The Other Side

Matthew 8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" 26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" 28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." 32 And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. 33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

Have you ever wondered, “What’s on the other side?”

It’s a reasonable question to ask about the unknown – but remember, for Jesus, there is no unknown. He is going to the other side of the Sea of Galilee for a reason.

It’s the same reason He came down from the mountain in the first place; to oppose the works of Satan. On the other side of the Galilee, the works of Satan are more pronounced, because he is unopposed by humanity there. In fact, humanity plays along with and plays into his plans for destruction.

It is notable how difficult it is to get to the other side in the first place. It is VERY notable who Jesus took with Him. It was the guys He had called to Himself already – the first of those who would come to be known as His ‘disciples.’ And they were already demonstrating the human frailties and weaknesses which have in part become known as the reason they were called. (That Jesus may demonstrate His power through and over human frailty.)

And so the storm comes. (Did Jesus not expect it?) And what fear the disciples show. Are they not with The One Who has just taught them, and healed the leper who came to Him, and healed the servant of the centurion of paralysis and torment without being near him, and healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and healed the demon-possessed, and all those who were brought to Him? And it must have been some storm - after all – these are fisherman who have seen many storms on the Sea of Galilee.

There is something Jesus has to prove in the hearts of His followers, even before they can be of use to Him in ministry, and that is that He has power over EVERYTHING. Not just over ailments and maladies, and unfortunate circumstances – but over all things in all of creation.

It is one thing to be in the boat with a great healer. It is something quite more than that to be in the boat with The Creator. “Peace, be still!”

And so it was. Do you get the point?

-Pastor Bill