Qhubeka Wakha Ibandla
“Qhubekani niduduzana futhi nakhana.”—1 THES. 5:11.
1. Iziphi izibusiso esizithola ngokuba yingxenye yebandla lobuKristu, kodwa yiziphi izinselele okusadingeka sibhekane nazo?
UKUBA yilungu lebandla lobuKristu kuyisibusiso esikhulu ngempela. Kwenza ube nobuhlobo obuhle noJehova. Ukuthembela kwakho eZwini lakhe njengesiqondiso kukuvikela emiphumeleni emibi etholwa yilabo abangaphili ngezimiso zobuKristu. Uba nabangane abaningi abaqotho abafisa ukuba uphumelele. Ngeke siziqede izibusiso esizitholayo! Nokho, amaKristu amaningi ashikashikana nezinkinga ezihlukahlukene. Amanye kungenzeka adinga usizo lokuqonda izinto ezijulile zeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Amanye ayagula noma acindezelekile, noma kungenzeka abhekene nemiphumela yezinqumo ezingahlakaniphile azenza. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sonke kudingeka sihlale ezweni elingamesabi uNkulunkulu.
2. Kufanele senzenjani lapho abafowethu bebhekene nobunzima, futhi ngani?
2 Akekho phakathi kwethu ojabulayo lapho ebona amanye amaKristu ehlupheka noma edonsa kanzima. Umphostoli uPawulu wafanisa ibandla nomzimba futhi wathi “uma ilungu elilodwa lihlupheka, wonke amanye amalungu ahlupheka kanye nalo.” (1 Kor. 12:12, 26) Kufanele silwele ukusekela abafowethu nodadewethu abakulezo zimo. IBhayibheli lilandisa ngezimo eziningi lapho amalungu ebandla eye asiza amanye ukuba abhekane futhi anqobe izinselele. Njengoba manje sixoxa ngalezo zimo, cabanga ngezindlela ongase usize ngazo ezifana nalezo ezichazwe lapho. Ungabasiza kanjani abafowenu ngokomoya futhi ngaleyo ndlela wakhe ibandla likaJehova?
“Bamfaka Phakathi Kwabo”
3, 4. U-Akhwila noPrisila bamsiza kanjani u-Apholo?
3 U-Apholo wathuthela e-Efesu esevele engumshumayeli oshisekayo. Ukulandisa okusencwadini yezEnzo kuthi: “Njengoba ayevutha emoyeni, wakhuluma futhi wafundisa ngokuqondile ngezinto eziphathelene noJesu, kodwa ejwayelene nobhapathizo lukaJohane kuphela.” Njengoba u-Apholo ayengazi ngokubhapathizwa “egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelomoya ongcwele,” kungenzeka ukuthi wayeshunyayezwe abafundi bakaJohane umBhapathizi noma abalandeli bakaJesu ngaphambi kwePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Nakuba ayeshiseka, kwakusekhona okubalulekile okusilelayo olwazini lwakhe. Kwamsiza kanjani ukuzihlanganisa namanye amaKristu?—IzE. 1:4, 5; 18:25; Math. 28:19.
4 Umbhangqwana ongamaKristu, u-Akhwila noPrisila, wamuzwa ekhuluma ngesibindi esinagogeni, wamfaka phakathi kwawo futhi wamfundisa izinto ezengeziwe. (Funda izEnzo 18:24-26.) Yeka isenzo sothando! Yiqiniso, kumelwe ukuba u-Akhwila noPrisila bamsondela ngendlela engacunuli newusizo, abazange bamenze abe nomuzwa wokuthi bayamgxeka. Bamane nje bamsiza ukuba azi umlando webandla lamaKristu okuqala. Ngokuqinisekile, wabazisa kakhulu abangane bakhe abasha ngokumcobelela le mininingwane ebalulekile. Esehlome ngalolu lwazi, u-Apholo “wabasiza kakhulu” abafowabo base-Akhaya futhi wanikeza ubufakazi obunamandla.—IzE. 18:27, 28.
5. Iluphi usizo lothando izinkulungwane zabamemezeli boMbuso ezilunikezayo, futhi kube namuphi umphumela?
5 Abaningi ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla babazisa kakhulu labo ababasiza ukuba baqonde iBhayibheli. Kwabaningi kuye kwakheka ubuhlobo obuqinile phakathi kwabo nabantu ababafundela. Ezimweni eziningi, ukusiza abantu ukuba bazi iqiniso kudinga ukuhlela izingxoxo eziqhubeka isikhathi esingaba izinyanga eziningi. Nokho, abamemezeli boMbuso bazimisele ukwenza lokho kuzidela ngoba bayaqaphela ukuthi lokhu kusho ukufa nokuphila. (Joh. 17:3) Yeka ukuthi kujabulisa kanjani ukubona abantu belibamba iqiniso, baphile ngokuvumelana nalo futhi basebenzise ukuphila kwabo ekwenzeni intando kaJehova!
“Wayekhulunyelwa Kahle”
6, 7. (a) Kungani uPawulu akhetha uThimothewu ukuba ahambe naye? (b) Iyiphi intuthuko uThimothewu asizwa ukuba ayenze?
6 Lapho umphostoli uPawulu nomphostoli uSila bevakashela eListra phakathi nohambo lwabo lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli, bathola lapho insizwa egama layo linguThimothewu, okungenzeka ukuthi yayisicela noma isanda kweva eminyakeni engamashumi amabili. “Wayekhulunyelwa kahle abazalwane eListra nase-Ikoniyu.” Unina u-Evnike noninakhulu uLowisi babengamaKristu azinikezele, kodwa uyise engakholwa. (2 Thim. 1:5) Kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wajwayelana nalo mkhaya ekuhambeleni kwakhe kokuqala kuleyo ndawo eminyakeni emibili edlule. Kodwa manje lo mphostoli waba nesithakazelo esikhethekile kuThimothewu ngoba wayebonakala eyinsizwa eyenza kahle kakhulu. Yingakho kwathi lapho indikimba yabadala bakulelo bandla imgunyaza, uThimothewu waba umsizi kaPawulu emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli.—Funda izEnzo 16:1-3.
7 Kuningi uThimothewu okwakudingeka akufunde kulo mngane wakhe owayemdala kunaye. Kodwa wafunda futhi wathuthuka kangangokuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPawulu wamethemba futhi wamthuma ukuba ahambele amabandla njengommeleli wakhe. Phakathi neminyaka engaba ngu-15 eyayichitha noPawulu, le nsizwa eyayingenakho okuhlangenwe nakho futhi mhlawumbe eyayinamahloni, yathuthuka yaze yaba umbonisi omuhle kakhulu.—Fil. 2:19-22; 1 Thim. 1:3.
8, 9. Yini amalungu ebandla angayenza ukuze akhuthaze intsha? Nikeza isibonelo.
8 Izinsizwa nezintombi eziningi ezisebandleni lobuKristu namuhla zinethuba lokuthuthuka. Uma ikhuthazwa futhi inakekelwa abangane abangokomoya, le ntsha ingafinyelela futhi yamukele imithwalo yemfanelo emikhudlwana phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. Qalaza ebandleni lakini! Ingabe ikhona intsha oyibonayo engazenza itholakale njengoThimothewu? Ngosizo lwakho nesikhuthazo, ingaba amaphayona, izikhonzi zaseBethel, izithunywa zevangeli noma ababonisi abajikelezayo. Yini ongayenza ukuze uyisize ifinyelele imigomo enjalo?
9 UMartin, osekhonze njengelungu lomkhaya waseBethel iminyaka engu-20, ukhumbula ngokwazisa isithakazelo asiboniswa umbonisi wesifunda eminyakeni engu-30 edlule ngesikhathi esebenza naye ensimini. Lo mbonisi wakhuluma ngentshiseko ngenkonzo yakhe yaseBethel ngesikhathi eseyinsizwa. Wakhuthaza uMartin ukuba acabangele ukuzenza atholakalele ukusetshenziswa inhlangano kaJehova ngendlela efanayo. UMartin unomuzwa wokuthi leyo ngxoxo angasoze ayikhohlwa iyona eyamshukumisela ukuba enze ukukhetha akwenza kamuva. Kwazi bani ukuthi nawe ungasiza abangane bakho abasebancane ngokuxoxa nabo ngemigomo engokwasezulwini?
“Nikhulume Ngokududuzayo Nemiphefumulo Ecindezelekile”
10. U-Ephafrodithu wazizwa kanjani, futhi ngani?
10 U-Ephafrodithu wathatha uhambo olude nolukhandlayo esuka eFilipi eya eRoma eyovakashela umphostoli uPawulu owayeboshelwe ukholo lwakhe. Wayethunywe abaseFilipi. Babemphathise isipho salo mphostoli futhi ehlela ukuhlala naye ukuze enze noma yini ayengamsiza ngayo kulobo bunzima ayebhekene nabo. Nokho, lapho eseRoma, u-Ephafrodithu wagula “wacishe wafa.” Waba nomuzwa wokuthi wayebe isehluleki, futhi lokhu kwamenza wacindezeleka.—Fil. 2:25-27.
11. (a) Kungani kungafanele simangale uma abanye ebandleni behlushwa ukucindezeleka? (b) UPawulu watusa ukuba aphathwe kanjani u-Ephafrodithu?
11 Namuhla kunezinto ezihlukahlukene ezenza abantu bacindezeleke. Izibalo ze-World Health Organization zibonisa ukuthi umuntu oyedwa kwabahlanu emhlabeni angase aphathwe ukucindezeleka esikhathini esithile sokuphila kwakhe. Ukucindezeleka kuyabaphatha nabantu bakaJehova. Izinkinga zokondla umkhaya, impilo ebuthaka, ukudangala ngenxa yamaphutha akho, noma ezinye izizathu zingaba nomthelela ekukwenzeni ucindezeleke. Yini abaseFilipi ababengayenza ukuze basize u-Ephafrodithu? UPawulu wabhala: “Mamukeleni njengokujwayelekile eNkosini ngenjabulo yonke; futhi niqhubeke nibheka amadoda alolu hlobo njengathandekayo, ngoba ngenxa yomsebenzi weNkosi, wasondela impela ekufeni, eneka umphefumulo wakhe engozini, ukuze asivale ngokugcwele isikhala sokungabikho kwenu lapha ukuba ningikhonze ngasese.”—Fil. 2:29, 30.
12. Yini engaba umthombo wenduduzo kwabacindezelekile?
12 Nathi kufanele sibakhuthaze abafowethu abadangele noma abacindezelekile. Ngokuqinisekile zikhona izinto ezinhle esingazisho ngenkonzo yabo kuJehova. Mhlawumbe baye benza izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni kwabo ukuze babe amaKristu noma bangenele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele. Siyayazisa leyo mizamo yabo, futhi singabaqinisekisa ngokuthi noJehova uyayazisa. Ngisho noma ukuguga noma ukugula kuvimbela abanye balaba abathembekile ukuba benze konke ababekwazi ukukwenza ngaphambili, kusafanele sibahloniphe ngenxa yenkonzo yabo yeminyaka eminingi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ikuphi, uJehova ukhuthaza bonke abathembekileyo bakhe: “Nikhulume ngokududuzayo nemiphefumulo ecindezelekile, nisekele ababuthakathaka, nibabekezelele bonke.”—1 Thes. 5:14.
“Nimthethelele Ngomusa Futhi Nimduduze”
13, 14. (a) Isiphi isinyathelo esiqatha esathathwa ibandla laseKorinte, futhi ngani? (b) Waba yini umphumela waleso senzo sokususa ekuhlanganyeleni?
13 Ebandleni lekhulu lokuqala laseKorinte kwake kwaba nomuntu owayenze ubufebe futhi engaphenduki. Ukuziphatha kwakhe kwakusongela ukuhlanzeka kwebandla futhi kungamanyala ngisho nakwabangakholwa. UPawulu wabe eseyala ukuba lowo muntu asuswe ebandleni.—1 Kor. 5:1, 7, 11-13.
14 Leso siyalo saba nomphumela omuhle. Ibandla lavikeleka ethonyeni elonakalisayo, futhi leso soni sasanguluka futhi saphenduka ngobuqotho. Ngesisekelo semisebenzi yalo muntu ebonisa ukuphenduka, uPawulu wabonisa encwadini yakhe yesibili ayibhalela lelo bandla ukuthi lowo muntu kwakufanele abuyiselwe. Nokho, kwakungadingeki lokho kuphela. Wayala nokuba ibandla ‘lisithethelele ngomusa futhi lisiduduze leso soni esasiphendukile, ukuze ngandlela-thile singagwinywa ukudabuka ngokweqile.’—Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 2:5-8.
15. Kufanele sibabheke kanjani abenzi bobubi abaphendukile asebebuyiselwe ebandleni?
15 Sifundani kule ndaba? Siphatheka kabi lapho kudingeka abantu basuswe ekuhlanganyeleni. Kungenzeka baye baletha isihlamba egameni likaNkulunkulu nasebandleni. Kungenzeka nokuthi baye basona. Noma kunjalo, lapho abadala abamiswe ukuba bahlole udaba benquma ngokuvumelana nesiqondiso sikaJehova ukuthi isoni esiphendukayo sekufanele sibuyiselwe ebandleni, lokho kubonisa ukuthi uJehova usesithethelele. (Math. 18:17-20) Akufanele yini sifune ukumlingisa? Ngempela, ukuba nenhliziyo elukhuni nokungathetheleli kungafana nokuthi siphikisana noJehova. Kunalokho, ukuze sinezele ekuthuleni nasebunyeni bebandla likaNkulunkulu futhi samukelwe uJehova, akufanele yini ‘siqinisekise uthando lwethu’ ngezoni eziphenduka ngempela futhi zibuyiselwe?—Math. 6:14, 15; Luka 15:7.
“Ulusizo Kimi”
16. UMarku wamdumaza kanjani uPawulu?
16 Okunye ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kubonisa ukuthi akufanele sibambele abantu abasidumazile amagqubu. Ngokwesibonelo, uJohane Marku, wamdumaza kabuhlungu umphostoli uPawulu. Kanjani? Lapho uPawulu noBarnaba bethatha uhambo lwabo lokuqala lwezithunywa zevangeli, uMarku wahamba nabo ukuze abasize. Kodwa phakathi nohambo lwabo wabashiya, wabuyela ekhaya ngesizathu esingashiwongo. Lokhu kwamdumaza kakhulu uPawulu kangangokuthi lapho behlela uhambo lwesibili, kwaba khona ukungaboni ngaso linye phakathi kwakhe noBarnaba ngokuthi baphinde yini bahambe naye. Ngenxa yalokho okwenzeka ohambweni lokuqala, uPawulu wayengafuni ukuba uMarku ahambe nabo.—Funda izEnzo 13:1-5, 13; 15:37, 38.
17, 18. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukungezwani okwaba khona phakathi kukaPawulu noMarku kwalungiswa, futhi yini esingayifunda kulokhu?
17 Kusobala ukuthi uMarku akazange avumele lokho kwenqatshwa uPawulu ukuba kumdangalise ngoba waqhubeka nomsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli kwenye insimu noBarnaba. (IzE. 15:39) Ukuthi wazibonakalisa ethembekile futhi enokwethenjelwa sikubona kulokho uPawulu akubhala ngaye ngemva kweminyaka ethile. Lapho eboshiwe eRoma, wabhala incwadi ebiza uThimothewu. Kuleyo ncwadi, wathi: “Thatha uMarku uze naye, ngoba ulusizo kimi ekukhonzeni.” (2 Thim. 4:11) Yebo, uPawulu wabona ukuthi uMarku wayesevuthiwe.
18 Kukhona isifundo esingasithola kulokhu. UMarku waba nezimfanelo zesithunywa sevangeli esihle. Akazange akhutshwe ukwenqatshwa uPawulu ekuqaleni. Yena noPawulu babengamadoda angokomoya, futhi abazange babambelane amagqubu. Kunalokho, kamuva uPawulu waqaphela ukuthi uMarku ulusizo kakhulu. Ngakho, lapho abafowethu benqoba ubunzima futhi sebeyidlulisile inkinga, into okufanele yenziwe ukukhohlwa osekudlulile futhi baqhubeke besiza abanye ukuba bathuthuke ngokomoya. Ukuba nombono omuhle kuyalakha ibandla.
Ibandla Nawe
19. Amalungu ebandla lobuKristu angasizana kanjani?
19 Kulezi “zikhathi ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,” uyaludinga usizo lwabafowenu nodadewenu ebandleni, futhi nabo bayaludinga olwakho. (2 Thim. 3:1) Amanye amaKristu angase angazi njalo ukuthi iyiphi inkambo okumelwe ayithathe ukuze azisingathe ngokuphumelelayo izimo abhekene nazo, kodwa uJehova uyazi. Angasebenzisa amalungu ebandla—kuhlanganise nawe—ukuze asize amanye ukuba athathe inkambo efanele. (Isaya 30:20, 21; 32:1, 2) Ngakho, silalelisise isikhuthazo somphostoli uPawulu! Qhubekani “niduduzana futhi nakhana, njengoba nje eqinisweni nenza.”—1 Thes. 5:11.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kungani kudingeka ukwakha abanye ebandleni lobuKristu?
• Ibuphi ubunzima ongasiza abanye ukuba babunqobe?
• Kungani sidinga usizo lwabanye ebandleni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
Lapho omunye umKristu ebhekene nobunzima, singamsekela
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Izinsizwa nezintombi eziningi ebandleni lobuKristu namuhla zinethuba lokuthuthuka