4—Ipentekoste

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 2:1-39]

Ngexesha abafundi babebuya kwintaba yeMinquma besiya eYerusalem, abantu babakhangela, belindele ukubona ubuhlungu, ukuphazamiseka, nokoyiswa; kodwa babona ulonwabo nokoyisa. Ngeli xesha abafundi babengakhali ngenxa yokudaniswa kwamathemba abo. Babembonile uMsindisi owavukayo, aye amazwi edinga lokuhamba kwaKhe enkenteza njalo ezindlebeni zabo.IZ 35.1

Ngokuthobela umyalelo kaKristu, balindela eYerusalem idinga likaYise — ukuthululwa kukaMoya. Abazange balinde bengenzi nto. Ingxelo ithi bamana “behleli etempileni, bedumisa, bebonga uThixo.” Luka 24:53. Babekwahlangana ukuba banyusele kuBawo izicelo zabo ngegama likaYesu. Babesazi ukuba banoMmeli ezulwini, iGqwetha elikhulu lenkundla etroneni kaThixo. Ngentlonelo nesidima bathoba bathandaza, bephinda-phinda isiqinisekiso esithi, “Zonke izinto enithe nazicela kuBawo egameni lam; woninika. Kude kwaba ngokunje, anikaceli nto egameni lam; celani, niya kwamkela, ukuze uvuyo lwenu luzaliseke.” Yohane16:23, 24.IZ 35.2

Basiphakamisela phezulu ngakumbi nangakumbi isandla sokholo benkqangaza bethetha ngoKristu owafayo, “ngaphezu koko ke, wabuya wavuka; ongasekunene kukaThixo, osithethelelayo” Roma 8:34.IZ 36.1

Ngexesha abafundi babelindele ukuzaliseka kwesithembiso, bazithoba iintliziyo zabo benenguquko yenene nokuvuma ukungakholwa kwabo. Baya bawakhumbula amazwi awawathethayo uKristu ngaphambi kokufa kwaKhe, bayiqonda ngokupheleleyo intsingiselo yawo. Iinyaniso ezazidlula zemka kwiinkumbulo zabo, zabuyela kwakhona ezingqondweni zabo, baza bakhumbuzana ezo zinto. Bathethisana ngokungamqondi kakuhle kwabo uMsindisi. Baba ngumngcelele, umbono emva kombono, ukudlula phambi kwabo ubomi baKhe obumangalisayo. Bathi xa becamngca ngobomi baKhe obunyulu nobungcwele, baqonda ukuba awukho umsebenzi onokuba nzima kakhulu, kungekho mbingelelo unokuba mkhulu kakhulu, ukuba nje bebenokungqina ngobomi babo kubuhle besimilo sikaKristu. Bacinga bathi, ukubanje bebenokuphinda baphile iminyaka emithathu edlulileyo, ingaba bebeya kwenza ntoni! Ukuba bebengayibona kwakhona iNkosi yabo, bebenganyaniseka kangakanani ukubonisa indlela abayithanda ngayo, nokuba babuhlungu kangakanani ngokuyenza buhlungu ngelizwi okanye ngesenzo sokungakholwa! Into eyabathuthuzelayo yeyokuba babesazi ukuba baxolelwa. Baya bazimisela ukuba baya kukubuyekeza ukungakholwa kwabo ngokumvuma ngesibindi phambi kwehlabathi.IZ 36.2

Abafundi bathandaza ngokuzimisela okukhulu ukuba bakulungele ukuhlangana nabantu nokuba, ekuthetheni kwabo nabo (abantu) imihla ngemihla, bathethe amazwi aya kukhokelela aboni kuKristu. Bathi bakuba bekubeke kude ukungavani phakathi kwabo, nako konke ukufuna izikhundla eziphezulu, basondelelana kubudlelwane bobuKristu. Basondela ngakumbi nangakumbi kuThixo, baza bathi ekwenzeni kwabo oku, baliqonda ilungelo ababenalo ngokuvunyelwa ukuba babe nonxulumano olukhulu noKristu. Bazaliswa bubuhlungu ezintliziyweni bakucinga ukuba bamenza buhlungu kangakanani ngokuthatha kwabo ithuba ukuqonda, nokusilela kwabo ukuziqonda izifundo zokulungelwa kwabo, awayezama ukubafundisa zona.IZ 37.1

Le mihla yokulungiselela yayiyimihla yokuhlolisisa okunzulu kwentliziyo. Abafundi bayiva imfuno yabo yasemoyeni baza bakhala eNkosini befuna uMoya Oyingcwele owayeza kubenza bawufanele umsebenzi wokusindisa umphefumlo. Abazange banele kukucelela iziqu zabo iintsikelelo. Babesiva ubunzima bomthwalo wokusindiswa kwemiphefumlo. Baqaphela ukuba igospile kufuneka isiwe ehlabathini, baza bawabanga amandla awawathembisayo uKristu.IZ 37.2

Ngexesha lamanyange impembelelo kaMoya Oyingcwele yayityhilwa ngendlela ebonakalayo, kodwa ingeyiyo indlela epheleleyo. Ngoku, ngokuthobela ilizwi loMsindisi, abafundi basithandazela esi sipho, waza wathi esezulwini, uKristu wongeza okwaKhe ukubamela. Wasibanga isipho sikaMoya, ukuze asithulule phezu kwabantu baKhe.IZ 37.3

“Ke kaloku, ekuzalisekeni kwawo umhla wePentekoste, baye bonke bemxhelo mnye ndaweni nye. Kwaza ngequbuliso kwaphuma ezulwini isandi esinjengesomoya ovuthuza ngamandla sayizalisa indlu yonke ababehleli kuyo.”IZ 37.4

UMoya wehla phezu kwabafundi abalindileyo nabathandazayo ngamandla awafikelela kuyo yonke intliziyo. Lowo ongunaphakade wazityhila esemandleni ebandleni laKhe. Kwakhangeleka ngathi kudala kakhulu yabanjwayo le mpembelelo, kodwa ngoku izulu lavuya kukukwazi ukuthulula phezu kwebandla ubutyebi bobabalo lukaMoya. Phantsi kwempembelelo kaMoya, kwathi kwahlangana amazwi okuguquka nokuvunywa kwezono. Kwavakala amazwi okubonga nawokuprofeta. Izulu lonke lathoba ukuba libone libabaze ubulumko obungenamlinganiselo, nothando olungenakuqondwa. Bathi bemangalisiwe abafundi, badanduluka besithi, “Lulo olu uthando!” Basibamba isipho abasinikwayo. Yintoni eyalandelayo? Ikrele likaMoya, lilolwe ngokutsha ngamandla, lambathiswe ngemibane yasezulwini, lakuhlabanisela ukungakholwa. Kwaguqulwa amawaka ngemini enye.IZ 38.1

“Kunilungele ukuba ndimke,” wayetshilo uYesu kubafundi baKhe; “kuba, ndingemkanga, uMthetheleli akayi kuza kuni; ke, ndithe ndemka, ndiya kumthumela kuni.” “Xa ke athe wafika yena uMoya wenyaniso, uya kunikhokelela kuyo yonke inyaniso; kuba engayi kuthetha okuphuma kuye, uya kuthetha izinto athe waziva, anibikele izinto ezizayo.” Yohane 16:7, 13.IZ 38.2

Ukunyukela kukaYesu ezulwini, kwakusalatha ukuba abalandeli baKhe baya kuyamkela intsikelelo ethenjisiweyo. Yinto le ekwakufuneka bayilindele phambi kokuba bangene emsebenzini wabo. Wathi akungena kumasango ezulu, uKristu wahlaliswa etroneni phakathi kweengelosi ezazimdumisa. Wathi wakugqitywa lo msitho, uMoya Oyingcwele wehla phezu kwabafundi ngemisinga emikhulu, wazukiswa ngokwenene uKristu ngozuko awayenalo noYise kususela ephakadeni. Ukuthululwa kwePentekoste yayiyindlela yokwazisa ngokufezwa komsebenzi wokubekwa koMsindisi. Wamthumela uMoya Oyingcwele kubalandeli baKhe ngokwesithembiso saKhe, ephuma ezulwini njengophawu lokuba, njengombingeleli nokumkani, ulinikiwe lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni, nokuba Othunyiweyo wathanjiswa ukuba abe phezu kwabantu baKhe.IZ 38.3

“Kwabonakala kubo iilwimi ezabekayo, ngathi zezomlilo, lwa-olo lwahlala phezu kwabo bonke ngabanye. Bazaliswa bonke nguMoya Oyingcwele, baqala ukuthetha ngalwimi zimbi, njengoko uMoya wayebanika ukuba bathethe baphimisele.” UMoya Oyingcwele, ekwimo yeelwimi zomlilo, wahlala phezu kwabo babehlangene. Olu yayiluphawu lwesipho esasinikwa abafundi, esenza ukuba bakwazi ukuthetha ngokulula iilwimi ababengazange baqhelana nazo. Ukubonakala komlilo kwakubonakalisa ubushushu ababeza kusebenza ngabo abapostile kunye namandla ababeza kuba nawo awayeza kubakhapha emsebenzini wabo.IZ 39.1

“Ke kaloku kwakumi eYerusalem apho amaYuda, amadoda awoyika uThixo, evela kuzo zonke iintlanga eziphantsi kwezulu.” Ngexesha lenkcithakalo, amaYuda asasazeka phantse kulo lonke elimiweyo, aza ekuphambukeleni kwawo emazweni anyanzeleka ukuba afunde ukuthetha iilwimi ezahlukeneyo. Amaninzi kula maYuda ayeseYerusalem ngexesha lesi siganeko, kuba ayeze kwimisitho yenkolo eyayiqhubeka. Abo babehlangene babephuma kuzo zonke iilwimi ezaziwayo. Oku kwahlukana kweelwimi kwakuya kuba yingxaki ekuvakalisweni kwegospile; uThixo, ke ngoko, waba necebo elimangalisayo ukwanelisa le ntswelo kubapostile. UMoya Oyingcwele wabenzela oko babengenako ukukwenza bonke ubomi babo. Ngoku bakwazi ukuzivakalisa iinyaniso zegospile ngaphandle kwemida yabo, bethetha ngokuthe gca iilwimi zabo bantu babe basebenzela. Esi sipho singummangaliso sasibubungqina obubambekayo ehlabathini bokuba, oko bakuthunyiweyo, kwakunetywina leZulu. Ukususela ngeli xesha, ulwimi lwabafundi lwalunyulu, luqondakala, lungenasiphako, nokuba lolokuzalwa okanye lulolwasemzini.IZ 39.2

“Sithe ke sakubakho esi sandi, yabuthelana inkitha, yadanduluka, ngokuba bonke ngabanye babebeva bona bethetha ngezakomawabo iintetho. Bathi nqa ke bonke, bamangaliswa, wathi omnye komnye, Kanene aba bonke bathethayo asingamaGalili na? Kutheni na ke ukuba sibeve nje sonke ngabanye bethetha ngezakomawethu iintetho, esazalelwa kuzo?IZ 40.1

Ababingeleli nabalawuli bacaphuka kakhulu sesi sibonakaliso singummangaliso, kodwa abazange bafune ukuyibonakalisa ingqumbo yabo, kuba babesoyika ukuba sesichengeni sokuhlaselwa ngabantu. Babembulele umNazarete; kodwa ngoku bajongene nabakhonzi baKhe, amadoda angamaGalili angafundanga, ebalisa ngazo zonke iilwimi ezithethwayo ibali lobomi kunye nomsebenzi waKhe. Ababingeleli bazama ukuwachaza amandla abafundi ngendlela elula ewasingela phantsi, besithi abafundi banxilile kuba besele kakhulu iwayini eyayilungiselwe isidlo. Abanye babantu abangenalwazi bakwamkela oku njengenyaniso, kodwa bona abanobulumko baqonda kakuhle ukuba bubuxoki; kanti bona abaziqondayo iilwimi ezahlukeneyo babungqina ubuchule beelwimi ezazisetyenziswa ngabafundi.IZ 40.2

Ukuphendula kwisityholo sababingeleli, uPetros waveza ukuba esi sibonakaliso sasikukuzaliseka okutsolileyo kwesiprofeto sikaYoweli, apho waxela ngenx’ engaphambili ukuba amandla anjalo aya kufika ebantwini ukuze balungele ukwenza umsebenzi okhethekileyo. “Madoda, maYuda, nani nonke nimiyo eYerusalem,” watsho, “makwazeke oku kuni, niwabekele iindlebe amazwi am. Aba abanxilile, njengoko nina niba kunjalo, kuba kuselilixa lesithathu lemini. Oku koko kuthethiweyo ngomprofeti uYoweli, kwathiwa: Kuya kuthi ngayo imihla yokugqibela, utsho uThixo, ndimthulule uMoya wam phezu kwayo yonke inyama, baprofete oonyana benu neentombi zenu, athi amadodana enu abone imibono, namadoda enu amakhulu aphuphe amaphupha; Ewe ndaye, phezu kwabakhonzi bam, naphezu kwabakhonzazana bam, ngaloo mihla ndiya kumthulula uMoya wam, baprofete.”IZ 41.1

UPetros wathi ngokuphandle nangamandla wangqina ngokufa nokuvuka kukaKristu: “Madoda, maIsrayeli, waveni la mazwi: UYesu waseNazarete, indoda eqondakalisiweyo nguThixo kuni ngemisebenzi yamandla, nangezimanga, nangemiqondiso, awayenzayo uThixo ngayo phakathi kwenu, njengokuba nisazi nani ngokwenu: yena lowo . . . namthabatha ngezandla zabachasene nomthetho, nambethelela emnqamlezweni, namsika; athe uThixo wamvusa, eyikhulule inimba yokufa; ngokokuba ebengenako ukubanjwa kuko.”IZ 41.2

UPetros akazange abhekise kwiimfundiso zikaKristu ukuqinisekisa into ayithethayo, kuba wayesazi ukuba ikratshi labo bamphulaphuleyo laliphakame kangangokuba amazwi akhe kulo mba awangeze abe negalelo. Endaweni yoko wathetha nabo ngoDavide, owayethathwa njengomnye wamanyange ohlanga lwabo. Wathi, “Kuba uDavide uthi, esingisele kuye, ndahlala ndiyibona iNkosi phambi kwamehlo am, ngokuba ingasekunene kwam, ukuze ndingashukunyiswa. Ngenxa yoko intliziyo yam yaba nemihlali, lwagcoba ulwimi lwam; ngaphezu koko ke nenyama yam iya kuphumla inethemba; ngokuba akuyi kuwushiya umphefumlo wam kwelabafileyo. Kananjalo akuyi kumnikela Oyingcwele wakho ekuboneni ukubola. . . .IZ 41.3

“Madoda, bazalwana, mandivunyelwe ndithethe kuni ngokuphandle ngomawokhulu uDavide, ukuba wafa wangcwatywa; nengcwaba lakhe likho phakathi kwethu unanamhla. . . . Wathetha ngako ukuvuka kukaKristu, ukuba umphefumlo wakhe ungashiywanga kwelabafileyo nenyama yakhe ingabonanga kubola. UThixo wamvusa lo Yesu, esingamangqina ako oko thina sonke.”IZ 42.1

Umboniso wawungonomdla kakhulu. Yiba nombono wabantu bevela kwiinkalo zonke bezokuphulaphula abafundi bengqina inyaniso njengoko injalo kuYesu. Bayagxalathelana bexinanisana etempileni. Balapha ababingeleli nabalawuli, ukujama kwabo okutyhila ubumnyama benkohlakalo busabhalwe ebusweni babo, iintliziyo zabo zisazaliswe yintiyo ngakuKristu, izandla zabo zisaxhaphe igazi elaphalala xa babe bethelela emnqamlezweni umHlawuleli wehlabathi. Babelindele ukubafumana abapostile begobe iminqonqo besindwa luloyiko phantsi kwesandla esomeleleyo sengcinezelo nokubulawa, kodwa basuka babafumana bengaphaya kwako konke ukoyika, bezaliswe nguMoya, bevakalisa ngamandla ubungcwele bukaYesu waseNazarete. Babeva bevakalisa ngokungafihlisi ukuba Lowo ebegculelwe, wahlaziswa, watyakatywa ngezandla ezikhohlakeleyo, uliTshawe lobomi, ngoku elihleli ngasekunene kukaThixo.IZ 42.2

Abanye babo babebaphulaphule abapostile babenenxaxheba ekugwetyweni nasekufeni kukaKristu. Amazwi abo ayephakathi kwendimbane eyayisithi makabethelelwe. Ngexesha uYesu noBharabhas babemi phambi kwabo enkundleni yamatyala, uPilato ebuza esithi, “Nithanda ukuba ndinikhululele wuphi na?” bakhwaza besithi, “Mayingabi ngulo, mayibe nguBharabhas!” Mateyu 27:17; Yohane 18:40. Wathi uPilato akumnikela kubo esithi, “Mthabatheni nina, nimbethelele emnqamlezweni; kuba mna andifumani tyala kuye;” “Andinatyala egazini lalo mntu ulilungisa,” bankqangaza besithi, “Igazi lakhe malibe phezu kwethu, naphezu kwabantwana bethu.” Yohane 19:6; Mateyu 27:24, 25.IZ 42.3

Ngoku babeva abafundi besithi lo yayinguNyana kaThixo owabethelelwayo. Ababingeleli nabalawuli bangcangcazela. Ukoyisakala nobuhlungu kwabathi hlasi abantu. “Bahlabeka entliziyweni, bathi kuPetros nakwabanye abapostile, Madoda, bazalwana sithini na?” Phakathi kwabo babephulaphule abafundi kwakukho amaYuda amthandayo uThixo, awayenyanisekile enkolweni yawo. Amandla awayekhapha amazwi othethayo awoyisela ekuthini, ngokwenene uYesu wayenguMesiya.IZ 43.1

“Uthe ke uPetros kubo, Guqukani nibhaptizwe nonke ngabanye egameni likaYesu Kristu, ukuze nixolelwe izono, namkele isipho soMoya Oyingcwele. Kuba idinga likuni, nakubantwana benu, nakubo bonke abakude, esukuba iNkosi uThixo wethu iya kubabiza.”IZ 43.2

UPetros wayibethelela yazika ezingqondweni zabamameleyo ukuba bamala uKristu kuba babekhohliswe ngababingeleli nabalawuli; nokuthi, ukuba bangaqhubeka bekhangele icebo kwaba bantu, baze balindele ukuba bamvume uKristu ngaphambi kokuba bona bakwenze oko, abasayi kuze bamamkele uKristu. La madoda anamandla, nangona athi anobuThixo, ayebawela ubutyebi basemhlabeni nokuzukiswa lihlabathi. Ayengenayo intumekelelo yokuza kuKristu ukuze amkele ukukhanya.IZ 43.3

Phantsi kwempembelelo yoku kukhanya kwasezulwini, iziBhalo ezazichazwa nguYesu kubafundi zema phambi kwabo zinokubengezela kwenyaniso efezekileyo. Isigqubuthelo esasibasithile ukuba bangasiboni isiphelo soko kwabhangiswayo sasisusiwe baza bayiqonda ngokukhanya okugqibeleleyo injongo yomsebenzi kaKristu kunye nobume bobukumkani baKhe. Bakwazi ukuthetha ngegunya ngoMsindisi; bathi naxa becombululela abaphulaphuli babo icebo losindiso, baba baninzi aboyiswayo bakholwa. Izithethe neenkolo ezazifakwe ngababingeleli zatshayelwa zaphela ezingqondwaeni zabo, kwaza kwamkelwa iimfundiso zoMsindisi.IZ 44.1

“Bathe ke ngoko, abalamkele ilizwi lakhe ngovuyo, babhaptizwa; kongezelelwa ngaloo mini imiphefumlo engathi imawaka mathathu.”IZ 44.2

Iinkokeli zamaYuda zazicinga ukuba umsebenzi kaKristu uya kuphela ngokufa kwaKhe; kodwa endaweni yoko zabona imimangaliso yomhla wePentekoste. Zabeva abafundi, bezaliswe ngamandla angazange aziwa anjalo kude kube lelo xesha, beshumayela uKristu, amazwi abo eqinisekiswa yimiqondiso nezimanga. EYerusalem, elona ziko lobuYuda, amawaka aluvuma ekuhleni ukholo lwawo kuYesu waseNazarete njengoMesiya.IZ 44.3

Abafundi bothuka, bazaliswa luvuyo bubukhulu besivuno semiphefumlo. Abazange basithathe esi sivuno simangalisayo njengesiphumosemizamoyabo;baqonda ukuba bakhele kwimisebenzi yabanye abantu. Kususela ekuweni kuka-Adam, uKristu ube enika abakhonzi abakhethiweyo imbewu yeLizwi laKhe, ukuba ihlwayelwe ezintliziyweni zabantu. Ngexesha lokuphila kwaKhe emhlabeni, wayehlwayele imbewu yenyaniso wankcenkceshela ngegazi laKhe. Ukuguquka kwabaninzi ngomhla wePentekoste kwakusisiphumo soku kuhlwayela, isivuno somsebenzi kaKristu, sityhila amandla emfundiso yaKhe.IZ 44.4

Iingxoxo zabapostile, nangona zazicacile ziqinisekile, zazingenakho ukulisusa ikratshi elaxhathisa kubungqina obungako. UMoya Oyingcwele yena, wazibethelela ezo ngxoxo ezintliziyweni ngamandla asezulwini. Amazwi abapostile abukhali ngokweentolo zikaSomandla, abafumana abantu benetyala elikhulu ngokwala nokubethelela emnqamlezweni iNkosi yozuko.IZ 45.1

Phantsi koqeqesho lukaKristu, abafundi barholelwa ekubeni bakuqonde ukuswela kwabo uMoya. Phantsi kwemfundiso kaMoya, bakufumana ukuqatyeliswa kokugqibela, baza baphuma baya kwenza umsebenzi wabo bonke ubomi babo. Babengasengabo abantu abangafundanga nabangaqeqeshekanga kakuhle. Babengaseyiyo ingqokelela yabantu abazimele geqe elowo eyedwa okanye bengahlangani, bephixana. Babengasenawo amathemba ajongene nobukhulu basemhlabeni. Baye “bemxhelo mnye,” be“ntliziyo-nye [be]mphefumlo mnye” Zenzo 2:46; 4:32. Iingcinga zabo zazizaliswe nguKristu; eyona njongo yabo ikukuhambisela phambili ubukumkani baKhe. Ngengqondo nesimilo sabo bafana neseNkosi yabo, nabantu “babaqonda ukuba babenaye uYesu.” Zenzo 4:13.IZ 45.2

IPentekoste yabaphathela ukukhanya kwasezulwini. Iinyaniso ababengaziqondi ngexesha uKristu wayenabo ngoku zatyhileka. Ngokholo nengqiniseko abangazange baba nayo ngaphambili, bazamkela iimfundiso zeLizwi eliNgcwele. Kubo, kwakungasekuko ukukholwa nje ukuba uKristu wayengunyana kaThixo. Babesazi ukuba, nangona wayenxibe ingubo yobuntu, wayenguMesiya ngokwenene, baza bawaxela amava abo ehlabathini ngesibindi esabonisa ukuba uThixo wayenabo.IZ 45.3

Bathetha ngegama likaYesu beqinisekile; asithi kaloku wayenguMhlobo noMkhuluwa wabo? Bathi ngokusoloko bethetha naYe uKristu, bahlala naYe kwezasezulwini iindawo. Athi ubushushu bolwimi lwabo xa bebeka iingcamango zabo bengqina ngaYe! Iintliziyo zabo zazingxashwe zagcwala kukwenza okulungileyo ngokupheleleyo, ngokunzulu nokufikelela kude, kangangokuba kwabanyanzela ukuba baye eziphelweni zomhlaba, bengqina ngamandla kaKristu. Babezaliswe lulangazelelo olunzulu lokuhambisela phambili umsebenzi awawuqalayo. Babuqaphela ubukhulu betyala labo ezulwini, noxanduva lomsebenzi wabo. Bathi bomelele kukuzaliswa nguMoya Oyingcwele, baphuma, bezele kukutshiseka, balusasaza udaba loloyiso lomnqamlezo. UMoya wabavuselela wathetha ngabo. Uxolo lukaKristu lwabonakala ebusweni babo. Ubomi babo babe bunikele ekumsebenzeleni, yaza nembonakalo yeempawu zabo yakungqina ukuzinikela abakwenzayo.IZ 46.1