Going The Extra Mile A Collection of Stories Matthew 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. By Preston Harrod, 7 th Grade Metro.

Going The Extra MileA Collection of Stories

Matthew 5:41If someone forces you to go one mile,

go with him two miles.By Preston Harrod, 7th Grade

Metro Church of ChristCategory D © 2013

Matthew 8:5-8•

5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.

6“Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.”

7Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”

8The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

Matthew 8:10,13

•10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.

• Jesus showed his love and power to the centurion because the man had great faith. The centurion went The Extra Mile by believing that Jesus would heal his servant. Jesus can graciously heal anyone he chooses, even from a distance, especially when people believe that he can.

Matthew 15:21-23• 21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of

Tyre and Sidon.

22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”

23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

Matthew 15:24-28•

24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

25The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

26He replied, “It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs.”

27“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

28Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

• Even though the woman was a Canaanite and not an Israelite, she went The Extra Mile by not giving up, kneeling before Jesus, desperate for her daughter to be healed. She continued to plead so that Jesus recognized her great faith. Jesus’ answer reflects his primary mission in the world, his saving grace is for all people. Her comment in verse 27 impressed Jesus and so he rewards her faith by healing her daughter.

• In both the story of the centurion and the Canaanite woman, each teach us about the grace of our Lord and about the faith of people who are in need. His grace will be given to all who believe.

Do you believe?

A Challenge• How could you go The Extra Mile for Jesus? It could

be helping your neighbor, being involved in a service project to help make a difference in your community, providing a meal to someone in need, spending time in prayer for someone you know who may not believe.

• One act of random kindness at a time can change the world when you go The Extra Mile. We need to take his message of grace to the world.

The Extra Mile Artist: Lauren Talley

VERSE 1Two hundred miles awayA storm had just blown throughBefore the sun came up the next dayThe church was on the moveWith so many hurting left with nothing of their ownThat’s when the people of the Lord opened up their

homes

VERSE 2At a Wednesday night church meetingA prayer request was madeFor a husband and a wife whose vows were just

about to breakAnd when they said amen that evening The Spirit stirred some friendsTo drive across that little town to go and pray with

them

CHORUSLove goes the extra mile and gives itself

awayIt reaches to the broken ones to help

restore their faithTill the lost are redeemedTill every heart is reconciledYeah love goes the extra mile

BRIDGEIt never plays it safeIt goes on unafraid