1, 2. (a) UJesu wabatshelani abalandeli bakhe ngobusuku bakhe bokucina? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Kuqakatheke ngani ukuhlala sikhumbula izizatho ezenza sitshumayele? (c) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

NGOBUSUKU bakhe bokucina engakafi uJesu waxoxa labaphostoli bakhe okwesikhathi eside. Phakathi kwengxoxo le wabaqinisekisa ukuthi uyabathanda kakhulu. Waphinda waxoxa labo ngomzekeliso wevini esikhulume ngawo esihlokweni esidlulileyo. UJesu wasebenzisa umzekeliso wevini ukuze akhuthaze abalandeli bakhe ukuthi baqhubeke ‘bethela izithelo ezinengi.’ Okutsho ukuthi baqhubeke betshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngokubekezela.​—Joh. 15:8.

² UJesu kazange atshele abalandeli bakhe lokho okwakumele bakwenze kuphela kodwa wabanika lezizatho zokuthi kungani kwakufanele baqhubeke betshumayela. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi sixoxe ngezizatho lezo? Ukuhlala sikhumbula ukuthi kungani sitshumayela kuzasifuqa ukuthi sibekezele emsebenzini wokunika ‘ubufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe.’ (Mat. 24:13, 14) Ake sixoxe ngezizatho ezine eziseMibhalweni ezenza siqhubeke sitshumayela. Sizaxoxa langezipho ezine ezivela kuJehova ezisinceda ukuthi sithele izithelo ngokubekezela.

3. (a) Yisiphi isizatho sokutshumayela esitholakala kuJohane 15:8? (b) Amelani amagilebisi okukhulunywa ngawo emzekelisweni kaJesu njalo lokhu kusinika ithuba lokwenzani?

³ Isizatho esikhulu esenza sitshumayele yikuthi sifuna ukukhazimulisa uJehova kanye lokungcwelisa ibizo lakhe ebantwini bezizwe zonke. (Bala uJohane 15:1, 8.) Nanzelela ukuthi uJesu wafanisa uYise lomlimi olima amagilebisi. Ngemva kwalokho wathi yena ulivini loba isihlahla samagilebisi njalo abalandeli bakhe bazingatsha. (Joh. 15:5) Ngakho izithelo zamagilebisi zimela umsebenzi wokutshumayela owenziwa ngabalandeli bakhe. UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe wathi: “Lokhu kungokwenkazimulo kaBaba ukuze lithele izithelo ezinengi.” Phela nxa isihlahla samagilebisi sithela izithelo ezinhle umlimi uyadunyiswa. Yikho nxa lathi sisenza konke okusemandleni ethu emsebenzini wokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso siyabe sinika uJehova udumo lenkazimulo.​—Mat. 25:20-23.

4. (a) Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze singcwelise ibizo likaNkulunkulu? (b) Wena uzwa njani ngesibusiso olaso sokungcwelisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu?

⁴ Kasingeke senze ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu libengcwele kakhulu ngoba livele lingcwele futhi ubungcwele balo abudingi kuthuthukiswa. Pho umsebenzi wokutshumayela ulingcwelisa njani ibizo likaNkulunkulu? Umphrofethi u-Isaya wabhala wathi: “UJehova uSomandla nguye okumele limazi engongcwele.” (Isaya. 8:13) Ibizo likaNkulunkulu singalingcwelisa ngokuhlala sikhumbula ukuthi liphakeme kakhulu ukwedlula wonke amabizo kanye lokuncedisa abanye bazwisise ukuthi lingcwele. (Mat. 6:9, NW) Ngokwesibonelo nxa sifundisa abantu ngoJehova kanye lenjongo yakhe siyabe sibanceda babone ukuthi konke okubi okwakhulunywa nguSathane mayelana loJehova kungamanga aluhlaza tshoko! (Gen. 3:1-5) Okunye esingakwenza ukuze singcwelise ibizo likaNkulunkulu yikunceda abantu bazwisise ukuthi uJehova ufanele “ukwamukela udumo lenhlonipho kanye lamandla.” (Isam. 4:11) Omunye umzalwane okuthiwa nguRune oseleminyaka engu-16 ephayona uthi: “Ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngethuba engilalo lokufakaza ngoMdali wezinto zonke. Kungenza ngibe lesifiso sokuqhubeka ngitshumayela.”

5. (a) Yisiphi isizatho esikuJohane 15:9, 10 esenza sitshumayele? (b) UJesu wakugcizelela njani ukuqakatheka kokubekezela?

⁵ Bala uJohane 15:9, 10. Isizatho esiqakathekileyo esenza sitshumayele izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso yikuthi siyamthanda uJehova kanye leNdodana yakhe uJesu. (Mak. 12:30; Joh. 14:15) UJesu kazange atshele abafundi bakhe ukuthi babe sethandweni lwakhe kuphela. Kodwa wagcizelela ukuthi ‘bahlale othandweni lwakhe.’ Kungani watsho njalo? Wayekwazi ukuthi abalandeli bakhe kwakuzamele babekezele nsuku zonke ukuze bahlale bethembekile. KuJohane 15:4-10 uJesu walisebenzisa kanengi ibala elithi “hlalani” ukuze asize abalandeli bakhe babone ukuthi ukubekezela kuqakathekile.

6. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sifuna ukuhlala sisethandweni lukaKhristu?

⁶ Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sifuna ukuhlala sisethandweni lukaKhristu njalo siqhubeke singabangane bakhe? Lokhu singakwenza ngokulalela imilayo yakhe. Ngamanye amazwi uJesu usicela ukuthi silingisele lokho ayekwenza. Wathi: “Njengoba lami ngilalele imilayo kaBaba ngihlala ngisothandweni lwakhe.” UJesu wasitshiyela isibonelo.​—Joh. 13:15.

7. Ukulalela kuhambisana njani lokuba lothando?

⁷ UJesu watshengisa ukuthi ukulalela kuhambisana lokuba lothando. Watshela abaphostoli bakhe wathi: “Lowo olayo imilayo yami, ayilalele, nguye ongithandayo.” (Joh. 14:21) Ngakho nxa silalela umlayo wokutshumayela esawunikwa  nguJesu siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova ngoba imilayo kaJesu ivela kuYise. (Mat. 17:5; Joh. 8:28) Ukuthanda uJehova loJesu kuzakwenza basithande njalo sizahlala sisethandweni lwabo.

8, 9. (a) Yisiphi esinye isizatho esenza sitshumayele? (b) Amazwi kaJehova atholakala kuHezekheli 3:18, 19 laku–18:23 asikhuthaza njani ukuthi siqhubeke sitshumayela?

⁸ Esinye isizatho esenza siqhubeke sitshumayela yikuthi sifuna ukuxwayisa abantu. IBhayibhili lithi uNowa ‘wayengumtshumayeli.’ (Bala u-2 Phetro 2:5.) Kumele ukuthi umsebenzi wokutshumayela owawusenziwa nguNowa wawugoqela lokuxwayisa abantu ngengozi eyayisiza. Kungani sisitsho njalo? UJesu wathi: “Ngoba ezinsukwini kungakabi khona uzamcolo, abantu babesidla benatha, bethatha njalo besendisa, kwaze kwaba lusuku uNowa angena ngalo emkhunjini; futhi [ababanga lendaba, NW] uzamcolo waze wafika wabatshabalalisa. Kuzakuba njalo ekufikeni kweNdodana yoMuntu.” (Mat. 24:38, 39) UNowa waqhubeka etshumayela umlayezo ayewunikwe nguJehova lanxa abantu abanengi babengelandaba lalokho ayebatshela khona.

⁹ Lathi sitshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ngoba sifuna abantu bazi injongo kaNkulunkulu. Siyafisa ukuthi abantu bamukele izindaba ezinhle ukuze baqhubeke ‘bephila.’ (Hez. 18:23) Ukutshumayela endlini ngendlu lakwezinye izindawo kusinika ithuba lokuxwayisa abantu abanengi ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu ozasusa ububi obugcwele emhlabeni.​—Hez. 3:18, 19; Dan. 2:44; Isam. 14:6, 7.

10. (a) Yisiphi isizatho esenza sitshumayele esitholakala kuMathewu 22:39? (b) Chaza ukuthi uPhawuli loSila bamnceda njani umlindijele eFiliphi?

¹⁰ Esinye isizatho esenza siqhubeke sitshumayela yikuthi siyabathanda omakhelwana bethu. (Mat. 22:39) Ukuthanda omakhelwana kusenza sibekezele emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoba silethemba lokuthi bangacina belalela ikakhulu nxa izimo zabo zingantshintsha. Umphostoli uPhawuli lomngane wakhe uSila bakubona ukuthi izimo zingamntshintsha umuntu. Bathi besedolobheni leFiliphi bahlaselwa ngabaphikisi baze babavalela ejele. Phakathi kobusuku kwaba lokuzamazama komhlaba okwanyikinya ijele izivalo zaze zavuleka. Lwamtshaya uvalo umlindijele ngoba wayesecabanga ukuthi izibotshwa zasezibalekile, wasekhokha inkemba yakhe esefuna ukuzibulala. UPhawuli wamemeza wathi: “Ungazilimazi bo!” Umlindijele wabuza eseqhaqhazela wathi: “Ngenzeni ukuze ngisindiswe na?” Bamphendula bathi: “Kholwa eNkosini uJesu, uzasindiswa.”​—ImiSeb. 16:25-34.

11, 12. (a) Indaba yomlindijele isisiza njani enkonzweni yethu? (b) Kusiza ngani ukuba senkonzweni zikhathi zonke?

¹¹ Indaba yomlindijele ihambelana njani lomsebenzi wokutshumayela esiwenzayo? Unanzelele yini ukuthi umlindijele wantshintsha ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba okwabakhona njalo wayesedinga usizo. Lanamuhla izehlakalo ezibuhlungu zingabangela ukuthi abanye abantu ababengalaleli baqale ukuba lesifiso  sokuzwa izindaba ezinhle. Kungenzakala ukuthi abanye abantu ensimini yethu bakhathazekile ngenxa yokuphelelwa yimisebenzi bengalindelanga. Abanye bangabe bengabuquthi ubuthongo ngenxa yokuchitheka kwemitshado yabo. Ikanti abanye bangabe behlulukelwe ngenxa yokufelwa yizihlobo zabo loba ukuhlaselwa yimikhuhlane ebuhlungu. Ubunzima bonke lobu bungenza ukuthi baqalise ukubuza imibuzo ababengazihluphi ngayo. Mhlawumbe bangazibuza ukuthi, ‘Ngenzeni ukuze ngisindiswe?’ Abantu abanjalo bangafisa ukulalela izindaba ezinhle nxa sihlangana labo.

¹² Ngakho ukuba senkonzweni ngazo zonke izikhathi kuyasisiza ukuthi sinike abantu induduzo ngesikhathi abayidinga ngaso. (Isaya. 61:1) UCharlotte oseleminyaka engu-38 esenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke uthi: “Namuhla abantu balahlekile. Kumele baphiwe ithuba lokuzwa izindaba ezinhle.” Omunye udade oseleminyaka engu-34 eliphayona uthi: “Kulezinsuku abantu abanengi bathwele nzima ngenxa yokudana. Ngiyafisa kakhulu ukubasiza futhi lokhu yikho okungenza ngitshumayele.” Eqinisweni ukuthanda omakhelwana kuyasifuqa ukuthi sitshumayele.

13, 14. (a) Yisiphi isipho okukhulunywa ngaso kuJohane 15:11? (b) Kuyini okungasenza sithole intokozo efana lekaJesu? (c) Ukuba lentokozo kungasinceda njani enkonzweni?

¹³ Ngobusuku bakhe bokucina uJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe ngezipho ezazizabanceda ukuthi baqhubeke bethela izithelo ngokubekezela. Ake sixoxe ngezipho lezo sibone ukuthi zingasinceda njani.

¹⁴ Isipho sentokozo. Kunzima yini ukulalela umlayo wokutshumayela esawunikwa nguJesu? Ngitsho lakancane. Ngemva kokulandisa umzekeliso wevini, uJesu waveza ukuthi abantu abatshumayela ngoMbuso bazathola intokozo efana leyakhe. (Bala uJohane 15:11.) Kungenzakala njani lokhu? Khumbula ukuthi emzekelisweni lo uJesu wathi yena ulivini njalo abalandeli bakhe bazingatsha. Ingatsha zibanjwa yisihlahla futhi kulapho ezithola khona amanzi lokudla ukuze zithele. Lathi sizathola intokozo efana lekaKhristu nxa singabambelela kuye njalo silandele amanyathelo akhe eduze, intokozo enjalo itholwa yilabo abenza intando kaNkulunkulu. (Joh. 4:34; 17:13; 1 Phet. 2:21) Udadewethu okuthiwa nguHanne oleminyaka edlula 40 ephayona uthi: “Zikhathi zonke nxa ngivela enkonzweni ngiyabe ngithokoza kakhulu, lokhu kungenza ngiqhubekele phambili ngomsebenzi kaJehova.” Ukuba lentokozo ejulileyo kuzasinika amandla okuqhubeka sikhuthele enkonzweni lanxa sitshumayela ezindaweni ezilabantu abangalaleliyo.​—Mat. 5:10-12.

15. (a) Yisiphi isipho esiqanjwe kuJohane 14:27? (b) Ukuthula kusinceda njani ukuthi siqhubeke sithela izithelo?

¹⁵ Isipho sokuthula. (Bala uJohane 14:27.) UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe wathi: “Ukuthula kwami ngilinika khona.” Isipho lesi sisisiza njani ukuthi sithele izithelo? Nxa siqhubeka sitshumayela siba lokuthula ezinhliziyweni zethu. Ukuthula lokhu kulethwa yikwazi ukuthi umsebenzi esiwenzayo uthokozisa uJehova loJesu. (Hubo. 149:4; Rom. 5:3, 4; Kol. 3:15) Omunye umzalwane oleminyaka engu-45 esenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke uthi: “Nxa ngitshayisa ekutshumayeleni ngiyabe ngidinwe ngifile kodwa umsebenzi lo ungenza ngisuthiseke njalo ngiphile impilo elenjongo.” Siyambonga uNkulunkulu ngokusinika ukuthula okusenza sihlaliseke.

16. (a) Yisiphi isipho okukhulunywa ngaso kuJohane 15:15? (b) Kuyini okwakufanele abaphostoli bakwenze ukuze bahlale bengabangane bakaJesu?

¹⁶ Isipho sokuba ngabangane bakhe. UJesu wathi esexoxe labaphostoli bakhe ngesifiso ayelaso  sokuthi ‘intokozo yabo iphelele,’ wabatshela langokuqakatheka kokuzidela ukuze babe lothando oluqotho. (Joh. 15:11-13) Ngemva kwalokho wathi kubo “lingabangane bami.” Lesi kwakuyisipho esikhulu kakhulu. Kuyini okwakumele bakwenze ukuze bahlale bengabangane bakaJesu? Kwakufanele ‘bahambe bayothela izithelo,’ okutsho ukuthi baqhubeke betshumayela. (Bala uJohane 15:14-16.) Ngalesosikhathi kwasekwedlule iminyaka engaba mibili uJesu enike abaphostoli umlayo othi: “Ekuhambeni kwenu tshumayelani leli ilizwi: ‘Umbuso wezulu ususondele.’” (Mat. 10:7) Ngakho ngobusuku lobo uJesu wakhuthaza abaphostoli bakhe ukuthi babekezele emsebenzini abasebewuqalisile. (Mat. 24:13; Mak. 3:14) Ukwenza umsebenzi lo kwakungasoze kube lula kodwa babezaphumelela njalo bahlale bengabangane bakhe. Ake sixoxe ngesinye isipho esasizabasiza ukuthi bakwenze lokhu.

17, 18. (a) Yisiphi isipho okukhulunywa ngaso kuJohane 15:16? (b) Isipho leso sabasiza njani abafundi bakaJesu? (c) Yiziphi izipho ezisiqinisayo namuhla?

¹⁷ Isipho sokuphendulwa kwemithandazo. UJesu wathi: “UBaba uzalinika loba yini eliyicelayo ngebizo lami.” (Joh. 15:16) Asithandabuzi ukuthi isithembiso lesi sabaqinisa abaphostoli. * Abaphostoli babengakuzwisisi ngokugcweleyo ukuthi uJesu wayesezakufa. Kodwa ukufa kwakhe kwakungasoze kwenze basale bezinhlanzi ezitshelwe ngamanzi. UJehova wayezimisele ukuphendula imithandazo yabo kanye lokubancedisa ukuze baphumelele emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Lakanye wakwenza lokhu. Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu abaphostoli bathandaza kuJehova becela ukuthi abanike isibindi futhi uJehova wawuphendula umthandazo wabo.​—ImiSeb. 4:29, 31.

¹⁸ Lokhu kuliqiniso lakithi namuhla ngoba ukubekezela emsebenzini wokutshumayela kusenza sihlale singabangane bakaJesu. Kanti njalo sileqiniso lokuthi uJehova uhlala ethiye indlebe ukuze aphendule imithandazo yethu njalo asisize sinqobe loba yibuphi ubunzima esihlangana labo nxa sitshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso. (Flp. 4:13) Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu kanye lokuba ngabangane bakaJesu kuyisibusiso kithi. Izipho lezi esiziphiwa nguJehova zisinika amandla okuthi siqhubeke sithela izithelo.​—Jak. 1:17.

19. (a) Kungani siqhubeka sihlanganyela emsebenzini wokutshumayela? (b) Kuyini okusisiza ukuthi siwufeze umsebenzi esiwuphathiswe nguNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Esihlokweni lesi sibonile ukuthi okwenza sitshumayele yikuthi sifuna ukukhazimulisa uJehova lokungcwelisa ibizo lakhe. Umsebenzi lo usinika lethuba lokuxwayisa abantu kanye lokutshengisa ukuthi siyamthanda uJehova loJesu labomakhelwana bethu. Kanti njalo izipho ezigoqela intokozo, ukuthula, ubungane loJesu kanye lokuphendulwa kwemithandazo yethu ziyasiqinisa ukuze sifeze umsebenzi esiwuphathiswe nguJehova. UBaba wethu osezulwini uyathokoza okwamagama nxa esibona sisenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze siqhubeke ‘sithela izithelo ezinengi.’