Why He’s Not a Stranger Anymore

Imagine if

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to actually be here on this earth when Jesus was here?  Imagine sitting down with Him for breakfast by the Galilean Sea – a breakfast that He made.

Imagine watching Him touch the eyes of blind folks – and their response when they could see. Or, imagine watching Him reaching out to children, holding them in His lap. And imagine watching the lepers and the lame being made whole just by His touch. Or, imagine being in the boat that night of the storm. You know, the time He just stood up and said, “Peace. Be Still.”

Imagine watching the people who came in throngs to see Him, and realize they came for the fish and the loaves, but not to follow Him. They wanted to see the miracles, but did not want to follow Him.

A stranger – or a friend

Would He feel like a stranger to you and to me, or would He feel like a friend? That’s an important question to consider.

According to the gospels, Jesus’ earthly ministry centered around the Sea of Galilee. While important events occurred in Jerusalem, the Lord spent most of the three years of His ministry along the shores of this freshwater lake.

Jesus must have loved the Sea of Galilee. He spent those three years of His ministry along its shores. It was along this stretch that He gave more than half His parables. It is also where He performed most of His miracles. He created this sea and the Jordan River that flowed into it, and He made this world where He lived – and died. I think He loved this sea.

This Galilean sea and its shores were and still are full of vibrant life. From this sea and on its shores, He fished and cooked and sailed and slept. Near its shores, He walked and taught and healed the sick.

To some, He was a stranger, and to others, He was a friend. To many, He was a healer.

Here He spoke peace, and the waves were stilled. He touched the diseased, and they were healed. Along this shore, He prepared fish and bread, and His disciples were fed.

Here He fed 5,000 men, plus women and children, and the people were filled. Here he stilled the waters and they heard Him speak to the storm, “Peace.  Be still.” On this very sea, He walked on water.

To some, he is a stranger; to others, He is a friend.

A song about the stranger and our friend

There is a song, The Stranger of Galilee, that talks about Jesus and His ministry by the Galilean Sea. The author is Lelia Morris (1862-1929). She and her husband Charles H. Morris were active in the Methodist Episcopal Church. According to sources, she wrote hymns as she did her housework. Blind at the age of 52, she continued to write hymns.

I’ve always loved this song, for it kindles in me the question of what it would have been like to be there in Galilee when Jesus walked those dusty paths. I can imagine mingling with the crowd and seeing Jesus turn and look at me.

I can imagine feeling, with that look, that I am not a stranger to Him and that He is not a stranger to me. When a person is no longer a stranger, he becomes your friend.

Is Jesus a stranger to you, or is He your friend?

What would Jesus say

There are times now when I imagine what it would be like if He just stopped in for a moment at my house.

What would He tell me?  What answers would He give me to the turmoil I experience?

Would He simply say, “Peace. Be still.”? Or would He tell me, “Go and sin no more.” If He asked, would I be willing to step out of the boat onto the water – and walk?! What would it be like to have Him offer me breakfast by the sea – a meal that He prepared?

I don’t know. But I do know that He is no longer a stranger to me.

Listen to the beauty of the message in this song – and if you don’t know this Stranger of Galilee, let Him become your friend.

Then let’s have a party.  That’s right, let’s party here on earth because there is one in Heaven every time a sinner makes Jesus his friend.

Lyrics to the song

Here are the lyrics to the song:

• In fancy, I stood by the shore, one day,
  Of the beautiful murm’ring sea;
  I saw the great crowds as they thronged the way
  Of the Stranger of Galilee;
  I saw how the man who was blind from birth,
  In a moment was made to see;
  The lame was made whole by the matchless skill
  Of the Stranger of Galilee.
• Refrain 1-3:
  And I felt I could love Him forever,
  So gracious and tender was He!
  I claimed Him that day as my Savior,
  This Stranger of Galilee.
• His look of compassion, His words of love,
  They shall never forgotten be;
  When sin-sick and helpless He saw me there,
  This Stranger of Galilee;
  He showed me His hand and His riven side,
  And He whispered, “It was for thee!”
  My burden fell off at the pierced feet
  Of the Stranger from Galilee.
• I heard Him speak peace to the angry waves,
  Of that turbulent, raging sea;
  And lo! at His word are the waters stilled,
  This Stranger of Galilee;
  A peaceful, a quiet, and holy calm,
  Now and ever abides with me;
  He holdeth my life in His mighty hands,
  This Stranger of Galilee.
• Come, ye who are driven and tempest-tossed,
  And His gracious salvation see;
  He’ll quiet life’s storms with His “Peace, be still!”
  This Stranger of Galilee;
  He bids me to go and the story tell—
  What He ever to you will be,
  If only you let Him with you abide,
  This Stranger of Galilee.
• Refrain 4: Oh my friend, won’t you love Him forever?                       So gracious and tender is He!                                                     Accept Him today as your Savior,                                                   This Stranger of Galilee.

 Listen to this song

To hear this song, you can go to this link.

It was sung by Don Wallestad during the summer of 2012 at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Antioch, IL.  He sings all four verses.

  OR go to this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPVJden_mmw

http://The Revellers 1967 Album

This is sung by the Revellers, a group from Belfast, Ireland.  They sing three of the verses.

Note from Gert: This is a repost from eight years ago.