I'm going over to the Other Side

Introduction

My wife will tell you one of my biggest pet peeves is to never get stuck where you are. There is always a better place for you to go or for you to be. There is more for us then what is right in front of our faces. There’s got to be more than this. This is why I fought to accomplish my goal to receive my Associates Degree of Science in Teacher Preparation which I will do when I walk the stage at Fayetteville Tech. Community College on May 12, 2023, and if God be my help in 2 years walk the stage at Fayetteville State University with my Bachelor’s of Science in Middle Grades Education with concentration in Math and Science ALL BECAUSE I JUST BELIEVE THERE IS MORE FOR ME, but in order for me to receive my more, I must go to the other side. That’s where more is. If you find yourself complacent where you are, you will never achieve more. For me to achieve a better quality of life for my family, I have to achieve more. I got to get to the other side of this degree. I have to get to the other side.

Background

We find our text this morning written by the penmanship of John Mark, or better known to others as Mark the Evangelist. Mark wrote of the stories recounted to him by Peter of the marvelous life on this earth of Jesus Christ. Jesus has finished giving parable to the people who were listening to his teachings as they were by the Sea of Galilee. Among these Parables were taught by Jesus was the Parable of the sower, the Parable of the Seed Growing, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. He’s taught with such simplicity and on a level that everyone could understand. That’s why I have issues with preachers and teachers that take so much time to use the large and long words to try to show off what they can do and the education that they have, listen you don’t have to do all that, just tell me what you’re trying to say. But as Jesus wraps up his teaching, he tells his Disciples, Let us go across to the other side. He leaves the crowd, gets in a boat, and Jesus falls asleep. And a storm breaks out. Let me explain it like this

Mark—Jesus, Servant and Savior (2 vols.) Learning Through the Storm (vv. 37, 38a)

The Sea of Galilee rests at 628 feet below sea level and is surrounded by mountains gouged with deep ravines. These ravines serve as gigantic funnels to focus whirling winds down onto the lake without notice. The way is often “greased” by a thermal build-up in the extremely low valley which, while it rises, invites the cold air to come falling violently from above. Our text says, “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped” (v. 37). The imperfect tense pictures the waves as repeatedly crashing into the boat. Matthew uses the word seismos (literally, “earthquake”) to describe the storm. It was as though the lake was being shaken. On port and starboard great dark mountains of water rose and washed over the boat. At any moment they would be swamped to a watery grave. Anyone who has been in a storm and has felt the stern plunge like an elevator in the trough of a mountain of green and then rise to the sky like a carnival ride can imagine something of their watery misery.

Body

“Where’s the Little Boats?”

There’s other boats around him, these was people that was infatuated with him. As they are crossing this sea, there comes a storm brewing. The storm becomes more than what they believe they can handle. But something catches my attention about text. The question rises to my mind, “What happened to the other boats that were with them?” When you study you find that these boats were occupied by people that were following Jesus. It wasn’t his disciples because they were in the boat with him. So these boats are with him before the storm and after the storm I cannot seem to find this boat. I looked in chapter 5 and couldn’t find these boat. These boats seemed to have literally dropped off pages of the book. Where is these little boats? After much study, I found that more than likely these other ships when the storm started was able to turn and go back. They were with Jesus as long as the sailing was smooth and easy, but when the sailing started to get rough, they turned and went back.

Don’t you know folk like that? As long as things are smooth and easy they alright, but as soon as times get hard they run. You know they a ride or die, until it time to… and then they don’t want to ride no more. They allow the storm to run them away. That’s what happened to the author of this very book, John Mark. John Mark was running with Paul and Barnabas on one of their Missionary Trips until the trip got rocky. Folk started talking about throwing them in jail and causing them bodily harm and John Mark said, nope, nope, I’m going back.

You have to learn to surround yourself with folk who is down for the long haul they don’t mind getting down in the trenches, they don’t mind getting dirty, they don’t mind coming and spending all night praying with you, they don’t mind fasting for what you need, they don’t mind standing with you for what you need from God. Because the fact of the matter is I don’t need you in other boats I need you in my boat. Be careful of folk in the other boat trying to follow you.

“Who’s in you Company?”

They’re in the midst of the sea, storm raging. They feel as if they are about to make their graves in the Sea Galilee. They almost ready to give their last words to each other, but some one remembered, we’re forgetting we have company on the boat. Now don’t get it twisted, every body can’t be in your boat. There are some folk that are there to use you, manipulate you, get over on you, and make you look foolish. I was always told you can have bad company or good company. Everybody is not good company. Be careful of who smiles in your face. The Gospel according to the O’jays says “They smilin' in your face, All the time, they want to take your place.” Everybody smiling ain’t happy. Everybody grinning to you, ain’t happy for you. You have to know who’s in your company. The bible says know them that labor among you.

The Disciples says, there’s somebody else here in my company, cast out devils, he healed Peter’s Mother in law, He healed man with leprosy, he healed a paralyzed man, he healed a man with a withered hand. Here we are and we have someone in our company with power like this? Jesus do you care that we are about to die? Have you ever felt like that? Jesus you have all the power you have all the authority but do you even care about what I’m going through. I’m on the brink of a breakdown, Jesus you said you care for us, but do you care about what I’m going through? Jesus gets up rebukes the wind, speaks to the sea and says Peace, be still. The bible says that the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. They had the right company, when Jesus was on board. Is Jesus in your company? Is he in your ship? I know you love your spouse, your parents, your children, your siblings, your friends, but is Jesus in your ship? Old hymn says “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grieves to bear, what a privilege it is t carry, everything to God in prayer.” Who’s in your company?

“Do you have faith [in me]?” AMP

Do you have faith in me to handle your situation?

Do you have faith in me to meet your needs?

Do you have faith in me to heal your body?

Do you have faith in me to save your unsaved family?

Do you have faith in me to get you to the other side?

If you do, won’t you tell somebody neighbor, I’m going to the other side.