你会离开你的船吗？

“耶稣随即催门徒上船，先渡到那边去，等他叫众人散开”（马太福音14:22）。福音书作者刻意地设置了这一场景。门徒们刚刚见证了一个奇迹——五千人吃饱——然而耶稣却让他们离开，自己退下去祈祷。夜幕降临，暴风雨来临。船在湖中央，“因风不顺，被波浪摇晃”（24节）。这些经验丰富的渔夫，却在拼命地摇桨。他们的环境、他们的技能、他们的船——所有熟悉的一切——突然间都显得力不从心。就在这疲惫不堪、脆弱不堪的时刻，“天快亮的时候，耶稣在海面上行走，到他们那里去”（25节）。那位祝福饼和鱼的，如今却踏着风浪，仿佛是在铺好的院子里行走。
但门徒们却认不出他来。恐惧扭曲了他们的视线。他们惊恐地喊道：“是鬼怪！”（26节）。还没等他们反应过来，耶稣就开口说话了。祂的话语在波涛中回荡：“放心！是我，不要害怕！”（27节）。在希腊原文中，“是我”也可以译作“我是”——这是上帝向摩西自我启示的回响。耶稣不仅仅是在安慰他们，更是在启示自己。

就在这时，彼得冲动而急切地说出了令人震惊的话：“主啊，如果是你，请吩咐我从水面上走到你那里去！”（28节）。这并非虚张声势，而是一颗心认出了主人的声音，并渴望回应。耶稣的回答只有一个词：“来！”（29节）。彼得跨过船舷。他不再站在木头上，而是站在水面上；他不再被他所知道的事物所束缚，而是被基督的呼唤所牵引。走了几步，他发现顺服本身就带有一种轻盈的感觉。

然后，现实再次降临。“他见风甚大，就害怕，将要沉下去，便喊着说：‘主啊，救我！’”（30节）。经文说耶稣“立刻”伸手拉住他（31节）。彼得的信心动摇了，但耶稣的紧握却没有动摇。当他们回到船上时，风停了。门徒敬拜祂，说：“你真是神的儿子”（33节）。整个事件不仅是一个奇迹，更揭示了耶稣是谁，以及祂如何在风暴中与我们相遇。
这对我意味着什么？首先，它提醒我，风暴并非神不在的标志。门徒们正是在耶稣差遣他们去的地方。顺服并不能使我们免受逆风的侵扰；有时，顺服反而会让我们直接置身于逆风之中。然而，耶稣正是在风暴中降临。祂没有在岸边大声发出指令；祂亲自走出来与我们相遇。在我自身的领导和工作生活中，我发现挑战往往是与基督更深层次相遇的契机。当系统失灵、能力衰退时，建立信任的机会就变得更加清晰。

它教导我，信心始于认识到祂的同在。门徒看见了鬼魂；彼得听见了主。我对耶稣的认知塑造了我的回应。在充满不确定性的时刻，我可以通过恐惧或信心来解读事件。“鼓起勇气！是我，不要害怕”不仅仅是对公元一世纪门徒说的一句话；它对我们来说是一句活生生的话语。基督并没有应许没有风，而是祂在风中真实存在。

彼得的脚步让我明白，信心并非一种模糊的感觉，而是回应基督命令的具体行动。他并非一时兴起，而是应耶稣的邀请而出。在我的人生中，这可能意味着开启新的事业，在会议上发言，为同事祷告，或追随一项感觉超出我能力范围的使命。船象征着熟悉的、可掌控的、“我能掌控的”。信心始于我将重心放在无法支撑我的东西上——除非耶稣在那里。
第四，这个故事让我确信，失败并不会让我失去资格。彼得开始下沉，但他也走了出来。我们许多人关注他的疑惑，但只有一个门徒真正离开了船。当他沉下去时，他知道该呼求谁：“主啊，救我！”这呼求本身就是一种信心的彰显。耶稣的回应是即时的、个人的。在我自己的失误和疑惑中，我仍然可以伸手抓住他的手，他仍然会接住我。

整个故事的结果是敬拜。门徒最终承认：“你真是神的儿子。” 风暴和信心的脚步都引领我们更深刻地认识耶稣。重点不在于我的表现，而在于他的同在。当我走出去，发现他扶持的力量时，我对他的理解就更加深刻。风暴变成了敬拜的教室。
所以，这个问题仍然是个人的：我会离开我的船吗？你会吗？我们每个人都有自己的船——一条职业轨迹、一个事工角色、一个舒适区、一种自力更生的模式。这些未必是错的，甚至可能是恩赐。但如果它们阻碍我们回应耶稣的“来吧”，就可能成为障碍。这邀请是持续不断的。在职场、在领导力、在家庭生活、在灵命成长中，基督呼召我们超越可预测的境况，更深地倚靠祂。

奇迹不在于我的勇气，而在于祂的同在。祂依然在波涛上行走。祂依然呼唤。祂依然抓住。当我们敢于迈出一步，即使步履蹒跚，我们也能发现贯穿整段经文的真理：耶稣是风暴之主，也是海洋之主，祂信实地与我们相遇。“鼓起勇气！是我。不要害怕。”这就是今天我们要说的话。

My name is Salma, you have a question?
I want to come on Sunday.
I want to join online.
Tell me more about RCF.
I want to give to RCF.
I have a different question.

Planning your Visit

Welcome to Runnymede Christian Fellowship, an Egham Church

Runnymede Christian Fellowship is a church based in Egham but serving a much larger geographical area. Those who call us home come from Egham, Virginia Water, Staines, Englefield Green, Egham Hythe, Pooley Green, Maidenhead, Heathrow, Slough, Ashford, Thorpe, Windsor, Woking and beyond.

Our church is a community of believers who gather regularly to share life and demonstrate God's love. We do this by encouraging and serving each other and the community. We believe in the power of prayer and are always happy to pray for you.

Church - What to expect

Our Sunday service is available to stream online at 11:00 a.m. You can join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or X (Twitter).

The Sunday Service is now held at Strodes College, Strodes College Lane in Egham open to all, so if you would like to join us, please feel free to do so. If you have any questions, please call us on 01784 637010.

We run a physical Sunday School most weeks. If you would like your children to receive a weekly Sunday School teaching pack that you can do from home, please email us at admin@e-runnymede.co.uk so that we can send you the materials.

Church on Sunday at Strodes College, Egham

Our Sunday service starts at 11:00 a.m. and typically lasts about 90 minutes.

We begin each service with lively worship, featuring songs from around the world, followed by inspiring, Bible-based teaching. All our sermons are recorded and are available as a podcast after the service.

We have a monthly cycle of Sunday services, with our Communion Service being on the first Sunday of each month and an All-Age All-Nation Service on the second Sunday of each month. Our other Sunday services include Spirit-focused and teaching services.

We have consciously adopted being a blended church, that is, both online and face-to-face. You are welcome to join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, or X (Twitter), or you can catch up and watch the recordings later.

Joining us in person

Visiting a new and unfamiliar church for the first time can be intimidating, but we want to ensure you feel welcome and enjoy your time with us. A friendly face will be waiting to meet you at the entrance and welcome you.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for coffee and prayer. Our Sunday Service starts at 11:00 a.m. and typically runs for about 90 minutes, normally followed by tea and coffee.

Driving and Car Parking

Our Sunday Morning Service is now held at Strodes College, Strodes College Lane, Egham, TW20 9DR, which has ample parking. Click on the link for directions to RCF.

We have plenty of parking spaces right outside the building. Spaces are reserved near the entrance for anyone with mobility issues (those with a blue badge). Please let us know if you need to use one of these spaces, have any special needs, or require any assistance.

The car parking area is a public area, so please ensure that your children are under your control and that, for their safety, they do not run around in the car park.

Visiting with children?

Everyone is welcome at RCF. We encourage everyone, regardless of age, to join the service. We offer Sunday School, which begins after worship and runs concurrently with the sermon for 30 to 40 minutes, serving children aged 4 to 12. On the second Sunday of each month, we have a shorter All-Aged All Nations Service, where the children stay for the worship and the sermon.

After Church

We chat over coffee and biscuits after church on the first, third, fourth and fifth Sundays. If you want to get more acquainted, why not join us for a Sunday lunch with some of our members? The first meal is on us (Voucher provided). Please contact us and let us know. We would love to share a meal and get to know you better!

Fellowship Feast

Want to connect?

If you're interested in connecting with us, whether to join our online community or attend our Sunday gatherings, please use our connect card.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions, please review our FAQ page. Here, you’ll find answers to many common questions. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact us; we’d love to hear from you.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO RCF!!

To contact us or see a map, click here.

Our midweek Ministry base at Virginia Lodge, Egham
Virginia Lodge Ariel