Mark 4 … Consider His Call to the Other Side

Originally posted: 07/02/2019

He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. ² And He was teaching them many things in parables, (4:1-2).

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side,” (4:35).

Consider His Call to the Other Side

He had been teaching all day; He taught about the Kingdom, the Word and faith.

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to hear with ears of faith.
  • And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” (4:9).

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to bear the fruit of faith.
  • “And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” ²¹ And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? ²² For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear,” (4:20-23).

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to carefully guard the truth in expectation of His increase.
  • And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. ²⁵ For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him,” (4:24-25).

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to intimate communion and understanding. He taught the masses in parables, but He explained everything privately to His disciples.
  • With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; ³⁴ and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples, (4:33-34).

But the learning was never intended to stop at His teaching. In reality His teaching was only the beginning; the Seed was intended to bear fruit. Life lessons must accompany His truth.

And when He had finished His day of teaching, He called them, “Let us go over to the other side,” (4:35).

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to leave the safety of land and enter the storm.
  • Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. ³⁷ And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up, (4:36-37).

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to believe the truth about Him.
  • Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. ⁴⁰ And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (4:38-40).

• His Call to the Other Side was a call to experience His power.
  •  They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (4:41).

How do we respond to His Call to the Other Side?

Today, as we seek to answer His Call to the Other Side, let us examine our readiness in light of His Holy Word.

• Are we allowing the noise of this world to obscure the truth or are we purposely seeking Him in His Word with ears of faith?
  •  However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ, (Romans 10:16-17).

• Are we abiding in Him, convinced we can do nothing on our own, that we might bear fruit?
  • “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5).

• Are we vigorously guarding His truth while expecting His increase?
  • But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work, (2 Timothy 3:13-17).

• Are we investing our time to receive intimate instruction from Him?
  • but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
    And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” ¹⁰ For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).

• Are we willing to leave the safety of the known and answer His Call to the Other Side even when it means we must enter the storm?
  • For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, (Philippians 1:29).

• Are we allowing our circumstances to define Him or do we believe His truth as revealed in His Word?
  • What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32).

• Do we choose to experience His power in His all-sufficient grace?
  •  And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong, (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Are we content to have a head full of knowledge but shudder in times we are asked to go with Him to the Other Side; the Other Side of comfort, the Other Side of clarity, the Other Side of calm? Will we trust Him with our questions, our confusion and sorrows?

Oh Lord Jesus, that we would desire to go with you anywhere, even in Your Call to the Other Side, the place You strengthen us in our faith and fit us for Your service.

Let’s Grow Together!