Title: “Go the Second Mile”
Text: Matthew 14:15-21
Introduction:
Perhaps one of the most disturbing statements that Jesus ever made is this: “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:41) The reason this statement was so disturbing was because in Jesus day Rome ruled the Promise Land and the Roman soldier had the right to demand of any Jewish man to carry his load for one mile. This was something the Jewish people absolutely despised having to do, so as I understand they would mark off exactly one mile in both directions from their home and go no further. Perhaps few things upset Jesus audience more than his comment go with that person a second mile. The principle Jesus established was this: a Christian should be willing to do more than what’s reasonably expected. It’s the Christian that should be more industrious, and congenial, and forgiving than anticipated. Peter brings this out even more in 1 Peter 2: 18-20. (Read) This attitude is very much needed in the work place today. Truly, I heard it stated, and I believe it, if we as Christians would just put this principle into practice of “going the second mile,” doing more than what’s reasonably expected of us, we could create a spiritual revival in this nation.
We learn by example don’t we? Jesus set the example of going the second mile within his own life.
· In Matthew 14:15-21, it’s recorded that Jesus went above and beyond everybody’s
expectations when he fed the five thousand and healed the sick. You say what do you mean? Well, he could have sent the people home after being with them all day long right? Certainly he could have been well justified in doing such a thing, but he didn’t, he went the second mile by feeding them at the end of a long days work.
· There was a time he healed a leper. He could have healed this leper from a distance
and never even touched him, but he didn’t he did what nobody else expected him to do. He touched the leper in order to heal him.
· Another example can be found in John 4, where it says Jesus had to travel
through the region of Samaria. That would have been the first mile for most of Jesus countrymen avoided traveling through Samaria. Jesus went the second mile by not only walking through Samaria, but also striking up a conversation with the women at the well, and later staying in Samaria for two days. What was the result? Many people became believers in that region. There are examples beyond examples if you’re looking for them within Jesus life of going the second mile.
Transition:
So why is it among Christians, so many believers in Christ are just content to do that which is reasonably expected of them and nothing more?
Examples of Not Going the Second Mile:
· You know, doing more than what is reasonably expected of you sometimes means
being accountable for your behavior before others. The paper said this week the man were so concerned about and offered so may prayers that he might be found, Gillming apologized for his hoax he spread that he was abducted from a rural Buffalo county pasture. He said, “I made some poor choices that day, I wish I could go back and change those decisions.” He needed help, but he didn’t know how to reach out for the right kind of help.” Well, his choice to not be accountable for his actions caused his family to worry about his condition so they had the police out looking for him, but he didn’t want to be found.
· Sometimes to go the second mile means you’re looking for a fast buck and you may
only invest in what’s reasonably necessary. I’m concerned as to what could happen here in the town for next three to four years. As we launch out in and effort to clean up the town and put pride back into our community. Are people going to fix up their places to be good rental property, to be good resale property, or just do what they can to get by?
· Sometimes going the second mile is making that trip to the grocery store when you
have other things that need to be done. Sometimes going the second mile is choosing to not be a clock-watcher. Ha, ha, I caught you for you’re wondering when this sermon is gong to be done. Also, there are people while at work they watch the clock waiting to get off work, or to quit as soon as possible.
· So, going the second mile means being honest with our time. There are people that
stretch their job break to twice the allotted time and take off every sick day provided. They will do only what’s outlined in their job description and not one thing more. Thus, they treat customers as an intrusion, and resent the fact they are there to serve the customer. God deserves so much better from us as Christians!
Illustration
There is a scene in the movie, “Five Easy Pieces,” a movie where a trashy oil rigger returns home to comfort his dying father. Jack Nicholson plays the part of the boy that’s returns home to help his family through a tough situation. Well, there’s a scene in the movie where Jack Nicholson is ordering toast in a restaurant. The waiter says, “You can’t order toast because it’s not on the menu.” He says, “What do you mean it’s not on the menu?” You’ve got a toaster in the back room, right? “Yes! But you can’t have toast because it’s not on the menu.” So, Nicholson says, “Let me see your menu! I see here you have chicken salad sandwich, what’s on a chicken salad sandwich?” Well, there’s chicken salad, mao, lettuce, and tomato.” And you can have it either on plain bread or toasted right? So, he says, “Why don’t you just bring me a chicken salad sandwich, but hold the chicken salad, the mao, the tomato, the lettuce, and just give me what’s left.”
Insight
You see, often if you’re observant, you’ll find that there are people to serve the public, but they make so little effort to serve. And then make all kinds of exercises for not going the second mile. They say, “Well, if you do it for one person, you’ve got to do for everybody. Or, my boss is a jerk and I don’t want him to look good from my effort; or, I don’t want this person to take advantage of me; or, I don’t make enough money as it is to begin with; or, nobody appreciates what I do for them, or, once you do go out of your way to help others than it becomes expected of you. Well, heaven forbid that you should act like a Christian. My friends, Christians are to walk and act differently than the world.
1Thessalonians 4:11,12 says - “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” You see, when we go the second mile, you win the respect of your co-workers and customers that are outside the Christian faith, but if we do as little as possible we loose their respect and everything we claim to be in Christ is in vain. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before your fellow man and glorify your father, which is in heaven.” So, what I’m trying to say?
WE ARE TO DO MORE THAN WHATS EXPECTED OF US EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT INCLUDED IN OUR JOB DESCRIPTION. (Colossians 3:22)
This is what I’ve been trying illustrate all throughout the beginning of this message.
Colossians 3:22 “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. One of the most tangible ways to let your light shine before your fellow man is to go the second mile while on your job.
Transition:
What else can we do while working around others? We can make sure that our work habits are not evaluated as a mediocrity effort. We can go about our work with and excellence of mind.
WE’RE TO DO OUR WORK WITH EXCELLENCE EVEN WHEN WE COULD GET BY WITH MIDIOCRITY.
Interpretation
Colossians 3:23 – “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” This means, to go the second mile means that we are to show compassion even when the person we’re helping can’t help us.
Application:
I still can visualize the sacrifice of the boys in our youth department made when they helped Evelyn Green remove furniture from her house so that she could move to Loup City. They didn’t have to make that type of a sacrifice. Let’s be honest adults, they did something we didn’t want to do, right? That house was full of cats and the smell could make to want to hurl. (vomit)
Insight
My point is everyone of us can go beyond the level of mediocrity even if it’s just a thank you note, or a last ditch effort to change a law that’s been written. Sometime going the second mile it putting us in conflicting situations where there are conflicting opinions. If you’re the type of person that wants a life free of conflict, you’ll not going to go the second mile, but I think we all admire people that stand up for those principles, and measures, we can’t enforce ourselves.
Sometimes to pursue excellence as a Christian is to learn to walk the second mile even while others are competing against us. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, and pray for those that use you and persecute you.” According to the passage the goal is to become sons of our father who rains upon the just and the unjust in the same way. He said, “If love only those that love you, what reward have you? Even the tax collectors do the same, so you become perfect, as your heaven father is perfect. Now, maybe perfection is not the word we would like to see there for that word frightens us, but how about a pursuit of excellence? God deserves from each one of us a pursuit of excellence.
Colossians 4: 5-6 says – “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Your attitude is to become the window whereby others will judge your heart of faith in a loving God.
Transition:
This leads me to my final way to walk the second mile. Remain sensitive to the leading of God even though it might be uncomfortable at times.
WE REMAIN SENITIVE TO THE LEADING OF GOD EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES.
Interpretation
Jesus went the second mile for us and it certainly wasn’t all that comfortable for him. He said, “If someone forces you to go a mile, go with him two.” It may be the Lord asking you to do more than what is expected, to take that journey, or to make that step of faith,
So surely we want to be ready to walk when the Lord says, “If in need of your serving hands, your humble feet, your kind smile, your gentle touch.
Conclusion:
Jesus demonstrated in his own life that it’s necessary to walk that second mile even when you don’t want too. The first mile was when he came to earth and dwelt among men to established communication point between a holy God and mankind. However, the second mile came when it walked that long road up the Via Delarosa carrying a cross full of pain and suffering on our behalf, and the bible says that he that knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. For us to walk the second mile is to accept what it is our Lords doing to change us into becoming people more like him. Let’s stand and praise our Lord for always being there with us as we walk along together with him.
