1, 2. (a) Yini uJesu ayitjela abafundi bakhe ngaphambi kokuthi ahlongakale? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.) (b) Kuqakatheke ngani ukwazi ihloso yokutjhumayela kwethu? (c) Sizokucoca ngani esihlokwenesi?

EBUSUKWINI bakhe bamaswaphela ephasini, uJesu wakhamba ibanga elide nabapostoli bakhe. Njengombana bakhamba njalo wabaqinisekisa bona ubathanda kangangani. Wabuye wabenzela nomfanekiso wesitjalo samadiribe njengombana sicoce ngaso esihlokweni esigadungileko. Ngokubenzela umfanekiso loyo, wabakhuthaza bona baragele phambili bathela “iinthelo ezinengi,” begodu babekezele njengombana benza umsebenzi wokutjhumayela.—Jwa. 15:8.

² UJesu khenge atjele abafundi bakhe bona kufuze benzeni nje kwaphela kodwana wabuye wabatjela nokuthi kubayini kufuze benze njalo. Wabatjela ukuthi kubayini kufuze batjhumayele. Okuyinto eqakathekileko nakithi. Kuqakatheke ngani ukwazi ihloso yokutjhumayela kwethu? Nasaziko ukuthi kubayini kufuze siragele phambili nokutjhumayela sizokukhuthazeka bona sibekezele emsebenzini wokunikela ‘ubufakazi kizo zoke iintjhaba.’ (Mat. 24:13, 14) Kwanjesi  akhesikhulumeni ngamabanga amane enza bona siragele phambili sitjhumayela. Sizokubuye sicoce nangezinto ezine esiziphiwe nguJehova ezisisiza bona sikghodlhelele ekutheleni iinthelo.

3. (a) Ukuya ngomTlolo kaJwanisi 15:8 kubayini sitjhumayela? (b) Emfanekisweni kaJesu amadiribe ajamele ini, begodu kubayini umfanekiso lo ungena kuhle endabeni le?

³ Ibanga eliqakatheke khulu elenza bona sitjhumayela kukuthi sidumisa uJehova besicwengise nebizo lakhe. (Funda uJwanisi 15:1, 8.) UJesu wafanisa uBabakhe nomlimi wamadiribe. Bese yena wazifanisa nesitjalo samadiribe, abafundi bakhe wabafanisa namagatja. (Jwa. 15:5) Amadiribe ajamele isithelo somBuso kaZimu esikhiqizwa balandeli bakaKrestu. UJesu watjela abafundi bakhe wathi: “UBaba uphazinyuliswa kuragela kwenu phambili nokuthela iinthelo.” Isitjalo samadiribe nasikhiqiza amadiribe amahle kudunyiswa umuntu ositjalileko, yeke nathi nasenza koke esingakwenza bona sitjhumayele iindaba ezimnandi sidumisa uJehova.—Mat. 25:20-23.

4. (a) Silicwengisa njani ibizo lakaZimu? (b) Uzizwa njani ngelungelo onalo lokucwengisa ibizo lakaZimu?

⁴ Alo umsebenzethu wokutjhumayela ulicwengisa njani ibizo lakaZimu? Kuhlekuhle ibizo lakaZimu njengombana sikhuluma nje licwengile. Akhutjheje bona umphorofidi u-Isaya wathini ngoJehova, wathi: “UMninimandlawoke, akabe nguye yedwa ocwengileko kini.” (Isa. 8:13) Sicwengisa ibizo lakaZimu ngokuthi sazi ukuthi lihlukile kwamanye amabizo begodu sisiza nabanye abantu bazi ukuthi licwengile. (Mat. 6:9, ftn.) Nasitjela abantu ngobuntu bakaJehova nangehloswakhe ngephasi sisuke silivikela ibizo lakaZimu njengombana uSathana alihlambalaza. (Gen. 3:1-5) Siyalicwengisa ibizo lakaZimu nalokha nasitjela abantu ukuthi uJehova nguye yedwa ekufuze ‘amukele iphazimulo, idumo namandla.’ (IsAm. 4:11) URune osele aphayone iminyaka eli-16, uthi: “Kungithabisa khulu ukwazi ukuthi ngingufakazi woMdali wezulu nephasi. Lokho kukodwa nje kungenza ngiragele phambili ngitjhumayela.”

5. (a) Ngokomtlolo kaJwanisi 15:9, 10 kubayini sitjhumayela? (b) UJesu wakuveza njani ukuqakatheka kokukghodlhelela?

⁵ Funda uJwanisi 15:9, 10. Elinye ibanga elenza bona sitjhumayela kukuthi sithanda uJehova noJesu. (Mar. 12:30; Jwa. 14:15) UJesu akhenge amane athi kufuze siqiniseke ukuthi uyasithanda kodwana wathi kufuze ‘sihlale ethandweni’ lakhe. Kubayini kunjalo? Ngombana ukubamKrestu kutlhoga ukukghodlhelela. UJesu waveza ukuqakatheka kokukghodlhelela nakazakutjho igama elithi “hlalani,” begodu walibuyelela kanengi emtlolweni kaJwanisi 15:4-10.

6. Yini ezokutjengisa ukuthi sifuna ukuhlala sithandwa nguKrestu?

⁶ Singatjengisa njani ukuthi sifuna ukuhlala ethandweni lakaKrestu? Ngokulalela imiyalo uJesu asinikela yona. Kuhlekuhle uJesu uthi: ‘Ngilalelani.’ Iye, uJesu wasibawa bona senze lokho naye akwenza, wathi: “Njengombana nami ngilalele imiyalo kaBaba begodu ngihlala ngisethandweni lakhe.” Mbala, uJesu wasibekela isibonelo.—Jwa. 13:15.

7. Ukulalela nethando kuhlangana njani?

⁷ Ithando nokulalela kuhlobana eduze khulu, kungebangelo uJesu athi ebapostolini bakhe: “Owamukela imiyalo yami bekayilalele, nguye ongithandako.” (Jwa. 14:21) Yeke, ngokulalela umyalo kaJesu wokutjhumayela, sitjengisa indlela esithanda ngayo uZimu. Ngombana izinto uJesu asitjela zona ziveza indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo. (Mat. 17:5; Jwa. 8:28) Nasitjengisa  indlela esibathanda ngayo uJehova noJesu sizokuhlala ethandweni labo.

8, 9. (a) Ngiziphi iinzathu ezingeziweko esinazo zokutjhumayela? (b) Amezwi kaJehova akuHezekiyeli 3:18, 19; 18:23 asikhuthaza njani bona siragele phambili nokutjhumayela?

⁸ Sineenzathu ezingeziweko zokuragela phambili sitjhumayela. Silemukisa abantu. IBhayibheli lithi uNowa ‘bekamtjhumayeli.’ (Funda yesi-2 kaPitrosi 2:5.) Nakatjhumayelako bekalemukisa abantu ngoMthwalela ebewuza. Kubayini sitjho njalo? Tjheja lokho uJesu akutjhoko: “Njengombana bekunjalo ngemihla yangaphambi koMthwalela, abantu bebadla basela, amadoda athatha nabafazi bendiswa, bekwaba lilanga uNowa angena ngalo ngemkhunjini, akhenge batjheje bekwafika uMthwalela wabarhurhula boke, kuzokuba njalo nokuba khona kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Mat. 24:38, 39) Nanyana abantu bebasabela ngeendlela ezingafaniko nje, uNowa waragela phambili nokudlulisa umlayezo ebekawuphethe.

⁹ Nathi namhlanjesi sitjhumayela iindaba ezimnandi zomBuso, ngokwenza njalo sinikela abantu ithuba lokufunda ngoZimu nangentandwakhe. Sizizwa njengoJehova, sikufisa khulu ukubona abantu basabela emlayezweni esiwuphetheko ngombana ngokwenza njalo ‘bazokuphila.’ (Hez. 18:23) Ngesikhathi esifanako, sitjhumayela tjhatjhalazi nasemzini ngomuzi silemukisa abantu ngokuthi umBuso kaZimu uzokufika begodu uzokuphelisa boke ubumbi obuzele iphaseli.—Hez. 3:18, 19; Dan. 2:44; IsAm. 14:6, 7.

10. (a) Ngiziphi iinzathu zokutjhumayela ekukhulunywa ngazo kuMatewu 22:39? (b) Sitjele bona uSilasi noPowula bamsiza njani unogada eFilipi.

¹⁰ Nasi esinye isizathu esiqakathekileko esenza bona siragele phambili sitjhumayela: Sitjhumayela ngombana siyabathanda abomakhelwana bethu. (Mat. 22:39) Ukucabanga ngokuthi sibathanda kangangani abantu kusenza sikghodhlelele ekutjhumayeleni begodu sihlala sikhumbula ukuthi ubujamo buyabenza abantu batjhuguluke, batjhentjhe nendlela abasiqala ngayo. Akhesicoce ngalokho uPowula noSilasi abahlangabezana nakho. Abaphikisi beFilipi babaphosela ngejele. Kwathi kusebusuku, kwasikinyeka iphasi bekwavuleka neminyango yejele. Unogada wathukwa khulu. Kazi bekasaba ukuthi mhlamunye iimbotjhwa zibalekile wabe wafuna nokuzibulala. Kodwana uPowula warhuwelela, wathi kunogada: “Ungazilimazi!” Unogada wabuza wathi: “Kufuze ngenzeni bona ngisindiswe?” Bathi kuye: “Kholwa eKosini uJesu, uzokusindiswa.”—IzE. 16:25-34.

11, 12. (a) Indaba kanogada wejele ihlobana njani nomsebenzi wokutjhumayela? (b) Yini okufuze sihlale sikulungele ukuyenza?

¹¹ Indaba kanogada ihlangana njani nomsebenzethu wokutjhumayela? Tjheja naka amatjhuguluko: Unogada watjhugulula umkhumbulwakhe begodu wabawa nesizo ngemva kokusikinyeka kwephasi. Ngokufanako nanamhlanjesi, abantu ebebangasilaleli bangatjhugulula imikhumbulwabo basilalele. Lokho kungabangelwa bujamo  obubuhlungu obubavelela bangakalindeli. Ngokwesibonelo, abanye bangaphelelwa msebenzabo bangakalindeli begodu lokho kungabatjhiya bagandelelekile. Abanye bangadaniswa kuphela kwemitjhadwabo. Abanye bangatshwenywa magulo namkha bangezwa ubuhlungu ngebanga lokuhlongakalelwa. Nakwenzeka izintwezi abantu bangathoma babe nemibuzo eminengi ebebanganayo phambilini malungana nomnqopho wokuphila. Mhlamunye bayazibuza ukuthi, ‘Yini engingayenza bona ngisindiswe?’ Nasihlangana nabantu abanjalo bangathanda ukuzwa umlayezo wethemba esiwuphetheko.

¹² Yeke nasiragela phambili sitjhumayela, sisuke siqinisekisa abantu ukuthi nasele bakulungele ukuzwa umlayezo wethemba, sizobasiza sibanikele wona. (Isa. 61:1) UCharlotte osele aphayone iminyaka ema-38, uthi: “Abantu abanengi bayakutlhoga ukuzwa iindaba ezimnandi ngombana badurhile.” U-Ejvor uneminyaka ema-34, uthi: “Abantu abanengi namhlanje abanalo ithemba, yeke bayakutlhoga ukusizwa. Ngikho lokho okungenza ngiragele phambili nokutjhumayela.” Kwamambala ukuthanda abomakhelwana kusizathu esihle esenza siragele phambili nokutjhumayela.

13, 14. (a) UJwanisi 15:11 ukhuluma ngasiphi isipho? (b) Kuzokwenzeka njani ukuthi sithabe njengoJesu? (c) Ukuthaba kukuthinta njani ukusebenzela uJehova?

¹³ Ebusukwini bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu wakhuluma nabapostoli wabatjela ngezipho ebezizobenza bakghodlelele ekutheleni iinthelo. Ngiziphi iziphwezo begodu thina sizuza njani kizo?

¹⁴ Ithabo. Inga-kghani ukulalela umlayezo kaJesu wokutjhumayela kuzakhe kube ngaphezu kwamandlethu? Awa. Nasikhumbula kuhle, ngemva kokukhuluma ngomfanekiswakhe wesitjalo samadiribe, uJesu wathi sizokuthabela ukutjhumayela ngomBuso. (Funda uJwanisi 15:11.) Ekhabolakhona bekasiqinisekisa ngokuthi sizokuthaba. Kodwana njani? Njengombana besitjhwile, uJesu wazifanisa nesitjalo samadiribe kwathi abafundi bakhe wabafanisa neempande. Isitjalo samadiribe sisekela iimpande. Ikani nje iimpandezo nazisesitjalweni zizokondliwa mamanzi wesitjalweso. Kuyafana-ke nakithi, nasihlala silandela uKrestu sizokuthaba ekwenzeni intando kaZimu njengaye. (Jwa. 4:34; 17:13; 1 Pit. 2:21) UHanne osele aphayone iminyaka engaphezu kwema-40, uthi: “Ithabo engilizwako ngemva kokutjhumayela lingenza ngiragele phambili nokulotjha uJehova.” Ukuthaba kusinikela amandla wokuragela phambili sitjhumayela ngitjho nemasimini abudisi.—Mat. 5:10-12.

15. (a) UJwanisi 14:27 ukhuluma ngasiphi isipho? (b) Kubayini sithi ukuthula kusisiza bona siragele phambili sithela iinthelo?

¹⁵ Ukuthula. (Funda uJwanisi 14:27.) UJesu wathi ebapostolini bakhe: “Ukuthula kwami ngininikela khona.” Ukuthulokhu kusisiza njani bona sibekezele ekutheleni iinthelo? Njengombana siragela phambili nokukghodlhelela, siyakuzwa ukuthula okulethwa kukuthi uJehova noJesu bayasithanda. (Rhu. 149:4; Rom. 5:3, 4; Kol. 3:15) U-Ulf oneminyaka ema-45 aliphayona, uthi: “Ukutjhumayela kungenza ngidinwe kodwana ngesikhathi esifanako kungenzeka ngibe nomnqopho nokwaneliseka epilweni.” Sithokoza khulu ngokuba nokuthula kwangaphakathi, mbala kusibusiso.

16. (a) UJwanisi 15:15 ukhuluma ngasiphi isipho? (b) Abapostoli bebazokuhlala njani babangani bakaJesu?

 ¹⁶ Ubungani. UJesu wathi kwanga ithabo labapostoli bakhe ‘lingazaliswa,’ wabahlathululela nangokuqakatheka kokuzidela. (Jwa. 15:11-13) Walandela ngokuthi: “Nginibize ngokuthi nibangani bami.” Leso bekusisipho esihle tle, akhucabange nje, ukuba bangani bakaJesu. Alo yini ebekufuze abapostoli bayenze nabazakuhlala babangani bakhe? Bekufuze ‘baragele phambili nokuthela iinthelo.’ (Funda uJwanisi 15:14-16.) Kwathi eminyakeni emibili eyalandelako uJesu wayelelisa abafundi bakhe, wathi: “Njengombana nikhamba, tjhumayelani nithi: ‘UmBuso wezulu utjhidele.’” (Mat. 10:7) Yeke kwathi ebusukwini bamaswaphelobo, wabakhuthaza wathi kufuze bakghodlhelela emsebenzini oqakathekileko lo. (Mat. 24:13; Mar. 3:14) Bekubudisi ukulandela umlayo kaJesu kodwana baphumelela, ngalokho bahlala babangani bakhe. Baphumelela njani? Kunokhunye okwabasizako.

17, 18. (a) UJwanisi 15:16 ukhuluma ngasiphi isipho? (b) Isiphweso sibasiza njani abafundi bakaJesu? (c) Ngiziphi izipho ezisiqinisako namhlanjesi?

¹⁷ Ukuphendulwa kwemithandazo. UJesu wathi: “Nanyana yini eniyibawa kuBaba ngebizo lami uzanipha yona.” (Jwa. 15:16) Isithembiswesi sabaqinisa tle abapostoli! * Naphezu kokungasizwisisi kuhle isithembiswesi, uMrholabo besele azokuhlongakala kodwana bengekhe basale bodwa. UJehova bekakulungele ukuphendula imithandazwabo begodu abasize kinanyana yini abayitlhogako bona baragele phambili nokutjhumayela ngomBuso. Kwaba njalo, esikhathini esingaphelisi ihliziyo babona ukuthi uJehova uyiphendulile imithandazwabo.—IzE. 4:29, 31.

¹⁸ Kuyafana nanamhlanjesi. Njengombana sibekezela ekutheleni iinthelo, sithabela nokuba bangani bakaJesu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwanga singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova ukulungele ukuphendula imithandazwethu yokubawa isizo lakhe khulukhulu nasiqalene neentjhijilo njengombana siragela phambili nokutjhumayela ngomBuso. (Flp. 4:13) Kuyathabisa ukwazi ukuthi imithandazwethu iyaphendulwa, ayisaphathwa yokuba bangani bakaJesu. Izipho uJehova asinikela zonezi ziyasiqinisa, zisenze sibekezele ekutheleni iinthelo.—Jak. 1:17.

19. (a) Kubayini siragela phambili nokutjhumayela? (b) Yini esisiza bona siqede umsebenzi uZimu asinikele wona?

¹⁹ Njengombana isihlokwesi sitjhwile, sitjhumayela ngombana sifuna ukudumisa nokucwengisa ibizo lakaJehova, sitjengisa indlela esibathanda ngayo uJehova noJesu. Silemukisa abantu begodu sitjengisa indlela esibathanda ngayo abomakhelwana bethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ithabo, ukuthula, ubungani nokuphendulwa kwemithandazwethu kuyasiqinisa bona siqede umsebenzi uZimu asinikele wona. Kuzomthabisa uJehova ukubona ukuzidela kwethu bona siragele “phambili nokuthela iinthelo.”