I've Got Vision for the Other Side - Mark 4:35 - 4:39

Introduction

Last week I had COVID and I lamented at the fact that I had to miss church and I even missed my daughters birthday. But I’ve learned over the course of my life that things don’t always go as planned but if I could just make it to the other side of whatever my issue or whatever sickness or problem I might be going through… there’ll be another opportunity to gather with the saints, there will be another opportunity to celebrate my daughter… Sometimes we get so hung up on the problem - we miss that if I can get beyond this to the other side…

There is somebody saying if I could just get through this chemo I’ll make it to the other side.

Somebody having some marital problems is just saying if we could just get to the other side of this we will be alright.

On the other side of pain is promise

On the other side of what seems like defeat is victory.

But the key to making it through pain, problems, predicaments, and sometimes even people is held in a promise that if Jesus said you would make it to the other side… it doesn’t matter how bad the pain is, it doesn’t matter how big the problem or predicament, and people can’t do nothing about it! If God said it, I’ve got to make it!

You can’t lose your mind on the job you got because you’re going to need your mind for the promotion or the new job on the horizon. You can’t lose your mind because of that no good joka… You’ve got to guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus because on the other side might be what I’ve been praying and waiting for!

And as we are ending the 7th month of the year on the way to the 8th month with 4 months left in the year… I just want to encourage somebody this morning; I don’t care what has happened in these last 7 months you’ve got to pick yourself up, square your shoulders, endure the storm, endure the pain, endure detours in the road because you’ve got to make it to the other side!

I’m not here today to tell you there won’t be any more storms in this latter part of 2022. And maybe you haven’t had any stormy clouds and days this year just wait a minute because all of us are in a storm, on our way out of a storm, or on our way to a storm. I want to tell you that there will indeed and in fact be more storms that you will have to face. So you mind as well just learn how to master going through storms. You might need an umbrella, you might need a rain coat, some rain boots, and sometimes you might not have none of that and you just got to go running in the rain.

Body

Jesus in the unit of Scripture here beginning at Mark 2 up until this part of Mark 4 is dealing with the multitude. A journey through this pericope you would think that Jesus’ problem was with the Pharisees… But Jesus’ problem was not with the Pharisees but the with multitude. Now you and I don’t know anybody like this but the multitude in the Bible was more often than not those who only showed up when they needed something from Jesus. The multitude has been known to pull on Jesus for their healing, Mark 3:20 says that the multitude was so out of control that Jesus could not even eat His lunch.

There were so many people that Jesus best option was to get some of the folk in a boat go out in the middle of the sea so that He could teach and not be constantly thronged by folk who just wanted something from Him.

It is at Mark 4:35 that we come to the point that the preaching and teaching is now over. And Jesus says let us pass over unto the other side. These are some of the best words found in Scripture. What this lets us know beloved of God is that the destination has already been determined. But the problem presented here is that while there is a destination set there is no roadmap. In other words, Jesus tells them where they are going but doesn’t tell them how to get there.

There will be water on the trip, high wind on the trip, water in the boat, but everything will be alright because the destination is set.

Notice the text. The first thing Jesus does after He has set the destination is send the multitude away. Because everybody can’t go with you to the other side. You’ve been trying to go through life being Mr. and Mrs. Popularity… but when its time to head for the destination the first thing God will do is shave off some dead wait. Some folk you got to leave at the shore because they don’t have the faith you have. They don’t have the discipline you have. They don’t have the passion for God that you have. And notice who Jesus sent away… It was that multitude. Them folk who were just around for what you could do for them and what they could get out of you. But I believe in this season of your life you gon have to learn how to say bye bye to some folk because God’s got more for you and you can’t get to the appointed destination with so many leaches who are skilled manipulators at getting you to do what they want you to do. So I’ve got to ask you… who is on your boat?

But what I love about Jesus is while He teaches that the multitude can’t go, your Bible says that there were some other little ships. Because while everybody can’t go you’ve got to realize that we all need somebody. I know we sang long as I got King Jesus I don’t need nobody else… But in this life, when God blesses you 10 times out of 10, God will use people to bless you. We got to quit trying to move through life acting like we don’t need nobody. But the Bible says some other little ships giving an indication then that there were more left behind then were in the water. Because God doesn’t need a whole lot of nothing to bless you. All I need is 2 or 3 gathered in His name and He’ll be in the midst!

I better pause for the cause and tell somebody you’ve been worried, frustrated, about who you don’t have! When you ought be thanking God for who you do have! I may not have a whole lot of friends but as long as I got one who knows how to get a prayer through, as long as I got one when life hits with its best shot I know they they’ve got sense enough to life up their hands and say Father, I stretch my hand to Thee! No other help I know!

But according to this text when you’re trying to figure out who to take with you; you’ve got to find you some folk who appreciate sunny days but can stand the rain. It was New Edition who said sunny days, everybody has them but if you’re gonna rock with me I’ve got to know can you stand the rain?

You’ve got to ask some questions… when it starts storming outside will you start talking to the Lord about your storm. Knowing that as you talk to the Lord - He’ll start talking to your storm?

When Jesus spoke to the storm on one ship; it was good for the other ships too. I’m glad that when Jesus starts moving.. He’ll raise up even the lowest person.

What do I do when I’ve got a destination but no roadmap? The problem with some folk is just their vision. You’ve got to have a vision of yourself making it to the destination.

I’ve got vision for the other side.. and its not in the multitude that I left.

It’s not in the storms of life I had to face.

But my vision is wrapped up, tied up, tangled up in who is with me. Jesus who will tell the storms in my life shut up.

I would assume that when they set for sea the waters were calm.

Notice… God never allowed your head to go under water. The waves were rough, the wind was rough, the boat was full… But God never allowed your head to go under water meaning He never allowed your vision to sink because He gave the destination in the beginning.