经文：约翰福音6:16-21
16 到了晚上，他的门徒下海边去， 17 上了船，要过海往迦百农去。天已经黑了，耶稣还没有来到他们那里。 18 忽然狂风大作，海就翻腾起来。 19 门徒摇橹约行了十里多路，看见耶稣在海面上走，渐渐近了船，他们就害怕。 20 耶稣对他们说：「是我，不要怕！」 21 门徒就喜欢接他上船，船立时到了他们所要去的地方。
导言：
• 神迹，目的是帮助我们认识行神迹的神；恩典，目的是指引我们认识施恩的神。否则，我们就失去了神迹和恩典带给我们最大的祝福——认识并经历主耶稣。
• 在我们的生命中会经历担心（没有钱）、害怕（失去工作）、甚至恐惧（疾病与死亡），那么是什么力量可以让我们不再担心害怕？不再被恐惧捆绑？
• 「是我，不要怕！」
重点:
第一幕：上船出海（约6:16-17）
1.人群散开，门徒下海
2.耶稣缺席，夜里行船
第二幕：风暴眼（约6:18-19）
1.狂风大作
2.海浪翻腾
第三幕：恐惧与颤栗（约6:20）
1.罪性的恐惧
2.圣洁的敬畏
终幕：另一个神迹（约6:21）
结语：
我们从「太14:22-33」和「可6:45-52」两处平行经文可以看到，耶稣催促门徒上船离开并让人群散开，然后就有了门徒们在海面上经历风浪、恐惧颤兢的一幕。这段经文的高潮是耶稣继五饼二鱼的神迹之后，又行了一个神迹——在海面上行走，接着「门徒就喜欢接祂上船」，然后以「船立时到了他们所要去的地方」的神迹为结束。我们通常在读这段经文的时候会把焦点放在神迹上，好像是圣经版的武侠小说，似乎一个神迹就能消除门徒们的恐惧并带来完美的结局。实际上，耶稣在这里给我们呈现了门徒与人群并没差别，他们的眼光还在看得见的平安里。在海面风浪的恐惧中，门徒开始意识到有一种能力，也就是人对神的敬畏所带来的能力远超人对自然的恐惧以及心的软弱。
在约翰福音中，耶稣多次用「我是-」来显明祂的神性，唯有神儿子的宣告「是我，不要怕！」才能带来真正的平安。经文中的神迹证明了耶稣是神和祂超自然的能力，这些都是为了帮助门徒和跟随耶稣的人更深认识祂。「我是」就是那一位创造了物质世界和管理世界的自然律的神，所以祂可以超越物质和自然律，能在水上行走，安慰并且保护我们。也许我们此时感受到自己在黑暗中，正经历混乱、沮丧，但当我们面对这一系列的神迹，听到祂说「是我，不要怕！」时，我们知道，不是我们有权力让神成为我们的安慰者，而是那位「我是」因着祂的怜悯进入我们的生命，赐给我们平安，带领我们走永生的路。我们是需要救赎的罪人，因为在耶稣基督里没有惧怕！Scripture: John 6:16-21
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Preface:
The purpose of miracles is to help us know the God who performs miracles; the purpose of grace is to guide us to know the God of grace. Otherwise, we will lose the greatest blessing that miracles and grace bring us-to know and experience the Lord Jesus.
In our lives, we will experience worry (no money), being afraid (loss of work), and even fear (illness and death), so what power can make us no longer worry or being afraid? No longer bound by fear?
"It's me, don't be afraid!"
Highlights:
Act One: Get on the boat and go to sea (John 6:16-17)
1. The crowd dispersed and the disciples went to sea
2. Jesus was absent and they sailed at night
Act Two: Eye of the Storm (John 6:18-19)
1. Strong wind
2. The waves were churning
Act Three: Fear and trembling (John 6:20)
1. Sinful fear
2. Holy Awe
Finale: Another miracle (John 6:21)
Conclusion:
We can see from the two parallel scriptures "Matt 14:22-33" and "Mark 6:45-52" that Jesus urged the disciples to get on the boat and set off, and let the crowd disperse, and then the disciples experienced on the sea, a scene of wind and waves, fear and trembling. The climax of this passage is that after the miracle of five loaves and two fish, Jesus performed another miracle - walking on the sea, and then "the disciples liked to pick him up on the boat", and then said "the boat arrived at where they were going. Thus, the miracle ended. We normally would focus on the miracles when we read this passage, as a biblical version of a martial arts novel. It seems that a miracle can eliminate the fear of the disciples and bring a perfect ending. In fact, Jesus showed us here that there is no difference between the disciples and the crowd, and their eyes are still focused on visible peace. In the fear of the wind and waves on the sea, the disciples began to realize that there is a kind of ability, that is, the ability brought about by man's fear of God is far beyond man's fear of nature and the weakness of the heart.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus used "I am-" many times to show his divinity. Only the proclamation of the Son of God "It is me, don't be afraid!" can bring true peace. The miracles in the scriptures prove that Jesus is God and His supernatural powers. These are all to help the disciples and those who follow Jesus know Him better. "I am" is the God who created the material world and governs the natural laws of the world, so He can transcend material and natural laws, walk on the water, comfort and protect us. Maybe we feel that we are in the dark at this moment, experiencing chaos and depression, but when we face this series of miracles and hear Him say "It's me, don't be afraid!", we know that it's not we that have power. Let God be our comforter, but the "I am" who enters our lives with His mercy, gives us peace, and leads us on the path of eternal life. We are sinners who need salvation because there is no fear in Jesus Christ!
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