68—Entendelezweni Yangaphandle
[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuYohane 12:20-43.]
“Ke kaloku, kwakukho amaGrike athile kwababenyukile, beze kunqula emthendelekweni. Wona ngoko eza kuFilipu waseBhetesayida yelaseGalili, acela kuye, esithi, Nkosi, singa singabona uYesu. Ufika uFilipu axelele uAndreya; bathi kanjalo ooAndreya noFilipu baxelele uYesu.”ULw 621.1
Ngeli xesha umsebenzi kaYesu wawunenkangeleko yokoyiswa okukhohlakeleyo. Wayengumoyisi kwimbambano nababingeleli nabaFarisi, kodwa kwakucacile ukuba abasayi kuze bona bamamkele njengoMesiya. Ukwahlukana nokugqibela kwakufikile. Kubafundi baKhe, ityala lalibonakala limlahla. UYesu wayesondela ekuwugqibeni umsebenzi waKhe. Isiganeko esikhulu, esasingakhathazi isizwe sakwaYuda kuphela, kodwa ilizwe lonke, sasikufuphi ukwenzeka. Wathi uKristu akusiva isicelo esinenzondelelo, esithi, “Singa singabona uYesu,” siphinda isikhalo sendlala yehlabathi, imbonakalo yaKhe yadlamka, wathi, “Lifikile ilixa lokuba uNyana woMntu azukiswe.” Kwisicelo samaGrike, wabona ukunyaniseka kweziphumo zombingelelo waKhe omkhulu. ULw 621.2
La madoda eza evela eNtshona efuna uMsindisi ekupheleni kwexesha lokuphila kwaKhe, njengoko izazi zeza zivela eMpuma ekuqalekeni. Ngexesha lokuzalwa kukaKristu, amaYuda ayengene nzulukumaceboamabhongo awo kangangokuba awazange azi ngokufika kwaKhe. Izazi ezaziphuma kummandla wabahedeni zeza emkhombeni nezipho zazo, ukuba zimnqule uMsindisi. Ngokunjalo, la maGrike, emele izizwe, iintlanga, nabantu behlabathi, eza ukuba ambone uYesu. Ngokunjalo, abantu bazo zonke iindawo nazo zonke izizukulwana ziya kutsalwa ngumnqamlezo woMsindisi. Ngokunjalo, “baninzi abaya kufika bevela empumalanga nasentshonalanga, bangqengqe ndawonye noAbraham, noIsake noYakobi ebukumkanini bamazulu.” Mat. 8:11.ULw 621.3
AmaGrike ayevile ngokungena ngoloyiso kukaKristu eYerusalem. Abanye bayicinga baza bayisasaza ingxelo yokuba wabagxotha ababingeleli nabaphathi etempileni, nokuba wahlala etroneni kaDavide, walawula engukumkani kaIsrayeli. AmaGrike ayenga angayazi inyaniso ngokubhekisele kumsebenzi awuzeleyo. “Singa singabona uYesu,” atsho. Kwenzeka ngokomnqweno wawo. Ngexesha sasibikwa kuYesu isicelo sawo, wayekwindawo yetempile apho kwakungavumelekanga nawuphi umntu ngaphandle kwamaYuda, kodwa waphuma waya kuwo amaGrike entendelezweni yangaphandle, wanothethwano nawo Yena ngokwaKhe. ULw 622.1
Ilixa lokuzukiswa kukaKristu lalifikile. Wayemi esithunzini somnqamlezo, saza isicelo samaGrike sambonisa ukuba umbingelelo awayesele eza kuwenza wawuza kuzisa imfumba yoonyana neentombi kuThixo. Wazi ukuba amaGrike kungekudala ayeza kumbona ekwindawo angazanga ayiphupha ngelo xesha. Ayeza kumbona ebekwa ecaleni kukaBharabha, isigebenga nombulali, owayeza kukhethwa ukuba akhululwe kunokuba kukhululwe uNyana kaThixo. Ayeza kuva abantu, ngokukhuthazwa ngababingeleli nabaphathi, bezikhethela. Kumbuzo othi, “Ndimenzeni na ke uYesu ekuthiwa nguKristu?” impendulo yanikwa isithi, “Makabethelelwe emnqamlezweni.” Mat. 27:22. Ngokwenza olu camagushelo lwezono zabantu, uKristu wayesazi ukuba ubukumkani baKhe babuza kufezekiswa, buze buzalise umhlaba wonke. Wayeza kuba nguMbuyisi, ukuze woyise uMoya waKhe. Okomzuzwana, wakhangela kwixesha elizayo, wawava amazwi enkqangaza kuzo zonke iindawo zomhlaba, esithi, “Nantso iMvana kaThixo, ethwala isuse isono sehlabathi.” Yohane 1:29. Kwaba bantu basemzini, wabona isibhambathiso sesivuno esikhulu, xa udonga olwahlula phakathi umYuda noweNtlanga luthe lwasuswa, zize zonke izizwe, neelwimi, nabantu basive isigidimi sosindiso. Ukulindela oku, ukuzalisekiswa kwamathemba aKhe, kuthethwe ngamazwi athi,“Lifikile ilixa lokuba uNyana woMntu azukiswe.” Kanti ke, indlela oku kuzukiswa ekwakuza kwenzeka ngayo akuzange kungabikho engqondweni kaKristu. Ukubuthelana kweeNtlanga kwakuza kulandela ukufa kwaKhe okwakusele kufikile. Kwakuza kuba kuphela ngokufa kwaKhe elaliza kuthi ihlabathilisindiswe. Njengokhozo lwengqolowa, uNyana woMntu kwakufuneka aphoswe emhlabeni afe, angcwatywe angabonakali; kodwa kufuneka ephinde waphila. ULw 622.2
UKristu walibeka ikusasa laKhe, elizekelisa ngezinto zendalo, ababenako ukuziqonda abafundi. Isiphumo esiyinyaniso somsebenzi waKhe sasiza kufikelelwa ngokufa kwaKhe. “Inene, inene, ndithi kuni,” watsho, “Ukuba ukhozo lwengqolowa oluwe emhlabeni aluthanga lufe, lona luhlala lungabinto; ke ukuba luthe lwafa, luthwala isiqhamo esininzi.” Xa ukhozo lwengqolowa luwe emhlabeni luyafa, luhlume, luthwale isiqhamo. Ngokunjalo ukufa kukaKristu kwakuza kuba nesiphumo sesiqhamo sobukumkani bukaThixo. Ngokuhambelana nomthetho wobukumkani bemifuno, ubomi babuza kuba sisiphumo sokufa kwaKhe.ULw 623.1
Abo balima umhlaba, bahlala benomboniso phambi kwabo. Yonke iminyaka umntu ukugcina ukudla kwakhe okuziinkozo ngokuhlwayela eyona mbewu ikhethekileyo. Okwexesha kufuneka ifihlakele ngaphantsi komhlaba, ilindwe yiNkosi. Ithi ke emva koko, ivele—ikhaba, ibe sisikhwebu, ize ibe yingqolowa ezalisekileyo esikhwebini. Akukwazi ke ukubakho oku kukhula lungathanga kuqala ukhozo lungcwatywe lungabonakali, lufihlakale, kuthi kuyo yonke inkangeleko, lulahleke. ULw 623.2
Imbewu engcwatyiweyo emhlabeni ivelisa isiqhamo, ize iphinde nayo ityalwe. Ngaloo ndlela isivuno siyaphindaphindwa. Ngoko ke, ukufa kukaKristu emnqamlezweni waseKalvari kuza kuthwala isiqhamo esisingisa ebomini obungunaphakade. Ukucamanga ngalo mbingelelo kuya kuba luzuko kwabo, njengesiqhamo sawo, baya kuphila kumaphakade asemaphakadeni. ULw 623.3
Ukhozo lwengqolowa olubugcinileyo obalo ubomi alukwazi ukuvelisa isiqhamo. Luhlala lulodwa. UKristu wayenako, ukuba wayethandile, ukuzisindisa ekufeni. Ukuba wayenokwenza oko, kwakuya kufuneka ahlale yedwa. Wayengasayi kuzisa oonyana neentombi kuThixo. Kuphela ngokunikela ubomi baKhe awayenokuthi anike uluntu ubomi. Kuphela ngokuwa emhlabeni ukuba afe, awayenokuba yimbewu yeso sivuno sikhulu,--isihlwele esikhulu esiza kuphuma kuzo zonke izizwe, iintlanga, iilwimi nabantu, esihlangulelwe kuThixo. ULw 623.4
Ngale nyaniso, uKristu uhlanganisa isifundo sokuzincama esimelwe kukufundwa ngabo bonke: “Lowo uwuthandayo umphefumlo wakhe, wolahlekelwa nguwo; lowo uwuthiyayo umphefumlo wakhe kweli hlabathi, wowulondolozela ubomi obungunaphakade.” Bonke abaya kuzisa isiqhamo bengabasebenzi kunye noKristu, kufuneka bawe emhlabeni, bafe. Ubomi kufuneka buphoswe efolweni yezidingo zehlabathi. Ukuzithanda, ukuzithandela, kufuneka kuphelile. Umthetho wokuzincama ungumthetho wokuzigcina. Umlimi uyigcina imbewu yakhe ngokuyilahla. Kunjalo ebomini bobuntu. Ukupha kukuphila. Ubomiobugciniweyo bubomi obunikelwe ngokukhululekileyo ekusebenzeleni uThixo nomntu. Abo bathi ngenxa kaKristu, bancame ubomi babo kweli hlabathi, baya kubugcinela ubomi obungunaphakade. ULw 623.5
Ubomi obuchithelwe kumna, bufana nokhozo olutyiweyo. Luthi shwaka, kodwa kungekho ngeniso. Umntu anganako ukuziqokelelela konke; angaziphilela, azicingele, azicebele; kodwa ubomi bakhe buyadlula, abe engenanto. Umthetho wokuzikhonza ngumthetho wokuzitshabalalisa.ULw 624.1
“Ukuba ubani uthi andikhonze,” watsho uYesu, “makandilandele; apho ndikhona mna, woba khona apho nondikhonzayo; ukuba umntu uthi andikhonze, uBawo wombeka.” Bonke abathe kunye noYesu bathwala umnqamlezo wokuzincama baya kwabelana naYe ngozuko lwaKhe. Yayiluvuyo lukaKristu ekuthotyelweni phantsi kwaKhe nakwintlungu yaKhe ukuba abafundi baKhe bazukiswe naYe. Basisiqhamo sokuzincama kwaKhe. Ukusebenza ebomini babo kwesimilo saKhe nomoya waKhe kumvuzo waKhe, kuya kuba luvuyo lwaKhe kunaphakade wonke. Olu vuyo babelana naYe ngalo njengesiqhamo sokubulaleka kwabo nokuzincama okubonwa kwezinye iintliziyo nasebomini. Bangabasebenzi kunye noKristu, kwaye uBawo uya kubazukisa njengoko azukisa uNyana waKhe.ULw 624.2
Isigidimi samaGrike, esabonisa kwangaphambili, njengoko senzayo ukuhlanganisela ngaphakathi abeeNtlanga, sazisa engqondweni kaYesu wonke umsebenzi azele wona. Umsebenzi wokuhlangula wadlula phambi kwaKhe, kususela kwixesha xa ezulwini kwandlalwa icebo, kwasa ekufeni okwakumbovu ukuba kwenzeke. Ilifu lemfihlakalo labonakala ngokungathi limgubungele uNyana kaThixo. Ubumnyama balo babuviwa ngabo babekufutshane kuYe. Wahlala esengcingeni enzulu. Ekugqibeleni inzolo yaphazanyiswa lilizwi laKhe elinesingqala, “Kukalokunje umphefumlo wam ukhathazekile, mandithini na” Bawo, ndisindise kweli lixa.” Ngokulindela oko kuzayo, uKristu wayesele eyisela indebe ekrakra. Ubuntu baKhe boyika kususela kwilixa lokushiywa, xa yonke imbonakalo wayeza kuda ashiywe nanguThixo, xa bonke babeza kumbona ebethwa, ebethwa nguThixo, engcungcuthekiswa. Woyika ukubhengezwa ekuhleni, ukuphathwa njengesona sigebenga sikhohlakeleyo, nokufa kwehlazo okungenasidima. Ukuba nemvakalelo kwangaphambili yedabi laKhe namagunya obumnyama, uvo lomthwalo owoyikekayo wokreqo loluntu, nengqumbo kaYise ngenxa yesono kwenza ukuba umoya waKhe uYesu uphelelwe ngamandla, nobumnyama bokufa buyigubungele inkangeleko yaKhe.ULw 624.3
Emva koko kwafika ukuziyekela okungcwele kwintando kaYise. “Ndizele khona oku kweli lixa,” watsho. “Bawo, lizukise igama lakho.” Kungokufa kuphela ekunokuthi koyiswe ubukumkani bukaSathana. Yiloo ndlela kuphela anokuhlangulwa ngayo umntu, aze azukiswe uThixo. UYesu wayivumela intlungu, wakwamkela ukuzincama. INgangamsha yezulu yavuma ukuviswa ubunzima bokuba nguMthwali weSono.“Bawo,lizukiseigamalakho,” watsho. Ngexesha uKristu ethetha la mazwi, impendulo yafika ivela efini elalijinga phezu kwentloko yaKhe: “Ndilizukisile, ndiya kubuya ndilizukise.” Bonke ubomi bukaKristu, kususela emkhumbini kuse kwixesha kwakuthethwa la mazwi, babumzukisa uThixo; kwaye kuvavanyo olwaluza kuzisa ukubulaleka koThixo-mntu, ngokwenene wayeza kulizukisa igama likaYise. ULw 624.4
Kwathi ngexesha kuvakala ilizwi, ukukhanya kwathi tshazi kuphuma efini, kwamzungeza uKristu, ngokungathi ziingalo zamandla angenasiphelo eziye zamwola njengodonga lomlilo. Abantu bawubona lo mboniso benoloyiko, bekhwankqisiwe. Akuzanga kubekho unesibindi sokuthetha. Ngemilebe etywinekileyo nomphefumlo obanjiweyo, bonke bema amehlo abo bewathe ntshoo kuYesu. Ubungqina bukaYise babunikiwe, ilifu liphakanyisiwe, laphasalaka emazulwini. Okomzuzu, uthethwano olubonakalayo phakathi kukaYise noNyana lwaluphelile. ULw 625.1
“Isihlwele ngoko esasimi seva, sathi, Liyaduduma. Abanye bathi, Kuthethe isithunywa sezulu kuye.” Wona amaGrike awayebuzisa, alibona ilifu, aliva ilizwi, ayiqonda intsingiselo, amqonda ngokwenene uKristu; kuwo, watyhilwa njengOthunyiweyo nguThixo. ULw 625.2
Ilizwi likaThixo laliviwe ekubhaptizweni kukaYesu ekuqalekeni kolungiselelo lwaKhe, kwakhona [laviwa] ekwenziweni kumila kumbi entabeni. Ngoku, ekuqoshelisweni komsebenzi wolungiselelo lwaKhe, lavakala okwesithathu, kwiqela elikhulu labantu, phantsi kweemeko ezikhethekileyo. UYesu wayesanda kuthetha inyaniso enendili ngokubhekiselele kwimeko yamaYuda. Wayelwenzile ubizo lwaKhe lokugqibela, wayivakalisa intshabalalo yabo. Ngoku uThixo uphinda abeke itywina laKhe kumsebenzi awuthume uNyana waKhe. Wamvuma Lowo uIsrayeli amalileyo. “Eli lizwi alibangakho ngenxa yam;” watsho uYesu, “libekho ngenxa yenu.” Yayibubungqina bokugqibela bokuba nguMesiya kwaKhe, uphawu olusuka kuYise lokuba uYesu wayethetha inyaniso, kwaye wayenguNyana kaThixo. ULw 625.3
“Kungoku, ukugwetywa kwalo eli hlabathi;” waqhubeka uKristu, “kungoku umphathi walo eli hlabathi aya kukhutshelwa phandle. Mna ke, ukuba ndithe ndaphakanyiswa emhlabeni, ndiya kubatsalela bonke kum. Wayesitsho ke, eqondisa ukuba kukufa kuni na abeza kufa ngako.” Lixesha eliyingxaki enkulu eli ehlabathini. Ukuba ndithe ndalucamagushelo lwezono zabantu, ilizwe liya kuba nokhanyo. Isandla sikaSathana phezu kwemiphefumlo siya kususwa. Umfanekiso kaThixo owonakalisiweyo uya kubuyiselwa eluntwini, luze usapho labangcwele abakholwayo, ekugqibeleni, lizuze ilifa elilikhaya lasezulwini. Esi sisiphumo sokufa kukaKristu. UMsindisi ucinga nzulu ngomboniso woloyiso oluye lwavezwa phambi kwaKhe. Ubona umnqamlezo, umthi wenkohlakalo nehlazo, nazo zonke izinto ezimbi ezihamba nawo, ubengezela bubuqaqawuli.ULw 625.4
Kanti ke ngoku kunjalo, umsebenzi wokuhlangulwa koluntu asikuphela kwento efeziweyo ngumnqamlezo. Uthando lukaThixo lubonakalalisiwe kwindalo yonke. Umthetheli weli hlabathi ulahlelwe phandle. Izimangalo athe uSathana wazityabeka kuThixo, ziphikisiwe. Ukugculela abe ekulahlele ezulwini, kususwe ngonaphakade. Iingelosi kunye nabantu batsalelwe kuMhlanguli. “Ukuba ndithe ndaphakanyiswa emhlabeni,’ watsho, “ndiya kubatsalela bonke kum.”ULw 626.1
Babebaninzi abantu ababe buthelene kuKristu ngexesha wayethetha la mazwi, waza wathi omnye, “Thina sivile emthethweni, ukuba uKristu yena uhlala ngonaphakade; utsho ngani na wena ukuthi, UNyana woMntu umelwe kukuthi aphakanyiswe? Ungubani na lo Nyana woMntu? Uthe ngoko uYesu kubo, Liselilifutshane ixesha lokuba ukhanyiso lube nani. Hambani nisenalo nje ukhanyiso, ukuze ubumnyama bunganiqubuli; lowo uhamba ebumnyameni, akazi apho aya khona. Nisenalo nje ukhanyiso, kholwani kulo ukhanyiso, ukuze nibe ngabokukhanya.” ULw 626.2
“Ke kaloku, nakuba wayenze imiqondiso engaka phambi kwabo, abakholwanga kuye. Babekhe bambuza uMsindisi, besithi, “Wenza mqondiso mni na wena, ukuze sibone, sikholwe nguwe?” Yohane 6:30. Yinyambalala imiqondiso eyenziwayo; kodwa babewavalile amehlo abo bazenza lukhuni iintliziyo zabo. Na ngoku uYise ngokwaKhe wathetha, abakwazi ukucela omnye umqondiso, babesakwala ukukholwa.ULw 626.3
“Noko ke nakubo abaphathi into eninzi yakholwa kuye; kodwa ngenxa yabaFarisi yayingavumi ngamlomo, hleze ikhutshwe esikhungwini.” Babethanda ukudunyiswa ngabantu kunokuba bamkelwe nguThixo. Ukuzisindisa kwingcikivo nehlazo, bamkhanyela uKristu, basala isipho sobomi obungunaphakade. Bangakanani abathe kuwo onke amaphakade ukususela ngoko abenza kwaloo nto! Abhekisa kubo onke amazwi oMsindisi okulumkisa, xa athi, “Lowo uwuthandayo umphefumlo wakhe, wolahlekelwa nguwo.” “Lowo undigibayo,” watsho uYesu, “angawamkeli amazwi am, unaye omgwebayo; ilizwi endilithethileyo, lilo eliya kumgweba ngomhla wokugqibela.” Yohane 12:48.ULw 626.4
Yeha ke, kwabo bangalazanga ixesha lokundwendwelwa kwabo! Kancinane nangobuhlungu, uKristu wazishiya ngonaphakade iintendelezo zetempile.ULw 626.5