10 – Ukubhabhathizwa

Umhlaba wawungelasimo njalo ungelalutho, ubumnyama babengame phezulu kolwandle njalo uMoya kaNkulunkulu wawuzulazula ngaphezulu kwamanzi.

Ngakho-ke, sokani izinhliziyo zenu, njalo lingabe lisaba ngontamolukhuni futhi.

Hlanza wonke amanyala ami ungihlambulule esonweni sami.

Ngihlanza ngehisophi ngihlambuluke; Ngigezisa ngibemhlophe kuleliqhwa.

gezani libe ngabahlambulukileyo. susani izenzo zenu ezimbi phambi kobuso bami. Yekelani ukwenza okubi,

We Jerusalema, geza ububi obusenhliziyweni yakho usile. Koze kube nini ugcine imicabango emibi na?

Ngizakuchela ngamanzi ahlanzekileyo, uzahlambuluka; ngizakuhlambulula kukho konke ukungcola kwakho kanye lakuzo zonke izithombe zakho. Ngizakunika inhliziyo entsha ngifake lomoya omutsha phakathi kwakho; ngizasusa kuwe inhliziyo yakho yelitshe ngikunike inhliziyo yenyama. Njalo ngizafaka uMoya wami phakathi kwakho ngikwenze ulandele izimiso zami njalo unanzelele ukugcina imithetho yami.

Abantu baqubuka baya kuye bevela eJerusalema lakulo lonke eleJudiya lommango wonke waseJodani. Wababhaphathiza eMfuleni iJodani, bevuma izono zabo. Kodwa wathi ebona abaFarisi labaSadusi abanengi besiza lapho ayebhaphathizela khona, wathi kubo, “Lina nzalo yezinyoka! Ngubani olixwayisileyo ukuthi libalekele ulaka oluzayo na? Vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka.

Khathesi nje ihloka livele seleyanyisiwe ezimpandeni zezihlahla, ukuthi zonke lezozihlahla ezingatheli izithelo ezinhle zizaganyulelwa phansi ziphoselwe emlilweni. “Mina ngilibhaphathiza ngamanzi, kubonisa ukuphenduka. Kodwa ngemva kwami kuzakuza olamandla kulami, njalo kakungilingananga ukuthwala amanyathelo akhe. Uzalibhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo. Isitsha sakhe sokwela sisesandleni sakhe, njalo uzathanyela isiza sakhe, abuthele wonke amabele esiphaleni, kuthi amakhoba awatshise ngomlilo ongacimiyo.”

Kwafika uJesu evela eGalile weza eJodani ukuba abhaphathizwe nguJohane. Kodwa uJohane wazama ukumvala ngokuthi, “Yimi engiswela ukubhaphathizwa nguwe, kanti pho ungeza njani kimi?” UJesu waphendula wathi, “Yekela kube njalo okwalesi isikhathi; kufanele ukuba sikwenze lokhu ukuze sanelise konke ukulunga.” Ngakho uJohane wasevuma. Masinyane nje uJesu eqeda ukubhaphathizwa waphuma emanzini. Khonokho nje kwavuleka izulu wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla njengejuba esehlela phezu kwakhe. Ilizwi lisuka ezulwini lathi, “Lo yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngayo.”

UJesu waphendula wathi, “Lami ngizalibuza umbuzo owodwa. Lingangiphendula, ngizalitshela ukuthi izinto lezi ngizenza ngawaphi amandla. Ukubhaphathiza kukaJohane  —  kwavela ngaphi na? Kwakuvela ezulwini na loba ebantwini?” Bangunguza bodwa ngalokho bathi, “Uma sisithi, ‘Kwavela ezulwini,’ uzakuthi, ‘Pho kungani lingamkholwanga na?’ Kodwa singathi, ‘Kwavela ebantwini  —  sesaba abantu ngokuba bonke uJohane bamthatha njengomphrofethi.” Ngakho bamphendula uJesu bathi, “Kasikwazi.” Ngakho wasesithi, “Lami kangiyikulitshela ukuthi izinto lezi ngizenza ngamandla bani.

Ngakho hambani lenze abafundi ezizweni zonke, libabhaphathize ebizweni likaBaba, leleNdodana lelikaMoya oNgcwele, njalo libafundise ukulalela konke engililaye ngakho. Ngempela ngilani kokuphela, kuze kube sekucineni kwesikhathi.”

Kwasekufika uJohane ebhaphathiza emmangweni wasenkangala etshumayela ukubhaphathiza kokuphenduka ukuze kuthethelelwe izono. Ummango wonke waseJudiya kanye labantu bonke baseJerusalema baphuma beza kuye. Bavuma izono zabo, wababhaphathiza eMfuleni uJodani. UJohane wayevunula izigqoko ezazenziwe ngoboya bekamela, elebhanti lesikhumba ekhalweni lwakhe, esidla izintethe loloju. Intshumayelo yakhe yayisithi: “Ngemva kwami kuzafika omunye ozaba lamandla kulami, omichilo yamanyathela akhe akungilingananga ukuthi ngikhothame ngiyithukulule. Mina ngilibhaphathiza ngamanzi, kodwa yena uzalibhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele.”

Kusona lesosikhathi uJesu weza evela eGalile wabhaphathizwa nguJohane eJodani. UJesu ephuma emanzini wabona izulu livuleka uMoya esehlela phezu kwakhe enjengejuba. Kwafika ilizwi livela ezulwini lathi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngawe.”

UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngizalibuza umbuzo owodwa. Lingangiphendula ngizalitshela ukuthi ngizenza ngawaphi amandla lezizinto. Ukubhaphathiza kukaJohane  —  kwakusuka ezulwini kumbe ebantwini? Ngitshelani!” Bakuxoxa phakathi kwabo bathi, “Singathi ‘Ezulwini,’ uzasibuza athi, ‘Kungani pho lingamkholwanga?’ Kodwa singathi, ‘Ebantwini … ’ ” (Babebesaba abantu ngoba bonke babesithi ngeqiniso uJohane wayengumphrofethi.) Ngakho basebephendula besithi, “Kasikwazi.” UJesu wathi, “Lami kangisalitsheli ukuthi izinto lezi ngizenza ngawaphi amandla.”

Wathi kubo, “Hambani emhlabeni wonke litshumayele ivangeli kukho konke okwadalwayo. Loba ngubani okholwayo abhaphathizwe uzasindiswa, kodwa lowo ongakholwayo uzalahlwa. Lezi zibonakaliso zizabalandela labo abakholwayo: Ngebizo lami bazakhupha amadimoni; bazakhuluma ngezindimi ezintsha;

Wawuhamba wonke ummango waseJodani, etshumayela ubhaphathizo lokuphenduka ukuze izono zithethelelwe.

UJohane wathi emaxukwini abantu abezayo ukuthi azobabhaphathiza, “Lina nzalo yezinyoka! Lilimukiswe ngubani ukuthi libalekele ulaka oluzayo na? Thelani izithelo ezihambelana lokuphenduka. Futhi lingaziyengi ngokuthi, ‘Thina silo-Abhrahama ongubaba wethu.’ Ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi ngawonala amatshe uNkulunkulu angamenzela abantwana u-Abhrahama. Ihloka selibekiwe ezimpandeni zezihlahla, kuthi-ke lesosihlahla esingatheliyo izithelo ezilungileyo sizaqunywa siphoselwe emlilweni.”

Labathelisi labo beza ukuzabhaphathizwa. Babuza bathi, “Mfundisi, kumele senzeni na?”

UJohane wabaphendula bonke wathi, “Mina ngilibhaphathiza ngamanzi. Kodwa yena olamandla kulami uzakuza, mina okungangilingananga ukuthukulula imichilo yamanyathelo akhe. Uzalibhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo. Ukhunimbaxa lwakhe lokwela useluphethe ezandleni ukuba ele asuse esizeni abuthele amabele akhe esiphaleni, kodwa uzatshisa amakhoba ngomlilo ongacimiyo.”

Kwathi bonke abantu bebhaphathizwa, loJesu laye wabhaphathizwa. Wathi ekhuleka izulu lavuleka uMoya oNgcwele wehlela kuye elesimo sejuba. Kweza ilizwi livela ezulwini lathi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngawe.”

(Bonke abantu, kanye labathelisi, bathi sebewazwile amazwi kaJesu bavuma ukuthi indlela kaNkulunkulu yayilungile, ngoba babebhaphathizwe nguJohane. Kodwa abaFarisi lezazi zomthetho bayala injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabo, ngokuba babengabhaphathizwanga nguJohane.)

UJohane waseletha lobubufakazi: “Ngabona uMoya esehla evela ezulwini enjengejuba wahlala phezu kwakhe. Ngangingekumazi, kodwa lowo owangithumayo ukubhaphathiza ngamanzi wathi, ‘Lowo muntu ozabona uMoya esehlela ahlale kuye nguye kanye ozabhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele.’ Ngibonile yikho sengifakaza ukuthi lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”

Esephendula uJesu wathi, “Ngiyaqinisa ngithi ngaphandle kokuba umuntu azalwe futhi, angeke awubone umbuso kaNkulunkulu.” UNikhodemu wathi, “Kanti umuntu angazalwa kanjani yena esemdala na? Ngeqiniso, angazake angene ngokwesibili esiswini sikanina ukuze azalwe!” UJesu waphendula wathi, “Ngiyaqinisa ngithi, ngaphandle kokuthi umuntu azalwe ngamanzi langoMoya, angeke awungene umbuso kaNkulunkulu. Inyama izala inyama, kodwa uMoya uzala umoya. Ungamangaliswa yikuthi kwami, ‘Limele lizalwe njalo.’

Ngemuva kwalokhu uJesu labafundi bakhe basuka baya emaphandleni aseJudiya lapho ahlala labo okwesikhathi esithile, ebhaphathiza. Ngalesosikhathi uJohane laye wayebhaphathiza e-Ayenoni eduze leSalimi, ngokuba kwakulamanzi amanengi, njalo abantu babethululeka kokuphela bezobhaphathizwa.

Kwavuka ukuphikisana phakathi kwabanye abafundi bakaJohane lomunye umJuda mayelana lendaba yokuzihlambulula komkhuba. Beza kuJohane bathi kuye, “Rabi, indoda leyana eyayilawe ngaphetsheya kweJodani  —  yona leyana owafakaza ngayo  —  hawu, iyabhaphathiza, bonke abantu sebesiya kuyo.” Waphendula uJohane wathi, “Umuntu wamukela kuphela lokho akuphiwayo kuvela ezulwini.

AbaFarisi bezwa ukuthi uJesu wayephumelela njalo esebhaphathiza abafundi abanengi kuloJohane, loba nje iqiniso liyikuthi kwakungasuye uJesu owayebhaphathiza, kodwa kubhaphathiza abafundi bakhe. Kwathi iNkosi isikuzwile lokho yasuka eJudiya yabuyela futhi eGalile.

Uma lingithanda lizakwenza lokho engiliyala khona.

Ngesinye isikhathi, kwathi esidla labo wabanika umlayo lo, wathi; “Lingasuki eJerusalema, kodwa lilindele isipho leso uBaba asithembisayo, elezwa ngikhuluma ngaso. Loba uJohane wabhaphathiza ngamanzi, kodwa ngemuva kwezinsuku ezilutshwana lina lizabhaphathizwa ngoMoya oNgcwele.”

Kwathi kufika usuku lwePhentekhosti, babendawonye endaweni yinye. Masinyane kwabakhona umsindo unjengokuvunguza komoya wesiphepho usehla uvela ezulwini wagcwala indlu yonke ababehlezi kuyo. Babona okwakungathi ngamalangabi omlilo asuka ehlukana ahlala kulowo lalowo wabo. Bonke bagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, basebeqalisa ukukhuluma ezinye izindimi njengokuphiwa kwabo amandla nguMoya.

UPhethro waphendula wathi, “Phendukani libhaphathizwe lonke, ebizweni likaJesu Khristu ukuze lithethelelwe izono zenu. Lani lizakwamukela isipho soMoya oNgcwele.

Labo abalemukelayo ilizwi lakhe babhaphathizwa, kwengezwa enanini labo mhlalokho abangaba yizinkulungwane ezintathu. Bayikhuthalela imfundiso yabaphostoli kanye lobudlelwano, lokuhlephula isinkwa lokukhuleka. Wonke umuntu wagcwala ukuthithibala, njalo abaphostoli benza izimanga lezibonakaliso ezinengi.

Kodwa kwathi sebekholwe uFiliphu etshumayela izindaba ezinhle ezombuso kaNkulunkulu kanye lebizo likaJesu Khristu, babhaphathizwa, abesilisa labesifazana. USimoni laye ngokwakhe wakholwa wabhaphathizwa. Walandela uFiliphu ngaphi langaphi, wamangaliswa yiziboniso lemimangaliso ayibonayo.

Kwathi abaphostoli eJerusalema sebezwile ukuthi iSamariya yase ilamukele ilizwi likaNkulunkulu, bathuma oPhethro loJohane kubo. Sebefikile babathandazela ukuthi bemukele uMoya oNgcwele, ngokuba uMoya oNgcwele wawulokhu ungakehleli lakubani kubo; babebhaphathizelwe ebizweni leNkosi uJesu kuphela. Yikho uPhethro loJohane bababeka izandla, base bewemukela uMoya oNgcwele.

Bathi belokhu behamba ngomgwaqo bafika lapho okwakulamanzi khona, indoda engumthenwa yathi, “Khangela, nanka amanzi. Kulani ukuthi ngihle ngibhaphathizwe na?” (UFiliphu wathi, “Uma ukholwa ngenhliziyo yakho yonke ungabhaphathizwa.” Isikhulu saphendula sathi, “Ngiyakholwa ukuthi uJesu Khristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”) Isikhulu sathi inqola kayimiswe. Yikho bobabili, uFiliphu lendoda engumthenwa baya emanzini uFiliphu wayibhaphathiza. Bathi bephuma emanzini uMoya weNkosi wahle wamthatha uFiliphu, indoda engumthenwa ayabe isambona njalo, kodwa yaqhubeka ngendlela yayo ithokoza. Kodwa uFiliphu wabonakala e-Azotha, walibhudula ilizwe etshumayela ivangeli kuyo yonke imizi waze wayafika eKhesariya.

Masinyane, kwakhithika emehlweni kaSawuli okwakungathi zinkwethu, wasebona njalo. Wasukuma wabhaphathizwa,

“Kambe ukhona yini umuntu ongalela abantu laba ukuba babhaphathizwe ngamanzi na? Sebemukele uMoya oNgcwele njengathi.” Wasesithi kababhaphathizwe ebizweni likaJesu Khristu. Yikho base becela uPhethro ukuthi ahlale labo okwezinsukwana ezithile.

Yikho ngase ngikhumbula okwatshiwo yiNkosi isithi, ‘UJohane wabhaphathiza ngamanzi, kodwa lina lizabhaphathizwa ngoMoya oNgcwele.’ Ngakho uma uNkulunkulu wabanika sona lesosipho asinika sona lapho sakholwa eNkosini uJesu Khristu, ngangingubani mina engangingakhumbula ukumelana loNkulunkulu na?” Bathi sebekuzwile lokhu, kababe besaba lansolo, badumisa uNkulunkulu, besithi, “Yebo kambe, uNkulunkulu usebanikile labo abeZizwe ukuphendukela ekuphileni.”

Esizukulwaneni sale indoda uNkulunkulu uselethe ko-Israyeli uMsindisi uJesu njengokuthembisa kwakhe. Mandulo kokufika kukaJesu, uJohane watshumayela ukuphenduka lokubhaphathizwa kubo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli.

Omunye walabo ababelalele ngowesifazana okwakuthiwa nguLidiya, umthengisi welembu eliyibubende evela edolobheni laseThiyathira, engumkhonzi kaNkulunkulu. INkosi yayivula inhliziyo yakhe ukuba emukele ilizwi likaPhawuli. Kwathi yena kanye labendlu yakhe sebebhaphathiziwe, wasinxusela emzini wakhe. Wathi, “Nxa lingemukela njengekholwa eNkosini, wozani lizohlala endlini yami.” Wasincenga savuma.

Baphendula bathi, “Kholwa eNkosini uJesu, uzasindiswa  —  wena kanye lendlu yakho.” Base bemtshumayeza ilizwi leNkosi kanye labanye abendlu yakhe. Ngalelohora lebusuku umlindijele wabathatha wabagezisa imvimvinya zabo; kwasekusithi khonokho nje yena labendlu yakhe bahle babhaphathizwa.

UKhrispu, umphathi wesinagogi, kanye lendlu yakhe yonke bakholwa eNkosini; kwathi labanengi bamaKhorinte abamuzwayo bakholwa babhaphathizwa.

wababuza wathi, “Lamamukela na uMoya oNgcwele ngesikhathi liqalisa ukukholwa?” Baphendula bathi, “Hatshi, kasizwanga lokuzwa ukuthi kuloMoya oNgcwele.” Yikho uPhawuli wasebuza wathi, “Pho labhaphathizwa ngamkhuba bani?” Baphendula bathi, “Ngobhaphathizo lukaJohane.” UPhawuli wathi, “Ubhaphathizo lukaJohane lwalulubhaphathizo lokuphenduka. Watshela abantu ukuthi bakholwe kulowo owayezakuza ngemva kwakhe, esitsho ukuthi kuJesu.” Sebekuzwile lokhu babhaphathizelwa ebizweni leNkosi uJesu. UPhawuli esebeke izandla zakhe phezu kwabo uMoya oNgcwele wehlela kubo, bakhuluma ngezindimi njalo baphrofetha.

Pho usalindeleni? Sukuma, ubhaphathizwe, ugeze kusuke izono zakho, ubiza ibizo lakhe.’

Kumbe njalo kalazi yini ukuthi sonke thina esabhaphathizelwa kuKhristu uJesu sabhaphathizelwa ekufeni kwakhe na? Ngakho sangcwatshwa laye ngokubhaphathizelwa ekufeni, ukuze kuthi njengoba uKhristu wavuswa kwabafileyo ngobukhosi bukaYise, lathi singaphila ukuphila okutsha. Uma sihlanganiswe laye kanje ekufeni kwakhe, ngempela sizahlanganiswa laye futhi ekuvukeni kwakhe. Ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi ubuntu bethu obudala babethelwa laye ukuze umzimba wesono ulahlwe, ukuze singabi yizigqili zesono futhi  — ngoba lowo osefile usekhululwe esonweni. Uma safa loKhristu, siyakholwa ukuthi sizaphila laye.

Ngokufanayo, zibaleni lingabafileyo esonweni kodwa abaphilayo kuNkulunkulu ngoKhristu uJesu.

Kodwa uma uKhristu ekini, umzimba wenu ufile ngenxa yesono, kodwa umoya wenu uyaphila ngenxa yokulunga.

Njalo lokho yikho abanye benu ababe yikho. Kodwa selageziswa, selangcweliswa, selalungiswa ngebizo leNkosi uJesu Khristu langoMoya kaNkulunkulu wethu.

Ngoba sonke sabhaphathizwa ngoMoya munye kulowomzimba munye  —  loba singamaJuda kumbe amaGiriki, izigqili loba abakhululekileyo  —  sonke saphiwa uMoya munye ukuba siwunathe.

Ngakho uma umuntu ekuKhristu, uyisidalwa esitsha; okudala akusekho, sekufike okutsha.

Lonke lingamadodana kaNkulunkulu ngokukholwa kuKhristu uJesu, ngoba lonke lina elabhaphathizelwa kuKhristu selizembathise ngoKhristu.

Lina lalifile kuziphambeko zenu lasezonweni,

wasenza saba ngabaphilayo loKhristu lanxa sasifile eziphambekweni  —  lina selisindisiwe ngomusa. UNkulunkulu wasivusa kanye loKhristu wasihlalisa laye ebukhosini basezulwini kuKhristu uJesu,

Kulomzimba munye loMoya munye  —  njengalokhu labizelwa ethembeni linye ekubizweni kwenu  — iNkosi yinye, lokholo lunye, umbhaphathizo munye;

ukuba alenze libe ngcwele, elihlambulula ngokuligezisa ngamanzi ngokusebenzisa ilizwi, kanye lokulethula kuye njengebandla elilenkazimulo, elingelachatha loba umxhele loba esinye nje isici, kodwa lingcwele njalo lingelacala.

Lasokelwa kuye, ngokususwa kwemvelo yenu yesono, kungayisikho ngokusoka okwenziwa ngezandla zabantu kodwa ngokusoka okwenziwa nguKhristu, selimbelwe laye ngobhaphathizo lavuswa kanye laye ngokukholwa kwenu emandleni kaNkulunkulu, owamvusayo kwabafileyo.

Ngakho kasiyekeleni imfundiso elula ngoKhristu siqhubeke siye ekukhuleni. Kasingasibeki futhi isisekelo sokuphenduka ezenzweni eziholela ekufeni, lezokukholwa kuNkulunkulu, lemfundiso ngemibhaphathizo, lokubekwa kwezandla, lokuvuka kwabafileyo kanye lokwahlulelwa okulaphakade. Njalo uma uNkulunkulu evuma, sizakwenza njalo.

Ngakhoke, bazalwane, njengoba silethemba lokungena eNdaweni eNgcwele kaKhulu ngegazi likaJesu, ngendlela entsha ephilayo, esiyivulelwe ekhethenini, okuyikuthi umzimba wakhe, njalo njengoba silomphristi omkhulu ophethe indlu kaNkulunkulu, kasisondeleni phansi kukaNkulunkulu ngezinhliziyo eziqotho ngethemba elipheleleyo lokholo; sibe lezinhliziyo ezicheliweyo ukuba sihlanjululwe isazela secala lemizimba yethu igeziswe ngamanzi ahlanzekileyo.

Njengoba khathesi selizihlambulule ngokulalela iqiniso ukuze libe lothando oluqotho kubazalwane benu, thandanani kakhulu, kusuka enhliziyweni. Ngoba selizalwe kutsha, kungasikho ngenhlanyelo ebolayo, kodwa ngengaboliyo, ngelizwi eliphilayo eliqinileyo lika-Nkulunkulu.

njalo amanzi la afanekisa umbhaphathizo osusilisa lani futhi  —  kungayisikho kususa ingcekeza emzimbeni kodwa kuyisibambiso sesazela esihle kuNkulunkulu. Siyalisilisa ngokuvuka kwabafileyo kukaJesu Khristu,

“Babusisiwe labo abagezisa izambatho zabo, ukuze babe lelungelo esihlahleni sokuphila, njalo bangene ngesango edolobheni.