1. OFakazi bakaJehova bafanana njani lamaKhristu akuqala?

 UKUHLUKULUZWA akuzange kubenze bathule. Bavuma ukuncediswa lokuqondiswa ngumoya ongcwele futhi bafakaza okuzwayo. Kanti njalo uJehova wabapha izibusiso ezinengi. Konke lokhu kuwachaza kuhle amaKhristu akuqala futhi yikho okwenzakalayo lakuboFakazi bakaJehova lamuhla.

2, 3. Kuyini okuqakathekileyo okusebhukwini lemiSebenzi?

² Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi indaba ezivusa usinga ezisebhukwini lemiSebenzi Yabaphostoli zikukhuthazile futhi zaqinisa ukholo lwakho. Ibhuku leli alifanani lamanye ngoba yilo lodwa ibhuku eliphefumulelweyo elimumethe imbali yamaKhristu akuqala.

³ Ibhuku lemiSebenzi liqamba abantu abangu-95, izindawo ezingu-32, amadolobho angu-54 lezihlenge ezingu-9. Libhuku elimnandi elikhuluma ngabantukazana, abalandeli benkolo yamanga abaziphakamisayo, abezombusazwe abazigqajayo labantu abangelangqondo abahlukuluza abanye. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi limayelana labafowenu labodadewenu ababekhuthele ekutshumayeleni izindaba ezinhle ngapha bemelana lenhlupho.

4. Kuyini okusimanyanisa lomphostoli uPhawuli, uDokhasi labanye ofakazi bakudala ababethembekile?

⁴ Sokuleminyaka ephose ifike 2 000 kusukela ngesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala. Abanye bakhona nguPhetro loPhawuli abaphostoli ababekhuthele, udokotela othandekayo uLukha, indoda ephanayo uBhanabha, indoda elesibindi uStefane, owesifazana olomusa uDokhasi, owesifazana owamukela izihambi uLidiya, labanye ofakazi abanengi ababethembekile. Lanxa baphila kudala, sibabona bengabangane bethu. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Ngoba senza wona kanye umsebenzi ababewenza, owokwenza abantu babe ngabafundi. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Kuyisibusiso sibili ukwenza umsebenzi lo!

5. Abalandeli bakaJesu bakuqala bawuqalisela ngaphi umsebenzi wabo?

⁵ Cabanga ngamazwi kaJesu ethuma abalandeli bakhe. Wathi: “Lizakwamukela amandla nxa umoya ongcwele ufika kini njalo lizakuba ngofakazi bami eJerusalema lakulo lonke elaseJudiya leSamariya kuze kuyefika emaphethelweni  omhlaba.” (Imiseb. 1:8) Umoya ongcwele waqala wanika abafundi amandla okuba ngofakazi “eJerusalema.” (Imiseb. 1:1–8:3) Umoya ongcwele waphinda wabakhokhela ukuthi bafakaze ‘eJudiya leSamariya.’ (Imiseb. 8:4–13:3) Ngemva kwalokho bafakaza ngezindaba ezinhle “emaphethelweni omhlaba.”—Imiseb. 13:4–28:31.

6, 7. Kuyini okwenza umsebenzi wethu ubelula kulowabafowethu labodadewethu besikhathi samaKhristu akuqala?

⁶ Abafowenu labodadewenu besikhathi samaKhristu akuqala babengelalo iBhayibhili elipheleleyo ngesikhathi befakaza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. IVangeli likaMathewu lingabe laphela ngabo-41 C.E. Ezinye incwadi zikaPhawuli zabhalwa ibhuku lemiSebenzi lingakabi khona, lona elaphela phose ngo-61 C.E. AmaKhristu akuqala ayengelawo amaBhayibhili loba amabhuku lamabhukwana ayengawatshiyela abantu ababelesifiso sokufunda. AmaKhristu angamaJuda ayesizwa iMibhalo yesiHebheru ibalwa emasinagogeni engakabi ngabafundi bakaJesu. (2 Khor. 3:14-16) Kufanele ukuthi ayethiya indlebe sibili ngesikhathi ibalwa ngoba ayesebenzisa iMibhalo ayeyibambe ngekhanda nxa etshumayela.

⁷ Lamuhla inengi lethu silawo amaBhayibhili lamabhuku amanengi asekelwe eBhayibhilini. Senza abantu babe ngabafundi ngokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle ezindaweni ezingu-240 ngendimi ezinengi.

8, 9. (a) Umoya ongcwele wancedisa abafundi bakaJesu ukuthi benzeni? (b) Umoya ongcwele uncedisa inceku ethembekileyo ukuthi yenzeni?

⁸ Ngesikhathi uJesu ethuma abafundi bakhe ukuthi babe ngofakazi wathi: “Lizakwamukela amandla nxa umoya ongcwele ufika kini.” Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu wawuzanceda abalandeli bakaJesu ukuthi babe ngofakazi emhlabeni wonke. Umoya ongcwele wanceda uPhetro loPhawuli ukuthi belaphe abantu, bakhiphe amadimoni njalo bavuse labafileyo. Kodwa amandla abawathola ngomoya ongcwele ayengawokwenza okunye okuqakathekileyo. Anceda abaphostoli labanye abafundi ukuthi bafundise abantu iqiniso elenza bathole ukuphila okungapheliyo.—Joh. 17:3.

⁹ Ngelanga lePhentekhosti lika-33 C.E., abafundi bakaJesu ‘bakhuluma ngezindimi ezitshiyeneyo kusiya ngalokho umoya owawubenza benelise ukukukhuluma.’ Yikho bafakaza ‘ngezinto ezimangalisayo zikaNkulunkulu.’ (Imiseb. 2:1-4, 11) Lamuhla asikhulumi ngezindimi. Kodwa umoya kaNkulunkulu uncedisa inceku ethembekileyo ukuthi idinde amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini ngezindimi ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo, inyanga ngayinye kuphrintwa amamiliyoni e-Nqabayokulinda le-Vukani njalo kuwebhusayithi yethu i-jw.org kutholakala amabhuku lamabhukwana lamavidiyo ngendimi ezedlula 1 000. Konke lokhu kusinceda ukuthi sitshumayele ‘ngezinto ezimangalisayo zikaNkulunkulu’ ebantwini bezizwe zonke lezizwana lezindimi zonke.—Isam. 7:9.

10. Umsebenzi wokuhumutsha iBhayibhili uhambe njani kusukela ngo-1989?

¹⁰ Kusukela ngo-1989, inceku ethembekileyo ibisebenza ngamandla ukuze  iNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha itholakale ngendimi ezinengi. Khathesi iBhayibhili leli selihunyutshwe ngezindimi ezedlula 200 futhi sokuphrintwe amakhophi alo angamatshumi amamiliyoni njalo manengi asazophrintwa. Akulamuntu obengenza umsebenzi lo uphumelele ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu esebenzisa umoya wakhe.

11. Umsebenzi wokuhumutsha amabhuku aboFakazi umkhulu kangakanani?

¹¹ Umsebenzi wokuhumutsha wenziwa zinkulungwane zamaKhristu azinikelayo emazweni loba kwezinye indawo ezedlula 150. Akumelanga kusimangalise lokhu ngoba akula enye inhlanganiso ekhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele ukuthi ‘ifakaze ngokupheleleyo’ emhlabeni wonke mayelana loJehova uNkulunkulu, iNkosi yakhe enguMesiya loMbuso wakhe osubekiwe ezulwini!—Imiseb. 28:23.

12. Kuyini okwanceda uPhawuli lamanye amaKhristu ukuthi benze umsebenzi wokufakaza?

¹² Ngemva kokufakaza kukaPhawuli kumaJuda labantu bezinye izizwe e-Antiyokhi yePhisidiya, labo “ababelenhliziyo eziqotho futhi bezimisele ukuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo baba ngamakholwa.” (Imiseb. 13:48) ULukha uphetha ibhuku lemiSebenzi esithi uPhawuli ‘utshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ekhuluma ekhululekile kakhulu kungelalutho olumvimbayo.’ (Imiseb. 28:31) Ufakaza engaphi umphostoli lo? Khona kanye eRoma, isigodlo sombuso owawulamandla kulayo yonke ngalesosikhathi! Abalandeli bakaJesu bakuqala benza umsebenzi wokufakaza bekhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele kungelani lokuthi babesenza izintshumayelo loba betshumayela ngezinye indlela.

13. Kungani kumele sithandaze nxa sihlukuluzwa?

¹³ Abafundi bakaJesu bakuqala bacela uJehova ukuthi abanike isibindi ngesikhathi behlukuluzwa. Lokhu kwenza bagcwala umoya ongcwele futhi baphiwa amandla okukhuluma ilizwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi. (Imiseb. 4:18-31) Lathi siyakhuleka sicela ukuhlakanipha lamandla ukuze siqhubeke sifakaza lanxa sihlukuluzwa. (Jak. 1:2-8) Siqhubeka sitshumayela ngoba uJehova uyasibusisa njalo sincediswa ngumoya wakhe ongcwele. Akulalutho olungavimba umsebenzi wokufakaza, ngitsho khona ukuphikiswa loba ukuhlukuluzwa okulesihluku. Nxa sihlukuluzwa kumele sithandaze sicela umoya ongcwele, ukuhlakanipha lesibindi ukuze sitshumayele izindaba ezinhle.—Luk. 11:13.

14, 15. (a) “Ukuhlukuluzwa okwaba khona ngemva kokufa kukaStefane” kwaphetha ngani? (b) Kwahamba njani ukuthi abantu beSiberia abanengi bafunde iqiniso?

¹⁴ UStefane wafakaza ngesibindi engakabulawa yizitha zakhe. (Imiseb. 6:5; 7:54-60) Kwathi sokube ‘lokuhlukuluzwa okukhulu,’ abafundi bonke ngaphandle kwabaphostoli basabalala baya eJudiya leSamariya. Kodwa lokho akuzange kuwuvimbe umsebenzi wokufakaza. UFiliphu waya eSamariya ‘watshumayeza abantu ngoKhristu’ futhi waphumelela kakhulu. (Imiseb. 8:1-8, 14, 15, 25) Kanti njalo iBhayibhili lithi: “Labo ababebalekele ukuhlukuluzwa okwaba khona ngemva kokufa kukaStefane bahamba baze bayafika eFenikhiya leKhuphro le-Antiyokhi, kodwa  ilizwi babelitshela amaJuda kuphela. Lanxa kunjalo abanye phakathi kwabo ababevela eKhuphro leKhurene babuya e-Antiyokhi baqalisa ukuxoxa labantu abakhuluma isiGrikhi, betshumayela izindaba ezinhle ngeNkosi uJesu.” (Imiseb. 11:19, 20) Ukuhlukuluzwa kwenza izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso zasabalala.

¹⁵ ESoviet Union kwenzakala into efananayo. Eminyakeni yabo-1950, oFakazi bakaJehova abazinkulungwane babanjwa ngamandla ukuthi bayehlala eSiberia. Babesabalele endaweni ezinengi yikho izindaba ezinhle zaqhubeka zigcwala elizweni leli elikhulu. Kambe oFakazi abanengi kangaka babezayithatha ngaphi imali yokuthi bahambe amakhilomitha angaba ngu-10 000 ukuze bayetshumayela izindaba ezinhle khonale eSiberia? Uhulumende ngokwakhe nguye owabahambisa khona. Yikho omunye umzalwane wathi: “Singathi iziphathamandla yizo ezanceda inkulungwane zabantu beSiberia abathobekileyo ukuthi balazi iqiniso.”

16, 17. Yibuphi ubufakazi obusebhukwini lemiSebenzi obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova wawubusisa umsebenzi wokufakaza?

¹⁶ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova wawabusisa amaKhristu akuqala. UPhawuli labanye bahlanyela njalo bathelela, “uNkulunkulu yena waqhubeka ekhulisa.” (1 Khor. 3:5, 6) Indaba ezisebhukwini lemiSebenzi ziyibufakazi bokukhula okwaba khona ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wayewubusisa umsebenzi wokufakaza. Ngokwesibonelo, “ilizwi likaNkulunkulu laqhubeka lisabalala. Inani labafundi lalilokhu lisanda kakhulu eJerusalema.” (Imiseb. 6:7) Njengoba umsebenzi wokufakaza wawugcwala indawo yonke, “amabandla ayeseJudiya leGalile kanye leSamariya aba sesikhathini sokuthula futhi aqhubeka eqiniswa. Abafundi banda njengoba babephila impilo yokumesaba uJehova njalo bevuma ukududuzwa ngumoya ongcwele.”—Imiseb. 9:31.

¹⁷ E-Antiyokhi yeSiriya, amaJuda labantu ababekhuluma isiGrikhi bafundiswa iqiniso ngabanye ofakazi ababelesibindi. Indaba yakhona ithi: “Isandla sikaJehova sasilabo, yikho abanengi kakhulu baba ngamakholwa baphendukela eNkosini.” (Imiseb. 11:21) Umsebenzi waqhubeka uphumelela edolobheni lelo ngoba iBhayibhili liphinda lithi: “Ilizwi likaJehova laqhubeka lisabalala.” (Imiseb. 12:24) Kanti njalo “ilizwi likaJehova laqhubeka ligcwala indawo yonke futhi liphumelela ngendlela emangalisayo” ngenxa yokuthi uPhawuli labanye bafakaza ngokupheleleyo kwabezinye izizwe.—Imiseb. 19:20.

18, 19. (a) Sikwazi njani ukuthi “isandla sikaJehova” silathi? (b) Landisa indaba etshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyabasekela abantu bakhe.

¹⁸ Lathi asithandabuzi ukuthi “isandla sikaJehova” silathi. Yikho abantu abanengi besiba ngamaKhristu futhi bebhabhathizwa betshengisa ukuthi bazinikele kuNkulunkulu. UJehova nguye osincedisayo ukuthi siqinisele nxa sihlukuluzwa futhi siqhubeke sitshumayela lanxa siphikiswa njengoPhawuli lamanye amaKhristu akuqala. (Imiseb. 14:19-21) UJehova uNkulunkulu uzahlala esincedisa. “Ingalo zakhe zaphakade” zizahlala zisisekela nxa sisebunzimeni. (Dute. 33:27) Asihlaleni sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova kasoze abatshiye abantu bakhe ngenxa yebizo lakhe.—1 Sam. 12:22; Hubo. 94:14.

 ¹⁹ Nansi isibonelo: Ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili, amaNazi ahambisa umfowethu uHarald Abt enkambeni yokuhlukuluzwa eSachsenhausen ngenxa yokuthi wayeqhubeka efakaza ngoMbuso. NgoMay  1942 amapholisa eGestapo afika lapho okwakuhlala khona umkakhe u-Elsa athatha indodakazi yabo encane njalo abopha u-Elsa. U-Elsa wahanjiswa enkambeni ezinengi. U-Elsa wathi: “Ukuhlala enkambeni zokuhlukuluzwa eGermany kwangifundisa isifundo esiqakathekileyo. Umoya kaJehova uyakuqinisa ngendlela emangalisayo nxa usebunzimeni obukhulu! Ngingakabotshwa ngabala incwadi yomunye udade owayesithi umoya kaJehova uyakwenza uhlaliseke nxa uphakathi kwesilingo esikhulu. Okunye ayekutsho kwakunzima ukukukholwa. Kodwa ngathi sengihlangane lobunzima, ngazibonela ukuthi ayekutsho kuliqiniso. Umoya kaJehova usebenza njalo. Akulula ukuthi ukuzwisise nxa ungakahlangani lakho. Mina ngazibonela ngawami.”

20. UPhawuli wayesenzani ngesikhathi ebotshiwe endlini futhi lokhu kungabakhuthaza njani abanye abafowethu labodadewethu?

²⁰ Ibhuku lemiSebenzi liphetha uPhawuli elokhe ekukhuthalele ‘ukutshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.’ (Imiseb. 28:31) Wayengenelisi ukutshumayela endlini ngendlu eRoma ngenxa yokuthi wayeyisibotshwa egcinwe endlini. Lanxa kunjalo wayetshumayeza bonke ababebuya ukuzombona. Lamuhla abanye abafowethu labodadewethu abenelisi ukuphuma endlini, mhlawumbe bahlala belele embhedeni loba bahlala lapho okugcinwa khona asebeluphele loba abagulayo. Kodwa balokhu bemthanda njengakuqala uJehova futhi balokhu belesifiso esikhulu sokufakaza ngaye. Kumele sihlale sibathandazela njalo sicele uBaba wethu osezulwini ukuthi abancede bathole abantu abalesifiso sokufunda ngaye lenhloso zakhe.

21. Kungani kumele sifakaze ngokuphangisa?

²¹ Inengi lethu siyenelisa ukutshumayela endlini ngendlu langezinye indlela zokwenza abantu babe ngabafundi. Yikho sonke asenzeni konke esingakwenza ukuze senze umsebenzi wethu wokumemezela uMbuso, sifakaze “kuze kuyefika emaphethelweni omhlaba.” Umsebenzi lo kumele wenziwe ngokuphangisa ngoba “isibonakaliso” sokubakhona kukaKhristu sesisegcekeni. (Mat. 24:3-14) Isikhathi sesiphelile! Kunengi okumele ‘sikwenze emsebenzini weNkosi.’—1 Khor. 15:58.

22. Kumele sizimisele ukwenzani sisalindele usuku lukaJehova?

²² Njengoba silindele “usuku lukaJehova olukhulu njalo olwesabekayo” oseluseduze, asizimiseleni ukuqhubeka sithembekile futhi sifakaza ngesibindi. (Jow. 2:31) Basesebanengi abantu abanjengabeBheriya ‘ababelesifiso esikhulu sokwamukela ilizwi.’ (Imiseb. 17:10, 11) Yikho asizimiseleni ukufakaza kuze kufike isikhathi lapho okuyabe kungathi sizwa amazwi athi: “Wenze kuhle nceku enhle futhi ethembekileyo!” (Mat. 25:23) Nxa singakhuthala emsebenzini wokwenza abantu babe ngabafundi khathesi njalo sihlale sithembekile kuJehova, sizathokoza kuze kube nini lanini ngenxa yokuthi sasilesibusiso esikhulu ‘sokufakaza ngokugcweleyo’ ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu!