11—Iindaba Ezilungileyo Esamariya

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 8]

Emva kokufa kukaStefano, kwavumbuluka intshutshiso enkulu eYerusalem ngakumakholwa, ngendlela engenalusizi, kangangokuba, abebandla bonke “baba ziintsali emazweni akwaYuda naseSamariya.” USawule waye “elidlavula ibandla, engena kwizindlu ngezindlu, erhola amadoda kwanabafazi, ebafaka entolongweni.” Ude athi, kamva, xa ethetha ngokukhuthala kwakhe kulo msebenzi ukhohlakeleyo, “Mna okunene ke bendiba ngelam, ndimelwe kukwenza izinto ezininzi ezichasene negama likaYesu waseNazarete. Endakwenzayo ke oko eYerusalem; nento eninzi yabangcwele ndayitshixela ezintolongweni. . . . Nakuzo zonke izindlu zesikhungu ndibe ndibohlwaya futhi, ndibanyanzela ukuba banyelise; ndathi ndibagezela ngokuncamisileyo, ndabatshutshisa, ndada ndesa kwimizi engaphandle.” IZenzo 26:9-11. Neyokuba uStefano yayingekuphela kwakhe owabulawayo ifumaneka kwa kumazwi akhe uPawulos, “Kwakusithi xa begwetyelwa ukufa, nam ndihambisane neso sigqibo,” (Indima 10, IBHAYIBHILE).IZ 103.1

Ngeli xesha lentlekele kweza phambili uNikodemo ngokungafihlisi okungenadyudyu ngokukholelwa kwakhe kuMsindisi owabethelelwayo. UNikodemo wayelilungu leSanhedrin, waza wathi enabanye bagungqiswa yimfundiso kaYesu. Wathi ngenxa yokuba eyibonile imisebenzi kaYesu emangalisayo, waba nokoyiseka okwabetheleleka engqondweni kokuba lo ngOwathunywayo nguThixo. Wazaliswa likratshi kakhulu ukuba azibonakalise ngokwakhe ekuhleni ukuba unovelwano ngakwiTitshala yaseGalili, wazingela ithuba lokuba negqugula naYo emfihlakalweni. Kweli gqugula, uYesu walondlala kuye (uNikodemo) icebo losindiso kunye nomsebenzi awayewuzele emhlabeni, ukanti noko uNikodemo waziziliza. Wayifihla entliziyweni yakhe inyaniso, nto leyo eyenza ukuba iphele iminyaka emithathu kungekho siqhamo sibonakalayo. Kuthe kanti, nangona uNikodemo engazange wamvuma uKristu esidlangalaleni, wayehlalele ukuwathintela amagumgedle ababingeleli okumtshabalalisa (uKristu). Kwathi ekugqibeleni, xa uKristu ephakanyiswa emnqamlezweni, uNikodemo wakhumbula amazwi awawathethayo kwigqugula labo lasebusuku kwiNtaba yemiNquma, “Njengokuba ke uMoses wayiphakamisayo inyoka entlango, umelwe kukuphakanyiswa ngokunjalo uNyana woMntu” Yohane 3:14, yamenza loo nto ukuba abone kuYesu uMhlanguli wehlabathi.IZ 104.1

Ekunye noYosefu waseArimatiya, uNikodemo wathwala iindleko zokungcwatywa kukaYesu. Abafundi babesoyika ukuziveza ekuhleni ukuba bangabalandeli bakaKristu, kodwa uNikodemo noYosefu baphuma elubala noncedo lwabo. Uncedo lwala madoda azizityebi nahloniphekileyo lwaludingeka kakhulu ngelo xesha lobumnyama. Akwazi ukwenzela iNkosi yawo efileyo into eyayingenako ukwenziwa ngabafundi ababehluphekile; baye ubutyebi bawo kunye nempembelelo yawo iwakhusele, kakhulu, kwinkohlakalo yababingeleli nabaphathi.IZ 104.2

Kwathi ngoko, xa amaYuda ayezama ukulitshabalalisa ibandla eliselula, wesuka uNikodemo wema ukuba alikhusele. Engasenaxhala namibuzo, walukhuthaza ukholo lwabafundi, wabusebenzisa ubutyebi bakhe ukuxhasa ibandla eYerusalem nasekuhambiseleni phambili umsebenzi wevangeli. Bajika abo babefudula bemhlonipha kwimihla yangaphambili, bamgculela, bamtshutshisa, wada waba ngolihlwempu kwizinto zeli hlabathi; kwathi nangona kunjalo akagungqa ekuyikhuseleni inkolo yakhe.IZ 105.1

Intshutshiso eyalifikelayo ibandla eYerusalem yaba nomphumela onegalelo elikhulu emsebenzini weendaba ezilungileyo. Kwabakho impumelelo emsebenzini wevangeli kula ndawo, kwada kwakho nengozi yokuba abafundi bangathanda ukujikeleza khona apho ithuba elide, bangawusiso umyalelo woMsindisi wokuba baye kulo lonke ilizwe. Ngokulibala ukuba amandla okumelana nobubi azuzwa kakhulu ngokubheka phambili ekusebenzeni, baqala ukucinga ukuba abanawo umsebenzi obaluleke ukudlula ukukhusela ibandla eliseYerusalem kuhlaselo lotshaba. Endaweni yokufundisa amakholwa amatsha ukuba ase ivangeli kwabo bangekayiva, baba sengozini yokwenza ukuba bonke abantu baneliseke koko sekufeziwe. Ukubasasaza abameli baKhe ukuba bathi sa kude, uThixo wavumela intshutshiso ukuba ibafikele. Athi akugxothwa eYerusalem, amakholwa aya “kulo lonke eshumayela ilizwi.”IZ 105.2

Phakathi kwabafundi, uMsindisi awayenike umyalelo othi, “Hambani ngoko niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga” (Mateyu 28:19), babe baninzi ababephuma kubomi obuphantsi — amadoda nabafaziabafunda ukuyithanda iNkosinabazimisela ukulandela umzekelo waYo wenkonzo engasekelezanga nzuzo. Kwabo bantu bathobekileyo, nakubafundi ababe noMsindisi ngexesha lomsebenzi waKhe esesemhlabeni, kwanikelwa into enexabiso abanokuthenjwa ngayo. Babeza kuthwala iindaba zovuyo zosindiso ngoKristu bazise ehlabathini.IZ 105.3

Ngexesha besasazwa yintshutshiso, bahamba bezaliswe lulangazelelo lokuvangela. Baluqaphela uxanduva lokuthunywa kwabo. Babesazi ukuba ezandleni zabo babephethe isonka sobomi sokondla ihlabathi elingcokochileyo; baye benyanzelwa luthando lukaKristu ukuba babaqhekezele isonka bonke abasweleyo. INkosi yenza umsebenzi ngabo. Naphina apho babesiya khona, abagulayo baphiliswa, aza amahlwempu azishunyayezwa iindaba elilungileyo.IZ 106.1

UFilipu, omnye wabadikoni abasixhenxe, wayephakathi kwabo bagxothwayo eYerusalem. “Wehla ke ufilipu, waya emzini welaseSamariya, wamvakalisa uKristu kubo. Zaye kanjalo izihlwele zizinyamekela ngamxhelo mnye izinto ezibe zithethwa nguFilipu, ekuyiveni nasekuyiboneni kwazo imiqondiso abeyenza. Kuba oomoya abangcolileyo babephuma kwinto eninzi ebinabo, . . . yathi ke into eninzi enedumbe neziziqhwala yaphiliswa. Kwabakho uvuyo olukhulu kuloo mzi.”IZ 106.2

Isigidimi sikaKristu kumfazi waseSamariya awayethethe naye equleni likaYakobi sasithwele isiqhamo. Emva kokuphulaphula amazwi aKhe, umfazi waya ebantwini besixeko esithi, “Yizani, nibone umntu ondixelele izinto zonke endakha ndazenza; lo akangebi nguye uKristu yini na?” Bahamba kunye naye, bamphulaphula uYesu, bakholwa kuYe. Bathi kuba babesanxanelwe ukuva ngakumbi, bamcenga (uYesu) ukuba akhe ahlale. Wahlala nabo iintsuku ezimbini, yaza “into eninzi yakholwa ngakumbi ngenxa yelizwi laKhe.” Yohane 4:29, 41.IZ 106.3

Bakuba abafundi baKhe begxothiwe eYerusalem, abanye babalekela eSamariya. AmaSamariya abamkela aba bathunywa bevangeli, baza abaguqukileyo bamaYuda bazuza isivuno esixabisekileyo kwabo babe zintshaba zabo ezinkulu ngaphambili.IZ 107.1

Umsebenzi kaFilipu eSamariya waba nempumelelo enkulu, waza, kuba efumene inkuthazo yiloo nto, wathumela eYerusalem ukuba athunyelwe uncedo. Abapostile baya bayiqonda ngakumbi intsingiselo yamazwi kaKristu xa wayesithi, “nibe ngamangqina am eYerusalem, kwanakulo lonke elakwaYuda nelaseSamariya, kude kuse nasekupheleni komhlaba.” Zenzo 1:8.IZ 107.2

Uthe uFilipu eseseSamariya, wayalelwa sisithunywa sezulu ukuba “[a]singe ezantsi, ngendlela ehla ivela eYerusalem, eya eGaza . . . [wesuka] ke waya.” Akazange aluthandabuze ubizo, engazange alibazise nokuluthobela; kuba wayefunde isifundo sokuvumelana nentando kaThixo. “Kwavela indoda engumTiyopiya, ithenwa, isikhulu sikaKandase, ukumkanikazi wamaTiyopiya, ebiphethe bonke ubutyebi bakhe, eyayize kunqula uThixo eYerusalem. Yayibuya, ihleli enqweleni yayo, ilesa incwadi yomprofeti uIsaya.” Lo mTiyopiya wayeyindoda emi kakuhle nenempembelelo enkulu. Wabona uThixo ukuba, xa inokuguquka, yayiya kubanika abanye ukukhanya ekufumeneyo, ize ibe nempembelelo enamandla ekwamkelweni kwevangeli. Iingelosi zikaThixo zaziyisebenzela le ndoda ifuna ukukhanya, yaye isondezwa ngakumbi kuMsindisi. Ngokusebenza kukaMoya Oyingcwele, iNkosi yayihlanganisa nalowo wayenako ukuyikhokelela ekukhanyeni.IZ 107.3

UFilipu wakhokelwa ukuba ayekuhlangana nomTiyopiya amchazele isiprofeto awayesifunda (umTiyopiya). Yiya, watsho uMoya, “ukhwele kule nqwelo.” Wasondela uFilipu walibuza ithenwa, “Uyaziqonda na kodwa izinto ozilesayo? Ithe ke yona, Ndingaba nako ngani na, kungekho undikhokelayo nje? Kanjalo yambongoza uFilipu ukuba akhwele ahlale nayo.” Isibhalo eyayisifunda yayisisiprofeto sika-Isaya esingoKristu: Njengemvu esiwa ekuxhelweni, njengemvana esisimumu phambi komchebi wayo, wenjenjalo yena ukungawuvuli umlomo wakhe. Ekuthobekeni kwakhe umgwebo wakhe wasuswa; ngubani na ke owosicacisa ukusixela isizukulwana sakhe? Ngokuba buyasuswa ubomi bakhe emhlabeni.”IZ 107.4

“Umprofeti lo uyithetha ngabani na le nto? Labuza ithenwa, “uzithetha yena na, uthetha mntu wumbi, kusini na?” UFilipu walityhilela inyaniso enkulu yokuthengwa. Waqalela kwakweso sibhalo, “walishumayeza ngoYesu.”IZ 108.1

Intliziyo yale ndoda yathabatheka ngumdla njengoko yayichazelwa iziBhalo; waza wathi akugqiba umfundi, yakulungela ukwamkela ukukhanya eyakunikwayo. Ayizange isenze isikhundla sayo esiphezulu sehlabathi ukuba sibe sisizathu sokuyilandula ivangeli. “Ke kaloku, xa bahambayo nendlela, bafika manzini athile; lathi ithenwa, Nanga amanzi; kwala ntoni na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa? Uthe ke uFilipu, Ukuba uyakholwa ngentliziyo yakho iphela, kuvumelekile. Laphendula ke lathi, Ndiyakholwa ukuba uYesu Kristu unguNyana kaThixo. Lathi mayime inqwelo; behla bobabini, baya emanzini, uFilipu nethenwa; walibhaptiza.IZ 108.2

“Xeshikweni ke babenyukile, baphuma emanzini, uMoya weNkosi wamthi xwi uFilipu; alabasambona ithenwa, kuba lalihamba ngeyalo indlela livuya. UFilipu ke wafunyanwa e-Azoto; watyhutyha ilizwe, eyishumayeza imizi yonke iindaba ezilungileyo, wada weza eKesareya.”IZ 108.3

Lo mTiyopiya umele iqela elikhulu labantu abadinga ukufundiswa ngabavangeli abafana noFilipu — abantu abaza kuva ilizwi likaThixo baze baye apho abathuma khona. Baninzi abafunda iziBhalo kodwa bangabuqondi ubunyaniso bazo. Ehlabathini lonke, amadoda nabafazi bonke bemi bekhangele ngolangazelelo ezulwini. Imithandazo neenyembezi nemibuzo zinyuka ziphuma kwimiphefumlo efuna ukukhanya, ubabalo, noMoya Oyingcwele. Abaninzi baselungqamekweni lobukumkani, belindele nje ukuba bahlanganiselwe ngaphakathi.IZ 109.1

Ingelosi yamkhokela uFilipu yamsa kumntu owayefuna ukukhanya nowayekulungele ukuzamkela iindaba ezilungileyo, nanamhla iingelosi ziyawakhokela amanyathelo abo basebenzi baya kuthi bamvumele uMoya Oyingcwele ukuba zingcwalise iilwimi zabo asulungekise azukise iintliziyo zabo. Ingelosi eyayithunywe kuFilipu yayinako ukuwenza ngokwayo umsebenzi kumTiyopiya, kodwa le asiyiyo indlela yokusebenza kukaThixo. Licebo laKhe ukuba abantu basebenzele abanye abantu.IZ 109.2

Kwindyebo egciniswe abafundi bokuqala, amele ukuzuza kuyo onke amakholwa azo zonke izizukulwana. Wonke umntu owamkele iindaba ezilungileyo unikwe inyaniso engcwele ukuba abelane ngayo nehlabathi. Abantu bakaThixo abanyanisekileyo basoloko bengabavangeli abanomfutho wokubheka phambili, benikela konke abanako ekuzukiseni igama laKhe nokusebenzisa iitalente zabo ngobulumko emsebenzini waKhe.IZ 109.3

Umsebenzi wamaKristu ongasekeleze nzuzo kwixesha eladlulayo umele ukuba sisifundo esisisibonelo kwanenkuthazo kuthi. Amalungu ebandla likaThixo kufuneka akhuthalele imisebenzi elungileyo, ahlulephakathi kodumo lwehlabathi nokuhamba emanyathelweni aLowo wayejikeleza esenza okulungileyo. Bathi benentliziyo ezizele luvelwano nemfesane, basebenzele abo badinga uncedo; bezisa aboni ekulwazini uthando loMsindisi. Umsebenzi ololu hlobo ufuna ukusebenza nzima, kodwa uzisa umvuzo omhle. Bonke abangena kuwo ngenjongo nokuzimisela baya kuyibona imiphefumlo izuzelwa uMsindisi, kuba impembelelo egqubayo yenza ukuba umfutho wokwenziwa komyalelo ongcwele ungabi nakwaliwa.IZ 109.4

Alulelanga kubafundisi ababekwe izandla kuphela uxanduva lokuwuzalisa lo myalelo. Wonke ubani owamkele uKristu ubizelwe emsebenzini wokusindisa uluntu. “UMoya nomtshakazi bathi, Yiza. Lowo uvayo makathi, Yiza.” IsiTy. 22:17. Umngeni onikwa ngulo myalelo ubandakanya ibandla lonke. Wonke osivileyo esi simemo kufuneka asiphinde isigidimi sivakale ezindulini nasezintilini, sisithi, “Yiza.”IZ 110.1

Yimpazamo eyingozi kakhulu ukucinga ukuba umsebenzi wokuzuzwa kwemiphefumlo uphezu kwabafundisi kuphela. Ikholwa, elithobekileyo, nelizinikeleyo, athe uMnini sidiliya wabeka phezu kwalo umthwalo wemiphefumlo limele ukunikwa inkuthazo ngabantu athe uThixo wabeka phezu kwabo uxanduva olungaphezulu. Abo bemi njengeenkokeli ebandleni likaThixo kufuneka baqonde ukuba umyalelo woMsindisi unikwe bonke abakholwayo egameni laKhe. UThixo uya kuthumela esidiliyeni saKhe abaninzi abangabekelwanga bucala emsebenzini ngokubekwa izandla.IZ 110.2

Amakhulu, ewe, amawaka, athe asiva isigidimi sosindiso asa zula endaweni yembutho, endaweni yokuba axakeke ngumsebenzi nokuba uluhlobo luni. Kwaba bantu, uKristu uthi, “Yini na ukuba nime apha imini iphela ningasebenzi?” aze ongeze ngelithi, “Hambani nani niye esidiliyeni.” Mateyu 20:6, 7. Kungani ukuba abaninzi bangasabeli kolu bizo?” Ingaba kungokuba bacinga ukuba babekwe ecaleni kuba bengemi eqongeni lokushumayela? Mabaqonde ukuba mkhulu umsebenzi ofanele ukwenziwa ngaphandle kwepulpiti ngamawaka amalungu azinikeleyo.IZ 110.3

Kukade uThixo elindele umoya wokukhuthalela ukusebenza ukuba uthi hlasi ibandla lonke ukuze wonke umntu amsebenzele ngokwesakhono sakhe. Xa amalungu ebandla likaThixo esenza umsebenzi anyulelwe wona kwiintsimi ezinentswelo ekhaya nakude, ekuzalisekiseni umyalelo, umhlaba wonke uya kulunyukiswa ize iNkosi uYesu ibuye ize kulo mhlaba ngamandla nobuqaqawuli obukhulu. “Zaye ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kuvakaliswa kulo elimiweyo liphela, zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke ukufika ukuphela.” Mateyu 24:14.IZ 111.1