Living Witness

“You are the salt of the earth.”

Salt is used to season

· Gives them a taste of life with God

· “What’s different with your life?”

· You ever tasted something too salty?

· Not that we can have too much Jesus, but we overpower the world with it.

Salt is used to preserve

· Keep the world from becoming spoiled from impurities.

Read verse 13: “BUT if salt loses its taste”

· This is the danger of being Salt of the Earth

· The effects of the world on you. (saturated)

· We take on more qualities of the world than the other way around

· We are in the world but not of the world

· We will be indistinguishable from the world

· We will become ineffective in our witness

How can Christians “lose their saltiness”?

· Living ungodly lifestyles

· No relationship with God

· Constantly grieving the Spirit that lives within you.

“You are the light of the world.”

Where salt describes our effect - Light describes our

According to sermon by CS Spurgeon, this title originated as a description for well-respected rabbis and teachers.

o Not “You are the light of the WORLD”

o It is – “YOU are the light of the world.”

Imagine how strange it must have sounded to these common people to be given such a title as “Light of the World”

Jesus said this about them early in His ministry.

· What is the Light that we are shining? (Holy Spirit)

· So how are we the source of light (isn’t God the source?)

We do this collectively

read verse 14: “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

· Have you ever been outside of a town at night where you can see the town?

o It’s impossible NOT to see it!!!

· If we simply live out our faith, we will be noticed.

When we (the church) take aim at a group we use our light as a weapon

o Will some see us and “go around” you bet they will

o But some will see us and come closer.

· So, what’s the danger of us light bearers?

So, what’s the danger of us light bearers?

o We cover it up

We do this individually

read verse 15: “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all the house.”

· Building off symbolism of a “city of lights”

o This is more personal consideration

What happens to our personal witness when we try to look like the world?

· Why would you light a lamp just to cover it up?

1. We see that God separates us from the world.

a. And we love the world more

2. We see God as a source of personal comfort.

a. It’s not about me.

Light doesn’t protest the darkness

· If we simply live out our faith, we will be noticed.

When we (the church) take aim at a group we use our light as a weapon

o Will some see us and “go around” you bet they will

o But some will see us and come closer.

o We cover it up

“Let your light shine before others”

So that –

1. They may see your good works

And give glory to your father who is in heaven