Luke 5:18, 24-20 (NKJV) Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralysed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him….But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralysed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 

It is deeply demoralising to be paralysed. It is easy to feel discouraged, hopeless, and helpless. Although we might not be physically paralysed, we can be held down by fear, especially when we receive bad news. Our dominant thought will be on the bad news and its possible outcomes, which affects our emotions and mood.

However, even though we do not deny facts or the circumstances we face, we can choose what kind of thoughts we have. Indeed, Martin Luther was quoted as saying, “You cannot prevent the birds from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.” 

This paralysed man could have lamented, thrown a pity party, and cursed God. However, that wouldn’t have changed his situation. Therefore, it is always wiser to channel that energy towards God instead. This is a choice we can make too when we are faced with fear, anxiety, and oppression.

Instead, this man was full of faith. He had probably heard about Jesus and the miraculous works that He was doing. As a result, faith had risen within him. Faith comes by hearing, hearing the Word of God. Therefore, we should take time to read the Word and listen to sermons to keep our faith established in God, as this will also help us focus our thoughts on God rather than on the circumstances.

Like the paralysed man had four great friends, who were a great encouragement to him, we also need a strong support group within the family of believers. Our genuine love for one another is what sets us apart from the world. Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). This means showing love through our words, backed by corresponding action. It may mean going the extra mile for someone in need. We ourselves also need to be vulnerable and share our struggles with others. Besides casting our cares to the Lord and drawing strength from Him, it is wise to have people to journey with us.

Reflection: What fear, anxiety, or discouraging circumstance are you facing? How is the Holy Spirit leading you to focus on God’s Word and to respond in faith, as the paralysed man did?

Sermon Series: 2026 CG Campaign – Up! (Part 4)

超越你的恐惧

路加福音 5:18, 24-25 有人用褥子抬着一个瘫子，要抬进去放在耶稣面前，……但要叫你们知道，人子在地上有赦罪的权柄。”就对瘫子说：“我吩咐你，起来，拿你的褥子回家去吧！” 那人当众人面前立刻起来，拿着他所躺卧的褥子回家去，归荣耀于神。

瘫痪是一件令人极其沮丧的事情。一个人很容易因此感到灰心、绝望，甚至觉得无助。虽然我们未必经历身体上的瘫痪，但在面对恐惧，特别是在听到坏消息的时候，我们也可能被困住、无法前进。当我们面对负面的消息时，我们的思想很容易被这些消息以及可能产生的后果占据，而这些想法会进一步影响我们的情绪和状态。

然而，虽然我们不会否认事实，也不会逃避所面对的环境，但我们仍然可以选择自己要持有什么样的思想。正如马丁·路德曾被引用说过：“你无法阻止鸟儿飞过你的头顶，但你可以阻止它们在你的头发里筑巢。”

这个瘫子本可以选择抱怨、陷入自怜，甚至埋怨神。但这样做并不能改变他的处境。因此，当我们面对恐惧、焦虑和压迫时，将我们的力量转向神，才是更有智慧的选择。这也是我们每个人都可以做出的决定。

相反，这个瘫子充满了信心。他很可能早已听闻耶稣以及祂所行的许多神迹奇事。因此，信心就在他的里面被建立起来。圣经告诉我们：“信道是从听道来的，听道是从基督的话来的。”（罗马书10:17）所以，我们需要花时间阅读神的话语，也需要聆听神的信息，使我们的信心能够稳固地建立在神里面。这样，当我们面对环境时，我们的焦点就不会只停留在困难和限制上，而是能够转向神和祂的大能。

就像这个瘫子的四位朋友成为他的帮助和鼓励一样，我们也需要在信徒群体中拥有坚强的支持和同行者。真正彼此相爱的关系，是基督徒与世界不同之处。耶稣说：“你们若有彼此相爱的心，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了。”（约翰福音13:35）这意味着，我们不仅要用言语表达爱，也要用实际行动来回应。有时候，这可能意味着我们愿意为有需要的人多走一步，付出额外的关怀和帮助。同时，我们自己也需要学习敞开生命，与弟兄姐妹分享自己的挣扎和困难。除了将我们的忧虑交托给主，并从祂那里得着力量之外，与属灵伙伴同行也是神给我们的智慧安排。

默想：你目前正在面对什么恐惧、焦虑或令人灰心的处境？圣灵如何带领你像这个瘫子一样，将焦点转向神的话语，并凭着信心回应你的环境？

讲章系列：天天向上! 细胞小组活动 2026  第四部分