SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER 2016
THEME: WE ARE CALLED TO PRACTICE JUSTICE AND MERCY
Psalm 85:1-13, Romans 13:1-7, Matthew 18:21-35
Psalm 85[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.[b]
3 You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 85:1 In Hebrew texts 85:1-13 is numbered 85:2-14.
- Psalm 85:2 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Romans 13:1-7
Submission to Governing Authorities
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Footnotes:
- Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
- Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
- Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).
God has forgiven and continues to forgive each one of us whenever we repent of our sins. We should be merciful to others and willing to forgive them when they do wrong. But let us also stand for justice and not ignore sin or pretend that it doesn’t matter.
JUMAPILI TAREHE 23 OKTOBA
NENO KUU: TUNAITWA KUTENDA HAKI NA HURUMA
Zaburi 85:1-13, Rumi 13:1-7, Mathayo 18:21-35
Zaburi 85:1-13
1 Bwana, umeiridhia nchi yako, Umewarejeza mateka wa Yakobo.
2 Umeusamehe uovu wa watu wako, Umezisitiri hatia zao zote.
3 Umeiondoa ghadhabu yako yote, Umerudi na kuuacha ukali wa hasira yako.
4 Mungu wa wokovu wetu, uturudishe, Uikomeshe hasira uliyo nayo juu yetu.
5 Je! Utatufanyia hasira hata milele? Utadumisha ghadhabu kizazi hata kizazi?
6 Je! Hutaki kurudi na kutuhuisha, Watu wako wakufurahie?
7 Ee Bwana, utuonyeshe rehema zako, Utupe wokovu wako.
8 Na nisikie atakavyosema Mungu Bwana, Maana atawaambia watu wake amani, Naam, na watauwa wake pia, Bali wasiurudie upumbavu tena.
9 Hakika wokovu wake u karibu na wamchao, Utukufu ukae katika nchi yetu.
10 Fadhili na kweli zimekutana, Haki na amani zimehusiana.
11 Kweli imechipuka katika nchi, Haki imechungulia kutoka mbinguni.
12 Naam, Bwana atatoa kilicho chema, Na nchi yetu itatoa mazao yake.
13 Haki itakwenda mbele zake, Nayo itazifanya hatua zake kuwa njia.
Rumi 13:1-7
1 Kila mtu na aitii mamlaka iliyo kuu; kwa maana hakuna mamlaka isiyotoka kwa Mungu; na ile iliyopo umeamriwa na Mungu.
2 Hivyo amwasiye mwenye mamlaka hushindana na agizo la Mungu; nao washindanao watajipatia hukumu.
3 Kwa maana watawalao hawatishi watu kwa sababu ya matendo mema, bali kwa sababu ya matendo mabaya. Basi, wataka usimwogope mwenye mamlaka? Fanya mema, nawe utapata sifa kwake;
4 kwa kuwa yeye ni mtumishi wa Mungu kwako kwa ajili ya mema. Lakini ufanyapo mabaya, ogopa; kwa maana hauchukui upanga bure; kwa kuwa ni mtumishi wa Mungu, amlipizaye kisasi mtenda mabaya kwa ajili ya ghadhabu.
5 Kwa hiyo ni lazima kutii, si kwa sababu ya ile ghadhabu tu, ila na kwa sababu ya dhamiri.
6 Kwa sababu hiyo tena mwalipa kodi; kwa kuwa wao ni wahudumu wa Mungu, wakidumu katika kazi iyo hiyo.
7 Wapeni wote haki zao; mtu wa kodi, kodi; mtu wa ushuru, ushuru; astahiliye hofu, hofu; astahiliye heshima, heshima.
Mathayo 18:21-35
21 Kisha Petro akamwendea akamwambia, Bwana, ndugu yangu anikose mara ngapi nami nimsamehe? Hata mara saba?
22 Yesu akamwambia, Sikuambii hata mara saba, bali hata saba mara sabini.
23 Kwa sababu hii ufalme wa mbinguni umefanana na mfalme mmoja aliyetaka kufanya hesabu na watumwa wake.
24 Alipoanza kuifanya, aliletewa mtu mmoja awiwaye talanta elfu kumi.
25 Naye alipokosa cha kulipa, bwana wake akaamuru auzwe, yeye na mkewe na watoto wake, na vitu vyote alivyo navyo, ikalipwe ile deni.
26 Basi yule mtumwa akaanguka, akamsujudia akisema, Bwana, nivumilie, nami nitakulipa yote pia.
27 Bwana wa mtumwa yule akamhurumia, akamfungua, akamsamehe ile deni.
28 Mtumwa yule akatoka, akamwona mmoja wa wajoli wake, aliyemwia dinari mia akamkamata,akamshika koo,akisema Nilipe uwiwacho.
29 Basi mjoli wake akaanguka miguuni pake, akamsihi, akisema, Nivumilie, nami nitakulipa yote pia.
30 Lakini hakutaka, akaenda, akamtupa kifungoni, hata atakapoilipa ile deni.
31 Basi wajoli wake walipoyaona yaliyotendeka, walisikitika sana, wakaenda wakamweleza bwana wao yote yaliyotendeka.
32 Ndipo bwana wake akamwita, akamwambia, Ewe mtumwa mwovu, nalikusamehe wewe deni ile yote, uliponisihi;
33 nawe, je! Haikukupasa kumrehemu mjoli wako, kama mimi nilivyokurehemu wewe?
34 Bwana wake akaghadhibika, akampeleka kwa watesaji, hata atakapoilipa deni ile yote.
35 Ndivyo na Baba yangu wa mbinguni atakavyowatenda ninyi, msiposamehe kwa mioyo yenu kila mtu ndugu yake.
Mungu ni wenye huruma nyingi na yupo tayari kutusamehe dhambi zetu zote kila wakati tunapotubu kwa kweli. Sisi pia tunapaswa kuwa na huruma na tuwe tayari kuwasamehe watu ambao wametutendea mabaya. Lakini tutende haki pia na tusidharau dhambi.
