9—Abadikoni Abasixhenxe

[Esi sakhluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 6:1-7]

“Ke kaloku ngaloo mihla, bakubon’ ukuba bayanda abafundi, kwabakho ukukrokra kwawesiGrike amaYuda ngakwawesiHebhere, ngokuba abahlolokazi bawo babesilele ekulungiselelweni kwemihla ngemihla.”IZ 87.1

Ibandla lakuqala lalineendidi eziliqela zabantu, bezizwe ezahlukeneyo. Ngexesha lokuthululwa kukaMoya Oyingcwele ngePentekoste, “kwakumi eYerusalem apho amaYuda, amadoda awoyika uThixo, evela kuzo zonke iintlanga eziphantsi kwezulu.” Zenzo 2:5. Phakathi kwamaHebhere okholo ayehlangene eYerusalem, kwaye kukho awaziwa ngokuthi ngawesiGrike, ekwakukho phakathi kwawo namaYuda asePalestina ukungathembani kwanokungavani okudala.IZ 87.2

Iintliziyo zalawo ayeguqukile phantsi kokusebenza kwabapostile, zazenziwe zathamba zamanyana luthando lobuKristu. Nangona kwakukho ukungabonani kakuhle kwangaphambili, bonke babevumelana ngabanye. Wayesazi uSathana ukuba, lonke ixesha obu bunye buhleli bukho, akasayi kuba nawo amandla okuthintela ukuhambela phambili kwegospile; waza wafuna ukungena ngethuba lemikhwa yendlela yokucinga yangaphambili, ngethemba lokuba ngolo hlobo angakwazi ukuveza ebandleni imbewu yokwahlukana.IZ 87.3

Kwathi ke bakwanda abafundi, utshaba lwaphumelela ukuvusa ukukrokra kwabanye ababe nawo umkhwa ngaphambili wokubakhangela ngomona abazalwana babo elukholweni nokufumana iimposiso kwiinkokeli zabo zasemoyeni, kwaza “kwabakho ukukrokra kwawesiGrike amaYuda ngakwawesiHebhere.” Unobangela wokukhalaza kwathiwa kukutyeshelwa kwabahlolokazi bamaGrike ekwabiweni kwesixhaso semihla ngemihla. Konke ukungalingani kwakuya kuba kuchasene nomoya wegospile, ukanti uSathana wayephumelele ukuvusa ukukrokra. Kufuneka ngoku kuthatyathwe amanyathelo akhawulezileyo okususa konke okwenza ukunganeliseki, hleze utshaba luphumelele kumalinge alo okuzisa iyantlukwano phakathi kwamakholwa.IZ 88.1

Abafundi bakaYesu bafikelela kwintlekele emaveni abo. Phantsi kwenkokelo enobulumko yabapostile, ababe sebenza bemanyene ngamandla kaMoya Oyingcwele, umsebenzi owawunikelwe kubathunywa bevangeli wakhula ngokukhawuleza. Ibandla laya likhula ngokukhula, kwaza oku kukhula ngobulungu kwazisa ngakumbi imithwalo enzima phezu kwabo baphetheyo. Akukho mntu (okanye iqela labantu), owaye nokuqhubeka ethwele le mithwalo eyedwa, ngaphandle kokubeka emngciphekweni impumelelo yebandla yexesha elizayo. Sabakho isidingo sokuba kongezwe ukwabiwa kwemisebenzi eyayithwelwe ngokuthembeka ngabantu abambalwa ngemihla yokuqala yebandla. Ngoku abapostile bamele bathabathe unyawo olubalulekileyo ekufezekiseni ucwangcwiso lwevangeli ebandleni ngokubeka phezu kwabanye imithwalo abebeyiphethe ukuza kufika kule ndawo.IZ 88.2

Ukubizeni intlanganiso yamakholwa, abapostile bakhokelwa nguMoya Oyingcwele ukuba bandlale icebo elingcono lokuqulunqwa kwebandla kwabo bonke abasebenzayo ebandleni. Ixesha lalifikile, ngokutsho kwabapostile, lokuba zonke iinkokeli zenkolo ezongamele ibandla, zikhululwe emsebenzini wokwabela abahluphekileyo ukuze zikwazi ukuhambisela phambili umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Baya bathi, “Khangelani ngoko, bazalwana, amadoda kuni abe sixhenxe, angqinelwe ukulunga, ezele nguMoya Oyingcwele nabubulumko, esiya kuwamisela lo msebenzi; ke thina siya kuzingisa ekuthandazeni nasekulungiseleleni ilizwi.” Lalandelwa eli cebo, kwathi ngomthandazo nokubekwa kwezandla, amadoda asixhenxe, ngendlela ezukisekileyo, abekelwa bucala umsebenzi awayeza kuwenza wokuba ngabadikoni.IZ 89.1

Ukunyulwa kwabasixhenxe ukuba bongamele omnye umsebenzi owodwa, kwabonisa intsikelelo enkulu ebandleni. Aba baphathi banika ingqwalasela ngononophelo kwiintswelo ngazinye kunye nokugcina umdla kuqoqosho lwemali yebandla, kwaza kwathi, ngobuchule babo ekulawuleni kunye nomzekelo wabo ongcwele, baluncedo olubalulekileyo kubazalwana ababephethe nabo, ekumanyeni konke okwakufunwa ngabantu ngokwahlukeneyo ebandleni, kwaba yinto enye eyimbumba.IZ 89.2

Into yokuba eli nyathelo lalihambelana nento efunwa nguThixo, yatyhileka kwiziphumo ezathi zabonakala ngokukhawuleza. “Laye liya likhula ilizwi likaThixo, liya lisanda kakhulu inanilabafundi eYerusalem; laye neqela elikhulu lababingeleli lilululamela ukholo.” Oku kungeniswa kwemiphefumlo kwabangelwa ikakhulu yinkululeko enkulu efunyenwe ngabapostile nalulangazelelo kunye namandla awabonakaliswa ngabadikoni abasixhenxe. Le nto yokuba aba bazalwana bathanjiselwa umsebenzi owodwa wokunakekela izidingo zabantu abangamahlwempu, ayizange ibabekele ecaleni kumsebenzi wokufundisa ngenkolo. Kwelinye icala, babefaneleke kakhulu ukuba bangabafundisa abanye inyaniso, baza bawenza lo msebenzi ngokuzimisela okukhulu nangempumelelo.IZ 89.3

Ibandla lokuqala laphathiswa umsebenzi owawuthe ngcembe ukhula kakuhle — owokumisa imizi yokukhanya nentsikelelo kuyo yonke indawo apho kwakukho imiphefumlo enyanisekileyo eyayinentumekelelo yokuzinikela emsebenzini kaKristu. Umsebenzi wokuvakaliswa kweendaba ezilungileyo kwakufuneka ukuba ugqibe ilizwe lonke, baye abathunywa bomnqamlezo babengenakho ukulindela ukuba bangakufeza ukuthunywa kwabo ngaphandle kokuba baqanyangelwe zintambo zobunye bobuKristu, ukuze balityhilele ihlabathi ukuba banye noKristu kuThixo. Yayingathandazanga na kuYise iNkokeli yabo engcwele isithi, “Balondoloze egameni lakho abo undinike bona, ukuze babe banye njengathi”? Akazange athi ngabafundi bakhe, “Laza ihlabathi labathiya, ngokuba bengengabo abehlabathi”? Akamcenganga na uYise esithi fukuneka ukuba “babe ngabazalisekileyo ntweni-nye,” “ukuze ihlabathi likholwe ukuba wena wandithuma”? Yohane 17:11, 14, 23, 21. Ubomi babo basemoyeni kunye namandla babuxhomekeke kuqhagamshelwano olusondeleyo naLowo babethunywe nguYe ukuba bashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo.IZ 90.1

Kwakuya kuba kuphela xa bemanyene noKristu ababeya kuthi abafundi bathembeukuphelekwa ngamandla kaMoya Oyingcwele kunye nokusebenzisana nezithunywa zezulu. Ngoncedo lwezi zithunywa zezulu, bebeya kuya ehlabathini beyimbumba eliqilima baze boyise kwidabi abebenyanzelekile ukuba balilwe namagunya obumnyama. Njengoko babeza kuqhubeka besebenza bemanyene, izithunywa zezulu zaziza kuhamba phambi kwabo, zivula indlela; iintliziyo beziza kulungiselelwa ukwamkela inyaniso, babe baninzi abazuzelwa uKristu. Lonke ixesha behleli bemanyene, ibandla beliza kuhambela phambili “[lili]hle njengenyanga, [li]nyulu njengelanga, [liso]yikeka njengemikhosi eneebhanile.” Ingoma yazo Iingoma 6:10. Akukho nto yayinokuma phambi kokuqhubela kwalo phambili. Ibandla beliza koyisa ngokoyisa, likufezekise ukuvakalisa kwalo iindaba ezilungileyo ngendlela ebalasele kakhulu.IZ 90.2

Ukuqulunqwa kwebandla eYerusalem kwakuza kuba sisibonelo sokuqulunqwa kwamabandla kuzo zonke iindawo apho abathunywa benyaniso babeza kuzuza khona abantu abazamkelayo iindaba ezilungileyo. Abo babenikwe umthwalo wokongamela ibandla, kwakungafuneki ukuba baliphathe ngobukhosi ilifa likaThixo, kodwa, njengabelusi abalumkileyo, babemelwe ukuwalusa umhlambi kaThixo . . . [babe] yimizekelo kumhlambi.” 1 Petros 5:2, 3; abadikoni bona babe ngamadoda “angqinelwe ukulunga, ezele nguMoya Oyingcwele nabubulumko.” La madoda kwakuza kufuneka eme emanyene ngakwicala lokulungileyo, aze akubambe ngokuqinileyo angagungqi kuko. Ngolo hlobo, ayeya kuba nempembelelo ewuhlanganisayo wonke umhlambi.IZ 91.1

Kamva, kwimbali yebandla lokuqala, xa, kwiindawo ezininzi ezahlukeneyo zehlabathiamakholwaayehlanganisweangamabandla, ukuqulunqwa kwebandla kwaphuhliswa ngakumbi, ukuze kugcinwe ucwangco ngokusebenzisana. Ilelo nelo ilungu lalikhuthazwa ukuba liyisebenze kakuhle indawo yalo. Ilungu ngalinye kwakufuneka ukuba lizisebenzise ngobulumko iitalente eliziphathisiweyo. Abanye bathiwa jize nguMoya Oyingcwele izipho ezikhethekileyo — “kuqala yangabapostile, okwesibini abaprofeti, okwesithathu abafundisi; kwaza kwaba yimisebenzi yamandla, kwaba zizibabalo zeziphiliso, iintsizo, izilawulo, iintlobo zeelwimi.” 1 Korinte 12:28. Zonke ke ezi ndidi zabasebenzi kwakufuneka zisebenze ngokubambisana.IZ 91.2

“Ke kaloku kukho izabelo ngezabelo zezibabalo, kodwa ke ikwanguloo Moya mnye. Kukho nezabelo ngezabelo zezilungiselelo, phofu ikwayiloo Nkosi inye. Kukho nezabelo ngezabelo zeentsebenzo, kodwa ke ikwanguloo Thixo mnye uzisebenzayo izinto zonke kubo bonke. Elowo ke uphiwa ukubonakalalisa uMoya, kuze kubekho okulungele bonke kuba omnye okunene uphiwa ngaye uMoya ilizwi lobulumko; kodwa ke omnye, ilizwi lokwazi kwangokwaloo Moya; wumbi ke uphiwa ukholo kwangaloo Moya; omnye ke, izibabalo zeziphiliso kwangaloo Moya; omnye ke uphiwa, iintsebenzo zemisebenzi yamandla; omnye ke isiprofeto; omnye ke, ukucalula oomoya; wumbi ke iintlobo zeelwimi; omnye ke ukucaciswa kweelwimi. Zonke ke ezo zinto zisetyenzwa kwangaloo Moya mnye; umabela elowo ngokwakhe njengoko athandayo. Kuba kwanjengokuba umzimba umnye, unamalungu amaninzi, abe ke emaninzi nje, emzimba mnye, ukwanjalo ke noKristu lo.”1 Korinte 12:4-12.IZ 92.1

Lundilisekile uxanduva oluphezu kwabo babizelwe ukuba babe ziinkokeli ebandleni likaThixo emhlabeni. Ngemihla yokulawula ngqo kukaThixo, xa uMoses wayezama ukuyithwala yedwa imithwalo enzima kangangokuba kwakuza kuthi kungekudala asadalale phantsi kwayo, wacetyiswa nguYitro ukuba, ngobulumko, acebe ukwabelana nabanye ngayo imithwalo. UYitro wacebisa wathi: “Wena yiba ngumlomo wabantu kuThixo, uzise izinto zabo kuThixo; ubafundise imimiselo nemiyalelo, umazise indlela abaya kuhamba ngayo, nomsebenzi abaya kuwenza.” UYitro waqhubeka wacebisa ukuba amadoda anyuliweyo mawabe “ngabathetheli-mawaka, nabathetheli-makhulu, nabathetheli bamashumi ngamahlanu, nabathetheli bamashumi ngamanye.” La amele ukuba ngamadoda “anobunkunkqele ekuthetheni amatyala, amoyikayo uThixo, anyanisileyo, ayithiyileyo inzuzo embi.” Ayeza kugweba “abantu ngamaxesha onke,” ukuze aphungulele uMoses umthwalo oqobayo wokunakekela imicimbi emincinane eyayinokwenziwa ngabanye abancedi abazinikeleyo nabanobulumko.IZ 92.2

Abo bathe, ngokwazelelela kukaThixo, babekwa kwizikhundla eziphambili zomthwalo ebandleni, mabachithele ixesha namandla abo ekuphatheni imibandela enobunzima efuna ubulumko obubodwa nobubanzi bentliziyo. Ayikho kwizicwangcwiso zikaThixo into yokuba la madoda kubhenelwe kuwo ukuba alungise imicinjana ekho amanye amadoda anaso isakhono sokuyisombulula. UYitro wacebisa uMoses wenjenje: “Izinto zonke ezinkulu bazizise kuwe; zonke ezincinane bazigwebe bona, ukuze kube lula kuwe, bakuthwalise. Ukuba uthe wayenza loo nto, waza wakuwisela umthetho uThixo, woba nako ukuma, bathi naba bantu bonke bafike endaweni yabo benoxolo.”IZ 93.1

Ngokuhambelana neli cebo, “uMoses wanyula amadoda anobunkunkqele ekuthetheni amatyala kuwo onke amaIsrayeli, wawenza iintloko phezu kwabantu, aba ngabathetheli-mawaka, nabathetheli-makhulu,nabathethelibamashumingamahlanu,nabathetheli bamashumi ngamanye. Bathetha amatyala abantu ngamaxesha onke; izinto ezinqabileyo bazizisa kuMoses, zonke ezincinane bazigweba bona.” Eksodus 18:19-26.IZ 93.2

Kamva, xa wayekhetha amashumi asixhenxe abadala ukuba babelane naye ngomthwalo wokukhokela, uMoses waqaphela ukuba ukhetha, njengabancedi bakhe, amadoda anesidima, anobuchopho, nanamava. Kwintetho yakhe yokuwayala la madoda, ngexesha lokubekwa kwawo izandla, wazicwangcisa ezinye zeempawu ezenza ukuba umntu afaneleke ukuba abe ngumlawuli onobulumko ebandleni. Wathetha wenjenje: “Noyilamla into ephakathi kwabazalwana benu, nigwebe ngobulungisa phakathi komntu nomzalwana wakhe, nowasemzini okuye. Ize ningakhethi buso ekugwebeni kwenu; ize nimphulaphule njengomkhulu, ninganxunguphaliswa bubuso bomntu; ngokuba ukugweba oku kokukaYehova.” Duteronomi 1:16, 17.IZ 94.1

Ukumkani uDavide, ngasekupheleni kolawulo lwakhe, wanika umngeni ondilisekileyo kwabo babe nomthwalo womsebenzi kaThixo ngemihla yaKhe. Wabizela eYerusalem “bonke abathetheli bamaIsrayeli, abathetheli bezizwe bamaqela ngamaqela abalungiselela ukumkani nabathetheli-mawaka nabathetheli-makhulu, namagosa empahla yonke, nabemfuyo yokumkani neyoonyana bakhe, kunye nababusi namagorha, nento yonke eligorha elinobukroti,” yaza ingwevu yokumkani yabayala ngokundilisekileyo, “emehlweni amaIsrayeli onke, ibandla likaYehova, nasezindlebeni zoThixo wethu, [isithi]: Gcinani niquqele kuyo yonke imithetho kaYehova uThixo wenu.” 1 Kronike 28:1, 8.IZ 94.2

USolomon, njengomnye owabizelwa ukuba abe kwisikhundla somthwalo wokukhokela, uDavide wamnika umyalelo owodwa: “Ke wena Solomon, nyana wam, uze umazi uThixo kayihlo, umkhonze ngentliziyo epheleleyo, nangomphefumlo ovumayo; ngokuba uYehova uyazingxoka zonke iintliziyo, akuqonde konke ukuyila kweengcinga zabantu. Ukuba uthe wamfuna, wofunyanwa nguwe; ukuba uthe wamshiya, wokulahla mpela. Uze ulumke; ngokuba uYehova ukunyule . . . Yomelela.” 1 Kronike 28:9, 10.IZ 95.1

Kwaloo mithetho-siseko yobungcwele nobulungisa eyayiza kukhokela abalawuli phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo ngexesha likaMoses noDavide, yayiza kulandelwa ngabo banikwe ukuba bongamele ibandla elitsha elimiselweyo likaThixo ngexesha leendaba ezilungileyo. Kumsebenzi wokumiswa kwezinto ngendlela kuwo wonke amabandla, nokuthanjiswa kwamadoda afanelekileyo ukuba asebenze njengabaphathi, abapostile bawuxhoma umgangatho wobukhokeli ocwangcwiswe kwiTestamente eNdala. Bayigcina into ethi, lowo uza kuma kwisikhundla soxanduva lokukhokela ebandleni, kufuneka abe “ngongenakumangaleleka, njengegosa likaThixo; angabi ngowenza ukuzithandela kwakhe; angabi ngogeziswa yiwayini; angabi ngumbethi; angabi ngongxamela nzuzo imbi. Umelwe kukuthi abe ngobuka iindwendwe, umthandi wokulungileyo, onesidima, olilungisa, ongcwele, onokuzeyisa; ebambelele ezwini elithembekileyo ngokwemfundiso, ukuze abanako ukuvuselela ngayo imfundiso ephilileyo, nokubohlwaya badane abaphikayo.” Tito 1:7-9.IZ 95.2

Ucwangco ekwakufuneka lugciniwe kwibandla lokuqala lwenza ukuba bakwaziukubhekaphambili,bebambene nkqi njengomkhosi oqeqeshekileyo onxibe izixhobo zikaThixo. Amaqela amakholwa, nangona ethe saa kuyo yonke indawo, onke ayengamalungu omzimba omnye; onke ayehamba kunye ngokusebenzisana elinye nelinye. Kwakuthi kwakubakho imbambano ebandleni lasekuhlaleni, njengoko kwabanjalo eAntiyokwe nakwezinye iindawo, amalungu angakwazi ukuvumelana phakathi kwawo, imicimbi enjalo yayingavunyelwa ukuba idale iyantlukwano ebandleni, kodwa yayisiwa kwiqumrhu likawonke-wonke lawo onke amakholwa, elalakhiwe ngabathunywa abaphuma kumabandla asekuhlaleni awahlukeneyo, abapostile nabadala bebambe izikhundla zokukhokela. Ngolo hlobo, amalinge kaSathana okuhlasela ibandla kwiindawo ezithe geqe zizimele, kwaqutyiswana nawo yimbumba yawo onke, aza amacebo otshaba okuphazamisa nokutshabalalisa achithwa.IZ 95.3

“UThixo akangowesiphithiphithi, ngowoxolo; njengokuba kunjalo kuwo onke amabandla abangcwele.” 1 Korinte 14:33. Ufuna ukuba ukuhlonitshwa kocwangco nokumiswa kakuhle kwezinto xa kuphethwe imicimbi yebandla namhlanje kungabi nganeno koko kwakunjalo ngemihla yakudala. Ulangazelela ukuba umsebenzi waKhe usiwe phambili ngendlela egqibeleleyo nechanekileyo ukuze akwazi ukubeka phezu kwawo itywina lokuwamkela kwaKhe. UmKristu kufuneka amanyane nomKristu, ibandla nebandla, izixhobo ezingabantu zisebenzisane nezulu, iziko ngalinye labathunywa lithobele uMoya Oyingcwele, bonke [amaziko nabantu] bamanyane ekunikeni ihlabathi iindaba ezilungileyo zobabalo lukaThixo.IZ 96.1