THE SECOND MILE
Matthew 5:38-42.
(Mat 5:41 KJV) "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."
INTRODUCTION: (Explain Vs. 38-42) This scripture is from the very well known passage of the “Sermon On The Mount”. This was very early in the life of the Disciples. Jesus gave them an advanced college course on “Christian Endurance”, or on “Longsuffering”. Vs. 41 is the “Second Mile Verse”.
I have heard many different applications of the “Second Mile Philosophy”. It is a service that not many Christians apply themselves to today. To introduce the message today let me begin by explaining some of the wording and customs of the day in which the Scripture was written.
We will focus on Vs. 41. (Mat 5:41 KJV) "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."
The word “compel” carries with it the application of a “great inconvenience, or a readiness to submit to unreasonable demands.” Listen to how Luke states it: (Luke 6:30 KJV) "Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again."
The Roman mile was 1000 paces or 1520 yards. A little shorter than the English mile.
“Twain” means two. In context this has reference to the Roman Army; if a Roman soldier demanded that a Jewish man carry his burden a mile, which was what the law specified, then Jesus said that he should carry it twain, or two miles.
Notice the wording that Jesus uses. He doesn’t say anything about a Roman Soldier. He says, “And whosoever shall compel” . His instructions includes the compulsion from anyone and not just a Roman Soldier, or an enemy. To you and I today this would mean, “If a neighbor” or a “co-worker” or a “church member” would compel us to do a certain thing then we should do twice as much as they expect us to do.
“Go with him twain”. This requires a cheerful compliance with the Roman law. It also denotes a voluntarily doubling of the hardship rather than resistance. You talk about something being politically incorrect; this is.
Scripture will warn us that there will be various and many opportunities to be compelled. (Mat 27:32 KJV) "And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross."
Matt. 27:32 will lead us to believe that there was very little opportunity to resist after being compelled. Simon Cyrene had no choice, but carry the cross, But Jesus says the Second Mile will be up to our own volunteering.
We have already determined that the Second Mile philosophy will not be an enjoyable trip unless we do it for the Lord.
There are certain things about the Second Mile that keeps most Christians from travelling on it.
I. THE SECOND MILE IS A LONELY ROAD
(Just the Lord and you.) Are you traveling the Second Mile, or are you the cause of someone else traveling the Second Mile? There are only two types of Christians on this roadway; Those who travel the Second Mile willingly, and those who force others to travel it. (The Roman Soldier was the reason for Jewish boy to be traveling the Second Mile.)
It’s not crowded. It gets lonely on the Second Mile. Not many there that you can fellowship with.
Jesus is always on the second mile.
Satan will be there also.
There will probably be a lot of people returning from the second mile. They tried it and couldn’t carry it out; thus, they are going back to the house, or the life of ease.
II. THE SECOND MILE NEVER ENDS
It has no ending marker. If you are on the Second Mile and someone asks you where you are in your Christian life, you answer them, “I am on the Second Mile.” You can’t say, “I am at the halfway point or three-fourths. There is no end to the Second Mile. The Bible never introduces a “Third Mile.”
Let me ask you, “How long have you been on the Second Mile?” Maybe a more accurate question, “Are you on the Second Mile?”
A Coast Guard crew was summoned on a stormy night to rescue survivors from a sinking vessel. One member of the crew was fearful: “Captain,” he moaned, “we’ll never get back.” “We don’t have to come back,” was the captain’s reply; “we only have to go.”
III. THE SECOND MILE WILL ALWAYS BE UNDER ATTACK
There will be a lot of land mines on this mile. There will be a few shots fired. There is always someone demanding you go the second mile for them. I find it is usually the same people over and over again.
A. From The Tempter.
1. He will be trying to lure you off to the side somehow.
2. He may use friends.
3. He may use family.
4. He may use fear.
B. We Can Expect Attacks From Those Who Refuse To Go The Second Mile. “Why are you always down there at the church?”
C. There Will Be A Lot Of Criticism On Second Mile. There will be a lot of expectation from those who refuse to travel the Second mile.
A carnal Christian has no boundary of what he expects a “Second Mile” Christian to do. They won’t do it themselves, but they think everyone else should.
I have had professing Christians really jump all over me because we wouldn’t help them out with a certain thing.
This one man called me once and said he was a deacon in a certain church in some other state, and he and his wife had gotten stranded here and needed some money for a motel room. When I told him to call his pastor and seek help from him, he all but cursed me out. He was really upset.
IV. THE SECOND MILE IS A BURDENSOME ROAD
(Gal 6:2 KJV) "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."
The Jewish lad was to carry the Roman soldier’s burden for one mile. Jesus changed that and said to carry it two miles.
A. The Participants Are Stooped Shouldered from carrying the heavy load.
B. The Participants Are Tired And Weary.
When I hear all of these energetic people always wanting to do something – go somewhere – play golf – etc. I think why aren’t they tired? The Second Mile is a burdensome road. How can they have so much energy? Then I think, maybe they haven’t been on the Second Mile.
V. THE SECOND MILE LEADS TO HAPPINESS.
That First Mile was required by law, but the Second Mile is done voluntarily.
I hope every person in this room is tuned in right now. I am going to give you the reason your life is not as happy as it should be. You will know what you need to do to correct your disappointments and discouragements in life. Some are not happy at home. I am going to tell you why?
A. Happiness In The Heart.
Happiness of the heart never seeks recognition. The happiness of the heart is all the reward a Second Miler needs.
1. Many church members have that “serve me attitude”. They want to be served.
2. With many and most, they are not happy. Your problem is the “serve me attitude”.
3. A Christian is never to even think of being served by anyone. (Turn to) (Mat 16:24 KJV) "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." When one denies self – he no longer makes provision for self to be satisfied.
4. If you expect your wife/husband, or even your children, to be your servant, then I am talking to you. By servant I mean doing that which you can do for myself. You may say, “I can’t”. Sure you can. If you can’t do it for yourself, then you may not need it.
I don’t think a man should expect his wife to refill his coffee cup at the breakfast table. (That’s a hard saying, isn’t it?) If she wants to that’s different, but to sit there and rattle your cup in the saucer or tap the spoon on the cup, or ask, “Is there any more coffee”? That is showing that “Serve Me Attitude”. If you need coffee, or anything, get up and get it yourself. Maybe it is a reversed situation where the wife expects the husband to serve her.
I know some men who can’t even dress themselves, or take a bath on their own. They don’t even know where to find their underwear. It’s probably laying in the floor where they left it.
I’m not speaking against showing love for each other. You know what I am saying. If you expect the other to do for you, then you are selfish. I don’t have any easier word for it. There is no easier word for it. If you have that attitude, then you are just selfish.
Christian joy and happiness never comes from being served, but from serving. You won’t find one Scripture that even hints that you should be on the receiving end of serving.
B. Happiness In The Home.
The reason your home is not as happy as it should be is because someone is not going the Second Mile.
When the husband puts the wife first and the wife puts the husband first and both are willing to do for self and go the Second Mile, there will be happiness in the home.
(Eph 5:25 KJV) "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"
This is the command to the husband who represents the Lord Jesus Christ in the marriage relationship. Where do we find the wife? Paul says in, (Rom 12:1 KJV) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
Bear in mind that Paul is talking to the membership of the N.T. Church at Rome. The wife represents the N.T. Church. Thus the wife is to present her body a living sacrifice unto her husband. (I know this is not going to go over well with some.)
The husband is to be willing to die for the wife, and the wife is to be willing to be a living sacrifice for the husband. That’s the Second Mile in the home.
If every married couple in this church would ignore self when it comes to wants and wishes and put their spouse in their place and then go the Second Mile – every home would be much happier.
VI. THE SECOND MILE LEADS TO REWARDS
Rewards will only be given to those who travel the Second Mile.
If you sacrifice in order that you will receive rewards; the rewards will never come, but if you sacrifice because you love the Lord, then your rewards will be immeasurable.
Why should each Christian go the Second Mile? Because the Lord Jesus Christ went to Calvary for us.
We used to give a reward each year entitled, “The Servant Of The Year.” We have stopped doing that. There were too many to choose from.
I believe that those who will be on the receiving row at the Judgment Seat Of Christ will be those who traveled on the Second Mile Road.
Hebrews 11 is filled with Second Milers. (Read)
Stephen was a Second Miler.
Lydia was a Second Miler. (Acts 16:14-15.)
VII. THE SECOND MILE FOR ME WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN FOR YOU.
Now listen to me very closely.
A. I’ll Not Be Excused From The Second Mile Because Of Pain Or Disability. There is much that can be done and still be in pain. I believe that God expects each Christian to serve through the pain and discomfort. I have not found any scripture that would relieve from duty those who are in pain. I believe God expects each of us to continue on when we may not want to.
(I am very aware that we have some people here who are in great pain most of the time – yet they keep on serving God and going the Second Mile – I’m not talking about them.) They are doing the right thing in the right manner.
Think about the challenge left by Paul in (Phil 4:4 KJV) "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." What did Paul have to rejoice about? How many of you could put the following in your resume, or your diary?
(2 Cor 11:23 KJV) "Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft."
(2 Cor 11:24 KJV) "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one."
(2 Cor 11:25 KJV) "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;"
(2 Cor 11:26 KJV) "In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;"
(2 Cor 11:27 KJV) "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."
(2 Cor 11:28 KJV) "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."
After having many hard experiences, notice what he said:
(Phil 3:13 KJV) "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,"
(Phil 3:14 KJV) "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We can be sure that Paul had much physical damage to his body from all that happened to him, but he kept on going.
I think what Paul is saying in Vs. 13, is that he doesn’t consider to have gained anything of any value, - no possessions, no attainment. Nothing in his past or present is going to have any control or any determination on his pressing toward the mark for Christ.
I wonder how many of today’s Baptists would have thrown in the towel following what Paul had? Yet he said, “I press toward the mark…”
I have been in the ministry long enough to have seen just about everything that can be seen. I am real disturbed when adults whine over a little pain. Christians aren’t supposed to whine, we are to be rejoicing. I like what Vince Lombardi told his football players, “You won’t win the championship by going on sick call.”
I get a little bit discouraged when people skip responsibilities because of some minor ache or pain. Sometimes, when someone calls and says, “I have a splinter in my little pinky, and I can’t come to church today”, I want to tell them, “Cut your finger off, but come on anyway.” If you break your leg, wrap it up and come on anyway. If you have a heart attack, stop off by church on your way to the emergency room. I have heard some of the weakest excuses for not fulfilling responsibility.
I understand that there will be times when some cannot make it because for physical reasons or sickness, but we are living in a cultural time when Christians people think nothing of calling in sick from work just to get a day off.
I know that I will be labeled as insensitive, but we need to toughen up as Christians. I’m not sure we need to go to the doctor for every little ache and pain. Sometimes we must just grin and bear it. Keep on going down the Second Mile.
I am convinced that many of our hardships and pains might leave us if we would forget them and go on down the Second Mile Road.
B. I’ll Not Be Excused From The Second Mile Because Of Ignorance.
1. The best place to learn about anything is in the middle of the battle. When I was a kid growing up, and it came time for swimming lessons, we only had one lesson, and that first one was: Someone would throw you into the lake. If you didn’t swim out real soon they would throw the next one in to rescue the first one, and so on. Finally someone would learn to swim and then rescue the others. It was swim or drown. Nothing wrong with that.
2. Just jump in and start peddling and you will learn how to do any job.
3. You can’t use the excuse, “I don’t know how to do that job.” Learn how.
C. I’ll Not Be Excused From The Second Mile Because Of A Busy Schedule.
1. (Eccl 9:10 KJV) "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
God expects us to find time to do that which He has assigned us. It may mean that I have to sleep less or play less.
The American culture has been over influence by a life style of ease until we think it is our right. God said, “Man shall earn his living by the sweat of his brow.”
VIII. THE SECOND MILE WILL BE TRAVELED ONLY BY THOSE WHO ARE SPIRIT FILLED
A. No Carnal Travelers On The Second Mile. The carnal dare not enter.
B. No Complainers On The Second Mile. The complainers will never begin the Second Mile.
C. No Jealousy Travelers On The Second Mile. Jealousy will keep you from being successful in anything.
D. No Greedy Travelers On The Second Mile.
E. No Hit And Miss Travelers On The Second Mile.
(Isa 35:8 KJV) "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."
(Isa 35:9 KJV) "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:"
INVITATION
BETH HAVEN BAPTIST MINISTRIES
PO BOX 891523
OKC OK 73189-1523
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