"SALT AND LIGHT"

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>>>Jesus continues talking directly to His disciples and the relationship they have in the world.

>>>Followers of Jesus aren’t just people who are here until Heaven. They are people of purpose who have the job of bringing others into God’s kingdom.

Matthew 5:13–16 ““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 underfoot by people. “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 the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

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Matthew 5:13 ““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 underfoot by people.”

>>>Jesus told His disciples/crowds they were the salt of the earth.

>>>Salt was used for many things in Bible times.

*Food flavor

*Preservation/preventing decay

*Sacrifices

*“Covenant of Salt” (suggesting fellowship/closeness)

*Preservation is most likely the usage.

>>>The disciples were to be preserving the world through the gospel.

WE ARE TO “PRESERVE” THE WORLD.

>>>Jesus then asks a rhetorical question regarding how to fix salt that has lost its flavor. The salt used in that time could “lose its flavor” if mixed with impure substances.

*The word “tasteless” Jesus uses means “lacking in flavor” but in other contexts it is translated “to make foolish”. It regards something that is now foolish or useless.

*Salt w/o flavor was thrown in the street to decay in the road.

Revelation 3:15–16 “‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

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Matthew 5:14–15 ““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 the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”

>>>Jesus then talks about the disciples being light-the “light of the world”.

*Jesus refers to Himself as the Light in John 9.

>>>Jerusalem was a city on a hill, probably the city Jesus was thinking of when talking to His disciples. It would be impossible to hide a lit up city that is on a hill.

>>>(Illust.) Alex attended Covenant on Lookout Mtn.

>>>Getting closer to Chattanooga, the college starts to become visible on the mountain.

*There is no way to not see it.

*It is the same with following Jesus.

>>>Jesus also says that no body in a dark house lights a lamp then covers it with a basket. That would not only keep the light from shining, but also cause the candle to burn out.

>>>Letting the light shine gives light to all who come to the house-no more darkness.

OUR LIGHT SHOULD BE SHINING NOT HIDING.

>>>It is should be impossible for us to hide the fact we are Christians and illogical for us to try to do so.

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Matthew 5:16 “Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

>>>Jesus not only says to let the light shine, but to let it shine light a light in the house that expels the dark or a city lit up on a hill that all people see (bright).

>>>When people see the “light” of the disciples and how they live, it will cause them to glorify God.

>>>The works of a kingdom citizen are not just good things; they are a part of righteous living that only comes from and points back to God.

OUR GOOD WORKS BRING GLORY TO GOD.

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV)

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

>>>This verse echoes Jesus’ words, repeated by Peter who heard them personally. Christians should live in an excellent/honorable way that cause other to see God.

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KINGDOM CITIZENS SHOULD BE AFFECTING THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

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