Go The Extra Mile

One of the most controversial statements Jesus ever made in His preaching ministry may have been Matthew 5:41, “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.” Why? Because Jesus was speaking directly to an issue the Jewish people had with the Roman Empire.

During the time of Jesus’ ministry, Israel was under the control of the Roman Empire, and as a part of Roman rule, Romans could order any Jewish person to carry their goods for up to one mile. Some Israeli tour guides teach during visits to the Holy Land that the disdain for this Roman practice led Jewish people to purposely mark off one mile in each direction of their homes so that they never had to carry the goods further than the required mile. And, yet, during his infamous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus dares to say to the Jews, if someone compels you to go one mile, don’t stop, go two!

Jesus was communicating with this statement that any follower of his ministry should be beyond helpful, friendly, and forgiving. Nothing has changed. Jesus’ statement is timeless. He still expects his followers to go above and beyond in our service to others. We are to leave a positive and lasting impression when serving others; especially, those who do not share our same beliefs. This Heavenly expectation is upon us even in situations that we feel are difficult or that we don’t necessarily want to be in, because according to Paul this is how we win the respect of non-believers, “(live) your daily life (in such a way that you) may win the respect of outsiders…” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV)

It doesn’t matter whether we are serving inside a church or going about our daily lives within our communities. As Christians, we must remember what Jesus commanded: Go the extra mile. Therefore, we are always to go above and beyond in service to others!

The second mile is more than a suggestion, it’s a command. Jesus wasn’t going to cut the Jewish people any slack on this command, and that goes for you and me as well.

The second mile is more than a good deed, it is an act of faith. Of course, it’s a good deed to go one mile, but faith is activated in the second mile. Never is this more true than when you're tired, exhausted, or already battling the enemy. It’s in the second mile we demonstrate our trust in God’s more excellent plan for our lives through our commitment to stay the course.

The second mile reveals who is really in control of your life. Are you in control of your life, or is God? What you do at the Mile Marker #1 will reveal a lot about your answer to this question!

Have you ever thought to yourself, I did this, so I deserve that? This thought process can lead to highly adverse outcomes and actions. This mindset is sinful, and it will cause you NEVER to reap the benefits of walking out the second mile. And, to speak bluntly, if we got what we deserved, we would all be thrown into Hell, the key tossed away, and we would be left to burn and die for all of eternity. Scripture teaches that the wages for sin are death, but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ saves you and me. God didn’t give us what we deserved! The Psalmist said it beautifully, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. (Psalms 103:1-11 NKJV)

As recipients of God’s Grace, we now do not interact with people based on what we judge them to deserve. Since we didn’t deserve salvation, but because God loves us above and beyond, He showed us forgiveness. This truth now provokes us to go the second mile, so everyone we meet can experience this same forgiveness.

The second mile is about allowing our desire to be transformed.

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” - Luke 9:23 (NKJV)

Jesus doesn’t stop at mile marker number one. He just keeps coming for you. If you want your desires to be transformed, you have to want what God has for you. Deny the parts of yourself that want to quit when it becomes hard to be helpful, friendly, and forgiving. Your service can have a transformative effect on the world today, especially in a world where people have forgotten how to serve others. You may NEVER get the glory for going the second mile, but remember you are doing the work of the Lord because as a Christian, all the credit goes to God.

The second mile is more about your destiny than your convenience. Convenience quits at mile number one. Comfort leaves at the basics of helpfulness, friendliness, and forgiveness and never goes above and beyond. When you enter mile two, you are entering into the will of God for your life because you are walking out the Word of God in your life.

And, your story is just getting started at mile marker number two. So many people never go to the next level in their spiritual lives because they come up with all the excuses and things they think they deserve, then fall prey to self-entitlement and worldly conveniences. Then, they stop serving God before even getting to one mile, much less mile marker number two.

Choose to be someone who lives your life in a way that wins outsiders to the Lord by demonstrating the power within going the second mile. Don’t just choose to blend in, be beyond helpful, friendly, and forgiving!

Go THE SECOND MILE in everything you do!

There is so much more included in this message when engaged in its entirety, and I hope you will give it a listen. You can view the message in its entirety at this link:

You can view the message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/d3eVOmc5Ypg

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES

Two Questions that will Lead to a Meaningful Life

It is possible to invest one's entire life into meaningless things. Hence, perhaps, the easiest way for this to happen: spend your time, talent, treasure, and influence trying to make a name for yourself. With a philosophical tone, the writer of Ecclesiastes teaches that such actions become equivalent to trying to grab the wind. As a result, you’re left feeling empty-handed, exhausted, and disappointed. In other words, meaningless.

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. -Ecclesiastes 4:4 (NIV)

We’ve all heard it, “Keeping up with the Joneses…” It implies staying ahead of those around us; better cars, houses, jobs, education...But spending your life trying to get ahead of someone else results in living a meaningless life. Because ultimately, it’s always “someone else” that you must catch and surpass. Metaphorically, it’s like chasing after the wind. You’re not going to take hold of what you're chasing.

Thankfully, there is an alternative that can result in peace, fulfillment, and even significance. You can live your life doing good works. This decision will fill your life with purpose.

I once spoke to the Kansas City Chiefs during a chapel service. In prayer, preparing for my time with them, I felt many of the players had been taken advantage of in various ways. They were big, strong men, not easily intimidated. But, many of them had wanted to do good in their neighborhoods; however, greedy, manipulative people had taken advantage of their generosity. I sensed the result of these experiences was that some of them were backing away from charitable living, thus subtracting meaning from their wealth. I have no idea if my discernment was correct, but I felt so strongly about it that I borrowed the words of Mother Teresa to encourage them:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.

Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.

Give your best anyway.

The good you do today will often be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

-Mother Teresa

Even though the world is not always a nice place, we must be people who value doing good for others. God does not give us an “out” when it comes to doing good works. Unfortunately, there will always be people who take advantage of others' kindness and willingness to do good in the world. This can be discouraging but should never deter us from doing good. We should always choose to do good anyway.

If you haven’t already had the opportunity to watch last week's message, God Is...Light, I would invite you to do so. In that message, I shared how:

• We RECEIVE the light by BELIEVING God’s Word.

• We RELEASE the light by OBEYING God’s Word.

Are you releasing light into the World by doing the GOOD WORKS of God’s Word?

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)

Obeying God’s Word -- doing good works -- allows us to shine spiritual light into the world around us! When you love God, you release light into the world. When you love people, you release light into the world. And the world ends up a brighter place for everyone! Without these actions, our faith is equivocally dead.

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead… -James 2:26 (NKJV)

The summary, if you're not doing good works, your faith is dead. We should be clothing the naked, feeding the poor, caring for the prisoners, widows, and orphans. But, don’t get it twisted; we can not earn our salvation through good works. Instead, we are saved by the grace and love of Jesus Christ. Yet, it is essential to understand that Heaven records our good works here on Earth. And, God has chosen the mechanism of our good works to introduce people to His light. So, activate your faith! And, keep D. L. Moody’s humorous but true statement in mind:

I’m glad we are not saved by our good works because I don’t want to sit in Heaven listening to people brag about how they got there.

– D. L. Moody

The New Testament is full of references on how important it is for Christians to do good. Paul speaks on this topic multiple times across seven of his New Testament letters. Here are three of his references:

They profess to know God, but in works, they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

-Titus 1:16 (NKJV)

That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

- Colossians 1:10 (NKJV)

That the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

-2 Timothy 3:17 (NKJV)

The culmination of these three statements, always do good works to glorify the name of God. This approach to life is what brings true meaningfulness to our human existence.

In twenty-one years of pastoring followers of Jesus, I’ve come to learn that there are TWO QUESTIONS we can ask ourselves repetitively to make sure that our good works stay properly centered; making the main thing the main thing:

1- WHY am I doing it?

2- WHO am I doing it for?

Answering these questions honestly and correctly becomes increasingly crucial because when you start to obey God’s Word and shine light into the world, you are going to be the answer to someone's prayers! So, we must never forget that our good works should never glorify ourselves, but always glorify God. Otherwise, the light doesn’t shine. If the works become about bringing glory to you rather than God, personal burnout is assured. God won’t FUEL your empire, but he will FILL His Kingdom. Jesus told us so, “Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you.” So, keep your heart and perspective in check, and know: 1) who you are doing it for, and 2) why you are doing it. Because everything we do is meaningless unless we are doing it for God and His glory!

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. -Ecclesiastes 4:4 (NIV)

Every gift, every particular skill, directly results from how God created you and blessed you. You were placed exactly where you are right now, for such a time as this, so that God could use your gifts, skills, and influence to do good works. You are blessed to be a blessing to others! Allow God’s involvement in your works, and great things will happen as a result! Let him use your time, talent, treasure, and influence!

Consider ceasing your pursuit of an uncatchable wind and lean into finding true meaning within your life. If you want your life to have meaning and be radiant, you will need to chase the right wind. We do this by loving God, loving people, and building only one name, the name above all names, the name of Jesus Christ.

Think about this Scriptural statement, “The name above every other name….” We know “that name” is Jesus. Will you allow this Heavenly proclamation to be fulfilled in your life? Will you place His name above your name? Don’t ever let the mentality of Babel’s builders take hold of your purpose: And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” -Genesis 11:4 (NKJV)

Instead, live out the mandate of Hebrews’ commission:

To make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through JESUS CHRIST, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. -Hebrews 13:21 (NKJV)

I invite you to view the message I shared on this subject, Chasing After The Wind.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES

God Is...LIGHT

Despite your best efforts to maintain your passion, do you ever feel overwhelmingly fatigued or worn out in a way that goes beyond one day but rather is a description of your season in life?

In, How to Dwell Securely, Ralph Andrus shares that in 1879, Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. Twenty-two years later, in 1901, one of these new creations was installed and turned on in the Livermore, CA, fire department. Amazingly, it’s still there, and still on! By today’s standards, it should have burned out 852 times by now. The bulb, with a thick carbon filament, was made by the Shelby Electric Company, which did not become one of the giants of the nation for an obvious reason. Instead, the Shelby Company made light bulbs to last, and nobody ever reordered.

By Rjaerial - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=94821149

Unlike the Centennial Bulb (pictured above), we as people often burn out, and the more driven we are, the more susceptible we are! This phrase, “I feel so burned out…” is often uttered among people who want to perform and achieve great things in life. But, unfortunately, the desire and aspiration for more can lead to feeling dim on the inside quite quickly. I’ve learned -- the hard way -- that there are a few questions one needs to ask personally when dealing with symptoms of burnout.

• Does my life feel meaningful or meaningless?

• Am I complaining about things I used to pray for?

If you answered “Yes” to one or both of those questions, let me encourage you:

Never let the meaningful things become meaningless, or the blessing of God’s answered prayers become the source of your complaints.

Allowing either of those two things to happen is a step in the direction of burnout.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. - 1 John 1:5 (NKJV)

I’ve noticed that sunny days can have a positive effect on people. We all love sunny days at the beach or on the lake. Bright, sunny days make us feel alive and vibrant. Rays of light make us feel alive! Just like the sun affects us in the physical, the SON, Jesus, has that effect in the spiritual. When He starts to bring light into your life, He lights up all the meaningful and beneficial things. His light highlights all of the things for which we should be grateful. We start to see the answers to our prayers manifest and all the things that we should be celebrating!

We can celebrate the fact that God is light! And He does NOT burn out!

If the world around you feels dark or dim, I challenge you to open your Bible and turn the light on. Because that’s what happens when you open your Bible -- you turn the light on! And, just like the light bulb above, the Word of God never goes out!

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.- Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)

God gives us opportunities to see in the dark, but it is up to us to use the light. Closing the Bible in your life is the equivalent of putting a bushel over the light of God (Ref. Jesus’ famous Sermon on The Mount). Each of us must be incredibly intentional about having a daily relationship with the Word of God so that illumination can reveal.

Jesus is the Word of God and the Light of the World. We are to abide in Jesus, and it is impossible to abide in Jesus without obeying His commands, but it is also impossible to obey His commands if we do not know them. Therefore, the only way to learn Jesus’s commands is by reading the Word of God! It’s essential to come to this understanding because:

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” -John 8:12 (NKJV)

Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “You are the light of the world…” -Matthew 5:2, 14 (NKJV)

Did you catch it?

You are the light of the world. You receive the light by believing the Word, and you release the light by obeying the Word. When you obey the Word of God, it makes a positive impact not only on your life but also on the world! You light up the darkness that is in the world. The enemy hates it when you begin to abide in Jesus and light up the world; his mission is to keep people in the dark.

...the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. -2 Corinthians 4:4 (NKJV)

Turn the light on in your life and the lives of others by:

• Loving God & Others

God’s light can REVEAL what His love will HEAL.

• Serving God & Others

When you do the WORK of the WORD, you light up the WORLD.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)

I leave you with three statements to think about when it comes to LIGHT:

1. Light tells darkness how far it can come. Darkness does NOT overpower light.

2. Light helps find that which is lost. If you feel like you have lost something, look for it in the Word of God, there is no better place to search. Allow God to light up your world and restore that which you’ve lost.

3. Light always wins. Because God is Light and God doesn’t lose. If you want to win, you must seek the light and let it in.

Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. -1 John 2:8 (NKJV)

I invite you to view this message, GOD IS...LIGHT, in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/TJv0FJ2lbhc

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE | MESSAGE NOTES