Four Crosses

Bible passage: Romans 6:4-9
“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. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7. because anyone who has died has been freed 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. ”

After listening to today's sermon title, some people may think that the title of the sermon is wrong. There were three crosses on Golgotha Hill. 

Why four crosses? You might be wondering. But there is some meaning here. A lady living in the countryside was having a very difficult life. She lived by always saying, “Lord, life is so hard!” One day, she had a dream where many people were heading towards heaven, each carrying a cross. This lady also carried her own cross to get to heaven, but her cross was so big and heavy that she dragged it along. 

At that time, she met the Lord who looked at her like this. The sister asked the Lord: “Lord, it’s so hard. Isn’t the Lord a carpenter? Please cut this cross.” The Lord smiled and cut it off. The sister asked him to cut off her own cross three times, so that she could feel more light and more at ease. Soon, the Jordan River began to appear in front of them, and when they arrived at the river, they placed a large cross in the river and used the cross as a bridge to cross to heaven. However, because the cross the sister brought was cut three times, it became too small to cross the river and go to heaven. The sister was so sad that she sat down by the river and cried until she woke up from her dream. The cross is a bridge that connects heaven and earth. You can cross the cross bridge and enter heaven. The cross was originally a symbol of curse. However, God redeemed mankind's curse through the cross of the Lord erected high between heaven and earth and made it a bridge of blessing connecting heaven and earth. 

Through today's scripture, as we celebrate Palm Sunday and Passion Week, let’s think of the cross of the Lord who suffered for mankind on the hill of Golgotha, and try to find out what kind of cross we have. 1. From a spiritual perspective, there should have been a total of four crosses on Golgotha Hill. Matthew 27:38 says, “At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.” On the hill of Golgotha where Jesus was crucified, all three crosses had been erected. However, if you think spiritually, four crosses should be erected on Golgotha Hill. Today’s scripture says that when Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, we were also crucified with Him. Verse 6 of the scripture says, “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;” When Jesus died on the cross, our old self also died on the cross with Jesus. 

Not only did Jesus die on the cross, we also died on the cross. From a spiritual perspective, there should have been four crosses: the cross on which Jesus was crucified on Golgotha hill about 2,000 years ago, two crosses of thieves, and another cross on which you and I, sinners, had to be crucified. That's why it says this in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Passion Week is a season where we realize that not only Jesus died on the cross, but we also died. 

To the physical eye, it appears that there are only three crosses on Golgotha Hill, but during this Holy Week, I hope you realize that there must be four crosses, and that you also died on the fourth cross. The cross of Jesus during the Passion Week is the cross where you died along with Jesus. There are many different ways in which people face death. They can die in a car accident, they can die of illness, or they can die of old age. However, Jesus' death was not due to an accident, nor of illness, nor of old age. It is a ‘redemptive death’ in which He died on behalf of sinners to save them from their sins. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Why did He have to die instead? Because of Adam's sin, mankind was under sin and curse, and couldn’t solve their problem on their own, thus requiring eternal punishment in hell. Therefore, the sinless Jesus solved the problem of sin and curse by dying on the cross. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE.”” Adam, who could have lived forever without dying in the Garden of Eden, broke God's word and committed the sin of eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and was driven out to this earth and given a limited life. 

 This is like the enemy devil planting a time bomb in Adam's body. I remember seeing a movie like this a long time ago, although I don't remember exactly. A terrorist hijacked an airplane, made an emergency landing, and tied all the passengers to chairs. In particular, the captain was chained to the cockpit chair and a time bomb was installed on his body. If they were not rescued within one hour, the time bomb in the captain's body would explode and the airplane would explode, killing all of the passengers.

 Fortunately, in this desperate and critical situation, this fact became known, and a bomb removal team equipped with the technology to remove bombs was dispatched. First, they needed to quickly remove the time bomb installed in the captain's body, but a lot of time had already passed and there were only 10 minutes left. If the time bomb could not be removed within 10 minutes, the lives of the captain, the passengers, and the bomb removal team that came to defuse the bomb were in danger. The captain screams in urgency as he hears the sound of the second hand passing by, tick, tick, 1 second, 2 seconds, saying “Please save me quickly. There are only five minutes left.” A time bomb has many different types of wires intertwined, including red lines, blue lines, and yellow lines. The bomb removal team was nervous and sweating so much to figure out which of these lines should be cut to stop the time-transmitting device. There were only 10 seconds left in this nerve-wracking situation. 

The captain, who had a time bomb installed, as well as all the passengers, were in an uproar. People crying, people screaming to quickly remove the bomb, people fainting in 5 despair, the inside of the plane was in chaos. While the bomb disposal team was confused, not knowing what color wire to cut, the time went from 3 seconds to 2 seconds to 1 second just before the explosion. At the last moment, with one second left, and luckily enough to remove the bomb's detonator, the inside of the plane turned from chaos to a celebration. Wild cheers erupted here and there. “Wow, I lived. Thank you so much for saving me. 

Thank you for your effort. We died and lived! You are lifesavers! I will never forget this grace for the rest of my life! Thank you for saving us!” How heartbreaking must this be? But everyone, we need to know this; When Adam sinned, the enemy devil placed a time bomb of sin and curse in our bodies. Some people have a time bomb installed that lasts 60 years, some people 70 years, some people 80 years, for the length of their lifespan. When the time bomb explodes at the end of one's lifespan, those who do not believe in the Lord will die and fall into hell. However, by dying on the cross, Jesus removed the time bomb of our curse and made us people who could live forever rather than with a limited life. Then, how thankful should you be? However, it breaks my heart that there are not many people who are thankful that they have been liberated from the curse of this time bomb and have been given eternal life. Are you thrilled to have been saved? Are you really happy to be free from the curse of the time bomb? Then, let us all shout out the joy and excitement of being saved and glorify it. Let us express our excitement for salvation in a louder voice than the people who 6 were kidnapped by terrorists and whose lives were saved when the time bomb was dramatically disarmed just a second before the explosion. "Thank God. I'm so happy. 

I am saved. I'm so happy. I died and came back to life. Thank you for giving me eternal life.” There are still people who don't look very happy. A time bomb was supposed to explode, but the bomb was removed and we survived. Don't you believe it? Why did Jesus, who was sinless, hang on the cross? He bore the cross in our place to save us from this death and the curse of hell. 2. When seen with the physical eyes, there were three crosses erected on Golgotha Hill. Of the three crosses, the two on the left and right are crosses that end in death, but the cross of Jesus in the center does not end in death, but is a cross that leads to resurrection. 

The cross that Jesus bore is not a passive cross that simply forgives human sins, but a cross that turns the landscape of human cultivation upside down by destroying the power of death of the enemy devil. This amazing power and secret is hidden in the cross that the Lord bore. 1 Corinthians 2:verses 7-8 say, “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;” The cross contains a secret that has been hidden since before the creation of heaven and earth, before God planned human cultivation. As written in Genesis 3:15, the serpent, who tempted Adam and Eve to sin in the Garden of Eden, was cursed, and God said, ‘The woman’s offspring will crush your head.’ This means that the King of kings will be born among the woman's descendants 7 and that he will be born and save mankind. 

Therefore, the enemy devil knew that from among the woman's descendants would be born someone who would destroy him, and when he found among the woman's descendants someone who would become the king of kings, he immediately wanted to kill him. Therefore, since the Old Testament era, the enemy devil has instigated evil people to continuously kill and persecute God's prophets. When Jesus was born, the enemy incited the wicked King Herod to kill all the male children under the age of two in Bethlehem and its surrounding areas. The enemy, the devil, thought he had won, but one day, someone like the Savior appeared, preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, healed the sick, and cast out demons. He then made up a plan to kill Jesus through the high priests, scribes, and Pharisees, and crucified Him and killed Him. 

The enemy the devil killed Jesus, so he cheered and said he had won, but here was hidden a secret providence of God that the enemy the devil did not know about. Because this secret comes from the wisdom of God; it is said that the rulers of this generation, that is, the high priests, scribes, and Pharisees, did not know it. If they had known, they would not have crucified Jesus. In the spiritual world, there are laws established by God. One of them is in Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death.” In other words, the punishment of death follows only if there is sin. Killing an innocent person is breaking the law of the spiritual world. However, Jesus was a man without any sin or fault, but the enemy devil crucified Him and had Him die, so the enemy devil broke the law of the spiritual world. Therefore, when Adam disobeyed and broke the law of the spiritual world by eating the forbidden fruit, he handed over the authority to rule over the human soul to the 8 enemy devil. This time, Jesus Christ could regain the lost authority because the enemy devil violated the law of the spiritual world. It was possible to come. Romans 5:18 says, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.” If the enemy devil had known this secret of God, it would not have crucified the sinless Jesus.

 The cross not only shows the gruesome death of Jesus, with a crown of thorns on His head, nails nailed to both His hands and feet, and a spear pierced in His side, causing Him to shed water and blood, but it also hides the amazing wisdom and secrets of God. Therefore, if one holds the cross with faith, he will pass through sadness, pain, despair, and death and come out with joy, healing, hope, and resurrection. There was a certain woman. In a certain year, during the Holy Week, through the cross of the Lord, there was uncontrollable joy in being able to find answers and resolution to the pain that had been buried in her heart for decades. Her story was as follows: Her childhood was so unfortunate that she attempted suicide when she was in the sixth grade. She spent her days as a depressed student and young adult to the point where she only thought about suicide until her twenties. 

During her childhood, when she was only 5 or 6 years old, while she was unfortunately sexually assaulted by a male relative who was a few years older than her. At the time, she was too young to even know what it was, and then in her adolescence, she realized it was sexual assault and she had no idea how much it washed over her body. And the shame and anger that arose every day filled her with thoughts of wanting to kill that male relative. It was so painful to see that dirty face that she had no choice but to see it at every gathering of her relatives. When her mind should be full of dreams, her mind was filled with thoughts of suicide. Fortunately, she met a friend who was a believer, received evangelism, went to church, and met the Lord on the cross. 

After realizing the meaning of the cross, she was able to transform her rising shame and anger into love and dreams for the Lord. She quoted Nelson Mandela’s saying, ““As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I would still be in prison.”” She confessed, “I want to use this wound of my weakness as material to restore the spirit of the cross that can wipe away the tears and comfort the pain of those who are in a more desperate situation than me.” She said she decided, “Now I want to shake off the pain of the past years and live for other people who have been hurt.” The cross of the two thieves at Golgotha is a cross of death because of their sins, but the cross of Jesus is not just a cross of suffering, but a cross of life that saves countless people from suffering. The cross of the two thieves ended in suffering and death, but the cross of the Lord is a cross that goes beyond suffering and death and leads to resurrection. 

Through the suffering of the cross, we must become iron, pure gold, holy instruments of God. 3. Now we have two crosses left. It is the cross of Jesus and the cross that each of us must bear. Before Jesus was crucified, He told his disciples, “Take up your cross, each one of you, and follow me.” 10 Luke 9:23 says, “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Therefore, there are now two crosses left for us: the cross of Jesus and the cross we must bear. Jesus bore all our sins on the cross and solved them, so why is there still a cross for each of us to bear? All of our sins were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross, but what specific sins were forgiven? 

There are two types of sins that must be forgiven in order to be saved: original sin and actual sin. Original sin is the sin committed by Adam, the ancestor of mankind, and is inherited, making humans sinners from birth. A voluntary crime refers to a sin committed by a human being of one's own will after birth. Self-imposed sins include acts of the flesh and sins of the flesh. Acts of the flesh refer to sins committed with the body, and sins of the flesh refer to sins committed with thoughts and emotions. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, all of the sins we have committed up to that point are forgiven, but our sinful nature remains. Sins of the flesh, all past and present sins are forgiven. But the sinful nature remains. Sinful nature is not a sin, but it means that the tendency or possibility to commit a sin remains. When you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus, all your sins are forgiven, but the tendency to sin still remains, and if the conditions and circumstances are right, you will commit sin again. Now we must each bear our own cross and crucify this sinful nature. 11 When we believe in Jesus, our old self dies and we are born as a new person. When you are born as a new person, you are not born as an adult, but as a child. 

So, in 1 John 2:12, the growth stages of faith are mentioned, and it is said that we must grow into the faith of the child, the faith of the children, the faith of the young people, and the faith of the father. In order to escape from a child's faith and mature into a father's faith and an adult's faith, one must throw away his or her sinful nature. Emotions, thoughts, personality, etc. must also be changed. You should not speak like a child, think like a child, and be immature in expressing your emotions. A certain believer thought that he should do workplace evangelization. There was a company dinner at work, and the manager offered someone a drink. But when this person refused, saying, “Oh, I’m a believer in Jesus and I don’t drink alcohol,” the managing director became embarrassed. At that time, the manager who was sitting next to him slapped this person, saying, “How dare you not accept a drink from the manager, you arrogant bastard?” This person who was slapped was very angry and filled with shame. 

He decided that he should resign, and instead of going to work the next day, he went up to the prayer center and cried and prayed. While praying, he heard the voice of the Lord saying, “I died on the cross of Golgotha, but you can’t bear to be slapped in the face for doing workplace evangelization?” He repented in tears and went to work the next day, trying to change himself first and successfully evangelizing. If you do this, evangelization at work will go well, and evangelization at home will happen automatically. God cannot fail to provide answers and blessings. John 12:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” In 1948, the General Assembly of the World Council of Churches was held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A large coffin was placed in front of the conference hall.

 All the members in attendance wondered who it was that would hold a funeral at a general meeting like this. The host asked member to come out one by one and express condolences to this person. Everyone who came out one by one and looked into the coffin was surprised. There was a large mirror attached to the bottom of the coffin, so when someone looked into the coffin, they could see their own faces. It was theirs own funeral, after all. They paid their condolences to themselves. It is said that when they held theirs own funeral and held a meeting like this, they handled the many problems and agendas that were piled up smoothly. During Daniel's prayer, it wasn't a vision, but when I looked at the cross, it appeared to be two crosses. I wondered why it looked like two crosses. Then I thought, “One is the Lord’s cross, but the other is my cross that must crucify my sinful nature within me.” When we believe in Jesus, all our sins are forgiven, but in order to completely eradicate any remaining sinful nature, we hope that each of us will bear our own cross and grow into the faith of fathers and the faith of adults and mature faith. Conclusion From the physical perspective, there were three crosses erected on Golgotha Hill, but from the spiritual perspective, there should have been four crosses on Golgotha Hill. 

 Now we have two crosses left. It is the cross of Jesus and the cross that each of us must carry. When Jesus hung on the cross, there was a cross where our old self died and a cross where we had to deny ourselves and crucify our sinful nature in order to become a new, mature person who resembles Jesus. Revelation 21: Verse 2 says, “And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.” New Jerusalem is said to be a holy city. 

As we celebrate Palm Sunday and Passion Week, I hope we think of the Lord who bore the cross to forgive us of all our sins and faults, and we all carry our crosses and run toward the holy city of New Jerusalem to completely crucify the sinful nature that still remains and run forth. - END - 

Misalaba Minne

Somo la Biblia: Warumi 6:4–9
“4. Basi tulizikwa pamoja naye kwa njia ya ubatizo katika mauti, ili kama Kristo alivyofufuliwa kutoka kwa wafu kwa utukufu wa Baba, vivyo hivyo sisi nasi tuenende katika upya wa uzima. 5. Kwa maana ikiwa tumeunganika naye katika mfano wa mauti yake, tutaunganika naye katika mfano wa kufufuka kwake pia. 6. Tukijua neno hili, ya kwamba utu wetu wa kale ulisulubishwa 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 kwamba tutaishi pamoja naye; 9. tukijua ya kuwa Kristo akiisha kufufuka katika wafu, hafi tena, wala mauti haimtawali tena.”

Baada ya kusikiliza kichwa cha mahubiri ya leo, huenda baadhi ya watu wakafikiri kwamba kichwa hicho si sahihi. Palikuwa na misalaba mitatu kwenye Mlima Golgotha.

Kwa nini misalaba minne? Huenda unajiuliza. Lakini kuna maana hapa. Mwanamke mmoja aliyeishi mashambani alikuwa na maisha magumu sana. Alizoea kusema, “Bwana, maisha ni magumu sana!” Siku moja aliota watu wengi wakielekea mbinguni, kila mmoja akiwa amebeba msalaba. Mwanamke huyo naye alibeba msalaba wake ili afike mbinguni, lakini ulikuwa mkubwa na mzito, hivyo aliuburuza.

Wakati huo alikutana na Bwana. Dada huyo akamwomba: “Bwana, ni vigumu sana. Je, Bwana si seremala? Tafadhali kata msalaba huu.” Bwana akatabasamu na kuupunguza. Dada huyo alimwomba aukate mara tatu ili awe mwepesi na ajisikie nafuu. Muda mfupi baadaye Mto Yordani ukaonekana mbele yao. Walipofika mtoni, waliweka msalaba mkubwa majini na kuutumia kama daraja la kuvukia kwenda mbinguni. Lakini kwa kuwa msalaba wa dada huyo ulikuwa umekatwa mara tatu, ukawa mfupi mno kuvukia mto. Alisikitika, akaketi kando ya mto na kulia hadi akaamka kutoka usingizini. Msalaba ni daraja linalounganisha mbingu na dunia. Tunaweza kuvuka daraja hilo na kuingia mbinguni. Hapo awali msalaba ulikuwa ishara ya laana. Lakini Mungu alikomboa wanadamu kutoka katika laana kupitia msalaba wa Bwana uliosimama kati ya mbingu na dunia, na kuufanya daraja la baraka linaloviunganisha.

Kupitia maandiko ya leo, tunapoadhimisha Jumapili ya Matawi na Wiki ya Mateso, tutafakari msalaba wa Bwana aliyeteseka kwa ajili ya wanadamu Golgotha na tuchunguze ni msalaba wa aina gani tulio nao. 1. Kwa mtazamo wa kiroho, Golgotha palipaswa kuwa na misalaba minne. Mathayo 27:38 inasema: “Wakati huo wanyang’anyi wawili wakasulubiwa pamoja naye, mmoja upande wa kuume, na mmoja upande wa kushoto.” Golgotha, ambako Yesu alisulubiwa, ilisimamisha misalaba mitatu. Lakini kwa mtazamo wa kiroho, minne ilipaswa kuwepo. Andiko la leo linasema kwamba Yesu alipokuwa akisulubiwa Golgotha, sisi nasi tulisulubiwa pamoja naye. Mstari wa 6 unasema: “Tukijua neno hili, ya kuwa utu wetu wa kale ulisulubishwa pamoja naye, ili mwili wa dhambi ubatilike, tusitumikie dhambi tena.” Yesu alipokufa msalabani, utu wetu wa kale pia ulikufa pamoja naye.

Si Yesu pekee aliyekufa msalabani; sisi nasi tulikufa. Kwa mtazamo wa kiroho, kulipaswa kuwa na misalaba minne: msalaba wa Yesu Golgotha miaka elfu mbili iliyopita, misalaba miwili ya wanyang’anyi, na msalaba ambao mimi na wewe wenye dhambi tulipaswa kusulubiwa. Ndiyo maana Wagalatia 2:20 inasema: “Nimesulubiwa pamoja na Kristo; lakini ni hai; wala si mimi tena, bali Kristo yu hai ndani yangu; na uhai nilio nao sasa katika mwili, ninao katika imani ya Mwana wa Mungu, ambaye alinipenda akajitoa nafsi yake kwa ajili yangu.” Wiki ya Mateso ni wakati wa kutambua kwamba si Yesu tu aliyekufa msalabani; sisi nasi tulikufa.

Kwa macho ya mwili, inaonekana kulikuwa na misalaba mitatu tu Golgotha. Lakini katika Wiki hii Takatifu, natumaini utatambua kwamba kulipaswa kuwa na misalaba minne na kwamba nawe ulikufa kwenye msalaba wa nne. Msalaba wa Yesu katika Wiki ya Mateso ndio msalaba ambao ulifia pamoja naye. Watu hufa kwa njia nyingi: katika ajali za gari, kwa ugonjwa au kwa uzee. Lakini kifo cha Yesu hakikutokana na ajali, ugonjwa wala uzee. Kilikuwa kifo cha ukombozi: alikufa kwa ajili ya wenye dhambi ili kuwaokoa na dhambi zao. Warumi 5:8 inasema: “Bali Mungu aonyesha pendo lake yeye mwenyewe kwetu sisi, kwa kuwa Kristo alikufa kwa ajili yetu, tulipokuwa tungali wenye dhambi.” Kwa nini alikufa badala yetu? Kwa sababu ya dhambi ya Adamu, wanadamu walikuwa chini ya dhambi na laana, wasiweze kujitatulia shida yao, na walistahili adhabu ya milele kuzimu. Kwa hiyo Yesu asiye na dhambi alitatua tatizo la dhambi na laana kwa kufa msalabani. Wagalatia 3:13 inasema: “Kristo alitukomboa katika laana ya torati, kwa kuwa alifanywa laana kwa ajili yetu; maana imeandikwa, Amelaaniwa kila mtu aangikwaye juu ya mti.” Adamu angeweza kuishi milele bila kufa katika Bustani ya Edeni, lakini alikiuka neno la Mungu, akala tunda la mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya, akafukuzwa duniani na kupewa maisha yenye kikomo.

Hii ni kama adui ibilisi kupanda bomu la muda ndani ya mwili wa Adamu. Nakumbuka niliona filamu kama hii zamani, ingawa sikumbuki vizuri. Gaidi aliteka nyara ndege, akalazimisha itue kwa dharura na kuwafunga abiria kwenye viti. Nahodha alifungwa kwenye kiti cha chumba cha marubani na bomu la muda likawekwa mwilini mwake. Ikiwa hawangeokolewa ndani ya saa moja, bomu hilo lingelipuka na kuangamiza ndege na abiria wote.

Kwa bahati nzuri, katika hali hiyo ya hatari, watu waligundua kilichokuwa kikiendelea na timu ya wataalamu wa kutegua mabomu ikatumwa. Walihitaji kuondoa haraka bomu lililofungwa kwa nahodha, lakini muda mwingi ulikuwa umepita na dakika kumi tu zilibaki. Kama bomu lisingeondolewa ndani ya dakika hizo, maisha ya nahodha, abiria na wataalamu yangekuwa hatarini. Nahodha akapaza sauti kwa hofu akisikia sekunde zikikatika: “Tafadhali niokoe haraka. Zimebaki dakika tano tu.” Bomu lilikuwa na nyaya nyingi za rangi nyekundu, buluu na njano. Wataalamu walikuwa na wasiwasi na jasho jingi wakijaribu kujua waya gani wakate ili kusimamisha kifaa cha kuhesabu muda. Zilibaki sekunde kumi tu katika hali hiyo ya taharuki.

Nahodha aliyefungwa bomu pamoja na abiria wote walipagawa. Watu walilia, wengine wakapiga kelele bomu liondolewe haraka, na wengine wakazimia kwa kukata tamaa. Ndani ya ndege palikuwa na vurugu. Timu ya kutegua bomu ilipozidi kuchanganyikiwa bila kujua waya wa rangi gani ikate, muda ukahesabika kutoka sekunde tatu hadi mbili na moja kabla ya mlipuko. Katika dakika ya mwisho, ikiwa imebaki sekunde moja, walifanikiwa kuondoa kifaa cha kulipua bomu. Hali ya ndani ya ndege ikabadilika kutoka vurugu na kuwa sherehe. Shangwe zikasikika kila mahali: “Lo, nimepona! Asanteni sana kwa kuniokoa!”

“Asanteni kwa juhudi zenu. Tulikufa, lakini tukaishi! Ninyi ni waokoaji wetu! Sitawasahau kwa neema hii maisha yangu yote! Asanteni kwa kutuokoa!” Hili linagusa moyo sana. Lakini tunapaswa kuelewa jambo hili: Adamu alipotenda dhambi, adui ibilisi aliweka ndani ya miili yetu bomu la dhambi na laana. Kwa wengine, muda wake ni miaka 60, wengine 70 au 80, kulingana na urefu wa maisha yao. Bomu hilo likilipuka mwishoni mwa maisha, wale wasiomwamini Bwana watakufa na kuanguka kuzimu. Lakini Yesu alikufa msalabani, akaondoa bomu la laana yetu na kutufanya tuweze kuishi milele badala ya kuwa na maisha yenye kikomo. Tunapaswa kushukuru kiasi gani! Inaniumiza moyo kwamba si wengi wanaoshukuru kwa kuwekwa huru kutoka laana hii na kupewa uzima wa milele. Je, unafurahi kwamba umeokolewa? Unafurahi kweli kuachiliwa kutoka laana ya bomu hili? Basi sote tupaze sauti kwa furaha na utukufu wa wokovu. Tueleze shangwe yetu kwa sauti kubwa kuliko watu waliotekwa nyara ambao maisha yao yaliokolewa bomu lilipoteguliwa sekunde moja kabla halijalipuka. “Mungu asifiwe! Nina furaha sana!”

“Nimeokolewa. Nina furaha sana. Nilikufa, nikarudi kwenye uzima. Asante kwa kunipa uzima wa milele.” Bado kuna watu wasioonekana kuwa na furaha. Bomu lilipaswa kulipuka, lakini liliondolewa nasi tukaokoka. Je, huamini? Kwa nini Yesu asiye na dhambi alitundikwa msalabani? Alibeba msalaba wetu ili kutuokoa kutoka katika kifo hiki na laana ya kuzimu. 2. Kwa macho ya mwili, Golgotha palisimamishwa misalaba mitatu. Misalaba miwili ya pembeni huishia katika kifo, lakini msalaba wa Yesu katikati hauishii katika kifo; unaelekeza kwenye ufufuo.

Msalaba alioubeba Yesu si msalaba wa kukubali tu na kusamehe dhambi za wanadamu. Ni msalaba unaogeuza kabisa historia ya wanadamu kwa kuangamiza nguvu za mauti za adui ibilisi. Nguvu na siri hii ya ajabu vimefichwa katika msalaba alioubeba Bwana. 1 Wakorintho 2:7–8 inasema: “Lakini tunanena hekima ya Mungu katika siri, ile hekima iliyofichwa, ambayo Mungu aliiazimu tangu milele, kwa utukufu wetu; ambayo wenye kuitawala dunia hii hawaijui; maana kama wangaliijua, wasingalimsulubisha Bwana wa utukufu.” Msalaba una siri iliyofichwa tangu kabla ya kuumbwa kwa mbingu na dunia, kabla Mungu hajapanga ukuzaji wa wanadamu. Kama ilivyoandikwa katika Mwanzo 3:15, nyoka aliyewashawishi Adamu na Hawa watende dhambi katika Bustani ya Edeni alilaaniwa, na Mungu akasema: “Uzao wake utakuponda kichwa.” Hii inamaanisha kwamba Mfalme wa wafalme angezaliwa katika uzao wa mwanamke ili kuwaokoa wanadamu.

Kwa hiyo adui ibilisi alijua kwamba mtu angezaliwa katika uzao wa mwanamke na kumwangamiza. Alipomwona mtu ambaye angekuwa Mfalme wa wafalme, alitaka kumuua mara moja. Tangu Agano la Kale, adui ibilisi aliwachochea watu waovu wawaue na kuwatesa manabii wa Mungu. Yesu alipozaliwa, alimchochea mfalme mwovu Herode awaue watoto wote wa kiume wenye umri wa chini ya miaka miwili Bethlehemu na maeneo yake. Adui alidhani ameshinda, lakini siku moja Mwokozi akatokea, akahubiri Injili ya Ufalme wa Mbinguni, akawaponya wagonjwa na kuwafukuza pepo. Kisha adui akapanga kumuua Yesu kupitia wakuu wa makuhani, waandishi na Mafarisayo; wakamsulubisha na kumuua.

Adui ibilisi alipomuua Yesu alishangilia akidhani ameshinda. Lakini kulikuwa na mpango wa siri wa Mungu ambao adui hakujua. Siri hii ilitokana na hekima ya Mungu; watawala wa wakati huo, yaani wakuu wa makuhani, waandishi na Mafarisayo, hawakuijua. Kama wangeijua, wasingalimsulubisha Yesu. Katika ulimwengu wa kiroho kuna sheria zilizowekwa na Mungu. Mojawapo ni Warumi 6:23: “Mshahara wa dhambi ni mauti.” Adhabu ya mauti hufuata dhambi tu. Kumuua mtu asiye na hatia ni kuvunja sheria ya ulimwengu wa kiroho. Yesu hakuwa na dhambi wala kosa, lakini adui ibilisi alimfanya asulubiwe na kufa; hivyo adui alivunja sheria hiyo. Adamu alipokosa kutii na kula tunda lililokatazwa, aliikabidhi mamlaka ya kuitawala roho ya mwanadamu kwa adui ibilisi. Sasa Kristo Yesu angeweza kurejesha mamlaka iliyopotea kwa sababu adui alikuwa amevunja sheria ya kiroho. Warumi 5:18 inasema: “Basi tena, kama kwa kosa moja watu wote walihukumiwa adhabu, kadhalika kwa tendo moja la haki watu wote walihesabiwa kuwa na haki yenye uzima.” Kama adui ibilisi angeijua siri hii ya Mungu, asingalimsulubisha Yesu asiye na dhambi.

Msalaba hauonyeshi tu kifo cha kutisha cha Yesu—taji la miiba kichwani, misumari mikononi na miguuni, na mkuki ubavuni uliomfanya kumwaga maji na damu—bali unaficha pia hekima na siri za ajabu za Mungu. Kwa hiyo, mtu akiushikilia msalaba kwa imani atapita katika huzuni, maumivu, kukata tamaa na kifo, na kufikia furaha, uponyaji, tumaini na ufufuo. Kulikuwa na mwanamke mmoja ambaye katika Wiki Takatifu ya mwaka fulani alipata kupitia msalaba wa Bwana majibu na suluhisho la maumivu yaliyokuwa moyoni mwake kwa miongo mingi. Utoto wake ulikuwa wa huzuni kiasi kwamba alijaribu kujiua alipokuwa darasa la sita. Akiwa mwanafunzi na kijana mtu mzima alikuwa na huzuni, akifikiria kujiua hadi alipokuwa na miaka ya ishirini.

Alipokuwa na umri wa miaka mitano au sita, mwanamume wa ukoo aliyekuwa mkubwa kwa miaka michache alimnyanyasa kingono. Alikuwa mdogo mno kuelewa kilichotokea; baadaye katika ujana wake ndipo alipotambua kuwa alikuwa amenyanyaswa, na hisia hizo zilimkumba sana. Aibu na hasira zilimfanya kila siku atake kumuua mtu huyo. Ilikuwa chungu kumwona mtu huyo kwenye kila mkusanyiko wa ukoo. Badala ya kuwa na ndoto za utotoni, mawazo yake yalijaa kujiua. Kwa bahati nzuri alikutana na rafiki mwamini, akasikia Injili, akaenda kanisani na kukutana na Bwana msalabani.

Alipotambua maana ya msalaba, aliweza kugeuza aibu na hasira yake kuwa upendo na ndoto za kumtumikia Bwana. Alinukuu maneno ya Nelson Mandela: “Nilipotoka nje kupitia lango lililoniongoza kwenye uhuru, nilijua kwamba kama singeacha uchungu na chuki yangu, ningeendelea kuwa gerezani.” Alikiri: “Nataka kutumia jeraha hili la udhaifu wangu kama nyenzo ya kurejesha roho ya msalaba, inayoweza kufuta machozi na kufariji maumivu ya walio katika hali ngumu zaidi yangu.” Akaamua: “Sasa nataka kuacha maumivu ya miaka iliyopita na kuwaishi watu wengine walioumia.” Misalaba ya wale wanyang’anyi wawili Golgotha ni misalaba ya mauti kwa sababu ya dhambi zao. Lakini msalaba wa Yesu si msalaba wa mateso tu; ni msalaba wa uzima unaookoa watu wengi kutoka matesoni. Misalaba ya wanyang’anyi iliishia katika mateso na kifo, lakini msalaba wa Bwana unapita mateso na kifo na kuongoza kwenye ufufuo.

Kwa njia ya mateso ya msalaba, tunapaswa kuwa chuma, dhahabu safi na vyombo vitakatifu vya Mungu. 3. Sasa tumebakiwa na misalaba miwili: msalaba wa Yesu na msalaba ambao kila mmoja wetu lazima aubebe. Kabla Yesu hajasulubiwa, aliwaambia wanafunzi wake: “Jitwike msalaba wako, kila mmoja, unifuate.” Luka 9:23 inasema: “Akawaambia wote, Mtu yeyote akitaka kunifuata, na ajikane mwenyewe, ajitwike msalaba wake kila siku, anifuate.” Kwa hiyo sasa tumebakiwa na misalaba miwili: wa Yesu na ule tunaopaswa kubeba. Yesu alibeba dhambi zetu zote msalabani na kuzitatua; kwa nini bado kila mmoja wetu ana msalaba wa kubeba? Yesu alipokufa msalabani dhambi zetu zote zilisamehewa, lakini ni dhambi gani hasa zilizosamehewa?

Kuna aina mbili za dhambi zinazopaswa kusamehewa ili tuokolewe: dhambi ya asili na dhambi za matendo. Dhambi ya asili ni dhambi aliyotenda Adamu, babu wa wanadamu, ambayo hurithiwa na kuwafanya watu kuwa wenye dhambi tangu kuzaliwa. Dhambi ya hiari ni ile ambayo mtu hutenda kwa uamuzi wake baada ya kuzaliwa. Dhambi hizi za mtu mwenyewe zinajumuisha matendo na tamaa za mwili. Matendo ya mwili ni dhambi zinazotendwa kwa mwili; tamaa za mwili ni dhambi za mawazo na hisia. Tunapompokea Yesu Kristo kuwa Mwokozi wetu, dhambi zote tulizotenda hadi wakati huo husamehewa, lakini asili ya dhambi hubaki. Dhambi zote za zamani na za sasa husamehewa, lakini mwelekeo wa kutenda dhambi hubaki. Mwelekeo huo wenyewe si dhambi; ni tabia au uwezekano wa kutenda dhambi. Unapotubu na kumwamini Yesu, dhambi zako husamehewa, lakini mwelekeo wa kutenda dhambi hubaki; hali na mazingira yakiruhusu, unaweza kutenda dhambi tena. Sasa kila mmoja wetu lazima aubebe msalaba wake na kusulubisha asili hii ya dhambi. Tunapomwamini Yesu, utu wetu wa kale hufa na tunazaliwa upya. Tunapozaliwa upya, hatuzaliwi watu wazima, bali watoto wachanga.

Kwa hiyo 1 Yohana 2:12 inataja hatua za ukuaji wa imani: imani ya watoto wachanga, watoto, vijana na baba. Ili tuache imani ya kitoto na kukomaa katika imani ya baba na ya mtu mzima, tunapaswa kuondoa asili yetu ya dhambi. Hisia, mawazo na utu wetu pia vinapaswa kubadilika. Hatupaswi kusema au kufikiri kama watoto wala kueleza hisia zetu kwa njia ya kitoto. Mwamini mmoja alifikiri kwamba anapaswa kuhubiri kazini. Katika chakula cha kampuni, meneja alimpa mtu kinywaji. Alipokataa akisema, “Mimi ni mwamini wa Yesu, sinywi pombe,” mkurugenzi akajisikia vibaya. Meneja aliyekuwa ameketi karibu naye akampiga kofi na kusema: “Unawezaje kukataa kinywaji cha meneja, jeuri wewe?” Yule aliyepigwa alikasirika sana na kujawa na aibu.

Aliamua kuacha kazi, na badala ya kwenda kazini siku iliyofuata alipanda kwenye kituo cha maombi, akalia na kuomba. Akiomba, akasikia sauti ya Bwana ikisema: “Nilikufa msalabani Golgotha, lakini wewe huwezi kuvumilia kupigwa kofi kwa ajili ya kuhubiri kazini?” Alitubu kwa machozi, akaenda kazini siku iliyofuata, akajitahidi kwanza kujibadilisha na akafanikiwa kuhubiri. Tukifanya hivyo, kuhubiri kazini kutafanikiwa na kuhubiri nyumbani kutatokea pia. Mungu hakosi kutoa majibu na baraka. Yohana 12:24 inasema: “Amin, amin, nawaambia, Chembe ya ngano isipoanguka katika nchi, ikafa, hukaa hali iyo hiyo peke yake; bali ikifa, hutoa mazao mengi.” Mwaka 1948, Mkutano Mkuu wa Baraza la Makanisa Duniani ulifanyika Amsterdam, Uholanzi. Jeneza kubwa liliwekwa mbele ya ukumbi wa mkutano.

Wajumbe wote walijiuliza ni nani angefanyiwa mazishi katika mkutano mkuu. Mwenyeji aliwaomba washiriki watoke mmoja baada ya mwingine na kutoa rambirambi. Kila aliyeangalia ndani ya jeneza alishangaa. Kioo kikubwa kilikuwa kimewekwa chini ya jeneza, hivyo mtu aliyechungulia aliuona uso wake. Kwa kweli, yalikuwa mazishi yao wenyewe, nao walijipa rambirambi. Inasemekana walipofanya mazishi yao wenyewe na kufanya mkutano namna hiyo, walitatua kwa urahisi matatizo mengi na ajenda zilizokuwa zimekusanyika. Wakati wa maombi ya Danieli, haikuwa maono; nilipotazama msalaba, ulionekana kuwa misalaba miwili. Nilijiuliza kwa nini. Kisha nikafikiri: “Mmoja ni msalaba wa Bwana, na mwingine ni msalaba wangu, ambao lazima usulubishe asili ya dhambi iliyo ndani yangu.” Tunapomwamini Yesu, dhambi zetu zote husamehewa. Lakini ili kuondoa kabisa asili ya dhambi iliyobaki, tunatumaini kila mmoja wetu atabeba msalaba wake, akue katika imani ya baba na ya mtu mzima, na kukomaa katika imani. **Hitimisho:** Kwa mtazamo wa mwili, Golgotha palikuwa na misalaba mitatu; lakini kwa mtazamo wa kiroho, palipaswa kuwa na misalaba minne.

Sasa tumebakiwa na misalaba miwili: msalaba wa Yesu na msalaba ambao kila mmoja wetu anapaswa kubeba. Yesu aliponing’inia msalabani, utu wetu wa kale ulikufa pamoja naye; pia kuna msalaba ambao tunapaswa kujikana na kusulubisha asili ya dhambi ili kuwa watu wapya waliokomaa na wanaofanana na Yesu. Ufunuo 21:2 inasema: “Nami nikauona mji ule mtakatifu, Yerusalemu mpya, ukishuka kutoka mbinguni kwa Mungu, umewekwa tayari, kama bibi-arusi aliyekwisha kupambwa kwa mumewe.” Yerusalemu Mpya huitwa mji mtakatifu.

Tunapoadhimisha Jumapili ya Matawi na Wiki ya Mateso, na tumtafakari Bwana aliyebeba msalaba ili kutusamehe dhambi na makosa yetu yote. Sote tubebe misalaba yetu na kukimbilia mji mtakatifu wa Yerusalemu Mpya, tukiisulubisha kabisa asili ya dhambi iliyobaki ndani yetu. - MWISHO -