Going The Distance Part 2

Intro:

Good Evening Parkside! I hope everyone is doing well. I’m praying all of us are encouraged and are growing in our relationship with Jesus. Last Wednesday Night we continued our series, A Biblical Perspective During Trying Times. We discussed Going the Distance in our Relationship with Jesus. Tonight we will continue our discussion with Going The Distance Part 2. Our portion of Scripture is . If you would turn to Matthew chapter 5 verses 38-42. . Lets read it together.

Matthew 5:38–42 NIV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Lets pray.

Text/Participation

Last week we discussed what it might have been like if you were Jewish living in Israel during this time. A Roman soldier could interrupt your day on his journey by ordering you to carry his pack for one mile. It didn’t matter what you were doing you either had to obey or you were punished, which included flogging. Flogging was a form of punishment in which you were repeatedly hit with a whip or a stick. More than likely you and I would choose to obey the order to carry the pack for one mile. It’s fair to say the Jewish people during these days were going through some Trying Times.

Now I want you to imagine with me you are one of the disciples with Jesus when he preaches the sermon on the mount. Imagine you are Jewish and most of what Jesus is saying goes beyond anything you have been taught your whole life. You are probably in your twenties, and you know Jewish law very well and you are hearing Jesus confirm the law but He keeps telling you you must do more than the law requires. Imagine with me you here him say the words in .

Matthew 5:27–28 NIV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

At this point you are scratching your head a little and thinking come on Jesus aren’t you going a little far telling us we can’t even look at women lustfully. It’s one thing for it to be unlawful to actually commit adultery, but just looking? And then you start thinking how is this going to be enforced, will I be flogged if someone thinks I’m looking at a woman lustfully? But then you come to your senses and see the benefit of not looking lustfully at a woman. Now ladies your not off the hook here, you fall under the same law, it is wrong to look lustfully at a man as well.

But then Jesus speaks the words in .

Matthew 5:41 NIV

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

Now you might be thinking are you kidding me, the Romans are oppressing us and now we have to go an extra mile.

Tonight I’m asking you to consider our current circumstance with COVID-19. Consider what is being asked of each us. We are being asked not only to go an extra mile but to go the distance. Last week I encouraged you to find a way to go extra miles in your relationship with Jesus. Tonight I’m building off of that foundation. Tonight I’m going to ask you to go the extra mile in your family.

1. The Need For Discipleship Within The Home.

What perspective does the Bible offer to us for the need of Discipleship at home? The significance of our relationship with family is regularly mentioned in scripture.  Through the difficult and intense moments in our life, it is our family, similarly to God, that can provide comfort and reassurance.  And moreover, when the members of our family are going through hardships we can provide assistance to them.  In essence, the family should be a symbiotic support system that strengthens and encourages each of its members.  Unfortunately, this is commonly not the case as we've seen a general breakdown of the family over the past couple of generations.

Tonight I’m speaking to all of us, whether we are married and have kids, or your a single young adult, or whatever your situation might be. God wants to speak to all of us. If the only time we are reading scripture, praying, or worshipping God is on Sundays or Wednesdays then we have a major problem of our definition for what it means to follow Jesus. It is of great importance that Discipleship is happening within the home.

Here are few ways you can go the distance, go the extra mile as a family.

Ephesians 6:4 NIV

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Create a time for you and your family to spend worshipping the Lord together. This could be a time of prayer, it could be a time of reading scripture, or reading a devotional together. This could be a time where each member shares what God is speaking to them or doing in each of their lives. If this is something you haven’t done before start with a smaller amount of time. You want to start with something that will build momentum. If you start with an hour it may become dull and redundant and maybe even frustrating. So I encourage you if you’re just starting out to start with 15-20min. Make sure you communicate well with the members of your family what you are doing and why. Decide how often you will come together as family. Mix it up. Maybe you read a devotional on Mondays and maybe on Tuesdays you have family prayer etc. I encourage all of us to daily come together as a family. This is discipleship growing in our relationship with Jesus together.

2. Hear Each Other. Make sure as a family you are taking time to discuss how each of you are doing. This should be something we are doing all of the time, not just during this current time of crisis. Discuss how each of you perceives what is happening. Take time to explain what the truth is, what God’s Word has to say. Don’t allow the media to be your main source of information. God’s Word, your relationship with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit should be your main source of information.

3. Do Something Fun. Take time together as a family and do something everyone can enjoy. Maybe go fishing, a bike ride, play a game. The point is get creative and have fun. Most of us are home off work. Even if you are working this is a great time to start a new hobby as a family.

What an incredible opportunity we have during this time of pause in our lives. Let’s take advantage of this blessing we have to be able to pause and seek the Lord. The best place for you and I is in the will of God. I encourage you to seek Him. Allow Him to show you ways you can go the distance. Allow Him to show you ways you can go the extra mile in your relationship with Jesus and in your family.

Here are a few Discussion Questions to discuss with your family after we close.

Do we have a time of worship as a family each day? If so, have we considered mixing it up, maybe starting a new form of worship? (Devotional, Book, Prayer Time,etc.) If not, as a family discuss the importance of discipleship at home and take some time and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you as a family to create some time each day as a family to worship Him together.

As a family are you taking time to genuinely hear each other? How do each of you perceive what is happening around you?

Take some time to discuss fun things to do together. What new hobby can you take up as a family? Be creative.

Lets Pray.

I hope you were encouraged tonight. Lets be a people that go the distance. Lets be a people that joyfully embrace going the extra mile. God Bless You.