Let Us Cross Over to the Other Side

by Terry L Thompson

"Whenever you find yourself struggling in the things of God you need to realize another spirit is trying to move in your sphere." Quoted from Dr. Paula Price

There were periods during the first century when the church, in one place or another, felt the pangs of suffering and hardship. These trials came from various sources and, to some extent, for different reasons. Nevertheless, they were equally distressing, and the Christians were at times perplexed as to the purpose of all these things in their experience.

If James is rightly dated at about a.d. 45, and thus the earliest book in the New Testament, it reflects trial in the church not long after the time of its inception (Acts 2). It describes trials from without (1:2) and within (1:13-15), recalls suffering as seen in earlier days by the prophets and Job (5:10, 11), and exhorts the suffering person to pray (5:13). The book, apparently meant for Jewish converts of the Dispersion (1:1), is really a treatise on the faith that endures in the face of all types of obstacles.

Hebrews, also written to Jewish converts, makes references to the sufferings of believers. Written at a later date than James (probably shortly before a.d. 70), it is an exhortation to Christians to press forward, to endure, even in the face of serious pressures (cf. 12:3ff.). Whether or not it was written in or near Rome, it reflects the serious conditions existing at that time, near the end of the reign of Nero.

First Peter, to a much greater degree, is also concerned with this problem. The word suffering occurs seventeen times, being used both of the sufferings of Christ and His people. The problem is particularly reflected in 4:12-19. By this time (about a.d. 63-65) the pressure of Nero’s persecution of the Roman Christians may have been felt in some of the provinces as well (cf. 1:1) or at least the threat was present. Thus, Peter writes to give hope by furnishing a proper perspective (cf. 1:6-9).

The Bible shows us quite clearly that if the Church is following its Lord ... we are in for stormy weather. If you think the Church is about smooth sailing ... a cathedral on crystal water ... then think again!

In Mark 4: 35-41 “Mark 4:35-41

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."

36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.

37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

This is the story of Jesus and the disciples crossing over to the other side of the Lake. Several insights are gleaned as we follow the disciples and Jesus through this stormy time in their ministry.

1. The Church is likened to a boat ... a boat takes us somewhere; a boat is always at the mercy of the sea; when we set sail in a boat there are no guarantees about the trip or the destination.

2. Jesus gives a rhema word to the disciples when he said, “Let us go over to the other side.” This statement was not a suggestion, but a command. We are commanded to travel with Him to the other side ... from the known to the unknown, from the familiar to the unfamiliar, from security to insecurity, from safety to risk, from friends to strangers, from comfort to struggle, from control to grace, from patriotism to internationalism, from self-interest to selflessness, from hostility to hospitality, from the inner circle to class traitor ... to die to self in order to find self.

3. This boat journey to the other side ... leads straight into the path of a cataclysmic storm and we begin to fear for our lives ... we were not prepared for this ... this journey is much bigger than us after all ... Many times we want to know the conditions, cost, and comfort of God’s will before we make a commitment to the journey. Many times God tells us the direction without giving us the conditions. Our step of faith is to remember, “His will not lead you where His grace cannot keep you.” The enemy will attack when you begin to act on this word. If he can stop you he will be successful in stopping the Rhema word and keeping the people in bondage.

4. In the middle of the storm, the One whom we follow appears asleep! And we are asking many times: "Jesus don't you care that our lives are going down! What are you doing ... where are you ... are you asleep?" Maybe they had forgotten the words of Jesus when He said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” You see in the Old Testament He said, “He is FOR US”, in the Gospels He said, “My name is Immanuel – He is WITH US, and in the Epistles He said, “He is IN US.” Storms come along to reveal the amount or lack of trust and faith in our lives. Storms are temporal, but what God is revealing in us is eternal.

5. Then in response to our desperation Jesus responds and has the audacity to question the reality of our faith. “…and being aroused.” Jesus shows the disciples how to face the storm. He understood that the answer too many of our problems does not lie in someone else, but the answer lies within us. All we need to do is wait on the Holy Spirit in order to discover the answer. Peace will come when we meditate on what He said and not the situation. Paul states in Philippians 4: 11, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…” The word ‘content’ can also be interpreted as ‘independent of circumstances’. We should control our circumstances and not the other way around. Speaking to our storms puts us in control of the situation.

6. Jesus gets to the other side. 5:1 states: “Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.” The disciples are like many of us. We gladly receive the word from God but are intimidated when storms arise in our pursuit of fulfilling that word. Thinking we will never see it come into fruition. But Jesus is there watching over His word to fulfill it. We, like the disciples are amazed at the actions taken on our behalf to see this word completed.

Yes things look a little stormy right now, but Jesus is with us and will never leave us. Storms come to reveal things in our life. Look what it revealed in the disciples lives:

The FEAR of the disciples

The POWER of God to Fulfill His Word

The Attempts of Satan to Bind the Word

The Word has a Greater Purpose than We Realize. “Gadarene Demoniac met them…”

They asked, “Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey Him?” He is Jesus, the word made flesh and dwelling amongst us. No matter what storm you are in today, rest assured that Jesus is in the same boat with you. You will make it to the other side.

May God continue to disturb you.