The ‘ghost on the lake’

Matthew 14 New International Version

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

One of my many favourite songs is “O Man of Galilee” I have always loved the words to the song. In our reading above the highlited verses connects with the song.

SAVIOUR of light, I look just now to thee;
Brighten my path, so only shall I see
Thy footprints, Lord, which mark the way for me;
Light of my life, so surely thou wilt be,
O Man of Galilee!

Refrain:
O Man of Galilee,
Stay with and strengthen me;
Walk thou through life with me,
O Man of Galilee!

Another touch, I ask another still,
That daily, hourly, I may do thy will;
Healer of wounds and bearer of all pain,
Thy touch, thy power are evermore the same,
O Man of Galilee!

Lord of my life, I dare step out to thee
Who stilled the waves and stayed the tossing sea;
When floods o’erwhelm, my safety thou wilt be;
When nightfall comes, O Lord, abide with me;
O Man of Galilee!

Pilot of souls, I trust thy guiding hand;
Take thou the helm and, at thy blest command,
I sail straight on until, the harbour won,
I reach the glory of thy sweet well done;
O Man of Galilee!

There’s something about that name

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
There’s something about that name
Master saviour Jesus
It’s like the fragrance after rain

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
Let Heaven and Earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away
There is something about that name

These song lyrics, written by Bill and Gloria Gaither, were born following the death of their grandparents, the birth of their children, and dealing with sickness in their family. Seeing their faith in the passing of their grandparents and finding comfort and peace through Jesus while facing their fears and anxiety, the Gaithers composed this popular hymn.

While the name of Jesus brings hope, offers peace and comforts the hearts of Believers, it upsets and irritates atheists, infidels and unbelievers. Just ask Britt Hume. Tim Tebow. Phil Robertson. Or the apostle Peter.

In Acts 4, Peter and John were arrested following their healing of the lame man and for preaching Jesus. As they made their defence before the Sanhedrin Peter boldly affirmed that it was “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.”

Finally, Peter proclaimed: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The name of Jesus upset the rulers and the unbelieving Jews, so the council conferred among themselves and commended them “not speak at all nor teach the name of Jesus.”

“But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

2,000 years later the controversy continues. Saying “I thank God” on national TV doesn’t spark the same reaction as invoking the name of Jesus. Why? Because “God” may mean anything or anyone to the hearer. Some ethereal Being. Allah. Or another deity. But Jesus is specific. Jesus was a real person. He lived a perfect live. Called his followers to holiness. And claimed equality with God.

There’s just something special about that name!

Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet “that which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” But the Bard of Avon was wrong! There something in a name. The name Benedict Arnold stands for treason. But Patrick Henry stands for courage. A name can be a burden or blessing? Remember Johnny Cash’s song “A boy named Sue?

A name speaks to the issue of identity. The wise man wrote, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver and gold. (Prov 22:1). The name of Jesus is great because of who He is. What He did. And how He impacts our lives.

There’s just something about that name.

Jesus is the most unique person in all of history. He has been given more titles, designations and metaphorical descriptions than anyone who has ever lived. One concordance lists 198 appellations attributed to Jesus.

Jesus is called the Ancient of Days. The Almighty God. And the Anointed one. He is the Beloved Son, the blessed of God and the Bridegroom. Jesus is called the Christ. The Captain of our Salvation. And the Chief Cornerstone.

Jesus is the Deliverer, the Divine Son, and the Door of the Sheep. He was called Emmanuel by the Angel, Master by his followers, and Rabbi by curious seekers. The Prophets identified Jesus as the Prince of Peace, the Root of David, and Redeemer of Israel.

The apostle Paul penned that Jesus was the Mediator, the Righteous Judge, and the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. John said Jesus was the Bright and Morning Star, the Beginning and the End, and the Alpha and the Omega.

Peter confessed Him as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Following the resurrection, when Thomas witnessed his riven side and nail scarred hands, he exclaimed, “My Lord! And my God!” John the Forerunner simply said Jesus was “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

And Jesus? Well, he said, “I am the Way, The Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

His name is Jesus. How fitting. Because it literally means “saves.” Indeed Jesus saves!

There’s just something about that name.

We Love the name
The holy name
Your precious name

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
There’s just something about that name.

Why suffer as a Christian?

1 Peter 4 New International Version

Suffering for Being a Christian

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[a]

19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Quietness

Oh the joy, the dark clouds have gone,

The blackbirds sing their morning songs,

Upon the lake, the glorious swans

where the quiet descends upon us.

We silence our minds from the world’s hurried lots

Of dangers and worries and cobwebs of thoughts

We centre our minds on higher resorts

Where the quiet descends upon us.

Love upon Love, we look for the signs. A holy warm peace on the mountain resides

Facing our brothers with words so kind

Is when the Quiet descends upon us.

Morning Prayer

Oh Morning Prayer it reaches you

the quiet moment comes

When suddenly no more the fear

and battles they are done

We see your Power in everything

from tree to singing birds

declaring all your Majesty,

We open up your Word.

Lamb of Calvary

Hebrews 9 New International Version 

The Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.