Christian living

Matthew 5:13–16 (ESV): “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

which describes how members of the kingdom of heaven should live.

a penetrating and illuminating influence, something both to be seen and felt, a power to attract and transform.

Salt/ Useful

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

We are commanded

We are part of the plan

We are instraments:

3960 ὅπλον (hoplon), ου (ou), τό (to): n.neu.; ≡ DBLHebr 4482; Str 3696; TDNT 5.292—1. LN 6.3 tool, (pl.) instruments, Ro 6:13+; 2. LN 6.29 weapons, armor (Jn 18:3; Ro 13:12; 2Co 6:7; 10:4+)

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

ROM 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

We are useful /We should be useful

Fedex

Light / Guide

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Salt Light in action

29:1–32 Jeremiah’s conflict with false prophets extended even to the exilic community in Babylon. This passage records the contents of a letter Jeremiah sent to the exiles encouraging them to settle in for the long haul and ignore their prophets, who preached a short exile and an imminent return home. Jeremiah tells the exiles to build houses, plant crops, carry on with their lives, and even pray for the peace and prosperity of the foreign cities where they live. This advice elicits a strong reaction from another prophet in exile named Shemaiah; his letter to the priest Zephaniah, demanding Jeremiah’s punishment, also is recorded here. Jeremiah’s response to Shemaiah is the same as his response to Hananiah (Jer 28:15–16): Jeremiah accuses him of rebelling against Yahweh and making the people of Judah trust in a lie.

4 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. 7 Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.” 8 For this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them, 9 for they are prophesying falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them.” This is the Lord’s declaration.

False teachers: Matthew 7:15–29 ““Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Romans 16:17–20 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

We needed help. / We are the Help (Do you remember how mixed up you were)

We need lights. / We are the light

We needed a map / We got the map Eph 2:1 you were dead in our sins and trespasses Psalm 51:5“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

We needed a guide /

We needed a path

We need a way

Some ways seem right

The way, truth the life