1, 2. Sisiphi esona simemo sibalulekileyo sinokufunyanwa ngumntu, yaye nguwuphi umbuzo esimele sizibuze wona?

 SISIPHI esona simemo sibalulekileyo wakha wasifumana? Usenokucinga ngokumenywa kwakho kwisiganeko esikhethekileyo, njengokumenywa emtshatweni ngabantu ababini obathanda gqitha. Okanye usenokukhumbula mhla wamenywa ukuba wamkele umsebenzi wengqesho obalulekileyo. Ukuba wakha wafumana izimemo ezilolo hlobo, ngokuqinisekileyo wakuvuyela gqitha njengelungelo elikhethekileyo ukuzifumana. Noko ke, eneneni uye wafumana isimemo esibaluleke ngaphezulu lee kunezo. Ngamnye wethu uye wasifumana. Yaye ukusamkela okanye ukungasamkeli kwethu eso simemo kubuchaphazela kakhulu ubomi bethu. Eso sesona sigqibo sibalulekileyo sinokusenza ebomini.

² Sisiphi eso simemo? Sivela kuYesu Kristu, okuphela koNyana ozelwe nguThixo uSomandla uYehova, yaye sibhalwe eBhayibhileni. KuMarko 10:21 sifunda amazwi kaYesu athi: ‘Yiba ngumlandeli wam.’ Esi sisimemo sikaYesu esibhekiswa kuye ngamnye wethu. Ngoko sifanele sizibuze, ‘Ndiza kusabela njani?’ Usenokucinga ukuba, akakho umntu onokungasamkeli isimemo esibaluleke ngolo hlobo. Kodwa okumangalisayo kukuba, inkoliso yabantu ayisamkeli. Ngoba?

3, 4. (a) Ziziphi izinto ezinqwenelekayo awayenazo umfana owabuza uYesu ngobomi obungunaphakade? (b) Ziziphi iimpawu ezintle ekunokwenzeka ukuba uYesu wazibona kulo mlawuli oselula owayesisityebi?

³ Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngomfana owafumana eso simemo kuYesu uqobo kwiminyaka emalunga  nama-2 000 eyadlulayo. Yayingumfana ohlonipheke kakhulu. Ubuncinane wayenezinto ezintathu abantu abazigqala njengezinqwenelekayo—wayesemtsha, esisityebi, yaye enegunya. IBhayibhile ithi ‘wayengumfana,’ “wayesisityebi kakhulu,” yaye ‘wayengumlawuli.’ (Mateyu 19:20; Luka 18:18, 23) Kodwa kukho into eyayibaluleke kakhulu ngalo mfana. Weva ngoMfundisi Omkhulu uYesu, yaye wakuthanda oko wakuvayo.

⁴ Inkoliso yabalawuli belo xesha ayizange imhlonele uYesu. (Yohane 7:48; 12:42) Kodwa lo mlawuli wenza into eyahlukileyo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Njengoko [uYesu] wayephuma ehamba, umntu othile wabaleka waza wawa ngamadolo phambi kwakhe yaye wambuza wathi: ‘Mfundisi Olungileyo, ndenze ntoni na ukuze ndibudle ilifa ubomi obungunaphakade?’” (Marko 10:17) Phawula indlela lo mfana awayezimisele ngayo ukuthetha noYesu, wabaleka waya kuye esidlangalaleni, njengaye nawuphi na umntu ohlwempuzekileyo. Ngaphezu koko, waguqa ngentlonelo phambi kukaKristu. Ngoko wayethobekile yaye eyiphaphele intswelo yakhe yokomoya. UYesu wayezixabisa iimpawu ezintle ngolo hlobo. (Mateyu 5:3; 18:4) Ngoko ayimangalisi into yokuba “uYesu wamjonga yaye waziva emthanda.” (Marko 10:21) Kodwa uYesu wawuphendula njani umbuzo walo mfana?

 5. UYesu wamphendula wathini umfana osisityebi, yaye sazi njani ukuba wayengathethi ngobuhlwempu xa esithi “kukho nto inye uyiphosayo”? (Bona nombhalo osemazantsi.)

⁵ UYesu wabonisa ukuba uYise wayesele eyinikele inkcazelo ngokuphathelele lo mbuzo obalulekileyo ongendlela yokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. Wacaphula eZibhalweni, yaye lo mfana wamqinisekisa ukuba uwuthobela ngokuthembekileyo uMthetho kaMoses. Noko ke, uYesu wayeqonda ukuba ikho ingxaki esitheleyo. (Yohane 2:25) Waphawula ukuba lo mlawuli wayenengxaki enzulu yokomoya. Ngoko uYesu wathi: “Kukho nto inye uyiphosayo.” Yayiyintoni loo  “nto inye”? UYesu wathi: “Hamba, uye kuthengisa izinto onazo, unike amahlwempu.” (Marko 10:21) Ngaba uYesu wayethetha ukuba umntu umele abe lihlwempu ukuze akwazi ukukhonza uThixo? Akunjalo. a UKristu wayebalaselisa inkalo ebaluleke kakhulu.

 6. Sisiphi isimemo awasidluliselayo uYesu, yaye indlela awasabela ngayo umlawuli oselula owayesisityebi yatyhila ntoni ngentliziyo yakhe?

⁶ Ukuze adandalazise into awayeyiphosa lo mfana, uYesu wamvulela ithuba elimangalisayo ngokuthi: ‘Yiba ngumlandeli wam.’ Khawufan’ ucinge—lo mfana umenywa ngokuthe ngqo nguNyana wOyena Thixo Uphakamileyo ukuba amlandele! Kwakhona uYesu wamthembisa umvuzo ongathethekiyo. Wathi: “Uya kuba nobuncwane ezulwini.” Ngaba lo mlawuli usisityebi walixhakamfula ngoko nangoko eli thuba, esi simemo sizuke kangaka? Ingxelo ithi: “Wathi khunubembe lelo lizwi waza wahamba ebuhlungu, kuba wayenezinto ezininzi.” (Marko 10:21, 22) Ngoko amazwi kaYesu abengalindelekanga atyhila ingxaki eyayisentliziyweni yalo mfana. Wayezithanda gqitha izinto zakhe eziphathekayo, kwanegunya nodumo awayenalo. Ngelishwa, uthando lwakhe ngezi zinto lwalulukhulu ngaphezu kothando awayenalo ngoKristu. Ngoko ‘into awayiphosayo’ yayiluthando olusuk’ entliziyweni, nolokuzincama, ngoYesu noYehova. Ngenxa yokuswela kwakhe olo thando, lo mfana akazange asamkele eso simemo sikhethekileyo! Kodwa ke, wena ubandakanyeke njani koko?

 7. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba isimemo sikaYesu siquka nathi namhlanje?

⁷ Isimemo sikaYesu sasingaphelelanga kuloo mfana, okanye  kubantu nje abambalwa. UYesu wathi: ‘Ukuba nabani na ufuna ukundilandela, makaqhubeke endilandela.’ (Luka 9:23) Phawula ukuba “nabani na” angaba ngumlandeli kaKristu ukuba “ufuna” ngokwenene. UThixo ubatsalela kuNyana wakhe abantu abanjalo abaneentliziyo ezinyanisekileyo. (Yohane 6:44) Ayizozityebi kuphela, ingengawo namahlwempu kuphela, okanye abantu nje bohlanga nabelizwe elithile kuphela, okanye abantu ababephila ngelo xesha kuphela, kodwa bonke abantu banikwa ithuba lokwamkela isimemo sikaYesu. Ngoko amazwi kaYesu athi ‘Yiba ngumlandeli wam’ abhekiswa nakuwe. Kutheni ufanele ulandele uKristu? Yaye yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekumlandeleni?

 8. Yintoni abayifunayo bonke abantu, yaye ngoba?

⁸ Masiyivume inyaniso yokuba: Siyifuna ngokwenene inkokeli efanelekileyo. Asinguye wonke umntu okuvumayo oko, kodwa leyo yinyaniso engenakuphikiswa. Umprofeti kaYehova uYeremiya waphefumlelwa ukuba ayibhale phantsi le nyaniso engenakuphikiswa: “Ndazi kakuhle, Yehova, ukuba ayikho semntwini wasemhlabeni indlela yakhe. Asikokomntu ohambayo ukwalathisa inyathelo lakhe.” (Yeremiya 10:23) Abantu abanabo ubuchule kwanelungelo lokuzilawula. Imbali ibonisa ukuba ulawulo lwabo alukhange lube yimpumelelo kwaphela. (INtshumayeli 8:9) Ngexesha likaYesu, iinkokeli zazibacinezela, zibaxhaphaza, yaye zibakhohlisa abantu. UYesu waphawula ukuba inkoliso yabantu yayifana ‘nezimvu ezingenamalusi.’ (Marko 6:34) Kukwanjalo nangabantu banamhlanje. Sonke sifuna inkokeli esinokuyithemba nesinokuyihlonela. Ngaba uYesu uyafaneleka? Phawula izizathu eziliqela zokuba sivume ukuba uyafaneleka.

 9. Yintoni eyenza uYesu ahluke kubo bonke abanye abalawuli?

⁹ Okokuqala, uYesu wakhethwa nguYehova uThixo. Inkoliso yabalawuli abangabantu ikhethwa kwangabanye abantu  abangafezekanga, abakhohliseka lula. Yena uYesu uyinkokeli eyahlukileyo. Kwaigama lakhe liyakungqina oko. Igama elithi “Kristu” nelithi “Mesiya,” lithetha “Umthanjiswa.” UYesu wathanjiswa, okanye wamiselwa kwisigxina sakhe esingcwele yiNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela. UYehova uThixo wathi ngoNyana wakhe: “Khangela! Umkhonzi wam endimnyulileyo, intanda yam, lowo ukholisiweyo nguye umphefumlo wam! Ndiza kufaka umoya wam kuye.” (Mateyu 12:18) Akukho bani wazi bhetele kunoMdali wethu ukuba luhlobo olunjani lwenkokeli esifaneleyo. Ubulumko bukaYehova abunasiphelo, ngoko sinesizathu esihle sokuluthemba ngokupheleleyo ukhetho lwakhe.—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6.

10. Kutheni uYesu emisela umzekelo obalaseleyo onokulandelwa ngabantu?

¹⁰ Okwesibini, uYesu wasimisela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo esinokuwulandela. Inkokeli efanelekileyo yileyo ineempawu ezixatyiswayo nezinokuxeliswa ngabo baphantsi kolawulo lwayo. Ikhokela ngokumisela umzekelo, ikhuthaze abanye ukuba benze inkqubela. Ziziphi iimpawu ezixabisekileyo ocinga ukuba inkokeli imele ibe nazo? Yinkalipho? Ubulumko? Uvelwano? Kuthekani ngokunyamezela xa kuvela iimeko ezinzima? Njengoko ufunda ingxelo yobomi bukaYesu ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, uza kufumanisa ukuba wayenazo ezo mpawu—kwanezingakumbi. Njengoko engumfanekiso ogqibeleleyo kaYise wasezulwini, uYesu wayenazo ngokupheleleyo zonke iimpawu zikaThixo. Ngokwenene wayengumntu ogqibeleleyo. Ngoko sinako ukumxelisa kuyo yonke into awayenzayo, nawayithethayo, nakwindlela awayevakalelwa ngayo. IBhayibhile ithi wasimisela ‘umzekelo ukuze silandele emanyathelweni akhe ngokusondeleyo.’—1 Petros 2:21.

11. UYesu wazingqina njani ‘engumalusi omhle’?

¹¹ Okwesithathu, indlela awayephila ngayo uKristu yayingqina amazwi akhe athi: “Ndingumalusi omhle.” (Yohane 10:14)  Kwakulula kubantu bexesha lakhe ukuwaqonda loo mazwi. Abelusi babesebenza nzima benyamekela izimvu zabo. ‘Umalusi omhle’ wayede abeke ubomi bakhe esichengeni ukuze akhusele izimvu. Ngokomzekelo, ukhokho kaYesu, uDavide, wayengumalusi ebutsheni bakhe, yaye kangangezihlandlo eziliqela wabeka ubomi bakhe esichengeni ukuze akhusele izimvu zakhe kwizilwanyana eziqwengayo zasendle. (1 Samuweli 17:34-36) UYesu wabenzela okungakumbi abalandeli bakhe. Wabafela. (Yohane 10:15) Zingaphi iinkokeli ezinomoya wokuzincama ngaloo ndlela?

12, 13. (a) Umalusi uzazi ngayiphi indlela izimvu zakhe, yaye zona zimazi ngayiphi indlela? (b) Kutheni ufuna ukuba phantsi kokhokelo loMalusi Omhle?

¹² UYesu ‘wayengumalusi omhle’ nangenye indlela. Wathi: “Ndiyazazi izimvu zam nezimvu zam ziyandazi.” (Yohane 10:14) Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wala mazwi kaYesu. Umntu ozihambelayo uzibonela nje umhlambi weegusha. Kodwa yena umalusi wazi gusha nganye. Uyazazi eziza kufuna uncedo lwakhe xa ziza kuzala; uyawazi namatakane asafuna ukufunqulwa ngenxa yokuba esebuthathaka, yaye uyazazi nezimvu ezigulayo okanye ezenzakeleyo. Nazo izimvu ziyamazi umalusi wazo. Ziyalazi ilizwi lakhe, azilibhidanisi nelizwi lomnye umalusi. Xa ekhwaza ngomothuko, zisabela ngokukhawuleza. Naphi na apho azikhokelela khona, ziyamlandela. Yaye uyayazi indawo efanelekileyo amele azikhokelele kuyo. Uyayazi indawo ekhuselekileyo, enamadlelo aluhlaza namanzi acocekileyo. Xa zikunye naye, izimvu ziyazi ukuba zikhuselekile.—INdumiso 23.

¹³ Akunqweneli na ukuba nenkokeli elolo hlobo? Yiloo ndlela kanye uMalusi Omhle aye wabaphatha ngayo abalandeli bakhe. Uthembisa ukuba uya kukukhokelela kubomi obonwabisayo nobanelisayo, ngoku nakwixesha elizayo! (Yohane 10:10, 11; ISityhilelo 7:16, 17) Ngoko sifanele sazi ukuba yintoni kanye kanye ebandakanyekileyo ekulandeleni uKristu.

14, 15. Ukuze ube ngumlandeli kaKristu, kutheni kunganelanga ukutsho ngomlomo ukuba ungumKristu okanye ukwamkela uYesu njengomsindisi?

¹⁴ Amakhulu ezigidi zabantu namhlanje avakalelwa kukuba aye asamkela isimemo sikaKristu. Yiloo nto ezibiza ngokuba angamaKristu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye bakhonza kwiicawa zabazali babo. Okanye basenokuvakalelwa kukuba bamamkele uYesu njengoMsindisi wabo. Kodwa ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba bangabalandeli bakaKristu? Ngaba koko awayecinga ngako uYesu xa wayesimema ukuba sibe ngabalandeli bakhe? Kubandakanyeke okungakumbi.

¹⁵ Khawucinge nje ngamazwe ekuthiwa ngaweNgqobhoko—nabemi bawo bezibanga bengabalandeli bakaKristu. Ngaba loo mazwe eNgqobhoko alandela iimfundiso zikaYesu Kristu? Okanye ngaba anentiyo, ingcinezelo, ugonyamelo, nokungekho sikweni okukhoyo ehlabathini lonke? Inkokeli ehloniphekileyo yamaHindu uMohandas Gandhi yakhe yathi: “Akukho namnye umntu endimaziyo oye wenzela abantu izinto ezininzi kunoYesu. Eneneni, akukho nto iphosakeleyo ngobuKristu.” Wongezelela wathi: “Ingxaki ikuni maKristu. Aniphili ngokuvisisana neemfundiso zenu.”

16, 17. Yintoni abayiphosayo abo bathi bangamaKristu, yaye babonakala njani abalandeli bokwenene bakaKristu?

¹⁶ UYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso babengayi kuzichaza nje ngomlomo, kodwa babeya kubonakala ngokuyintloko ngezenzo zabo. Ngokomzekelo, wathi: “Asingabo bonke abathi kum, ‘Nkosi, Nkosi,’ abaya kungena ebukumkanini bamazulu, kodwa ngulowo wenza ukuthanda kukaBawo osemazulwini oya kungena.” (Mateyu 7:21) Kutheni abantu abaninzi abathi uYesu uyiNkosi yabo besilela nje ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYise? Khumbula laa mlawuli uselula wayesisityebi. Nanamhlanje kusekho ‘into enye  abayiphosayo’ abo bathi bangamaKristu: luthando lomphefumlo uphela ngoYesu nangaLowo wayemthumile.

¹⁷ Yenzeka njani into enjalo? Kanti izigidi zabantu ezizibiza ngokuba zingamaKristu azitsho na ukuba ziyamthanda uKristu? Ngokuqinisekileyo zitsho njalo. Kodwa ukuthanda uYesu noYehova akupheleli nje ekuthetheni ngomlomo. UYesu wathi: “Ukuba nabani na uyandithanda, uya kuligcina ilizwi lam.” (Yohane 14:23) Kwakhona, ethetha njengomalusi, wathi: “Izimvu zam ziyaliphulaphula ilizwi lam, kwaye ndiyazazi, zona ziyandilandela.” (Yohane 10:27) Ngoko, uthando lokwenene ngoKristu alupheleli nje emazwini okanye kwiimvakalelo zethu, kodwa ngokuyintloko lubonakala ngezenzo.

18, 19. (a) Ukufunda ngoYesu kufanele kusichaphazele njani? (b) Iyintoni injongo yale ncwadi, yaye iza kubanceda njani abo kudala bezigqala njengabalandeli bakaKristu?

¹⁸ Kodwa ke, izenzo zethu aziyonto yamabona-ndenzile. Zibonisa oko sikuko ngaphakathi. Ngoko simele siqale sizilungise ngaphakathi. UYesu wathi: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yohane 17:3) Ukuba singenisa ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoYesu size sicamngce ngalo, luya kuchaphazela iintliziyo zethu. Siya kumthanda ngakumbi nangakumbi, sibe nomnqweno ongakumbi wokufuna ukumlandela imihla ngemihla.

¹⁹ Yiyo leyo injongo yale ncwadi. Injongo yayo asikokugubungela yonke imbali yobomi nobulungiseleli bukaYesu, kodwa kukusinceda sibone ngokucace ngakumbi indlela esinokumlandela ngayo. b Yenzelwe ukusinceda sikhangele kwisipili esiziZibhalo size sizibuze, ‘Ngaba ndimlandela ngokwenene uYesu?’ (Yakobi 1:23-25) Mhlawumbi kudala uzigqala  njengemvu ekhokelwa nguMalusi Omhle. Kodwa ngaba akuvumi na ukuba zisoloko zikho iindlela esinokuphucula ngazo? IBhayibhile isibongoza isithi: “Hlalani nizivavanya enoba niselukholweni kusini na, hlalani nizicikida oko nikuko nina ngokwenu.” (2 Korinte 13:5) Kubalulekile ukuba senze wonke umgudu wokuqinisekisa ukuba ngokwenene sikhokelwa nguMalusi wethu Omhle nonothando, uYesu, omiselwe nguYehova uqobo ukuba asikhokele.

20. Yintoni esiza kuyihlolisisa kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²⁰ Ngamana ukufundisisa kwakho le ncwadi kungakunceda umthande ngakumbi uYesu noYehova. Njengoko olo thando lukukhokela ebomini, uya kuba noxolo lwengqondo nolwaneliseko olukhulu, nto leyo enqabileyo kweli hlabathi lidala. Yaye uya kuphila uze umdumise ngonaphakade uYehova ngokusilungiselela uMalusi Omhle. Noko ke, ukufundisisa kwethu ngoKristu kumele kube nesiseko esichanileyo. Ngoko kufanelekile ukuba kwiSahluko 2 sihlolisise indima anayo uYesu kwinjongo kaYehova yendalo iphela.