16—Isigidimi Segospile Kwa-Antiyokwe

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 11:19-26; 13:1-3]

Emva kokuba abafundi babegxothwe eYerusalem yintshutshiso, isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo sasasazeka ngokukhawuleza kuzo zonke iindawo ezingaphaya kwemida yePalestina; amaninzi amaqela amancinane amakholwa athi aqalwa kwiindawo ezibalulekileyo. Abanye abafundi “bada beza kwelaseFenike, naseSipro, nakwa-Antiyokwe, belishumayela ilizwi.” Ukusebenza kwabo kwakujoliswe kumaHebhere namaYuda angamaGrike, uninzi lwabo ababefumaneka ngeli xesha phantse kuzo zonke izixeko zehlabathi.IZ 155.1

Phakathi kweendawo ezikhankanyiweyo apho ivangeli yamkelwa ngovuyo khona kukwa-Antiyokwe, ngelo xesha isisixeko esikhulu saseSiriya. Urhwebo olukhulu olwaluqhutyelwa kweso sixeko sasiliziko elinabantu abaninzi, lwazisa abantu abaninzi beentlanga ngentlanga. Ngaphandle koko, iAntiyokwe yayibaluleke njengendawo yabantu abathandaukonwabaneziyolo, ngenxa yemoyempiloyayo,ubuhle bendawo, ubutyebi, inkcubeko nokuchubeka [kwabantu] okwakulapho. Ngemihla yabapostile saba sisixeko solonwabo nobubi. Iindaba ezilungileyo zazifundiswa esidlangalaleni kwa-Antiyokwe ngabafundi abathile ababephuma eSipro naseKirene, abeza be“shumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zeNkosi uYesu.” “Isandla seNkosi sinawo,” kwaza ukubulaleka kwabo kwenene kwathwala isiqhamo. “Kwakholwa inani elikhulu, labuyela eNkosini.”IZ 155.2

“Lwavakala ke udaba lwabo ezindlebeni zebandla laseYerusalem; bakhupha uBharnabhas, ukuba ahambe, ade aye kufika kwa-Antiyokwe.” Ekufikeni kwakhe entsimini yakhe entsha yokusebenza, uBharnabhas wabona umsebenzi osele wenziwe ngobabalo lwezulu, “wavuya, wabavuselela bonke, ukuba bathi ngengqibo yentliziyo bahlale bethe nca eNkosini.”IZ 156.1

Ukusebenza kukaBharnabhas kwa-Antiyokwe kwasikeleleka kakhulu, bababaninzi abongezwa kwinani lamakholwa khona apho. Wathi wakukhula umsebenzi, wabona uBharnabhas ukuba kukho intswelo yoncedo olufanelekileyo ukuze kuhanjiselwe phambili ukubonelela kukaThixo, waza waya eTarso ukuya kukhangela uPawulos, owathi akuba esukile eYerusalem okwethuba elithile ngaphambili, wasebenza “kwimimandla yelaseSiriya nelaseKilikiya,” eshumayela “[ngo]kholo abefudula elubhukuqa.” Galati 1:21, 23. UBharnabhas waphumelela ukumfumana uPawulos kwanokumoyisela ukuba abuye naye njengeqabane emsebenzini.IZ 156.2

Kwisixeko esasigcwele ngabantu sakwa-Antiyokwe, uPawulos wafumana intsimi efaneleke ngokugqithisileyo yokusetyenzwa. Imfundo yakhe, ubulumko, nolangazelelo konke kwafaka impembelelo enamandla kubemi nabathi rhoqo ukuhambela kweso sixeko senkcubeko; wafumanekakanye eluncedo olwaludingwa nguBharnabhas. Umnyaka wonke, aba bafundi babini basebenza bemanyene ngokunyaniseka kulungiselelo, bezisa kwabaninzi ukwaziwa kukaYesu waseNazarete, uMhlanguli womhlaba.IZ 156.3

Kwakukwa-Antiyokwe apho abafundi baqala ukubizwa ngokuba ngamaKristu. Igama lanikwa kuba uKristu wayenguwona mongo wokushumayela kwabo, imfundiso yabo, nencoko yabo. Babethe rhoqo ukubalisa iziganeko ezenzekayo ngemihla yokugqibela yomsebenzi waKhe emhlabeni, ukusikelelwa kwabafundi baKhe ngobukho baKhe isiqu. Babengadinwa behleli kwiimfundiso zakhe nemimangaliso yokuphilisa. Ngemilebe ehlininikayo namehlo aneenyembezi, bathetha ngentlungu yaKhe egadini, ukungcatshwa kwaKhe, ukuvavanywa, nokubulawa, ukunyamezela nokuthobeka awathi wamelana nokunyeliswa nokungcungcuthekiswa okwakubekwe phezu kwaKhe ziintshaba zaKhe, kunye nosizi olunobuThixo awathandazela ngalo abo babemtshutshisa. Ukuvuka nokunyuka kwaKhe, nomsebenzi waKhe ezulwini njengoMmeli wabantu abawileyo, yayiziingongoma ababekonwabela ukuzibalula. Kwakufanelekile ukuba abahedeni bababize ngokuba ngamaKristu, kuba babeshumayela uKristu nemithandazo yabo beyibhekisa kuThixo ngaYe.IZ 157.1

NguThixo owabanika igama lobuKristu. Eli ligama lobukumkani, elinikwa bonke abazimanya noKristu. Kwakungeli gama awaya wabhala uYakobi kamva esithi, “Izityebi azinicinezeli na? Zona azinirholeli ematyaleni na? Zona azilinyelisi na igama elihle elo, nabizwa ngalo?” Yakobi 2:6, 7. Wabuya wathi uPetros, Ukuba ubani kuni uva ubunzima ngokuba engumKristu makangadani; makamzukise ke uThixo ngaloo ndawo.” “Ukuba niya ngcikivwa ngenxa yegama likaKristu, ninoyolo; ngokuba uMoya wozuko nokaThixo uphumle phezu kwenu.” 1 Petros 4:16, 14.IZ 157.2

Amakholwa akwa-Antiyokwe aqonda ukuba uThixo wayenentumekelelo yokusebenza ebomini bawo “ukuthanda oko, kwanokusebenza oko, ngenxa yenkolelo yakhe.” Filipi 2:13. Njengoko babehlala phakathi kwabantu ababengakhathali kangako ngezinto zikanaphakade, bazama ukutsala umdla kwabo banyanisekileyo entliziyweni, nokunika ubungqina obuhle ngaLowo babemthanda bemkhonza. Ekusebenzeni kwabo ngokuzithoba, bafunda ukuxhomekeka kumandla kaMoya Oyingcwele ukuzisa impumelelo yelizwi lobomi. Ngolo hlobo kwiindlela ezininzi zobomi babuthwala ubungqina bokholo lwabo ngoKristu.IZ 158.1

Umzekelo wabalandeli bakaKristu kwa-Antiyokwe umele ukuba yimpembelelo kulo lonke ikholwa elihlala ezixekweni ezikhulu zehlabathi namhlanje. Nangona kuhambelana necebo likaThixo ukuba abasebenzi abanyuliweyo nabanetalente bebekwe kwiingingqi ezibalulekileyo zabantu ukuba bakhokele kumalinge asesidlangalaleni, ikwa yinjongo yaKhe ukuba amalungu ebandla ahlala kwezi zixeko asebenzise iitalente azinikwe nguThixo ekusebenzeleni imiphefumo. Kukho ubutyebi beentsikelelo obugcinelwe abo bazinikela ngokupheleleyo kubizo lukaThixo. Njengokuba abasebenzi abanjalo bezama nzima ukuba bazuzele uYesu imiphefumlo, baya kufumanisa ukuba abaninzi ababengayi kuze bafikelwe nangayiphi indlela, bakulungele ukusabela kwimizamo ebanika umngeni engqondweni.IZ 158.2

Umsebenzi kaThixo emhlabeni namhla ufuna abameli benyaniso yeBhayibhile abaphilayo. Abafundisi ababekwe izandla bebodwa abawulingenanga umsebenzi wokulumkisa izixeko ezikhulu. UThixo ubiza, hayi kuphela abafundisi, kodwa oogqirha, abongikazi, abavangeli beencwadi, oonoBhayibhile, kwakunye nabavangeli abazinikeleyo abaneetalente ezahlukeneyo abanolwazi lwelizwi likaThixo nabawaziyo amandla obabalo lwaKhe, ukuba baqaphele izidingo zezixeko ezingalunyukiswanga. Lonke iziko labathunywa kufuneka lisetyenziswe, ukuze kuphuhliswe amathuba akhoyo ngobulumko.IZ 158.3

Ukusebenza kukaPawulos kwa-Antiyokwe, ehlangene noBharnabhas, kwayomeleza inkolo yakhe yokuba iNkosi imbizele ukwenza umsebenzi owodwa phakathi kweeNtlanga zehlabathi. Ngexesha lokuguquka kukaPawulos, iNkosi yavakalisa ukuba wayeza kwenziwa umlungiseleli eziNtlangeni, “ukuba avule amehlo abo, ukuze babuye ebumnyameni, beze ebumhlotsheni; babuye egunyeni likaSathana, beze kuThixo; ukuze bamkele uxolelo lwezono, nelifa phakathi kwabangcwalisiweyo, ngokukholwa kum [Yesu]. Zenzo 26:18. Ingelosi eyavela kuHananiya yathi ngoPawulos, “Lowo usisitya esinyuliweyo ndim, sokuphatha igama lam emehlweni eentlanga, nookumkani, kwanoonyana bakaIsrayeli.” Zenzo 9:15 UPawulos yena ngokwakhe, kamva kumava akhe obuKristu, ethandaza etempileni eYerusalem, watyelelwa yingelosi ephuma ezulwini, eyamyalela yathi kuye, “Hamba; ngokuba mna ndiya kukuthuma kude kwiintlanga.” Zenzo 22:21.IZ 159.1

INkosi yayimnike uPawulos umyalelo wokungena kumsebenzi obanzi wovangelo kwintsimi elilizwe labeeNtlanga. Ukulungiselela lo msebenzi umkhulu nonzima, uThixo wamsondeza kakhulukuYe, wavula phambi kwamehlo akhe athungululeyo imibono yobuhle nobuqaqawuli bezulu. Wayenikwe ulungiselelolokwazisa “imfihlelo” “ebifihliwe kwasephakadeni” (Roma 16:25), - “imfihlelo yokuthanda kwakhe” (Efese 1:9), “ababengathanga kuzimbi izizukulwana bayaziswe oonyana babantu, njengoko bayityhilelweyo ngoku abapostile bakhe abangcwele nabaprofeti bakhe, ngaye uMoya; eyokuba iintlanga ziziindlalifa bathi, zikumzimba mnye nathi zingamahlulelana nathi ngedinga lakhe, sikuye nje uKristu ngazo iindaba ezilungileyo, endaba,” utsho uPawulos, “ngumlungiseleli . . . Mna lo, unguyena mncinanana kubo bonke abangcwele, ndababalwa ngolo lubabalo, lokuba ndishumayele phakathi kweentlanga iindaba ezilungileyo zobutyebi obungalandekiyo bukaKristu; ndibakhanyisele bonke, bayibone into obuyiyo ubudlelane bemfihlelo ebifihliwe kwasemaphakadeni, ikuye uThixo, owazidalayo zonke izinto ngoYesu Kristu; ukuze ngoku oozilawuli noomagunya, abakwezasemazulwini iindawo babaziswe ngalo ibandla ubulumko bukaThixo, obuziintlobo ezininzi, ngokokwengqibo yakhe yasemaphakadeni awayenzayo kuKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu.” Efese 3:5-11.IZ 159.2

UThixo wakusikelela kakhulu ukusebenza kukaPawulos kunye noBharnabhas ngonyaka ababesele namakholwa kwa-Antiyokwe. Noko kunjalo, kwakungekabikho namnye kubo owayethanjiselwe umsebenzi wevangeli ngokusesikweni. Ngoku babefikelele kwinqanaba kumava abo obuKristu apho uThixo wayeza kubathwalisa ukuhambisela phambili umsebenzi onzima wovangelo, ekuza kuthi ekwenziweni kwawo kufuneke okuhle okunokufunyanwa ngesithunywa esilibandla.IZ 160.1

“Ke kaloku, kwaye kukho kwa-Antiyokwe, ebandleni ebelikhona, abaprofeti nabafundisi abathile, abangooBharnabhas, noSimon ekuthiwa nguNigere, noLukiyo waseKirene, kwanoManayen,. . .noSawule. Bakubon’ ukuba ke bayabusa eNkosini, bezila ukudla,wathi uMoya Oyingcwele, Ndahluleleni ke uBharnabhas kwanoSawule, baye emsebenzini endibabizele kuwo.” Phambi kokuba bathunywe njengabavangeli ehlabathini labahedeni, aba bafundi bangcwaliswa ngokunikelwa kuThixo ngokuzila ukudla nokuthandaza nokubekwa izandla. Baba banikwa igunya libandla, ukuba banganeli ukushumayela inyaniso, kodwa benze nenkonzo yokubhaptiza nokumisela amabandla, benikwe igunya elipheleleyo lobushumayeli.IZ 160.2

Ngeli xesha ibandla lobuKristu lalingena kwisigaba esitsha. Umsebenzi wokuvakaliswa kwesigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo wawuza kuqhutyelwa phambili ngamandla; ngoko ibandla laliza komelezwa kukuqokelelwa okukhulu kwemiphefumlo. Abapostile ababenyulelwe ukukhokela lo msebenzi babeza kujongana nokukrokrelwa, nokukhawuleza bagxekwe, nomona. Iimfundiso zabo ngokubhekisele ekuwisweni kwalo “udonga lothango oluphakathi” (Efese 2:14) olwalahlule amaYuda kwilizwe labeeNtlanga ixesha elide, ngokufanelekileyo zaziza kubenza batyholwe ngolahlekiso, lize igunya labo njengabafundisi beendaba ezilungileyo lixoxise kwabaninzi abangamaYuda anomfutho akholwayo. UThixo wabubona kwangaphambili ubunzima abakhonzi baKhe ababeza kuhlangana nabo, waza, ukwenza ukuba umsebenzi wabo ube kumgangatho ongaphezu kokuhlaselwa, wayalela ibandla ukuba libabekele bucala esidlangalaleni kumsebenzi wokulungiselela. Ukuthanjiswa yayikukuvuma ekuhleni ukunyulwa kwabo lizulu ukuba base iindaba zovuyo zazo iindaba ezilungileyo eziNtlangeni.IZ 161.1

BobabiniuPawulosnoBharnabhasbabese bewufumeneumyalelo kuThixo ngokwaKheyonainkonzo yokubekwa,kwezandla ayongezanga lubabalo lutsha okanye imfaneleko yokuwulungela [umsebenzi]. Kwakuyindlela yokuqinisekiswa kokubizelwa kwisikhundla esichongiweyo nokwamkelwa kwegunya lomntu obekwe kweso sikhundla. Ngako [ukubekwa kwezandla] itywina lebandla labekwa emsebenzini kaThixo.IZ 162.1

KumYuda, le ndlela yayiyebalulekileyo. Xa ubawo womYuda esikelela abantwana bakhe, wayebeka izandla zakhe ngokuzukileyo phezu kweentloko zabo. Xa isilwanyana sasinikelelwa umbingelelo, isandla salowo uthiwe jize ngegunya lobubingeleli sasibekwa phezu kwentloko yexhoba. Xa abafundisi bebandla lamakholwa kwa-Antiyokwe babebeka izandla phezu kukaPawulos noBharnabhas, ngeso senzo, babecela uThixo ukuba abeke intsikelelo yaKhe phezu kwabapostile abanyuliweyo ekuzinikeleni kwabo kumsebenzi okhethekileyo ababe nyulelwe kuwo.IZ 162.2

Ngexesha elisemva koko, inkonzo yokuthanjiswa ngokubekwa kwezandla yaya yaphathwa kakubi kakhulu; kwafakwa kweso senzo ukubaluleka okungadingekanga, ngokungathi amandla ebefika ngelo xesha kwabo babekwa izandla, into eyenza ukuba bawufanele ngelo xesha nawuphi umsebenzi, nayo yonke imisebenzi yobufundisi. Ekubekweni bucala kwaba bapostile babini, ayikho ingxelo ethi nasiphina isakhono basinikwa ngokubekwa nje kwezandla. Kukho kuphela nje ingxelo yokuthanjiswa kwabo enento nomsebenzi wabo wexesha elizayo.IZ 162.3

Iimeko ezihlangene nokwahlulwa [nokubekwa bucala] kukaPawulos noBharnabhas nguMoya Oyingcwele kwicandelo elilodwa lomsebenzi zibonisa ukuba iNkosi isebenza ngabathunywa abachongiweyo ebandleni laYo elimiselweyo. Kwiminyaka engaphambili, kwakuba kutyhilwe injongoyezulu ngoPawulos okokuqala kuye nguMsindisingokwaKhe, kwathi ngokukhawuleza emva koko, uPawulos, wahlanganiswa namalungu ebandla elitsha elalisanda kumiselwa eDamasko. Ngaphezu koko, ibandla elikuloo ndawo alizange lishiywe ixesha elide lisebumnyameni ngawakhe amava lo mFarisi wayeguqukile. Ngoku ke, xa umyalelo wezulu onikwe ngelo xesha kufuneka wenziwe ngokupheleleyo, uMoya Oyingcwele, kwakhona engqina ngoPawulos ukuba usisitya esinyuliweyo sokuthwala iindaba aezilungileyo ziye ezintlangeni, wabeka phezu kwebandla umsebenzi wokumthambisa, yena nalowo umgumsebenzi kunye naye. Ngexesha abaziinkokeli zebandla kwa-Antiyokwe “ba[be]busa eNkosini, bezila ukudla, wathi uMoya Oyingcwele, Ndahluleleni ke uBharnabhas kwanoSawule, baye emsebenzini endibabizele kuwo.”IZ 162.4

UThixo ulenze ibandla laKhe emhlabeni ijelo lokukhanya, athi ngalo agqithisele iinjongo zaKhe nentando yaKhe. Akaniki umntu omnye kubakhonzi baKhe amava okuzimela geqe nangokuchaseneyo namava ebandla ngokwalo. Akamniki umntu ulwazi lwentando yaKhe ngebandla lonke kube ngelo xesha ibandla — umzimba kaKristu — lishiywe ebumnyameni. Ekulungiseleleni kwaKhe, ubabeka abakhonzi baKhe kulalwamano olusondeleyo nebandla laKhe, ukuze kube kuncinane ukuzithemba kubo ngokwabo, kube kukhulu ukuthemba abanye, abo Yena abakhokelayo ukuba bahambisele phambili umsebenzi waKhe.IZ 163.1

Bahlala bekho ebandleni abo basoloko bekekelele ekuzimeleni bodwa. Ingathi abaqondi ukuba ukuzimela geqe komoya kunengozi yokumkhokelela umntu ongumthunywa ekuthembeni eyakhe imbono endaweni yokuhlonipha icebiso, axabise kakhulu imbono yabazalwana bakhe, ngakumbi abo bakwizikhundla uThixo abanyulele kuzo ukuba bakhokele abantu baKhe. UThixo ubeke phezu kwebandla laKhe igunya elilodwa namandla ekungekho noyedwa oya kuba uya lungisa xa engalinakanga elidelela, kuba owenza oko udelela ilizwi likaThixo.IZ 163.2

Abo banengqondo yokuhlonipha ezabo iimbono njengezona ziphezulu basengozini enkulu. Lilinge alifundisisileyo uSathana ukubahlula abanjalo kwabo bangamajelo okukhanya, athi uThixo abasebenzise ekwakheni nasekwandiseni umsebenzi waKhe emhlabeni. Ukutyeshela okanye ukudelela abo uThixo abanyulileyo ukuba bathwale uxanduva lobunkokeli obuhlangane nokuhambisela phambili inyaniso, kukwala iindlela azinyulileyo [uThixo] ukunceda, ukukhuthaza, nokomeleza abantu baKhe. Into yokuba nawuphi na umsebenzi emsebenzini weNkosi odlula ngaphaya kwezi nkokeli, nocinga ukuba ukukhanya kwakhe kumele ukuza kuphela kuvela ngqo kuThixo, uzibeka endaweni apho anokukhohliswa lula lutshaba nokuqethulwa. INkosi ebulumkweni baYo ilungise ukuba ngeendlela zolwalamano olusondeleneyo ekufuneka zigciniwe ngawo onke amakholwa, umKristu uya kumanyana nomKristu, ibandla nebandla. Ngoko ke isixhobo esingumntu siya kwenziwa ukuba sikwazi ukuhlangana nezulu. Sonke isithunywa siya kumthobela uMoya Oyingcwele, aze onke amakholwa amanyane kwilinge elimiselweyo nelikhokelwa ngendlela ukunika ihlabathi iindaba zovuyo zobabalo lukaThixo.IZ 164.1

UPawulos walithabatha ithuba lokuthanjiswa kwakhe ngokusesikweni njengophawu lwesiqalo sexeha elitsha nelibalulekileyo ebomini bakhe. Kwabakukususelakwelixeshaaphowathikamvawamisaixesha lokuqala kwakhe ubupostile ebandleni lobuKristu.IZ 164.2

Ngeli xesha iindaba ezilungileyo zibengezela ngobuqaqawuli kwa-Antiyokwe, umsebenzi obalulekileyo wawuqhubeka ngabapostile ababesele eYerusalem. Yonke iminyaka, ngexesha leziyunguma, amaYuda amaninzi aphuma kulo lonke ayesiza eYerusalem ukuba anqule etempileni. Abanye baba bahambi babe ngamadoda anobungcwele nangabafundi abanyanisekileyo beziprofeto. Babekukhangele bekulangazelela ukufika kukaMesiya owayeprofetiwe, ithemba likaIsrayeli. Ngexesha iYerusalem yayizaliswe ngabasemzini, abapostile bashumayela uKristu ngesibindi esingagungqiyo, nangona babesazi ukuba ngokwenza njalo babebeka ubomi babo esichengeni. UMoya kaThixo walibeka itywina emisebenzini yabo; kwabakho abaninzi abaguqukela elukholweni; baza aba, ekubuyeleni kwabo emakhayeni abo kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo zehlabathi, bayisasaza imbewu yenyaniso kuzo zonke izizwe kwiindidi zonke zabantu ekuhlaleni.IZ 165.1

Ababalulekileyo phakathi kwabapostile ababesenza lo msebenzi yayinguPetros, uYakobi, noYohane, ababeqinisekile ukuba uThixo ubanyule ukuba bashumayele uKristu phakathi kwabakhaya babo. Basebenza ngokunyaniseka nangobulumko, bengqina ngezinto ababezibonile nababezivile, bebhenela “[kwe]lona lizwi liqinisekileyo elilelobuprofeti” (2 Petros 1:19), ekuzameni kwabo ukoyisela “yonke indlu kaIsrayeli ukuba uThixo wamenza iNkosi noKristu, kwayena lo Yesu nambethelelayo emnqamlezweni” (Zenzo 2:36).IZ 165.2