NgeSonto
, Nhlolanja 9
1. INKINGA PHAKATHI KWABAFUNDI
a. Kuphikisana kuni okwavuka phakathi kwabafundi bakaJohane namaJuda-na? Johane 3:25.
“Abafundi bakaJohane babheka ngomona ukukhula kokuthandeka kukaJesu. Bema belungele ukugxeka umsebenzi Wakhe, futhi akuphelanga isikhathi ngaphambi kokuba bathole ithuba. Kwaphakama umbuzo phakathi kwabo namaJuda ukuthi ingabe umbhapathizo uyasiza yini ukuhlanza umphefumulo esonweni; bagcina ngokuthi umbhapathizo kaJesu wehluke kakhulu kunoka-Johane. Ngokushesha base bephikisana nabafundi bakaKristu maqondana nesimo samagama okufanele asetshenziswa uma kubhapathizwa, futhi ekugcineni maqondana nelungelo lalabo kamuva bebhapathizwa nhlobo.”-The Desire of Ages, p. 178.
b. Abafundi bakaJohane babonisa kanjani umona wabo ngomsebenzi kaKristu, futhi iyiphi impendulo enhle abanikeza yona-na? Johane 3:26, 27.
“UJohane ngokwemvelo ubenamaphutha nobuthakathaka obuvamile babantu, kodwa ukuthinta kothando olungcwele kuthe kwamguqula. Wayehlala endaweni enomfutho ongangcoliswanga isifiso sobugovu nokufisa izinto ezinkulu, ngaphezu kwalokho inkungu yomona. Akabonisanga uzwelo ngokunganeliseki kwabafundi bakhe, kodwa wabonisa ngokukhanyayo ukuthi uyabazi ubudlelwano bakhe noMesiya, futhi wamukela ngenjabulo Lowo athe wamlungiselela indlela. Ibid. p. 179.
NgoMsombuluko
, Nhlolanja 10
2. UMSEBENZI KA-JOHANE
a. UJohane wabonisa kanjani ukuthi uyawuqonda umsebenzi wakhe-na? Johane 3:28, 29.
“UJohane wazibonakalisa njengomngane owasebenza njengesithunywa phakathi kwamaxuku athembisene, alungiselela indlela yomshado. Lapho umyeni amukele umakoti wakhe, umsebenzi womngane ugcwalisekile. Wajabulela intokozo yalobunye abukhulisile. Kanjalo uJohane wabizelwa ukuqondisa abantu kuJesu, futhi bekuyinjabulo yakhe ukufakazela impumelelo yomsebenzi woMsindisi.”-The Desire of Ages, p. 179.
b. Chaza umsebenzi kaJohane-nowethu. Johane 1:23, 29.
“Ngokubheka ngokukholwa kuMhlengi, uJohane wenyukela ezingeni lokuzidela. Wayengafuni ukudonsela abantu kuye, kodwa ukuphakamisa imicabango yabo phezulu naphezulu kakhulu, baze baphumule phezu kweWundlu likaNkulunkulu. Yena ubeyizwi nje elimemeza ehlane. Manje ngenjabulo wemukela ukuthula nokusithela angaziwa, ukuze amehlo abo bonke aphendukele ekuKhanyeni kokuphila.
“Labo abaqinisekile kubizo lwabo njengezithunywa zikaNkulunkulu angeke bazifunele udumo ngokwabo. Ukuthanda umina kuzogwinywa uthando lukaKristu. Akukho ukuphikisana okuzongcolisa indlela eyigugu yevangeli. Bazobona ukuthi ngumsebenzi wabo ukulimemezela, njengoba enza uJohane uMbhapathizi, ‘Bheka iWundlu likaNkulunkulu elisusa izono zezwe.’ Johane 1:29. Bazophakamisa uJesu, futhi nabantu bazophakanyiselwa phezulu. ‘Ngokuba usho kanje ophakamileyo nophezulu, ohlala kuze kube phakade, ogama lakhe lingoNgcwele, uthi: Ngihlala endaweni ephakemeyo nengcwele, kepha nakuye onomoya ochotshoziweyo nothobekileyo nokuphilisa izinhliziyo zabachotshoziweyo.’ Isaya 57:15.”-Ibid., pp. 179, 180.
“Ungafuni injabulo okungeyakho nokunethezeka, kodwa funa ukwazi nokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu. Ngamunye makabuze, angikwazi yini ukuqondisa umphefumulo kwiWundlu likaNkulunkulu, elisusa izono zezwe-na? Angikwazi ukududuza yini umuntu odangele-na? Angikwazi yini ukuba yindlela yokusindisa omunye umphefumulo embusweni kaNkulunkulu-na? Sifuna ukunyakaza okujulile koMoya kaNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zethu, ukuze singagcini nje ngokuzitholela izingubo ezimhlophe, kodwa ukuthi sibe nomfutho kwabanye ukuze amagama abo alotshwe encwadini yokuphila, futhi angabuye ahlangulwe.”-Historical Sketches, p. 140.
Ngolwesibili
, Nhlolanja 11
3. ISIPHO SIKAMOYA
a. Iningi labantu lasabela kanjani umyalezo kaKristu-na? Johane 3:32.
“Abafundi bakaJohane base bememezela ukuthi bonke abantu beza kuJesu; kodwa ngokuqonda okucacile, uJohane wathi, ‘Akekho owamukela ubufakazi Bakhe,’ bambalwa kakhulu ababekulungele ukumamukela njengoMsindisi basuke esonweni. ‘Kodwa lowo owamukele ubufakazi Bakhe ulubekile uphawu lokuthi uNkulunkulu uqinisile.’Johane 3:33, R.V.”-The Desire of Ages, p. 181.
b. Sibekwa phezu kukabani isipho somoya ongcwele -na? Johane 3:34.
“Singamukela ukukhanya kwasezulwini kuphela uma sithanda ukuthulula umina. Angeke sihlukanise isimilo sikaNkulunkulu, noma samukele uKristu ngokukholwa, kuphela uma sivuma ukulethwa ebugqilini wonke umcabango ekulaleleni uKristu. Bonke abenza lokhu uMoya Ongcwele unikeziwe ngaphandle kwesilinganiso. Ngokuba ‘kuhlala Kuye ngokomzimba ukugcwala konke kobuNkulunkulu, nigcwalisiwe Kuye.’ Kolose 2:9, 10, R.V.”-Ibid.
c. Sembulwa kanjani isihluthulelo sokuthola isilinganiso esikhulu somoya ongcwele eMibhalweni-na? Johane 14:15-17; Izenzo 5:32.
“Akufanele sithi kuphela, ‘Ngiyakholwa,’ kodwa singalenzi iqiniso. Kungenxa yokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu ngamazwi ethu, ukuziphatha kwethu, isimilo sethu, esifakazela ukuxhumana kwethu Naye. Noma nini lapho umuntu elahla isono, okungukweqa umthetho, ukuphila Kwakhe kuzolethwa ekuvumelaneni nomthetho, ekulaleleni okupheleleyo. Lona ngumsebenzi woMoya Ongcwele. Ukukhanya okusezwini okuhlolisiswe ngokucophelela, izwi likanembeza, ukulwela koMoya, kuveza enhliziyweni uthando lwangempela ngoKristu, owazinikela ngomhlatshelo ophelele ukuze ahlenge wonke umuntu, umzimba, umphefumulo, nomoya. Futhi uthando lubonakaliswa ngokulalela. Umugqa wokuhlukanisa uzobasobala futhi uhlukanise phakathi kwalabo abathanda uNkulunkulu futhi abagcina umthetho Wakhe, nalabo abangamthandi futhi benganaki izimiso Zakhe.”-Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 92.
Ngolwesithathu
, Nhlolanja 12
4. UKUBALULEKA KOMBHAPATHIZO
a. Kungani kubalulekile ukuqonda isinyathelo esisithathela kuKristu lapho sinquma ukubhapathizwa-na? Johane 3:36.
“Ngaphandle kukaKristu, ukuBhapathizwa, nganoma ngasiphi isimo senkonzo, kuyize.”-The Desire of Ages, p. 181.
“Asikho isidingo sokuphikisana ngokuthi ingabe ubhapathizo lukaKristu noma olukaJohane luhlambulula isono. Kungumusa kaKristu onikeza ukuphila emphefumulweni.”-Ibid.
“Ukungafi kungatholakala ngoKristu kuphela. Kusho uJesu: 'Okholwa yiNdodana unokuphila okuphakade; kepha ongakholwa yiNdodana kayikubona ukuphila, kodwa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu ihlezi phezu kwakhe.’ Johane 3:36. Wonke umuntu angaba nalesi sibusiso esingenakuqhathaniswa uma ezovumelana nemibandela. Bonke ‘abafuna ngokukhuthazela ekwenzeni okuhle inkazimulo nodumo nokungabhubhi bazothola ‘ukuphila okuphakade.’ Roma 2:7.”-The Desire of Ages, p. 533.
“UMbhapathizo kuwukulahla umhlaba ngesizotha esikhulu. Labo abathe babhaphathizwa emagameni amathathu elikaYise, neleNdodana, nelikaMoya Ongcwele, ekuqaleni kokuphila kobuKrestu bamemezela ngokusobala ukuthi bayilahlile inkonzo kaSathane futhi bangamalunga omndeni wasebukhosini, abantwana beNkosi yasezulwini.”-Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 91.
b. Chaza amazwi ashaqisayo kaJohane uMbhapathizi aveza ukujula kokuzibophezela empilweni ngempela ebonakaliswa ngokubhapathiswa-na? Luka 3:7, 8.
“UJohane wabeka imbazo empandeni yomuthi. Wakhuza isono, engesabi imiphumela, futhi walungisela indlela yeWundlu likaNkulunkulu.
“UHerode wathinteka njengoba elalele ngamandla, ubufakazi obuqondile bukaJohane, futhi ngentakazelelo ejulile wabuza ukuthi kuyini okumele akwenze ukuze abe ngumfundi wakhe. UJohane wayenolwazi lweqiniso lokuthi wayezoshada unkosikazi womfowabo, umyeni wakhe esaphila, futhi ngokuthembeka watshela uHerode ukuthi lokhu kwakungekho emthethweni.”-Early Writings, p. 154.
“UJohane uMbhapathizi wahlangabezana nesono ngokusikhuza okusobala kubantu abasebenza ngokuzithoba kanye namadoda asezingeni eliphezulu. Wamemezela iqiniso kumakhosi nezikhulu, ukuthi bayalizwa noma bayalenqabe. Wakhuluma mathupha futhi engagwegwesi.”-Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 149.
Ngolwesine
, Nhlolanja 13
5. INDLELA YOKWENZA EHLAKANIPHILE
a. Lapho bebona ukuthi abaFarisi babezama ukudala inxabano phakathi kukaJohane naye ukuthi kuyini uJesu akwenzayo-na? Johane 4:1-3.
“UJesu ubazi lokuthi [abaFarisi] angeke benza umzamo wokudala ukwahlukana phakathi kwabafundi Bakhe nalabo bakaJohane. Ubazi ukuthi isivunguvungu sasibuthana esasizokhukhula omunye wabaprofethi abakhulu kunabo bonke abake banikezwa emhlabeni. Efisa ukugwema ngezikhathi zonke ukungezwani noma ukungavumelani, wayiyeka ngokuthula imisebenzi Yakhe, wamuka waya eGalile. Nathi, ngesikhathi sithembekile eqinisweni, kufanele sizame ukugwema konke lokhu okuholela ekungazwanini nokungaqondi. Noma nini lapho lezi zivela, umphumela uba ukulahleka kwemiphefumulo. Noma nini lapho kuvela izimo ezisongela noma ezibanga ukwehlukana, kufanele silandele isibonelo sikaJesu nesikaJohane uMbhapathizi.”-The Desire of Ages, p. 181.
b. Kuyini okufanele sikufunde ngesimo sengqondo kaJohane sokudambisa isimo esibucayi-na? Johane 3:30.
“NjengoJohane uMbhapathizi, abaningi bacabanga ukuthi impumelelo yomsebenzi yencike kwisisebenzi sokuqala. Ukunaka kugxile kumuntu esikhundleni sobungcwele, umona uyangena, futhi umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu uyonakaliswa. Lowo ohlonishwa ngokungafanele uyalingeka ukuba abe nokuzethemba. Akaboni ukwencika kwakhe kuNkulunkulu. Abantu bafundiswa ukwencika kumuntu ukuze bathole ukuqondiswa, futhi kanjalo bawela emaphutheni, futhi basuswa kuNkulunkulu.
“Umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu akufanele uthwale umfanekiso womuntu. Izikhathi ngokulandelana kwazo iNkosi izothumela izithunywa ezihlukile, ngalowo onhloso Yakhe ingagcwaliseka ngokufanele. Bayathokoza labo abathanda ukuba umina athotshiswe, kusho uJohane uMbhapathizi, Kufanele akhule Yena, nginciphe mina.”-Ibid., p. 182.
NgoLwesihlanu
, Nhlolanja 14
IMIBUZO YOMUNTU NGAMUNYE
1. Kungani abafundi bakaJohane baba nomona ngomsebenzi kaKristu-na?
2. Kuyini uJohane akusho kubafundi bakhe-na?
3. Kungayiphi inhloso isipho soMoya Ongcwele sinikezwa sona-na?
4. Umbhapathizo ufeza kanjani injongo yawo yangempela-na?
5. Kuyini uJesu noJohane abakwenza lapho bebona ingozi yengxabano phakathi kwabafundi babo-na?