Sermon Note,2026/07/11,12つくば市のプロテスタントキリスト教会
- ayumi kurisaki
- 7月11日
- 読了時間: 28分
English
※ This translation note is provided as an outline (guide) for the day's service. The worship (message) time is a space for "living dialogue" — with one another and with God. As such, the content may change flexibly in response to your reactions and the leading of the Holy Spirit. We cherish that dynamic, so please receive this simply as one reference point.
"The First Followers"
Luke 5:1–11
Big Idea: Jesus proposes a different way.
Introduction
A goalkeeper from Cape Verde made headlines. Vozinha — forty years old — surpassed the social media following of baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, reaching around twenty million followers.
The word "Christian" means one who follows Christ. In English, we sometimes say "Jesus Follower." And the number of Jesus Followers in the world stands at around 2.4 billion — roughly one in three people on earth say they are Christian. In South Korea, Christians make up 31% of the population, compared to 16% for Buddhism.
But unlike social media followers, this is serious following. "I will live according to this person. I will model my life after him." That is the kind of following we are talking about.
Today we look at the story of Jesus's very first followers. I believe it has something to say to each one of you. Who are you following today? Or are you simply drifting along with the times, going wherever the current takes you?
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:1–11
Point 1 — Jesus Came (The Encounter)
◆ In a Corner of the World
The setting is the region of Galilee — about a hundred kilometers north of Jerusalem. If you think of Tokyo, it would be roughly the distance to Utsunomiya or Mito. There, you find the Sea of Galilee, a large lake of about 166 square kilometers — almost exactly the same size as Lake Kasumigaura here in Ibaraki.
One morning, as a beautiful dawn was breaking over the lake, Jesus appeared — and people began to gather. His reputation had already started to spread. "There's this incredible teacher around. His talks are fascinating, and they say he's healed all kinds of sick people."
The fishermen were there too. "It's unusually noisy today." "Apparently that Jesus of Nazareth everyone's been talking about has shown up."
Fishermen worked at night. They fished through the darkness, and when the sun rose, they stopped. There is a practical reason for this: because the water is so clear, fish can see the nets easily during daylight hours and simply swim away. Night fishing was the only way.
◆ Jesus Teaching from the Boat
Jesus asked Simon the fisherman if he could push out a little from the shore. This gave him some distance from the pressing crowd — and because the shoreline rises in a gentle slope, speaking from the water created a natural amphitheater effect, carrying his voice clearly to everyone gathered.
Now, this was not the first time Simon had encountered Jesus. His mother-in-law had been healed by Jesus, and he had listened to his teaching before. He had been in and out of Jesus's circle for some time. But he was not yet a committed follower.
And so Simon pushed out from the shore with Jesus on board. He became the person who heard Jesus's words to the crowd from closer than anyone else.
What is striking is that the Bible says nothing about the content of Jesus's teaching that day. What Scripture focuses on is a single person: Simon. The conversation between him and Jesus. How Simon responded to Jesus's personal address to him.
The same is true today — in every service, every week. God does not see you as just one face in a crowd. He is interested in you personally, He knows you personally, He speaks to you personally, He has led you here personally, He loves you personally — and He is watching for your personal response.
Jesus finished speaking. And then, as if to say "Now — this is where it really begins" — the story moves.
Point 2 — Jesus's Surprising Proposal (The Struggle)
◆ "We Don't Normally Do It This Way…"
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."— Luke 5:4
Simon answered: "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing."
Simon was a professional. He had spent his whole life as a fisherman. He had experience. He had confidence. And yet, no matter what he tried, he had caught nothing. He was exhausted.
Doesn't this reflect our own situation?
I once read a book by Matsushita Konosuke. It was a good book — but something felt off about its underlying assumption: "If Japan becomes prosperous, Japanese people will be happy." Thanks to the hard work of previous generations, Japan did become prosperous. And yet the happiness doesn't seem to have followed. Happiness rankings are low. Self-esteem is among the lowest in the developed world. Suicide rates remain high — and the age of those affected keeps dropping.
"If I just had this, I'd be happy." "If things were just a little different." "If people would just recognize me more." People live this way for years, for decades — and still feel hollow. Prosperous, and yet not full.
Simon and his crew had tried everything their way, through the whole night. The catch: nothing. Finally the fishing hours were over, and the sun rose. "That's it. It's done." Exhausted. Empty-handed.
But this is where it begins.
◆ An Outrageous Proposal
In a certain sense, Jesus proposes a way that is completely different from yours.
"Put out into deep water and let down the nets."
There are three reasons this is shocking.
① The timing is wrong.The sun has already risen. "It's too late for fishing now — everyone knows that."
③ The experience is wrong."I've been doing this for decades. You're a carpenter, aren't you?"
Is there an area of your life where you have not surrendered to God — where you are holding on to "I know better"?
God's work often begins at the point of "I can't do this anymore." God does not wrench the steering wheel from your hands. He waits patiently — with great patience — for you to reach the point of saying: "I can't do this on my own."
For when I am weak, then I am strong.— 2 Corinthians 12:10
"I've tried everything. Nothing worked. There's no point trying again. What will people think? They'll think I'm foolish."
The struggle is real. And yet Simon said —
Point 3 — "But at Your Word" (The Decision)
◆ The Words That Changed Everything
"But at your word, I will let down the nets."
What followed was the largest catch Simon had ever experienced in his life.
◆ Jesus Proposes a Different Way
The world says: "Your own happiness is the highest goal." But Jesus says something different —
"Stop living for yourself. Live in love. Love God and love others."
"You are not here to be served. Serve."
"It's natural to be angry — no. Forgive. Because holding onto anger is a chain around yourself."
"This life is all there is — no. Stop thinking only about this life. Live with eternity in view."
This collides with the self. It collides with pride and with everything experience has taught us. But "at your word" — from that one phrase, everything begins to move.
◆ Are You a Fan, or a Committed Follower?
In a sense, this moment was a test for Simon.
"Are you merely a fan of mine? Or are you a genuine follower? Will you trust my word?"
The French philosopher Blaise Pascal put forward what is known as "Pascal's Wager." If you bet on God and you're wrong, you lose nothing. But if God exists and you bet on Him, you gain everything — eternal life and all that comes with it. If God exists and you don't bet on Him, you lose everything. It's a wager that costs nothing and potentially gains everything.
Many of us took that wager — believing in God. "What will people think? In Japan, you're supposed to be Buddhist or go to shrines." And yet the old ways hadn't filled the emptiness.
And what we gained was far more than we had ever imagined. The history of Christianity is, in a very real sense, the history of people who discovered this for themselves.
◆ Free Will — Whether to Let Down the Net
Whether to let down the net. Whether to follow. That is your choice.
God is gentle. He waits. He invites. But whether you act is entirely up to you.
If Simon had said "No, it's impossible" — he would have had a forgettable day, gone home, drowned it in drink, and woken up to the same life all over again.
But he tried. He listened. And the result — an overwhelming catch. And more than that: he came to know God. The God who noticed him. The God who spoke to him personally.
The life of a Christian is a continual repetition of that moment.
Will you keep doing things your way?Or will you listen to the word of Jesus?
中文
※ 本翻譯筆記僅供當天聚會大綱（參考）之用。敬拜（信息）的時間，是我們彼此之間、以及與神之間「活潑對話」的場所。因此，當天的內容可能會因您們的回應或聖靈的引導而有所調整。我們珍視這樣的動態，敬請將此視為一個參考指引。
「最初的跟隨者」
路加福音 5:1–11
核心信息：耶穌提出了一種不同的方式。
引言
來自佛得角的門將沃齊尼亞引發了廣泛關注。他年屆40歲，社群媒體上的追蹤者人數竟超越了棒球巨星大谷翔平，達到約2000萬人。
「基督徒」這個詞，意思是跟隨基督的人。在英文中，有時也說 "Jesus Follower"（耶穌的跟隨者）。全球耶穌的跟隨者約有24億人——全球大約三分之一的人說自己是基督徒。在韓國，基督徒佔人口的31%，而佛教徒則為16%。
但這與社群媒體上的追蹤者截然不同——這是認真的跟隨。「我要以這個人為榜樣而活。我要效法這個人的生命方式。」這才是我們所說的跟隨。
今天，我們來看耶穌最初的跟隨者的故事。我相信這個故事與你今天的生命息息相關。你今天在跟隨誰？還是說，你只是隨波逐流，隨著時代和周圍的氛圍漂浮？
讀經：路加福音 5:1–11
第一點——耶穌來了（相遇）
◆ 在世界的一個角落
故事發生在加利利地區——距耶路撒冷以北約100公里。如果以東京為基準，大約就是到宇都宮或水戶的距離感。那裡有一個叫做加利利海的大湖，面積約166平方公里，幾乎與茨城縣的霞之浦（約168平方公里）一樣大。
某天清晨，湖邊迎來了美麗的黎明。耶穌出現了，人們開始聚攏過來。當時，耶穌的名聲已經開始傳開：「聽說有個很厲害的老師出現了。他講的話很有意思，而且還聽說治癒了很多病人。」
漁夫們也在那裡。「今天怎麼這麼吵鬧？」「聽說就是那個大家一直在談論的拿撒勒人耶穌來了。」
漁夫工作的時間是夜晚。他們通宵捕魚，日出後便收工。原因很實際：水質清澈，日間魚兒很容易看見網，便會游走。所以夜間捕魚才有效。
◆ 在船上教導的耶穌
耶穌請漁夫西門把船划離岸邊一點。這樣可以與擁擠的人群保持距離，而且由於岸邊是緩坡，從湖面上說話有天然的音響效果，聲音能夠清晰地傳到每一個人耳中，就像天然的露天劇場一樣。
其實這並不是西門第一次與耶穌相遇。他的岳母曾被耶穌治癒，他也聽過耶穌的教導。可以說，他是耶穌周圍的常客。但他還不是一個認真的跟隨者。
就是這個西門，帶著耶穌划出了岸邊。他成了那天比任何人都更近地聽見耶穌向眾人說話的人。
值得注意的是，聖經沒有記載耶穌那天講了什麼內容。聖經所聚焦的，是一個人——西門。他與耶穌之間的對話。耶穌個人地向他說話，而他如何回應——這才是故事的重心。
今天的禮拜也是如此。神不是把你視為眾多人當中的一個。祂對你個人有興趣，個人地認識你，個人地向你說話，個人地把你帶到這裡，個人地愛你——並且期待著你個人的回應。
耶穌講完了話。接著，彷彿在說「好了，現在才是重頭戲」，故事開始移動。
第二點——耶穌令人驚訝的提議（掙扎）
◆ 「一般不會這樣做的……」
耶穌說完話，對西門說：「把船開到水深之處，下網打魚。」——路加福音 5:4
西門回答說：「老師，我們整夜勞苦，什麼也沒有捕到。」
西門是個專業漁夫。他一生都以捕魚為業，有經驗，有自信。然而，無論怎麼努力，那一夜什麼也沒捕到。他精疲力竭了。
這樣的處境，是否像極了我們自己的狀況？
我曾讀過松下幸之助的書。是一本好書，但書中有一個前提讓我感到有些不對勁：「只要日本變得富裕，日本人就會幸福。」憑藉前人的努力，日本確實富裕了。然而，幸福感並沒有跟著到來。幸福指數偏低，自我認同感在已開發國家中更是異常地低，自殺率也居高不下——而且呈現低齡化的趨勢。
「只要有這個就能幸福」「只要再好一點就好了」「只要再被認可一些就好了」——這樣活了數年、數十年，卻依然感到空虛。明明應該富裕，卻不覺得滿足。
西門和同伴們用自己的方法試了整整一夜。結果：一無所獲。捕魚的時間結束了，太陽升起。「完了，沒戲了。」精疲力竭，兩手空空。
但故事從這裡開始。
◆ 違反常規的提議
耶穌提出的，是一種與你的方式截然不同的方法。
「把船開到水深之處，下網打魚。」
這有三個令人驚訝的地方：
① 時間不對。太陽都已經升起了。「現在根本不是捕魚的時間，這是常識！」
② 地點不對。捕魚是在淺水區作業的。深水中網根本下不到底。
③ 經驗不對。「我做了幾十年漁夫了。您是木匠吧？」
你的人生中，有沒有什麼領域，你對神說「這件事我比你更清楚」，而沒有交付給祂的？
「已經沒辦法了」——神的作為往往從這裡開始。神不會強行奪走你手中的方向盤。祂有耐心，非常有耐心地等待你說出那句話：「靠我自己真的不行了。」
因為我甚麼時候軟弱，甚麼時候就剛強了。——哥林多後書 12:10
「我什麼都試過了。還是沒辦法。再試也沒有意義了。別人會怎麼看我？說不定會覺得我很蠢。」
掙扎是真實存在的。但西門說出了——
第三點——「但，照你的話」（決斷）
◆ 改變命運的那句話
「但，照你的話，我就下網。」
結果，西門經歷了有生以來從未見過的大豐收。
◆ 耶穌提出不同的方式
這個世界說：「讓自己的幸福最大化，才是最高目標。」但耶穌說的是截然不同的話——
「停止為自己而活。要活在愛中，愛神，愛人。」
「你不是來受人服事的，你要去服事人。」
「憤怒是理所當然的——不，你要饒恕人。因為緊抓著怒氣，只是捆綁你自己。」
「這一生就是一切——不，不要只想著這一生，要以永恆為念而活。」
這與自我相衝突。與驕傲相衝突，與經驗法則相衝突。然而「照你的話」——就從這句話出發，一切開始移動。
◆ 你只是個粉絲，還是認真的跟隨者？
某種意義上，這個場景是對西門的一個考驗。
「你只是我的粉絲嗎？還是真正的跟隨者？你願意信任我的話嗎？」
法國哲學家布萊茲·巴斯卡提出了「巴斯卡的賭注」。如果你賭神存在，即使賭錯了，你也沒有損失任何東西。但如果神真的存在，賭上信仰的你將得到一切——永生與其他所有祝福。如果神存在但你不信，你將失去一切。這是一個毫無損失、潛在收益卻是無限的賭注。
我們許多人都押注了——相信了神。「別人會怎麼看我？日本人應該信佛教、去神社吧。」然而，舊有的方式並沒有填滿內心的空虛。
結果，我們所得到的，遠遠超過了當初所設想的。基督教的歷史，從某種意義上說，就是親身經歷了這一切的人們的歷史。
◆ 自由意志——是否下網
是否把網下到水裡。是否跟隨。這是你的自由選擇。
神是溫柔的。祂在等待。祂在邀請。但是否行動，完全取決於你。
如果西門說了「不，沒辦法的」，那一天就只是平淡無奇地結束了，回家喝喝酒，忘掉算了，然後又是同樣的日子。
但他試了，他聽從了。結果——大豐收。而且不只如此，他認識了神。那位注意到他、親自向他說話的神。
基督徒的生命，就是不斷重複這樣的時刻。
你要繼續用自己的方式嗎？還是願意聆聽耶穌的話？
Tagalog
承知しました。英語からお届けします。
※ This translation note is provided as an outline (guide) for the day's service. The worship (message) time is a space for "living dialogue" — with one another and with God. As such, the content may change flexibly in response to your reactions and the leading of the Holy Spirit. We cherish that dynamic, so please receive this simply as one reference point.
"The First Followers"
Luke 5:1–11
Big Idea: Jesus proposes a different way.
Introduction
A goalkeeper from Cape Verde made headlines. Vozinha — forty years old — surpassed the social media following of baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, reaching around twenty million followers.
The word "Christian" means one who follows Christ. In English, we sometimes say "Jesus Follower." And the number of Jesus Followers in the world stands at around 2.4 billion — roughly one in three people on earth say they are Christian. In South Korea, Christians make up 31% of the population, compared to 16% for Buddhism.
But unlike social media followers, this is serious following. "I will live according to this person. I will model my life after him." That is the kind of following we are talking about.
Today we look at the story of Jesus's very first followers. I believe it has something to say to each one of you. Who are you following today? Or are you simply drifting along with the times, going wherever the current takes you?
Scripture Reading: Luke 5:1–11
Point 1 — Jesus Came (The Encounter)
◆ In a Corner of the World
The setting is the region of Galilee — about a hundred kilometers north of Jerusalem. If you think of Tokyo, it would be roughly the distance to Utsunomiya or Mito. There, you find the Sea of Galilee, a large lake of about 166 square kilometers — almost exactly the same size as Lake Kasumigaura here in Ibaraki.
One morning, as a beautiful dawn was breaking over the lake, Jesus appeared — and people began to gather. His reputation had already started to spread. "There's this incredible teacher around. His talks are fascinating, and they say he's healed all kinds of sick people."
The fishermen were there too. "It's unusually noisy today." "Apparently that Jesus of Nazareth everyone's been talking about has shown up."
Fishermen worked at night. They fished through the darkness, and when the sun rose, they stopped. There is a practical reason for this: because the water is so clear, fish can see the nets easily during daylight hours and simply swim away. Night fishing was the only way.
◆ Jesus Teaching from the Boat
Jesus asked Simon the fisherman if he could push out a little from the shore. This gave him some distance from the pressing crowd — and because the shoreline rises in a gentle slope, speaking from the water created a natural amphitheater effect, carrying his voice clearly to everyone gathered.
Now, this was not the first time Simon had encountered Jesus. His mother-in-law had been healed by Jesus, and he had listened to his teaching before. He had been in and out of Jesus's circle for some time. But he was not yet a committed follower.
And so Simon pushed out from the shore with Jesus on board. He became the person who heard Jesus's words to the crowd from closer than anyone else.
What is striking is that the Bible says nothing about the content of Jesus's teaching that day. What Scripture focuses on is a single person: Simon. The conversation between him and Jesus. How Simon responded to Jesus's personal address to him.
The same is true today — in every service, every week. God does not see you as just one face in a crowd. He is interested in you personally, He knows you personally, He speaks to you personally, He has led you here personally, He loves you personally — and He is watching for your personal response.
Jesus finished speaking. And then, as if to say "Now — this is where it really begins" — the story moves.
Point 2 — Jesus's Surprising Proposal (The Struggle)
◆ "We Don't Normally Do It This Way…"
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."— Luke 5:4
Simon answered: "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing."
Simon was a professional. He had spent his whole life as a fisherman. He had experience. He had confidence. And yet, no matter what he tried, he had caught nothing. He was exhausted.
Doesn't this reflect our own situation?
I once read a book by Matsushita Konosuke. It was a good book — but something felt off about its underlying assumption: "If Japan becomes prosperous, Japanese people will be happy." Thanks to the hard work of previous generations, Japan did become prosperous. And yet the happiness doesn't seem to have followed. Happiness rankings are low. Self-esteem is among the lowest in the developed world. Suicide rates remain high — and the age of those affected keeps dropping.
"If I just had this, I'd be happy." "If things were just a little different." "If people would just recognize me more." People live this way for years, for decades — and still feel hollow. Prosperous, and yet not full.
Simon and his crew had tried everything their way, through the whole night. The catch: nothing. Finally the fishing hours were over, and the sun rose. "That's it. It's done." Exhausted. Empty-handed.
But this is where it begins.
◆ An Outrageous Proposal
In a certain sense, Jesus proposes a way that is completely different from yours.
"Put out into deep water and let down the nets."
There are three reasons this is shocking.
① The timing is wrong.The sun has already risen. "It's too late for fishing now — everyone knows that."
③ The experience is wrong."I've been doing this for decades. You're a carpenter, aren't you?"
Is there an area of your life where you have not surrendered to God — where you are holding on to "I know better"?
God's work often begins at the point of "I can't do this anymore." God does not wrench the steering wheel from your hands. He waits patiently — with great patience — for you to reach the point of saying: "I can't do this on my own."
For when I am weak, then I am strong.— 2 Corinthians 12:10
"I've tried everything. Nothing worked. There's no point trying again. What will people think? They'll think I'm foolish."
The struggle is real. And yet Simon said —
Point 3 — "But at Your Word" (The Decision)
◆ The Words That Changed Everything
"But at your word, I will let down the nets."
What followed was the largest catch Simon had ever experienced in his life.
◆ Jesus Proposes a Different Way
The world says: "Your own happiness is the highest goal." But Jesus says something different —
"Stop living for yourself. Live in love. Love God and love others."
"You are not here to be served. Serve."
"It's natural to be angry — no. Forgive. Because holding onto anger is a chain around yourself."
"This life is all there is — no. Stop thinking only about this life. Live with eternity in view."
This collides with the self. It collides with pride and with everything experience has taught us. But "at your word" — from that one phrase, everything begins to move.
◆ Are You a Fan, or a Committed Follower?
In a sense, this moment was a test for Simon.
"Are you merely a fan of mine? Or are you a genuine follower? Will you trust my word?"
The French philosopher Blaise Pascal put forward what is known as "Pascal's Wager." If you bet on God and you're wrong, you lose nothing. But if God exists and you bet on Him, you gain everything — eternal life and all that comes with it. If God exists and you don't bet on Him, you lose everything. It's a wager that costs nothing and potentially gains everything.
Many of us took that wager — believing in God. "What will people think? In Japan, you're supposed to be Buddhist or go to shrines." And yet the old ways hadn't filled the emptiness.
And what we gained was far more than we had ever imagined. The history of Christianity is, in a very real sense, the history of people who discovered this for themselves.
◆ Free Will — Whether to Let Down the Net
Whether to let down the net. Whether to follow. That is your choice.
God is gentle. He waits. He invites. But whether you act is entirely up to you.
If Simon had said "No, it's impossible" — he would have had a forgettable day, gone home, drowned it in drink, and woken up to the same life all over again.
But he tried. He listened. And the result — an overwhelming catch. And more than that: he came to know God. The God who noticed him. The God who spoke to him personally.
The life of a Christian is a continual repetition of that moment.
Will you keep doing things your way?Or will you listen to the word of Jesus?
英語が完了しました。続いて中文（繁体字）をお届けします。
※ 本翻譯筆記僅供當天聚會大綱（參考）之用。敬拜（信息）的時間，是我們彼此之間、以及與神之間「活潑對話」的場所。因此，當天的內容可能會因您們的回應或聖靈的引導而有所調整。我們珍視這樣的動態，敬請將此視為一個參考指引。
「最初的跟隨者」
路加福音 5:1–11
核心信息：耶穌提出了一種不同的方式。
引言
來自佛得角的門將沃齊尼亞引發了廣泛關注。他年屆40歲，社群媒體上的追蹤者人數竟超越了棒球巨星大谷翔平，達到約2000萬人。
「基督徒」這個詞，意思是跟隨基督的人。在英文中，有時也說 "Jesus Follower"（耶穌的跟隨者）。全球耶穌的跟隨者約有24億人——全球大約三分之一的人說自己是基督徒。在韓國，基督徒佔人口的31%，而佛教徒則為16%。
但這與社群媒體上的追蹤者截然不同——這是認真的跟隨。「我要以這個人為榜樣而活。我要效法這個人的生命方式。」這才是我們所說的跟隨。
今天，我們來看耶穌最初的跟隨者的故事。我相信這個故事與你今天的生命息息相關。你今天在跟隨誰？還是說，你只是隨波逐流，隨著時代和周圍的氛圍漂浮？
讀經：路加福音 5:1–11
第一點——耶穌來了（相遇）
◆ 在世界的一個角落
故事發生在加利利地區——距耶路撒冷以北約100公里。如果以東京為基準，大約就是到宇都宮或水戶的距離感。那裡有一個叫做加利利海的大湖，面積約166平方公里，幾乎與茨城縣的霞之浦（約168平方公里）一樣大。
某天清晨，湖邊迎來了美麗的黎明。耶穌出現了，人們開始聚攏過來。當時，耶穌的名聲已經開始傳開：「聽說有個很厲害的老師出現了。他講的話很有意思，而且還聽說治癒了很多病人。」
漁夫們也在那裡。「今天怎麼這麼吵鬧？」「聽說就是那個大家一直在談論的拿撒勒人耶穌來了。」
漁夫工作的時間是夜晚。他們通宵捕魚，日出後便收工。原因很實際：水質清澈，日間魚兒很容易看見網，便會游走。所以夜間捕魚才有效。
◆ 在船上教導的耶穌
耶穌請漁夫西門把船划離岸邊一點。這樣可以與擁擠的人群保持距離，而且由於岸邊是緩坡，從湖面上說話有天然的音響效果，聲音能夠清晰地傳到每一個人耳中，就像天然的露天劇場一樣。
其實這並不是西門第一次與耶穌相遇。他的岳母曾被耶穌治癒，他也聽過耶穌的教導。可以說，他是耶穌周圍的常客。但他還不是一個認真的跟隨者。
就是這個西門，帶著耶穌划出了岸邊。他成了那天比任何人都更近地聽見耶穌向眾人說話的人。
值得注意的是，聖經沒有記載耶穌那天講了什麼內容。聖經所聚焦的，是一個人——西門。他與耶穌之間的對話。耶穌個人地向他說話，而他如何回應——這才是故事的重心。
今天的禮拜也是如此。神不是把你視為眾多人當中的一個。祂對你個人有興趣，個人地認識你，個人地向你說話，個人地把你帶到這裡，個人地愛你——並且期待著你個人的回應。
耶穌講完了話。接著，彷彿在說「好了，現在才是重頭戲」，故事開始移動。
第二點——耶穌令人驚訝的提議（掙扎）
◆ 「一般不會這樣做的……」
耶穌說完話，對西門說：「把船開到水深之處，下網打魚。」——路加福音 5:4
西門回答說：「老師，我們整夜勞苦，什麼也沒有捕到。」
西門是個專業漁夫。他一生都以捕魚為業，有經驗，有自信。然而，無論怎麼努力，那一夜什麼也沒捕到。他精疲力竭了。
這樣的處境，是否像極了我們自己的狀況？
我曾讀過松下幸之助的書。是一本好書，但書中有一個前提讓我感到有些不對勁：「只要日本變得富裕，日本人就會幸福。」憑藉前人的努力，日本確實富裕了。然而，幸福感並沒有跟著到來。幸福指數偏低，自我認同感在已開發國家中更是異常地低，自殺率也居高不下——而且呈現低齡化的趨勢。
「只要有這個就能幸福」「只要再好一點就好了」「只要再被認可一些就好了」——這樣活了數年、數十年，卻依然感到空虛。明明應該富裕，卻不覺得滿足。
西門和同伴們用自己的方法試了整整一夜。結果：一無所獲。捕魚的時間結束了，太陽升起。「完了，沒戲了。」精疲力竭，兩手空空。
但故事從這裡開始。
◆ 違反常規的提議
耶穌提出的，是一種與你的方式截然不同的方法。
「把船開到水深之處，下網打魚。」
這有三個令人驚訝的地方：
① 時間不對。太陽都已經升起了。「現在根本不是捕魚的時間，這是常識！」
② 地點不對。捕魚是在淺水區作業的。深水中網根本下不到底。
③ 經驗不對。「我做了幾十年漁夫了。您是木匠吧？」
你的人生中，有沒有什麼領域，你對神說「這件事我比你更清楚」，而沒有交付給祂的？
「已經沒辦法了」——神的作為往往從這裡開始。神不會強行奪走你手中的方向盤。祂有耐心，非常有耐心地等待你說出那句話：「靠我自己真的不行了。」
因為我甚麼時候軟弱，甚麼時候就剛強了。——哥林多後書 12:10
「我什麼都試過了。還是沒辦法。再試也沒有意義了。別人會怎麼看我？說不定會覺得我很蠢。」
掙扎是真實存在的。但西門說出了——
第三點——「但，照你的話」（決斷）
◆ 改變命運的那句話
「但，照你的話，我就下網。」
結果，西門經歷了有生以來從未見過的大豐收。
◆ 耶穌提出不同的方式
這個世界說：「讓自己的幸福最大化，才是最高目標。」但耶穌說的是截然不同的話——
「停止為自己而活。要活在愛中，愛神，愛人。」
「你不是來受人服事的，你要去服事人。」
「憤怒是理所當然的——不，你要饒恕人。因為緊抓著怒氣，只是捆綁你自己。」
「這一生就是一切——不，不要只想著這一生，要以永恆為念而活。」
這與自我相衝突。與驕傲相衝突，與經驗法則相衝突。然而「照你的話」——就從這句話出發，一切開始移動。
◆ 你只是個粉絲，還是認真的跟隨者？
某種意義上，這個場景是對西門的一個考驗。
「你只是我的粉絲嗎？還是真正的跟隨者？你願意信任我的話嗎？」
法國哲學家布萊茲·巴斯卡提出了「巴斯卡的賭注」。如果你賭神存在，即使賭錯了，你也沒有損失任何東西。但如果神真的存在，賭上信仰的你將得到一切——永生與其他所有祝福。如果神存在但你不信，你將失去一切。這是一個毫無損失、潛在收益卻是無限的賭注。
我們許多人都押注了——相信了神。「別人會怎麼看我？日本人應該信佛教、去神社吧。」然而，舊有的方式並沒有填滿內心的空虛。
結果，我們所得到的，遠遠超過了當初所設想的。基督教的歷史，從某種意義上說，就是親身經歷了這一切的人們的歷史。
◆ 自由意志——是否下網
是否把網下到水裡。是否跟隨。這是你的自由選擇。
神是溫柔的。祂在等待。祂在邀請。但是否行動，完全取決於你。
如果西門說了「不，沒辦法的」，那一天就只是平淡無奇地結束了，回家喝喝酒，忘掉算了，然後又是同樣的日子。
但他試了，他聽從了。結果——大豐收。而且不只如此，他認識了神。那位注意到他、親自向他說話的神。
基督徒的生命，就是不斷重複這樣的時刻。
你要繼續用自己的方式嗎？還是願意聆聽耶穌的話？
中文（繁体字）が完了しました。続いてタガログ語をお届けします。
※ Ang pagsasaling ito ay ibinibigay bilang isang balangkas (gabay) para sa araw ng serbisyo. Ang oras ng pagsamba (mensahe) ay isang lugar ng "buhay na pakikipag-usap" — sa isa't isa at sa Diyos. Kaya naman, ang nilalaman ay maaaring magbago nang may kakayahang umangkop batay sa inyong mga tugon at sa gabay ng Espiritu Santo. Pinahahalagahan namin ang dinamikong iyon, kaya pakitanggap lamang ito bilang isang sanggunian.
"Ang Unang mga Tagasunod"
Lucas 5:1–11
Pangunahing Kaisipan: Nagmumungkahi si Jesus ng ibang paraan.
Panimula
Isang goalkeeper mula sa Cape Verde ang naging balita. Si Vozinha — apatnapung taong gulang — ay lumampas sa bilang ng mga tagasunod sa social media ng baseball superstar na si Shohei Ohtani, na umaabot sa humigit-kumulang dalawampung milyong tagasunod.
Ang salitang "Kristiyano" ay nangangahulugang isa na sumusunod kay Cristo. Sa Ingles, minsanay sinasabi rin na "Jesus Follower." At ang bilang ng mga Jesus Follower sa buong mundo ay humigit-kumulang 2.4 bilyon — mga isang-katlo ng populasyon ng mundo ang nagsasabing Kristiyano sila. Sa South Korea, ang mga Kristiyano ay bumubuo ng 31% ng populasyon, kumpara sa 16% para sa Budismo.
Ngunit hindi ito tulad ng mga tagasunod sa social media — ito ay seryosong pagsunod. "Mabubuhay ako ayon sa taong ito. Gagayahin ko ang kanyang paraan ng pamumuhay." Iyon ang uri ng pagsunod na pinag-uusapan natin.
Ngayon ay titingnan natin ang kwento ng mga unang tagasunod ni Jesus. Naniniwala akong may sasabihin ito sa bawat isa sa inyo. Sino ang sinusundan mo ngayon? O ikaw ba ay basta na lamang tumatahak sa agos ng panahon, tinutulak ng mga pangyayari sa paligid mo?
Pagbabasa ng Kasulatan: Lucas 5:1–11
Punto 1 — Dumating si Jesus (Ang Pagtatagpo)
◆ Sa Isang Sulok ng Mundo
Ang tagpuan ay ang rehiyon ng Galilea — mga isang daang kilometro sa hilaga ng Jerusalem. Kung isipin mo ang Tokyo, ito ay katumbas ng distansya patungo sa Utsunomiya o Mito. Doon makikita ang Dagat ng Galilea, isang malaking lawa na may sukat na humigit-kumulang 166 kilometro kwadrado — halos kaparehong sukat ng Lawa ng Kasumigaura dito sa Ibaraki.
Isang umaga, habang sumisinag ang magandang madaling araw sa lawa, lumitaw si Jesus — at nagsimulang magtipun-tipon ang mga tao. Ang kanyang reputasyon ay nagsimula nang kumalat. "May isang kahanga-hangang guro daw. Ang mga turo niya ay kahanga-hanga, at sinasabing nagpagaling siya ng maraming maysakit."
Nandoon din ang mga mangingisda. "Bakit napaka-ingay ngayon?" "Tila dumating na ang Jesus ng Nazaret na pinag-uusapan ng lahat."
Ang mga mangingisda ay nagtatrabaho sa gabi. Nangingisda sila sa buong gabi, at kapag sumikat ang araw, titigilan na nila. May praktikal na dahilan para dito: dahil ang tubig ay napakalinaw, madaling makita ng mga isda ang mga lambat sa araw, at lalangoy lamang palayo. Kaya ang pangingisda sa gabi ang epektibo.
◆ Si Jesus na Nagtuturo Mula sa Bangka
Humingi si Jesus kay Simon na manghigop ng bangka nang kaunti mula sa dalampasigan. Nagbibigay ito ng kaunting distansya mula sa dumadagsang mga tao — at dahil ang dalampasigan ay banayad na paakyat, ang pagsasalita mula sa tubig ay lumikha ng natural na epekto ng amphitheater, na nagdadala ng kanyang boses nang malinaw sa lahat ng nagtitipon.
Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakatagpo si Simon kay Jesus. Ang kanyang biyenan ay nagpagaling ni Jesus, at nakinig din siya sa turo ni Jesus. Sa ilang paraan, siya ay regular na nasa paligid ni Jesus. Ngunit hindi pa siya isang committed na tagasunod.
At kaya't si Simon ay nagtulak ng bangka mula sa dalampasigan kasama si Jesus sa loob. Naging isa siya sa pinakamalapit na nakarinig sa mga salita ni Jesus sa mga tao nang araw na iyon.
Ang kapansin-pansin ay ang Biblia ay walang sinasabing anumang bagay tungkol sa nilalaman ng turo ni Jesus nang araw na iyon. Ang itinutok ng Kasulatan ay isang tao: si Simon. Ang usapan sa pagitan niya at ni Jesus. Kung paano tumugon si Simon sa personal na pagtawag ni Jesus sa kanya — iyon ang pokus ng kwento.
Ganoon din ngayon — sa bawat serbisyo, bawat linggo. Ang Diyos ay hindi ka nakikita bilang isa lamang sa maraming mukha sa karamihan. Siya ay interesado sa iyo nang personal, kilala ka Niya nang personal, nagsasalita sa iyo Siya nang personal, dinala ka Niya rito nang personal, minamahal ka Niya nang personal — at hinihintay ang iyong personal na tugon.
Natapos si Jesus sa pagsasalita. At pagkatapos, parang nagsasabi "Ngayon — dito talaga ito nagsisimula" — ang kwento ay gumagalaw.
Punto 2 — Ang Nakakagulat na Mungkahi ni Jesus (Ang Pakikibaka)
◆ "Hindi Namin Karaniwan Gawin Ito…"
Nang matapos siyang magsalita, sinabi niya kay Simon, "Lumayo sa dalampasigan, at ibaba ang inyong mga lambat para sa isang huli."— Lucas 5:4
Sumagot si Simon: "Guro, nagtrabaho kami nang buong gabi at wala kaming nahuli."
Si Simon ay isang propesyonal. Ginugol niya ang buong buhay niya bilang mangingisda. Mayroon siyang karanasan. Mayroon siyang kumpiyansa. At gayunpaman, kahit anong gawin niya, wala siyang nahuli. Siya ay pagod na pagod.
Hindi ba't ito ay sumasalamin sa ating sariling sitwasyon?
Minsan ay nagbasa ako ng isang libro ni Matsushita Konosuke. Ito ay isang magandang libro — ngunit may isang bagay na hindi tama sa pangunahing palagay nito: "Kung magiging maunlad ang Japan, magiging masaya ang mga Haponés." Salamat sa pagsisikap ng mga nakaraang henerasyon, naging maunlad nga ang Japan. At gayunpaman, ang kaligayahan ay tila hindi sumunod. Mababa ang ranking ng kaligayahan. Ang self-esteem ay kabilang sa pinakamababa sa mga binuong bansa. Mataas pa rin ang rate ng pagpapakamatay — at lumalala nang lalong lumabas ang mga bata.
"Kung meron lang ako nito, magiging masaya na ako." "Kung magiging mas mabuti lang ang mga bagay." "Kung mas maraming taong magpapahalaga sa akin." Namumuhay ang mga tao nang ganito sa loob ng maraming taon, dekada — at nananatiling walang sapat. Maunlad, at gayunpaman hindi puno.
Sinubukan ni Simon at ng kanyang mga kasama ang lahat ng kanilang paraan, sa buong gabi. Ang resulta: wala. Sa wakas, tapos na ang oras ng pangingisda, at sumikat ang araw. "Iyon na. Tapos na." Pagod. Walang bitbit.
Ngunit dito nagsisimula ang kwento.
◆ Isang Kahanga-hangang Mungkahi
Sa isang kahulugan, nagmumungkahi si Jesus ng isang paraan na ganap na naiiba sa iyo.
"Lumayo sa dalampasigan at ibaba ang mga lambat."
May tatlong dahilan kung bakit ito nakakagulat:
① Mali ang oras.Sumikat na ang araw. "Huli na para sa pangingisda — alam ng lahat iyon."
② Mali ang lugar.Nangingisda ka sa mababaw na tubig. Sa malalim na tubig, halos hindi maaabot ng mga lambat sa ilalim.
③ Mali ang karanasan."Mangingisda ako sa loob ng maraming dekada. Karpintero ka, hindi ba?"
Mayroon bang lugar sa iyong buhay kung saan hindi mo pa ibinibigay sa Diyos — kung saan hawak mo pa ang "Alam ko nang mas mabuti"?
Ang gawa ng Diyos ay madalas na nagsisimula sa punto ng "Hindi ko na kaya pa." Ang Diyos ay hindi pumipilit na kunin ang manibela mula sa iyong mga kamay. Naghihintay Siya nang may pasensya — napakaraming pasensya — para marating mo ang punto ng pagsasabi: "Hindi ko magagawa ito sa sarili ko."
Sapagkat kung kailan ako mahina, saka ako malakas.— 2 Corinto 12:10
"Sinubukan ko na ang lahat. Hindi gumana. Walang punto na subukan pa. Ano ang maisip ng mga tao? Magiging hanga ako ng kamangmangan."
Ang pakikibaka ay tunay. At gayunpaman sinabi ni Simon —
Punto 3 — "Ngunit sa Iyong Salita" (Ang Desisyon)
◆ Ang mga Salitang Nagbago ng Lahat
"Ngunit sa iyong salita, ibababa ko ang mga lambat."
Ang sumunod ay ang pinakamalaking huli na naranasan ni Simon sa kanyang buong buhay.
◆ Nagmumungkahi si Jesus ng Ibang Paraan
Sinasabi ng mundo: "Ang iyong sariling kaligayahan ang pinakamataas na layunin." Ngunit sinasabi ni Jesus ng ibang bagay —
"Itigil ang pamumuhay para sa iyong sarili. Mamuhay sa pagmamahal. Mahalin ang Diyos at mahalin ang iba."
"Hindi ka nandito para pagsilbihan. Maglingkod ka."
"Natural lang na magalit — hindi. Patawarin. Dahil ang pagkakahawak sa galit ay tanikala sa iyong sarili."
"Ang buhay na ito ang lahat — hindi. Itigil ang pag-iisip tungkol lamang sa buhay na ito. Mamuhay nang may tingin sa walang hanggan."
Ito ay sumasalungat sa sarili. Sumasalungat sa pagmamalaki at sa lahat ng itinuro ng karanasan. Ngunit "sa iyong salita" — mula sa isang parirala, lahat ay nagsisimulang gumalaw.
◆ Tagahanga Ka Ba, o Isang Committed na Tagasunod?
Sa isang kahulugan, ang sandaling ito ay isang pagsubok para kay Simon.
"Tagahanga ka lamang ba? O isang tunay na tagasunod? Magtitiwala ka ba sa aking salita?"
Ang Pranses na pilosopong si Blaise Pascal ay nagmungkahi ng tinatawag na "Pascal's Wager." Kung tataya ka sa Diyos at ikaw ay nagkamali, wala kang mawawala. Ngunit kung ang Diyos ay talagang umiiral at nagtaya ka sa Kanya, matatanggap mo ang lahat — buhay na walang hanggan at lahat ng kasama nito. Kung ang Diyos ay umiiral at hindi ka nagtaya sa Kanya, mawawala sa iyo ang lahat. Ito ay isang taya na walang nawawala at potensyal na walang hanggang makukuha.
Marami sa atin ang gumawa ng tapang na iyon — naniwala sa Diyos. "Ano ang maisip ng mga tao? Sa Japan, dapat kang maging Budista o pumunta sa mga shrine." At gayunpaman, ang lumang paraan ay hindi napuno ang kawalan.
At ang nakuha natin ay higit pa sa dati nating naiisip. Ang kasaysayan ng Kristiyanismo ay, sa tunay na kahulugan, kasaysayan ng mga taong natuklasan ito para sa kanilang mga sarili.
◆ Kalayaan sa Pagpili — Kung Ibababa ang Lambat
Kung ibababa ang lambat. Kung susunod. Iyon ay ang iyong pagpili.
Ang Diyos ay malambot. Naghihintay Siya. Nag-aanyaya Siya. Ngunit kung kumilos ka o hindi ay ganap na nasa iyo.
Kung sinabi ni Simon na "Hindi, imposible" — magkakaroon siya ng isang araw na hindi kapansin-pansin, uuwi, malilunod sa inumin, at magigising sa parehong buhay.
Ngunit sinubukan niya. Nakinig siya. At ang resulta — isang kahanga-hangang huli. At higit pa riyan: nakilala niya ang Diyos. Ang Diyos na nagpansin sa kanya. Ang Diyos na personal na nagsalita sa kanya.
Ang buhay ng isang Kristiyano ay patuloy na pag-uulit ng sandaling iyon.
Patuloy mo bang gagawin ang sarili mong paraan?O makikinig ka ba sa salita ni Jesus?
茨城県つくば市にあるキリスト教会、つくばライフチャーチ（Tsukuba Life Church）の公式ブログです。
私たちは福音派のプロテスタント教会で、聖書のメッセージ、礼拝、イベント情報などを発信しています。どなたでも歓迎します。
This is the official blog of Tsukuba Life Church, an Evangelical Protestant Christian church located in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan.
We share Bible messages, worship information, and community events. Everyone is welcome.
這裡是位於日本茨城縣筑波市的 筑波生命教會（Tsukuba Life Church） 官方部落格。
我們是一間福音派基督新教教會，分享聖經信息、禮拜聚會及各類活動資訊，歡迎任何人參加。 这里是位于日本茨城县筑波市的 筑波生命教会（Tsukuba Life Church） 官方博客。
我们是一间福音派基督新教教会，分享圣经信息、礼拜聚会及各类活动资讯，欢迎任何人参加。
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