THE MULTITUDE (CROWD) GETS NO INVITATION TO THE OTHER SIDE!

Mark 4:35-36 TLB

As evening fell, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." [36] So they took him just as he was and started out, leaving the crowds behind (though other boats followed).

Sometimes, we just need to move far away from the crowd. Being in the middle of a multitude does not accord us quality opportunities. The multitude is not a place where one finds themselves, discovers their purpose, or even concentrates to achieve anything or advance in ranks. Competition is stiff in the crowd, with too many people vying for limited opportunities, spaces, and positions. If you want to be yourself and excel, come away from the crowd.

We know that Jesus sent out the disciples in pairs in Mark 6:7-13. He never sent out a crowd. Although the gospel is supposed to draw a crowd, we as believers aren’t meant to fit in the crowd. We cannot function righteously in a mixed multitude without contamination. The command in Philippians 2:12 is a personal, individual one. We are expected, actually commanded, to be personally involved and responsible for our own salvation. Nowhere in the scripture are we encouraged or commanded to remain in the crowd.

After the light of every event, party, or gathering is turned off, the multitude is left alone; they are not invited behind closed doors, into the inner sanctum. Jesus deliberately, in Matthew 8:18, stepped away from the crowd, and they certainly were not invited to the other side where he was going. He intentionally gave the orders for them to pull away from the crowd and go to the other side because he recognized what a lot of us are yet to do: that alone time with the Lord is important for regrouping and spiritual growth.

Men and women encountered Jesus daily on his earthly journey, and he picked a few hundred to be his followers, but within these, he picked his closest twelve who had an open invitation to be wherever he was. It doesn’t matter what kind of event Jesus held, the number of people present, or the length of the meeting, he always left the multitude behind. Matthew 8:28-34 tells us of the negativity of mixed multitudes and the havoc they can create. Yet again, in Matthew 9:1, we see Jesus withdraw from the crowd and cross over to the other side, to his headquarters.

Our text is very clear that the crowd gets no invitation to the other side. There are people and things we would never meet in the crowd, either because they are not there, or we cannot see them in the crowd. Jonathan, in 1 Samuel 14:1, knew that for the battle to advance and the war to be won, he had to pull away from his father’s crowded multitude of an army and cross to the other side into the enemy’s camp to provoke them to make a move, at least for something to start, rather than playing the waiting game of his father. We too would sometimes need to take the battle to the enemy’s camp to force his hand, and for that to happen, we must pull away from the crowd who may persuade us not to go, discourage us from trying, or scare us into quitting and giving up. Sometimes, the crowd will cause us to doubt ourselves and God and try to convince us that what we think we know is not real and true.

The crowd is very fickle. The crowd in Matthew 21:1-11 who hailed Jesus at his triumphal entry were the same crowd a few chapters later in Matthew 27 who instigated and urged Pilate to crucify Jesus. Crowd! Mixed multitude! Are they any good to us? Sometimes. Most times, no.

The unpredictable and often negative nature of crowds is clearly seen here as the same crowd can quickly change from supportive to hostile. Being in the crowd would not give some people the chance to discover themselves, what they are capable of, and their strengths and weaknesses because, as we all know, it’s very easy to hide within the crowd.

Come away from the crowd if necessary.

PRAYER: Father Lord, help me to recognise when I need to step away from the crowd and be bold to do so when needed in Jesus’ name, amen.

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/womenoflight/episodes/THE-MULTITUDE-CROWD-GETS-NO-INVITATION-TO-THE-OTHER-SIDE-e2vkgjn

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