1-2. (a) Kungani kungasimangalisi ukuthi uJesu wasinika indlela elula yokukhumbula ukufa kwakhe? (b) Yibuphi ubuntu bukaJesu esizaxoxa ngabo?

UNGENELISA yini ukuchasisa ukuthi kwenzakalani eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu esenziwa minyaka yonke? Abanengi bethu siyakukhumbula konke okwenzakala eSidlweni SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngenxa yokuthi umbuthano lo wenziwa ngendlela elula. Lanxa kunjalo, umbuthano lo uqakatheke kakhulu. Manje kungani usenziwa ngendlela elula kangaka?

² Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni wayesaziwa ngokufundisa iqiniso ngendlela elula eyayinceda abantu ukuthi bazwisise akutshoyo. (Mat. 7:28, 29) Yikho langesikhathi esesungula iSikhumbuzo watshengisa abafundi bakhe indlela elula ababengakhumbula ngayo ukufa kwakhe. Ake sixoxeni ngaso iSikhumbuzo * futhi sihlole lezinye izinto azitshoyo lazenzayo. Lokhu kuzasinceda sibone ukuthi uJesu wayethobekile, elesibindi kanye lothando. Sizafunda lokuthi singamlingisela njani.

3. Amazwi akuMathewu 26:26-28 atshengisa njani ukuthi uJesu wasungula iSikhumbuzo ngendlela elula futhi isinkwa lewayini alisebenzisayo kumelani?

³ UJesu wasungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe elabaphostoli bakhe abathembekileyo abangu-11. Babesanda kunanza iPhasika yikho wasebenzisa isinkwa esingelamvubelo kanye lewayini elalisele ukuze abatshengise indlela elula yokumkhumbula.  (Bala uMathewu 26:26-28.) Kazange adinge izinto ezinengi kodwa wasebenzisa lokho okwakukhona ngalesosikhathi. Watshela abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi isinkwa sasimela umzimba wakhe ongelasono lokuthi iwayini lona lalimela igazi lakhe elaselizachitheka ukuze bahlawulelwe. Kumele ukuthi kabazange bamangale bembona esebenzisa izinto ezijayelekileyo ukusungula umbuthano oqakatheke kangaka. Kuyini okwenza bangamangali?

4. UJesu wasisebenzisa njani iseluleko asinika uMatha?

⁴ Abaphostoli babesakukhumbula lokho uJesu ayekwenze ezinyangeni ezadlulayo ngesikhathi evakatshele abangane bakhe, uLazaro loMatha kanye loMariya. Bathi belokhu bekwejisile uJesu waqalisa ukubafundisa. UMatha laye wayekhona ngekhaya kodwa wayephathekile ngokulungisela uJesu izibiliboco. Phela wayesazi ukuthi uvakatshelwe ngumuntu oqakathekileyo. UJesu wathi ekubona lokho wameluleka ngomusa uMatha, emtshela ukuthi kwakungadingakali ukuthi alungise ukudla okunengi kangako. (Luk. 10:40-42) Kodwa kazange aphelele ekukhulumeni kuphela. Kwathi sekusele amahola ukuthi afe laye wenza isidlo esingelazinto ezinengi, esungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe. Lokhu kusifundisani ngoJesu?

5. ISidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa sisifundisani ngoJesu futhi lokho kuhambelana njani lamazwi akuFiliphi 2:5-8?

⁵ Konke uJesu ayekutsho layekwenza kuveza ukuthi wayethobekile. Langobusuku bakhe bokucina engakabulawa wenza izinto ezitshengisa ukuthi wayezehlisa kakhulu. (Mat. 11:29) Wayekwazi ukuthi wayesezakwenza umhlatshelo oqakatheke kakhulu lokuthi uJehova wayezamvusa amuphe isikhundla esiphezulu ezulwini. Kodwa kazange afune ukuthi ukufa kwakhe kukhunjulwe ngokwenza idili elimangalisayo. Watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi basale bemkhumbula ngokwenza isidlo esilula kanye ngomnyaka. (Joh. 13:15; 1 Khor. 11:23-25) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uJesu wayengazigqaji. Kuyasithokozisa ukuba leNkosi elobuntu obuhle kangaka!​—Bala uFiliphi 2:5-8.

6. Singamlingisela njani uJesu lanxa siphakathi kwenhlupho?

⁶ Singamlingisela njani uJesu? Kumele siqakathekise kakhulu okufunwa ngabanye hatshi lokho okufunwa yithi. (Flp. 2:3, 4) Khumbula okwenziwa nguJesu ngobusuku bokucina engakabulawa. Lanxa wayesazi ukuthi uzahlukuluzwa futhi abulawe kabuhlungu, okwakumkhathaza kakhulu yikuthi  abaphostoli bakhe abathembekileyo babezasala bekhala ezimathonsi. Ngakho ngalobobusuku wabafundisa izinto ezinengi, wabakhuthaza njalo wabaqinisa. (Joh. 14:25-31) Watshengisa ukuthi wayeqakathekisa kakhulu okwakufunwa ngabanye ukwedlula lokho ayekufuna. Lathi yikho okufanele sikwenze.

7. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi ulesibindi ngemva kokusungula iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa?

⁷ Ngemva kokusungula iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, uJesu watshengisa ukuthi ulesibindi esimangalisayo. Wavuma ukwenza intando kaYise lanxa wayesazi ukuthi uzakwetheswa icala lokuthuka uNkulunkulu abesebulawa ngendlela elihlazo. (Mat. 26:65, 66; Luk. 22:41, 42) UJesu wahlala eqotho ngoba wayefuna ukungcwelisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu lokusekela ubukhosi bakhe kanye lokuvulela abantu abaphendukayo ithuba lokuthola ukuphila okungapheliyo. Kanti njalo wancedisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi babe lesibindi sokumelana lobunzima obabuzabehlela.

8. (a) UJesu wabatshelani abaphostoli bakhe abathembekileyo? (b) Abafundi bakaJesu bamlingisela njani?

⁸ UJesu waphinda watshengisa ukuthi ulesibindi ngokungakhathazeki kakhulu ngalokho okwakuzamehlela. Ayezihlupha ngakho kakhulu yikuthi angabasiza njani abaphostoli bakhe ababethembekile. Isidlo esilula ayesenze ngemva kokuxotsha uJudasi sasizasiza bonke ababezakuba ngabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo ukuthi bahlale bekhumbula ukuthi igazi likaJesu elachithekayo libancede njani kanye lokuthi bangamalunga esivumelwano esitsha. (1 Khor. 10:16, 17) Ngakho wabatshela ukuthi kuyini yena loYise ababekukhangelele kubo ukuze abasize ukuthi bahlale beqotho baze bathole umvuzo wokuyaphila ezulwini. (Joh. 15: 12-15) Wabatshela lokuthi yiziphi inhlupho ababezahlangana lazo futhi wabakhuthaza ukuthi bamlingisele, wasebaqinisa esithi: “Wobani lesibindi!” (Joh. 16:1-4a, 33) Lakanye abafundi bakhe baba lesibindi futhi benelisa ukuqhubeka belandela isibonelo sakhe okweminyaka eminengi. Labo babezidela ngenxa yabafowabo njalo bencedisana nxa bephakathi kobunzima.​—Heb. 10:33, 34.

9. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi silesibindi njengoJesu?

⁹ Lathi kumele sibe lesibindi njengoJesu. Ukuba lesibindi kuzasinceda senelise ukuphathisa abazalwane bethu abahlukuluzwa ngenxa yokukhonza uNkulunkulu. Kwezinye izikhathi abafowethu labodadewethu bayabotshwa bengelacala. Kufanele senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sibasekele njalo sibavikele kulabo ababaphikisayo. (Flp. 1:14; Heb. 13:19) Kanti njalo singalingisela uJesu ngokuqhubeka sitshumayela “ngesibindi.” (ImiSeb. 14:3) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sizimisele ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kungelani lokuthi abantu bayasiphikisa loba bayasihlukuluza. Kodwa kungenzakala ukuthi abanye bethu siyesaba ukutshumayela. Pho singenzani ukuze sibe lesibindi?

10. Kuyini okumele sikwenze nxa sekusele amaviki ukuthi iSikhumbuzo sifike futhi kungani kuqakathekile ukwenza njalo?

¹⁰ Okunye esingakwenza ukuze sibe lesibindi yikucabangisisa ngethemba esalithola ngenxa yomhlatshelo wenhlawulo kaKhristu. (Joh. 3:16; Efe. 1:7) Nxa sekusele amaviki ukuthi iSikhumbuzo sifike, sithola ithuba elihle kakhulu lokunakana ngenhlawulo. Siyaphiwa amavesi okufanele siwabale ngesikhathi seSikhumbuzo. Ngakho woba leqiniso lokuthi uyawabala amavesi la asitshela okwenzakala kuJesu esezabulawa, ucabangisise ngawo. Kuzakuthi-ke nxa sesibuthana eSidlweni SeNkosi Sakusihlwa kube lula  ukuzwisisa ukuthi iwayini lesinkwa esingelamvubelo kumelani kanye lokuthi umhlatshelo kaJesu uqakatheke kangakanani. Nxa singazwisisa lokho uJehova loJesu abasenzele khona lokuthi kusinceda njani thina lezihlobo zethu, ithemba lethu lizaqina. Kanti njalo sizakuba lesibindi sokubekezelela loba yibuphi ubunzima kuze kube sekucineni.​—Heb. 12:3.

11-12. Kuyini esesikufundile esihlokweni lesi?

¹¹ Sesibonile ukuthi lanxa iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa sisikhumbuza ukuthi inhlawulo iligugu, siyasinceda lokuthi sizwisise ukuthi uJesu uthobekile njalo ulesibindi. Kuyasithokozisa ukuba loMphristi Omkhulu olobuntu obuhle kangaka ngoba nguye osincengelayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Heb. 7:24, 25) Yikho-ke kasitshengiseni ukuthi siyamlalela uJesu futhi siyambonga ngenhliziyo yonke ngokuba khona eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kwakhe. (Luk. 22:19, 20) Lokhu sikwenza ngelanga eliqondana loNisani 14 wekhalenda yamaJuda. Kalikho ilanga eliqakatheke njengaleli!

¹² Kodwa kukhona okunye esikufundayo ngoJesu nxa singakhangela indlela iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa esilula ngayo. Sifunda ngobunye ubuntu bakhe ayesaziwa ngabo futhi obenza wazimisela ukusifela. Kasixoxeni ngabo sizwe.

13. Umbhalo kaJohane 15:9 loka-1 Johane 4:8-10 uluchaza njani uthando lukaJehova loJesu njalo uthando lwabo lunceda bani?

¹³ Konke uJesu ayekwenza kutshengisa ukuthi ulothando njengoYise. (Bala uJohane 15:9 lo-1 Johane 4:8-10.) Wasithanda kakhulu waze wanikela ngokuphila kwakhe ukuze sikhululwe. Inhlawulo yenza sibone ukuthi uJehova leNdodana yakhe bayasithanda sibili futhi iyasinceda sonke kungelani lokuthi singabagcotshiweyo loba ‘singabezinye izimvu.’ (Joh. 10:16; 1 Joh. 2:2) Okunye okuveza ukuthi uJesu uyabathanda abafundi bakhe futhi ulendaba labo yizinto ezisetshenziswa eSidlweni SeNkosi Sakusihlwa. Kungani sisitsho njalo?

14. UJesu watshengisa njani ukuthi uyabathanda abalandeli bakhe?

¹⁴ Indlela iSikhumbuzo esenziwa ngayo yenza sibone ukuthi uJesu uyabathanda abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiweyo. Kazange athi badinge izinto ezinenginengi kodwa wasebenzisa isinkwa lewayini kuphela. Lokho kwakuzasiza abalandeli bakhe ukuthi benze iSikhumbuzo minyaka yonke kungelani lokuthi bangaphi, kungaba semajele loba kwezinye izindawo. (Isam. 2:10) Lakanye benelisa ukusenza ngoba babengadingi izinto ezinengi.

15-16. Kuyini okwenziwe ngabanye ukuze bakhumbule ukufa kukaJesu lanxa besebunzimeni?

¹⁵ Kusukela ngesikhathi sabaphostoli amaKhristu eqiniso abelokhu esenza konke okusemandleni awo ukuthi ananze iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaJesu. Ayazama ukulingisela indlela uJesu asenza ngayo kungelani lokuthi asebunzimeni. Ngokwesibonelo, uMfowethu uHarold King wabotshwa eChina wasevalelwa esitokisini eyedwa. Yikho wenza icebo, wenza isinkwa lewayini leSikhumbuzo esebenzisa izinto ayelazo. Waphinda wahlolisisa izinsuku ukuze abone ukuthi iSikhumbuzo sasizakuba ngaliphi ilanga. Lithe lifika lelolanga wahlabela, wathandaza futhi wenza lenkulumo yeSikhumbuzo eyedwa zwi!

¹⁶ Abanye abafaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ukuze benze iSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa ngodadewethu ababesenkambeni yokuhlukuluzwa ngesikhathi seMpi Yomhlaba Yesibili. Benelisa ukwenza umbuthano lo ngenxa yokuthi ulula futhi awudingi izinto ezinengi. Odadewethu laba babika bathi: “Sasimile sagombolozela itafula  eyayilewayini kanye lesinkwa njalo sasiyivale ngelembu elimhlophe. Sasikhanyise ngekhandlela ngoba amalayithi egetsi ayengasibambisa. . . . Saziphinda izifungo esasizenze kuBaba wethu, simthembisa ukuthi sizakwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze siphakamise ibizo lakhe elingcwele.” Babelokholo oluqinileyo sibili! Siyambonga kakhulu uJesu ngokuthi wasithanda kakhulu wenza iSikhumbuzo saba ngumbuthano olula esingawenza lanxa sisebunzimeni.

17. Yiphi imibuzo esingazibuza yona?

¹⁷ Nxa iSikhumbuzo sesizafika kungaba kuhle ukuthi ngamunye wethu azibuze imibuzo le: ‘Ngingatshengisa njani ukuthi ngilothando njengoJesu? Ngiqakathekisa lokho okufunwa ngabanye yini ukwedlula engikufunayo? Ngiyabazwisisa yini abafowethu labodadewethu kumbe ngikhangelele ukuthi benze okuphezu kwamandla abo?’ Kuqakathekile ukuthi sihlale silingisela uJesu njalo sibe “lesisa” kwabanye.​—1 Phet. 3:8.

18-19. (a) Kuyini esizahlala sikukhumbula lanxa iSikhumbuzo siyabe singasenziwa? (b) Kuyini ozimisele ukukwenza?

¹⁸ Sizafika isikhathi lapho esizakuma khona ukwenza iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKhristu. Ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka okukhulu uJesu ‘uzafika’ athathe “abakhethiweyo” abaseleyo ukuze bayebusa laye ezulwini. Nxa lokho sekwenzakele, kasisoze siqhubeke sisenza iSikhumbuzo.​—1 Khor. 11:26; Mat. 24:31.

¹⁹ Lanxa kunjalo, kasisoze siwukhohlwe umbuthano lo oqakathekileyo ngoba usifundisa okunengi ngobuntu bukaJesu. Sizahlala sikhumbula ukuthi uthobekile, ulesibindi futhi ulothando ukwedlula loba nguphi umuntu owake waphila. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abake basingena iSikhumbuzo bazaqinisa ukholo lwabanye emhlabeni omutsha ngokubaxoxela ngaso. Kodwa lakhathesi iSikhumbuzo singasinceda nxa singazimisela ukulingisela uJesu, sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo, abalesibindi futhi abalothando. Nxa singenza njalo, uJehova uzasinika umvuzo wethu esiwulindele ngabomvu.​—2 Phet. 1:10, 11.