1, 2. Umphostoli uPhawuli watshengisa njani ukuthi uyawuqakathekisa umusa kaNkulunkulu omkhulu?

UMPHOSTOLI uPhawuli watsho eqinisile lapho esithi: “Umusa [kaNkulunkulu] kawubanga yize kimi.” (Bala u-1 Khorinte 15:9, 10.) UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi isihawu esikhulu ayesitshengiswe nguNkulunkulu wayengazange asisebenzele futhi sasingamfanelanga ngenxa yokuthi wayeke wahlukuluza amaKhristu.

² Esezakufa wabhalela uThimothi ayesebenza laye wathi: “Ngiyambonga uKhristu uJesu iNkosi yethu, onginike amandla, wangibona ngithembekile, wangibeka emsebenzini wakhe.” (1 Tim. 1:12-14) Wawungumsebenzi bani? UPhawuli watshela abadala bebandla le-Efesu ukuthi umsebenzi lo wawugoqelani, wathi: “Kungenani, eyami impilo ngiyibona ingasulutho kimi, uba kodwa lokhu ngingaliqeda ibanga ngiwufeze lomsebenzi iNkosi  uJesu engiphe wona—umsebenzi wokufakaza ivangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu.”—ImiSeb. 20:24.

3. Yiwuphi umsebenzi oqakathekileyo uPhawuli ayewuphiwe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

³ Yiliphi “ivangeli” uPhawuli ayelitshumayela elalitshengisa umusa kaJehova omkhulu? Watshela amaKhristu ase-Efesu wathi: “Selizwile ngokuphathwa komusa kaNkulunkulu engawuphiwayo ngenxa yenu.” (Efe. 3:1, 2) UPhawuli wayethunywe ukuthi atshumayele izindaba ezinhle ebantwini bezizwe ukuze labo bathole ithuba lokuba yizindlalifa kanye loKhristu eMbusweni kaMesiya wasezulwini. (Bala u-Efesu 3:5-8.) Indlela ayekhuthele ngayo enkonzweni iyisibonelo esihle kithi lamuhla. Wakutshengisa sibili ukuthi umusa kaNkulunkulu omkhulu ‘awubanga yize kuye.’

4, 5. Kungani singathi ‘ivangeli loMbuso’ esilitshumayelayo liyafanana ‘levangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu’?

⁴ Kulesisikhathi sokucina esiphila kuso, abantu bakaJehova bathunywe ukuthi batshumayele ‘ivangeli loMbuso . . . kuwo wonke umhlaba njengobufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe.’ (Mat. 24:14) Izindaba ezinhle esizitshumayelayo ziyafanana ‘levangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu’ ngoba zonke izibusiso esikhangelele ukuzithola emhlabeni omutsha, sizaziphiwa ngenxa yomusa omkhulu uJehova asitshengise wona esebenzisa uKhristu. (Efe. 1:3) Wena uyamlingisela yini uPhawuli ngokutshiseka enkonzweni ukuze utshengise ukuthi uyawubonga umusa omkhulu uJehova asitshengise wona?—Bala uRoma 1:14-16.

⁵ Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi umusa kaJehova omkhulu usinceda ngezindlela ezinengi thina abantu abalesono. Ngakho-ke silomlandu wokunceda bonke abantu bazwisise indlela uJehova asitshengise ngayo uthando lokuthi bangenzani ukuze basizakale. Yiziphi izindlela ezehlukeneyo uNkulunkulu asitshengise ngazo umusa wakhe omkhulu okumele sincede abanye bazizwisise?

6, 7. Kungani sisithi nxa sichazela abantu ngenhlawulo siyabe sibatshela ngomusa kaNkulunkulu omkhulu?

⁶ Emhlabeni lo ogcwele ububi akuthi thiki ebantwini abanengi nxa besona, yikho bengakunanzeleli ukuthi bayakudinga ukuhlawulelwa izono. Kodwa abanye bayakubona ukuthi indlela le abaphila ngayo kayibenzi bathokoze. Ngakho nxa bengavakatshelwa ngoFakazi bakaJehova kusuka kuthi dlwe kubo ukuthi isono siyini, ukuthi sibangelani ebantwini lokuthi kumele benzeni ukuze bakhululwe kuso. Bayathokoza kakhulu nxa befunda ukuthi uJehova watshengisa abantu umusa omkhulu ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe emhlabeni ukuthi izobafela ukuze bakhululwe esonweni lasekufeni.—1 Joh. 4:9, 10.

⁷ UPhawuli wakhuluma ngeNdodana kaJehova ayithandayo wathi: “Kuye [uJesu] silokuhlengwa ngegazi lakhe, lokuthethelelwa kwezono, ngokumayelana lengcebo yomusa kaNkulunkulu.” (Efe. 1:7) Umhlatshelo wenhlawulo kaKhristu utshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda kakhulu futhi uveza lobukhulu bomusa wakhe. Kuyasiduduza sibili ukwazi ukuthi nxa singaba lokholo egazini likaJesu elachithekayo, izono zethu zizathethelelwa njalo sizakuba lomzwangedwa omuhle. (Heb. 9:14) Lezi zindaba ezinhle sibili okumele sizitshele abantu!

8. Kungani abantu abalesono kumele babuyisane loNkulunkulu?

⁸ Silomlandu wokutshela abantu ukuthi bangenelisa ukusondela kuMdali wabo babe ngabangane bakhe. Phela uNkulunkulu ubabona beyizitha zakhe bonke abantu abangakabi lokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu. Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Loba ngubani obeke ithemba lakhe eNdodaneni ulokuphila okungapheliyo, kodwa loba ngubani oyilahlayo iNdodana kazukuyibona leyompilo ngokuba ulaka lukaNkulunkulu seluphezu kwakhe.” (Joh. 3:36) Kodwa okuthokozisayo yikuthi umhlatshelo kaKhristu wenza abantu benelise ukubuyisana loNkulunkulu. UPhawuli wathi: “Lina lake laba ngabehlukane loNkulunkulu liyizitha ezingqondweni zenu ngenxa yokuziphatha kwenu okubi. Kodwa khathesi uselibuyisile ngomzimba kaKhristu uqobo lwawo ngokufa.”—Kol. 1:21, 22.

9, 10. (a) Yiwuphi umsebenzi uKhristu awunike abagcotshiweyo? (b) “Ezinye izimvu” zibancedisa njani abagcotshiweyo?

⁹ UPhawuli wathi uKhristu uphathise abafowabo abagcotshiweyo abasesemhlabeni “imfundiso yokubuyisana.” Wakuchaza lokhu ngesikhathi ebhalela amaKhristu agcotshiweyo ngekhulu lokuqala wathi: “Konke lokhu kuvela kuNkulunkulu owasibuyisela kuye ngoKhristu wasinika imfundiso yokubuyisana: ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayebuyisa umhlaba kuye ngoKhristu, abantu engababaleli izono zabo. Njalo usesinike ilizwi lokubuyisana. Ngakho-ke singabameli bakaKhristu, ngokungathi uNkulunkulu wenza isikhalazo sakhe ngathi. Siyalincenga simele uKhristu sithi: Buyisanani loNkulunkulu.”—2 Khor. 5:18-20.

¹⁰ “Ezinye izimvu” lazo zikubona kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukubambisana labagcotshiweyo enkonzweni le yokubuyisana. (Joh. 10:16) Ngamanye amazwi singathi ziyizithunywa zikaKhristu ngoba zenza ingxenye enkulu kakhulu emsebenzini wokufundisa abantu iqiniso lokubanceda ukuthi babe lobuhlobo obuhle loJehova. Le yingxenye eqakathekileyo yomsebenzi wokufakaza izindaba ezinhle eziphathelane lomusa kaNkulunkulu omkhulu.

11, 12. Kungani kuyizindaba ezinhle ebantwini ukufunda ukuthi bangakhuleka kuJehova?

¹¹ Abantu abanengi bayakhuleka ukuze bazizwe ngcono kodwa kabakukholwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyayilalela imithandazo yabo. Kumele bafundiswe ukuthi uJehova ‘uyayizwa imithandazo.’ Umhubi uDavida wabhala wathi: “Yebo, wena owuzwayo umthandazo, bonke abantu bazakuza kuwe. Kwathi lapho sisacindezelwa yizono, wazithethelela iziphambeko zethu.”—Hubo. 65:2, 3.

¹² UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe wathi: ‘Lingacela noma yini ngebizo lami, ngizayenza.’ (Joh. 14:14) Kusegcekeni ukuthi nxa kuthiwa “noma yini” kutshiwo izinto ezihambelana lentando kaJehova. UJohane wathi: “Silesiqiniselo lesi ekusondeleni kuNkulunkulu: ukuthi uma sicela ulutho ngokwentando yakhe, uyasizwa.” (1 Joh. 5:14) Ngakho kuhle kakhulu ukuthi sifundise abantu ukuthi umthandazo kawusindlela yokuthoba ingqondo nxa umuntu ekhathazekile kodwa yindlela yokusondela “esihlalweni sobukhosi somusa” sikaJehova. (Heb. 4:16) Nxa singabafundisa ukuthi bathandaze ngendlela eqondileyo, bathandaze kuJehova kuphela  njalo bathandazele izinto eziyizo, siyabe sibasiza ukuthi basondele kuJehova. Ukwenza njalo kuzabasiza ukuthi bathole induduzo ngesikhathi behlulukelwe.—Hubo. 4:1; 145:18.

13, 14. (a) Yiziphi izibusiso ezimangalisayo ezizatholwa ngabagcotshiweyo esikhathini esizayo? (b) Yiwuphi umsebenzi omuhle abagcotshiweyo abazawenzela abantu abalalelayo?

¹³ UJehova uzaqhubeka etshengisa umusa wakhe omkhulu ngesikhathi esizayo. Nanku okwatshiwo nguPhawuli mayelana lelungelo elikhulu uNkulunkulu alinike abangu-144 000 abazabusa loKhristu ezulwini. Wabhala wathi: “Kodwa ngenxa yothando lwakhe olukhulu kithi, uNkulunkulu olesihawu esikhulu, wasenza saba ngabaphilayo loKhristu lanxa sasifile eziphambekweni—lina selisindisiwe ngomusa. UNkulunkulu wasivusa kanye loKhristu wasihlalisa laye ebukhosini basezulwini kuKhristu uJesu, ukuze kuthi ezikhathini ezizayo atshengise inotho yomusa wakhe engeke ilinganiswe, ebalulwe yibubele bakhe kithi kuKhristu uJesu.”—Efe. 2:4-7.

¹⁴ Kunzima kakhulu ukuzichasisa ngokugcweleyo izinto ezimangalisayo uJehova azigcinele abagcotshiweyo abazazithola lapho sebesezihlalweni zobukhosi kanye loKhristu ezulwini. (Luk. 22:28-30; Flp. 3:20, 21; 1 Joh. 3:2) UJehova uzabatshengisa “inotho yomusa wakhe engeke ilinganiswe.” Bazabumba “iJerusalema elitsha,” umlobokazi kaKhristu. (Isam. 3:12; 17:14; 21:2, 9, 10) Bazahlanganyela loJesu emsebenzini ‘wokwelapha izizwe,’ bencedisa ukukhipha bonke ubuhlungu obubangelwa yisono lokufa ebantwini lokubasiza ukuthi babe ngabapheleleyo.—Bala iSambulo 22:1, 2, 17.

15, 16. UJehova uzasitshengisa njani umusa wakhe omkhulu emhlabeni omutsha?

¹⁵ U-Efesu 2:7 usitshela ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzasitshengisa umusa wakhe omkhulu ‘ngesikhathi esizayo.’ Bonke abantu abazabe besemhlabeni ngalesosikhathi bazayibona “inotho yomusa wakhe engeke ilinganiswe.” (Luk. 18:29, 30) Enye indlela emangalisayo uJehova azatshengisa ngayo umusa wakhe omkhulu emhlabeni yikuvusa abantu ‘abasemathuneni.’ (Jobe. 14:13-15; Joh. 5:28, 29) Abantu abathembekileyo abafa uKhristu engakabuyi emhlabeni kanye ‘labezinye izimvu’ abafa bethembekile kulezizinsuku zokucina bazavuswa baqhubeke bekhonza uJehova.

¹⁶ Kanti njalo kuzavuswa lezigidi zabantu abafa bengakamazi uNkulunkulu. Bazaphiwa ithuba lokufunda ngoJehova lelokutshengisa ukuthi bayabusekela yini ubukhosi bakhe. UJohane wabhala wathi: “Ngasengibona abafileyo, abancane labakhulu, bemi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi, kwasekuvulwa izincwadi. Kwavulwa enye incwadi, eyincwadi yokuphila. Abafileyo bahlulelwa mayelana lalokho ababekwenzile okwakulotshwe ezincwadini. Ulwandle lwakhupha abafileyo ababekulo, ukufa leHadesi kwakhupha abafileyo ababekukho, umuntu ngamunye wahlulelwa mayelana lalokho akwenzayo.” (Isam. 20:12, 13) Labo abazavuswa kuzamele bafunde ukusebenzisa izimiso zikaNkulunkulu ezilotshwe eBhayibhilini. Kanti njalo kuzamele balandele iziqondiso ezilusizo ezizakwambulwa “ezincwadini” ezintsha ezizacacisa lokho uJehova azabe ekukhangelele ebantwini bakhe ngalesosikhathi. Ukwambulwa kwalezo ziqondiso ezintsha kuzabe kungeyinye indlela uJehova azatshengisa ngayo umusa wakhe omkhulu.

17. Kuyini okumele sikukhumbule nxa sitshumayela?

¹⁷ Khathesi kumele sibambe ziqine emsebenzini wokutshumayela ngoba ukuphela sekuseduze. (Mak. 13:10) Izindaba ezinhle zitshengisa umusa kaJehova omkhulu. Akumelanga sikhohlwe ukuthi nxa sitshumayela injongo yethu ngeyokudumisa uJehova. Manje singakwenza njani lokhu? Singakwenza ngokuchazela abantu ukuthi zonke izibusiso ezizakuba khona emhlabeni omutsha ziyibufakazi bomusa kaJehova omkhulu.

18, 19. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyawuqakathekisa umusa omkhulu kaJehova?

¹⁸ Nxa sitshumayela kumele sitshele abantu ukuthi ngesikhathi uKhristu esebusa umhlaba, sizathola zonke izibusiso zomhlatshelo wenhlawulo lokuthi kancane kancane isono sizasuswa ebantwini siphele nya! IBhayibhili lithi: “Indalo yona ngokwayo izakhululwa ebugqilini bokonakala ilethwe kunkululeko elenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (Rom. 8:21) Konke lokhu kuzakwenzakala ngenxa yomusa kaJehova omkhulu.

¹⁹ Silesibusiso sokutshela bonke abantu abalalelayo izindaba ezimnandi ezitholakala kuSambulo 21:4, 5. UMbhalo lo uthi: “[UNkulunkulu] uzazesula zonke izinyembezi emehlweni abo. Akusayikuba khona futhi ukufa loba ukulila loba ukukhala loba ubuhlungu, ngoba umumo omdala wezinto usudlule. Lowo owayehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi wathi, ‘Ngenza izinto zonke zibe zintsha!’ Wabuya wathi, ‘Kulobe lokhu, ngoba amazwi la aqotho njalo aliqiniso.’” Nxa singakukhuthalela ukutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle siyabe sitshengisa ukuthi siyawuqakathekisa umusa omkhulu kaJehova.