1, 2. (a) Kwenzakalani nxa izimvu zinakekelwa kuhle? (b) Kungani abantu abanengi ngesikhathi sikaJesu babefanana lezimvu ezingelamalusi?

 UMHLAMBI wezimvu uphila kuhle nxa umalusi enakekela kuhle inhlalakahle yawo. Elinye ibhuku elikhuluma ngokufuya izimvu lithi: “Indoda ephonguxotshela umhlambi emadlelweni futhi ingawunakekeli kumbe icabange ngawo icina isithwele nzima ngokuba lezimvu ezigulayo, futhi ngemva kweminyaka ethile isizithengisa ayitholi nzuzo.” Kodwa-ke nxa izimvu zinakekelwa kuhle akulula ukuthi umhlambi uhlaselwe yimikhuhlane.

² Yikho-ke indlela abelusi abanakekela njalo baqaphele ngayo umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ekuncediseni imvu yinye ngayinye abayiphathisiweyo, inceda ibandla lonke ukuthi libe lamaKhristu aqinileyo futhi athembekileyo. Uzakhumbula ukuthi uJesu waba lesihawu ngamaxuku ngoba ‘ayehlukuluzekile ephelelwe, enjengezimvu ezingelamalusi.’ (Mat. 9:36) Kungani babesebunzimeni obukhulu kangaka? Kwakungenxa yokuthi labo ababelomsebenzi wokufundisa abantu uMthetho kaNkulunkulu babelesihluku, behlupha njalo bengabazenzisi. Kulokuthi bondle amalunga omhlambi wabo njalo bawancedise ekukhonzeni, abakhokheli bako-Israyeli babewathwalisa “imithwalo enzima” emahlombe.​—Mat. 23:4.

3. Kuyini okumele abadala bakunanzelele emsebenzini wabo wokuba ngabelusi?

³ Abelusi abangamaKhristu namuhla, okutsho abadala ababekiweyo, balomsebenzi oqakatheke kakhulu. Umhlambi wezimvu abawuphathisiweyo ngokaJehova loJesu owazibiza wathi: “ngingumalusi olungileyo.” (Joh. 10:11) Izimvu ‘zathengwa ngentengo’ eyabhadalwa nguJesu “ngegazi eliligugu.” (1 Khor. 6:20; 1 Phet. 1:18, 19) Uyazithanda kakhulu izimvu yikho waze wanikela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yazo. Abadala kumele  bahlale bekhumbula ukuthi bangabelusi abangaphansi kukaNkulunkulu njalo kumele bazithobe ebunhlokweni beNdodana yakhe elothando, uJesu Khristu, ‘umalusi omkhulu wezimvu.’​—Heb. 13:20.

4. Kuzakhulunywa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

⁴ Ngakho-ke, abelusi abangamaKhristu bakhangelelwe ukuthi baziphathe njani izimvu? Amalunga ebandla akhuthazwa ukuthi ‘alalele abakhokhelayo.’ Kanti njalo abadala abangamaKhristu bacetshiswa ukuthi bekele ‘ukubusa ababekwe ezandleni zabo.’ (Heb. 13:17; bala u-1 Phetro 5:2, 3.) Pho-ke, abadala ababekiweyo bangakwenza njani ukuthi bakhokhele kodwa bengazenzi ababusi emhlambini? Ngamanye amazwi, abadala banganakekela njani izimvu kodwa bangasebenzisi kubi amandla abawaphiwe nguNkulunkulu njengoba bengababonisi?

5. Isifaniso esiku-Isaya 40:​11 sisitshelani ngoJehova?

⁵ Ekhuluma ngoJehova, umphrofethi u-Isaya wathi: “Welusa umhlambi wakhe njengomalusi: ubuthelela amawundlu ezingalweni zakhe awathwale eseduzane lenhliziyo yakhe; awakhokhele kuhle lawo alamazinyane.” (Isaya. 40:11) Isifaniso lesi sitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyawakhathalela amalunga ebandla adanileyo langela bani ongawanakekela. Umalusi uqobo uyazihlupha ngokuthi kuyini okukhathaza imvu yinye ngayinye esemhlambini wakhe njalo azimisele ukuthi ayincede. Kunjalo langoJehova, uyazazi izinswelo zalabo abasebandleni njalo kuyamthokozisa ukubanceda ngosizo abalufunayo. Njengomalusi othwele iwundlu elisanda kuzalwa oligoqela ngejazi lakhe nxa kufanele, uJehova, “uYise wesihawu” uzasincedisa nxa sisebunzimeni. Uzasiduduza nxa sisesilingweni kumbe nxa sifuna usizo oluthile oluqondane lathi.​—2 Khor. 1:3, 4.

6. Njengoba engumalusi, umdala angamlingisela njani uJehova?

⁶ Umalusi angathola isifundo esihle kakhulu kuBaba wethu osezulwini. Angalingisela uJehova ngokuhlala ephapheme ukuze akwazi ukuthi izimvu zifunani. Nxa umdala esazi ubunzima eziphakathi kwabo lalapho ezifuna ukuncediswa khona masinya, uzenelisa ukunika isikhuthazo losizo ezilufunayo. (Zaga. 27:23) Okutsho ukuthi umdala kumele abe lesikhathi sokuxoxa lakhonza labo. Kangeneli ezindabeni zabo ezingaqondananga laye kodwa uba lendaba lakubonayo lakuzwayo ebandleni, njalo ngenxa yothando uhlela lesikhathi sokuthi ‘asize ababuthakathaka.’​—ImiSeb. 20:35; 1 Thes. 4:11.

7. (a) Izimvu zikaNkulunkulu zaziphathwa njani ngesikhathi sikaHezekheli loJeremiya? (b) Ukusola kukaJehova abelusi ababengathembekanga kungasifundisani?

⁷ Cabanga ngabelusi abasolwa nguNkulunkulu. Ngesikhathi sikaHezekheli loJeremiya, uJehova wasola labo okwakumele banakekele izimvu zakhe kodwa bengakwenzi kuhle lokhu. Izimvu zazihlaselwa njalo zigcwale iganga lonke nxa kwakungelamuntu ozikhangelayo. Abelusi labo ‘babezikhathalela bona ngokwabo’ njalo behlukuluza izimvu kulokuthi bazinakekele. (Hez. 34:7-10; Jer. 23:1) Ukusola kukaNkulunkulu abelusi labo kungasetshenziswa lakubakhokheli bamasonto azithi ngawesiKhristu. Kodwa kuphinda kugcizelele lokuqakatheka kokuthi abadala abangamaKhristu bawunakekele ngendlela enhle langothando umhlambi kaJehova.

8. Yisiphi isibonelo esihle esabekwa nguJesu mayelana lokuqondisa umbono ongalunganga?

⁸ Ngenxa yokuthi singabantu abalesono,  ezinye izimvu zikaNkulunkulu kungazithatha isikhathi ukuzwisisa lokho uJehova akukhangelele kuzo. Zingehluleka ukusebenzisa iseluleko seMibhalo kumbe zenze ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi azivuthwanga ekukhonzeni. Nxa kunjalo abadala kumele benzeni? Kumele babelesineke njengalokho okwenziwa nguJesu kubafundi bakhe ngesikhathi bezihlupha ngokuthi ngubani owayezakuba mkhulu eMbusweni phakathi kwabo. Kulokuthi aphelelwe yisineke ngalokhu ababekwenza, uJesu waqhubeka ebafundisa njalo ngothando ebanika iseluleko sokuthi bathobeke. (Luk. 9:46-48; 22:24-27) Wabafundisa ukuthobeka lapho ebagezisa izinyawo zabo. Ukuthobeka luphawu lobuntu okumele lutshengiswe ngababonisi abangamaKhristu.​—Bala uJohane 13:12-15; 1 Phet. 2:21.

9. UJesu wakhuthaza abafundi bakhe ukuthi babe lawuphi umbono?

⁹ Lokho uJesu ayekukhangelele kumalusi osetshenziswa nguNkulunkulu kwakuhlukene lokwakucatshangwa nguJakhobe loJohane. Abaphostoli laba ababili babefuna isikhundla esiphezulu eMbusweni. Kodwa uJesu waqondisa umbono wabo lapho esithi: “Liyakwazi ukuthi ababusi baleziZizwe bazibusa kalukhuni, kuthi lezikhulu zabo zikhonye phezu kwabo. Kakunjalo kini. Kodwa loba ngubani ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu kabe yinceku yenu.” (Mat. 20:25, 26) Abaphostoli kwakumele balwisane lesifiso sokufuna ‘ukubusa kalukhuni’ kumbe ukutshayela abantu imithetho.

10. UJesu ufuna abadala bawuphathe njani umhlambi, njalo uPhawuli wabatshiyela siphi isibonelo?

¹⁰ UJesu ukhangelele ukuthi abadala abangamaKhristu baphathe umhlambi ngendlela yena ayewuphatha ngayo. Kumele bazimisele ukuba yizinceku zabantu abakhonza labo hatshi ukubabusa. Umphostoli uPhawuli wayethobekile yikho watshela amadoda amadala ebandla lase-Efesu wathi: “Liyakwazi ukuthi ngaphila njani ngesikhathi sonke ngilani, kusukela ngosuku engafika ngalo esifundeni sase-Asiya. Ngayikhonza inkosi ngokuzithoba okukhulu.” Umphostoli wayefisa ukuthi labobadala bakhuthalele ukunceda abanye njalo benze lokhu ngentobeko. Wathi: “Kukho konke engakwenzayo ngalibonisa ukuthi ngalendlela yokusebenza nzima kumele sisize ababuthakathaka.” (ImiSeb. 20:18, 19, 35) UPhawuli watshela abaseKhorinte ukuthi wayengababambi ngamandla ekukholweni kwabo. Kulokuthi enze njalo, wayesebenza labo ngentobeko ukuze bathokoze. (2 Khor. 1:24) UPhawuli watshiyela labo abangabadala lamuhla isibonelo esihle sokuthobeka lokuzimisela emsebenzini.

11, 12. Umdala angamnceda njani akhonza laye ukuthi enze isinqumo?

¹¹ Umdala webandla kumele “abambelele elizwini eliqotho njengokufundiswa kwalo.” (Tit. 1:9) Kodwa kumele akwenze “ngomoya wobumnene” lokhu. (Gal. 6:1, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) Kulokuthi azame ukubabamba ngenkani akhonza labo ebandleni ukuthi benze ngendlela ethile, umalusi omuhle ukhuluma ngendlela ezabathinta izinhliziyo. Nxa umzalwane efuna ukwenza isinqumo esiqakathekileyo, umdala angakhuluma laye ngezimiso eziseMibhalweni angazisebenzisa. Angahlola laye lokho amabhuku enhlanganiso akutshoyo mayelana lalolodaba. Kanti njalo angakubeka kucace ukuthi loba yisiphi isinqumo azasenza sizathinta ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. Umdala angagcizelela lokuthi kuqakathekile ukuthi umzalwane lo athandaze kuNkulunkulu ecela ukuthi amkhokhele nxa esenza isinqumo. (Zaga. 3:5, 6) Ngemva kwengxoxo le, umdala uyamtshiya umzalwane ukuze azikhethele yena akufunayo.​—Rom. 14:1-4.

 ¹² Amandla ababonisi abangamaKhristu abalawo avela eMibhalweni kuphela. Yikho-ke kuqakathekile ukuthi babelekhono lokusebenzisa iBhayibhili futhi banamathele kulokho elikutshoyo. Lokhu kuzabanceda ukuthi bangasebenzisi kubi amandla abawaphiweyo njengoba bengabelusi abangaphansi kukaNkulunkulu. Kanti njalo wonke amalunga ebandla azaziphendulela kuJehova loJesu ngezinqumo zawo.​—Gal. 6:5, 7, 8.

13, 14. Umdala kumele abe yisibonelo kuziphi izinto emhlambini?

¹³ Ngemva kokuxwayisa amadoda amadala emabandleni ukuthi ekele ‘ukubusa ababekwe ezandleni zawo,’ umphostoli uPhetro wawakhuthaza ukuthi ‘abeyizibonelo emhlambini.’ (1 Phet. 5:3) Umdala angaba njani yisibonelo emhlambini? Cabanga ngezimpawu ezimbili okumele indoda ‘ebeke inhliziyo yayo ekubeni ngumbonisi’ ibe lazo. Kumele ibe ‘lamandla okuzibamba’ njalo ‘iphathe kuhle umuzi wayo.’ Nxa umdala elemuli, kumele abe ngubaba oyisibonelo ekuphatheni imuli yakhe ngoba nxa “umuntu engakwazi ukuphatha umuzi wakhe, angaliphatha njani ibandla likaNkulunkulu na?” (1 Tim. 3:1, 2, 4, 5) Ukuze indoda ibe ngumbonisi kumele ibe lamandla okuzibamba, okutsho ukuthi ayiziphumputhi izimiso zeMibhalo futhi iyakwazi ukuzisebenzisa ekuphileni kwayo. Ayilamawala kodwa iyacabangisisa nxa isahlulela. Ukubona izimpawu zobuntu lezi kwenza amalunga ebandla abathembe abadala.

¹⁴ Ababonisi baphinda babe yizibonelo kumaKhristu abakhonza lawo ngokukhuthala enkonzweni. UJesu watshiyela ababonisi isibonelo esihle kulokhu. Ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kwakuqakatheke kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe esesemhlabeni. Watshengisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi umsebenzi lo kwakumele wenziwe njani. (Mak. 1:38; Luk. 8:1) Lamuhla kuqakathekile ukuthi abamemezeli batshumayele ndawonye labadala ukuze babone indlela abadala abakhuthele ngayo emsebenzini lo osindisa impilo futhi bazuze lamakhono okufundisa. Ukuzimisela kwababonisi ukuzinika isikhathi sokusebenza gadalala ekutshumayeleni izindaba ezinhle lanxa belokunengi abakwenzayo kunceda ibandla lonke ukuthi likhuthale njengabo. Kanti njalo abadala banganika abazalwane isibonelo esihle ngokulungiselela imihlangano yebandla, ukuhlanganyela kuyo kanye lokwenza eminye imisebenzi enjengokuhlanza lokulondoloza iWolu loMbuso.​—Efe. 5:15, 16; bala uHebheru 13:7.

15. Yiziphi ezinye izizatho ezenza abadala benze umsebenzi wokwalusa?

¹⁵ Umalusi omuhle uyaphangisa ukuthatha inyathelo, asize nxa imvu ilimele kumbe isigula. Abadala kumele benze njalo,  baphangise ukusiza loba ngubani ebandleni ongabe edanile kumbe efuna ukuncediswa ekukhonzeni. Lanxa abagugileyo labagulayo bengafuna ukusekelwa ngezinto zansukuzonke, abakudinga kakhulu yikuncediswa ekukhonzeni kanye lokukhuthazwa. (1 Thes. 5:14) Abasakhulayo ebandleni bangabe belwisana lobunzima obunengi, ngokwesibonelo ‘ukubalekela izinkanuko ezimbi zobutsha.’ (2 Tim. 2:22) Yikho-ke, ukwalusa kugoqela ukuvakatshela amalunga ebandla sonke isikhathi ngenhloso yokuzwisisa izimo akuzo kanye lokuwakhuthaza ngeseluleko esiseMibhalweni esihambelana lezimo zawo. Nxa izindaba ezinjalo zihlala zilungiswa masinya, izinhlupho ezinengi zingaxazululwa zingakabi yingxabangxoza.

16. Abadala bangalisiza njani ilunga lebandla elifuna ukuncediswa ekukhonzeni kwalo?

¹⁶ Kuyini okungenziwa nxa kuyikuthi sokulohlupho osoluphambanisa indlela enhle ilunga lebandla elikhonza ngayo? Umlobi weBhayibhili uJakhobe wabuza wathi: “Ukhona kini ogulayo na? Kumele abize abadala bebandla bamkhulekele njalo bamgcobe ngamafutha ebizweni leNkosi. Umkhuleko owenziwe ngokukholwa uzakwenza lowomuntu ogulayo asile; iNkosi izamvusa. Uma enze isono, uzathethelelwa.” (Jak. 5:14, 15) Lanxa lo osegula ekukhonzeni ‘engababizi abadala,’ kumele baphangise bayemncedisa masinyane nxa bengananzelela ukuthi kukhona okutshaya amanzi. Uma abadala bethandaza labazalwane njalo bebathandazela kanye lokubancedisa ngesikhathi befuna usizo lokhu kuzabakhuthaza ababanakekelayo futhi kubenze bakhonze bethokoza.​—Bala u-Isaya 32:1, 2.

17. Kuyini okwenzakalayo nxa abadala bangalingisela ‘uMalusi omkhulu?’

¹⁷ Abelusi abangamaKhristu bazama ngamandla ukulingisela ‘uMalusi omkhulu,’ uJesu Khristu, ezintweni zonke abazenzayo enhlanganisweni kaJehova. Umhlambi uyakhula futhi uthuthuke ngenxa yokuncediswa ngamadoda la awuqakathekisayo umsebenzi. Konke lokhu kwenza simbonge njalo simdumise uJehova uMalusi omkhulu ukwedlula bonke.