·•walking the Sec,ond Mile 11

TKX:r: "And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles·• Matthew 5:41

Some time ago, a display or modern art was held at the Metropolitan Museum ot· Art in .New York Liity. Sculptors, painters, and artists from all over America competed for a total of 152,000 in awards. The first place award went to an artist from Illinois. Hie painting was not a pleasant one. It simply showed a closed door bearing a funeral wreath. Underneath were the words, "ThA..t which I should have done, I did not do.

These words serve as a grim reminder of the minimum kind of living that so many people today are engaged in. Many of us do as little as we have to do. We find ourselves ruled by routine. We go so far, and no farther. We live to ourselves, and for ourse~ves. We fail to answer any high challenge. We hedge and draw back somewhat afraid to go beyond the customs of the crowd. We fulfill the obliga­tions of life, but we don't like to do any more than '·A required of us.

(text)-------The statement of the second ~ile principle is part of a series

of ei~ilar statements made by Jesus. They are expressions of the new law of inner loyalty to an ideal rather than conformity to an nlder law of ret~liation or revenge. Listen to his words: ;

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'. But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you."

Here Jesus is challenging the old law that the wrong doer should get as good as he gave. This was the idea behind the Mosaic Law, the Code of Hammurabi, and the Roman system of law. Jesus wanted to tear the minds of men away from this old, negative law of the jungle. He was telling his followers of a new idea. An idea that would help them to gain victory over their oppressors. How they must have listene-d to this new and amazing revolutionary idea ••••• this thought of winning over one's enemies, not by resisting and fighting them, but simply by going them one better.

In this business of the second mile, I think that Jesus is trying to tell us that rebellious living is all wrong. He would state:,· quite emphatically, that harsh, severe living leads to closed doors, vain regrets, and barren living. On the other hand, the positive, soft, sympathetic, and generous spirit gets results in even the most difficult situation.

Jesus is holding before us a secret. It is a secret that can change lives and transform the world in which we live. It is the secret of the power of willingness. The ?Ower of willingness is often the difference between failure and success, defeat and victory. The power of willingness is the _difference between a harmless, ins~~~d Christianity on the one hand, and a po.sit ive, vital experience of faith on the other.

-------

2

The purpose of this sermon is to explore this principle of the power of willingness. I think that we shall see that it operate,s for great living in everl area of life. There are three applications of this principle that ~ would like to have you consider with me.

THE POWER OF WILLINGNESS OVERCOMES VvEAKNESSES, AND MAGNIF'IES SMALL TALENTS.

overcome weaknesses, and magnifies small

In the first place we find that the power of willingness helps to

talents. Illustrate - example.

Some years ago, a boy by the name of Angelo Siciliano was born in Brooklyn. The boy was brought up in the slums and was a scrawny, undernourished lad. At· the age of 16, he weighed only 97 pounds. One day, in the lobby of the Brooklyn museum, he noticed the statues of the Greek Gods, especially Hercules. He could hardly believe tha.t men had posed for these statues. He had never realized before that men could have such powerful bodies. He decided that he would make himself over into the likeness of a Greek God. He clipped a series of exercises from a newspaper. He didn't have any fancy gym equipment in his cellar, but this didn't stop him. He devised hie own system of tensing muscles by playing one muscle against another. It was hard work, and the other boys in the neighborhood often made fun of his efforts. But Angelo Siciliano was determined to reach hie goal. Year after year, he continued with his exercises. To make a long story short, the skinny scrawny boy from Brooklyn bec-ame k.nown as Charles Atlas, the world's most perfectly developed man. Charles Atlas has the body of a Greek God. He has posed for statues of great men. One­of them is the statue of George Washington in Washington Square in this city. It was a triumph of the power of willingness.

The point behind this story is very simple, but quite important. Everyone has certain basic capacities in life. However limited these may be, they can always be increased through hard.work and willing effort. God has provided for the expansion ott our talents. God has made all of us for growth. A person grows as he is willing to try. No one compelled Angelo Siciliano to do what he did. Something drove him from within. The power of willingness is more important than superior talent. Someone once said thg.t "Genius is 90% perspiration, and 10% inspiration". There's a great deal of truth in that observation. "A winner never quite, and a quitter never wine."

This idea relates to all areas of our living. We need to learn the secret of giving ourselves without being driven. When we do this, we discover within ourselves undreamed of capacities for ~reat living. so don't belittle your own abilities by saying that I cant do this, or I simply cant do that. The power of willingness can reveal the true stuff of which we are made. God cannot use our la~ge talents if they remain hidden and indifferent. But God can take our small talents, if they're willingly dedicated and make them grow and multiply.

The power of willingese often makes all the 6ifference. It help5 to overcome our weakness, and it magnifies our small talents.

THE .POWER OF WILLlNGNES5 TAKES Another application of this THE DRUDGERY OUT OF HARD TASKS. principle might be expressed in

this fashion. The power of willingness takes the drudgery out of hard tasks. Let me illustrate this idea by telling you a story about Harry Emerson Fosdick.

~ ..J'EI!'oN',£) .4J?.!P.t./&/9r /011/ t!JF ~A/5 ~HC/~JJ: 19AIO ~5rP#.E.Sts/tJN /N Trlt!'.S& u.l41'fPS ---

3

Harry Emerson Fosdick tells of the time that his mother sent I him to pick a auart of raspberries when he was a small boy. He didn t

want to pick a auart of raspberries. He dragged himself in a rebellious mood to the berry patch. He was resentful of a world in which little boys had to pick raspberries when they wanted to do something else. And then he had an idea. It might be fun to pick two quarts of raspberries in·stead of one and surprise the family. Years later, in looking back on this experience, he had this to say:

11 I had such an interesting time picking two quarts of raspberries to the ama~ement of the household, that, although it happened nearly half a century ago, I have never for­gotten it."

And so it is that life makes demands on us to go and do. The first mile under the·requirements of duty is no stranger to us. There are some things we have to do. But if we do no more than is expected bf us, then, we are, in a sense becoming slaves. Jesus is telling us how to break away. It's not by resistance or by·rebellion, but simply by doin~ more than is expected of us.

The sting of the first mile is softened as we go on willingly to the second mile. Even the hardest jobs become a joy when we find it is more fun to willingly pick two quarts of berries, than to pick one cuart under pressure. Always do what's expected, plus a little ~ore. As we follow such a rule, our relatione with others improve and Ta:K:'e on new meaning.

We We find that this idea has meaning for the tasks of the kingdom

of God. A young plastic surgeon, Dr. Ralph Blockcma ssrved in England during world War II. Here he was able to restore the shattered faces and bodies of many of the boys who were hurt in the Normandy landings. The ch~plain of the out~it once remakred to him:

"Ralph, you have miracles in your fingers. Miracles in your fingers hec!'luse God ha.s put miracles in your heart."

After the war was over, Dr. Blocksma returned to Chicago and resumed his promising career. The future was very bright. One day he sat down and wrote a letter to the Chaplain he served with. In the letter he said:

''I'm on the thresholc of what could become quite a lucrative career in plastic surgery. But here is the pay-off. It isn't what I want. Ruth and I and the kids are sailing for Pakistan as medical missionaries. It was a long, difficult and soul cruehin~ road that led me to abandon my own selfish ambitions for a total surrender to the teachings of Jesus. But, oh brother, what fun it is. This is powerful stuff. It's dynamite. I tnoua:ht I was sacrificing, but eve~y time I co~sci~usly tried, I got back ten times more than I had given •••••• so many have wondered what can move a man in my position to shove off for a heathen land. l could never say it before, but now: For me to live is Christ. And from dawn to dark, I love it."

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That's the way it seems to work. From picking raspberries to remaking the face of the world, the tough jobs of life take on new meaning when we are captured by this strange power of willingness. Jesus knew it to be so. 'l'he power of willingness takes the drudgery out of hard tasks.

1'HE POWER OF WILLINGNESS GUARAi:JTEES RESULTS.

And finally it made be said that the power of willingness guarantees results.

Years ago two seniors in a certain university were competing for the highest honors in the class. One night as one of the boys was turning off his light to go to bed, he noticed the light was still on in the room of his competitor. The next night he stayed up until the other light went out and then kept studying for one hour longer. tie repeated the same thing each night. When the year was over, he had defeated his rival, and stood at the head of the class. He had learned the lee son of· the power of willingness. his name was James A. Garfield, and he later became president of our country.

Many of life's greatest ac·complishments have been reached because men have been willing to walk the second mile. A half hearted effort will never take any one to a high goal. what we accomplish in life depends not on what we have, but on what we do with what we haver--This is true in any sphere of life. Most or us don't get results because we're not willing to pay the high price demanded.

take for instance, the difficult art of recording music. It's not easy to' produce one disk that is note perfect and also compelling in mood and emotion. Most artists are willing to ac·cept an approxima­tion or perfection. Arturo Toscann1 took ten years, two symphonies, and twenty-six attempts before he would approve his recording of .uebussy's "Lar Mer", a twenLy-three minute work. It's no wonder that ·Ioscanni was considered to be the greatest conductor of modern times.

This power of w1ll1n8noes 1s responsible rar eo much in life _!hat is ,, .. ·ort.hwhile •I ~e are mystery writers who can be paid to

rite mystery st or ie s ,_ but no one r:'&id liharle~: uicken' s to write the Life or our Lord". 0ircuses employ daredevel flyers to thrill the rowds, but no one hired Lindburgh to fly to .t'aris. Artists are vailable to paint pictures for a price, but no one paid Raphael to aint, Tl:.J.e Jl4a.Q O:R:R~--..na thQ....Cbils, IR ot'RsP 'JJDP4s, 1 some of the greatest

things in life are done not because they have to be done, but for the love of doing. Men are not forced to the heights• they find their way there because they can't be stopped.

''And if anyone forces you to to a mile, go with him two miles"

The orgim\1 meaning of this text is found in ,the Roman soldier's custom of calling on a person of a conquered nation to carry his heavy pack for a distance of one mile. It's easy to visualize a Roman soldier saying to a Jew, "Here •.• get this pac'k on your back and come along". With hatred blazing in his eyes, the Jew picks up the heavy pack and trudges along the hot and dusty road of Palestine. I wonder if Jesus himself ever experienced this severe demand. I'd like to think that he did. ·For he was no dreamy idealist out of toac.h with the hard demands of life in the Palestine of his day.

- 5 -

This idea of walking the second mile has meaning for us far beyond its specific intent. Jesus is giving us a daring ~xample to illustrate a general principle. To get caught up in the detail is to miss the point. The turned cheek, the given cloak, and the second mile all help to illustrate a new attitude toward life.

Not many of us are ever forced to march a mile with an enemy captor. Not many of us are ever sued for our possessions. Few of us are ever slapped on the cheek, but all of us are held captive by custom and convention. We're threatened by enemie e of greed, and selfishness, and laziness. We face evil in the form of fear, and hate, and misunderstanding.

All of these can be overcome says Jesus, not by fighting or resisting them, but by side-stepping them. We outwit our enemies by outliving them. We live beyond their reach when we do more than is required or expected of us ••••• when we walk the second mile.

LET US .PHAY:

"O Master, let us walk with Thee In lowly paths of service free; Tell are thy sec,ret: help me- bear, The strain of toil, the fret of care! 11

We find it difficult, our Father, always to walk this second mile. There areti~es when attitudes of hate, and revenge take hold of us blotting out the thoughts of love and service. Help each one of us totake hold of ourselves; and with thy help, measure the living that we are doing by the mind of Jesus, our Lord and Master.

Amen.

---~

l .. "WALKING THE SSCO :m ~riLE"

T~:X'T: And if anyone forcss you to ro o·1e :nile, go with him two milee. ---T1"atthe·,v 5:41.

Some time ago a display of ~ocern art was held

at the Metropolitan ~!useum of L\rt in !\lew York City.

sculptors, painters, and ~~her artiste fro~ 311

over ·merica competed for 3 totql of ~52,JJJ in

awards. The first place aw~~d went to an qrtist

·from Illinois. His painting w~s not a pleasant

one. It simply showed a closed door bearinF a

funer8l wre~th. Underneath we e the worde: THAT

These words serve as a Grim reminder of the

minimum kind of living that so mRny pe~ple toaay

:1re enp:ap-ed in ..... .

~any of us do as little as we can.

·~e find ourselves ruled by routine.

We go so far and no farther.

we live to ourselves anj for our eel ve a.

We f31l to anewer anv hiF~ challenge.

We hedge •.• and draw back and are ~frgid to go beyond the customs of the crowd.

We fulfill the oblip:atione of-life, but we don't like to do more th:1n is requtred.

" • - 2 -

The statement of the sec8nd mile pri~ciple

is part of a series of eimil~r st1tements by

Jesus. THE'! ARB; EXPRSSSIJ": OF THtf.: NEW LAW 2F ..-

LJ~JE? LCYALTY TO 1~~ I~SAL Rli.THER THAN ·::ONFORM-

ITY TO A!IJ OLDER LA\\ OF RE'.i:ALIATIO~~ C:t R~VE2J3:S.

(Read fro~ ~atthew 5:33-42)

Here Jesus is challenging the old l~w th~t

This w~s required of ~osaic Law, the Code of

9'9.:n""lurabi, and the Roma:1 system of lgw. Jesus

wanted to tear the minds of :;Je~ away frorr: thir

old law of t119 jungle. >1e VJaS tellinp- his

followers of a new ide::t. - one which '.'iOUld briDg

victor'' over their oppressors. It wq s an

ama7i~~ idea ..... this thou~ht of wt~nin~ over

emexies not by reeistin~ them, but by gain~ the~

one b9tter.

In this bueineee of the second mile, Jesus

see~s ta be trying to tell us th~t rebellious

livinP is all vvronE· That it lea~s to closed

doors, v~in regret~. and barren lives. Th3

positive, s;r:np~thetic, generous splrit gets

results in even tbe most difficult situ~tions.

I - 3 -. Jesus is holding before us a secret. It is

the secret of the power of wtllingness. The

cower of wtllinFness is often th3 difference

between failure and success •...

defe~t qnd victory ....

surrender ~nd triumph ..•.

The oower of willingness is the difference betweer

hqrmlees Christianity on the one hand and a

v~, jo·:ous experience of faith on the other.

THE .2UR.i:'OSE OF THIS STI:RIC :-J is to ex)lore

this principle of the pd~er of willin~ness. We

shall see that it oper1tss for grest living in

every dG~.f':n,.,.f: of life. I would like to

supgest three applications of the pr1nc1~le of

the pcwgr of ~illingness.

boy by the name of

A?JGELO SIJ lLin.i~O

was. born in

BrooKlyn. He was broupht up in the slu~s and w~s

a scrawny, un~ernourishsd lad. At the age of 16,

he weighed only 97 pounds. One day in the

- 4 -

of the Broo~ly museum, he noticed the st~tues of

the Greek Gods, especially Hercules. qe could

hArdly believe that fu~n had posed for these

stAtues. He'd never realized that men could have

such powerful bodies. He decided that he would

make himself over tnto the likenes2 of a Greek

God. He clipJed a series of exercises from a

newspaper. He didn't hAve any fancy ~ym equip­

ment in his cellar. But this didn't stop hi~.

He devieed hls own syete~ of tensinr muscles by

playing )De muscle ag~inst another.

It was hard work ~n4 the boys often made fun

of hie efforts. But Angelo Siciliano was

determined to rerych his goal. Year after year

he co~tinued with his exercises. To make a long

story short, the skinny ru~t from Brooklyn became

known qs Charles Atl~s, the world's most perfectly

develo1ed man. He too had the body of a Greek

god. He too posed for statues of gr~~t men. One

of them is the George ~ashington statue on

Washington Square 1:1 New York City. It was a

triumph of the power of willinrness.

The point behind the story of An~elo Sicil~no

- r::; -_.

is simply but im~ort~nt. Everyone h~s cert~in

basic capacities in life. HovJ-ever li:nited the8e ke/~~

may be, they can alw:tye be incre:lEed bv willing

effort. God has provided for th9 expansion of

our talents. God made man for growth. A man

grows ae he is WILLING TO TRY. :ro one com9elled

Ang2lo Sciliano to do what h~ did. He waf d~tven

from within. THE PO'i"!ER OF YiiLLI'JGN?.S2 IS OF'TE:J

A GR!i:ATER ASSET THAN SUPERIOR TALENT. Our

deficiencies beco~e our assets when we are claimed

by some inward drive.

1[ This idea carri·::s OV<5r :loto the realm of ;.-'

ths spirit. God doasn't compel men to be good.

Oun minds are attracted by t~e mind of God.

We give ourselves withcut being driven ...•.

When w2 do this, we ciPcover withi'1 ourl=lelvee

undreamed of capacities for great Christian living.

Don't bellt tle your own abiU ty 1 The power of

willin~ness can reveal the true stuff of which we

are m~de. God c~n't use large talents if they

remain hidden and indifferent. BUT GOD can take

e~all t~lents, if they're willingly dedicated and

maKe them grow and multilpy. THE .i'OV~R OF' NILLI::G-

~12JS·S OVS?Cc.::.~rES r~,~~A.KN'"~SS:I!S At-JD ::A.G:'\.:FI~~S

TALE.L\'TS.

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THE .POWER OF '.1.'ILLINGNRSS TAKES T~"S DRUDGERY OUT OF HAPD TASKS.

Harry Emerson F08dicl

tells !.l.bout the

ti'ne his :nother ee:1t

him to pick a ouart of raspberrie8, when h8 was

a. small boy.

He didn't want to pic~ a cuart of r~spberries.

He dragged himself tn ~ rebellious mood to the berry pate h.

He w?s resentful of a world in which little boys had to pick raspberries when they wanted to do s:~ething else.

THE:-.J HE HA0 A~~ IDEA! It might be fun to pick two

ouarts of r~spberrias instead of one and surprise

the family. He said of this event J3~rr la1er:

"I had such a:1 interestinp- time picking two quarts of raspberries to the amaze­ment of the household, that, althou~h it h9ppened nearlv half a century aPo, I hav€ never forgot ten."

Life makes de:nands on us to ~o and do. The

first mile under the reouiraments of duty ts no

etranper to us. so~e thinFs we h~ve to do. But

is WP do no more than is expected of UP, then

we're in A senF~ becoming slaves. Jesus is telling

ds how to breqk away ...•

Not by res~stance or rebellion ....

But by doin~ more th~n is expects~ of us ••

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I wae visiting in a home recently where

there lives ~ fifteen ye~r old boy. I notic~d

g motto tac~ted up over hie desk~ AL':;AYS DO

wRo.T 's EX.?E8TSD, PLUS ll LIT~'LE n:ORE. A fi 1'1e

rule to follow.

The stine of the first mile is softened

~s we ~o o~ willinply to the second mile. Even

the hqrdeet jobs becJme a j8y ~hen w~ fi~d it is

more fun t~ willingly pick two quarte of berries

t~~n to pick one cuart under preseure.

This i~ea h~s meaninp for the taskG of the

kin~do~ of God ••..•

A young American ~laetic surFeon, Dr. Ralph

Blocke::ia served in Enp1'1nd duri'1f-" ;,orld v:ar II.

Hers be ~Ps able to reetnre the ehpttered feces

and bodies of m3nv of the boys who were hurt

outfit once rem~r~ed to hi~:

"S.alp you h'1.ve m"':.rG..cles in ?OUr fin,R"ers. •riracles i~ ~.-ur ftnvers becauee God h'ls put mir:=~.c~es in your heart."

After the ~ar, Dr. Blecksmq returns~ to Chica~o

qnj resu~ed ~ts prornisinp career. The future

was bright. One day he eut down unj wrote a

etter to the Ch'1plai~ ~e hJd served with.

.. - a -.

In it he said: 11 I'U on the threshold of what could beco~· auite a lucr~tivs career in plqrtic ~ur~ery. But her~ ie thG pay off. It len It '.-\'hilt I 1.-vant. Ruth Ct..:l:'l I :3. no the ,{: are sailing for Pakistan ~E med~cql ;nission':.l.ries. It war:: a lon~, diffiC'l'": qnd soul cruehinrr ro~d th~t led ~e to qb·'ndo.1 m'T own selfish 3.mbitions for a total surrender to the teachl.ngs of Jesu1 But, oh brother, WHA'!' FU~~ IT IS! ThiB i.~ powerful etuff. This ir:: dynamite. I thoup:ht I '.11'3.~ sacrificing, but every timE I consciously tried, I got bac~ ten timeE more than I h~d Fiven •...• so many h~ve wondered what can ~ove a man in my position to shove off for a heathen land. I could never s~y it before, but now: FOR kE TO LIV~ IS CHRIST. And fro~ dawn to darK, I love it. 11

That's the way it works. From picking

raspb~rries to remaking the face of the world

the tough jobs of life t~ke on new meaning

when we are captured by this stranpe powsr of

willingness. Jesus ~new it to be so~

THE ?0\VSR. OF WILLI:W.NESS GUAR.il.~IJT~'£3 RESULTS.

Year-s .1po two

seniors in a cer1

university were competing for school honors

in gradee. One night as one of the boys w3s

turning off his light to go to bed, he noticec

---------·-

- 9 -

the liFht of his competitor etil 1 burning. The

n~xt night he et~y~4 u; until th3 other light

went out and then ~ept on studying for o~~ hour

When the yaar was ove::, he h~td defe~ted his rival

and etooj ~t the he~d of the ~lqss. He h~d

la8rngd the lesson of the ~ower of willingness.

~is n~ma waE Jn~es A. Garfield and he later

beca:ne the president of tlr}e United Stqtes.

men have been willin~ to w~li t~e second mile. A

half-hearted effort will never attain any high

goal. WHAT WS ACCOfL'LIS:.J I'~ LIFE DE.?S~~r;s :.JOT ON

·.-:HAT \E :-lAVE, BUT 0 :~ ~n-IA. VR I>:' '';'ITW y;tiAT WS

HAVE. T~'lis is true :ln any sphere of life. ~fest

of us don't get results bgcause we're not willin~

to pay the price.

Take for instance the difficult art of

recording music. It's not easy to produce one

disk th~t is note perfect and tlsc compelling in

mood and emotion. Most artists are willing

to accept an ap romixation of perfection.

Arturo Toscanni too~ 13 years, 2 symphonies, and

26 atte~pts before he would approve his rscordinf

·. - ll

of Debusf;y 's 11LA MSR '' - a 23 minute work. No

· onder Toscanni is considered the greatest

conductor of modern times.

The power of willingness is responsible for

much that is worthwhile in life •...•

There are many writers who can be paid to writs mystery etcri3s, BUT ~L ONE PAID C nll.R ES DICKENS T:J '•YRITE, THE:: 1:_!F'B: ~f C)UR LORD

Circuses employ dare devil flysrs to thrill the crowds, BUT :-JJ ONE HIRSt LIYD:SURGn TO FLY TO .?ARIS.

krtiet are av~ilable to paint pictures for a prices, BUT NO ONE PAID RAi'HAEL BY THE HOUR TJ .PAINT, ~viADO:IJ:'-JA A~·W TH'l.: QiiiLD.

In other words, some of the great9st things

~re done not because they h~ve to be done, but Fo~c£D

for t~e love of dotng. ~en are not ~rivon to

the heights; they find their w~y there becquse

they c2n't be stopped.

T~is is all part of the hope of a better

society. Seemingly 1:-::posr: ible Christ ian €03.1 s

are reached becauee :nsn h::we refueed to t!!.ke !'!0

for an answer. The ki ngdo·1 of Cod c9..n ne reachsd

if only men are willing. Great dayR come for the

church ·.vh<:n ord i n'lry laymen take re Eponsibl lit 1 e s

~nd duties without being ~h~sjlsd or forced. Ths

'• . - 11 -

willing life always lifte the poglp of the

K!n~do~ of God out of the are~ of day

dreq~~~g and me~es them poEsible before ouE

This ide~ of walkin~ the seco~d mile

has ~e~ning for us far beyond its s9ecific

intent. Jesus pives us ~daring example to

illustr~te a general princi)le~. To get

caup-ht up in the deto..il is to misF the poir!t •.

The turned cheek •...•

The given cloak •.•••

The second ~ile ••..

Theee all illustrate 1 new

attitude toward life.

Not m~nv of us are made to ~~rch a mile by enemy cqptor.

Not many of us ars ever sued for our poeeese;ions.

Few of us ara ever slapped on the cheek.

But all of us are held captive

by GUSTO:.~ AND ~CnVENTION. We are thre'lt?ned

by enemies of greed .•..•

of lotzinese ......•

of selfishness ..... .

' . .. 12

~any cf us a~o faced with evtl in the form of

misunderstanding

fe~r

3.n6 h.qte.

We 01ZR80~Z these, saye Jesus, not by

RSSISTHJG OR FIGHT L'JG them, but by SIDE-

STE.PPI:JG them.

W2 ...;i.J.tvvit our enemies by outlivi·:f them.

We l:tve beyond their reach wheY1 we do :1ore than

is required or expected of ue . ..• when we're

w i 11 t ng to w al k t h::; s s c o nd m i 1 e •

0 Master, let me walk with l hee In lowly paths of service free;

Tell me Thy secret; help me bear The strain of toil, the fret of care.

LH:T US PRAY

Grant, 0 Lord, that what we have said with our lips and heard with our ~ars, we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts, we m3y practice in our lives.

amen.

I Believe ... 7he C911urch

W HEN the day of Pentecost had come ... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak

... those who received his word were baptized ... "

In these words Luke in the Acts of the Apostles describes the beginning of the Holy Christian Church, the Church

we confess in the Apostles' Creed.

When the Holy Spirit ushers us by a living faith into

fellowship with Jesus Christ, by the same great work we

are ushered into the fellowship of the Church of Jesus Christ.

In Him we are in truth in each other.

Whether you worship among a hundred thousand other

worshippers or kneel quite alone in the hush of a church­

in the very act of worship you join the innumerable hosts

who are Christ's. Unseen or seen, these are with you as you

fellowship with Christ.

For you cannot have Him alone, in a private little tryst.

Whenever He comes, He comes with all who are His. You

are in the presence of the angels and archangels, the saints of

heaven and all the faithful on earth-when you are in His

presence.

There is no company as breathtaking as this. Parade all

the nations of earth in one gigantic arena, if you can i it can­

not compare with the company you have joined as you bow

your head in prayer to the Lord. From Greenland's icy

mountains and from India's coral strands they come to be

your invisible comrades in the faith, to join you and the

heavenly hosts around the throne of God.

A .P.H . No . 5762. Litho in U.S.A.

Within His C9hurch

PARK AVENUE METHODIST CHURCH 106 East 86th Street

MINISTER Philip A.C.Clarke ASSOCIATE MINISTER F~ Roderick Dail

DEACONESS Mary c. Hedman

MINISTER OF MUSIC Gerald E. Rock

ORDER OF WORSHIP, 11:00 A.M. June 9, 19.57

ORGAN Veni Spiritus Sanctus Eaton C.A LL TO ·WORSHIP The Minist.er HINN No. 65 "All Creatures ef Our God and King" (4verses) ~NTROIT. Come Holy Ghost Plainsong INVOCATION (The people seated, in unison)

Almighty God, from whom every good prayer cometh, and who pourest out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and supplication, deliver us, when we draw nigh to Thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings or mind; •ha,. ~th ateadtast thmugk~* and kindled affections, we may worship Thee in spirit and in t:cuth;- through Jesus Christ our Lord. Choral Amen

~~ffi LORD'S PRAYER ChOi al Amen

'l'HE REs='ONSIVE READOO "The Spirit of Faith11

THE GLORIA B\ TRI THE AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ******

Page 588

Page 5ll2

ANTHEM "W:i th a Voice of 'Singing" Shaw THE SCRIPTURE LESSON Matthew .5:38-48 VERSICLES AND RESPONSES PASTORAL IIRAYER OFFERTORY ANTHEM "Praise" Rawley PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS WITH DOXOLOGY HYMN No. 2.51 "Take Time to Be Holy" SERMON "Walking the Seccmd Mile" Mr. Clarke HYMN nc. 178 "Spirit o:r Lite" SILENT lRAYER . BENEDICTION Choral Amen ORGAN

******* Interval for ushering

THIS WEEK IN PARK AVENUE ME1'HODIST CHURCH

MONDAY, JUNE 10 8:00 P.M. Commission on Finance meeting.

TUESDAY I JUNE 11 8:00 P.,. Commission on Education meeting.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 12:00 to 2 P.M. Open Church tor prs.yer and medi&ation.

THURSDAY, JUNE 13 7:30 P.M, Choir rehearsal.

FRIDAY 1 JUNE 14 7:00 P.M. Methodist Youth Fellowship meeting.

SATURDAY, JUNE 1.5 10;00 A.M. Boy Scouts .

SUNDAY I JUNE 16 9:4.5 A.M. Church Classes for all ages,

11:00 A.M. Divine Worship. 4:00 P.M. Conversations in Church Membership.

OTHER NOTICES

The Congregation is cordially invited ta the hour of fellowship following the service which will be held on the third floor in honor of Rev. and Mrs. F. Roderick Dail,whose ministry of love and labor in this church concludes today. We wish them God's greatest blessing in their continuing ministry in White Plaine, New York and wish to thank them for all they have done in the Master's name in this church. Hostesses for the fare­well gathering are Mrs. James McCartney and cgu~ttse.

The Young Adults will meet this evening at the church at five o'clock for supper. F9llowing supper, they will attend the Billy Graham meeting in Madison Square Garden. Any young adults are cordially invited to the evening of fellowship and fun.

The next reception of members will be on June 2Jrd. Those who wish to join at that time are invited to attend the Conversations in Church Membership to be held next Sunday afternoon at four o• clock.