Jesus was a sailor

JESUS WAS A SAILOR
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
NOTE: In this study we will be looking at Jesus and the sea, and all that reletes to the sea and
those who sail the seas.
Jesus, Captainof Life's Sea
I have a friend in Jesus
Who guides me through the gale
A first mate and a skipper
Who helps me to setsail.
He offers strength and guidance
A helmsman at the wheel

An ever-steadybeam of light
A fortress made of steel.
He's the masterof the ocean
My refuge and my rock
A harbor that I turn to
My anchorat life's dock.
He's a mighty sailing warrior
A helping hand indeed
A pilot through the churning waves

He meets my every need.
He's the One I always run to
When the waves won't let me be
The lighthouse that I turn to
On a rough and troubled sea.
He's a smoothly sailing vessel
A refuge from the storm
The gentle breeze that sends me to
An island, sweetand warm.

He's a brave and fearless skipper
A shelter from the heat
Waterwhen I'm thirsty
A vesselfilled with wheat.
He's a sure and steadysailor
My Captain on life's sea
No matter where I journey
He goes along with me.
Author/Written By:

Marilyn Ferguson
JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN
By MichaelD. O'Neal
Pastor, GospelLight Baptist Church
Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: Joshua 5:13-15
Text: Joshua 5:14
Joshua 5:14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am
I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship,
and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
Introduction: The Bible is like a mirror.
It reflects yourself, showing the natural man and the washing and work
that he needs.
It also reflects the Savior, showing the God-man and the worship that He

deserves.
Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses andall the prophets, he expounded
unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
As Jesus went through the Old Testamentshowing from the scriptures the
things concerning Himself, so have we been doing this eachweek.
The ScofieldReference Bible has a heading over this passagethatsays,
"The Unseen Captain."
As Joshua prepared to take the city of Jericho, Godopened his eyes for
a moment, and he saw an unnamed character, the Captain of the Lord's
host. This captainwould not be seen, but He would give Joshua the
victory.
Tonight's message is titled,
JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A captain is someone who is in charge of something(2 Sam. 18:5) - team
captains, department captains, as well as in charge of military troops.
As such, JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN!
I. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF SALVATION
Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are
all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of
their salvationperfect through sufferings.
A. He provided salvation
B. He purchased salvation
C. He perpetuates salvation
II. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SAINTS
Saul was captain overthe Old Testamentsaints of Israel:
1 Samuel 9:15-16 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before
Saul came, saying, 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man
out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain

over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the
Philistines: for I have lookedupon my people, because their cry is come
unto me.
Then he was replacedby David:
2 Samuel 5:1-2 Then came all the tribes of Israelto David unto Hebron,
and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 Also in time
past, when Saul was king over us, thou wasthe that leddestout and
broughtest in Israel: and the LORD saidto thee, Thou shalt feed my
people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain overIsrael.
A. Jesus purchasedus with His blood
B. Jesus puts us into His body
III. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SOLDIERS
2 Chronicles 13:12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain,
and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm againstyou. O
children of Israel, fight ye not againstthe LORD God of your fathers;
for ye shall not prosper.

A. He enlists the soldiers
B. He equips the soldiers
C. He engagesthe soldiers into
war
IV. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SPIRITS,
OR ANGELS
Joshua 5:14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am
I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship,
and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
A. They are ministers - ministering
to Him and for Him
B. They are messengers
V. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SEA
AND OF THE STORM
Matthew 8:24-27 And, behold, there arose a greattempest in the sea,

insomuch that the ship was coveredwith the waves:but he was asleep. 25
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we
perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little
faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;and there was a
greatcalm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is
this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
JESUS IS IN CHARGE!
A. He continues through the storm
1. Sleeping with the waves
2. Stepping on the waves
B. He calms down the storm in
His time
VI. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP
Luke 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and
prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat
down, and taught the people out of the ship.
God's people, the church, are like:

A. A sailing vessel
B. A searching vessel
1. For fish
2. For drowning souls
C. A scholasticvessel
1. Jesus teachesfrom the ship!
VII. JESUS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SKY
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessedhope, and the glorious appearing of
the greatGod and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Jesus is in charge
A. Of darkness and sunlight
1. He changes the times and seasons -
Dan. 2:21
2. The seasons are in His power -
Acts 1:7

B. Of drought and showers
C. Of His descentand secondcoming
1. The graves will open
2. The ground will release its bodies
3. Gravity will be defied
4. The greatGod and our Savior Jesus
Christ will be glorified and
magnified!
Thank God for our Captain!
JESUS WAS A SAILOR
REV. DAN THOMAS EDWARDS
Suzanne Verdal is a homeless woman
who sleeps in a truck with four cats
in Venice Beach, California.
But in 1965, she was a young bohemian dancer in Montreal,
the wife of a famous sculptor, Armand Villancourt.
Through her husband, she became friends with a poet.
Despite rumors, they were not lovers but soul mates.

They would meet at her home by the St. Laurence River,
near the Chapelof Our Lady of GoodHelp.
She would light a candle, serve tea, and talk with him
about her prayers to Jesus and St. Joan.
The poet was Leonard Cohen.
And his poem about her became a song.
Suzanne takes you down to her place by the river . . ..
And the sun pours down like honey
On Our Lady of the Harbor
And she shows you where to look
Among the garbage and the flowers . . ..”
It was the most mystical of love poems
about a relationship that was never a romance.
In Leonard Cohen’s characteristicfashion,
a certain religious element is set
in the midst of the relationship.
So we find the lyrics,
And Jesus was a sailor
When he walkedupon the water
And he spent a long time watching

From his lonely woodentower
And when he knew for certain
Only drowning men could see him
He said, ‘All men will be sailors then
Until the sea shallfree them . . ..’
Today’s Gospellessoncaptures our attention
if for no other reasonthan because
in 1965, by the St. Lawrence River in Montreal,
this story was on the minds and perhaps the lips
of Leonard Cohen and Suzanne Verdal.
Those of us who remember 1965
remember it as a year of war and riots.
But here was this song about
The sun pours down like honey
On our Lady of the Harbor
a song of serenity in the fearful time.
The gospellessonis such a fearful time.
Jesus had just learned that his teacher,
John the Baptist, had been executed,
so he withdrew to a lonely place.

He even sent awayhis 12 disciples in a boat.
He wanted to be alone.
Jesus climbed the mountain
and spent the whole night there praying.
Then when the disciples found themselves tossedabout
by a violent storm on the lake,
Jesus came through the storm to them with his most common message,
“Take heart. I am here. Do not be afraid.”
When they completely trusted him,
Peterwas even able to walk on the waters of chaos himself.
But when he doubted, he sank.
Jesus didn’t abandon him because his faith was weak.
He lifted him up to safelyanyway.
We all know life gets stormy.
We are sometimes tossedabout by the chaos
and the uproar of the people and events
who make up the sea on which we sail.
In truth, life is manageable.
Even death is manageable.

Millions of people have been doing life and death
for thousands of years and the world keeps right on turning.
The storm that threatens to swampour boat is the fear.
When fear takes overwe don’t do so well.
We freeze or lash out or fumble.
We lose our balance and sink into the chaos.
That’s how we drown.
The philosophers all tell us this.
The Stoic Seneca saidin 50 A D,
“There is nothing fearful except fear itself.”
Montaigne said in 1580,
“The thing in the world I am most afraid of is fear.”
Thoreausaid,
“Nothing is so much to be fearedas fear.”
What makes fear such a problem?
300 years ago, economistEdmund Burke answered,
“No passionso effectively robs the mind of its power
of acting and reasoning than fear.”
In 1938, the whole nation was pushed into a stark panic
by Orson Welles reading The War of the Worlds

on the radio.
Our wiring for fear makes us putty in the hands
of fearmongering demagogues.
As long as people want power, as long as they want to dominate us,
there will be fear mongering demagogues.
Their job is easybecause fearis so contagious.
We catchit like a cold.
Poetlaureate Charles Simic wrote,
Fearpasses from man to man.
Unknowing.
As one leaf passes its shudder
To another.
All at once, the whole tree is trembling.
And there is no signof the wind.
We feelfear that isn’t even our own.
We feelthe fear of our neighbors.
What are we afraid of?
The shadow on our CT scan,
our child’s drug use, immigrants, ISIS,
North Korea?

There are an infinite number of hooks
where fear can attachitself.
If we everrun out, we will invent more.
Fearcomes in waves like the waves on a stormy sea.
The Bible tells us those are preciselythe moments
when Jesus comes to us.
That’s when he’s present, saying,
“Take heart. I am here. Do not be afraid.”
Leonard Cohen says that Jesus appears
only to those who are drowning.
That fits my experience.
My connectionto Christ is pretty casual
until I am in trouble.
That’s when my prayer gets serious.
So when we are drowning, that’s preciselywhen Jesus is present.
When we trust him,
the fearsubsides and we canwalk on the waters.
We cannegotiate the chaos around us.
The hard part is that our very fear keeps us
from seeing him.

We are blinded by all the scary things – both real and imagined.
The objective truth that Jesus will show up
– we can take that to the bank.
The fact that he will save us whether we have faith or not,
just like he savedPeter,
we can count on that too.
But whether we notice him, whether we take heart
and overcome our fear,
well, that part’s up to us.
Remembering to keepan eye out for Jesus
Isn’t easywhen we’re in a dead panic.
It takes some discipline.
We have to make a habit of looking for him.
Everyday without fail,
I pray the 1stSong of Isaiah,
Surely it is God who saves me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For he is my stronghold and my sure defense
And he will be my savior.

One old bishop used to look in the mirror eachmorning,
and say,
Whateverhappens to me this day,
I am baptized.
Some make habit of praying constantlywith their breath,
Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God
Have mercy on me a sinner.
It doesn’t matter how we do it.
We canget a Fit Bit to vibrate eachhour to remind us
that God loves us so it’s going to be ok.
We canpick whatever reminder works for us.
The keyis to somehow remember Jesus saying,
Take heart, I am here. Do not be afraid.
The Bible tells us not to be afraid.
It says “Do not be afraid” 365 times, once of eachday of the year.
So, we cancheck in on that assurance habitually.
1stJohn says,
There is no room for fearin love
for perfectlove casts out fear.
So when you hear the voices offear,

you canknow right off those are not the voices of love.
2nd Timothy says,
God has not given us a spirit of fear
but of powerand of love and of a sound mind.
So when you sense the spirit of fear,
you know right off that isn’t from God.
God fills us with spiritual powerand love and sanity,
common sense.
And wheneversomeone tries to scare us,
whether it’s a fire and brimstone preacher
or a fire and fury politician,
we can remember Jesus saying,
Take heart. I am here. Do not be afraid.
Postedby Bishop Dan at 9:24 PM
Jesus was a sailor
Jesus was a sailorwhen he walkedupon the water,

And he spent a long time watching from a lonely woodentower.
And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him,
He said, “All men shall be sailors then, until the sea shall free them.”
–LeonardCohen, “Suzanne”
The toweris the cross and also the mast of a ship. Jesus is like a sailorin the
same way all of us are sailors — on a voyage full of peril and far from home.
(Postedon FB June 28, 2015)
Jimmy Buffett Lyrics
Play "A Sailor's Christ…"
on Amazon Music Unlimited (ad)
"A Sailor's Christmas"
Sail on the horizons gotta landfall rendezvous

Captain steers a well-knowncourse, he steers straight& true
As he trims the sheets, he sings a song
He learned on boats and bars
Sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour 'neath the stars
He's traveled through the doldrums, typhoons and hurricanes
He's loggeda million soggymiles with wateron his brain
But Christmas is the seasonbettersuited for dry land
He'll tell some lies, meet some spies
And dance barefootin the sand
The sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour on the hook
Caye con les, no work today, let's shell the ol' log book
The waterfront is reveling, the seasonhas begun
The sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour having fun.
There's a party down at Le Selecte, music, rum and cheers
Faces in the shadows, God, I haven't seenfor years
A mast & shroud fill with lights
'Neath the waning of the moon
They're an airy celebrationin the realm of King Neptune.
The sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour on the hook

Caye con les, no work today, let's shell the ol' log book
The sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour having fun.
Jesus was a fisherman who walkedupon the sea
The North Pole is ocean's remote frozen balcony
The continents keepdrifting but the children sing and play
'Cause nothing really matters, after all it's Christmas day
The sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour on the hook.
Vaye con les, no work today, he read it in a book
A sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour having fun
A sailorspends his Christmas in a harbour having fun
Havin' fun... havin' fun...havin' fun
With Jesus In My BoatI Can Smile In The Storm
By Georgy------ 30159 views
Play the song “With Jesus in my boat I can”
Lyrics:-

With Jesus in my boat I can
Smile in the storm [3]
Smile in the storm when I’m sailing Home
When I’m sailing Home [2]
Smile in the storm when I’m sailing Home.
Smile in the storm [3]
Smile in the storm when I’m sailing Home
When I’m sailing Home [2]
Smile in the storm when I’m sailing Home.
1 Jesus, Savior, pilot me,
Over life's tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treach'rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee:

Jesus, Savior, pilot me!
2 As a mother stills her child,
Thou cansthush the oceanwild;
Boist'rous waves obeyThy will
When Thou say'stto them, "Be still!"
Wondrous Sov'reignof the sea,
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me!
3 When at lastI near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
'Twixt me and the peacefulrest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
"Fearnot, I will pilot thee!"
Amen.
Source:Hymns for a Pilgrim People:a congregationalhymnal #429
All representative texts • Compare texts^ top
Author: Edward Hopper
Hopper, Edward, D.D., was born in 1818, andgraduated at Union Theological
Seminary, New York, 1842. He is pastor of the Church of Sea and Land, N. Y.
He is the author of 1. Jesus, Saviour, pilot me [us]. Jesus the Pilot. 2. They
pray the bestwho pray and watch. Watching & Prayer. 3. Wreckedand
struggling in mid-ocean. Wreck & Rescue. Ofthese No. 1 appearedin the
Baptist Praise Book,1871, and 2 & 3 in Hymns & Songs of Praise, N. Y., 1874.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology… Go to personpage >

Drowning Sailor
The crew upon this ship are sailing
Is deafenedby the ocean’s roar
They are tossedby the mighty breakers
Towardthe rocks upon the shore
Jesus saviorbe our captain
And guide us through this awful storm
And help to save eachdrowning sailor
Who has tumbled overboard
This world is like a grand old ocean
The church is like a ship at sea
We are helpless little sailors
Lord we’re helpless but for thee
https://www.bluegrasslyrics.com/song/drowning-sailor/

Lyrics
1. Brightly beams our Father’s mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.
[Chorus]
Let the lowerlights be burning;
Send a gleam acrossthe wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.
2. Dark the night of sin has settled;

Loud the angry billows roar.
Eagereyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.
3. Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.
Text and music: Philip Paul Bliss, 1838–1876
"In The Eye of the Storm" - a sermon on sailing with Christ
By Unknown - March02, 2015
Welcome back!It's been severalweekssince I've preachedat Trinity,
betweenguestpreachers and winter weather. This sermonis basedon the

story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:35-41, and it's part of our walk
through the gospelofMark, which we started in January. Remember as you
read that all sermons are written for a particular time and place (in this case,
Trinity UMC in Odenton), and are meant to be heard aloud in the context of a
worship service. You are always invited to join us on Sunday mornings at
10:30 am for worship and children's Sunday school;adult Sunday school
(currently working through 24 Hours that Changed the World) meets at 9:15
am.
May God's grace and peace be with you,
c.
“Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
These are the questions of Jesus on this morning.
“How is it that ye have no faith?”
Let us pray.
God, we believe and trust in you. Help our unbelief. Amen.
I must admit this morning that I understand the disciples’concerns whenthey
come to Jesus. After all, it’s been a long day. The scripture says that Jesus
“beganto teachbeside the sea,” but that “such a very large crowdgathered

around him that he gotinto a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole
crowdwas beside the sea on the land.” Jesus teachesonand on, all day, telling
mysterious stories like the parable of the sowerand his seeds, orthe parable
of the mustard seed. Canyou imagine the disciples? Drinking in all these
stories, waiting for the moment when Jesus would explain everything in
private to them…and all the while taking care of the logistics, with Jesus in
their boat there on the shore, keeping the crowd at bay.
Needlessto say, it was a long day of teaching.
Then, at the end of the day, “whenevening had come,” the scriptures say,
Jesus turns to the disciples and says, “Let us go across to the other side.”
I don’t know about you, but I would have mixed feelings about that. On one
hand, it would be greatto get awayfrom the crowds…but on the other hand,
do we really want to travel across the open waterat night?
But the disciples agree:they went to the boat and got ready to go. Mark even
notes that the disciples took Jesus “justas he was,” whichmakes me wonder if
he was exhausted and about to fall over when they helped him into the boat.
In any case, youknow what happens next: they getpartway across the Sea of
Galilee when suddenly, a “greatwindstorm” arises, and the waves beginto
“beatinto the boat” and it starts swamping – waterstarts pouring into the
boat.
The disciples are in a panic, and you can imagine that their anxiety rises when
they look in the back of the boat and see that Jesus is asleep – not worrying

about the storm, not helping to bail water out of the boat, not appearing to
have a care in the world – just fast asleep.
And so the disciples shake him awake andcry, “Jesus!!! Don’t you care that
we’re about to die here!?”
I like to imagine Jesus going from groggyto a little irritated to in complete
control: the scripture says that he woke up, rebuked the wind, and said
“Peace!Be still!” – literally “be muzzled!” or “settle down!” – and then he
turns back to the disciples. He looks at these men who just accusedhim of not
caring, and asks, “Whyare you afraid? Have you still no faith?”
“Why are you afraid?”
It was pretty obvious why they were afraid: a storm – something completely
out of their control – was threatening their lives, and there was nothing they
could do to stop it.
Have you ever felt out of control and afraid? Maybe in your life it was hearing
the doctor’s diagnosis, orthe prognosis for a loved one. Or maybe you or
someone you love has a mental illness, and is out of control of their emotions,
unable to enjoy activities they used to enjoy, unable to get up in the morning.
Or maybe your family feels like a perfect storm of chaos and arguments.
There are plenty of reasons to feelafraid.
But it’s Jesus’next question that really gets me:

“Have you still no faith?”
The Greek wordfor “faith” here is pistis, which also means “belief,” “trust,”
and “conviction.” In this story, it seems to make the most sense whenwe start
thinking about “faith” as a type of trust, the kind of trust that motivates you
to take certain actions. Forexample, you only let people you trust watchyour
kids when they’re little.
When we think of faith as trust, then fear becomes the natural threat. When
we’re afraid, we have a really hard time trusting. And the more afraid you
are, the less trust – the less faith – you have.
So where did the disciples go wrong?
I like to think that it is okayto feel afraid, but that where they tripped up was
in letting their fear overtake their faith. The disciples could have come to
Jesus and said, “Jesus, we’re scaredand we really need your help here.” That
would have been an honeststatement of their feelings, but would have
demonstrated that they trusted in Jesus’power.
Instead, the disciples let their fearovertake their faith, leading them to
assume the worst, and yell “Jesus,don’t you care that we’re dying!?”
That’s not trusting at all. That is a question completelydriven by fear.

But in a sense, I am comforted by the disciples bumbling through their fear,
because Jesusresponds anyway. Even though the disciples don’t come to him
in trust and faith, he cares for them. He looks out for them. The goodnews
here is that “you don’t have to have perfect faith for God to respond.” This
story shows us that “you caneven be paralyzed by fear, assume the worst
about God, and still receive God’s mercy and grace” andthe opportunity to
grow in your relationship with God.
The goodnews is that no matter how much we struggle, Godis with us.
Which brings me back to the boat.
Since ancient times, the church has been portrayed as a boat afloaton the sea
of the world, with the mast in the form of a cross. This image has inspired
countless generations,and sticks with us today from the World Council of
Churches logo to the word nave (like ‘Navy’) that refers to the central portion
of the sanctuary. If you look at the ceiling of most churches, in fact, you can
see how the arched roofis similar to the inner structure of a boat, flipped
upside-down.
However, we must be carefulwhen we start to speak of the church as a boat,
because the church was never meant to be a cruise ship in which we passively
go about our own business, seeking entertainment and personalized comfort.
No: the church was meant to be a boat, where everyone must pitch in to raise
the sails and navigate by the stars – a boat, where we share the food and
stories we have as we sailacross the murky, untamed waters.

And as I thought about these nautical images this week, I remembered that
C.S. Lewis wrote about the human life in terms of a fleet of ships.
Imagine, for a moment, that eachone of you is a ship, and that we, as a
congregation, are all traveling together, as a fleet of ships.
What do we need in order to be successfulin our journey?
C.S. Lewis writes that the “voyage will be a successonly, in the first place, if
the ships do not collide and get in one another’s way; and, secondly, if each
ship is seaworthyand has her engines in goodorder. As a matter of fact, you
cannot have either of these two things without the other. If the ships keepon
having collisions they will not remain seaworthyvery long. On the other hand,
if their steering gears are out of order they will not be able to avoid collision.”
Think about yourself as a ship. Do you often find yourself running into other
ships? Or drifting awayfrom other ships? Are your relationships with those
around you in order?
Is your ship running smoothly? Is your inner, spiritual life in order?
But then, he writes that “there is one thing we have not yet takeninto account.
We have not askedwhere the fleetis trying to get to. [For] howeverwell the
fleet sail[s], its voyage [will] be a failure if it were meant to reachNew York
and actually arrived at Calcutta.”
Where is our fleet trying to go?

It is goodfor you to have your own ship in order, and it is goodfor you to be
sailing with the fleet in such a formation that we do not collide with one
another…but if we do not know where we are sailing, then we are simply
drifting.
So where is Trinity United Methodist Church going?
We know what it is like to go through storms with Jesus. Trinity has been
through some faith-testing storms and trials, and the faithfulness of God and
the people in this place has brought us to the other side. Where Trinity was
once without a pastor, there is now a pastor here to serve and live alongside
the congregation. Where we once wonderedwhether our doors would have to
close, we are now welcoming new families every month, and dreaming about
new partnerships and programs with sister churches and neighboring
communities.
Yes: Trinity has been through faith-testing storms, and challenges are sure to
keepcoming. While we have made it to the other side, and I have been
appointed here as your pastor, the challenge before us is a financial one, as an
extra level of giving is required to support a long-term appointed pastor in
this congregation. While we have made it to the other side, and no longerfear
that we will have to close our doors, the challenge before us is to connectwith
the growing Piney Orchard community and the incoming Two Rivers
community.
“Crossing to the other side with Jesus may be a risky, unpredictable
proposition,” and “leaving the crowd behind and following Jesus does not
guarantee us, as individuals or as a church, a storm-free life.”[1] As we

approachnew challenges, we – like the disciples – may sometimes find
ourselves crying out, “Jesus!!! Wake up! Don’t you care about us?"
Even when we make it through the storms, following Jesus may well take us
straight into encounters with the worstpain and suffering of the world, the
places where Jesus'powerfultouch is most needed.
“Crossing to the other side at Jesus'command may try our faith, but it also
puts us in a positionto experience the stilling of our storms, the restorationof
the brokenand the marginalized, and the transformation of death to life.”
This Lent, as Trinity turns to the future, I urge you to not jump out of the
boat when the storm hits. Stay in the boat and call on Jesus, knowing that God
cares for us and looks out for us. Stay in the boat and let us faces our fears
together, knowing that we serve a God who is worthy of our trust.
As we look to the future, I urge you to stayin the boat through the roughest
storms.
For God is truly with us in the midst of the wind and waves.
And God is waiting on the other side, ready to do greatthings.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.

The Story Behind …“Jesus, Saviour, PilotMe”
By Author Unknown
The Story Behind …
“Jesus, Saviour, PilotMe”
Text — Edward Hopper, 1822-1888
Music — John E. Gould, 1922-1875
Thou wilt show me the path of life: In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy
right hand there are pleasures forevermore. —Psalm16:11
Just as our Lord often taught profound spiritual truths with earthly
associations, so many of our fine hymns have been written with symbolic
imagery that makes them more understandable as we sing. This hymn was
written especiallyfor sailors in language they knew well —charts, compasses,
and the absolute need for a competent pilot to guide their crafts over the
tempestuous seas.

Edward Hopper was born in New York City on February 17, 1818. His father
was a merchant and his mother a descendantof the Huguenots, the persecuted
French Protestants. In 1870, he beganthe most fruitful phase of his ministry
when he became pastorof a church in New York harbour known as the
“Church of Sea and Land.” Here he ministered most effectively for the
remaining years of his life to the many sailors who made their way to and
from their ships.
It was while ministering at his sailor’s missionthat Edward Hopper wrote this
hymn text especiallyfor the spiritual needs of these sea-faring men. He wrote
it anonymously, as he did all of his works, and for some time no one ever knew
that the pastor of the sailors was also the author of the sailor’s favorite hymn.
Jesus, Saviour, Pilot Me has been included in nearly every evangelicalhymnal
published until the present time. Through the years it has been a hymn that is
especiallymeaningful to young people sincerelyconcernedabout knowing
God’s will for their lives.
At the age of seventy-two, Edward Hopper’s prayer expressedin the third
stanza of his immortal hymn had its complete fulfillment when he died in
1888. He was found sitting in his study chair, pencil in hand, writing a new
poem on the subject of heaven.
How important it is, dear Christian friend, that you and I learn the lessonof
this hymn — that of placing our implicit confidence in the Pilot of our souls as

He guides us through the tempestuous seas oflife. And though there may be
the storms and waves that at times almostseemto swamp us, we canbe
certain that our Lord is still in control and will lead us safelyto our heavenly
home.
1.
Jesus, Saviour, pilot me over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and treach’rous shoal;
Chart and compass come from Thee—Jesus, Saviour, pilot me.
2.
As a mother stills her child, Thou cansthush the oceanwild;
Boisterous wavesobeyThy will when Thou say’stto them, “Be still.”
Wondrous Sov’reignof the sea, Jesus,Saviour, pilot me.
3.
When at lastI near the shore, and the fearful breakers roar
Twixt me and the peacefulrest —then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me, “Fearnot — I will pilot thee.”

The Incomparable Christ
More than 1900 years ago a Man was born contrary to the laws of nature.
This man lived in poverty and was rearedin obscurity. He did not travel
extensively. Only once did He cross the boundary of the country in which he
lived; that was during His childhood when He was in exile in Egypt.
He possessedneither wealthnor influence, his relatives were inconspicuous,
and had neither training nor formal education.
In infancy He startleda king; in childhood He puzzled doctors;in manhood
He ruled the course of nature; He walkedupon the billows as if pavements,
and hushed the sea to sleep.
He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His
services.
He never wrote a book, and yet all the libraries in the world could not hold the
books that have been written about Him.

He never wrote a song and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs
than all the song writers combined.
He never founded a college,but all the schools put togethercannot boastof
having as many students.
He never marshalled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun; and yet
no leader had more volunteers who have under His orders, made more rebels
stack arms and surrender without a shotbeing fired.
He never practicedpsychiatry, and yet He has healedmore brokenhearts
than all the doctors far and near.
Once every week the wheels of commerce ceasetheir turning and multitudes
wend their way to worshipping assemblies to pay homage and respectto Him.
The names of the proud statemenof Greece andRome have come and gone.
The names of the past scientists, philosophers and theologians have come and
gone;but the name of this Man abounds more and more.

Though time has spreadmore than 1900 years betweenthe people of his
generationand the scene ofHis crucifixion, yet He lives. Herod could not
destroy Him, and the grave could not hold him.
He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaimed of
God, acknowledgedby angels, adoredby saints and feared by demons as the
risen, personalChrist, our Lord and Saviour.
At this seasonThe Incomparable Christ is still standing at many a heart’s
door, seeking admission. His words says: “BeholdI stand at the door and
knock;if any man will hear My voice and open the door I will come in to him,
and will sup with him and he with Me” (Revelation3:20).
Also, “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved.”
The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatestgift ever given to the world. He can be
yours. IS HE?
“Believe onthe Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

—Anonymous
1 Upon life's boundless oceanwhere mighty billows roll,
I've fixed my hope in Jesus, blestanchorof my soul;
When trials fierce assailme as storms are gath'ring o'er,
I rest upon His mercy and trust Him more.Refrain:
I've anchoredin Jesus, The storms of life I'll brave,
I've anchoredin Jesus, I fear no wind or wave,
I've anchoredin Jesus for he hath pow'r to save,
I've anchoredin the Rock ofAges.2 He keeps my soul from evil and gives me
blessedpeace,
His voice hath stilled the waters and bid their tumult cease;
My Pilot and Deliv'rer, to Him I all confide,
For always when I need Him, He's at my side. [Refrain]3 He is my Friend and
Saviour, in him my anchor's cast.
He drives awaymy sorrows andshields me from the blast;
By faith I'm looking upward beyond life's troubled sea,
There I behold a haven prepared for me. [Refrain]

Source:The New Church Hymnal #140
All representative texts • Compare texts^ top
Author: Lewis E. Jones
Lewis Edgar Jones, 1865-1936 Born:Feb-ru-a-ry 8, 1865, Yates City,
Il-li-nois. Died: Sep-tem-ber 1, 1936, San-ta Bar-ba-ra, Cal-i-for-nia.
Pseudonyms: Lewis EdgarEdgar Lewis Mary Slater A class-mate of
evan-gel-istBil-ly Sun-day, Jones at-tend-ed the Moo-dy Bi-ble In-sti-tute.
Af-ter grad-uation, he workedfor the Young Men’s Christian
As-so-ci-a-tionin Da-ven-port, Io-wa;Fort Worth, Tex-as (1915);and San-ta
Bar-ba-ra, Cal-i-forn-ia (1925). Hymn writ-ing was his avo-ca-tion. © The
Cyber Hymnal™ (www.hymntime.com/tch) Go to personpage >
Jesus as the BestManagementModel
Glenn Brooke
December29, 2014
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Though it sounds goofyto some, I unashamedly rely upon this question to
help me be a better person and projectmanager, and a better leader:

“What would Jesus do?”
Considerwhat we discoverfrom the New Testamentaccounts of Jesus:
Jesus is both tough and tender, bold and gentle. Jesus loves people.
He places relationships above short-term or selfishgains.
Jesus finds ways to accomplishgoals by developing the potential of others.
He believes in people even when they don’t believe in themselves.
He gives clearfeedback whenpeople have an unrealistic view of themselves,
others, or the world.
Jesus praises and rebukes.
When given very difficult questions – even questions designedto make him
look bad – he finds a way to express the truth so that even his enemies respect
him.
Jesus thinks big, really big, and treasures the small.
He is innovative and inspiring to others, bringing new ideas, new teaching,
and creative solutions to significant problems.
Jesus holds the long view, but is also fully present with every person he meets.
He is delighted with progress, anddifficult to satisfybecause he knows you
can be better.
Jesus builds illustrations from everyday things that even a child can
understand. He is a master story-sharer.

Jesus laughedand cried. Though he has an analytical ability that pierces
complex situations he does not shy awayfrom emotions.
Jesus gets angryat the right things.
Jesus doesn’tcompromise. Jesus speaksplainly and clearly; no one doubts he
means what he says.
Jesus speaksthe truth – we know this because we observe that some people
have to work very, very hard to rejectit.
He does not fear. He believes that all things are possible.
Jesus knows his true mission. Jesus came here to transform the human
experience. Jesus knowsthe best wayto live.
Jesus perseveres, endures, and does not quit.
Jesus knows who he is, and Whose he is.
As Christian leaders, we rely upon the Holy Spirit to help us become more
and more like Jesus:
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. Forthis
comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV).
And:
…for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good
pleasure (Philippians 2:13, ESV).

We canuse the model Jesus gives us as a framework for evaluating
opportunities, making choices, andbuilding lasting value in our organizations.
I worship God that as a leadercalled by God I can follow Jesus’s model. May
the grace ofGod give you encouragementand wisdom in every leadership
opportunity, and may you have confidence that God’s ways will truly be the
best.
Hallelujah, and amen!
GLENN BROOKE
Glenn Brooke considers leadershipa craft which requires dedicatedpursuit.
The apprentice model (instruction + practice + associating withother
craftsmen) is the time-tested way to foster the next generationof leaders. Real
leaders never stop working on their craft; there are only new levels of mastery
ahead. Glenn is the author of Leadership Craft, Teachthe Bible to Change
Lives, and other books. You canread more from Glenn on his blog,
leadershipcraft.com.
The MostImportant Thing Jesus Did — and What it Means to Us Today
Jim Wolstenholm
Jim Wolstenholm
Follow
May 3, 2019 · 4 min read

Nearly every day, you hear or see something that reflects the life of Jesus.
Sometimes you aren’t aware of it because much of what he said and did has
become ingrained in our culture — for example, the golden rule. There are
three things that we look at in regard to his life before we considerthe most
important thing he ever did.
Image for post
Photo by JonTyson on Unsplash
His teaching
He taught the truth with authority. His teaching is demanding but he calls his
disciples to obedience. He taught with words and by example. And his
teaching continues today through the Bible.
His power
He amply demonstrated his power overthe demonic, nature, health, life and
death.
His call
He issued, and still issues, a simple call: “follow me.” That call has an
attachment to it: take up your cross daily. A little more about what that
means a little later!
The MostImportant Thing He Ever Did
His Death
His death was agonizing beyond description. Crucifixion was cruel —
perhaps, the most tortuous way to die ever devised. Beyond the physical pain
there was the emotional pain of shame and loneliness as well as the spiritual
pain as he took on the sin of the world.
But, his resurrection

This is where things getexciting. First was the shock of hearing the words ‘he
is not here, he is risen’ (Matthew 28:6). His resurrectionis the once for all
victory over sin and death.
What does this mean for us?
Our greatest fear, our greatestenemy, is death. Sin brings death. Death is
frequently equated with the greatestofpain and plunges us into the unknown.
While it is not always so, it is frequently, physically unpleasant. When my dad
was dying, he said, “If this is dying, I don’t want to do it more than once.”
As we look into the realities of death and resurrection, we find that when we
put our trust in God, we experience eachof them twice.
We will physically die someday. That is inevitable, unless Jesus returns first.
Even the one with the most robust faith, like my dad, will die. More on the
other death later.
We also experience the powerof resurrection twice. Thatpower happens to us
now with victory over sin and guilt. It transforms our daily lives and allows us
to face physical death without fear!
We also experience the powerof the resurrectionwhen we physically die and
are transported to heaven! Then in glorified body we will fully realize how
incredible this resurrectionis.
The powerof his resurrectionseems to us to be glorious — and it is!!
God’s resurrection powerwill be fully realized in us only when we die (take
up our cross)!
When we fail to die to ourselves, we will still experience physical death but we
will deprive ourselves ofexperiencing the powerof resurrectionin this life
and in the one to come.
What do we need to die to?
Lack of faith. Too often, we don’t really trust God because we have a plan ‘b’
in place. To trust, to have faith, means to fully believe, lean, surrender and
obey.

Selfishness. We have gotten the idea that being a Christian is about what God
does for us.
So we think that somehow Jesus joins with me in my life — the life I have
chosen. At times he will stoopto join us in our struggles but he yearns to lift
us to join him in his victories!
The reality is that being a disciple means we join him and become part of his
kingdom. We think that Jesus shouldfix my life when we should live in the
reality of Jesus is my life! The Kingdom of Heaven is not a self-help program
with a spiritual component!! It really isn’t about us! It’s about Jesus.
Pride. Here’s what pride sounds like. My voice must be heard. I know best; I
must have my way. I will fight for my right to be heard. My comfort, my
personalagenda are of utmost importance. And pride exists among followers
of Jesus. But we must die to it!
Money. We are in one of two camps when it comes to money. We have too
much and don’t want to part with it or we have too little and want God to give
us more.
Gossip. We find comfort in sharing other people’s problems and we can’t help
but share our opinion and what we know.
Bitterness and anger. We getangry when we don’t getour way. We are bitter
when we see people getahead and we don’t. When we have these feelings, we
betray our distrust of God!
Unforgiving spirit. We have been hurt and carry it with us. We refuse to
forgive until the offender apologizes.
Sexual sin. We go along with our culture and engage in pornography, lustful
thoughts and sexualexpressionoutside of marriage.
When we finally die to all these things and anything else we cling to the chains
will fall off — we will be setfree. We will finally experience our own
resurrectionand the powerof God in our lives.
Your Turn

In order for you to experience resurrectionpower, what do you need to die to
today? Do it and trust God for his powerto manifest and make it possible!
Jim Wolstenholmis a committed followerof Jesus who wants to help you
follow Jesus and live the abundant life. You can follow him on his blog, on
Facebook orTwitter.
Jesus Is The Answer
Andraé Crouch
Album GospelMusic Hall of Fame
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
If You Have Some Questions In The Corners Of Your Mind
And Traces OfDiscourgementAnd PeaceYou Cannot Find
Reflections OfThe Old Past, They SeemTo Face You Everyday

There's One Thing I Know For Sure That Jesus Is Away
Let Me Hear You Now
I Know You Got Mountains That You Think You Cannot Climb
I Know That Your Skies Have BeenDark, You Think The Sun Won't Shine
In Case You Don't Know
I'm Hear To Tell You That The Word Of GodIs True
And Everything That He Promised
I Tell You He Would Do It For You
Let Me Tell You That
Jesus , He Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other
Jesus , He Is The Answer For The World Today
Jesus Is The Way

Jesus Christ: The BestThing in Life Was Unplanned
OPINION RYAN BOMBERGER DEC 14, 2011 | 5:24PM
WASHINGTON, DC
An unplanned pregnancy. A courageous teenagemother. A father who chose
adoption over abandonment. This is Christmas. Without this scenario, we
wouldn’t be honoring the most history-altering moment for humanity.
Christ’s birth could not have been orchestratedby man or woman. From the
human side of the equation, it was entirely unplanned. And that’s just like
many instances in our ownlives. No matter how hard we try, we’re always
colliding with moments of unexpected challenges.
And the world has become a more inspiring place because ofpeople who,
despite the seemingly impossible, embraced the hardship, the pain, the
confusion, and the unknown to journey through the unscripted to craft
triumphant story lines.
The birth of our saviorwasn’t just a singular unplanned human moment, but
a string of impossible challenges, royallyjealous pursuits and religious
persecution. These required continual commitments of love, self-sacrifice,

obedience, and down-on-your-knees tearful prayers from parents who chose
the plan of the unplanned life.
Three out of my four children were “unplanned”. But God’s plan for them
(planned or not) was to transform my wife’s life, my life, and the hundreds (if
not thousands)of lives out there waiting to experience the love, compassion
and joy radiating from these irreplaceable gifts.
The life-affirming work we do through The Radiance Foundation is the result
of unexpected moments that have become transformative events. Whether
fighting giants in the abortion industry, calling out civil rights leaders for
promoting civil wrongs, celebrating adoption, honoring real feminism, or
creativelyinspiring others to embrace their beautiful intrinsic value, we
continue to marvel at how lives have been forever changedby things we never
could have, humanly, planned.
Every Christmas serves as a reminder that our most precious gift is being
loved by a God who makes all things possible.
He takes the meaningless and makes it meaningful.
He takes the miry and makes it miraculous.
He took the meek and made Him the Messiah.
So, with all of your plans for the holidays, always remember the bestthing in
life was unplanned.

Merry Christmas.
John 11:1-45
Jesus’BestWonderful Thing!
By Dr. CarolJ Miller
When Jesus beganto teachthe people about God, Jesus also begandoing
wonderful things. These things that Jesus did showedthe people what God
thought and what God wanted. One of the wonderful things Jesus did was to
heal many, many people. People who could not walk, walked. People who
could not see, saw. [Whatdoes this tell us? What does God want for us? Does
God want us to be sick or to be healthy? Respectallanswers].
Jesus, by the wonderful things he did showedus that God wants us to be
healthy and in our right minds, just like the people he healed. Jesus made
friends with people that no one else wanted for friends. [What does that tell
us? Who does God love? Pretty, rich people only or poor, sad people too?
Respectallanswers. Godloves all people for all people belong to God. This
includes you and me!]
In this story today we hear about the most amazing, stupendous, unbelievable,
wonderful thing Jesus did. It was astounding. Do you know what astounding
means? It means this [drop your jaw and look surprised]. That’s surprising––
super-surprising––astounding.

Jesus did what nobody ever did before and nobody has ever done since. Jesus
made a man who had been dead for four days be alive again. Now one thing
people have never been able to do is to make someone orsomething that is
NOT alive to BE alive. Giving life is something only Goddoes. [If Jesus could
make people be alive, what does that tell us? Where does Jesus’powerto do
wonderful things come from? Listen to all answers.]It tells us that Jesus’
powercomes from God. Now if Jesus’poweris from God, that means that
what Jesus says and does is the wayGod wants us to live. Jesus teachesus
soooo much about God and soooomuch about the way we are to live.
One more question: [When Jesus raisedthe man named Lazarus, what did
that tell us? Accept all answers]. It told us that God wants life for us not
death. And if God wants life, then the last thing about us is not that we die, the
last thing about us is that we live againwith God. That’s a lot to think about.
It all means this: Jesus came to show us that God loves us, wants us to be well
and to belong. And especially, Jesus showsus that God is strong enoughto
give us life and to love us forever.
Scripture quotations from the World English Bible
Copyright 2013, RichardNiellDonovan
ohn 1:1-18)
Print this lesson| Bookmark/Share:

Introduction: If you were writing an accountabout the life of Jesus, how
would you begin? Mostpeople would begin chronologically:with His birth.
Others might start with His most exciting miracle and then tell how Jesus
came to that point. Still others might begin with the cross, and with that
introduction go back and tell His entire story. John does none of these things.
Let's jump into our study of his gospelto find out how John introduces us to
the greateststoryevertold!
"In the Beginning"
ReadJohn 1:1-2. What do we learn about "the Word" in these verses? (The
Word was present in the beginning. The Word is unique in that He was both
"with" God and at the same time was God.)
How does this work:how can a personbe "with" someone and at the same
time be that someone? Forexample, "Jim was with Bob and was Bob." (John
introduces us to the conceptof the Trinity right at the very beginning. It is the
mystery that Three (Father, Sonand Holy Spirit) can at the same time be
One.)
In my example I used two ordinary names (Jim and Bob). "Word" is not the
name of a person. Why does John use the noun "Word" for a Member of the
Godhead? (Words conveyan idea. They represent something. Our lesson
(Sunday) points out that the ancient Greeks hadthis generalizedbelief that
"logos"(word)was a deity which both createdand sustained life. Merrill
Tenney's book on John tells us (p.62) that "logos"referredto the "controlling

Reasonofthe universe." It conveyedthe conceptof "that ultimate
Intelligence, Reason, orWill that is called God.")
Using the term "logos"rang a familiar bell with the Greeks. Whatfamiliar
bell is rung in your mind when John starts out "In the beginning?" (This
sounds like Genesis 1:1.)
ReadJohn 1:3. At the same time compare Genesis 1:1 with John 1:1-3. What
catches your attention in this comparison? (They are covering the same
subject. It seems that John is a commentary or fuller description of Genesis
1:1.)
What does John 1:1 teachus about Genesis 1:1? (That this "Word" was both
with and was Godduring the Creation.)
Readand compare Genesis 1:3 and John 1:3-4. What catches yourattention
about this comparison? (They are both speaking about light. Again, John is
tracking the concepts ofGenesis 1. He tells us that the Word is light.)
Remember we learned last week that John wrote his gospellastand we
consideredJohn's thinking as he was inspired to write. Why do you think

John decided to start his gospelin much the same way that Moses started
Genesis?
What concepts did God want us to learn through these inspired writings? (In
Genesis we learnthat our God is our Creator. This teaches us an important
lessonabout our relationship to God. In John we learn more about the
identity of our God: that the Word is our Creator.)
As we will see in the balance of this chapter, John identifies Jesus as the
Word. Why does John begin his accountof Jesus with the Creation? (In the
introduction I speculatedthat most people, given the task of writing the story
of Jesus, would begin chronologically - with Jesus'birth. John takes the same
approach. However, John tells us that the story of Jesus goesback a long time
before Jesus'birth as a human. John begins the story of Jesus at the beginning
of our time. He begins it with our birth - the birth of humans.
Light
Let's look at John 1:4 again. John has used two words to describe Jesus:
Word and light. What do you think John is trying to teach us by using those
words? (Light reveals. Words describe. Jesus came to open our understanding
of God.)

Notice verse 4 also teaches us that life was in Jesus and Jesus'life is our light.
How is Jesus life? (Right out of the gate John makes the point that Jesus was
both our CreatorGod and the One who could give us life again. The hope of
life againis "light" for our life. As we learned lastweek from John 20:31,
teaching us this is the goalof John's gospel.)
How are life and light related? (The Bible often refers to God and right living
as "light," and Satan and wrong living as "darkness." (Forexample, see John
3:19-21.)Jesus came to bring us life by teaching us about righteousness. He
came to reveal the "God side" of things.)
ReadJohn 1:5. In John's story about Jesus, he makes this remarkable
statementby the fifth verse. What conceptis John introducing us to in his
accountof Jesus'life?
Is John suggesting that Jesus'life work was not a complete success?(Jesus'
purpose, at leastin part, was to eliminate darkness in the life of humans by
the light of His own life. John is saying that sinful humans didn't getit. We
did not understand. I think John is saying, "I want to help you to understand
this. I'm writing this accountso that you will `get it'.")

ReadJohn 1:6-9, 29. Who is this John? Is it the writer of this account? (No.
This is John the Baptist. We geta fuller picture of John the Baptist in John
1:15-36. Since we will not be studying most of this accountof the Baptist, I
recommend that you read it on your own.)
Why do you think John introduces us to John the Baptist now? (Remember
John has startedthis theme "you didn't get it?" John is telling us that heaven
was working hard to help us to getit. Heaven sent an advance witness to
Jesus. Our lesson(Thursday) reveals that in Jesus'day John the Baptistand
Moses were the "two greatesthuman figures." John is telling us that Heaven
sent this greatmessengerto announce the coming of Jesus.)
Comprehending the Light
ReadJohn 1:10-13. How would you say that John feels about the fact that the
world did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah? (Verses 10-11 show thatJohn
believes this is a greatirony. Those who certainly should have recognizedand
receivedJesus did not.)
Was the failure to recognize and receive Jesus universal? (By no means! Verse
12 tells us that some believed.)

What is the result of recognizing and receiving Jesus?(You become a child of
God.)
What does it take to recognize and receive Jesus?Whatmust we do to become
a child of God? (This is a very important message:if you believe in Jesus, if
you receive Him into your life, you are given the right to become a child of
God.)
ReadJohn 1:14. What has the Word done? What does this mean to us? (God
took a human form and came to live with us. The conceptboggles the mind!)
How does John say canwe know this is true? (He says that he has seenthis
glorious thing: God in human form.)
What does the "One and Only" mean? (Jesus is an "only child." The battle
betweenlight and darkness is centeredon our little planet.)
ReadJohn 1:15-18. Let's focus in verse 17. Have we seenthis parallel between
Moses andJesus before? (Yes, John begins his gospeljust as Mosesbegins

Genesis. Mosesgives us the story of the Creationand the Law. John gives us
the fuller revelationthrough Jesus.)
What does verse 18 tell us about seeing God? (No one has seenGod. But, God
the Fatheris revealedthrough Jesus. If you want to know what God is like,
then learn about Jesus.)
Friend, would you like to know God better? Would you like to have a deeper
understanding of the Mastermind of the Universe? Would you like to separate
yourself from the darkness that does not understand? If so, John invites you
to take this journey with him to learn more about our God. Will you continue
with me on this quest?
http://www.gobible.org/study/275.php
Jesus the Best– by Emmasings Nwakor
LYRIC
Print
Jesus the Best – by Emmasings Nwakor
Lyrics Are Aranged as sang by the Artist

YouTube Video Link is at Bottom of Page
[Verse 1]
Your love is sweeter
Than the harmonies of spring
Jesus you are the best
Your love is wider
Than the cloud up in the sky
Your love is stronger
Than the bulls and the horses
Your love is higher
Than the Heavens above the earth
[Chorus]
You are the best, you are
Y-ou are the best, you are
(my dear lord)

[Interlude]
Eh yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yah
Eeh yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yah
Eh yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yah
Jesus You are the best
[Verse 2]
When I’m weak and weary
You’re the solid rock I stand
Oh Lord You are the best
When I was lost in sin
You never gave up on me
Savior You are the best
When I didn’t love myself
You loved me even more
Lover you’re the best
Even though I callyou best
You are better than the best
Oh, best you are the best
[RepeatChorus]
[Bridge]

Jesus there is none like you
Jesus there is none like you
Jes-us there is none like you
I call you the best (the best)
I’ll callyou the best(the best)
I call you the best (the best)
The best (the best)
The best (the best)
[RepeatChorus]
Y-ou are the best, you are
(my dear lord)
What Jesus Is to These
To the artist He is the One Altogether Lovely.

To the architectHe is the Chief CornerStone.
To the bakerHe is the Living Bread.
To the banker He is the Hidden Treasure.
To the biologistHe is the Life.
To the builder He is the Sure Foundation.
To the doctor He is the GreatPhysician.
To the educatorHe is the Great Teacher.
To the farmer He is the Lord of the Harvest.
To the florist He is the Rose ofSharon and the Lily of the Valley.
To the geologistHe is the Rock of Ages.
To the jurist He is the Righteous Judge, the Judge of all men.
To the jewelerHe is the Pearlof Great Price.
To the lawyer He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver, the Advocate.
To the horticulturist He is the True Vine.
To the newspaperman He is the GoodTidings of Great Joy.
To the oculist He is the Light of the World.
To the philanthropist He is the unspeakable Gift.
To the philosopher He is the Wisdom of God.
To the preacherHe is the Word of God.
To the sculptor He is the Living Stone.
To the servant He is the GoodMaster.
To the statesmanHe is the Desire ofAll Nations.
To the student He is the Incarnate Truth.

To the theologianHe is the Author and Finisher of Our Faith.
To the traveler He is the New and Living Way.
To the toiler He is the Giver of Rest.
To the sinner He is the Lamb of God that taketh awaythe sin of the world.
To the Christian He is the Sonof the Living God, the Saviour, the Redeemer
and Lord.—Selected.
http://www.moreillustrations.com/Illustrations/jesus%201.html
Jesus Is The BestLight
Contributed by DanielHabben on Jan27, 2014
based on 1 rating (rate this sermon) | 2,556 views
Scripture: Matthew 4:12-23
Denomination: Lutheran
Summary: Jesus sheds light on our sin but also highlights God's love for us.
1 2 3
Next
I’ve been obsessedwith light lately. First there was the track light in the
kitchen that kept burning out until Rob discoveredthat I probably hadn’t
screwedthe bulbs in correctly. And then there were the blinking lights on the
router and modem for my computer. Blink. Blink. Blink, blink…blink. Is

there anything more agonizing than waiting to see if resetting the system will
turn the internet light from orange (sorry no service)to green(surf away!)?
Yeah, I’ve been obsessedwith light lately and so that gotme thinking. If I
could have only one source of light, what would it be? Sunlight? No other light
can match its beauty and intensity and the emotional satisfactionthat light
delivers. Or would I opt for the sparking light of electricity? With this light I
could see at all times, even at night when there is no sunlight. And I could use
it to power computer and stovetop. Or would I choosethe warming light that
natural gas delivers? Which light would you choose if you could only have
one? Before you come to a definite conclusion, think back to the words of our
Gospellesson. There we heard about yet another light, a great light that
blazed acrossIsraelstarting in the north of that country. Jesus is that light
and we’ll be reminded this morning why he is the best light, the one light that
we dare not be without. For without Jesus we will end up lost in everlasting
darkness.
Our text from Matthew 4 describes whatJesus does when he finds out that
John the Baptisthad been put in prison by King Herod. Like a soldier who
rushes to fill the gap when a comrade on the front lines takes a bullet and falls
to the ground, Jesus steppedinto the breachleft by John’s arrest. Jesus
moved from the small town of Nazarethwhere he had spent most of his
childhood to Capernaum which was on the Sea of Galilee. It was an
intentional decisionto fulfill a 700-year-oldprophecy of Isaiah that went like
this: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seena
greatlight; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has
dawned” (Matthew 4:15).
This area of Israel, the land of Zebulun and Naphtali named after the two
tribes of Israelwho had settledthere, had a dark reputation. Since it was in
the north, it was the first place invading armies coming from that direction
would hit. This area had become a doormat powerful nations found easyto

wipe their combat boots all over. I suppose it would be like living within sight
of the Israeli/Palestinianborder today; you never know when a stray rocket
or bullet will speed your wayscreaming “Death!”
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But there was another darkness covering this land that was even more
dangerous than the tip of a soldier’s spearaimed at one’s heart. Since this
part of Israelhad been overrun so many times by non-Jews, many of them
started to settle there and brought their paganreligions with them. This
influence as wellas the fact that the Israelites who still lived there were far
from the temple in Jerusalemhad causedmany to lose their faith in the one
true God so that they went about life on their own terms. They were lost in a
spiritual darkness.
It was to this dark place that Jesus wentand in the words of the prophet
Isaiahit was as if a greatlight had dawned upon Zebulun and Naphtali. But
exactly in what way was Jesus a light? Well look at what he did. Our text says,
“From that time on Jesus beganto preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is near’” (Matthew 4:17). Jesus brought God’s light through the
messagehe delivered: “Repent!Turn away from your sins!”

Is this the message the world today wants to hear from Jesus? “Repent!Turn
from sin!” Don’t many saythat what Jesus came to deliver was a message of
peace and acceptance?“Heyeveryone, just keepon doing what you’ve been
doing, God’s OK with it and so am I.” No!Jesus came as a light to first of all
expose sin the waya flashlight shining under your bed will illuminate all the
dust bunnies and who knows whatother foul things have been hiding in the
darkness there.
But we shouldn’t think of Jesus like a flashlight that shines in your face to
blind and embarrass. When Matthew quoted the Isaiah prophecy he actually
slightly changedthe wording to saythat with the arrival of Jesus, a greatlight
had risen and was shining for the people, rather than upon the people. Jesus
was the kind of light your companionprovides when he shines his flashlight
down at your feetso you can avoid tripping over the roots and rocks onthat
midnight walk through the woods.
o provide for me. And so I move through life like a squirrel getting ready for
winter. I’m easilyobsessedwith saving for retirement or for that next trip or
just trying to get out of debt that I don’t think I have time to look after the
needs of others. “They’re on their own!” I huff.
In light of what Jesus exposes - sin, sin, and more sin, it’s surprising to hear
what else Jesus saidwith his preaching. Matthew reports: “Jesus went
throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of
the kingdom…” (Matthew 4:23a). Jesus had not just come to throw a spotlight
on sin; he also came to highlight God’s love. He had goodnews for sinners to
hear. And that goodnews wasn’t, “If you cleanup your act, God will forgive
you.” That’s not goodnews. It’s a recipe for more guilt because I cannot clean
up my act to match God’s standards any more than I can fix, scrub, and
polish a rust coveredbeater-carwith 200,000miles on it to look brand new
again. But Jesus’goodnews was this: he, the Sonof God, had come to fix,

scrub, and polish people who were guilty of committing well over 200,000 sins
each. It would kill him to getit done, but he would do it, and gladly. Yes, Jesus
is a greatlight, the best light, the only light that leads to an eternal life of
happiness in heaven.
I told you at the beginning of the sermonhow I was obsessedwith light this
past week. The light that had most captivated my attention was the internet
light on my computer modem. For a couple of weeks now it’s been flashing on
and off meaning my internet connectionwas spotty. Finally on Wednesdayit
quit altogether. A new modem was ordered, but has yet to be delivered. Do
you know what it’s like to be without the internet? I can’t check email. I can’t
find answers to questions I’m used to finding with a few clicks ofthe mouse. It
feels like I’m cut off from the world! If you understand my pain, take that
feeling and multiply it by infinity. That’s what it will feel like to be cut off
from Jesus come Judgment Day. Forwithout Jesus lighting your life, you have
lost the only connectionto never-ending joy in heaven.
It might not seemlike a bid dealnow to be without the light of Jesus. Life
seems to go on whether or not you’ve had your daily devotion or Sunday
sermon and sacrament. But a meaningful life cannot be had without the
Savior. That thought was perhaps echoedin what Jesus saidto his first
disciples, that he would make them fishers of men, women, and children
(Matthew 4:19). And that is what we are without Jesus - fish that aimlessly
swim around with no seeming purpose. It’s only when Jesus catchesus with
his Word and his love that we’re of any use. Only then do we see that life is
not about us but about serving him who died for us. Take to heart then words
of the Gospellessontoday:a great light, the best light is now shining on you in
the personof Jesus. Stepinto this light and soak it up! Amen.
SERMON NOTES

Give two reasons the land of Naphtali and Zebulun (the region of Galilee)was
describedby the prophet Isaiah as a land of darkness.
How could you respond with today’s sermon text to someone who says, “Jesus
preachedlove and acceptance. It doesn’treally matter how I live. He loves
me!”
Jesus came as a light to shine for the people rather than upon the people.
What’s the difference?
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Like a flashlight that exposes the dust bunnies under our bed, Jesus came to
expose sin. But in what other way is he a greatlight?

Jesus Christ is the greatestpersonever! Nobody else in history cancompare
with Him.
More books have been written about Him than any other person.
He and His teachings are central to the most sold and most universally
published book ever, the Bible.
He has inspired all kinds of creative works, suchas songs, artworks, andeven
movies have been made about Him since the dawn of cinema. WatchJesus
videos.
He is mentioned on more websites than any other person.
Countless lives have been touched by the many charities founded in dedication
to Him and His teachings, suchas World Vision, Compassion
Multitudes bear witness of His power to heal broken hearts, lives and bodies,
To listen to testimonies of lives changedby Jesus visit: www.unshackled.org
Millions, possibly billions, of people around the world, worship Him as the the
eternally living Son of God who once died for the sins of the whole world, and
came back alive again.
Everyday He is mentioned by name more often than any other person, some
use it in prayer, some when they swear.
Every year His birth to a virgin is remembered and celebratedmore than any
other birth. Even the years of the common calendarare counted from the time
of His birth.
Jesus is somebody nobody canignore! If there is any person worth learning
more about it is Jesus!
If you want to know more about Jesus and Christianity, then read about His
life and teachings in the Bible, you can also talk to Him in prayer, and meeting
other followers of Jesus will help you on your journey.

Mostsimply put, Christianity is about loving God our Creatorwith all our
heart, soul, mind and body, and loving other people in the same way Jesus
Christ has loved eachof us.
The Basic MessageofChristianity:
Our Creatorloves us so much, He came to earth as a flesh and blood person
calledJesus. He came to us so we could come to Him. Sinful disobedience to
God had brokenmankind's relationship with Him. This disunity with the
Source of Life also causeddeathand disorder to enter the goodworld God
had made. To end our separationfrom God, Jesus made a way for us to be
free from sin. He did this by sacrificing His ownsinless life on a cross for the
sins of the world, and by rising from the grave to live forever. Jesus returned
to Heaven, but His life-giving Spirit is among us today. He lives inside those
that love Him. He's also calling all those in darkness to trust their lives to
Him. Foronly in Him we are free to live in the loving light of God's holy
presence, now in this world, and forever in the perfect world which is to come.
http://www.jesuschrist.net/
What was the meaning of Jesus walking on water?
walking on wateraudio
Question:"What was the meaning of Jesus walking onwater?"

Answer: The miracle of Jesus walking on the water, recordedin three of the
Gospels (Matthew 14:22–36;Mark 6:45–56;John 6:16–21), came on the heels
of His miraculous feeding of the 5,000 with only five loaves ofbread and two
fish (Matthew 14:17). But it was the miracle of Jesus walking on the water
that, more than any other, convinced Jesus’disciples that He was indeed the
Son of God (Matthew 14:32–33).
The story unfolds at the Sea ofGalilee, which lies in the lowerportion of the
Jordan Valley in a mountain range that rises to 4,000 feetabove sea level. The
lake itself is 700 feetbelow the MediterraneanSea. One of the more
noteworthy aspects ofthis body of wateris that it is greatly susceptible to
sudden and extremely violent storms. These storms are causedby the cold air
rushing down from the mountains surrounding it and colliding with the
warm, moist air rising off the surface of the wateritself.
“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into
a boat and setoff acrossthe lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and
Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters
grew rough. When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw
Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;and they were terrified.
But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ Then they were willing to take
him into the boat, and immediately the boat reachedthe shore where they
were heading” (John 6:16–21).
There are severalsignificantpoints to recognize about this miracle. First,
Matthew tells us that “the boat was already a considerable distance from land,
buffeted by the waves because the wind was againstit. During the fourth
watchof the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake” (Matthew
14:24–25).Thoughthey were only to travel a short distance, the storm was so
violent that, despite all their efforts to control their boat, the storm had driven
them nearly four miles out into the very midst of the sea. Being the fourth

watchof the night (3:00 AM to 6:00 AM), they had been rowing and straining
at their oars for approaching nine hours! They were totally exhausted.
Mark tells us that, when the disciples saw Jesus walking onthe lake, they
thought He was a ghost. They cried out, because theyall saw Him and were
terrified (Mark 6:48–50). And this brings us to the secondsignificantpoint of
this miracle. Jesus always comes to us in the storms of life. This is reminiscent
of the words of God to Isaiah:“When you pass through the waters, I will be
with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweepover you”
(Isaiah 43:2). The Lord may not come at the time we think He should come,
because He knows when we need Him the most. Jesus had waiteduntil the
boat was as far from land as possible, when all their hope was gone. In
essence, Jesus was testing the disciples’faith, and this meant removing every
human prop. Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show His disciples that the
very thing they feared, the raging, seething sea, was merely a setof steps for
Him to come to them. Often we fear the difficult experiences of life such as
illness, loss of loved ones, and financial hardships only to discoverthat these
experiences canbring Jesus closerto us.
But we have to ask, why did they not recognize Jesus?The answeris they
were not looking for Him. Had they been waiting by faith, they would have
known Him instantly. Instead, they jumped to the false conclusionthat His
appearance was that of a ghost. The point is this: fear and faith cannot live in
the same heart, for fear frequently blinds the eyes to the presence of the Lord.
The third significant point is that Jesus proved Himself to be in command of
the elements, something only God can do. He revealedthis truth to the
disciples who recognizedHis divinity and responded with a confessionof faith
in Jesus as God: “The wind died down. Then those who were in the boat
worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’” (Matthew 14:32–33).
This was the first time Jesus was calledthe Son of God by the disciples, a

statementthat, in fact, built on what they had said earlierabout Him in
Matthew 8:27: “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey
him.” Here they answertheir ownquestion: “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Though they had a long wayto go in their spiritual understanding, the
disciples were growing in their faith in the Lord. Also, this was the first time
the disciples are said to have worshiped Jesus. In Matthew 2:11, the magi
from the EastworshipedJesus. Later, a leper is said to have worshiped Jesus
(Matthew 8:2). A synagogue ruler does the same thing in Matthew 9:18. But
this is the first time the disciples worshiped Him. It is also important to note
that their worship is joined to their confession(Matthew 14:33).
And this is what worship is, acknowledging who God is and praising Him both
for who He is and for what He has done. It was in this story that the disciples
took the first step and worshiped Jesus as the Son of God.
https://www.gotquestions.org/walking-on-water.html
Jesus the sailor
By PAUL VM FLESHER Apr 14, 2013
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There are severallocations whichChristians immediately associate withthe
life of Jesus. There is Bethlehem, in Judea, where Jesus was born; Nazareth,
in Galilee, where he grew up; and Jerusalem, where he was crucified. These
are the places where Jesus beganand ended his life. But the places where
Jesus carriedout his ministry are less familiar.
The most frequently mentioned town, and perhaps the most memorable, is
Capernaum. Jesus seems to have made his ministry’s headquarters there — at
the home of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. Notonly does Jesus return again
and again, but when the gospels ofMark and Luke say Jesus “returned to his
hometown,” they usually mean Capernaum rather than Nazareth.
It should then not be surprising that many of the other named locations of his
ministry are near Capernaum, such as Ginnesar, Chorazin, Bethsaida and
Gergesa. Theseare the most frequently mentioned places in Matthew, Mark
and Luke, and most of Jesus’ministry takes place in and around them.
These towns bring out another observationabout Jesus’ministry. It took
place around the Sea ofGalilee. Severalother events, such as Jesus driving
out demons or preaching to large crowds, take place atunnamed locations “in
the wilderness” onthe shore of the Sea of Galilee. At another point, Jesus
takes a trip into the “cities of the Decapolis,”a regionon the southeastshore
of the Sea of Galilee.
All this points to a single conclusion. Formost of his ministry, Jesus based
himself on the Sea of Galilee and used it as a means of transportation. This
shows that Jesus took advantage ofthe fastestmode of transportation in the
ancient world, the sailboat. Neither walking nor riding on donkeys or camels

could match the speed or the comfort of moving about on the water. By
sailing, Jesus could coverthe most “ground” in the leastamount of time.
While Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee was a goodtransportation choice for
Jesus’activities, it raises the question, what was Jesus doing so far from
home? In the ancient world, few people ever traveled more than a day’s walk,
about 15 miles, from the place where they were born. After all, their entire
family, the family land, as well as their livelihood and responsibilities were all
right there.
To leave familial territory was to cut off contactwith one’s family, for there
were no means of communication. Few people could read or write a letter, but
even if they could, there was no postal service. And, of course, the telephone
and email were millennia in the future. So what Jesus was doing was a two-
day journey, some 30 miles by road, awayfrom his home in Nazareth.
Mostof the gospels ignore this question, but Luke addressesit head-on. In
Luke’s story, once John the Baptist baptized Jesus, Jesusfastedfor 40 days in
the wilderness. Jesusthen returned to Nazarethwhere, in the synagogue,he
claimed to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of being God’s chosen
messenger. This bold claim was seenby the villagers as blasphemy and they
attempted to carry the appropriate punishment for this sin, death. They could
only see him as Joseph’s son, who had grownup among them, rather than a
prophet. Jesus escapedfrom them and left the area. According to Luke, Jesus
then proceededdirectly to Capernaum to begin his ministry around the Sea of
Galilee.

So Jesus pickedthe best locationin Galilee for his ministry, the transportation
centerof the Sea of Galilee. In doing so, he left his home regionbehind, but he
was pushed out by the inability of those with whom he had grown up to grasp
his new role.
Flesheris director of UW’s Religious Studies Program.
Anchor as an Early Christian Symbol
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Free E-mail Bible Study Bible study DiscipleshipTraining in Luke's Gospel
Bkmrk
Anchor, CatacombofPriscilla, Rome
Anchor, IV sec. d.c., Catacombof Priscilla, via Salaria Nova, Roma
The anchorwas an early Christian symbol commonly found in the Roman
catacombs as a symbol of the hope we have in Christ beyond this life, and is a
fitting inscription for a Christian tomb. The symbol doubtless comes from this
verse:
"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the
inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has

entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of
Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:19-20)
The anchoris found in the first century cemeteryof St. Domitilla, the second
and third century epitaphs of the catacombs,and especiallyin the oldestparts
of the cemeteries ofSts. Priscilla (about 70 examples in this cemeteryalone),
Domitilla, Calixtus, and the Coemetarium majus.
Christian Roman epitaph of Atimetus from the catacombs ofSt. Sebastianon
the Via Appia, Rome. Inscription flanked by Christian symbols, an anchor
and a fish.
Petroglyphs from catacombdi S. Callisto. Anchor, and other symbols.
Chi-rho, Fish, and Anchor symbols, Catacombs ofSt. Sebastian.
Goodshepherd, Chi-Rho, swastika,anchor, fish, and ichthus from Catacombs
of St. Sebastian, Rome
Anchor with two fish, found in the catacombs"Whenthe early Christians did
representthe sign of the cross ontheir monuments, nearly all sepulchralin
character, they felt obligedto disguise it in some artistic and symbolical way.
One of the oldestof the symbols of the cross is the anchor. Originally a symbol
of hope in general, the anchortakes on in this way a much higher meaning:
that of hope basedon the Cross of Christ. The similarity of the anchor to the
cross made the former an admirable Christian symbol." (Orazio Marucchi,
"Archaeologyofthe Cross and Crucifix," Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), Vol.
4)
In some anchors, the "stock"atthe top of the anchorreminded Christians of
a cross.

Large iron anchors were found in the Mediterraneanas early as the third
century B.C. Ancient anchor.
Maurice M. Hassett, The Anchor (as Symbol), Catholic Encyclopedia (1907),
vol. 1.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2010
The Lighthouse - As A Symbol
The Lighthouse is a tall circular stone structure erectedupon the
highest point of land that is closestto the sea and its potential
dangers. It notifies sailors that land is near and warns them that
they are approaching rocks, reefs and shallow waters whichmust
be navigated with caution. The Lighthouse is also a comforting
sign that the calm waters of a welcoming harbor are close athand.
The Lighthouse stands alone and tall in both light and darkness
and it, along with its beacon, is a focalpoint which Symbolizes
strength, guidance and safe harbor; it is a Spiritual "Welcome Mat"
for all those who are traveling by sea.

Symbolically The Lighthouse is similar to the Star, and to the
Hermit of the TarotDeck. However, as the Star serves as guidance
for all those who look to the heavens, or higher consciousness, and
the Hermit serves as a guide to all who wish to ascendthe
mountaintop, or highest level of spiritual attainment here on earth,
the Lighthouse serves as a guide and beaconto all who are either
voyaging or adrift on Water.
Metaphorically, as the elementof Waterrepresents the emotions,
the Lighthouse is a Symbol for the Spiritual Strength and Emotional
Guidance which is available to us during the times we feelwe are
being helplessly tossedaround in a sea of inner turmoil.
With these thoughts in mind, let us now explore the metaphors
which are related to, and associatedwith, the Symbol of the
Lighthouse.
Storms consistof both wind (air) and rain (water). And as air is
the elementrepresenting the mind, and wateris the element
representing the emotions, storms symbolize agitatedthoughts
and emotions. Metaphorically, storms are our Inner Demons which
torment both our mind and our Subconscious.

The rocks, reefs and shallow waters symbolize the final
dangers and miseries which seemto accompanythe end of any
turbulent voyage. Just as the saying, "its always darkestbefore the
dawn", things always seemthe most dangerous and hopeless as we
reachthe end of an emotional turmoil. This is the point when we
feel like tossing up our hands and giving up. However, it is just
after this point that our problems become solved, our crises wane
and we attain that new clarity and understanding which we have
been so desperatelySeeking.
The Strength of the Lighthouse is Symbolized by its location.
It is erectedat the highest point of land which is closestto the
sea and its dangers. Its circular constructionmakes it
impervious to the most bitter gales whichtime and nature can
hurl at it. As the Circle is a Symbol of Divinity, the circular
structure of the Lighthouse Symbolizes stable and reliable Spiritual
Guidance during our mental and emotional storms.
The Beaconis the Guiding Light, the Illuminated Eye, which shines
in all directions and enables all who are adrift at sea to use it as a
focalpoint in order to steerto the calm waters of the safe harbor
which the Lighthouse oversees.

Therefore the Symbol of the Lighthouse reminds us that, regardless
of how turbulent our emotional seas maybecome, we need only
focus on the Guiding Light of the Spiritual Lighthouse within us.
Our Inner Lighthouse is our inner strength; it is our God-within; it
is our Atman.
Our inner Lighthouse is also our spiritual guide which safely directs
us to that peacefulport-of-call which resides within eachand every
one of us; a port-of-call that provides us with calm waters, safe
harbor and emotional tranquility from the turbulent seas whichare
currently surrounding us.
Once we are safe within our Harbor of Tranquility we are better
able to evaluate the emotionaltides and currents which are
temporarily disturbing our voyage. Then, once our emotional storm
finally passes, we canonce againsetout to sea and enjoy clearskies,
calm seas and prosperous Waters as we cheerfully sailtoward new
Horizons and new Adventures.
Comments and Emails:I welcome comments and emails from
people with similar thoughts and feelings. My email address is
locatedin the upper-left area of this page. Comments can be

posted by using the "Comment" link locatedbelow eacharticle.
Also: If you found value in this article please feelfree to forward
it to other like-minded individuals, organizations and sites.
Disclaimer:None of my articles should be consideredto be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personalopinions
and no more. Everyone is encouragedto seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, orcertified professional
should such advice or service be required.
© copyright JosephPanek 2010
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Postedby JosephPanek at5:59 AM
Labels: emotionalguidanace, guiding light, illuminated eye, lighthouse,
metaphor, spiritual guidance, spirituality, symbolism
12 comments:
Noelle V. said...
Thank you. This is wonderful, and very timely for me.
October24, 2010 at7:59 PM
Anonymous said...
Hi

A goodarticle. I've just finished watching the movie The Skulls. At the end of
the movie, the protagonistdefeats those in this secretive societyand he is
walking along the beachwith his girlfriend, and the film ends. But in the
background, a lighthouse with its beam is flashing. I wonderedgiven the
context of the film, whether the symbolism is positive?
Thanks
July 20, 2011 at10:42 AM
Dilip Barad said...
Goodone. I am sharing this with students while teaching novel 'To The
Lighthouse'.
October3, 2011 at10:09 PM
MandaBurms FarmStayfor Cats. said...
Totally connectwith your symbolism of a lighthouse,
Thanks!
Love Leanne
March 2, 2013 at 7:30 AM
chelsea said...
thank you for this explanation. i just recently bought a lighthouse poster for
my new office. i love looking at it. it gives me comfort. im going through
emotional turmoil in my lfe.
February 21, 2014 at 8:04 PM

Jennifer Riebau said...
Wonderful!!! Very pertinent. Thank you :)
July 18, 2014 at8:38 AM
znovu majak said...
Hello,
This explanation of the symbol for lighthouse is excellent. Thank you.
October2, 2014 at6:31 AM
A.A. Garrisonsaid...
Thank you for this postand its insights. I benefited from it.
March 2, 2015 at 7:22 PM
Unknown said...
I resonate with this article. Thank you for posting! <3
December10, 2015 at1:28 PM
Unknown said...
During meditation the other day, a vision of myself as a lighthouse came to
me, with the beaconemanating from my third eye Chakra. Since then I have
been seeing images oflighthouses and references to lighthouses which seems
like some kind of message. Thank you for your explanation of the symbolism
associatedwith the lighthouse. It has helped me clarify what that messageis.
BY Joseph"Joe"Panek

[Verse 1]
There's a lighthouse on the hillside
That overlooks life's sea
When I'm tossedit sends out a light
That I might see
And the light that shines in darkness now
Will safelylead me o're
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
My ship would be no more
[Spoken]
It seems that everybody about us says:
"Tearthat old lighthouse down
The big ships just don't pass this way anymore
So there's no use in it standin' around."
Then my mind goes back to that one dark, stormy night
When just in time, I saw the light
Yes, it was the light from that old lighthouse
That stands up there on the hill
[Verse 2]

And I thank God for the lighthouse
I owe my life to Him
Jesus is the lighthouse
And from the rocks ofsin
He has shown a light around me
That I mighty clearlysee
If it wasn't for the lighthouse
Tell me: Where would this ship be?
Jesus Is the Lighthouse
Heritage Singers
Jesus My Lighthouse
by Catherine M F Camarda
Dodging the fiery darts of hell
I fear not the ocean's swell...
Roarthe contradictionthis way
God is with me all thru the day!
Along the turbulent rolling shore
my feetsound the stepping sure.

His Grace sufficientall the need
I won't listen to the shores heave.
I can do my Father's God task...
In Jesus'name is all I will ask...
Obstacles maymake me stumble
it's God's way to keepme humble.
I watchfor where the wave recedes
For God alone fulfills all my needs.
Jesus is the lighthouse of my heart
I fear not the dark you try to impart.
Jesus will guide, protect me, sure...
I do not worry in Him I am Secure!
Amen...
Jesus is My Lighthouse
Jesus is my Lighthouse,
He brings me home when I am lost.
His beckoning beam
leads me when seas are cruelly tossed.
That beaconever shining

leads me to a place that is snug and safe.
A Harbor waiting
where there is love and aways faith.
I tie my ship
to His everlasting rock of ages,
where I can read
the Bible and its comforting pages.
If I drift away-
and sometimes life leads me astray..
He is waiting there...
He always shows me the way.
His hands keepme
from the harsh rocks that fill my path;
the brutal anguish
filled with hate, hurt and killing wrath.
Jesus is my Lighthouse
shining his light of truth and beauty...
to follow faithfully
is my honor and my Christan duty.

A Lighthouse Unto Thy Feet
Jesus is a Lighthouse
A towerin the dark
The one who holds the lantern
A greatenduring spark.
Like a flame that burns eternal
He's a torch, forever true
The One who holds the answer

When I don't know what to do.
He's the One who holds the candle
Over angry waves so steep
He's the lifeline that doth save me
In a raging sea, so deep.
He's a strong and steady pilot
An answerto my plea
The One who throws the anchor
When I'm drifting out to sea.

He's a brightly shining beacon
Always steadylike a rock
A fortress when I'm weary
A harbor on life's dock.
Jesus is a Lighthouse
In Him, I will abide
A hand when I am weary
A never-ending tide.
Author/Written By:

Marilyn Ferguson
©2006
The Lighthouse
Share69
Rating: +30 (from 42 votes)
There was in a certain city a harbor where ships from all overthe world
would come and dock. However, the harbor was in betweena treacherous and
rockyshore. During stormy nights, ships would see the city lights off in the
distance and head toward the lights hoping to find refuge from the pounding
surf.
The ships would struggle againstthe storm as they made their wayto the
safetyof the harbor. As they drew near, seeing the dangerous rocks, the
captain of the ship would try to turn and avoid striking the rocks but it was to
late. Many ships were destroyedand hundreds of sailors losttheir lives
because they did not know of the danger. You see, the people of the city did
not feelthat it was necessaryto build a lighthouse. Besides, it would costtoo
much money to build a lighthouse they reasoned. So yearafter year and storm
after storm ships would be ship wreckedand many lives lost.

There was a man in that city that saw the need. He felt grief and heartache
because the people of the city were contentto let the ships be destroyedand
were not willing to rescue the drowning sailors. So he took it upon himself to
do something about it. He tried to recruit volunteers to help him but no one
wanted to. He persisted, looking for someone to help him, but they all just
laughed at him and said that he was crazy to risk his life to try to save
strangers and people who lookeddifferent.
Determined to make a difference, he sold everything that he had and bought a
piece of land close to the shore and built his house there. It was a lighthouse.
So during stormy nights, the man would make sure that the light from the
lighthouse was shining as bright as it could so the ships could be warned of the
dangerous rocks. His lighthouse savedhundreds of lives and ships from being
ship wreckedthat year. But it wasn’t enough because evenwith the lighthouse
some of the storms were so powerful that the ships struggling to come into the
harbor were tossedaboutby the wind and the waves that they would get
smashedagainstthe rocks.
Being a compassionate man, he would run to the roaring sea at the risk of his
own life to rescue as many sailors as he could. Then he would bring them into
the warmth and safety of the lighthouse. Once there he would heal their
wounds and feed them until they were able to sailagain.
The man labored by himself for years rescuing sailors and caring for their
needs. Eachperson that he savedwas so grateful to him that they couldn’t
thank him enough for rescuing them from certaindeath. But all the man
could feel was sadness becausemany more sailors died in the sea than he
could save. “If only I had help,” he would say. “If only someone would see the

need as I do and come and help. Lord please sendsomeone to help, I can’t do
it all by myself,” he prayed.
Then one day it happened, his prayers were answered. His generositybecame
well knownin the land. People in the city beganto volunteer to come and help
the man keepvigil during stormy nights. Men beganto take shifts keeping
watchand helping rescue sailors. Thenwomen startedcooking and preparing
bandages for the wounded sailors. The children did whateverthey could to
help lift the spirits of the sick.
Ships still wreck along the treacherous shoreline, but now because there are so
many people there to help the man, many more lives are saved than are lost.
TogetherEveryone AccomplishedMuch. Togetherthey made a difference.
– by Danny Lizarraga
Used with Permission
There’s a Lighthouse in the Storm
Photographyby Curtis Beaird

Poemby Norma Beaird
Sometimes my life is like the sea,
And raging waters coverme,
Sometimes my path is smooth as glass,
And then a rainstorm comes to pass.
But if a storm cloud brings you pain,
Remember rainbows follow rain,
And though the journey has you worn,
The darkestnight will leadto dawn,
When there’s Lighthouse in the storm.
There is a cross atCalvary,
That covers those who will believe,
And when your boat in life is tossed,
You’ll find your answeris the cross.
And if a flood begins to rise,
Sustain your faith in Jesus Christ,
So you need never be alarmed,
For He will keepyou safe from harm,
When there’s a Lighthouse in the storm.

There is a Lighthouse in the storm,
Though my sails are beat and torn,
There is a Light that holds the key,
To peace of mind on troubled seas,
And as His light is shining bright,
I seemto lose my fearof night,
For when you’re safe within God’s arms,
You know you’ll never be alone,
For He’s the Lighthouse in the storm.
“KeepCalm, Jesus Is in the Boat” (Sermonon Mark 4:35-41, by Pr. Charles
Henrickson)
POSTED ON JUNE 20, 2015 BYPASTOR CHARLES HENRICKSON
“KeepCalm, Jesus Is in the Boat” (Mark 4:35-41Openin Logos Bible
Software (if available))
“Be still, my soul.” Oh, really? You don’t know what I’m going through! My
life is a wreck!My finances are in free-fall. My health–oh, don’t get me
started! It’s just one thing after another. First it’s this, then it’s that–I getone
thing fixed, and then something else goes wrong. Relationships gone wrong,
too. Loneliness, despair, depression. Well, and then there’s what’s going on in
the news. A shooting in South Carolina, nine innocent people killed–in a

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