1, 2. (a) Basikhuthaza njani abazalwana abashumayela kwintsimi engenamdla bengayeki? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) UYesu wathi kunjani ukushumayela ‘kummandla wakowabo’? (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.)

USERGIO NO-OLINDA bangoovulindlela baseMerika abasele bedlulile kwiminyaka eyi-80. Mva nje bakhathazwa yimilenze. Kodwa qho ngeentsasa baya edolophini ngeenyawo kwindawo ephithizela abantu, bafike khona ngo-7. Loo nto bayenze kangangeminyaka. Baye bahlale kufuphi nendawo emisa iibhasi, baze bahambise iincwadi ezithetha ngeBhayibhile. Abantu abaninzi ababahoyi, kodwa basoloko belapho bencumela nabani na obajongayo. Emva kwemini bathi chu bagoduke, kodwa ngentsasa elandelayo, ngo-7, sebephinde balapho. Le nto bayenza iintsuku ezintandathu ngeveki de uphele unyaka.

² NjengoSergio no-Olinda, kangangeminyaka, abazalwana noodade abaninzi abathembekileyo bebeshumayela kwintsimi enabantu abangenamdla. Ukuba neyakho intsimi injalo, siyayincoma  indlela onyamezele ngayo. * Ukungagungqi kwakho xa ukhonza uYehova kuyabakhuthaza abazalwana noodade abaninzi, nkqu nabo banamava. Khawuve into ethethwa ngabaveleli beziphaluka: “Xa ndishumayela naba bazalwana noodade bathembekileyo, ndiye ndizive ndomelele.” “Ukuthembeka kwabo kuyandikhuthaza ndinyamezele ndize ndibe nesibindi nakowam umsebenzi.” “Ndiyayithanda indlela abanyamezela ngayo.”

3. Yeyiphi imibuzo emithathu esiza kuyiphendula, ibe kutheni?

³ Ukuze sikwazi ukuqhubeka sizimisele ukuwugqiba umsebenzi esiwuthunywe nguYesu, masiphendule le mibuzo ilandelayo: Yintoni enokusenza sityhafe ngamany’ amaxesha? Sinokuba naso njani isiqhamo? Yintoni enokusinceda siqhubeke sivelisa isiqhamo sinyamezele?

4. (a) Yamphatha njani uPawulos into eyenziwa ngamaYuda? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos azive ngolo hlobo?

⁴ Ukuba ukhe watyhafiswa kukushumayela kwintsimi enabantu abangenamdla, uyiqonda kakuhle indlela umpostile uPawulos awayeziva ngayo. Kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-30 eshumayela, wanceda abantu abaninzi baba ngabafundi bakaKristu. (IZe. 14:21; 2 Kor. 3:2, 3) Kodwa, akazange akwazi ukunceda amaYuda amaninzi abe ngabafundi bakaKristu. Kunokuba aguquke, amaninzi amchasa, ibe amanye ade amtshutshisa. (IZe. 14:19; 17:1, 4, 5, 13) Yamphatha njani loo nto uPawulos? Wathi: “Ndinixelela inyaniso ndikuKristu . . . ndinentlungu enkulu nengapheliyo entliziyweni yam.” (Roma 9:1-3) Kwakutheni ukuze azive ngolo hlobo? Kungenxa yokuba wayekuthanda ukushumayela. Wayeshumayela kumaYuda kuba ewakhathalele. Ngoko yayimkhathaza into yokuba amaYuda engayifuni inceba kaThixo.

5. (a) Yintoni esenza sishumayele ebantwini? (b) Kutheni ingasothusi into yokuba sityhafa ngamanye amaxesha?

⁵ Nathi sishumayela ebantwini kuba sibakhathalele, njengoPawulos. (Mat. 22:39; 1 Kor. 11:1) Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba siyazi kuthi indlela uYehova abasikelela ngayo abo bazimisele ukumkhonza. Xa sicinga ngabantu abakwintsimi yethu, siye sizibuze, ‘Singabanceda njani babone into ebaphosayo?’ Ngoko asiyeki ukubakhuthaza ukuba bafunde inyaniso ngoYehova nenjongo anayo ngabantu. Iba ngathi sithi kubo: ‘Siniphathele esi sipho. Sicela nisamkele.’ Ngoko yiloo nto xa bengasamkeli sisiba ‘buhlungu entliziyweni.’ Ukuba buhlungu kwethu akuthethi ukuba asinalukholo, kodwa kubonisa ukuba siyakuthanda ukushumayela. Ngoko enoba sikhe sityhafe, siyanyamezela. Nathi siyavumelana noElena, oneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-25 enguvulindlela, xa esithi: “Akukho lula ukushumayela. Kodwa awukho omnye umsebenzi endinokuwukhetha kunawo.”

6. Ngowuphi umbuzo esiza kuthetha ngawo, ibe siza kuwuphendula njani?

⁶ Kutheni siqinisekile ukuba sinokonwaba nokuba sishumayela kweyiphi na intsimini? Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo, makhe sithethe ngemizekeliso kaYesu emibini ethetha ‘ngokuvelisa isiqhamo.’ (Mat. 13:23) Owokuqala uthetha ngomdiliya.

7. (a) Ngubani ‘umlimi,’ ‘umdiliya’ ‘namasebe’? (b) Ngowuphi umbuzo esifuna impendulo yawo?

⁷ Funda uYohane 15:1-5, 8. UYesu wathi  kubapostile bakhe: “UBawo uzukiswa kuko oku, ukuba nihlale nithwala isiqhamo esininzi nize nizingqine ningabafundi bam.” UYesu uthi uYehova “ngumlimi,” yena ‘ngumdiliya wenyaniso,’ bona abafundi bakhe ‘ngamasebe.’ * Ngoko siyintoni isiqhamo abalandeli bakhe abamele basivelise? Kulo mzekeliso, uYesu akayichazi ngqo ukuba siyintoni isiqhamo, kodwa uchaza into esibonakala ngayo, enokusinceda siyazi impendulo yalo mbuzo.

8. (a) Kutheni isiqhamo esikulo mzekeliso kaYesu singathethi ukufundela umntu ade abhaptizwe? (b) Ngaba uYehova angasicela senze into esingenakukwazi ukuyenza?

⁸ UYesu wathi xa ethetha ngoYise: “Onke amasebe akum angathwali siqhamo uyawasusa.” Ngamanye amazwi, uYehova uthi singabakhonzi bakhe kuphela xa sivelisa isiqhamo. (Mat. 13:23; 21:43) Kulo mzekeliso, ukuthwala isiqhamo akuthethi ukufundela umntu ade abhaptizwe. (Mat. 28:19) Kaloku ukuba bekunjalo, bekuya kuthiwa amaKristu athembekileyo angazange afundele mntu de abhaptizwe, kuba ekwintsimi enabantu abangenamdla, afana namasebe angathwali siqhamo kumzekeliso kaYesu. Kodwa ke, ayinjalo loo nto! Ngoba? Kaloku asibanyanzeli abantu ukuba babe ngabafundi. UYehova uyabathanda abantu, ibe soze abalahle abakhonzi bakhe xa bengakwazanga ukwenza into, ingakumbi engaphaya kwamandla abo. Yonke into athi uYehova masiyenze, siyakwazi ukuyenza.—Dut. 30:11-14.

9. (a) Sithwala isiqhamo xa sisenza ntoni? (b) Ngowuphi umzekeliso esiza kuthetha ngawo?

⁹ Siyintoni ke isiqhamo esimele sisithwale? Kucacile ukuba, isiqhamo sibhekisela kuwo wonke umsebenzi esinokukwazi ukuwenza. Ngowuphi umsebenzi uYehova awunike bonke abakhonzi bakhe? Ngowokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani BukaThixo. * (Mat. 24:14) Umzekeliso wesibini womhlwayeli uyenza icace le nto. Makhe sithethe ngawo.

10. (a) Kulo mzekeliso, imbewu nomhlaba zimela ntoni? (b) Luvelisa ntoni udiza lwengqolowa?

¹⁰ Funda uLuka 8:5-8, 11-15. Kumzekeliso womhlwayeli, imbewu ‘lilizwi likaThixo’ okanye iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Umhlaba umela intliziyo yomntu. Imbewu eyawela kumhlaba omhle yaza yakhula, yaba ludiza lwengqolowa. Emva koko, “yavelisa isiqhamo ngokuphindwe kalikhulu.” Kodwa sinjani isiqhamo esiveliswa ludiza lwengqolowa? Ngaba luvelisa ezinye iindiza zengqolowa? Hayi. Kodwa luvelisa imbewu, enokukhula ibe ziindiza. Kulo mzekeliso, ukhozo olunye lwembewu luvelisa iinkozo ezilikhulu. Usebenza njani lo mzekeliso entsimini?

11. (a) Usebenza njani lo mzekeliso womhlwayeli entsimini? (b) Siyivelisa njani imbewu entsha yoBukumkani?

¹¹ Makhe sithi, kwiminyaka eyadlulayo abazali bethu okanye amanye amaNgqina asifundisa ngoBukumkani BukaThixo. Avuyiswa kukubona ukuba sinomdla kwezi ndaba zilungileyo zifana nembewu. Njengala mhlaba ulungileyo ukumzekeliso kaYesu eyakhula kuwo imbewu, nathi siye sazithanda iindaba ezilungileyo. Ngenxa yoko, imbewu ezezi ndaba zilungileyo zoBukumkani iye yakhula, ngokungathi kunjalo, yaludiza oluye  ekuhambeni kwexesha lwavelisa isiqhamo. Kanye njengokuba udiza ekuthethwe ngalo lungavelisi iindiza ezintsha, luvelisa imbewu, nakuthi isiqhamo ayikokuvelisa abafundi abatsha, kodwa kukuvelisa imbewu entsha yoBukumkani. * Ivela njani le mbewu intsha yoBukumkani? Ngawo onke amaxesha sishumayela ngoBukumkani, sisasaza imbewu eyatyalwa ezintliziyweni zethu. (Luka 6:45; 8:1) Ngoko, kulo mzekeliso sifunda ukuba, xa siqhubeka sishumayela ngoBukumkani, ‘sithwala isiqhamo sinyamezele.’

12. (a) Sifunda ntoni kumzekeliso kaYesu womdiliya nowomhlwayeli? (b) Ikunceda njani loo nto?

¹² Sifunda ntoni kumzekeliso kaYesu womdiliya nowomhlwayeli? Isinceda siqonde ukuba, ukuvelisa kwethu isiqhamo akuxhomekekanga ekubeni abantu bayasimamela na. Kodwa, kuxhomekeke ekubeni siqhubeke sishumayela. UPawulos wathetha into efana nale, xa wathi: “Umntu ngamnye uya kwamkela owakhe umvuzo ngokokusebenza kwakhe.” (1 Kor. 3:8) Umvuzo siwufumana ngokusebenza, hayi ngemiphumo. UMatilda oneminyaka eyi-20 enguvulindlela, uthi: “Kuyandivuyisa ukwazi ukuba uYehova uyasivuza ngomsebenzi esiwenzayo.”

13, 14. Ngokutsho kweyabaseRoma 10:1, 2, zeziphi izizathu ezabangela uPawulos aqhubeke eshumayela kumaYuda awayemchasa?

¹³ Yintoni eza kusinceda siqhubeke sithwele isiqhamo sinyamezele? Njengokuba sifundile, uPawulos watyhafiswa ngamaYuda awamchasayo xa wayeshumayela ngoBukumkani. Nakuba kunjalo, akazange awancame. Makhe sive incwadi uPawulos awayibhalela amaKristu aseRoma ewaxelela ngamaYuda: “Umnqweno okholekileyo wentliziyo yam nesikhungo sam ngabo kuThixo, eneneni, kukuba basindiswe. Kuba ndinikela ubungqina bokuba banenzondelelo kuThixo;  kodwa kungekhona ngokolwazi oluchanileyo.” (Roma 10:1, 2) Zeziphi izizathu athetha ngazo apha ezabangela angayeki ukushumayela?

¹⁴ Okokuqala, uPawulos usichazela ukuba kutheni waqhubeka eshumayela kumaYuda. Wayesenziwa ‘ngumnqweno okholekileyo wentliziyo yakhe.’ Wayenqwenela ukuba amaYuda asindiswe. (Roma 11:13, 14) Okwesibini, uthi kungenxa ‘yesikhungo sakhe ngabo kuThixo.’ Wacela kuThixo ukuba ancede umYuda ngamnye ukuba azamkele iindaba ezilungileyo. Okwesithathu, uthi “banenzondelelo kuThixo.” Wayebona ukuba abantu banokukwazi ukwenza izinto ezintle. Wayesazi ukuba loo maYuda anenzondelelo okanye azinikeleyo ayenokuba ngabafundi abazinikeleyo bakaKristu njengaye.

15. Sinokufana njani noPawulos? Zekelisa.

¹⁵ Sinokufana njani noPawulos? Okokuqala, sizama ukuhlala sinomnqweno wokufumana abantu ‘abanotyekelo olufanelekileyo okanye abazimisele ukufumana ubomi obungunaphakade.’ Okwesibini, sicela uYehova ukuba avule iintliziyo zabantu abanyanisekileyo. (IZe. 13:48; 16:14) USilvana oneminyaka eyi-30 enguvulindlela uthi: “Xa ndisentsimini, ngaphambi kokuba ndingene endlini, ndiye ndicele uYehova andincede ndibe nomdla kumntu endiza kuthetha naye.” Siye sicele nokuba uThixo athumele iingelosi zakhe zisikhokelele kubantu abanomdla. (Mat. 10:11-13; ISityhi. 14:6) URobert oneminyaka eyi-30 enguvulindlela uthi, “Kuyonwabisa ukusebenza neengelosi ezaziyo ukuba kwenzeka ntoni kumakhaya esiya kuwo.” Okwesithathu, sizama ukubona izinto ezintle ebantwini. UCarl ongumdala, oneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-50 ebhaptiziwe uthi, “Ndiye ndikhangele nokuba yinto encinci ebonisa ukuba umntu unomdla, njengoncumo, indlela andijonga ngayo nendlela abuza ngayo.” Nathi, njengoPawulos, sinokusithwala isiqhamo sinyamezela.

16, 17. (a) Sifunda ntoni kumyalelo okwiNtshumayeli 11:6? (b) Ngowuphi umzekelo obonisa indlela onefuthe ngayo umsebenzi wethu wokuhlwayela kubantu abasibukeleyo?

¹⁶ Nokuba sibona ngathi abantu abazamkeli iindaba ezilungileyo, asimele silithandabuze ifuthe onalo umsebenzi esiwenzayo wokuhlwayela. (Funda iNtshumayeli 11:6.) Siyayazi into yokuba abantu abaninzi abasamkeli, kodwa basibukele. Bayayibona indlela esicoceke ngayo, esihlonipha ngayo nesinobubele ngayo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, indlela esiziphatha ngayo inokubenza babone ukuba singabantu abanjani, baze bayeke nokusichasa. USergio no-Olinda ekuthethwe ngabo ekuqaleni bayibona loo nto.

¹⁷ USergio uthi: “Ngenxa yempilo, sikhe asabonakala ixesha elide kula ndawo yethu. Sithe sakubuya abantu basibuza bathi, ‘Beniphi? Kunini sinikhumbula.’” Encumile uOlinda yena uthi: “Abaqhubi beebhasi basibulisa, abanye babo babekhwaza besithi, ‘Siyayithanda le nto niyenzayo!’ Babede basicele neemagazini.” Enye into eyabothusayo kuxa kwafika enye indoda yabanika iintyatyambo, yaza yababulela ngomsebenzi abawenzayo.

18. Kutheni uzimisele ‘ukuthwala isiqhamo unyamezele’?

¹⁸ Ukuba siyaqhubeka ‘singaziphumzi izandla zethu’ ekuhlwayeleni imbewu yoBukumkani, sixhasa umsebenzi obalulekileyo wokushumayela “kuzo zonke iintlanga.” (Mat. 24:14) Eyona nto isivuyisayo kukwazi ukuba sivuyisa uYehova, kuba yena uthanda bonke abantu ‘abathwala isiqhamo benyamezele’!