Amakhaya ethu kufanele enziwe iBetheli, izinhliziyo zethu indawo engcwele. Lapho uthando lukaNkulunkulu luthokozelwa emphefumulweni, kuzoba khona ukuthula, kuzobakhona ukukhanya nenjabulo. UJesu uthanda ukubona imishado ethokozile, injabulo eduze komlilo.

Ngeminyaka yo-1800, ngenkulumo yase America, eduze komlilo bekungumkhuba wempilo yasekhaya, kakhulu esikhathini leso kwakungekho ukufudumala kwanamuhla noma ugesi. Yilapho imindeni ihlangana khona ukuba ifudumale, ukukhanya, kanye nokuxhumana. UDade White esebenzisa igama “eduze komlilo” ukugcizelela umuntu, ubuhlobo, nokuxhumana kwesimoya sabalaleli ngokuvamile nokusemxoka. Ngakho-ke, ngaye singathi, eduze komlilo” akuyona indawo ebonakalayo kuphela; uphawu lokusondelana, ithemba, nethuba lomfutho wokweluleka labo abasekhaya ukuba baphile ekukhanyeni kukaNkulunkulu akunike abantu Bakhe wabela bonke abasemhlabeni. Manje, njengalokhu sinakho engqondweni, masibheke isihloko sanamuhla futhi sifunde izifundo ezahlukene esingazithola ezwini likaNkulunkulu kanye nosiba Oluphfumulelwe.

Ebuntwaneni bami, noma ikhaya lami belisendaweni ebandayo cishe unyaka wonke, besingenayo indayo yeziko lomlilo eyaziwayo. Kodwa ngiyakhumbula ekhaya bekuyindawo lapho sihlangana khona kungathi sihleli “eduze komlilo” ngesikhathi senkonzo nezinye izinkathi sichithe isikhathi sidumisa iNkosi sifunda nezwi Lakhe. UMama ubebalana nathi izifundo ezibalulekile zempilo engisazikhumbula ngothando. Wayelandela iseluleko esitholakala kwizaga 22:6, “Khulisa umntwana ngendlela eyakuba ngeyakhe: kuyakuthi lapho esekhulile, angasuki kuyo.” Ngibona ngokusobala ngamava ami ukuthi lezifundo bezibalulekile ukungisiza ukwenza izinqumo eziqinisa ukuthi ngingalandela iNkosi noma qha. Ngibonga iNkosi ngeZwi Layo nezithembiso ezitholakala kulo.

“Ebuntwaneni nasezingeni lobusha isimilo siyacindezelwa. Amanadla okuzibamba kufanele atholwe. Eduze komlilo nakwibandla lasekhaya, imifutho iyacindezelwa nemiphumela yawo ihlala ingunaphakade. Ukudlula isipho semvelo, imikhuba esekwe kwiminyaka yokuqala kunquma ukuthi umuntu uzonqoba noma anqotshwe yimpi yokuphila.” 2

Sizwa ngoAbrahama, ukholo lwakhe, iziphambeko zakhe nomsebenzi wakhe awenzayo nabanye bomkhaya wakhe-futhi lokho kufaka nabantu ababemsebenzelayo, izinceku zakhe. Wathola isithembiso esivela kuNkulunkulu: “Ngiyakubusisa abakubusisayo, nokuqalekisayo ngiyakumqaalekisa: futhi ngawe yonke imindeni yomhlaba iyakubusiswa” (Genesis 12:3). Kungani yonke imindeni yomhlaba izakubusiswa ngaye-na? Kungenxa yokuxhumana kwakhe noKristu, umisile isibonelo sokulalela izwi likaNkulunkulu, njengoba sifunda kuGenesis 26:5, “Ngokuba uAbrahama walalela izwi Lami, wagcina ukusho Kwami, nemiyalo Yami, nezimiso Zami, nemithetho Yami.” Akusikho lokho kuphela, wayezofundisa futhi aluleke umndeni wakhe izindlela zeNkosi efakaza ngaye uthi, ngokuba ngiyamazi, ngimkhethele ukuba ayale abantwana bakhe nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe ukugcina indlela kaJehova nokusebenza ukulunga nokwahlulela, ukuze uJehova amenzele uAbrahama lokho amthembise kona” (Genesis 18:19). Noma kunjalo ubengeyedwa kulomsebenzi. USara, unkosikazi wakhe, wayenaye bobabili benza umsebenzi omuhle “eduze komlilo” njengoba bebesenza ngokuhlanganyela ukululeka wonke umuntu osekhaya njengoba besohambeni oluya ezweni lesithembiso: Phakathi kwalabo abaningi babeholwa ngozwelo oluphakeme kunalabo abasemsebenzini nabanobugovu. Ngesikhathi behlezi eHarana, bobabili uAbrahama noSara baholela abanye ukuba bakhonze basebenzele uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Laba bazihlanganisa nekhaya likakhokho, bahambisana nayekwilizwe lesithembiso.” 3 Kusukela kumava kaAbrahama noSara ngokusebenza ndawonye besebenzela umbuso kaNkulunkulu, kukhanya ngokusobala ukuthi bobabili ubaba nomama badlala indima enkulu ekufundiseni umkhaya wabo izindlela zeNkosi.

Ekufundiseni kwami, kumathuba ehlukene, lapho ngihambela imikhaya, ngithe ngahlanganyela nayo ngezikhathi zomkhuleko wasekhaya nabo “eduze komlilo” kuhle kakhulu ukubona ukuhlakanipha nomzamo abazali abawenzayo ukwenza uhlelo lokuba nalezikhathi ezibalulekile njengomndeni. Kuyisibusiso ukukhuleka, ukudumisa, nokufunda ngokuhlanganyela, ukubekela eceleni isikhathi esithize sihlangane ndawonye ukukhonza iNkosi yethu sijule ekukhulumisaneni ngezinto zesimoya. Kanjalo baphelelisa umsebenzi wabo wokuphakamisa ibhanela likaEmanuweli elinindwe ngagazi limelene nomcibisholo wesitha. Kubalulekil ukukhumbula ukuthi umkhaya insimu ebalulekile yensimu yokusebenza.

“Abazali kufanele bakhulume nabantwana abasebancane ngoJesu, nangecebo lensindiso. Kufanele bazisonge ngezifundo eziyiguguzokuphila nangesimilo sikaKristu ezingqondweni zabantwana ukuze babe ngabalandeli bakaKristu nezindlalifa zokuphila okuphakade. Kuningi esingakukhuluma ngomsebenzi wokuvangela emazweni akude, kodwa umsebenzi wakhaya unganakwa. Insumu enkulu yokuvangela iseduze komlilo wakho, nesidingo esikhulu yileso sabobaba nomama bakwaIsrayeli. Lapho abazali beqala ukubona ukuziphendulela kwabo okukhulu okuhlezi phezu kwabo, bazothatha lomsebenzi wokuhambisa ivangeli, baqeqeshele abantwana babo izulu. Bazonikeza izingane zabo umugqa phezu komugqa, isimiso phezu kwesimiso.” 4 Umsebenzi wethu maqondana noKristu kufanele uqale nomndeni ekhaya. Ukufundisa abasha kufanele obekuhlelo oluhlukile kunalelo anikwa lona ekuqaleni. Inhlalakahle yabo manje idinga umsebenzi mkhulu kakhulu kunalowo abanikezwe wona. Awukho umsebenzi obaluleke kakhulu odlula lona. Ngezimiso nangezibonelo abazali kumele bafundise abantwana babo ukusebenzela abangaguqukanga. Abantwana kumele bafundiswe ukuzwelana nabantu abakhulile nabahluphekile bafune ukunciphisa ukuhlupheka kwabampofu nabasosizini. Kufanele bafundiswe ukuqaphela umsebenzi wokuhambisa ivangeli; emiyakeni yobuncane babo ukuzidela nokuzinikela ngobuhle kwabanye nokuthuthukisa umsebenzi kaKristu akufanele ulinganiswe, ukuze babe ngabahlanganyeli ndawonye noNkulunkulu.

“Kodwa uma befunda ukwenza ngempela umsebenzi wokuhambisa ivangeli kwabanye, kufanele bafunde kuqala ukusebenzela labo abasekhaya, labo abanelungelo lemvelo yesikhundla sothando. Wonke umntwana makafundiswe ukuthwala inxenye yomsebenzi wakhe ekhaya. Akufanele abe namahloni ukusebenzisa izandla zakhe ukuphakamisa umsebenzi wasekhaya nezinyawo zakhe ukwenza umsebenzi. Njengoba sihlanganyela, angeke afinyelela endlelani yokunganaki nesono. Mangakhi aamahora achithwa abantwana nabasha angabe asetshenziswa ukuphakamisa izingalo zabo emahlombe, nokusiza ukuphakamisa, ukuziphendulela kwasekhaya okumele omunye akuthwale, kanjalo babonisa intakazelelo yothando kubaba nomama. Futhi bagxiliswa kwizimiso zemvuselelo yempilo nokunakekela imizimba yabo.” 5

Nokho, “abaningi lensimu yasekhaya abayinaki ngenxa yamahloni, futhi manje yisikhathi sokuthi amacebo angcwele namakhambi alethwe, ukuze lesimo sobubi singalungiswa. Yiziphi izaba abalandeli bakaKristu abazishoyo abangaziletha ngokunganaki ukuqeqesha abantwana babo ukuba baMsebenzele?” 6

Bazali abathandekayo, ekhaya, abasha bethu badinga olukhethekile njengoba sibona ububi obusemhlabeni bukhulu kancane kancane.”Ububi obukhulu obokuhluleka ukuzithiba kwenza umsebenzi wawo omuhle ezweni lethu. USathane unezithunywa zakhe yonke indawo, abangamathulusi ezandleni zakhe, ukuheha nokonakalisa abasha bethu. Ingabe izwi lesixwayiso lizwakale eduze komlilo wethu-na? Angeke yini ngezimiso nezibonelo, siholele abasha bafise ukufinyelela kwizinga eliphakeme, ukuba nezinhloso ezinesithunzi nezingcwele-na? Lomsebenzi awukholula, noma umsebenzi omncane; kodwa ngumsebenzo oletha umvuzo. Lowo omusha othe wafundiswangoqeqesho olufanele ekhaya, uzoletha izinkuluni eziqinile ekwakheni isimilo sakhe, futhi ngesibonelo sakhe nokuphila, uma amandla akhe asetshenziswa kahle, uzoba namandla emhlabeni wethu nokuholela abanye phezulu naphambili endleleni yokulunga. Ukusindiswa komphefumulo owodwa insindiso yemiphefumulo eminingi.” 7

Encwadini ebizwa nge Evangelism, isibonelo, sesithunywa seNkosi senza isicelo: “Kubobonke abasebenza noKristu ngithi kubo, noma kukuphi lapho uthola ithuba eduze komlilo, khulisa amathuba akho. Thatha iBhayibheli lakho, ulivule phambi kwabo amaqiniso amahulu.” 8 Lapha, uma sisebenzela iNkosi, sinxuswa ukuba sihlangane nabantu lapho benethezeke khona, emakhayeni abo, usebenzise leyondawo ukwabelana ngokholo. Eduze komlilo ichaza ukukhululeka, ukuxhumana ubuqu, ngokwahlukile kunentshumayelo esemthethweni noma impikiswano yabantu bonke. Ukukhuluma inhliziyo nenhliziyo ukusondela kuyakhuthazwa ekusakazweni kwesigijimi sikaNkulunkulu, ehlela ukuqondisa ukugcizelela okubanzi nobuKrestu obusebenzayo nokuhambisa ivangeli uqobo.

Esinye isicelo esibalulekile kulabo abasebenza ngevangeli leBhayibheli, “Bazalawane bami emsebenzini wevangeli, vula iminyango kubasha abesilisa abavuleleke ezilingweni. Sondela eduze kwabo ngemizamo yakho. Ububi buyabamema zinhlangothi zonke. Zama ukubanika intakazelo ezobasiza ukuba baphile ukuphila kwaphezulu. Ungazihlukanisi nabo. Basondeze eduzo komlilo; bameme ukuba bahlanganyele kwialtare lomndeni. Masikhumbule izimfuno zikaNkulunkulu kithi ukwenza indlela eya ezulwini ikhanye futhi ithathekise.” 9

“Ngabona abafundisi abasebenza ngezwi nemfundiso ukuthi banomsebenzi omkhulu ophambi kwabo, nokuziphendulela okukhulu okuhlezi phezu kwabo. Ngabona ukuthi uma besebenza abasondeli kakhulu enhliziyweni. Umsebenzi wabo uvamile kakhulu, futhi uhlakazeke kakhulu. Umsebenzi wabo kufanele wahlukaniselwe kulabo ababasebenzelayo. Uma beshumayela etafuleni, umsebenzi wabo khane uqaliswa. Kufanele bayeke ukushumayela, bazilinde njalo, ukuze bangalethi ukusolwa ebandleni. Kufanele babe yimifanekiso nezibonelo ukuphila kukaKristu. 1 Korinte 3:9. ‘Ngokuba thina siyizisebenzi kanye noNkulunkulu.’ 2 Korinte 6:1. ‘Kepha thina esisebenza Kanye naye siyanincenga ukuba ningawamukeli ize umusa kaNkulunkulu.’ Umsebenzi womfundisi awukapheli uma eshiya itafula. Akufanele alahle umthwalo agcwalise ingqondo yakhe ngokufunda noma ukubhala, ngaphandle kokuthi kubalulekile; kodwa kumele alandele umsebenzi wakhe kubantu ngemizamo yangasese-esebenzela imiphefumulo lapho kuvela ithuba angaletha-ehlezi eduze komlilo, encenga imiphefumulo eyinxusa ngenxa kaKristuukuba babuyisane noNkulunkulu. Umsebenzi wethu lapha uzovalwa masinyane, ‘umuntu ngamunye uzothola umvuzo wakhe ngokuya ngemisebenzi yakhe.’ 10

“Yilona umzamo wokuba seduze komlilo, lomsebenzi wasekhaya, uma wenziwa uzoba yimpumelelo. Uzame, bazalwane abahambisa ivangeli. Abanye abafundisi bethu abaluthandi lohlobo lokusebenza. Bayawugwema. Kukhona isiphambano esinamathelayo kwimizamo enjalo yomuntu, kodwa lona ngumsebenzi abantu okumele bawusingathe weqiniso elingavamile. Lokusondelana okuseduze nemiphefumulo esebumnyameni, ukukhanya kwethu kuzokhanya kakhulu, ngokuqondile ebumnyameni, futhi bazobona indlela esiziphatha ngayo, ukukhuluma kwethu, ukuzithoba nokho okunenjabulo, isimo esinenhlonipho, leso umusa kaNkulunkulu unathi, nokuthi ukuthula kwezulu kulethwa emakhayeni ethu. Bazothathekiswa yiqiniso elihambisana nemiphumela ebusiseke kakhulu.” 11

Isicaphuno esilandelayo siyinxenye yelizwi eliqondiswe kubafundisi ababehlangene kuGeneral Conference kububanzi beBattle Greek, eMichigan, kumhlangano wabo ekuseni owabanjwa ngonyaka 1883 ngomhlaka 9 kuLwezi: yithemba elingcwele kangakanani uNkulunkulu asinike wona ngokusenza izinceku Zakhe ukusiza emsebenzini wokusindisa imiphefumulo. Usinikezile amaqiniso amakhulu, azothile kakhulu, isigijimi esivivinyayo emhlabeni. Umsebenzi wethu akuwona ukushumayela kuphela, kodwa ukufundisa, ukusondela eduze kwezinhliziyo, ukubeka phambili imizamo yakho eduze komlilo. Kufanele sisebenzise amathalenta esiphiwe wona ngekhono nokuhlakanipha, ukuze silethe ukukhanya okuyigugu kweqiniso ngendlela ejabulisayo, indlela enhle nangethemba lokuzuza imiphefumulo.” 12

INkosi uJesu wanikeza abantu Bakhe uthumo okufanele lilalelwe ngokushesha. Siyafunda kuMathewu 28:19, 20 “Ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya Ongcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho; bhekani, mina nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube sekupheleni kwezwe. Ameni.” Kuyilu ngelo lethu ukuba sizwe futhi senze njnengokusho kwalamazwi. “Akuyona inhloso kaNkulunkulu ukuba abafundisi bayekwe ukwenza inxenye enkulu yalomsebenzi wokutshala imbewu yeqiniso. Abantu abangabizelwe ekuhambiseni ivangeli kufanele bakhuthazwe ukusebenzela iNkosi ngokuya ngamakhono ahlukene. Izinkulungwane zabesilisa nabesifazane manje abangenzi lutho bangenza umsebenzi owamkelekayo. Ngokuthwala iqiniso liye kumakhaya omakhelwane babo nabangane, bangenza umsebenzi omkhulu benzela iNkosi. UNkulunkulu akabheki ubuso bomuntu. Uzosebenzisa maKrestu athobekile, athembekile, anothando lweqiniso ezinhliziyweni zabo. Abanjalo mabenze umsebenzi wakhe ngokungena indlu nendlu. Behlezi eduze komlilo, abanjalo-uma bezothile, beqaphile, futhi bemesaba uNkulunkulu-bangenza okukhulu ukulangabezana nezidingo ngempela zemindeni kunomfundisi.” 13 Wonke ohlanganyela kulomsebenzi obalulekile, eduze komlilo kuba yindawo yemvelo yokwabelana nevangeli kanye nezifundo zomndeni, ukholo, olufinyelelayo. “Ukulethwa kweqiniso, ngothando nobulula, ukungena indlu nendlu, ngokuvumelana neseluleko leso uKristu asinika abafundi Bakhe lapho ebathuma okokuqala kuhambo lokuvangela. Ngezingoma zokudumisa, ngokuzithoba, imikhuleko esuka enhliziyweni, izofinyelelwa ebantwini abaningi. Isisebenzi esingcwele sizothulwa sizobakhona ukuletha ukuvuma ezinhliziyweni. ‘Ngizokuba nani izikhathi zonke,’ isithembiso Sakhe. Ngesithembiso sokuhlala kobukhona bomsizi onjalo, singasebenza ngokukholwa nethemba nangesibindi.” 14 Ngakho-ke, uyathanda ukuba uNkulunkulu akusebenzise njengethulusi elizithobile lokuholela abanye ezinyaweni zesiphambano-na?

“Ezinye izindlela eziphumelelayo lokhu ukukhanya okungaxhunyanwa ngakho yimizamo yomuntu ngamunye. Kwisiyingi sasekhaya, eduze komlilo womakhelwane, eduze kombhede wogulayo, ngendlela ethulile ungafunda iMibhalo bese ukhulume izwi ngoJesu neqiniso. Kanjalo ungatshala imbewu eyigugu ezovela ithele isithelo.” 15

Njengoba sifunda namuhla, kukhona umsebenzi obalulekile okumele wenziwe “eduze komlilo,” ngenxa yethu noma ngenxa yomunye. Njengebandla, kufanele sazi umsebenzi wesimoya awubekwanga ebandleni-iphumelela kakhulu nsuku zonke, izikhathi ezingasese. Eduze komlilo, ngalolwazi, indawo yokuqala yokwakha ubudlelwano nokutshala imbewu yokukholwa neqinisoukusuka ekuneni kokuseka okuvamile. Mindeni yamaReform Movement, masicele iNkosi ukuvula izingqondo zethu nezinhliziyo ukwamukela lesigijimi sibuyisele ekhaya isicelo esilandelayo anaso kuwe nakimi uma sivala lesihloko:

“INkosi izohlolisisa ukusetshenziswa kwamathalenta asinike wona. Ukhokhile inani ngegazi Lakhe nangokuzidela Kwakhe nokuhlupheka, ukulonda umsebenzi wokuzinikela komphefumulo ngamunye njengosebenza ndawonye noNkulunkulu. Uma bonke bangezwa ukuziphendulela kwabo kuNkulunkulu ngokuhlakanipha basebenzise amathalenta abo abanikwe wona, inzalo noma imbuyiselo engakanani ezolethwa kuNkulunkulu ngoJesu Kristu! Ithalenta ngalinye lizokhula uma lisetshenziswa. Isipho esibonakala sisincane kakhulu, umsebenzi othobekile, ingafinyelela ezingqondweni nomfutho ezinhliziyweni zalabo abanamathalenta amakhulu angeke awathinte.

“Manje, manje, manje isikhathi esihle sokusebenza. Ukuhambela komuntu ngamunye kubaluleke kakhulu. Uma sithanda uJesu Kristu sithanda imiphefumulo yabantu iqiniso kumele liyiswe kumakhaya wonke, kukhulunywe ngalo eduze komlilo okungenzeka uthole ilungelo lokungena….Gcina engqondweni ukuthi uMoya Ongcwele uyisisebenzi. Isithunywa somuntu esisebenzela uNkulunkulu asisodwa….

“Sebenza ngokubekezela, ngobumnene, ngozwelo, ngomkhuleko, nothando luzokwenza lukhulu kunezintshumayelo. INkosi uJesu, ngokunikela ngokuphila Kwakhe ukusindisa umhlaba esiqalekisweni sesono, elindele izinto ezinkulu kunalezo amehlo ethu angakufakazela. Umoya Ongcwele ulindele imizila leyo ozosebenza ngayo….USathane angeke anqoba ngezikhathi zonke. UMoya kaNkulunkulu uzothululwa phezu kwebandla masinyane emva kokuba izitsha zilungele ukuwamukela.” 16

INkosi mayisibusise ngokunothile isisize ukuba senze lomsebenzi eduze komlilo, Amen!