1, 2. (a) Ngaphambi kokuba uYesu afe, wabaxelela ntoni abafundi bakhe? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.) (b) Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sihlale sicinga ngesizathu sokuba sishumayele? (c) Yintoni esiza kuthetha ngayo?

NGOBUSUKU bangaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wancokola ixesha elide nabapostile bakhe ebaqinisekisa ngendlela abathanda ngayo. Kwakhona wabaxelela ngomzekeliso womdiliya, esithethe ngawo kwinqaku elidlulileyo. Ngalo mzekeliso, wayebakhuthaza ukuba ‘bahlale bethwala isiqhamo esininzi,’ oko kukuthi, banyamezele kumsebenzi wokushumayela.—Yoh. 15:8.

² UYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe into ekwakufuneka bayenze, nesizathu sokuba bayenze. Wabaxelela izizathu zokuba baqhubeke beshumayela. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba nathi sizazi ezo zizathu? Xa sihlala sicinga ngesizathu sokuba siqhubeke sishumayela, sitsho sikwazi ukunyamezela xa sishumayela “kuzo zonke iintlanga.” (Mat. 24:13, 14) Ngoku, makhe sive ukuba iZibhalo zithi zeziphi izizathu ezine ezibangela ukuba sishumayele. Siza kuthetha nangezipho ezine esizinikwa nguYehova ezibangela ukuba sithwale isiqhamo sinyamezele.

3. UYohane 15:8 uthi sesiphi isizathu esinaso sokushumayela? (b) Iidiliya ezikumzekeliso kaYesu zimela ntoni, ibe kutheni ufanelekile nje lo mzekeliso?

³ Esona sizathu sibalulekileyo sokuba sishumayele kukuzukisa nokungcwalisa igama likaYehova ebantwini. (Funda uYohane 15:1, 8.) Phawula ukuba uYesu ufanisa uYise, uYehova, nomlimi weediliya. Yena uzifanisa nomdiliya okanye umthi weediliya, aze abalandeli bakhe abafanise namasebe. (Yoh. 15:5) Ngoko kulo mzekeliso, iidiliya zimela isiqhamo esiveliswa ngabafundi bakhe, okanye umsebenzi wokushumayela. UYesu wathi kubapostile bakhe: “UBawo uzukiswa kuko oku, ukuba nihlale nithwala isiqhamo esininzi.” Xa imithi yeediliya ineediliya ezintle, umlimi uyanconywa. Ngokufanayo, xa sisenza konke okusemandleni ethu kumsebenzi wokushumayela, sizukisa uYehova.—Mat. 25:20-23.

4. (a) Silingcwalisa njani igama likaThixo? (b) Uthini ngethuba olinikiweyo lokungcwalisa igama likaThixo?

⁴ Umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela ulingcwalisa njani igama likaThixo? Asinakulenza ngcwele ngaphezu kokuba linjalo igama likaThixo. Sele lingcwele ngokupheleleyo. Kodwa khawuve oko kuthethwa ngumprofeti uIsaya, uthi: “UYehova wemikhosi—Nguye enifanele nimngcwalise.” (Isa. 8:13) Enye indlela esilingcwalisa ngayo igama likaThixo kukuliphakamisa ngaphezu kwawo onke amanye amagama nokunceda abantu balazi ukuba lingcwele. (Mat. 6:9) Ngokomzekelo, xa sishumayela ngeempawu zakhe ezimangalisayo nokungatshintshi kwakhe kwinjongo yakhe, siyalithethelela igama lakhe kubuxoki bukaSathana. (Gen. 3:1-5) Enye indlela esilingcwalisa ngayo kukunceda abantu abakwintsimi yethu babone ukuba uYehova kufuneka simnike “uzuko nembeko namandla.” (ISityhi. 4:11) URune, oneminyaka eyi-16 enguvulindlela uthi: “Kuyandivuyisa ukwazi ukuba ndinikwe ithuba lokungqinela uMdali wendalo yonke. Kundenza ndihlale ndifuna ukushumayela.”

5. (a) UYohane 15:9, 10 uthi sisiphi isizathu esinaso sokushumayela? (b) UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba kubalulekile ukunyamezela?

⁵ Funda uYohane 15:9, 10. Esona sizathu sokuba sishumayele ngoBukumkani kukuba simthanda nyhani uYehova noYesu. (Marko 12:30; Yoh. 14:15) UYesu waxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba mabangapheleli nje ekumthandeni, kodwa ‘mabahlale eluthandweni lwakhe.’ Ngoba? Kuba ukuze uhlale ungumfundi kaKristu kufuneka unyamezele. UYesu wabonisa ukuba kubalulekile ukunyamezela ngokulisebenzisa kaninzi igama elithi “hlalani” kuYohane 15:4-10.

6. Sibonisa njani ukuba sifuna ukuhlala sithandwa nguKristu?

⁶ Sibonisa njani ukuba sifuna ukuhlala sithandwa nguKristu size simvuyise? Ngokuthobela imiyalelo yakhe. Ngamany’ amazwi, uYesu uthi, ‘Ndithobeleni.’ Usicela ukuba senze into naye awayenzayo, kuba uphinda athi: “Kanye njengoko nam ndiyigcinile imiyalelo kaBawo ndaza ndahlala eluthandweni lwakhe.” UYesu ungumzekelo.—Yoh. 13:15.

7. Ukuthobela kudibana njani nothando?

⁷ UYesu wenza kwacaca ukuba ukuthobela kuyadibana nothando xa wathi: “Lowo unemiyalelo yam aze ayigcine, nguye ondithandayo.” (Yoh. 14:21) Ngoko, xa sithobela umyalelo kaYesu wokuya kushumayela, sibonisa ukuba siyamthanda  uThixo, kuba uYesu wasiyalela ukuba senze izinto ezicingwa nguYise. (Mat. 17:5; Yoh. 8:28) Xa uYehova noYesu bebona indlela esibathanda ngayo, nabo abayeki ukusithanda.

8, 9. (a) Sesiphi esinye isizathu sokuba sishumayele? (b) Amazwi kaYehova akuHezekile 3:18, 19 naku-18:23 asikhuthaza njani ukuba singayeki ukushumayela?

⁸ Esinye isizathu sokuba singayeki ukushumayela kukuba silumkisa abantu. IBhayibhile ithi uNowa ‘wayengumshumayeli.’ (Funda eyesi-2 kaPetros 2:5.) Siqinisekile ukuba enye yezinto awayeshumayela ngazo ngaphambi koMkhukula yayikukulumkisa abantu ngentshabalalo ezayo. Kutheni sisitsho? UYesu wathi: “Kuba njengokuba babenjalo ngaloo mihla yangaphambi komkhukula, besidla, besela, amadoda etshata namabhinqa etshatiswa, de kwaba yimini awangena ngayo uNowa emkhombeni; kwaye abazange banikele ngqalelo de wafika umkhukula waza wabatshayela bonke, nobukho boNyana womntu buya kuba njalo.” (Mat. 24:38, 39) Ngoxa abantu babengenamdla, uNowa akazange ayeke ukubalumkisa.

⁹ Namhlanje, sishumayela ngoBukumkani kuba sifuna abantu bayazi injongo anayo uThixo ngabo. Ngokufanayo noYehova, nathi sinqwenela ukuba abantu bazamkele ezi ndaba zoBukumkani, ukuze ‘bahlale bephila.’ (Hez. 18:23) Kwangaxeshanye, xa sishumayela kwindlu ngendlu nakwiindawo ezinabantu abaninzi, silumkisa bonke abantu esinokukwazi ukuthetha nabo ngokuba uBukumkani BukaThixo buza kufika, buze butshabalalise abantu abangamthandiyo uThixo.—Hez. 3:18, 19; Dan. 2:44; ISityhi. 14:6, 7.

10. (a) UMateyu 22:39 uthi sesiphi isizathu sokuba sishumayele? (b) Khawubalise indlela uPawulos noSilas abamnceda ngayo unogada wentolongo yaseFilipi?

¹⁰ Nasi esinye isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuba singayeki ukushumayela: Siyabathanda abantu. (Mat. 22:39) Olo thando lusibangela ukuba sinyamezele kulo msebenzi, siqonda ukuba abantu banokuyitshintsha indlela abacinga ngayo ngenxa yokutshintsha kweemeko. Khawucinge ngento eyenzeka kumpostile uPawulos noSilas. Xa babeseFilipi, abachasi babavalela entolongweni. Ezinzulwini zobusuku, kwabakho inyikima eyashukumisa iintolongo, kwaza kwavuleka iingcango. Unogada wentolongo woyika, ecinga ukuba amabanjwa abalekile, wafuna ukuzibulala. Wathi xa eza kuzibulala, uPawulos wakhwaza esithi: “Musa ukuzenzakalisa!” Engcangcazela lo nogada wentolongo wathi: “Ndimele ndenze ntoni na ukuze ndisindiswe?” Bathi kuye: “Kholwa kwiNkosi uYesu yaye uya kusindiswa.”—IZe. 16:25-34.

11, 12. (a) Ibali likanogada wentolongo lisifundisa ntoni ngomsebenzi wokushumayela? (b) Sizimisele ukwenza ntoni?

¹¹ Eli bali likanogada wentolongo lidibana njani nomsebenzi wokushumayela?  Qaphela: Unogada wentolongo watshintsha emva kwenyikima, waza wacela ukuncedwa. Ngokufanayo, namhlanje abanye abantu abangenamdla xa sishumayela kubo basenokutshintsha baze bafune uncedo xa behlelwe yinto ebuhlungu. Ngokomzekelo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye bothuswe kukuphelelwa ngumsebenzi ekudala bekuwo. Mhlawumbi abanye bakhathazwa kukuphelelwa ngumtshato. Kanti abanye basand’ uxelelwa ukuba banesigulo esinganyangekiyo, okanye basentlungwini yokuswelekelwa ngumntu abamthandayo. Xa abanye besehlelwa zizinto ezinjalo, basenokubuza ngenjongo yobomi abebekade bengayihoyanga. Mhlawumbi nabo bayazibuza, ‘Ndimele ndenze ntoni na ukuze ndisindiswe?’ Basenokuba nomdla wokumamela iindaba ezilungileyo.

¹² Ukuba siqhubeka sishumayela, siya kuthuthuzela abantu kanye ngexesha abafuna ukuthuthuzelwa ngalo. (Isa. 61:1) UCharlotte oneminyaka eyi-38 enguvulindlela uthi: “Namhlanje abantu balahlekile. Kufuneka beve iindaba ezilungileyo.” UEjvor oneminyaka eyi-34 enguvulindlela uthi: “Namhlanje baninzi gqitha abantu abangonwabanga. Ndifuna nyhani ukubanceda. Loo nto indibangela ukuba ndishumayele.” Ukuthanda abantu sesona sizathu sifanelekileyo sokuba singayeki ukushumayela.

13, 14. (a) Sesiphi isipho ekuthethwa ngaso kuYohane 15:11? (b) Sinokuvuya njani njengoYesu? (c) Uvuyo lusinceda njani entsimini?

¹³ Kubusuku bokugqibela bangaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wachazela abapostile bakhe izipho ezaziza kubanceda bakwazi ukuqhubeka bethwele isiqhamo. Zeziphi ezi zipho, ibe zisinceda njani thina?

¹⁴ Isipho sovuyo. Ngaba kwakuza kuba nzima ukuthobela umyalelo kaYesu wokushumayela? Tu ke ngoku! Emva kokubalisa umzekeliso womdiliya, uYesu wathi abo bashumayela ngoBukumkani babeza kuvuya. (Funda uYohane 15:11.) Ngapha koko, wade wasiqinisekisa ukuba nathi siza kuvuya njengaye. Njani? Njengokuba kubonisiwe ngaphambili, uYesu wazifanisa nomdiliya waza abafundi bakhe wabafanisa namasebe. Umdiliya uyawaxhasa amasebe awo. Ukuba amasebe asaqhubeka enamathele kumdiliya afumana amanzi nezinye izinto eziwagcina ephilile. Nathi, ukuba sihlala sinamathele kuKristu ngokwenza njengokuba wayesenza, sitsho sivuye ngendlela avuya ngayo xa esenza ukuthanda kukaYise. (Yoh. 4:34; 17:13; 1 Pet. 2:21) UHanne obenguvulindlela kangangeminyaka engaphezu kweyi-40 uthi: “Indlela endivuya ngayo xa ndivela entsimini indenza ndifune ukuhlala ndikhonza uYehova.” Ukuvuya kusenza sikwazi ukuqhubeka sishumayela nakwintsimi enabantu abangenamdla.—Mat. 5:10-12.

15. (a) Sesiphi isipho ekuthethwa ngaso kuYohane 14:27? (b) Kutheni uxolo lusinceda siqhubeke sithwala isiqhamo?

¹⁵ Isipho esiluxolo. (Funda uYohane 14:27.) Kwangobaa busuku bangaphambi kokuba afe, uYesu wathi kubapostile bakhe: “Ndininika uxolo lwam.” Esi sipho sikaYesu siluxolo sisinceda njani sithwale isiqhamo? Njengoko sinyamezela, siyaxola ngaphakathi kuba sisazi ukuba siyamvuyisa uYehova noYesu. (INdu. 149:4; Roma 5:3, 4; Kol. 3:15) U-Ulf oneminyaka eyi-45 enguvulindlela uthi, “Ndiyadinwa xa ndishumayela, kodwa ke ndiyaneliseka ibe nditsho ndiyazi eyona nto ndiyiphilelayo.” Siyambulela uYehova ngokusisikelela ngoxolo olungasoze luphele!

16. (a) Sesiphi isipho ekuthethwa ngaso kuYohane 15:15? (b) Abapostile babeza kuhlala njani bengabahlobo bakaYesu?

 ¹⁶ Isipho sobuhlobo. Emva kokuba uYesu ethe unqwenela abapostile bakhe ‘bazaliswe’ luvuyo, wabacacisela ukubaluleka kokuba nothando. (Yoh. 15:11-13) Waphinda wathi: “Ndinibize ngokuthi ningabahlobo.” Sisipho esixabiseke nyhani esi sokuba ngabahlobo bakaYesu! Kwakufuneka benze ntoni abapostile ukuze bahlale bengabahlobo bakaYesu? Kwakufuneka ‘baqhubeke baze bahlale bethwala isiqhamo.’ (Funda uYohane 15:14-16.) Malunga neminyaka emibini engaphambi koko, uYesu wayethe kubo: “Njengoko nihamba, shumayelani, nithi, ‘Ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.’” (Mat. 10:7) Ngoko, ngoba busuku bokugqibela wayebakhuthaza ukuba banyamezele kula msebenzi babewuqalile. (Mat. 24:13; Marko 3:14) Ukuqhubeka beshumayela kwakuneengxaki, kodwa babenokuphumelela baze baqhubeke bengabahlobo bakhe. Njani? Wayeza kubanceda ngesinye isipho.

17, 18. (a) Sesiphi isipho ekuthethwa ngaso kuYohane 15:16? (b) Eso sipho sasiza kubanceda njani abafundi bakaYesu? (c) Zeziphi izipho ezisomelezayo namhlanje?

¹⁷ Isipho sokuphendulwa kwemithandazo. UYesu wathi: “Oko nikucelayo kuBawo egameni lam uya kuninika.” (Yoh. 15:16) Esi sithembiso simele ukuba sabomeleza nyhani abapostile. * Abapostile babengayiqondi kakuhle into yokuba iNkosi yabo uYesu yayisele iza kufa. Ukufa kwayo kwakungathethi ukuba yayiza kubashiya nje kungekho nto ibancedayo. UYehova wayeza kuyiphendula imithandazo yabo xa becela uncedo ukuze baqhubeke nomsebenzi wokushumayela. Ibe nyhani, kungekudala emva koko bambona uYehova eyiphendula imithandazo yabo xa babecela abancede.—IZe. 4:29, 31.

¹⁸ Kunjalo nanamhlanje. Xa sithwala isiqhamo sinyamezele, sivuyiswa kukuba ngabahlobo bakaYesu. Ngaphezu koko, simele siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uza kuyiphendula imithandazo yethu xa sicela ukuba asincede soyise iingxaki esidibana nazo entsimini. (Fil. 4:13) Kusivuyisa kakhulu ukwazi ukuba uYehova uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu nokuba uYesu ngumhlobo wethu. Ezi zipho sizinikwa nguYehova ziyasomeleza ukuze siqhubeke sithwala isiqhamo.—Yak. 1:17.

19. (a) Kutheni siqhubeka sishumayela? (b) Somelezwa yintoni ukuze siqhubeke sishumayela?

¹⁹ Kweli nqaku sifunde ngezizathu ezine ezisibangela siqhubeke sishumayela: kukuzukisa uYehova nokungcwalisa igama lakhe, kukuba siyamthanda uYehova noYesu, kukulumkisa abantu nokubathanda. Siye safunda nangezipho ezine ezisomelezela ukuba sihlale sishumayela: uvuyo, uxolo, ubuhlobo noYesu nesokuphendulwa kwemithandazo yethu. UYehova uvuya nyhani xa esibona sisebenza nzima ukuze ‘sihlale sithwele isiqhamo esininzi’!