1, 2. Kwenzeka ntoni xa abachasi bazama ukuval’ umlomo abantu bakaThixo ngexesha labapostile?

 IYA iqatsela intshutshiso. USawule uqalisa ‘ukulihlasela ibandla ngenkohlakalo.’ (IZe. 8:3) Abafundi babalekela kwezinye iindawo, kangangokuba abanye basenokucinga ukuba uSawule uzokwazi ukuyenza le nto azimisele ukuyenza, ukuyekisa amaKristu ukushumayela. Kodwa, oku kuthi saa kwamaKristu kuphumela kwinto engakhange ilindelwe. Yintoni leyo?

² Loo maKristu athe saa aqalisa ‘ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zelizwi’ kwezo ndawo abalekele kuzo. (IZe. 8:4) Yicinge le nto! Intshutshiso ayikwazanga ukubaval’ umlomo abantu bakaThixo, endaweni yaloo nto ivele yabangela ukuba zisasazeke kakhulu iindaba ezilungileyo! Ngokunyanzela abafundi ukuba bashiye amakhaya abo, iintshaba zibangele ukuba umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani uye kufikelela nakwezinye iindawo ezikude zingaqondi. Njengokuba siza kubona, nakule mihla kuye kwenzeka into efanayo.

3. (a) Wayengubani uFilipu? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze iSamariya ibe nabantu abaninzi ababengekaziva iindaba ezilungileyo, kodwa uYesu wayethe kuza kwenzeka ntoni?

³ Omnye wabo bafundi “babesasazekile” yayinguFilipu. a (IZe. 8:4; funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ UFilipu ‘Umshumayeli.’”) Waya eSamariya, isixeko esasinabantu abaninzi ababengekaziva iindaba ezilungileyo, kuba ngaphambili uYesu wayeyalele abapostile wathi: “Ningangeni nakwesiphi na isixeko samaSamariya; kodwa qhubekani nisiya kwizimvu ezilahlekileyo zendlu kaSirayeli.” (Mat. 10:5, 6) Kodwa ke, uYesu wayesazi ukuba ekuhambeni kwexesha kwakuza kushunyayelwa ngokucokisekileyo naseSamariya, kuba ngaphambi kokuba anyukele ezulwini wathi: “Niza kuba ngamangqina am eYerusalem, kulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya, de niyokufika nakwezona ndawo zikude emhlabeni.”​—IZe. 1:8.

4. Ukushumayela kukaFilipu kwenza ntoni kumaSamariya, futhi kumele ukuba yintoni eyawenza ammamela?

 ⁴ UFilipu wafika intsimi yaseSamariya ‘imhlophe, ilungele ukuvunwa.’ (Yoh. 4:35) Umyalezo wakhe wawubahlaziya abantu balapho. Ngoba? AmaYuda ayengafuni kwanto iwadibanisa namaSamariya, futhi amaninzi ayewacaphukela. AmaSamariya afumanisa ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zazahlukile, zona zazizezabantu bonke futhi zingafani nento eyayikholelwa ngabaFarisi. AbaFarisi babenocalucalulo futhi becinga ukuba babhetele kunabanye abantu. UFilipu wayengenamkhethe futhi loo nto wayibonisa ngokukhuthalela ukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kumaSamariya. Ayimangalisi ke into yokuba ‘zonke’ izihlwele zamaSamariya zammamela uFilipu.​—IZe. 8:6.

5-7. Chaza imizekelo ebonisa indlela ukusasazeka kwamaKristu ekuye kwaphumela ngayo ekusasazweni kweendaba ezilungileyo.

⁵ Njengakwixesha labapostile bakaYesu, nanamhlanje intshutshiso ayikhange ibayekise ukushumayela abantu bakaThixo. AmaKristu aye anyanzelwa ukuba afudukele kwezinye iindawo okanye avalelwa, kodwa loo nto ibangele ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo ziviwe ngabantu abaninzi. Ngokomzekelo, ngeMfazwe Yehlabathi II, amaNgqina kaYehova ayekwazi ukushumayela naxa ayekwiinkampu zoxinaniso zamaNazi. Omny’ umYuda  owadibana namaNgqina kwenye yezo nkampu uthi: ‘Isibindi awayenaso amabanjwa angamaNgqina kaYehova sandenza ndaqiniseka ukuba ukholo lwawo lusekelwe eZibhalweni, ngoko ke nam ndaba liNgqina.’

⁶ Yayikhe yenzeke into yokuba nabantu ababetshutshisa bashunyayezwe futhi bayamkele inyaniso. Ngokomzekelo, xa uFranz Desch oliNgqina wathunyelwa kwinkampu yoxinaniso yaseGusen eOstriya, waqhuba isifundo seBhayibhile nelinye igosa le-SS. Unokuyicingela indlela awavuya ngayo la madoda mabini xa kamva aphinda adibana kwindibano yesithili yamaNgqina kaYehova, omabini engabavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo!

⁷ Kwenzeka into efanayo xa amaKristu abalekela kwelinye ilizwe ngenxa yentshutshiso. Ngokomzekelo, kwiminyaka yoo-1970 kwashunyayelwa kakhulu eMozambique xa amaNgqina aseMalawi abalekela khona. Naxa le ntshutshiso yavuka eMozambique kamva, umsebenzi wokushumayela wona waqhubeka. UFrancisco Coana uthi: ‘Ewe kona, abanye bethu babanjwa bavalelwa kaninzi ngenxa yokushumayela. Kodwa ke, bathi xa besiba baninzi abantu abazamkelayo iindaba zoBukumkani, saqiniseka ukuba uThixo uyasinceda, njengokuba wawancedayo namaKristu exesha labapostile.’

8. Iimfazwe nentlupheko ziye zenza ukuba abantu abaninzi beve iindaba ezilungileyo. Ziyenze njani loo nto?

⁸ Phofu ke, akuyontshutshiso kuphela eye yabangela ukuba abantu kwiindawo ngeendawo bamkele iindaba ezilungileyo. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, abantu abaninzi kuye kwafuneka bafudukele kwelinye ilizwe ngenxa yeemfazwe okanye intlupheko. Le nto yenze bakwazi ukuva iindaba ezilungileyo nokufunda iBhayibhile kumazwe ababalekele kuwo. Ukufika kwabantu abaninzi abavela kwamany’ amazwe kuye kwavula amathuba okuba kushunyayelwe ngezinye iilwimi. Ngaba uyazama kangangoko ukushumayela kubantu abaphuma “kuzo zonke iintlanga nezizwe nezizwana neelwimi” abakwindawo ohlala kuyo?​—ISityhi. 7:9.

9. Wayengubani uSimon, futhi yintoni ekubonakala ukuba yamtsala kuFilipu?

⁹ UFilipu wenza imimangaliso emininzi eSamariya. Ngokomzekelo, waphilisa abantu ababekhubazekile ekhupha noomoya abamdaka. (IZe. 8:6-8) Kukho enye indoda eyamangaliswa kakhulu yimimangaliso kaFilipu. Igama layo yayinguSimon, indoda eyayinemilingo neyayihlonitshwa kakhulu kangangokuba abantu babesithi xa bethetha ngayo: “Le ndoda inamandla amakhulu kaThixo.” Kodwa ngoku uSimon wayebona awona mandla kaThixo kwimimangaliso eyayisenziwa nguFilipu, waza waba ngumKristu. (IZe. 8:9-13) Kodwa yayiziintoni iinjongo zikaSimon ngokuba ngumKristu?

10. (a) Yintoni abayenzayo uPetros noYohane eSamariya? (b) Wenza ntoni uSimon akubona abafundi abatsha besamkela umoya oyingcwele emva kokuba uPetros noYohane bebabeke izandla?

 ¹⁰ Xa abapostile bevayo ngokwanda kwamaKristu eSamariya, bathumela apho uPetros noYohane. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ UPetros Usebenzisa ‘Izitshixo ZoBukumkani.’”) Ekufikeni kwabo, aba bapostile babini babeka izandla kwabo bafundi batsha, ibe ngenxa yoko bamkela umoya oyingcwele. b Wathi uSimon akubona oku wachukumiseka gqitha. Wathi kubapostile: “Nam ndinikeni eli gunya, ukuze nabani na endimbeka izandla afumane umoya oyingcwele.” USimon wade wathembisa nangokubanika imali, enethemba lokuba aba bapostile babeza kumthengisela la mandla avela kuThixo!​—IZe. 8:14-19.

11. UPetros wamluleka kabukhali wathini uSimon, futhi wathini uSimon?

¹¹ UPetros akazange ajikeleze xa ephendula uSimon. Lo mpostile wathi: “Kwanga isilivere yakho ingatshabalala kunye nawe, ngenxa yokuba ucinga ukuba ungathenga isipho sikaThixo sasimahla ngemali. Akukho nto ikudibanisa nalo msebenzi, kuba uThixo uyayibona intliziyo yakho ukuba ayinyanisekanga.” Emva koko uPetros wamcebisa uSimon ukuba aguquke aze athandazele ukuxolelwa. UPetros wathi: ‘Thandaza kuYehova umcenge, yaye ukuba kunokwenzeka yena uza kubuxolela ububi obusentliziyweni yakho.’ Kucacile ukuba uSimon wayengengomntu ombi; wayefuna ukwenza into elungileyo, kodwa ngela xesha walandela iminqweno yakhe  engalunganga. Ngenxa yoko wabacenga abapostile wathi: “Ndithandazeleni kuYehova nindicengele ukuba zingenzeki ezi zinto nithe ziza kwenzeka kum.”​—IZe. 8:20-24.

12. Yayiqheleke kangakanani into yokuthenga nokuthengisa izikhundla kumaKristu obuxoki?

¹² Into uPetros awayithetha kuSimon xa wayemlungisa isisilumkiso kuwo onke amaKristu namhlanje. Isifundisa ukuba kurongo ukuthenga okanye ukuthengisa izikhundla ebandleni. Kodwa ke, yinto eqheleke kakhulu le kumaKristu obuxoki. Ngokomzekelo, enye incwadi yango-1878 yathi qho xa kwakunyulwa ooPopu, kubonakala ukuba babenyoba ukuze bafumane esi sikhundla. Abaninzi babengenazintloni zokuyenza le nto, futhi bengazami nokuyifihla.

13. AmaKristu anokusiphepha njani isono sokuthenga okanye sokuthengisa ngezikhundla ebandleni?

¹³ AmaKristu amele asilumkele isono sokuthenga okanye sokuthengisa ngezikhundla ebandleni. Ngokomzekelo, akamele azame ukuzithandisa ngokubahlohla ngezipho okanye ngokubancoma ngokubaxiweyo abo babonakala benokuba nika amalungelo angakumbi ebandleni. Kanti, nabo banegunya lokunika abanye amalungelo angakumbi bafanele bakuphephe ukunika kakhulu abo bazizityebi. Zombini ezi zinto zirongo. Enyanisweni bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo bamele baziphathe ‘njengabancinci,’ balindele ukumiselwa ngumoya kaYehova. (Luka 9:48) Kwintlangano kaThixo ayikho tu indawo yabantu abazama ‘ukuzifunela uzuko.’​—IMize. 25:27.

14, 15. (a) Laliyintoni ‘ithenwa elingumTiyopiya,’ futhi uFilipu wadibana nalo njani? (b) Indoda engumTiyopiya yathini emva kokuva into eyayixelelwa nguFilipu, futhi kutheni le nto singenakuthi yabhaptizwa ngokungxama? (Jonga umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁴ Ingelosi kaYehova yayalela uFilipu ukuba ahambe ngendlela esuka eYerusalem eya eGaza. Nawuphi umbuzo asenokuba wayenawo uFilipu ngolu hambo wakhawuleza waphendulwa akudibana nethenwa elingumTiyopiya ‘elalifunda ngokuvakalayo incwadi kamprofeti uIsaya.’ (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ ‘Ithenwa’​—Ngayiphi Indlela?”)  Umoya kaYehova wenza ukuba uFilipu aye kwinqwelo yale ndoda. Ngoxa wayebaleka ecaleni kwenqwelo yalo mTiyopiya, uFilipu wabuza: “Uyayiva na le nto uyifundayo?” UmTiyopiya waphendula wathi: “Ndingayiva njani kungekho mntu undifundisayo”​—IZe. 8:26-31.

¹⁵ Lo mTiyopiya wacela uFilipu ukuba akhwele. Kumele ukuba bancokola kamnandi nyhani! Kangangexesha elide yayingaqondwa ukuba ngubani ‘igusha,’ okanye ‘umkhonzi,’ ekuthethwa ngaye kwisiprofeto sikaIsaya. (Isa. 53:1-12) Njengoko babehamba kunye, uFilipu wacacisela eli thenwa ukuba ‘igusha,’ okanye ‘umkhonzi,’ yayinguYesu Kristu. Njengabo babhaptizwa ngePentekoste ka-33 C.E., naye lo mTiyopiya, owayesele eguqukele kubuYuda, wakhawuleza wayiqonda into awayemele ayenze. Wathi kuFilipu: “Jonga! Nanga amanzi, ndinqandwa yintoni ndingabhaptizwa?” Lo mTiyopiya wabhaptizwa ngoko nangoko nguFilipu! c (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ Ukubhaptizwa ‘Emanzini Amaninzi.’”) Emva koko, umoya kaYehova wakhokela uFilipu wamsa kwenye indawo, eAshdode, apho waqhubeka eshumayela khona iindaba ezilungileyo.​—IZe. 8:32-40.

16, 17. Zincedisa njani iingelosi kumsebenzi wokushumayela namhlanje?

¹⁶ Nanamhlanje amaKristu anenyhweba yokwenza laa msebenzi wawusenziwa nguFilipu. Asoloko eshumayela umyalezo woBukumkani ngokungacwangciswanga kubantu adibana nabo njengaxa eseluhambeni. Kwiimeko ezininzi, kuyacaca ukuba ukudibana kwawo nomntu onomdla kwiindaba ezilungileyo kudla ngokungabi yinto nje efane yazenzekela. Ilindelekile loo nto kuba iBhayibhile yenza kucace ukuba iingelosi ziyakhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela ukuze umyalezo ufikelele kuzo “zonke iintlanga, izizwe, iilwimi nezizwana.” (ISityhi. 14:6) UYesu wayeyichazile loo nto yokuba iingelosi zaziza kubakhokela abo bashumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Kumzekeliso  wakhe wengqolowa nokhula, uYesu wachaza ukuba ngexesha lokuvuna, elikukupheliswa kweli hlabathi, “abavuni ziingelosi.” Waphinda wathi ezi ngelosi zaziza ‘kususa zonke izinto ezenza abantu bone, zisuse nabantu abahlala besophula umthetho woBukumkani.’ (Mat. 13:37-41) Iingelosi zaziza kuqokelela nabo banethemba lokulawula ezulwini ‘nesihlwele esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu’ uYehova afuna ukubatsalela kwintlangano yakhe.​—ISityhi. 7:9; Yoh. 6:44, 65; 10:16.

¹⁷ Ubungqina bokuba iyenzeka le nto bubonakala kwinto yokuba abanye kwabo sidibana nabo entsimini baye basichazele ukuba bebethandazela uncedo lukaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, ngeny’ imini amaNgqina amabini ayeshumayela ehamba nomntwana. Emva kokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu kusasa, la maNgqina ayezimisele ukutshayisa, kodwa lo mntwana wayezimisele ngendlela engaqhelekanga ukuya kwindlu elandelayo. Phofu, wada wahamba yedwa waya kunkqonkqoza kuloo ndlu. Xa intwazana yaluvulayo ucango, la maNgqina mabini madala asondela ukuze athethe nayo. Into eyawamangalisayo kukuba le ntwazana yawachazela ukuba yayigqiba kuthandaza icela ukuba kufike umntu oza kuyinceda yazi iBhayibhile. Aqalisa isifundo seBhayibhile nayo!

18. Kutheni singafanelanga siwujongele phantsi umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?

¹⁸ Njengelungu lebandla lamaKristu, unenyhweba yokusebenza neengelosi njengoko umsebenzi wokushumayela owenziwa kule mihla yethu ufikelela abantu abaninzi kakhulu kunakuqala. Ungaze uyijongele phantsi loo nyhweba. Ukuba uhlala ukukhuthalele ukushumayela, uza kufumana uvuyo olukhulu kakhulu ngokuxelela abanye “iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoYesu.”​—IZe. 8:35.