Ukusebenza KoFakazi BakaJehova Abanesibindi!

Ukwanda KobuKristu Njengoba Kulandiswa Encwadini YezEnzo

UJESU KRISTU wayememezele izindaba ezinhle zombuso kaNkulunkulu iminyaka emithathu nengxenye. Wayekhuthaze abalandeli bakhe ukuba bakhanyise ngokukhanya kwabo. Kodwa babembalwa, kanti uJesu wayebikezele umsebenzi wokushumayela ezweni lonke. (Mathewu 5:14-16; 24:14) Ingabe abafundi bakhe babeyoze bayifeze inkonzo enjalo? Ngisho noma babefuna ukuyenza, yiluphi usizo ababeyoluthola?

Umfundi othembekile uLuka, inyanga efundile, inikeza izimpendulo kulena nakweminye imibuzo encwadini ephefumlelwe phezulu enesihloko esithi “IzEnzo Zabaphostoli.” (Qhathanisa noLuka 1:1-4; IzEnzo 1:1, 2.) Kokubili ubufakazi obungaphakathi nobungaphandle bukhomba uLuka njengomlobi wezEnzo. Kungenzeka, yalotshwa eRoma cishe ngo-61 C.E.—Kolose 4:14; 2 Thimothewu 4:11.a

IzEnzo ziqala ngokwenyukela kukaJesu ezulwini futhi ziphethe ngokuboshwa kukaPawulu eRoma. Ngakho-ke, zihlanganisa iminyaka engama-28, kusuka ku-33 kuya ku-61 C.E. Ekubukezeni kwazo ubuKristu bakuqala okwenabile, ngempela, ziyindaba eshukumisayo yokusebenza kofakazi bakaJehova abanesibindi.

Incwadi yezenzo ingasizuzisa kanjani? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, (1) ingasibonisa ukuthi uJehova usiza ofakazi bakhe abathembekile; (2) ingasenza siqaphele amandla nethonya lomoya ongcwele; (3) ingaqinisa ukuthembela kwethu esiprofethweni esiphefumlelwe phezulu; (4) ingasisiza ukuba sibeke uNkulunkulu kuqala lapho siphakathi kwezinto ezivivinya ukholo; (5) ingasikhuthaza ukuba sibe nesibindi ekunikezeni ubufakazi obanele; (6) ingasisiza ukuba sikhuthazele lapho sibhekene nokushushiswa; (7) ingasishukumisela ukuba sizidele enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu; (8) ingasishukumisela ukuba sibe abafundi abakhuthele beZwi likaNkulunkulu; futhi (9) ingavuselela ukholo lwethu ethembeni elimangalisayo loMbuso.

UPetru—Ufakazi Onesibindi Nothembekileyo

Incwadi yezenzo iqala lapho uJesu Kristu esezovalelisa kubafundi bakhe. Ingabe uzobuyisela umbuso kuIsrayeli ngalesikhathi? Bafuna ukwazi. Kodwa ubatshela ukuthi ‘akukhona okwabo ukwazi izikhathi noma imizuzu uBaba akumisile ngamandla akhe.’ Nakuba abalandeli bakaJesu ngalesosikhathi babentula ukuqonda okugcwele ngombuso, wabayala ukuba babe ofakazi bakhe eJerusalema, eJudiya naseSamariya, bese kuba “sekugcineni komhlaba.” Nokho bazowenza kanjani lomsebenzi? Ngamandla omoya ongcwele!—IzEnzo 1:6-8.

Ngosuku lwePentekoste cishe abafundi bakaJesu abayi-120 bahlangene ekamelweni eliphezulu eJerusalema lapho begcwaliswa ngomoya ongcwele. Lokhu kubenza bakwazi ukushumayela ngesibindi ngezilimi ezihlukahlukene zamaJuda namaProselithe avela ezindaweni ezikude ukuba azogubha iPentekoste eJerusalema. Umphostoli uPetru uyahola ekufakazeni. Uchaza ukuthi ukuthululwa komoya kuwukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaJoweli. (IzEnzo 2:14-21; Joweli 2:28-32) Ngalo lolosuku imiphefumulo eyizi-3 000 ‘yamukela izwi ngesibindi futhi iyabhapathizwa.’ (IzEnzo 2:41) Kusobala ukuthi uJehova uyabasiza ofakazi bakhe. Amandla nethonya lomoya ongcwele kuyabonakala. Futhi, amazwi kaPetru aqinisa ukuthembela kwethu ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho esiphefumlelwe.

Okulandelayo, umuntu oyisishosha uphiliswa ngokuyisimangaliso, okunikeza ubufakazi obengeziwe bamandla omoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. Khona-ke uPetru noJohane banikeza ubufakazi ngesibindi maqondana noJesu. Abakwazi ukukumela lokhu abaholi benkolo, bababamba abaphostoli futhi babaphenyisisa ngosuku olulandelayo. Ngesibindi, uPetru noJohane baveza ukuthi insindiso itholakala ngoJesu Kristu kuphela. Lapho beyalwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, bayenqaba. Ngemva kokusongelwa nokukhululwa bahlangana nabakholwa nabo futhi bonke bahlanganyela ekuceleni ukuba uNkulunkulu abasize ‘bakhulume izwi lakhe ngaso sonke isibindi.’ Ngakho-ke, “bagcwaliswa bonke ngoMoya oNgcwele, bakhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi.” Lapho bebuya beyalwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, ngesibindi bayaphendula: “Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 4:19, 20, 29-31; 5:29.

Yeka indlela lokhu okumelwe kusize ngayo ofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla ukuba babeke uNkulunkulu kuqala lapho bephakathi kwezimo ezivivinya ukholo! Futhi yeka indlela okumelwe kusikhuthaze ngayo ukuba sibe nesibindi ekunikezeni ubufakazi obanele, ngisho nalapho sishushiswa!

UStefanu, omunye wamadoda ayisikhombisa ayegcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele ukuba abe ukudla, naye unikeza ubufakazi obunamandla lapho elethwa phambi koMphakathi. Lapho eveza icala labahluleli ngokufa kukaJesu, bayathukuthela futhi bamkhanda ngamatshe aze afe. Ukuthula kukaStefanu kukho konke lokhu kuyisibonelo esihle, kukhuthaza ofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla ukuba bakhuthazele lapho bebhekene nokushushiswa.—IzEnzo 6:1–7:60; qhathanisa nabaseFilipi 4:6, 7, 13.

Ukushushiswa kuyanda, kodwa akubamisi abafundi. Kunalokho, noma kuphi lapho besakazekela khona bayaqhubeka ‘bememezela izindaba ezinhle,’ besekelwa uJehova nesibusiso sakhe. (IzEnzo 8:4-8) Ngokushesha, umshushisi omubi uSawulu waseTarsu uyaphendulwa lapho uJesu ngokwakhe ebonakala phambi kwakhe ngokukhanya okukhulu, futhi uSawulu uba yimpumputhe ngenxa yokukhazimula kwakho. UAnaniya uvula amehlo kaSawulu, futhi lomshushisi wakuqala, kamuva owaziwa ngokuthi umphostoli uPawulu, uba ufakazi onesibindi kaNkulunkulu noKristu.—IzEnzo 9:1-30; 22:6-11.

Manje ibandla ‘lingenela inkathi yokuthula, liyakheka; futhi njengoba lihamba ekwesabeni uJehova nasenduduzweni yomoya ongcwele liyaqhubeka landa.’ (IzEnzo 9:31) UPetru uvusa uThabitha (uDorka) othandekayo kwabafileyo. Kamuva, bamukela ubizo lokuya eKhesariya, lapho amemezela khona “izindaba ezinhle” kuKorneliyu nakwabendlu yakhe. Bayakholwa futhi umoya ongcwele uyathululwa phezu kwabo. Ngemva kokuqaphela ukuthi “uNkulunkulu akabheki ubuso bamuntu, kodwa ezizweni zonke omesabayo nowenza ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye,” uPetru uyababhapathiza—abeZizwe bokuqala abangasokile ukuba babe abafundi bakaJesu.—IzEnzo 10:1-48.

Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uHerode Agripha I ubulala umphostoli uJohane futhi ubopha uPetru ukuze naye ambulale. Kodwa umphostoli ukhululwa ejele yingelosi. Futhi, naphezu kobunzima nokushushiswa, uJehova uyabasiza ofakazi bakhe futhi ‘izwi likaJehova liyakhula futhi liyanda.’—IzEnzo 11:19-21; 12:24.

Uhambo LukaPawulu Oluthathu Lobuvangeli

Ngomoya ongcwele, uBarnaba noSawulu bayakhethwa futhi bayathunywa besuka eAntiyokiya eSiriya. (IzEnzo 13:2, 3) Esiqhingini saseKhurene abaningi bayakholwa, kuhlanganisa nombusi uSeregiyu Pawulu. Izikhathi eziningana ofakazi boMbuso kumelwe bayishiye imizi ngenxa yokushushiswa ngobudlova. Ngokwesibonelo, emzini waseListra uPawulu ukhandwa ngamatshe futhi bamshiye bethi usefile. Kodwa, lapho ephaphama, uphindela emsebenzini wakhe wokufakaza futhi ukhuthaza abanye ukuba bame beqinile okholweni, ethi: “Simelwe ukungena embusweni kaNkulunkulu ngezinhlupheko eziningi.” (IzEnzo 14:22) Yeka indlela konke lokhu okukhuthaza ngayo ofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla ukuba bakhuthazele lapho bebhekene nokushushiswa!

Umhlangano wabaphostoli namadoda amadala uxazulula inkinga yokusoka. (IzEnzo isahl. 15) Cha, ukusoka akudingeki kwabeZizwe abaphendukele ebuKristwini. Umoya ongcwele ufeza indima ethile kulokhu, ngoba incwadi ethunyelwa ngenxa yalendaba, ingxenye yayo ithi: “Kwaba-kuhle kuMoya oNgcwele nakithi ukuba singanithwesi umthwalo omkhulu ngaphandle kwalezizinto ezifunekayo zokuthi niyeke okuhlatshelwe izithombe, negazi, nokuqumbeleneyo, nobufebe.”—IzEnzo 15:28, 29.

USila uhamba noPawulu ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lobuvangeli, futhi endleleni uThimothewu uhamba nabo. Embonweni, uPawulu unxuswa ukuba awelele eMakedoniya ayosiza. Futhi, ngenxa yesimo sokuzidela somphostoli nabangane bakhe, bathatha lesi njengesabelo sabo enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Ingabe sishukunyiswa ngendlela efanayo lapho sivulelwa ithuba lokuzinikezela ngokwethu enkonzweni kaJehova?—IzEnzo 16:9, 10.

EFilipi, ukushumayela ngoMbuso kuvusa isiphithiphithi, futhi uPawulu noSila bayaboshwa. Ukuzamazama komhlaba kuyabakhulula, kodwa ababaleki. Kunalokho, bashumayeza umgcini-ziboshwa nabendlu yakhe, futhi bonke laba bayakholwa babhapathizwe.—IzEnzo 16:11-34.

Ngokulandelayo, kuyiwa eThesalonika, bese kuba seBereya. AbaseBereya ‘banezimfanelo ezinhle kunabaseThesalonika, ngoba bamukela izwi ngenhliziyo yonke, bahlolisisa imibhalo nsuku zonke ukuze babone ukuthi izinto abatshelwa zona zinjalo ngempela yini.’ (IzEnzo 17:10, 11) Ingabe lokhu akumelwe kusishukumisele ukuba sibe ngabafundi abakhuthele beZwi likaNkulunkulu—njengokungathi singabaseBereya banamuhla?

Lapho efika eAthene, uPawulu ushumayela ngesibindi esigcawini futhi uyiswa eAriyophagu izazi. Lapho unikeza ubufakazi obuhle ngendalo kaJehova, ngobunye bomkhaya wesintu, novuko lukaJesu Kristu. Umphumela uba yini? Abanye bayakholwa njengaye. (IzEnzo 17:16-34) Lapho eya eKorinte, umphostoli uthola isithakazelo esikhulu eqinisweni likaNkulunkulu kangangokuba uhlala lapho izinyanga eziyi-18.—IzEnzo 18:1-17.

Ngemva kokuphindela eAntiyokiya nokuchitha isikhathi esithile lapho, uPawulu uqalisa uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu lobuvangeli. E-Efesu ushumayela ngesibindi, futhi uNkulunkulu uqhubeka enza imisebenzi emikhulu yamandla ngaye. Inkonzo e-Efesu ibonakala ithela izithelo, kodwa futhi ibangela isiphithiphithi kulomuzi ogcwele abakhulekeli bakankulunkulukazi uDiyana. Kodwa umphostoli ubashiya engenamyocu.—IzEnzo 19:8–20:1.

Endleleni yakhe ephindela emuva eJerusalema, uPawulu ubutha amadoda amadala ebandla lase-Efesu. Uwakhuthaza ngenkonzo yakhe yokuzidela ngenkathi ephakathi kwawo. Wayeye waba matasa njengommemezeli woMbuso futhi wayengakhomba ‘ekushumayeleni kwakhe obala nasendlini ngendlu.’ Yeka isibonelo esihle kulabo abathwala umthwalo wemfanelo phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova namuhla!—IzEnzo 20:17-35.

Ukushushiswa Akukumisi Ukushumayela NgoMbuso

Nakuba uPawulu exwayiswa ukuba angaphinde alubeke eJerusalema, akahlehleli emuva. (IzEnzo 21:10-14) UJakobe namanye amadoda amadala ebandla bathokoza kakhulu lapho uPawulu ebatshela ngesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu enkonzweni yakhe phakathi kwezizwe. Kodwa lapho umphostoli evela ethempelini, yeka ukwamukelwa okuhlukile akutholayo! AmaJuda asezwekazini laseAsiya avungamelisa wonke umuzi ngokumelene naye, futhi amabutho amaRoma amphephisa ngesikhathi. Kamuva, enkantolo ehlukene phakathi yabaFarisi nabaSadusi, uPawulu uphakamisa inkinga yovuko, ubenza baphikisane bodwa. Njengoba ukwehlukana kukhula kakhulu, amabutho amaRoma ahlwitha uPawulu. Uthunyelwa ngasese kuMbusi uFeliksi eKhesariya. Phambi kombusi uyaziphendulela ngokumelene nabammangalelayo. Kodwa umphostoli ugcinwa ejele iminyaka emibili. Kamuva uvela phambi kukaPorkiyu Festu, unikeza ubufakazi ngesibindi, futhi ufaka isikhalo kuKesari. (IzEnzo 25:11) Kamuva, uPawulu uvela phambi kweNkosi uHerode Agripha II. Nakuba uAgripha ekuqaphela ukungabi nacala kukaPawulu, umphostoli uye wafaka isikhalo kuKesari futhi ngenxa yalokho uthunyelwa eRoma.

Uhambo lokuya eRoma luphazanyiswa isiphepho esikhulu. Umkhumbi uyaphephuka futhi uyephuka, kodwa, njengoba ingelosi iye yaqinisekisa uPawulu, bonke abasemkhunjini bayaphumelela ukufika bephephile ogwini esiqhingini saseMelitha. Ezinyangeni ezintathu kamuva uPawulu nabangane abahambisana naye bahamba ngomkhumbi baya eRoma. Enhlokodolobha yamaRoma, iminyaka emibili uPawulu ‘uhlala endlini yakhe ayiqashileyo, futhi wamukela bonke abeza kuye.’ Ngenxa yayiphi injongo? Ukuze afakaze kubo, ngoba sitshelwa ukuthi wayematasa ‘eshumayela umbuso kaNkulunkulu, wafundisa ngaso sonke isibindi izindaba zeNkosi uJesu Kristu, enganqatshelwa-muntu.’—IzEnzo 28:30, 31.

Ngakho-ke ngalendlela izEnzo ziphetha ngendaba yokufakaza ngoMbuso ngokwethembeka. Yebo, incwadi yezEnzo iqokomisa ithemba elihle loMbuso. Futhi lendaba ephefumlelwe kumelwe ishukumise izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zanamuhla ukuba zifane nabekhulu lokuqala—ofakazi bakaJehova abasebenza ngesibindi!

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

NjengoPetru ngePentekoste, wonke amaKristu athembekile angofakazi bakaJehova abanesibindi