SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER 2016 - REFORMATION SUNDAY
THEME: OUR TESTIMONY
Psalm 46, Romans 3:19-20, John 2:13-17
Psalm 46[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
- Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 46:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 11.
- Psalm 46:9 Or chariots
Romans 3:19-20
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
John 2:13-17
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[a]
Footnotes:
- John 2:17 Psalm 69:9
Today we remember how Martin Luther wrote 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany on 31st October 1517. This act caused the start of the Reformation and Protestant churches including the Lutheran Church. We are starting a year of world-wide celebrations to remember 500 years since the Reformation.
Martin Luther wanted to strip away human traditions in the church and get back to Biblical truths.
In our Gospel passage Jesus was annoyed at the un-spiritual practices which had polluted the true worship of God in the Jewish Temple. He saw that the atmosphere in the Temple rather than being one of prayer and worship had become one of buying and selling and making money.
Let us keep on examining our hearts and lives and our practices in the Church and see where we need to change to worship God in spirit and in truth.
JUMAPILI TAREHE 30 OKTOBA 2016 SIKU YA KUMBUKA MATENGENEZO YA KANISA
NENO KUU: USHUHUDA WETU.
Zaburi 46, Rumi 3:19-20, Yohana 2:13-17
Zaburi 46
1 Mungu kwetu sisi ni kimbilio na nguvu, Msaada utakaoonekana tele wakati wa mateso.
2 Kwa hiyo hatutaogopa ijapobadilika nchi, Ijapotetemeka milima moyoni mwa bahari.
3 Maji yake yajapovuma na kuumuka, Ijapopepesuka milima kwa kiburi chake.
4 Kuna mto, vijito vyake vyaufurahisha mji wa Mungu, Patakatifu pa maskani zake Aliye juu.
5 Mungu yu katikati yake hautatetemeshwa; Mungu atausaidia asubuhi na mapema.
6 Mataifa yalighadhibika, falme zikataharuki; Alitoa sauti yake, nchi ikayeyuka.
7 Bwana wa majeshi yu pamoja nasi, Mungu wa Yakobo ni ngome yetu.
8 Njoni myatazame matendo ya Bwana, Jinsi alivyofanya ukiwa katika nchi.
9 Avikomesha vita hata mwisho wa dunia; Avunja uta, akata mkuki, achoma moto magari.
10 Acheni, mjue ya kuwa Mimi ni Mungu, Nitakuzwa katika mataifa, nitakuzwa katika nchi.
11 Bwana wa majeshi yu pamoja nasi, Mungu wa Yakobo ni ngome yetu.
Rumi 3:19-20
19 Basi twajua ya kuwa mambo yote inenayo torati huyanena kwa hao walio chini ya torati, ili kila kinywa kifumbwe, na ulimwengu wote uwe chini ya hukumu ya Mungu;
20 kwa sababu hakuna mwenye mwili atakayehesabiwa haki mbele zake kwa matendo ya sheria; kwa maana kutambua dhambi huja kwa njia ya sheria.
Yohana 2:13-17
13 Na Pasaka ya Wayahudi ilikuwa karibu; naye Yesu akakwea mpaka Yerusalemu.
14 Akaona pale hekaluni watu waliokuwa wakiuza ng'ombe na kondoo na njiwa, na wenye kuvunja fedha wameketi.
15 Akafanya kikoto cha kambaa, akawatoa wote katika hekalu, na kondoo na ng'ombe; akamwaga fedha za wenye kuvunja fedha, akazipindua meza zao;
16 akawaambia wale waliokuwa wakiuza njiwa, Yaondoeni haya; msiifanye nyumba ya Baba yangu kuwa nyumba ya biashara.
17 Wanafunzi wake wakakumbuka ya kuwa imeandikwa, Wivu wa nyumba yako utanila.
Kila mwaka Jumapili ya mwisho wa mwezi wa kumi ni siku ya kukumbuka matengenezo ya Kanisa. Martin Luther aliandika hoja 95 na kubandika katika mlango wa kanisa kule Wittenburg, Ujermani tarehe 31 Oktoba 1517. Mwaka huu ni wa kipekee. Tuananza mwaka wa kukumbuka duniani kote Miaka 500 tangu matengenezo ya kanisa na kuanzishwa kwa makanisa la Kiprotestanti likiwemo kanisa la Kilutheri.
Martin Luther aliona taratibu fulani zimeingia katika kanisa wakati ule ambao ni kinyume na Biblia. Alitaka kusafisha kanisa kurudi kwenye taratibu za kiMungu na Kiblia.
Katika somo letu la Injili leo tunaona jinsi Yesu alisikitika kuona ibada hekaluni zimezurukika na biashara na kelele. Hekalu ilikuwa mahali wa maombi na kuabudu Mungu lakini hali iliharibika. Yesu alitaji kulisafisha Hekalu na kurudisha utaratibu nzuri za ibada takatifu.
Leo je! Tunahitaji tena matenegenezo katika kansia na katika maisha yetu? Tuichunguze na tuangalia pengine tumepotoka. Mungu atusaidia tuwe tayari kumsikiliza kila wakati na kutii maagizo yake.
