Salt and Light

Introduction

Final session of camp, everyone ready?

One of the toughest things is when camp is over

go into the ‘real world’ = hard

camp is easy mode

prepare ourselves

But that is where Christianity becomes real. That is where we can have real effect. That is where we are called to change and have effect.

Segment 1

Final beatitude:

Matthew 5:10–16 (ESV)

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“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.

Jesus FINISHES the beatitudes by giving one that would have been a shock - blessed are those who are persecuted (for good)

Persecution is widely regarded as evil - to have it pronounced as a blessing is a very upside down concept

Jesus is not saying to go out of your way to get persecuted!

He is referring to persecution that comes from simply BEING a Christian

This beatitude is closely linked to what Jesus talks about in John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

In the world, not of it. The worst thing a Christian can be is OF the world and not IN it

This type of persecution - for doing the right thing - is a blessing to the believer because it is an indication that you are walking in Righteousness

You’re walking the same path of faith as the prophets who came before

I think this begs an important question: Do we have a faith that is worth persecuting?

Do we have a faith that captures the attention of the enemy?

Or does the world not even recognise our faith because it is so timid?

Disciples of Christ will walk this world in a way that will attract unwanted attention because it is so UPSIDE DOWN. It is UNAVOIDABLE.

It will draw people to you, who want what you have

It will draw people against you, who hate what you’ve got

what it will NOT do is blend in

QUOTE: George Macleod

The greatest criticism of the Church today is that no one wants to persecute it: because there is nothing very much to persecute it about.

ILLUSTRATION: Karen watson

I was young when I read about a Missionary named Karen Watson. Her last words have challenged my faith since i first read them around a decade ago.

She left a letter with her pastor before going to Iraq. She went to provide humanitarian relief in the name of Jesus—but she was gunned down in the country she came to serve.

The letter began, "You're only reading this if I died." It included gracious words to family and friends, and this simple summary of following Christ: "To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, his glory my reward."

It takes a special kind of faith to embrace persecution so willingly. And yet - that is the faith we are called to.

Segment 2:

It is only natural for Jesus to “cap off’ the beatitudes with what is almost a commission

Matthew 5:13–16 ““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.”

There is NO OTHER possible interpretation for this passage aside from one that points to the penetrating power of the gospel, and the people who are transformed by it

Salt = preservative/enemy of decay. Keep what is good in society, oppose what is corrupt. Adds life to a dish.

without its preservative or flavour adding function it LITERALLY is useless.

Light = directional. Shine the light of Christ so that people may know the path to walk. Light CANNOT be concealed. It is in the nature of light to shine.

The beatitudes have shown us - it is the upside down, the little people with no merit of their own who have been accepted by God in their lowliness

Jesus has spoken of their blessedness; this is their responsiblity

The passage ends by saying 2 significant things:

The light results in good works that will be seen by people

These good works will not point back to you - but to God. (not winning praise for you)

THATS WHY HE USES THE LITTLE PEOPLE - get it now?

Jars of clay, his power in our weakness. That’s why the beatitudes are so important. They let the light of Christ shine, not the light of man.

You are called as disciples to be DIFFERENT. To STAND OUT.

There is no other way to put it, no understating it - you HAVE been called to change the world

Schools, Unis, Workplaces, Families, Church etc.

Shine the light of Christ/bring change to all these places.

The church is meant to be the epicentre of Social Justice, Kindness. A Bastion of generosity and love. A stronghold for all that God deems good in this world.

It’s time to rise up and meet that challenge.

Even if we need to start small

ILLUSTRATION: GK CHESTERTON

"We do not want a church that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world."

—G. K. Chesterton

ILLUSTRATION: Rosa Parks -> MLKjr

On the 1st December 1955, on a busy street in the capital of Alabama, a 42-year-old African American seamstress boarded a segregated city bus to return home after a long day of work, taking a seat near the middle, just behind the front "white" section. At the next stop, more passengers got on. When every seat in the white section was taken, the bus driver ordered the black passengers in the middle row to stand so a white man could sit. The seamstress refused.

The bus drive (Blake) said, "Y'all better make it light on yourselves and let me have those seats." Three of the four sitting in that row complied. The lady moved, but toward the window seat; she did not get up to move to the redesignated colored section. The driver again said, "Why don't you stand up?" To which the lady responded, "I don't think I should have to stand up."

This lady’s name was Rosa Parks - otherwise known as the First Lady of the Civil Rights movement. She was arrested on that bus that day, but this event would go on to catalyse what is known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott - a key event in the Civil Rights Movement. On the 5th of December, only 4 days later this movement changed its name later to the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) and the first president that was elected was a young minister of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church - his name was Martin Luther King Jr. And the rest is history.

This all began because one woman quite literally refused to stand for what was wrong. But in doing so - she stood for what was right.

It’s time to step out. It’s time to turn our eyes to the mission.

Altar Call/Response

Write what mission you believe God is calling you to:

eg. Want to be a doctor - help people for Christ

Want to become a teacher, bring Christ back into the education sphere

Want to become a leader at youth

Want to become a pastor in church

Want to reach out to my parents to get them back to church

Want to become a Christian scientist to discover more about how God works

Want to bring my best friend to Christ

I want to start a school prayer ministry

I want to bring faith back into the media and film industry

I want to become a Christian pro athlete that gives glory back to God

I want to start a business so I can give heavily to the kingdom

And if you REALLY Don’t know then just write: I want to be salt and light WHEREVER I am.

Maybe it will change, I’m not saying this is it. But the power is in the declaration - I WILL be used by God, I will seek to be salt and light WHEREVER I go.

Some of you will achieve these dreams, I have many youth who have, and still many on the way to achieving it. And some who changed completely but are still salt and light where God calls them.

But let’s believe for big things - let’s ask for big things tonight.

THEN - Go in to connect groups and share mission (if you want) and leaders pray and empower them.