MUNGU dhambi zote zilzotangulia kufanywa.
26 apate kuonyesha haki yake wakati huu, ili awe mwenye haki na mwenye kumhesabu haki yeye amwaminiye Yesu.
Mathayo 20:1-16
1 Kwa maana ufalme wa mbinguni umefanana na mtu mwenye nyumba aliyetoka alfajiri kwenda kuajiri wakulima awapeleke katika shamba lake la mizabibu.
2 Naye alipokwisha kupatana na wakulima kuwapa kutwa dinari, aliwapeleka katika shamba lake la mizabibu.
3 Akatoka mnamo saa tatu, akaona wengine wamesimama sokoni wasiokuwa na kazi;
4 na hao nao akawaambia, Enendeni nanyi katika shamba langu la mizabibu, na iliyo haki nitawapa. Wakaenda.
5 Akatoka tena mnamo saa sita na saa kenda, akafanya vile vile.
6 Hata kama saa kumi na moja akatoka, akakuta wengine wamesimama, akawaambia, Mbona mmesimama hapa mchana kutwa bila kazi?
7 Wakamwambia, Kwa sababu hakuna mtu aliyetuajiri. Akawaambia, enendeni nanyi katika shamba la mizabibu.
8 Kulipokuchwa, yule bwana wa shamba akamwambia msimamizi wake, Waite wakulima, uwalipe ujira wao, ukianzia wa mwisho hata wa kwanza.
9 Na walipokuja wale wa saa kumi na moja, walipokea kila mtu dinari.
10 Na wale wa kwanza walipokuja, walidhani kwamba watapokea zaidi; na hao pia wakapokea kila mtu dinari.
11 Basi wakiisha kuipokea, wakamnung'unikia mwenye nyumba,
12 wakisema, Hao wa mwisho wametenda kazi saa moja tu, nawe umewasawazisha na sisi tuliostahimili taabu na hari za mchana kutwa.
13 Naye akamjibu mmoja wao, akamwambia, Rafiki, sikudhulumu; hukupatana nami kwa dinari?
14 Chukua iliyo yako, uende zako; napenda kumpa huyu wa mwisho sawa na wewe.
15 Si halali yangu kutumia vilivyo vyangu kama nipendavyo? Au jicho lako limekuwa ovu kwa sababu ya mimi kuwa mwema?
16 Vivyo hivyo wa mwisho watakuwa wa kwanza, na wa kwanza watakuwa wa mwisho.
Tunapewa wokovu na maisha ya milele kwa neema tu. Hatuweza kufanya kazi ili tuokoke. Wafanyakazi ambao walianza mapema hawakupata zaidi. Wao ni mfano wa Wayahudi ambao walirithi historia ndefu ya Torati na mahusiano na Mungu. Lakini wao bado wanapaswa kupata wokovu kwa njia ya kuamini Yesu Kristo na kutubu dhambi zao. Watu wengine wanaokoka wakiwa na umri ndogo na wengine mwisho wa maisha yao lakini wote wanapata urithi wa uzima wa milele.
