SUNDAY 8TH JANUARY 2017
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED ARE CHILDREN OF GOD
Psalm 84:1-7, Romans 6:3-11, Luke 3:21-22
Psalm 84:1-7 New International Version (NIV)
For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.[c]
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.[d]
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 84:1 In Hebrew texts 84:1-12 is numbered 84:2-13.
- Psalm 84:1 Title: Probably a musical term
- Psalm 84:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 8.
- Psalm 84:6 Or blessings
Romans 6:3-11New International Version (NIV)
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Footnotes:
- Romans 6:6 Or be rendered powerless
Luke 3:21-22 New International Version (NIV)
The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus
1 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
As Lutherans we believe that Baptism is a Sacrament and the foundation of our lives as Christians. Jesus is the one who commanded Christian Baptism in the Name Of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus was baptized by John whose baptism was a sign of repentance. This was not Christian Baptism. But it is significant that the Holy Trinity was obviously present when Jesus was baptized. God the Father affirmed His Son Jesus Christ who was being baptized and The Holy Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove.
JUMAPILI TAREHE 8 JANUARI 2017
WAZO KUU: WABATIZWAO NDIO WANA WA MUNGU
Zaburi 84:1-7, Rumi 6:3-11, Luka 3:21-22
Zaburi 84:1-7
1 Maskani zako zapendeza kama nini, Ee Bwana wa majeshi!
2 Nafsi yangu imezionea shauku nyua za Bwana, Naam, na kuzikondea. Moyo wangu na mwili wangu Vinamlilia Mungu aliye hai.
3 Shomoro naye ameona nyumba, Na mbayuwayu amejipatia kioto, Alipoweka makinda yake, Kwenye madhabahu zako, Ee Bwana wa majeshi, Mfalme wangu na Mungu wangu.
4 Heri wakaao nyumbani mwako, Wanakuhimidi daima.
5 Heri ambaye nguvu zake zatoka kwako, Na njia ziendazo Sayuni zimo moyoni mwake.
6 Wakipita kati ya bonde la Vilio, Hulifanya kuwa chemchemi, Naam, mvua ya vuli hulivika baraka
7 Huendelea toka nguvu hata nguvu, Huonekana Sayuni kila mmoja mbele za Mungu.
Rumi 6:3-11
3 Hamfahamu ya kuwa sisi sote tuliobatizwa katika Kristo Yesu tulibatizwa katika mauti yake?
4 Basi tulizikwa pamoja naye kwa njia ya ubatizo katika mauti yake, kusudi kama Kristo alivyofufuka katika wafu kwa njia ya utukufu wa Baba, vivyo hivyo na sisi tuenende katika upya wa uzima.
5 Kwa maana kama mlivyounganika naye katika mfano wa mauti yake, kadhalika mtaunganika kwa mfano wa kufufuka kwake;
6 mkijua neno hili, ya kuwa utu wetu wa kale ulisulibishwa pamoja naye, ili mwili wa dhambi ubatilike, tusitumikie dhambi tena;
7 kwa kuwa yeye aliyekufa amehesabiwa haki mbali na dhambi.
8 Lakini tukiwa tulikufa pamoja na Kristo, twaamini ya kuwa tutaishi pamoja naye;
9 tukijua ya kuwa Kristo akiisha kufufuka katika wafu hafi tena, wala mauti haimtawali tena.
10 Maana kwa kule kufa kwake, aliifia dhambi mara moja tu; lakini kwa kule kuishi kwake, amwishia Mungu.
11 Vivyo hivyo ninyi nanyi jihesabuni kuwa wafu kwa dhambi na walio hai kwa Mungu katika Kristo Yesu.
Luka 3:21-22
21 Ikawa, watu wote walipokwisha kubatizwa, na Yesu naye amebatizwa, naye anaomba, mbingu zilifunuka;
22 Roho Mtakatifu akashuka juu yake kwa mfano wa kiwiliwili, kama hua; sauti ikatoka mbinguni, Wewe ndiwe Mwanangu, mpendwa wangu; nimependezwa nawe.
Kama Walutheri tunaamini kwamba Ubatizo wa Kikristo ni Sakramenti, na ni msingi wa maisha yetu kama Wakristo. Yesu mwenyewe aliagiza Ubatizo wa Kikristo katika jina la Mungu wa Utatu, Baba, Mwana na Roho Mtakatifu.
Yesu alibatizwa na Yohana. Ubatizo wa Yohana ulikuwa ubatizo kama alama ya toba, siyo ubatizo wa Kikristo. Lakini uthibitisho muhimu wakati wa Ubatizo wa Yesu, ni uwepo wazi kwa Utatu wa Mungu. Mungu Baba alithibitisha mwanae, Yesu Kristo, na Roho Mtakatifu aliyemshukia kwa mfano wa hua.
