Ujumbe wa Furaha - A Message of Joy

T04AMessageOfJoy.mp3

Ulimwengu wa leo hakika unahitaji ujumbe wa furaha! Kuna ujumbe kama huo unaopatikana katika Neno la Mungu. Ni ujumbe ambao manabii, malaika, Yesu na Mitume Wake, na Kanisa katika vizazi vyote wamehubiri. Ujumbe huu, kama sauti ya tarumbeta, inayofika masikioni mwa ulimwengu wote, unapiga kelele ya kuwaamsha na kuwatayarisha kwa ajili ya tukio moja kubwa na tukufu zaidi katika historia ya ulimwengu!

The world today surely needs a message of joy! There is just such a message found in the Word of God. It is the message that prophets, angels, Jesus and His Apostles, and the Church down through the ages have preached. This message, like the sound of a trumpet, reaching the ears of the whole world, sounds the alarm to awaken and prepare them for one of the greatest and most sublime events in the history of the world!

Yesu Kristo Alikufa Kwa Ajili Yako

Yohana 3:16 inatuambia, “Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele. Tunasoma katika 1 Tim. 2:5, 6 : “Kwa maana kuna Mungu mmoja na mpatanishi mmoja kati ya Mungu na wanadamu, mwanadamu Kristo Yesu, ambaye alijitoa mwenyewe kuwa fidia kwa ajili ya watu wote—ushuhuda ambao umetolewa kwa wakati wake ufaao.” Ndiyo, Yesu alikuja, akafa na kufufuka kutoka kwa wafu siku ya tatu. Alipaa mbinguni ambako anaketi kwenye mkono wa kuume wa Mungu akingojea “wakati ufaao” atakapokuja pamoja na bibi-arusi Wake, yaani, kanisa, ili kusimamisha Ufalme, ambao alitufundisha kuusali, uje papa hapa duniani.

Jesus Christ Died For You

John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We read in 1 Tim. 2:5, 6: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men -- the testimony given in its proper time.” Yes, Jesus came, died and was raised from the dead on the third day. He ascended to heaven where He sits on the right hand of God waiting for the “proper time” when He will come with His bride, the church, to establish the Kingdom, for which He taught us to pray, to come right here on earth.

Kusudi la ujio wa Yesu wa kwanza, pamoja na kumkomboa mwanadamu kutoka katika dhambi na kifo, lilikuwa ni kuchagua kanisa ambalo lingekuwa Bibi-arusi Wake, na kama warithi pamoja Naye katika Ufalme Wake wangebariki familia zote za dunia. (Ona Mdo. 15:14; Ufu. 19:8, 9; 22:17; Rom. 8:16, 17; Mwa. 12:1, 2 .) Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wake katika Yoh. 14:1-3, “Msifadhaike mioyoni mwenu. Mtumaini Mungu; niamini mimi pia. Nyumbani mwa Baba yangu mna makao mengi; kama sivyo, ningaliwaambia. Ninaenda huko kuwaandalia mahali. Nami nikienda na kuwaandalia mahali, nitarudi na kuwakaribisha pamoja nami, ili ninyi nanyi mwe pale nilipo.” Yesu alipopaa, malaika aliahidi kwamba angerudi vivyo hivyo (Matendo 1:11).

The purpose of Jesus’ first advent, in addition to redeeming man from sin and death, was to select a church who would be His Bride, and as joint-heirs with Him in His Kingdom would bless all the families of the earth. (See Acts 15:14; Rev. 19:8, 9; 22:17; Rom. 8:16, 17; Gen. 12:1, 2.) Jesus told His disciples in Jn. 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” When Jesus ascended, an angel promised that He would return in like manner (Acts 1:11).

Kurudi Kwa Kristo

Katika nyakati zote, wafuasi wa Yesu wamekuwa wakimtazamia na kumtarajia kurudi katika siku zao wakiwa na matarajio makubwa. Tumaini hilo limekuwa chanzo cha faraja hata chini ya mnyanyaso mkali zaidi kufikia siku yetu. Hali za ulimwengu wa sasa zinaonyesha kwetu kwamba kurudi Kwake kumekaribia sana. Unabii wa Biblia unatupa ishara zinazoonyesha kwamba tunaishi katika nyakati za mwisho kama inavyothibitishwa na ongezeko kubwa la ujuzi hasa linaloletwa na kompyuta na mtandao, na njia za ajabu za kusafiri hata kwenye anga za juu (Dan. 12:4); vita vingi, vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe na vinginevyo, vimegusa mabara yote, na kuleta njaa, njaa, na tauni kwa watu ( Mt. 24:7 ); kutokuwa na uhakika na ukosefu wa usalama wa mfumo wa fedha wa ulimwengu pamoja na uwezekano wa silaha za nyuklia ambazo mataifa mengi sasa yanamiliki kunasababisha mioyo ya wanadamu kushindwa ( Luka 21:26 ). Mambo haya yote ni ushahidi kwamba kurudi kwa Bwana kumekaribia. Lakini ni lini hasa atarudi? Hakuna ajuaye siku wala saa. Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wake kwamba walipaswa kukesha na kuomba ili wajitayarishe kwa ajili ya siku hiyo (Mt.25:13).

The Return Of Christ

All down through the ages, Jesus’ followers have been looking for and expecting Him to return in their day with great expectation. This hope has been a source of comfort even under the severest persecution right down to our day. Present world conditions suggest to us that His return is very near. Bible prophecies offer us signs that indicate we are living in the end times as evidenced by the tremendous increase in knowledge especially brought about by the computer and the internet, and the fantastic methods of travel even to outer space (Dan. 12:4); many wars, civil and otherwise, have touched all continents, bringing famine, starvation, and pestilence to the people (Matt. 24:7); the uncertainly and insecurity of the world’s monetary system as well as the potential nuclear weapons that many nations now possess are causing men’s heart’s to fail them (Luke 21:26). All these things are evidences that the Lord’s return is near. But when exactly will He return? No one knows the day nor the hour. Jesus told His disciples that they should watch and pray so as to be prepared for that day (Matt.25:13).

Ufufuo Wa Wafu

Bwana atakaporudi itakuwa kwa kusudi la kutimiza ahadi yake kwa Kanisa Lake, Bibi-arusi Wake aliyeposwa, ambayo tulisoma juu yake hapo awali. Katika 1 Thes. 4:13-18, Mtume Paulo anatufunulia jinsi jambo hili linapaswa kutokea. Kwanza atawafufua wale wa kanisa lake waliokufa, kisha wale ambao bado wako hai watabadilishwa mara moja, na wote wawili pamoja watanyakuliwa angani ili wawe pamoja na Bwana wao milele. (Ona pia 1 Kor. 15:23, 51, 52; Mt. 24:31; Ufu. 20:6 .) Wote hao watakuwa na sehemu katika muungano huo mkuu zaidi, yaani, “ndoa ya Mwana-Kondoo na bibi-arusi wake” ( Yoh. Ufu. 19:6-9). Baadaye, ufufuo wa wanadamu wote utatukia ( Yohana 5:28, 29 ), na Isaya 26:9 hutuambia hivi: “Hukumu zako zitakapokuja juu ya dunia, watu wa ulimwengu watajifunza haki.” Hii ina maana gani tu? Inamaanisha kwamba kuna wakati unaokuja ambapo wanadamu wote wataweza kujifunza njia za uadilifu, bila kuzuiwa na mdanganyifu mkuu Shetani, kwa kuwa “hatafungwa ili kuwadanganya mataifa tena” ( Ufu. 20:1, 2 ) Hata hivyo, wanadamu wote wataweza kujifunza njia za uadilifu. .

The Resurrection Of The Dead

When the Lord returns it will be for the purpose of fulfilling His promise to His Church, His espoused Bride, that we read about earlier. In 1 Thess. 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul reveals to us the way that this is to occur. He will first raise up those of His church who have died, then those who are still alive will be instantly changed, and both together will be caught up in the air to be with their Lord forever. (See also 1 Cor. 15:23, 51, 52; Mat. 24:31; Rev. 20:6.) These will all have part in that grandest of all unions, the “marriage of the Lamb and his bride” (Rev. 19:6-9). Later, a resurrection of all mankind will occur (John 5:28, 29), and Isaiah 26:9 tells us: “When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world shall learn righteousness.” Just what does this mean? It means that there is coming a time when all mankind will be able to learn the ways of righteousness, unhindered by the great deceiver Satan, for he “will be bound to deceive the nations no more” (Rev. 20:1, 2).

Ufalme Wa Mungu Duniani

Yesu, katika kutoa mwongozo kwa wanafunzi Wake kuhusu jinsi wanavyopaswa kusali, alianza sala hiyo hivi: “Baba yetu uliye mbinguni, jina lako litukuzwe. Ufalme wako uje, Mapenzi yako yafanyike duniani kama huko mbinguni...” (Mt. 6:9,10). Ni ufalme huu ambao mamilioni isiyohesabika ya Wakristo wameuombea na bado wanasali ambao utasimamishwa hivi karibuni katika dunia hii. Falme za ulimwengu huu, ambazo zimethibitika kuwa haziwezi kutawala kwa haki na haziwezi kuwapa watu amani, ufanisi, uhuru, na furaha, zitaondolewa na mahali pake pamewekwa Ufalme wa uadilifu wa Mungu chini ya utawala wa Yesu na Ufalme Wake. Bibi arusi. (Ona Dan. 2:35, 44, 45; Zab. 2:9-12; Isa. 11:1-9; Ufu. 11:17, 19:15.)

The Kingdom Of God On Earth

Jesus, in giving a guideline to His disciples as to how they should pray, began that prayer as follows: “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven....” (Matt. 6:9,10). It is this kingdom for which untold millions of Christians have prayed and are still praying that will soon be established on this earth. The kingdoms of this world, which have proved themselves incapable of ruling with justice and unable to give the people peace, prosperity, liberty, and happiness, will be done away with and replaced with the righteous Kingdom of God under the rulership of Jesus and His Bride. (See Dan. 2:35, 44, 45; Psa. 2:9-12; Isa. 11:1-9; Rev. 11:17, 19:15.)

Katika Ufalme huu, uovu wote, dhambi, magonjwa, maumivu, na hata kifo vitaondolewa (Ufu. 21:4; Isa. 35:5, 6). Hakutakuwa na vita tena ( Zab. 46:9, 10 ). Kutakuwa na amani ya milele katika ulimwengu wote (Isa. 9:6, 7). Ni furaha iliyoje na amani ya akili iliyopo katika kujua na kuamini kwamba haya yote yatatimia hivi karibuni.

In this Kingdom, all evil, sin, sickness, pain, and even death will be done away with (Rev. 21:4; Isa. 35:5, 6). There will be no more wars (Psa. 46: 9, 10). There will be everlasting peace throughout the whole world (Isa. 9:6, 7). What great joy and peace of mind there is in knowing and believing that all this will soon be a reality.