10-21-07 #Disciple Bible Study Titled: "The Other Side"

[Disciple]

'The Other Side’
#1 – ‘Let’s Go On Over’
Mark 4:35-36
Intro.
The scene here in Mark 4:35-41 is the first of three in Mark’s gospel in which the disciples have a great learning experience with Jesus while crossing the Sea of Galilee. The scene here is that of Jesus calming the storm and the disciples learn that Jesus is powerful even over nature.
The second is found in Mark 6:45-52 and is Mark’s account of Jesus walking on the water. The third is found in Mark 8:13-21 and centers on a discussion among the disciples about Jesus’ word to ‘watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.’
They discussed what he meant and thought he said it because they had not brought any bread with them. In Mark 4-8, Jesus travels on the Sea of Galilee five times. I want you to note Jesus’ words to the disciples in verse 35. ‘Let us go over to the other side.’
Maybe Jesus had been teaching the crowds all day and now that it is evening, he is wanting to get away from the crowds for a time. So he says, ‘let’s go to the other side.’ I don’t think Jesus is making a suggestion to the disciples. I don’t think he is giving them an option or a choice about going to the other side. Jesus is giving a command.
I think that these words of Jesus are applicable for us today. It is more than just a suggestion or an option for us. We need to see this as a command for us to go to the other side also. When you think of going to the other side, what are you thinking about?
We can easily see the idea of a change, going from one place to another. Think of moving from one level to a higher level. What about the other side of your prayer life. What about the other side of your commitment to the Word of God. What about the other side of your approach and attitude to worship. What about the other side of your walk with the Lord.
We need to step it up a notch, don’t we? I want to challenge you this evening to step up your relationship with the Lord. I want to challenge you to go to the next level, to go to the other side with Jesus Christ. Let’s ask some questions about going to the other side.
I. What Will I Leave Behind?
Note that Jesus and the disciples left the crowd behind.
I want to ask you a question and I want you to answer it honestly tonight. What are you going to leave behind so you can grow spiritually? What are you going to leave behind so you can go over to the other side?
For each of us this question will probably have a different answer, but I dare say that every one of us needs to leave something behind. There is something in our live that is holding us back and keeping us from becoming what the Lord wants us to become.
Is there some sin in your life that you need to leave behind? Is there a sin that you are trying to deal with secretly? You think no one else knows about this sin, you think you’ve got everyone fooled. No one is the wiser.
You don’t really enjoy this sin anymore but now it just seems to have you buffaloed and overwhelmed. Until you leave that sin behind you will never be able to go to the next level. Not letting go of sin in your life will keep you from growing spiritually from becoming the kind of Christian you need to be.
Psalms 66:18
Maybe you need to leave behind some things in your daily routine and schedule. Where does God and the things of the Spirit fit into your priorities? When the day is done do you find that very often you haven’t talked to the Lord, that you haven’t read his word, that you haven’t done much in the way of serving the Lord?
ILL- 1969, Lois Cheney wrote a book titled, ‘God Is No Fool’ She wrote, ‘Once a man said, if I had extra money, I’d give it to God, but I have just enough to support my family. If I had some extra time, I’d give it to God, but every minute is taken up. If I had a talent I’d give it to God, but I have no lovely voice, no special skill. And God was touched, and gave that man money, time and a glorious talent. And then he waited, and waited, and waited. After a while he took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time and the talent. After a while the man sighed and said, If only I had some of that money back, I’d give it to God. If only I had some of that time, I’d give it to God. If I could only rediscover that glorious talent, I’d give it to God. And God said, Oh shut up. And the man told some of his friends, ‘I’m not so sure that I believe in God anymore.’ What are you doing with the time you have now?
Do you need to adjust your schedule and time so you can really make God and the church your top priority?
Matthew 16:24
Going to the other side, going to the next level with Christ, will cost you something. It always does.
II. What Will I Take With Me?

We saw in verse 36 that when the disciples got into the boat and started across the Sea of Galilee, they left the crowd behind. But note also that Mark says, ‘They took him along.’ ‘him’ would be Jesus.

Note also the next phrase, ‘just as he was.’ I don’t know particularly what this would be referring too, perhaps Jesus was exhausted after a day of teaching and working. Perhaps it indicates they did not make any additional preparations. They didn’t take any other items with them. They took him along. Just as he was.

Do you realize that when you make your commitment to follow Jesus you have committed to take him with you everywhere you go? ‘just as he is.’ I dare say that today we aren’t too interested in this kind of Jesus.

Jesus ‘just as he is’ hates sin and every form of evil. Jesus ‘just as he is’ loves people who are hard to love. Jesus ‘just as he is’ loves us unconditionally. Is this the Jesus that you take with you everywhere you go? I am afraid today that we are more interested in a Jesus who allows for and even excuses sin.

We want a Jesus who loves only people who are just like ourselves. We want a Jesus who says its okay to hold a grudge and to try to get even with those who hurt us. Are there places you go that you leave Jesus at home because he would not approve of the activity you’re going to partake in?

When you are with a certain crowd of people do you not allow Jesus to be there? Do you have friends who don’t even know you’re a Christian because you have never introduced your friends to your Savior?

When you go where Jesus wants you to go, you take him just the way he is. Jesus says, ‘Let’s go on over to the other side.’ Jesus is wanting you to step it up a notch, take it to the next level.

III. What Kind Of Impact Will I Make?

Verse 36 tells us that there were also other boats that followed the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. When you make a commitment to go to the other side with Jesus, other people will follow you. Do you realize that right now in your Christian life you have people who are watching you? What kind of impact are you making on them?

Nothing should be taken more seriously than our relationship with God and the impact that we make on other people who watch us. Especially in strategic and critical times in our lives, people are watching us.

What kind of impact are you making on other people who are watching you? What kind of impact are you making in the way you pursue your relationship with God and with Jesus Christ?

Do others see you as being completely sold out to Jesus Christ or do they see you as being hot and cold, hot and cold? What kind of impact are you making in the way you respond to difficult times and problems that you encounter in your life?

Do they see you exhibiting a strong faith and trust in God in spite of your problems, or do they see you blaming God because of bad things that happen to you?

Conc.

Jesus told the disciples to ‘go to the other side’ and that’s the challenge that Jesus is giving to us today as well. Will you take your relationship to Christ to the next level? Will you stop just playing at church and playing at being a Christian and take it to the next level and be completely sold out for Christ and his church?

Ask yourself these questions today:
What do I need to leave behind so I can go to the next level? What will I take with me? Will I take Jesus just as he is so I can go to the other side? What impact am I making now on others who are watching my life?

In the movie, ‘Star Trek- Generations,’ Captain Kirk says to Captain Picard, ‘What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived.’ We might agree with that statement to the extent that what we leave behind is the material and tangible things of this world, but in reality Captain Kirk’s statement is incomplete because how we lived is exactly what we leave behind.

How you live your life leaves an indelible mark on the lives of those who saw us and knew us. Are you leaving behind the mark of the Christian who went to the other side with your Lord Jesus Christ?