Date: March 4, 2022 ()

Bible Text: |

Series:

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Painting

  • Artist: Annibale Carracci (1560 – 1609)
  • Snapshot: Freeze Frame
  • Conference: Previous Frames and those that will follow

Introduction

The Second Mile

“Should anyone press you into service for one mile go with him two” Matthew 5:41

  • King of Persia (Cyrus)
  • Roman Army
  • Jesus

Simon of Cyrene

  • First Mile: Stations 5-9
  • Second Mile: Stations 10-12
  • The Second Mile: Our choice and response

What do we Know of this Simon?

  1. Origin of His Name
    • Hebrew: “He has Heard”
    • Jewish origins
  2. Where is He from?
    • Cyrene
    • Northern Africa
    • Foreigner: But Loyal
  3. Occupation: Farmer
    • Countryside
    • Most likely local to the area but unknown
  4. Purpose: “Passerby”
    • Jewish Passover
    • Not a watching Spectacle
  5. Coincidence or Providence
    • Coincidence
      1. Wrong Place Right time
      2. Pressed into Service
      3. Answer to a prayer
    • Providential
      1. God makes it personal
      2. Bishop Connare
      3. Call to serve God not Man
    • Discipleship
      1. Call of a Slave
      2. Call of a Disciple
    • Providence: Conversion
      1. God’s Divine Plan
      2. God Call most unexpected
      3. Transfigures lives
    • Examples:
      1. Simon to Peter
      2. Saul to Paul
      3. Mary Magdalene
      4. Levi to Matthew
    • The Pleasure is mine
      1. Complacent
      2. New business
      3. Mary’s gratitude
  6. Ranked Among the Apostles
    • Peter the Rock
    • John the Beloved
    • Simon the Example
  7. Evangelist
    • Alexander: Acts 19:33
    • Rufus: Romans 16:13

REFLECTIONS

God Chooses individuals for His Purpose:

  • Thank the Lord that He reaches out to the most unlikely people and uses them for His purpose.
  • Thank Him for how He has chosen you to be His child.
  • Ask Him to give you a sense of His purpose for your life.
  • God uses people in different ways. He chose Simon to bear a heavy burden for the Lord Jesus. Are you willing to bear the responsibility God has given you? Will you take up your cross to follow Him as Simon did?

Compelled to Follow Him:

  • Take a moment to thank the Lord that He reached out to us when we were not interested in Him.
  • Thank the Lord for how He orchestrated the events and circumstances that brought you to Himself.
  • Do you have friends or relatives who, like Simon, have no interest in the Lord and His work?
  • Ask the Lord to reach out to them and compel them to look to Him