Izenzo Zabapostile

14—Umzingeli Wenyaniso

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 9:32 ukuya kwese-11:18]

Emsebenzini wakhe wovangelo, uPetros watyelela amakholwa aseLida. Apha waphilisa uEneya, owaye neminyaka esibhozo elele elukhukweni egula enedumbe. “Wathi uPetros kuye, Eneya, uyakuphilisa uYesu Kristu; vuka, wandlule. Wavuka kwa-oko. Bambona bonke ababemi eLida naseSharon, babuyela eNkosini.” IZ 131.1

EYopa, eyayikufuphi neLida, kwakuhlala umfazi ogama linguDorkas, omisebenzi yakhe elungileyo yenza ukuba athandwe kakhulu. Wayengumfundi oxabisekileyo kaYesu, baye ubomi bakhe babuzaliswe yimisebenzi yobubele. Wayebazi abadinga iimpahla ezifanelekileyo nabadinga uvelwano, waye elungiselela ngokukhululekileyo kwabangamahlwempu nabaselusizini. Iminwe yakhe enobuchule yayisebenza ngaphezu kolwimi lwakhe. IZ 131.2

“Wathi ke ngalo mihla, wahliwa sisifo, wafa.” Ibandla laseYopa layiphawula ilahleko elijongene nayo, laza lathi lakuva ukuba uPetros useLida, amakholwa athumela abathunywa kuye, “bembongoza ukuba eze kubo, angalibali. Wesuka ke uPetros, wahamba nawo. Efikile, bamsa egumbini eliphezulu; bema ngakuye bonke abahlolokazi, belila, bembonisa ukuba zininzi kwazo iingubo zangaphantsi nezokwaleka abezenza uDorkas oko ebenabo.” Xa kukhangelwa ubomi bokusebenza kukaDorkas ngexesha ebesaphila, akumangalisi ukuba bambambazelele, zithi ezo nyembezi zishushu ziwe phezu kolo dongwe lungasenabomi. IZ 131.3

Intliziyo kampostile (uPetros) yachukumiseka luvelwano xa ebona intlungu yabo. Ngoko, wayalela ukuba abahlobo abakhalayo bakhutshwe egumbini, waguqa ngamadolo wathandaza ngokuzingileyo kuThixo ukuba ambuyisele uDorkas ebomini nasempilweni. Eguqukela emzimbeni, wathi, “Tabhita, vuka. Wawavula ke amehlo akhe; wathi akubona uPetros, wesuka, wahlala.” UDorkas wayeluncedo olukhulu ebandleni, waza uThixo wabona kufanelekile ukuba ambuyise elizweni lotshaba, ukuze ubuchule bakhe namandla akhe konke kuqhubeke kuyintsikelelo kwabanye, nokuze kuthi, ngesi siganeko sokubonakaliswa kwamandla kaThixo, umsebenzi kaKristu uqiniswe. IZ 132.1

UPetros wayeselapha eYopha ukubizwa kwakhe nguThixo ukuba ase iindaba ezilungileyo kuKorneli, eKesareya. IZ 132.2

UKorneli wayengumRoma ongumthetheli-khulu. Wayeyindoda enobutyebi neyayihloniphekile ekuzalweni kwayo, yaza yasesikhundleni sokuthenjwa nesihlonitshwayo. Wayengumhedeni ngokuzalwa, ngokuqeqeshwa, nangemfundo, waza wathi ngokuhlangana namaYuda, wanolwazi ngoThixo, wamkhonza ngentliziyo enyanisekileyo, ebonisa ukunyaniseka kokholo lwakhe ngemfesane kwabangamahlwempu. Wayesaziwa kuzo zonke iindawongobubelebakhe,bazaubomibakheobulungileyo bamnika udumo oluhle kumaYuda nakwiiNtlanga. Impembelelo yakhe yayiyintsikelelo kubo bonke awayehlangana nabo. Ingxelo ephefumlelweyo imchaza njengendoda “emhlonelayo, emoyikayo uThixo, kunye nayo yonke indlu yayo; ibaliza abantu kunene; kanjalo yayimana ikhunga kuThixo.” IZ 132.3

Ekholelwa kuThixo njengoMdali wezulu nomhlaba, uKorneli wamhlonipha, elivuma igunya laKhe, walifuna icebiso laKhe kuyo yonke imicimbi yobomi. Wayethembekile kuYehova ekhayeni lakhe nasemsebenzini wakhe. Wayemise isibingelelo sikaThixo ekhayeni lakhe, kuba wazifumana engenakho ukuphumeza naliphina icebo lakhe okanye ukuthwala naluphina uxanduva lwakhe ngaphandle koncedo lukaThixo. IZ 133.1

Nangona uKorneli wayekholelwa eziprofetweni kwaye ekhangele ekufikeni kukaMesiya, wayengayazi ivangeli njengoko yatyhilwa ebomini nasekufeni kukaKristu. Wayengelilo ilungu lebandla lamaYuda kwaye wayeya kukhangelwa ngabafundisi njengomhedeni ongahlambulukanga. UMalusi oNgcwele owathi ku-Abraham, “Ndimazile,” wamazi noKorneli, waza wathumela isigidimi ngqo siphuma ezulwini. IZ 133.2

Isithunywa sabonakala kuKorneli esemthandazweni. Wathi umthetheli-khulu akuva ebizwa ngegama, wanoloyiko, kodwa wazi ukuba kufike umthunywa evela kuThixo, wathi, “Yintoni na, Nkosi?” Saphendula isithunywa sathi, “Imithandazo yakho namalizo akho anyukile, abasisikhumbuzo emehlweni kaThixo. Susa kwangoku amadoda, aye eYopa, ubize eze uSimon, ogama limbi linguPetros; yena ulundwendwe lukaSimon, umsuki wezikhumba, ondlu ingaselwandle.” IZ 133.3

Indlela ecacengayo le miyalelo, ekwada kwakhankanywa nomsebenzi walowo uPetros wayehlala naye, ibonisa ukuba izulu liqhelene nembali kunye nomsebenzi wabantu nakoluphi na udidi lobizo ebomini. UThixo uqhelene namava nomsebenzi womsebenzi osephantsi, kwanalowo wokumkani ohleli etroneni. IZ 134.1

“Susa . . . amadoda, aye eYopa, ubize . . . uSimon.” Ngolo hlobo uThixo wanika ubungqina bokuhlonipha kwaKhe umsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo kunye nebandla laKhe elimiselweyo. Ingelosi ayizange ithunywe ukuba ixelele uKorneli ibali lomnqamlezo. Umntu, okwafana nomthetheli-khulu ngokwakhe, onobuthakathaka nojongene nezilingo, kwakufuneka ukuba ibe nguye omxelele ngoMsindis obethelelweyo novukileyo. IZ 134.2

Njengabameli baKhe phakathi kwabantu, uThixo akakhethi izithunywa ezingazange ziwe, kodwa ukhetha abantu, abantu abanezimvo ezifana nezabo bafuna ukubasindisa. UMsindisi onguThixo-mntu wayedingeka ukuba azise usindiso ehlabathini. Bona abantu, amadoda nabafazi, banikelwe umsebenzi ongcwele wokuba bazise “iindaba ezilungileyo zobutyebi obungalandekiyo bukaThixo.” Efese 3:8. IZ 134.3

Ngobulumko baKhe, iNkosi izisa abo bayizingelayo inyaniso ukuba bahlangane nabanye abantu abayaziyo inyaniso. Licebo lezulu ukuba abo bakwamkeleyo ukukhanya babelane nabo basebumnyameni. Uluntu, olufumana impumelelo yesakhono salo kwiThende lobulumko, lwenziwa izixhobo, izithunywa zokusebenza, ekumele ukuthi ngazo ivangeli ifumane ithuba lokusebenzisa amandla ayo ukuguqula ingqondo nentliziyo. IZ 134.4

UKorneli wakuvuyela ukuwuthobela umbono. Yathi yakuba imkile ingelosi, umthetheli-khulu “wabiza zazibini kwizicaka zakhe zasendlwini, nesoldatielimhlonelayo uThixo kwawayehlala nawo emnceda rhoqo; waza, akuba ebacacisele zonke iindawo, wabathuma eYopa.” IZ 134.5

Ingelosi, emva kokuthetha-thethana noKorneli, yahamba yaya kuPetros, eYopa. Ngelo xesha, uPetros wayethandaza phezu kwendlu apho wayehlala khona, kwaye sifunda ukuba “wesuka walamba kakhulu, wanga angakhe afumane into edliwayo; kuthe ke, bakubon’ ukuba ke bayamlungiselela, wawelwa lithongo.” Yayingekuko ukutya oku kwesiqhelo kuphela awaye kulambele uPetros. Ukususela phezu kwendlu, wabona isixeko saseYopa nelizwe elisirhangqileyo walambela ukusindiswa kwabantu bakubo. Wayenolangazelelo olunzulu ukuba abakhombise eziBhalweni iziprofeto ezingokuphatheka kakubi nokufa kukaKristu. IZ 135.1

Embonweni uPetros “wabona izulu luvulekile, kusihla phezu kwakhe sitya sithile, ngathi yilinen enkulu ebotshwe kumasondo omane, sithotyelwa emhlabeni; ekwaye kukho kuso zonke izinto zomhlaba ezizitho zine, namarhamcwa, nezinambuzane neentaka zezulu. Kwabakho izwi lisithi kuye, Vuka Petros, xhela udle. Uthe ke uPetros, Nakanye, Nkosi; ngokuba yonke into eyinqambi, nokuba yengcolileyo, andizanga ndiyidle. Laphinda izwi okwesibini lathi kuye, Izinto uThixo azihlambululeyo, musa ukuzenza inqambi wena. Kwabakho ke oku kathathu; sabuya isitya eso senyuswa, sasiwa ezulwini.” IZ 135.2

Lo mbono wazisa kuPetros kokubini, ukungxoliswa nemfundiso. Wamtyhilela injongo kaThixo — yokuba ngokufa kukaKristu, iiNtlanga zimelwe ukwenziwa iindla-mafa zeentsikelelo zosindiso kunye namaYuda. Ukuza kuthi ga kwesi sithuba, kwakungekho namnye kubafundi owakha wazishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo eziNtlangeni. Ezingqondwenizabo, udongaolwahlulayo,olwawiswakukufa kukaKristu, lwalusekho kwaye imisebenzi yabo yayijikeleza kumaYuda, kuba babezikhangele iiNtlanga njengabantu abashiywe ngaphandle kwiintsikelelo zeendaba ezilungileyo. Ngoku iNkosi yayifuna ukufundisa uPetros ukunaba kwizwe lonke kwecebo lezulu. IZ 135.3

Abaninzi beentlanga babenomdla wokuphulaphula ukushumayela kukaPetros kunye nabanye abapostile, kwaye uninzi lwamaGrike angamaYuda aya angamakholwa kuKristu, kodwa ukuguquka kukaKorneli kwahamba phambili ngokubaluleka phakathi kweeNtlanga. IZ 136.1

Lalifikile ixesha lokuba ibandla likaKristu lingene kwisigaba somsebenzi esitsha ngokupheleleyo. Ucango olwaluvalwe luninzi lwabaguqukileyo bamaYuda ngakwiintlanga lwaluvulwe genge ngoku. Abeentlanga abamkele iindaba ezilungileyo babeza kwamkelwa njengabalinganayo kunye nabafundi abangamaYuda, ngaphandle kokuba banyanzeleke ukuba benze inkonzo yolwaluko. IZ 136.2

Athi, indlela iNkosi eyasebenza ngayo ngocoselelo ukoyisa ukugwetywa kweeNtlanga okwakubetheleleke engqondweni kaPetros ngendlela awaye qeqeshwe ngayo ebuYudeni! Ngombono welinen nokuphakathi kuyo waba nokuyiphethula ingqondo yompostile koku kugweba, ukuze kufundiswe inyaniso ebalulekileyo yokuba ezulwini akukho kuhlonitshwa kwabantu; nokuba umYuda nentlanga baxabiseke ngokufanayo phambi kukaThixo; nokuba ngoKristu ongumhedeni unakho ukuba nenxaxheba kwiintsikelelo namalungelo eendaba ezilungileyo. IZ 136.3

Wathi uPetros esacamngca ngentsingiselo yombono, kwafika amadoda eYopa ethunyelwa kwaKorneli ema phambi kwesango apho wayehleli khona. Wathi ngoko uMoya kuye, “Nanga amadoda amathathu ekufuna; suka uhle, uhambe nawo, ungathandabuzi nento, ngokokuba athunywe ndim.” IZ 136.4

Lo yaba ngumyalelo ongumngeni kuPetros, wazaliswa yintandabuzo kwinyathelo ngalinye alithabathayo kolu xanduva lwalubekwe phezu kwakhe; kodwa akazange akwazi ukungathobeli. “Wehla waya kuwo amadodsa abethunyiwe kuye evela kuKorneli, wathi, Niyabona, ndingulowo nimfunayo; ngumcimbi mni na enize ngawo? Athe ke wona, uKorneli umthetheli-khulu, indoda elilungisa, emoyikayo uThixo, kanjalo engqinelwe ukulunga lulo lonke uhlanga lwamaYuda, uhlatyelwe sisithunywa esingcwele ukuba akubize, uze endlwini yakhe, eve amazwi kuwe.” IZ 137.1

Ngokuthobela imiyalelo ekwakungekudala eyifumene kuThixo, umpostile wathembisa ukuhamba nawo. Ngentsasa elandelayo, waphuma waya eKesareya ekhatshwa sisithandathu sabazalwana bakhe. Aba babeza kuba ngamangqina ako konke awayeza kukuthetha okanye akwenze ngexesha atyelele iiNtlanga, kuba wayesazi uPetros ukuba kwakuza kufuneka anike ingxelo ngokwaphula okungqale ngolo hlobo lweemfundiso zobuYuda. IZ 137.2

Uthe uPetros xa engena endlwini yoyiNtlanga, uKorneli akambulisa njengalo naluphina undwendwe, kodwa njengophakanyiswe lizulu wathunywa kuye [Korneli] nguThixo. Lisiko lasempuma ukuthoba phambi kwenkosana okanye isidwesha esiphezulu nokuba abantwana bathobe phambi kwabazali babo; kodwa uKorneli, egutyungelwe yintlonipho kumntu othunywe nguThixo ukuba amfundise, wawa ezinyaweni zompostile wamnqula. UPetros waba nokothuka okukhulu, wamphakamisa umthetheli-khulu, esithi, “Phakama; nam ngokwam ndingumntu.” IZ 137.3

Lo gama abathunywa bakaKorneli babexakeke yimicimbi yabo, umthetheli-khulu wabizela ndawonye izizalwana kunye nabahlobo,” ukuze nabo beve ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo. Wathi akufika uPetros, wafumana iqela elikhulu lilindele ngomdla ukuva amazwi akhe. IZ 138.1

Kwabo babehlangene, waqala ukuthetha uPetros ngesiko lamaYuda, esithi kwakuyinto engemthetho ukuba amaYuda axubane ekuhlaleni nabeeNtlanga, nokuba ukwenza oko kwakuthatyathwa njengokungcolisayo ngokwesiko. Watsho esithi, “Niyazi kakuhle nina, ukuba akusesikweni ukuthi indoda engumYuda inamathele isondele kowolunye uhlanga; mna ke uThixo undibonisile, ukuba ndingabizi mntu ngokuthi uyinqambi, ungongcolileyo. Kungoko ke ndizileyo ndingaphikanga ndakubizwa. Ndizile ke; ndiyabuza ngoko, ukuba nindibize ngandawoni na?” IZ 138.2

UKorneli wabalisa ngamava akhe kunye namazwi engelosi, ephetha ngelithi, “Ndathumela ngoko kuwe kwaoko; nawe utyaphile ufike. Kaloku ngoko sikho thina sonke emehlweni kaThixo, ukuze sizive zonke izinto ozimiselweyo nguThixo. IZ 138.3

Wathi uPetros, “Ndiyaqiqa okwenyaniso ukuba uThixo akamkhethi wabuso bamntu; kwiintlanga zonke, lowo umoyikayo, asebenze ubulungisa, wamkelekile kuye.” IZ 138.4

Kwelo qela labantu abaphulaphule ngomdla, waya washumayela uKristu — ubomi baKhe, imimangaliso yaKhe, ukungcatshwa nokubethelelwa kwaKhe, ukuvuka nokunyuka kwakhe, nomsebenzi waKhe ezulwini njengommeli nomthetheleli. Ngokwalathisa abo babekho kuYesu njengethemba ekuphela kwalo kumoni, naye ngokwakhe waya eyiqonda ngakumbi intsingiselo yombono awayewubonile, yaza intliziyo yakhe yabengezela ngumoya wenyaniso awayeshumayela ngaye. IZ 138.5

Ngesiquphe, intetho yaphazanyiswa kukuhla kukaMoya Oyingcwele. “Uthe akubon’ ukuba usawathetha uPetros la mazwi, wasuka wabawela uMoya Oyingcwele bonke ababeliva ilizwi. Amangaliswa amakholwa olwaluko onke abeze noPetros; ngokuba isipho soMoya Oyingcwele sathululwa naphezu kweentlanga; kuba aziva zithetha ngalwimi zimbi, zimenza mkhulu uThixo. IZ 139.1

“Wandula waphendula uPetros wathi, Kukho unako yini na ukuthintela amanzi, ukuba bangabhaptizwa aba bamamkeleyo uMoya Oyingcwele, kwanjengathi nje? Wamisa ukuthi mababhaptizwe egameni leNkosi.” IZ 139.2

Ngolo hlobo zaba ziyashunyayelwa iindaba ezilungileyo kwabo babengabasemzini nabavela ngaphandle, besenziwa abakhaya kunye nabangcwele, namalungu osapho lukaThixo. Ukuguquka kukaKorneli nendlu yakhe kwaba sisiqhamo sokuqala sesivuno esasiza kuqokelelwa. Ukususela kweli khaya, umsebenzi obanzi wobabalo waqhubeka kweso sixeko sobuhedeni. IZ 139.3

Namhla uThixo ufuna imiphefumlo kwabo baphezulu nakwabaphantsi. Baninzi abanjengoKorneli, abantu, iNkosi efuna ukubahlanganisa nomsebenzi waYo ehlabathini. Uvelwano lwabo lukubantu beNkosi, kodwa amaqhina ababophelele ehlabathini abaqamangele ngamandla. Kufuneka isibindi sokuziphatha ukuze athabatheindawoukumelauKristu. Kufunekalemiphefumlo yenzelweamalingeakhethekileyo, njengoko ekwenkulu ingozi, ngenxa yemithwalo enayo kunye nabantu ezihlanganise nabo. IZ 139.4

UThixo ubiza abasebenzi abanyanisekileyo nabathobekileyo ukuba bathwale iindaba ezilungileyo bazise kubantu abakudidi oluphezulu. Ikho imimangaliso enokwenziwa kwinguquko zenene, - imimangaliso engabonakaliyo ngoku. Amadoda amakhulu eli hlabathi awakho ngaphezulu kwamandla kaThixo osebenza imimangaliso. Ukuba abo bangabasebenzi kunye naYe bangaba ngamadoda alibonayo ithuba, bawenze umsebenzi wabo ngokukhalipha nangokunyaniseka, uThixo uya kuguqula amadoda akwizikhundla zamagunya, namadoda anobuchopho nempembelelo. Ngokusebenza kwamandla kaMoya Oyingcwele baninzi abaya kuyamkela imithetho-siseko engcwele. Baya kuthi beguqukele enyanisweni, babe ngabathunywa esandleni sikaThixo bokugqithisa ukukhanya. Baya kuba nomthwalo owodwa weminye imiphefumlo kolu didi lutyeshelweyo. Kuya kunikelwa ixesha nemali emsebenzini weNkosi, ukuze kongezwe impumelelo namandla ebandleni. IZ 140.1

Ngenxa yokuba uKorneli wayephila ngokuyithobela yonke imiyalelo awayeyifumene, uThixo wazilungisa iziganeko ukuze afumane inyaniso engaphezulu. Umthunywa owayephuma kwiinkundla zasezulwini wathunyelwa kulo mphathi womRoma nakuPetros ukuze uKorneli ahlanganiswe nalowo waye nokumkhokelela ekukhanyeni okukhulu. IZ 140.2

Baninzi kweli hlabathi lethu abasondele kakhulu ebukumkanini bukaThixo kunokuba thina sicinga. Kweli lizwe limnyama lesono, iNkosi inamagugu amaninzi axabisekileyo, eya kukhokelela kuwo abathunywa bakhe. Bakho kuyo yonke indawo abo banokuma ngakwicala likaKristu. Baninziabaya kuxabisa ubulumko bukaThixo ngaphezukwako konke okuhle kwehlabathi, bazebabe ngabathwali-kukhanya abathembekileyo. Baya kuthi benyanzelwa luthando lukaKristu, nabo banyanzele abanye ukuba beze kuYe. IZ 140.3

Bathi abazalwana eJudeya bakuva ukuba uPetros waya endlwini yoweNtlanga washumayela kwabo babehlangene khona, bamangaliswa bakhubeka. Babanoloyiko hleze elo nyathelo, elikhangeleka likrokreleka, linganempembelelo ekuthinteleni imfundiso yakhe. Bathi bakuhlangana naye kwakhona uPetros, bamngxolisa kakhulu, besithi, “Uye wangena kumadoda angalukileyo, wadla nawo.” IZ 141.1

UPetros wawandlala wonke umcimbi phambi kwabo. Wawabalisa amava akhe ngombono wabeka ukuba wamlumkisa ukuba angabi sahlonipha isithethe sokwaluka nokungaluki, okanye ukuthabatha abeeNtlanga njengabangcolileyo. Wabaxelela ngomyalelo wokuba aye kwabeeNtlanga, nangokufika kwabathunywa, ngohambo lwakhe lokuya eKesareya, kunye nokuhlangana noKorneli. Wawuphinda umxholo womhlangano nomthetheli-khulu, awathi kamva [uKorneli] wamxelela ngowakhe umbono owenza ukuba athumele ukuba kubizwe uPetros. IZ 141.2

“Ekuqaleni kwam ukuthetha,” watsho, ebalisa ngamava akhe, “uMoya Oyingcwele wabawela, njengoko wasiwelayo nathi ekuqaleni. Ndakhumbula ke izwi leNkosi lokokuba ibithe, UYohane okunene wabhaptiza ngamanzi, kodwa nina niya kubhaptizwa ngoMoya Oyingcwele. Ukuba ngoko uThixo wabapha isipho esingangeso wasiphayo nathi thina sakholwayo eNkosini uYesu Kristu,mnakebendingubanina,ukubandidendibenako ukumthintela uThixo?” IZ 141.3

Bathi bakuyiva le ngxelo, bathi cwaka abazalwana. Boyisakala ukuba indlela kaPetros yayikukuzaliseka okuthe ngqo kwecebo likaThixo, nokuba ugwebo lwabo nokuchwethela ecaleni kwakuchasene ngokupheleleyo nomoya weendaba ezilungileyo, bamzukisa uThixo, besithi, “Kanti na ke neentlanga ezi uThixo uziphe ukuguqukela ebomini.” IZ 142.1

Ngoko ke, ngaphandle kwengxoxo, ukugweba kwalahlelwa phantsi, ukubeka ngaphandle abanye okwamiliselwa lisiko ezizukulwaneni kwalahlwa, yaza indlela yavuleka ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zivakaliswe ezintlangeni. IZ 142.2