The Extra Mile Community

Do you ever feel an "obligation" to do something that you're not sure you have to do? Maybe it is an unspoken request from your family. Maybe it's expectation from work. Or maybe you feel a nagging sense of guilt to do something in your community that you could easily ignore but you are wondering about it. When it is not a clear cut case of "right and wrong" how do you decide what to do?

In Matthew 17:24-27, we see a situation where Jesus is asked to do something that He has every right and every excuse to not do. But Jesus is not only thinking of his "rights," He has a much bigger picture in mind. This sermon shows how Jesus clearly understood his obligation, made the choice to go the extra mile, and the reasoning behind his decision. And it will help you in those moments where you are trying to decide what your true obligations are.

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

- Matthew 17:24-27