Salt and Light

Intro

This week Ben Lechnir and I went to a prayer and fasting retreat put on by Acts29 - the church network we’re a part of down at Summitview Church in Vancouver, Washington - or the Couv or Vantucky - however you prefer it.

It was a great time spent fasting, praying, seeking God on your behalf and churches around the Pacific NW.

We got to talk to a number of different leaders in churches around the area, one being our good friend Rob Mayer - the pastor of Gospel Life church in Puyallup.

And we were joking that Puyallup is about as close to the Bible belt as it gets in the Puget Sound area. There are 60 churches in Puyallup.

But Rob said, “Yes, and there’s something going on.”

“I said what do you mean?”

He said the Puyallup School District is trying to get on the national stage with its policy regarding transgender students, bathroom use, and other changes that without going into detail are substantial.

And Rob said, “We have teachers, principals, in our church who are emailing me asking, ‘How do I respond?’ What do I do?”

What do they do? How do they respond?

Living as a disciple of Jesus has always been complex, and it feels even confusing in our day and age.

Maybe you’re a teacher, or a parent, and this Puyallup School District issue is very relevant for you.

This is literally impacting your job.

Maybe you’re not a teacher but you’re in sales. I can relate to the constant ethical questions in business…how do I sell as a Christian? Am I lying about this product? How do I represent Jesus when all my coworkers want to get drunk on a business trip?

Maybe you’re in the medical field. How do I represent Jesus in matters of life and death?

Maybe in your own family, there is just something that everybody does - cuz that’s the way your family operates - but it goes against your integrity as a believer?

With your friends - your friends connect around this one thing but you don’t want to do that anymore?

How do disciples of Jesus live in the world?

Our text today is Matt 5:11-16...

We’re in the second week of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5:11-16 has some of the most famous phrases in world history. Salt of the earth, light of the world, city set on a hill…Jesus is brilliant.

Jesus is talking specifically to his disciples, those who are a part of his Kingdom. How are they to live in the midst of other kingdoms which oppose his?

In Matt. 5:11-16 I think we’ll see Jesus encouraging his disciples to remain faithful - even when it’s hard - for the good of others and the glory of God. Remain faithful - even when it’s hard - for the good of others and the glory of God.

Prayer

What a privilege it is to hear your words. The very words which formed creation. Holds everything together. Our universe is held together by words. The Word. And we get to enjoy that today. Help us not to forget the goodness of that.

We’re 9 weeks into Matthew in 2023.

Maybe this is the 30th time you’ve read Matthew. You’re well versed in the SOTM and so this series is a way to dust off old truths and remind yourself of what’s so good about Jesus and his message. Maybe you’re pretty familiar with Matthew but it’s not your absolute favorite book, maybe you are very unfamiliar with Matthew’s gospel, you didn’t know it’s spelled with two ‘t’s’…wherever you’re at, Matthew wants us all to know that Jesus is the King, and he’s inviting us all to be a part of his good kingdom which is full of life, healing, love, and joy.

Last week we started Jesus’ first teaching, the Sermon on the Mount.

I talked about how Dallas Willard - in his book The Divine Conspiracy - says the SOTM is essentially about two things:

What is the good life?

Who is a good person?

Two of the most foundational questions in life. Everyone wants a good life. Everyone wants to be a good person!

I put a club on a car for the first time ever this week. Even car thieves want a good life! Jesus says I know how to actually get there.

And we saw how the Beatitudes shows us that the good life is life in the kingdom with Jesus - and it’s available to anyone, not just good people. And we learned how even the people we write off, Matthew writes into his list of people who can receive God’s love and favor. And so we are invited to love even the lost causes in our own life, even if we’re the lost cause.

This morning, we continue to hear from Jesus, as he speaks to the crowd of people whom he’s healed and have gathered to hear him teach.

Matthew 5:11–12 NASB95

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus begins with the same word ‘Blessed’ again.

It doesn’t mean the feeling of happiness, although that’s not absent. It means favored by God. This is someone who is well off, fortunate, to be congratulated.

He will also say the word ‘you’ a lot which we can more accurately read as ‘y’all’ he’s speaking to a group of people - namely the disciples - those who have come to the feet of Jesus to orient their lives around his teaching.

Jesus says y’all are fortunate when people are mad at you.

How many of you enjoy when someone is mad at you?

Notice how Jesus starts to say ‘you’ a lot in this text. I believe he’s shifted from speaking about the crowd ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ but now directly to his disciples who came to be with him.

Why would people be mad at the disciples?

Jesus says because of Him.

Jesus says people - maybe your own family - will insult you, mock you, harm you, tell lies about you, and a whole list of other evil things - like crucify you - because of ME.

But Jesus says don’t be dismayed.

In fact, rejoice and be glad! Like you just found a $20 in your pocket! Sweet! Why?

This is how the prophets were treated. How did they treat the prophets? They ridiculed Moses, they threw Jeremiah in a well, Elijah was threatened with death, prophets were laughed at, mocked, ridiculed because the message of repentance and hope they brought from God.

We know that Jesus’ words to his disciples came true.

Church tradition says all of the 12 disciples (minus Judas) but John were martyred.

In Acts, after Jesus’ ascension, persecution did not quiet the church but fueled its growth in boldness and geographical reach.

One such sufferer was Paul the apostle. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes a letter to the Corinthian church about the reality of suffering as a follower of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:1 NASB95

1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,

2 Corinthians 4:7–12 NASB95

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.

More than 5,600 Christians lost their lives for their faith in 2022. Over 2,000 churches were attacked or closed.

Persecution of Christians is alive and well.

However, the church in America has gotten a bad name for claiming persecution in the name of Jesus, when sometimes people are mad at us because we’re just being jerks.

And it’s way easier to say, “That person is a jerk, of course people are mad at them.” Than it is to see when we’re being jerks for Jesus.

That’s why we need friends who can say, “You’re not being zealous, you’re just being a jerk.”

Jesus is validating hardship as a part of following him.

Coming home from the retreat, I felt like junk. Part of you hopes, “Oh we were praying for so long so now I’m going to be light as a feather!” I just felt grumpy and tired.

Part of it is when we follow Jesus, we recognize that we will inevitably face pushback. You serve at church, you pursue kindness with a friend, you feel compelled to be prayerful…Jesus guarantees we will face persecution. And certainly from others.

So how are we to live in relation to those who are against Jesus?

Jesus continues...

Matthew 5:13 NASB95

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

Has anyone ever said of you, “You’re just a salt of the earth kind of person.”

They probably didn’t mean you were a strong Christian, but they meant it well. Because of Jesus! His words are powerful.

Jesus says y’all are the salt of the earth.

But that you all - who are meant to be for the good of others can be rendered completely ineffective and worthy of nothing but being smushed by someone’s dirty shoe.

Nice.

What did Jesus mean by salt?

Salt was an extremely common commodity in Jesus’ day. It’s known as ‘white gold.’ It’s one of the most common substances on earth. It dates back to the ANE in 4,0000 BC. In ancient Egypt it was a symbol of luxury. They used it to mummify their dead and preserve olives and fish.

Salt was used to preserve, purify, and season food.

It’s used all over the Bible, both in positive and negative terms.

Positively, salt is a term of life. It purified…people rubbed babies with salt at birth. It seasoned food in Job. It’s a symbol of friendship. In Mumbers, God’s covenant with Israel is a covenant of salt.

But salt can be a symbol of death. What’s the dead sea full of? Salt. What did Lot’s wife turn into? Not a pillar of pepper. Salt.

Jesus’ listeners would have known, as well, that some salt can lose it’s saltiness.

You could have a hunk of Dead sea, which looks like pure salt, but it had a lot of impurities - boron, magnesium, and bromides, and if the sodium chloride were to dissolve away, it would taste terrible, and you’d want to spit that on the ground.

I love salt.

I had to throw away a Costco bag of chips this week because I have no self control with salt and single handedly was eating this whole bag of tortilla chips.

Salt makes things better. I made some soup on Thursday and the recipe said, “Hey when this is done, check it to see if needs more…salt.”

Salt isn’t that good by itself. It needs the stuff that it goes on. I like salt because I also like the crunchiness of the chip. At no point do I say, “You know what, I wish I could just have a bag of salt.”

Jesus is saying his disciples are to live with him for the good of others. Not merely for their own enjoyment but for the benefit of those in close relationship to them.

So how does Jesus encourage them to live?

Matthew 5:14–16 NASB95

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

As we can tell, ‘you’ is more like ‘y’all’ because Jesus says ‘y’all’ are like a city on a hill! Many of you, shining in the dark cannot be hidden.

Interesting metaphor since Jesus was preaching where? On a hill.

Jesus adds to his metaphor by saying not only are his disciples the salt of the earth, they are the light of the world.

Obviously Jesus didn’t have LED’s, but they had small oil lamps. Think manoras.

They were a fixture of normal life.

In the Bible, lamps were associated with the temple.

The golden lampstands.

They’re associated with worship, with guidance, witness, life, with the blessing and presence of God.

No one would ever light a lamp, and cover it up.

The whole point of a light is to let it shine for the benefit of others.

That’s why your parents may have yelled at you as a kid for not turning the lights off because what’s the point of having a light if no one is around to see it?

Jesus is saying his disciples are symbols of the blessing and presence of God and they are to live outward in a way that allows others to see the goodness of God.

Notice Jesus’ repetition of the word ‘heaven’ in our text - which again is not always meaning the place we go when we die but it’s the dimension of reality where God rules. It’s like Jesus is saying - you are heaven people! Bring heaven to earth for the good of others and the glory of God.

Isn’t that what Paul was saying in 2 Cor 4? My life, even though it looks like death - is a heaven life because I’m suffering with Jesus.

Jesus is saying Christians will inevitably face hardship, but that’s not because God’s favor has left, but precisely because his favor rests on them.

Not just for their own good, but for the good of others. And all for the hope that people will glorify God and enjoy him for who he is.

Tomorrow is Monday, sorry to remind you.

What gets you up in the morning?

Work in our culture is the thing you have to do to make money so you can do what you really want to do. It’s the grind, TGIF.

In the kingdom, your job is an opportunity for you to be salty and bright for the good of others and the glory of God.

Doing something really well - crunching numbers, leading a team, caring for patients, raising kids, teaching a class - is a way for you to follow Jesus and be who you are meant to be.

This is so relevant for us today, how might we synthesize this for our own lives?

The good life is for those who remain faithful to Jesus - even when it’s hard - for the good of others and the glory of God.

If we only had one light in this whole building, would that be enough? No we need quite a few.

If your soup only had one kernel of salt, would that taste good? No.

We need to support each other.

This is what Gateway Chapel is all about.

Vision: To be the faithful presence and witness of Jesus in the White River Valley and the World Beyond.

Mission: To plant churches and make disciples who hear, love, and obey Jesus.

How do we do that?

Rhythms of Life

Gather for Worship

Scatter for Mission

Love like Family

Serve like Jesus

And so we’re a non-profit that exists to follow Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, not so that we can hang with nice people and have good friends - although that’s awesome and part of it - but because the good life is for those who are faithful to Jesus - even when it’s hard - for the good of others and the glory of God.

Do you have someone walking with you?

And if you wanna be a part of that, please give, please participate, please join us on each of these things.

Membership class on April 23

Let’s just talk about each of these elements of Jesus’ statement...

Faithfulness to Jesus matters

You don’t want corroded Dead Sea Salt on your chips. I don’t want to eat magnesium.

You don’t want bad lights in your home. Flickering lights are even worse because they’re creepy!

Many of you - like the Puyallup school teachers - have legitimately hard decisions in front of you.

But before we even engage with major issues of our day…we have to ask ourselves how are we personally being faithful to Jesus?

Am I living a salty life? Full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control.

Do I interpret my world through the story of the Bible? Am I experiencing connection with Jesus through prayer?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel too much like a Christian when I haven’t slept well. Sleep keeps me salty. Salt actually keeps me from being salty, ironically. Diet, exercise, hobbies, having fun.

If you were here last Sunday, Gene Poppino one of our elders is the director of pastoral care for a missions organization, and to help missionaries who are burnt out because they’re being salt and light and they’re being persecuted and they’re saying, “Why am I so sad?” He says, “What do you do for fun?”

And the purpose of that is not just my personal enjoyment but...

For the good of others

Salt isn’t good on it’s own. It benefits other things. It makes the food it’s closest to better.

A lamp in an empty room is kind of lame. It needs to be with other people and things to GIVE them light.

Rob Mayer told us that one of their church members is a principal and recently he had a boy tell him he wanted to try out for the girl’s basketball team. And Rob said, “How’d that go?” And the principal said, “Really well I just listened to him and talked with him.” And Rob’s point was if you leave, who is going to listen to that kid? Who is going to love that kid?

Now, can that principal leave the school and still live his neighbor nextdoor. Absolutely.

And that’s where faithfulness to Jesus matters as each of us take time to read Scripture, pray, seek counsel to see where we should go in our lives.

We don’t exist to simply condemn others.

We are not the traffic cops of the earth. We are lamps, the soft lights of the world, not the helicopter spot light shining down, “YOU THERE, STOP SINNING!”

If I had a dollar for every time I feel like I’ve got the corner on some theological understanding, some biblical truth, and I look down on people who don’t think like I think, do what I do, or say what I say - I’d buy you all lunch at Dixies.

I just don’t think sandwich board, megaphone evangelism is worth our time. It’s personal relationships where people know that you care about them, that count. Because inevitably, you’ll disagree with someone. And to disagree in our culture is to hate each other! But that’s why we need friendship and love and respect to be salt and light.

We seek the good of our culture - even if it spits in the face of Jesus.

And that takes time.

Salt doesn’t take effect immediately. You don’t put a good rub on a steak 2 minutes before you grill it.

You don’t just flick on a light and turn it off and say, “I DID IT! I LIT THE ROOM!” You keep it on so the people in the room can adjust to the light.

And it’s not just for our good, and the good of others but

For the glory of God

Salt is put on by the chef…glory to her!

Light is placed by the designer…glory to him!

Our saltiness comes from Jesus. Our light is His true light.

Romans 11:33–36 NASB95

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

That means we’ll have to use our words to talk about Jesus.

Not in rants on Facebook.

Not in condemnation.

But in seasoning our speech with salt, with being people who radiate the light of Christ in our lives and say, “everything good in my life is from God.”

I don’t think we have any Puyallup School Teachers in this class...

But pray for them. And I know you guys step into situations every day - whether you’re very aware of it or not - where it’s not easy to represent Jesus.

Your situation is complex, their situation is complex. We need to do what is right according to the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s leading and that’s why need each other.

And for all of us, being a part of a church matters if we’re to follow Jesus’ teaching.

Remain faithful

Live for the good of others

And the glory of God

Maybe you’re hearing this message and you’re confronted by your own failure.

You wonder if this message is really good news that the good life is available to those who are faithful to Jesus. And you are very aware of the ways you haven’t been faithful. You’ve lied, you’ve given in, you’ve lashed out, you’ve been passive, you’ve been that jerk Christian, you’re known for positions more than your compassion.

And you’re thinking, maybe the good life isn’t for me?

Salt, in its true form, is a chemical compound.

Na-Cl

It’s a bond of two elements which, fused together, become something new.

And salt in this form CANNOT become unsalty. Why? Because of the bond that’s just what it is.

A disciple of Jesus is someone who trusts that Jesus is King and he’s brought his kingdom - as Matthew says.

And God fuses his own nature - his Holy Spirit - with ours and we become something new. And you cannot remove yourself from being a disciple of Jesus. Why? Because of the bond that’s just who you are. You are united to the faithful one.

Even when it was hard, Jesus stayed faithful.

Even when he was insulted, mocked, persecuted, lied about, condemned to death on false accusations, spat upon, hit, kicked, stripped naked, led across town, and given every opportunity to bow out, give up, and live for himself rather than the good of others and the glory of God, he remained faithful. Why? Because he loved us.

And any person in the whole world, regardless of their past sin, ethnicity, income, whatever, who says, that is the person I need in my life, Lord forgive me of my unfaithfulness, then God gives you his Spirit and makes you salty forever.

1 Corinthians 1:9 NASB95

9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.