1. Xa abafundi babehlanganisene, luluphi uncedo abalufumanayo, yaye kwakutheni ukuze balufune?

KUNGEKUDALA emva kokuba uYesu evusiwe, abafundi bakhe bahlanganisana ngenjongo yokuba bakhuthazane. Batshixa iminyango, besoyika iintshaba zabo. Lumele ukuba olo loyiko lwabo lwaphelela emoyeni xa kwafika uYesu waza wathi: “Yamkelani umoya oyingcwele”! (Funda uYohane 20:19-22.) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, baphinda bahlanganisana, yaye ngoku uYehova wabathululela umoya oyingcwele. Oku kwabomeleza ngeyona ndlela ukuze balungele umsebenzi wokushumayela ababeseza kuwenza!—IZe. 2:1-7.

2. (a) Siwafumana phi amandla kaYehova, kwaye kutheni siwafuna nje? (b) Kutheni kubaluleke kangaka ukuba noNqulo Lwentsapho? (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi nebhokisi ethi “ UNqulo Lwentsapho.”)

² Nathi namhlanje sijamelene nobunzima obufanayo nobo bafunyanwa ngabafundi bakaYesu. (1 Pet. 5:9) Ngamany’ amaxesha, abanye bethu basenokoyika abantu. Siyawadinga amandla avela kuYehova ukuze sinyamezele kumsebenzi wokushumayela. (Efe. 6:10) Usipha kakhulu la mandla kwiintlanganiso. Namhlanje siya kwiintlanganiso ezimbini ezifundisayo veki nganye—iNtlanganiso Yesidlangalala, iSifundo SeMboniselo, neentlanganiso zaphakathi evekini ezibizwa ngokuba buBomi BamaKristu Nomsebenzi Wokushumayela. * Kwakhona siyaya nakwindibano yengingqi, iindibano zesiphaluka ezimbini naseSikhumbuzweni. Kutheni kubaluleke kangaka ukuya kuzo zonke ezi ntlanganiso? Zabakho njani? Indlela esivakalelwa ngayo ngeentlanganiso ityhila ntoni ngathi?

3, 4. UYehova ufuna abantu bakhe benze ntoni? Nika imizekelo.

³ Kwakudala uYehova wayefuna ukuba abantu bakhe bahlanganisane ukuze bamnqule. Nanku umzekelo: Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uYehova wanika amaSirayeli uMthetho wokuba agcine iSabatha veki nganye ukuze intsapho nganye ikwazi ukumnqula nokuba ifundiswe ngawo. (Dut. 5:12; 6:4-9) Xa amaSirayeli ayewenza lo myalelo, iintsapho zazisomelela luze nohlanga luphela luhlale lucocekile yaye lomelele elukholweni. Xa uhlanga luye alawulandela uMthetho, alazenza nezinto eziyimfuneko ezinjengokuya rhoqo kwiintlanganiso  ukuze lunqule uYehova, lwaluphulukana nobuhlobo noThixo.—Lev. 10:11; 26:31-35; 2 Kron. 36:20, 21.

⁴ NoYesu waba ngumzekelo omhle. NgeSabatha, wayedla ngokuya kwindlu yesikhungu veki nganye. (Luka 4:16) Emva kokufa nokuvuswa kwakhe, abafundi baqhubeka bebamba iintlanganiso rhoqo nangona babesele bengasekho phantsi komthetho weSabatha. (IZe. 1:6, 12-14; 2:1-4; Roma 14:5; Kol. 2:13, 14) Kwezo ntlanganiso, amaKristu elo xesha ayengafumani nje kuphela imiyalelo nokhuthazo, kodwa ayekwadumisa uThixo ngokuthandaza, ngokugqabaza nangokucula.—Kol. 3:16; Heb. 13:15.

5. Kutheni sisiya kwiintlanganiso veki nganye neendibano ezibakho nyaka ngamnye? (Funda nebhokisi ethi “ Iindibano Ezibakho Ngonyaka Ezimanyanisa Abantu BakaThixo.”)

⁵ Nathi namhlanje, xa sisiya kwiintlanganiso veki nganye, kwiindibano ezibanjwa nyaka ngamnye, sixhasa uBukumkani bukaThixo, sifumana amandla omoya oyingcwele, kwaye siyabakha abazalwana bethu xa bebona ukholo lwethu. Okubaluleke nangakumbi kukuba, siye sifumane ithuba lokunqula uYehova ngokuthandaza, ngamagqabaza nangokucula. Indlela eziqhutywa ngayo iintlanganiso zethu namhlanje, isenokuba ayifani nendlela ayeziqhuba ngayo amaSirayeli namaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. Nakuthi namhlanje iintlanganiso zisabalulekile. Zabakho njani iintlanganiso zethu?

6, 7. (a) Yintoni injongo yeentlanganiso zethu? (b) Iintlanganiso zaziqhutywa ngaziphi iindlela ezahlukeneyo?

⁶ Xa uMzalwan’ uCharles Taze Russell waqalisa ukufuna inyaniso eLizwini likaThixo, wabona kufanelekile ukuhlanganisana nabanye ababekwiphulo elifanayo. Ngo-1879,  uRussell wabhala wathi: “Mna nabanye basePittsburgh, siye saseka iklasi esihlanganisana kuyo rhoqo ngeeCawa ukuze sifunde iZibhalo.” Nabanye abafundi beMboniselo bakhuthazwa ukuba bahlanganisane, yaye ngo-1881, rhoqo ngeCawa nangoLwesithathu, iintlanganiso zazibanjwa ePittsburgh nasePennsylvania. IMboniselo kaNovemba 1895 yatsho ukuba injongo yezo ntlanganiso kukukhuthaza “ukuthandana nobudlelane bamaKristu,” kuquka nokwakhana.—Funda amaHebhere 10:24, 25.

⁷ Kangangeminyaka, aBafundi BeBhayibhile babeqhuba iintlanganiso ngeendlela nangamaxesha angafaniyo. Ngokomzekelo, enye ileta eyayivela kwiqela laseMerika eyapapashwa ngo-1911 yathi: “Ubuncinane siba neentlanganiso ezintlanu ngeveki.” Ayezibamba ezo ntlanganiso ngoMvulo, ngoLwesithathu, ngoLwesihlanu nakabini ngeCawa. Enye ileta eyayivela kwiqela laseAfrika, eyapapashwa ngo-1914 yathi: “Sibamba iintlanganiso kabini ngenyanga, siziqala ngoLwesihlanu ukuya kutsho ngeCawa.” Noko ke, ekuhambeni kwexesha, iintlanganiso zatshintsha zaza zaqhutywa ngale ndlela siziqhuba ngayo namhlanje. Khawuzivele imbali emfutshane ngentlanganiso nganye.

8. Yayisithini eminye yemixholo yeentetho zesidlangalala?

⁸ INtlanganiso Yesidlangalala. Ngo-1880, emva konyaka uMzalwan’ uRussell eqalise ukupapasha iMboniselo, wenza into eyayisenziwa nguYesu, ukushumayela kwezinye iindawo. (Luka 4:43) Ekwezo ndawo, uMzalwan’ uRussell waqalisa intlanganiso eyaziwa njengeNtlanganiso Yesidlangalala. Ichaza ngohambo lwakhe, iMboniselo yathi uRussell “uza kukuvuyela ukunikela intetho yesidlangalala ethetha ‘Ngezinto zoBukumkani bukaThixo.’” Ngo-1911, emva kokuba amaqela okanye amabandla esekiwe kumazwe athile, bandla ngalinye lakhuthazwa ukuba lithumele kwamanye amabandla abazalwana abafanelekayo, banikele iintetho ezintandathu ezisekelwe kumxholo othi umgwebo, nakothi intlawulelo. Emva kwentetho, kwakuye kuchazwe intetho yeveki ezayo negama lesithethi esiza kuyinikela.

9. Luluphi utshintsho oluye lwenziwa kwiNtlanganiso Yesidlangalala ukutyhubela iminyaka, kwaye ungayixhasa njani le ntlanganiso?

⁹ Ngo-1945, iMboniselo yenza isaziso sokuqaliswa kwephulo elenziwa ehlabathini lonke, lokubakho kweNtlanganiso Yesidlangalala apho kwakunikelwa iintetho ezisibhozo ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni ezazithetha “ngeengxaki zala maxesha.” Kangangamashumi eminyaka, izithethi zazinganikeli iintetho ezazithunyelwa likhoboka elithembekileyo kuphela, kodwa zazinikela neentetho ezazizibhalele ngokwazo. Ngo-1981, izithethi zayalelwa ukuba zinikele iintetho zentlangano ezazithunyelwa emabandleni. * Ngo-1990, kwakhutshwa umyalelo oyekisa iintetho zesidlangalala ezazifuna abaphulaphuli babe nenxaxheba okanye benze imiboniso. Ngokubhekele  phaya, ngoJanuwari 2008 lancitshiswa ixesha lokunikela iintetho zesidlangalala, ukusuka kwimizuzu eyi-45 ukusa kweyi-30. Nangona kuye kwakho utshintsho kwiintetho zesidlangalala, xa zilungiselelwe kakuhle, ziyalwakha ukholo kwiLizwi likaThixo yaye zisifundisa izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. (1 Tim. 4:13, 16) Ngaba uyakuvuyela ukumema amabuyelo akho nabo bangengawo amaNgqina ukuza kuphulaphula iintetho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni?

10-12. (a) Iye yaphuculwa njani indlela esiqhutywa ngayo iSifundo SeMboniselo? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo owenza kakuhle xa uzibuza yona?

¹⁰ ISifundo SeMboniselo. Ngo-1922, abazalwana ababesaziwa ngokuba ngabahambi ngezonqulo—abalungiseleli ababethunyelwa yiWatch Tower Society ukuya kunikela iintetho nokukhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela—bacebisa ukuba kubekho intlanganiso ekuxutyushwa kuyo iMboniselo rhoqo. Lathathwa eli cebiso, saza isifundo seMboniselo saqhutywa phakathi evekini okanye ngeCawa.

¹¹ Ngo-Juni 15, 1932, iMboniselo yakhupha imiyalelo engakumbi ngendlela esimele siqhutywe ngayo esi sifundo. Eli nqaku lathi, njengaseBheteli, kwakumele kubekho umzalwana oqhuba le ntlanganiso. Abazalwana abathathu kwakufuneka bahlale ngaphambili baze batshintshane ngokufunda iziqendu. Amanqaku ayengenayo imibuzo, ngoko ke umqhubi wayalelwa ukuba acele abanye abaphulaphuli babuze, aze acele abanye baphendule loo mibuzo. Ukuba kwakukho into efuna ukucaciswa, wayalelwa ukuba ayicacise “ngokufutshane nangokucacileyo.”

¹² Ekuqaleni, amabandla ayevunyelwa ukuba azikhethele imagazini afuna ukuyixubusha. Noko ke, iMboniselo ka-Aprili 15, 1933, yacebisa amabandla ukuba axubushe imagazini  esandul’ ukuphuma. Ngo-1937, kwakhutshwa umyalelo wokuba isifundo seMboniselo sibe ngeCawa. Ukuphuculwa kwendlela yokuqhutywa kwesi sifundo sibe yile nto siyaziyo namhlanje, kwapapashwa kwiMboniselo kaOktobha 1, 1942. Le magazini yakhupha isaziso sokuba emazantsi ephepha ngalinye lenqaku elifundwayo, kwakuza kubakho imibuzo emele ibuzwe. Kwakhona yathi le ntlanganiso imele ithathe iyure kuphela, yaza yakhuthaza nabaphulaphuli ukuba bangazifundi iimpendulo kodwa bachaze into abayivileyo “ngamazwi abo.” ISifundo SeMboniselo iseyeyona ntlanganiso isetyenziswa likhoboka elithembekileyo ukusasaza iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ngexesha elifanelekileyo. (Mat. 24:45) Kuyinto entle ukuzibuza ukuba: ‘Ngaba ndiyayilungiselela iMboniselo veki nganye? Ngaba ndizama kangangoko ukugqabaza ukuba ndinako?’

13, 14. Ithini imbali ngeSifundo SeBhayibhile Sebandla, yaye yintoni oyithandayo ngale ntlanganiso?

¹³ ISifundo SeBhayibhile Sebandla. Kwiminyaka yoo-1890, emva kokukhutshwa kwemiqulu iMillennial Dawn, uMzalwan’ uH. N. Rahn, uMfundi WeBhayibhile waseBaltimore, eMaryland, eMerika, wacebisa ukuba kusekwe “iZazulu Zokukhanya” zokufundisisa iBhayibhile. Eli cebo laqala lazanywa ngokuziqhuba emakhayeni abantu. Kwathi kusiba nguSeptemba 1895, ezi Zazulu Zokukhanya zazisele ziqhutywa ngempumelelo kwizixeko eziliqela eMerika. Ngenxa yoko, iMboniselo yaloo nyanga yakhuthaza bonke abafundi benyaniso ukuba baqhube ezo ntlanganiso. Yathi le ntlanganiso mayiqhutywe ngumntu ofunda kakuhle. Wayeza kufunda isivakalisi aze avule ithuba lokuba abantu abakhoyo bachaze into abayivileyo. Emva kokuba efunde izivakalisi kwisiqendu zaza zaxutyushwa, wayemele afunde izibhalo ezibekiweyo. Xa sigqityiwe isahluko, ngamnye kubaphulaphuli wayemele achaze ngamafutshane into ayivileyo.

¹⁴ Indlela ebizwa ngayo le ntlanganiso iye yatshintshatshintsha. Ikhe yabizwa ngokuba siSazulu samaBhereya Sokufundisisa iBhayibhile, ngokusuka kumaBhereya enkulungwane yokuqala awayezincina ngenyameko iZibhalo. (IZe. 17:11) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, yabizwa ngokuba siSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla. Kodwa ngoku le ntlanganiso ibizwa ngokuba siSifundo SeBhayibhile Sebandla, apho onke amalungu ebandla ehlanganisana kwiHolo yoBukumkani endaweni yokuhlanganisana ngokwezazulu. Kangangamashumi eminyaka, kule ntlanganiso, bekufundwa iincwadi, iincwadana nkqu namanqaku eMboniselo. Kwasekuqalisweni kwayo, bonke abezayo babekhuthazwa ukuba babe nenxaxheba. Le ntlanganiso iye yasinceda sanolwazi olungakumbi ngeBhayibhile. Ngaba ulungiselela rhoqo ngaphambi kokuba uye uze uphendule kangangoko unokukwazi?

15. ISikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo sayilwa ngayiphi injongo?

 ¹⁵ ISikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo. UCarey Barber owayekhonza kwiBheteli eseBrooklyn, eNew York ngelo xesha uthi: “Ngobusuku bangoMvulo, ngoFebruwari 16, 1942, bonke abazalwana eBheteli bamenywa ukuba baze kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo.” UMzalwan’ uBarber, owathi kamva waba lilungu leQumrhu Elilawulayo, uthi esi sikolo “lelinye lamalungiselelo aphum’ izandla uYehova aye wawenzela abantu bakhe kweli xesha lethu.” Imfundo eyafumaneka kwesi sikolo yabanceda abazalwana baphucula ubuchule bokufundisa nokushumayela kangangokuba, ukususela ngo-1943 ukuya phambili, ngokuthe ngcembe kwathunyelwa incwadana ethi Course in Theocratic Ministry kuwo onke amabandla asehlabathini. IMboniselo kaJuni 1, 1943, yathi iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo sasekwa ngenjongo yokunceda abantu bakaThixo “baziqeqeshe ukuze babe ngamaNgqina ashumayela kakuhle ngoBukumkani.”—2 Tim. 2:15.

16, 17. Ngaba iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo sasifundisa indlela yokunikela iintetho kuphela? Cacisa.

 ¹⁶ Ekuqaleni, abazalwana abaninzi babekufumanisa kunzima ukuma phambi kwabantu banikele intetho. UClayton Woodworth Omnci., otata wakhe owavalelwa ejele ngendlela engekho mthethweni noMzalwan’ uRutherford nabanye ngo-1918, uchaza indlela awavakalelwa ngayo xa wayeqala ukuba kwesi sikolo ngo-1943. Uthi: “Kwakunzima kum ukunikela intetho. Kwakuba ngathi ulwimi lwam lude, kome umqala, ibe ngathi ndiyankwiniza.” Njengoko wayesiya ephucula, waye efumana amalungelo angakumbi okunikela iintetho. Ininzi into awayifundiswa kwesi sikolo. Wafunda indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuthobeka nokuthembela kuYehova. Lo mzalwana uthi: “Ndiye ndabona ukuba isithethi asibalulekanga nganto. Kodwa ukuba silungiselela kakuhle size sayame ngoYehova, abaphulaphuli baya kuzonwabela iintetho zaso baze bafunde okuthile kuzo.”

 ¹⁷ Ngo-1959, kwacelwa oodade ukuba nabo babhalise esikolweni. UDade Edna Bauer ukhumbula isaziso esenziwayo kwindibano awaya kuyo. Uthi: “Ndikhumbula indlela abavuya ngayo oodade. Nabo babevulekelwe ngamathuba angakumbi.” Kangangeminyaka, abazalwana noodade abaninzi baye balixhakamfula ngazo zozibini ithuba lokubhalisa kwiSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo ukuze bafundiswe nguYehova. Namhlanje, olo qeqesho silufumana kwintlanganiso yaphakathi evekini.—Funda uIsaya 54:13.

18, 19. (a) Ngoku sifundiswa njani ngendlela yokushumayela? (b) Kutheni sicula kwiintlanganiso? (Funda ibhokisi ethi “ Ukucula Iingoma Zenyaniso.”)

¹⁸ INtlanganiso Yenkonzo. Kwango-1919, kwakuhlanganwa ngaphambi kokuba kuyiwe entsimini. Kwezo ntlanganiso, kwakungayi wonke umntu ebandleni, kodwa kwakusiya kuphela abo baza kuhambisa iincwadi. Phantse wonke unyaka ka-1923, iNtlanganiso Yenkonzo yayibakho kanye ngenyanga, kodwa kwakusiya wonke umntu ebandleni. Ngo-1928, amabandla acelwa ukuba aqhube iNtlanganiso Yenkonzo kanye ngeveki, emva koko, ngo-1935, iMboniselo yakhuthaza ukuba xa eqhuba le ntlanganiso, amabandla mawasebenzise inkcazelo epapashwe kwiDirector (neyathi kamva yabizwa ngokuba yi-Informant, yaze kamva yabizwa ngokuba buBulungiseleli Bethu BoBukumkani). Kungekudala, le ntlanganiso yaba kucwangciso lwebandla lweveki nganye.

¹⁹ Namhlanje sifumana ulwalathiso olusincedayo lwendlela yokushumayela kwintlanganiso yaphakathi evekini. (Mat. 10:5-13) Ukuba ungomnye wabantu abayinikwayo iNcwadi Yeentlanganiso, ngaba uyayifunda uze uwasebenzise amacebiso alapho entsimini?

20-22. (a) Kutheni sisenza isikhumbuzo sokufa kukaYesu? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni kuthi xa sisiya eSikhumbuzweni nyaka ngamnye?

²⁰ UYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba benze isikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe ade afike. NjengePasika, iSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu senziwa nyaka ngamnye. (1 Kor. 11:23-26) Nyaka ngamnye kuza izigidi kule ntlanganiso. Ikhumbuza abathanjiswa ngelungelo abanalo lokuba ziindlalifa zoBukumkani. (Roma 8:17) Kwicala lezinye izimvu, ukubakho eSikhumbuzweni kubangela zibe nentlonelo yaye zinyaniseke kuKumkani woBukumkani bukaThixo.—Yoh. 10:16.

²¹ UMzalwan’ uRussell nabanye bakuqonda ukubaluleka kokwenza iSidlo SeNkosi Sangokuhlwa yaye babesazi ukuba simele sibekho kanye ngonyaka. IMboniselo ka-Aprili 1880 yathi: “Sekuyiminyaka kulisiko lethu apha ePittsburgh  . . . ukukhumbula iPasika [iSikhumbuzo,] yaye sisitya isonka newayini ezimela umzimba weNkosi negazi.” Kamva iindibano zaqhutywa kunye neSikhumbuzo. Ezokuqala iingxelo ezagcinwayo zezeSikhumbuzo esabakho  ngo-1889, apho kwakukho abantu abayi-225, kwaza kwabhaptizwa abayi-22.

²² Namhlanje, iSikhumbuzo asibi yinxalenye yocwangciso lwendibano, kodwa sisuka nje simemele abantu kwiHolo yoBukumkani ekufutshane okanye kwenye indawo eqeshiweyo. Ngo-2013, babengaphezu kwe-19 miliyoni ababeze esikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaYesu. Sinelungelo elikhulu lokubakho eSikhumbuzweni nokukhuthaza abanye beze ngobu busuku bungcwele. Ngaba nyaka ngamnye umema abantu abaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka?

23. Uvakalelwa njani ngokuya kwiintlanganiso?

²³ Abakhonzi bakaYehova abawujongi umyalelo wokuya kwiintlanganiso njengoxanduva. (Heb. 10:24, 25; 1 Yoh. 5:3) Ngokomzekelo, uKumkani uDavide wayekuthanda ukuya kunqula endlwini kaYehova. (INdu. 27:4) Wayekuthanda ngokukhethekileyo ukuya kunqula nabanye abathanda uThixo. (INdu. 35:18) Khawucinge nangoYesu. Naye, nangona wayemncinane ngeminyaka, wayekuthanda gqitha ukuya kunqula endlwini kaYise.—Luka 2:41-49.

24. Sizuza ntoni ngokubakho kwiintlanganiso?

²⁴ Xa sisiya kwiintlanganiso, senza kucace ukuba siyamthanda uYehova nokuba sinqwenela ukukhuthaza abazalwana noodade wethu. Sikwabonisa nomnqweno esinawo wokufunda indlela yokuphila njengabalawulwa boBukumkani bukaThixo, kuba eyona ndawo sifundiswa kuyo le ndlela yokuphila kukwiintlanganiso nakwiindibano. Kwakhona, kwiintlanganiso siyaqeqeshwa ukuze sibe nobuchule namandla okunyamezela kulo msebenzi ubalulekileyo wenziwa buBukumkani bukaThixo namhlanje—lo wokwenza nokuqeqesha abafundi bakaKumkani uYesu Kristu. (Funda uMateyu 28:19, 20.) Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo, xa sikuthatha nzulu ukuhlanganisana, sibonisa indlela esibujonga ngayo ubukho boBukumkani bukaThixo. Akwaba singahlala sizixabisa iintlanganiso!