[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuLuka 17:20-22.]
Abanye babaFarisi beza kuYesu bafuna ukwazi ukuba “ubukumkani bukaThixo buya kufika nini na.” Kwakuse kudlule ngaphezu kweminyaka emithathu ukusuka ekubeni uYohane umBhaptizi wanika isigidimi esathi, njengexilongo, savakala kulo lonke ilizwe, sisithi, “Ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.” Mat. 3:2. Kanti ke, kude kwangoku, aba baFarisi bengaboni nto ibonakalalisa ukumiselwa kobukumkani. Abaninzi kwabo bamalayo uYohane, baza bathi kwinyathelo ngalinye bamchasa uYesu, babenika ingqondo yokuba umsebenzi awuzeleyo uwe phantsi. ULw 506.1
UYesu waphendula, “Ubukumkani bukaThixo abufiki bunokulolongeka. Kanjalo akuyi kuthiwa, Nabu apha! Nabuya phaya! Kuba, yabonani ubukumkani bukaThixo bungaphakathi kwenu.” Ubukumkani bukaThixo buqala entliziyweni. Musani ukukukhangela apha okanye phaya ukubonakalaliswa kwamandla asemhlabeni ukuphawula ukufika kwabo. ULw 506.2
“Kuya kufika imihla,” watsho, ebheka kubafundi baKhe, “eniya kunqwenela ngayo ukuwubona noko umnye umhla woNyana woMntu, ningawuboni.” Kuba bungenayo imivuyo yehlabathi, nisengozini yokungabuqondi ubuqaqawuli bomsebenzi endiwuzeleyo. Anibuqondi ubukhulu belungelo lokuba nithi phakathi kwenu, nangona kusithelisiwe eluntwini, nibe naLowo ububomi nokukhanya kwabantu. Imihla iyeza eniya kuthi nikhangele ngasemva ngeentliziyo ezinqwenelayo amathuba eninawo ngoku okuhamba nokuthetha noNyana kaThixo. ULw 506.3
Ngenxa yokucingangokulungelwakwabo,nokuthanda kwabo ithabathi, nabafundi bakaYesu abazange babuqonde ubuqaqawuli basemoyeni [Yesu] awayezama ukubutyhila kubo. Kwada kwaba semva kokuba enyukile waya kuYise, nasekuthululweni kukaMoya Oyingcwele phezu kwamakholwa, abathi abafundi bakuqonda ngokupheleleyo ubume nomsebenzi woMsindisi. Emva kokuba bebhaptizwe ngoMoya, baqala ukuqonda ukuba babe kunye neNkosi yozuko. Zathi xa zifika kwiinkumbulo zabo iintetho zikaKristu, iingqondo zabo zavuleka ukuba ziziqonde iziprofeto, nokuba bayiqonde imimangaliso awayeyenza. Imimangaliso yobomi baKhe yadlula phambi kwabo, bangathi ngabantu abavuswe ephupheni. Baqonda ukuba “ULizwi waba yinyama, wahlala phakathi kwethu, sabubona ubuqaqawuli bakhe, ubuqaqawuli kanye bowokuphela kwamzeleyo uYise, ezele lubabalo nayinyaniso.” Yohane 1:14. Kanti ke uKristu wayeze evela kuThixo kwilizwe elinesono ukuba asindise oonyana neentombi, abantwana baka-Adam, abawileyo. Bathi abafundi bakuzikhangela, bazibona ngokungathi ababalulekanga kakhulu kunokuba babenjalo phambi kokuba bakuqonde oku. Abazanga badinwa kukuwaphindaphinda amazwi nemisebenzi yaKhe. Izifundo zaKhe, ababesoloko beziqonda mfiliba, ngoku zeza kubo zisisityhilelo esitsha. IziBhalo kubo zasuka zaba yincwadi entsha. ULw 507.1
Bathi abafundi bakuziphengulula iziprofeto ezazingqina ngoKristu, bafikelela kulwalamano noThixo, baza bafunda kuLowo wehlayo ezulwini ukuba awufeze umsebenzi awayewuqalise emhlabeni. Baba nokuyiqaphela into yokuba, kuYe kwakuhleli ukwazi ekungekho mntu, ongathanga ancedwe sisenzeleli sezulu, onako ukuziqonda. Babedinga uncedo lwaLowo ookumkani, abaprofeti, nabantu abangamalungisa bathetha ngaYe kwangaphambili. Bathi bekhwankqiswe ngendlela emangalisayo, bazifunda beziphindaphinda iziprofeto ezicacisa ngendlela awayeza kuba yiyo kwakunye nomsebenzi waKhe. Indlela abaziqonda ngayo iziBhalo zesiprofeto! Indlela ababecotha ngayo ekwamkeleni iinyaniso ezinkulu ezazingqina ngoKristu! Xa bebekhangela indlela yokuthotyelwa phantsi kwaKhe, njengoko wayehambahamba phakathi kwabantu, babengazanga bayiqonda imeko yokuzalwa kwaKhe ngokwasenyameni okuyimfihlelo, imilo zaKhe ezimbini. Amehlo abo [engqiqo] ayevalekile ukuze bangabuqondi ngokupheleleyo ubuThixo obusebuntwini. Kwathi kodwa emva kokuba bekhanyiselwe nguMoya Oyingcwele, indlela abalangazelela ngayo ukuphinda bambone, ukuze baziphose ezinyaweni zaKhe! Indlela abanqwenela ngayo ukuba bangeza kuYe, bamcele ukuba abachazele iziBhalo ababengakwazi ukuziqonda! Indlela ababeya kuwaphulaphula ngenzondelelo amazwi aKhe! Wayethetha ukuthini uKristu xa wayesithi, “Ndisenezinto ezininzi zokuthetha kuni, kodwa aninako ukuzithwala ngoku”?Yohane 16:12. Indlelaababenenzondelelongayoukwazi konkeoko! Baba buhlungukubaukholo lwabolwasuka lwaphelelwa ngamandla kakhulu, kangangokuba iingcinga zabo zazikude kakhulu emxholweni, baza basilela kakhulu kangako ukuyiqonda eyona meko eyayiyinyaniso. ULw 507.2
Umanduleli wayethunyiwe evela kuThixo ukuba avakalise ukuza kukaKristu, abizele iingqondo zesizwe sakwaYuda kunye nezehlabathi kumsebenzi awuzelayo, uKristu, ukuze abantu bakulungele ukumamkela. Umntu omangalisayo, awavakalisa ngaye uYohane, wayephakathi kwabo ngaphezu kwamashumi amathathu eminyaka, kodwa abazange bamazi ngokwenene njengaLowo wayethunyelwe evela kuThixo. Abafundi baba nokuzisola kuba bavumela ukungakholwa okwakugquba ukuba kuphembelele iingcinga zabo, bumfamekise ingqiqo yabo. UKhanyiso lweli hlabathi lisebumnyameni lwalubengezela phakathi kobumnyama balo, kodwa basilela ukuluqonda apho iphuma khona imitha yalo. Bazibuza ukuba kwakutheni ukuze balandele ikhondo elenza ukuba kunyanzeleke ukuba uKristu abathethise. Bahlala beziphindaphinda iincoko zaKhe, bathi, Bekutheni ukuze sivumele ukuthanda okwasemhlabeni nenkcaso yababingeleli nabafundisi ukuba ezo zinto ziphazamise izivo zethu, ukuze zingabinako ukumqonda ukuba Lowo umkhulu kunoMoses ube ephakathi kwethu, nokuba Lowo ulumke ngaphezu kukaSolomon wayesifundisa? Indlela ezaba nobuthulu ngayo iindlebe zethu! indlela eyabamfutshane ngayo ingqiqo yethu! ULw 508.1
Yena uTomas akazange akholwe wada wafaka umnwe wakhe enxebeni elalenziwe ngamasoldati amaRoma. UPetros wamkhanyela ekuthotyelweni phantsi nasekwaliweni kwaKhe. Ezi nkumbulo zibuhlungu zafika zathi gca phambi kwabo. Babe kunye naYe, kodwa abazange bamazi okanye bamxabise. Yaba nkulu indlela ezazichukumisa ngayo iintliziyo zabo xa bekuqonda ukungakholwa kwabo! ULw 508.2
Ababingeleli nabaphathi, bahlangana ukuba babachase, baza baziswa phambi kwamaqumrhu, baphoswa entolongweni, abalandeli bakaKristu bavuya “ngokuba kuthiwe bakufanele ukuhlaziswa ngenxa yegama lakhe.” IZenzo 5:41. Bavuya, kuba bebonise phambi kwabantu neengelosi, ukuba babuqonda ubuqaqawuli bukaKristu, baza bakhetha ukumlandela, bekulungele ukulahlekwa zizinto zonke. ULw 508.3
Kunjalo nangoku, njengakwimihla yabapostile, ukuba, ngaphandle kwenkanyiselo kaMoya wezulu, uluntu alungeke lubuqonde ubuqaqawuli bukaKristu. Inyaniso nomsebenzi kaThixo zizinto ezingeke zixatyiswe bubuKristu obuthanda ihlabathi noluthoba ucingo ngokuyekelela. Akukho kwiindlela zolonwabo, kungekho ekuphakanyisweni kwasemhlabeni, okanye ekuvumelaneni nehlabathi, apho bafunyanwa khona abalandeli beNkosi. Baphambili kakhulu, ezindleleni zokusebenza nzima, ekuthotyelweni phantsi, ekulweni “namagunya, nazo iziphatha-hlabathi zobumnyama balo eli phakade, nayo imikhosi yomoyaabakhohlakeleyokwezasezulwiniiindawo.” Efese 6:12.Ngoku,njengemihla kaKristu, baqondwangendlela engeyiyo, bagculelwe, bacinezelwe ngababingeleli nabaFarisi bexesha labo. ULw 508.4
Ubukumkani bukaThixo buza bungenabumbetshembetshe. Iindaba ezilungileyo zobabalo lukaThixo, zinomoya wazo wokuzincama, azingeze zihambelane nomoya wehlabathi. Le mithetho-siseko mibini ichasene. “Owemvelo ke umntu akazamkeli izinto zoMoya kaThixo; kuba zibubudenge kuye; kanjalo akanakuzazi, ngokuba ziphicothwa ngokoMoya.” 1 Kor. 2:14. ULw 509.1
Namhlanje, kwilizwe lenkolo, kukho izihlwele, ngokukholwa kwazo, ezisebenzela ukumisela ubukumkani bukaKristu ngokobukumkani basemhlabeni nobexeshana. Zilangazelela ukuyenza iNkosi yethu umlawuli wezikumkani zomhlaba, umlawuli weenkundla namaqela, amagumbi owiso-mithetho, neendawo zorhwebo. Zilindele ukuba alawule ukugqitywa kwemithetho, enyanzelwa ngamagunya abantu. Njengokuba engekho buqu apha ngoku uKristu, bona ngokwabo baza kusebenza endaweni yaKhe, benze imithetho yobukumkani baKhe. Ukumisela ubukumkani obunjalo yinto eyayifunwa ngamaYuda ngemihla kaKristu. Ayeza kumamkela uYesu, ukuba wayekulungele ukumisa ubukumkani basemhlabeni, ukunyanzelisa imithetho awayesithi yimithetho kaThixo, nokuba awenze wona abe ngabachazi bentando yaKhe nabathunywa begunya laKhe. Yena wasuka wathi, “Ubukumkani bam asibubo obeli hlabathi.” Yohane 18:36. Wayengenako ukulwamkela ulawulo lwasemhlabeni. ULw 509.2
Ulawulo awayephila phantsi kwalo uYesu lwalukhohlakele lungengcinezelo; kuyo yonke indawo kwakuzizikhalo zempatho embi, ubuqhetseba, ukunganyamezelani, nenkohlakalo edlayo. Sekunjalo, uMsindisi akazange azame ukuza nohlaziyo lwasekuphatheni. Akazange akuhlasele ukuphatha kakubi kwesizwe, engazange azigxeke iintshaba zesizwe. Akazange aphazamisane negunya okanye ulawulo lwabo basemagunyeni. Lowo wayengumzekelo wethu wazinxwema kulawulo lwasemhlabeni. Kwakungengakuba wayengakhathali zizililo zabantu, kodwa kungokuba umathunga wayengekho kumanyathelo nje obuntu nabonakala ngaphandle. Ukuze abenempumelelo, kufuneka ukuba umathunga afikelele kumntu ngamnye, adale ngokutsha intliziyo. ULw 509.3
Akungazigqibo zeenkundla zamatyala, okanye ngamaqumrhu okanye ngemihlangano yowisomthetho, kungekuko nokuxhaswa ngamadoda amakhulu ehlabathi, ekuthi kumiselwe ubukumkani bukaKristu, kodwa kungokutyalwa kwemvelo kaKristu eluntwini ngokusebenza kukaMoya Oyingcwele. “Ke bonke abamamkelayo wabanika igunya lokuba babe ngabantwana bakaThixo, abo ke bakholwayo kwigama lakhe; abangazalwanga ngagazi, nangakuthanda kwanyama, ngakuthanda kwandoda;bazalwa nguThixo.” Yohane 1:12, 13.Alaphaamandla ekuphela kwawo akwaziyo ukusebenza ukuphakamisa uluntu. Kunjalo nje, kwisenzeleli esingumntu isixhobo sokukwazi ukuwufeza lo msebenzi, kukulifundisa nokulenza ilizwi likaThixo. ULw 509.4
Ngexesha umpostile uPawulos wayeqala umsebenzi wakhe eKorinte, eso sixeko sasizele ngabantu, sinobutyebi nesikhohlakeleyo, singcoliswe nabububi bobuhedeni ekunzima nokubukhankanya, wathi, “Ndagqiba kwelokuba ndingazi nto phakathi kwenu, ingenguYesu Kristu, naye ke ebethelelwe emnqamlezweni.” 1 Kor. 2:2. Emva koko, ebhalela abo baya bonakaliswa zezona zono zibi, wakwazi ukuthi, “Kuloko nahlanjululwayo, kuloko nangcwaliswayo, kuloko nagwetyelwayo egameni leNkosi uYesu, nangoMoya kaThixo wethu.” “Ndihlala ndibulela kuye uThixo wam ngani, ngenxa yobabalo lukaThixo, awanibabala ngalo nikuKristu Yesu.” 1 Kor. 6:11; 1:4. ULw 510.1
Ngoku, njengakwimihla kaKristu, umsebenzi wobukumkani bukaThixo awulele kwabo bakhalela ukwaziwa nokuxhaswa zizilawuli nemithetho yomhlaba, kodwa kwabo bavakalisa ebantwini egameni laKhe ezo nyaniso zikaMoya eziya kusebenza kwabo bazamkelayo amava kaPawulos, athi: “Ndibethelelwe emnqamlezweni noKristu; ayisendim ke odla ubomi, nguKristu ke oselesidla ubomi kum” Gal. 2:20. Ngoko baya kusebenza nzima njengoko wenzayo uPawulos ukuze kuzuze abantu. Wathi, “Sizizigidimi ke ngoko ngenxa kaKristu, ngokungathi uThixo uniyala ngathi; siyanikhunga ngenxa kaKristu, manixolelaniswe naye uThixo.” 2 Kor. 5:20. ULw 510.2