Isahluko 11

Ngaba Igama Lakho Likwincwadi Yobomi?

ISARDESI

1. Injani imeko engokomoya yebandla laseSardesi, yaye uYesu usiqalisa njani isigidimi sakhe?

KWIIKHILOMITHA ezinokuba ngama-48 ukuya kumzantsi weAkhisar (iTiyatira) yanamhla kukho ummandla onebandla elilandelayo elafumana isigidimi esivela kuYesu ozukisiweyo: iSardesi. Kwinkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, esi sixeko sasilikomkhulu eliphakamileyo lobukumkani bamandulo baseLydia nendawo ekwakuhlala kuyo uKumkani uCroesus owayesisityebi. Ngomhla kaYohane, siye sathwaxeka gqitha, yaye ukuzuka kwaso kwangaphambili ngethuba likaCroesus kuyimbali nje. Ngokufanayo, ibandla lamaKristu apho liye labulawa yindlala yokomoya. Okwesihlandlo sokuqala, uYesu akasiqalisi ngokuncoma isigidimi sakhe. Kunoko, uthi: “Nengelosi yebandla eliseSardesi yibhalele uthi: Utsho lowo unoomoya abasixhenxe bakaThixo neenkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe, ukuthi, ‘Ndiyazazi izenzo zakho, ukuba unegama lokuba uphilile, kodwa ufile.’”—ISityhilelo 3:1.

2. (a) Ibaluleke ngantoni kumaKristu aseSardesi into yokuba uYesu abe “unoomoya abasixhenxe”? (b) Lalidume ngantoni ibandla laseSardesi, kodwa zaziyintoni izibakala?

² Kutheni le nto uYesu ezichaza njengalowo “unoomoya abasixhenxe”? Kungenxa yokuba aba moya bamela umoya oyingcwele kaYehova othululwa ngokupheleleyo. Kamva, uYohane ubachaza ‘kwananjengamehlo asixhenxe,’ nto leyo ebonisa ukuba umoya oyingcwele kaThixo wenza uYesu akwazi ukubona yonk’ into. (ISityhilelo 5:6) Ngaloo ndlela, uyakwazi ukutyhila nokusingatha nayiphi na imeko esenokubakho. (Mateyu 10:26; 1 Korinte 4:5) Ibandla laseSardesi lidume ngokuba liphilile yaye likhuthele. Kodwa uYesu uyabona ukuba lifile ngokomoya. Ngokucacileyo, amalungu alo amaninzi abuyele kwisimo sengqondo sokungakhathali esifana neso ayenaso ngaphambi kokuba abe ngamaKristu.—Thelekisa eyabase-Efese 2:1-3; Hebhere 5:11-14.

3. (a) Kungani ‘ingelosi yebandla laseSardesi’ imele iyiqondisise into yokuba uYesu ‘uneenkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe’? (b) Sisiphi isiluleko esinamandla uYesu asinikela kweli bandla laseSardesi?

³ Kwakhona uYesu ukhumbuza ‘ingelosi yebandla laseSardesi,’ ukuba yena ungulowo ‘uneenkwenkwezi ezisixhenxe.’ Abo badala bebandla ubabambe ngesandla sakhe sokunene, enegunya lokubalathisa kumsebenzi wabo wokwalusa. Bamele bamilisele iintliziyo zabo ‘ekuyazini imbonakalo yomhlambi.’ (IMizekeliso 27:23) Ngenxa yoko, kwakulunge ngakumbi ukuba bawaphulaphule ngenyameko amazwi alandelayo kaYesu: “Linda, uzomeleze izinto eziseleyo, ebeziza kufa, kuba akukho namnye umsebenzi wakho endiwufumene wenziwe ngokupheleleyo phambi koThixo wam. Ngoko ke, qhubeka ukhumbula indlela owamkele ngayo nendlela ove ngayo, uze uqhubeke uyigcina, uguquke. Ukuba akuvuki, ngokuqinisekileyo ndiya kukufikela njengesela, yaye akusayi kulazi konke konke ilixa endokufikela ngalo.”—ISityhilelo 3:2, 3.

4. Amazwi kaPetros ayeya kulinceda njani ibandla laseSardesi ukuba ‘lomeleze izinto eziseleyo’?

⁴ Abadala baseSardesi kufuneka bekhumbule uvuyo ababenalo ekuqaleni xa bafunda inyaniso neentsikelelo abazifumanayo ngoko. Kodwa ngoku bafile kumsebenzi wokomoya. Isibane sabo sebandla siyaloziza ngenxa yokungabikho kwemisebenzi yokholo. Kwiminyaka engaphambi koku, umpostile uPetros wabhalela amabandla aseAsia (mhlawumbi kuquka nelaseSardesi) ukuba abe noxabiso ngeendaba ezilungileyo ezizukileyo ezazamkelwe ngamaKristu nezazivakaliswe “ngomoya oyingcwele owathunyelwa usuka ezulwini”—njengoko wawumelwa yimimoya esixhenxe yombono kaYohane. Kwakhona uPetros wakhumbuza loo maKristu aseAsia ukuba ‘asisizwe esinyuliweyo, ububingeleli basebukhosini, uhlanga olungcwele, isizwana esisesakhe ngokukhethekileyo, ukuze avakalise ngokubanzi iimbalasane zalowo wawabizayo ukuba aphume ebumnyameni angene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’ (1 Petros 1:12, 25; 2:9) Ukucamngca ngeenyaniso zokomoya ezilolo hlobo kuya kunceda ibandla laseSardesi ukuba liguquke lize ‘lizizimase izinto eziseleyo.’—Thelekisa eyesi-2 kaPetros 3:9.

5. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni kuxabiso lwamaKristu aseSardesi? (b) Yintoni eya kwenzeka ukuba amaKristu aseSardesi akenzi nto ngesiluleko sikaYesu?

⁵ Okwangoku, uxabiso lwabo nokuthanda kwabo inyaniso kufana nomlilo ophantse ube ucimile. Ngamalahle ambalwa nje kuphela asavuthayo. UYesu uyabakhuthaza ukuba bavuselele lo mlilo, baguquke ezonweni abazenze ngenxa yokungakhathali kwabo, baze babe libandla eliphilileyo kwakhona ngokomoya. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 kuTimoti 1:6, 7.) Kungenjalo, xa uYesu efika ngokungalindelekanga—“njengesela”—ukuza kugweba, ibandla laseSardesi liya kuba lingakulungiselelanga oku.—Mateyu 24:43, 44.

Uza “Njengesela”

6. UYesu weza njani “njengesela” ngowe-1918, ibe wabafumana bekweyiphi imeko abo babezibabaza bengabalandeli bakhe?

⁶ Isilumkiso sikaYesu sokuba wayeza kuza “njengesela” sifikelela kwixesha lanamhla. Sasibhekisela ngokukhethekileyo kumaKristu aphila ngemini yeNkosi. Emva nje kowe-1914, isiprofeto sikaMalaki sazaliseka: “‘Iya kuza ngequbuliso etempileni Yayo, iNkosi yokwenyaniso, leyo niyifunayo, engumthunywa womnqophiso eniyoliswayo nguye. Khangela! Ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuza,’ utsho uYehova wemikhosi.” (Malaki 3:1; ISityhilelo 1:10) ‘Njengomthunywa womnqophiso,’ uYesu weza kuhlola nokugweba abo babesithi bangabalandeli bakhe. (1 Petros 4:17) Ngelo xesha, ngowe-1918, iNgqobhoko yayibandakanyeke ekuphalazeni igazi kwiMfazwe Yehlabathi I ibe yayife ngokupheleleyo ngokomoya. KwanamaKristu okwenyaniso, awayethe ngaphambi kwemfazwe ashumayela ngenzondelelo egqithiseleyo, ozela ngokomoya ngelo xesha. Bambi babadala ababalaseleyo bafakwa entolongweni, yaye umsebenzi wokushumayela waphantse wema. Xa umoya kaYehova wavuselela la maKristu ngonyaka olandelayo, asingawo onke ayekulungiselele oko. Wambi, njengeentombi eziziziyatha zomzekeliso kaYesu, ayengalilungelanga ngokomoya ilungelo lokukhonza uYehova. Noko ke, okuvuyisayo kukuba amaninzi, njengeentombi eziziingqondi, asithobela isilumkiso sikaYesu esithi: “Ngoko ke, hlalani nilindile, ngenxa yokuba ningayazi imini okanye ilixa.”—Mateyu 25:1-13.

7. Kutheni le nto amaKristu namhlanje kufuneka ahlale ephaphile?

⁷ Imfuneko yokuba umKristu aphaphe ayizange iphele ekuqaleni kwemini yeNkosi. Kwisiprofeto sakhe esikhulu ‘esingomqondiso waxa zonke ezo zinto ziza kufikelela esiphelweni,’ uYesu wanikela esi silumkiso sinamandla: “Akukho bani uwaziyo loo mhla okanye elo lixa . . . Hlalani nikhangele, hlalani niphaphile, kuba anazi ukuba ixesha elimisiweyo linini na. Kodwa oko ndikutsho kuni ndikutsho kubo bonke, Hlalani nilindile.” (Marko 13:4, 32, 33, 37) Ewe, ukuza kutsho kweli lixa, ngamnye wethu, enoba ungowabathanjiswa okanye ungowesihlwele esikhulu, kufuneka ahlale ephaphile aze alwe nxamnye nokuchwechwelwa bubuthongo bokomoya. Xa imini kaYehova ifika “njengesela ebusuku,” ngamana singafunyanwa siphaphe ngokupheleleyo ukuze sisindiswe.—1 Tesalonika 5:2, 3; Luka 21:34-36; ISityhilelo 7:9.

8. Udidi lukaYohane namhlanje lubakhuthaze njani abantu ukuba bahlale bephilile ngokomoya?

⁸ Namhlanje udidi lukaYohane luyiphaphele imfuneko yokukhuthaza abantu bakaThixo ukuba bahlale bephilile ngokomoya. Ngokuvisisana noku, kuwo wonke umhlaba kulungiselelwa iindibano ezikhethekileyo izihlandlo eziliqela nyaka ngamnye. Kutshanje abantu abeza kwiindibano zesithili ezingama-2 981 baba zizi-10 953 744, kwaza kwabhaptizwa amakholwa amatsha ali-122 701. Kwiminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu, udidi lukaYohane belusebenzisa iphephancwadi IMboniselo ekuvakaliseni igama nenjongo kaYehova. Ukuze kuhlangatyezwane neentshutshiso ezikrakra ebudeni beemfazwe zehlabathi ezimbini, IMboniselo yakhuthaza amaNgqina kaYehova ukuba avuselele inzondelelo yawo ngokupapasha amanqaku (esiNgesi) anjengelithi “Basikelelwe Abangoyikiyo” (1919), “Ubizo Lokwenza Umsebenzi” (1925) nelithi “Ukoyiswa Kwentshutshiso” (1942).

9. (a) Yintoni amele azibuze yona onke amaKristu? (b) Luluphi ukhuthazo olunikelwe yiMboniselo?

⁹ NjengaseSardesi, emabandleni namhlanje kubalulekile ukuba onke amaKristu aqhubeke ezihlola. Thina sonke simele sihlale sizibuza oku: Ngaba ‘imisebenzi yethu siyenza ngokupheleleyo’ phambi koThixo wethu? Ngaphandle kokugweba abanye, ngaba ngokobuqu siyawuhlakulela umoya wokuzincama size sizabalazele ukunikela inkonzo yomphefumlo uphela kuThixo? Ngokunxibelelene noku, iphephancwadi IMboniselo liye lanikela ukhuthazo ngokuxubusha umxholo othi “Hlalani Nizicikida Oko Nikuko Nina Ngokwenu” nothi “Asisaziphileli.”a Njengoko sinoncedo lweZibhalo olunjalo, masizihlolisise ngomthandazo, sizame ukuhamba ngokuthobekileyo ekugcineni ingqibelelo phambi koYehova.—INdumiso 26:1-3; 139:23, 24.

“Amagama Ambalwa”

10. Yiyiphi inkalo ekhuthazayo eyakhankanywa nguYesu kwibandla laseSardesi, yaye oku kumele kusichaphazele njani?

¹⁰ Amazwi alandelayo kaYesu aya kwibandla laseSardesi akhuthaza gqitha. Uthi: “Noko ke, unawo amagama ambalwa eSardesi abo bangazenzanga nqambi izambatho zabo zangaphezulu, bona baza kuhamba nam ngezimhlophe, ngenxa yokuba befanelekile. Ngaloo ndlela uya kuthi lowo woyisayo avathiswe izambatho zangaphezulu ezimhlophe; yaye andisayi kuze ndilicime igama lakhe kwincwadi yobomi, kodwa ndiya kulivuma igama lakhe phambi koBawo naphambi kweengelosi zakhe.” (ISityhilelo 3:4, 5) Ngaba la mazwi akasikhuthazi ukuba sihlale sithembekile? Ngenxa yokungakhathali kwequmrhu labadala, ibandla liphela lisenokozela ngokomoya. Kanti amanye amaKristu akulo asenokuzabalaza ngenkalipho ukuzigcina enyulu yaye engenabala, aze ngaloo ndlela aqhubeke enegama elihle phambi koYehova.—IMizekeliso 22:1.

11, 12. (a) Kwanasebudeni bowexuko olukhulu, abanye bamele ukuba babefana njani naloo ‘magama ambalwa’ athembekileyo aseSardesi? (b) Yiyiphi inkululeko eyafunyanwa ngamaKristu afana nengqolowa ebudeni bemini yeNkosi?

¹¹ Ewe, ezo ‘zambatho zangaphezulu’ zibhekisela ekunikweni komKristu uphawu lokuba lilungisa. (Thelekisa iSityhilelo 16:15; 19:8.) Kumele ukuba kufudumez’ intliziyo kuYesu ukubona ukuba, phezu kwako nje ukungakhathali kwabantu abaninzi, “amagama ambalwa,” amaKristu ambalwa athanjisiweyo aseSardesi, asakwazi ukuzibonakalisa engamalungisa. Ngokukwanjalo, xa abantu abathi bangamaKristu bangena kwiBhabhiloni Enkulu, ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki ebudeni beenkulungwane ezininzi zowexuko olukhulu, kumele ukuba kwakusoloko kukho abambalwa abathi, phezu kwako nje ukuchaswa ngokukrakra, bazama ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova. Aba babengamalungisa afana nengqolowa efihlwe phakathi kokhula oluninzi olungamahlelo.—ISityhilelo 17:3-6; Mateyu 13:24-29.

¹² UYesu wathembisa ukuba wayeya kuba nala maKristu afana nengqolowa “yonke imihla de kube sekuphelisweni kwenkqubo yezinto.” Uyawazi ukuba angoobani na negama elihle azenzele lona. (Mateyu 28:20; INtshumayeli 7:1) Khawuthelekelele nje uvuyo lwabo ‘bambalwa’ bathembekileyo abebesaphila ekuqaleni kwemini yeNkosi! Ekugqibeleni bahlulwa kwiNgqobhoko efileyo ngokomoya baza bahlanganiselwa kwibandla lamalungisa elifana nebandla laseSmirna.—Mateyu 13:40-43.

13. Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezigcinelwe amaKristu athanjisiweyo ‘angazenzanga nqambi izambatho zawo zangaphezulu’?

¹³ Aba baseSardesi bathembekileyo ukusa ekupheleni nabangakungcolisiyo ukuma kwabo kobuKristu bazuza inzaliseko yethemba elimangalisayo. Emva kokumiselwa koBukumkani bukaYesu obungoMesiya ngowe-1914, bavuselwa kubomi bomoya yaye njengaboyisi banxityiswa izambatho zangaphezulu ezimhlophe ezifuzisela ubulungisa babo obungenasiphako. Ekubeni behambe kwindlela emxinwa esa ebomini, baya kunandipha umvuzo ongunaphakade.—Mateyu 7:14; bona kwaneSityhilelo 6:9-11.

Ngonaphakade Encwadini Yobomi!

14. Iyintoni ‘incwadi yobomi,’ yaye ngamagama oobani abhalwe kuyo?

¹⁴ Iyintoni ‘incwadi yobomi,’ yaye ngamagama oobani aya kubhalwa apho? Incwadi, okanye umsongo, wobomi ubhekisela kwingxelo yabakhonzi bakaYehova abaza kufumana umvuzo wobomi obungunaphakade. (Malaki 3:16) Apha kwiSityhilelo kubhekiselwe ngokukhethekileyo emagameni amaKristu athanjisiweyo. Kodwa amagama abo baza kufumana ubomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni nawo abhaliwe apho. Ngaphezu koko, amagama ‘anokucinywa’ kuloo ncwadi. (Eksodus 32:32, 33) Sekunjalo, abo bodidi lukaYohane abanamagama asencwadini yobomi de kube sekufeni kwabo bafumana ubomi bokungafi ezulwini. (ISityhilelo 2:10) La ngamagama uYesu awavuma ngokukhethekileyo phambi kukaYise naphambi kweengelosi zakhe. Hayi indlela omangalisa ngayo lo mvuzo!

15. Amalungu esihlwele esikhulu aya kwenza njani ukuba amagama awo abhalwe ngokungacimekiyo encwadini yobomi?

¹⁵ Isihlwele esikhulu, esinamagama abhalwe encwadini yobomi, siya kuphuma siphilile embandezelweni enkulu. Ngokubonakalisa ukholo ebudeni balo lonke uLawulo lukaYesu lweMinyaka Eliwaka nasebudeni bovavanyo lokugqibela oluya kulandela emva koko, siya kuvuzwa ngobomi obungunaphakade kwiParadesi esemhlabeni. (Daniyeli 12:1; ISityhilelo 7:9, 14; 20:15; 21:4) Ngoko amagama aso aya kubhalwa ngokungacimekiyo encwadini yobomi. Ekubeni ukwazi okuchazwe apha ngokusebenza komoya oyingcwele, ngaba akusabeli ngehlombe kwisibongozo sikaYesu esiphindaphindiweyo esithi: “Lowo unendlebe makakuve oko ukutshoyo umoya kuwo amabandla”?—ISityhilelo 3:6.

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Ngamana igama lakho lingahlala libhaliwe encwadini yobomi