The Believer’s Influence

In the Beatitudes we have seen how the Lord described the character of Christians. They sense their spiritual depravity. They have sorrow over their sin. They are the merciful because they have been shown mercy. They are pure in heart. They have a heart that is undivided and unalloyed. It is a heart that is not corrupted by other materials. They seek to aid people resolve their conflicts in order to advance God’s kingdom work. These traits have an influence on their world. I verses 13-16 we see how this influence is manifested.

The first thing we see is...

I. The impact of salt. Vs.13 “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.” Jesus is speaking to the disciples. He uses the present tense of the verb which means that this is continual activity.

A. It stems corruption. Vs.13a “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. Salt has no beneficial effect upon soil. If you have seen the Great Salt Lake, there is no vegetation around it. Jesus is using salt as a metaphor and the earth as referring to people. In the world of Jesus’ time they didn’t have refrigeration. Salt was rubbed on meat to keep it from spoiling. I believe the United States has greatly benefited from the influence of its founders that based most of the founding documents on the Word of God. It was the source of basic education in the beginning of our country. Most of the great universities had a religious foundation. I believe as this influence has faded we have seen the moral decline and increase in many terrible things. The salting effect has become less and less. We have removed the Bible from our schools and have replaced it with evolution. That has diminished the value of human life which open the door for abortion at any point in the pregnancy. The devaluation of human life has ushered in violence and I believe and mass shooting. The salting influence has disappeared.

13 “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. Salt has no beneficial effect upon soil. If you have seen the Great Salt Lake, there is no vegetation around it. Jesus is using salt as a metaphor and the earth as referring to people. In the world of Jesus’ time they didn’t have refrigeration. Salt was rubbed on meat to keep it from spoiling. I believe the United States has greatly benefited from the influence of its founders that based most of the founding documents on the Word of God. It was the source of basic education in the beginning of our country. Most of the great universities had a religious foundation. I believe as this influence has faded we have seen the moral decline and increase in many terrible things. The salting effect has become less and less. We have removed the Bible from our schools and have replaced it with evolution. That has diminished the value of human life which open the door for abortion at any point in the pregnancy. The devaluation of human life has ushered in violence and I believe and mass shooting. The salting influence has disappeared.

B. It shouts its presence. We had dinner at a friend’s house and they were making churned ice cream. We were so looking forward to it, but one bite and it was awful. The salt that was used to increase the freezing had gotten into the ice cream. We knew immediately the presence of the salt. It didn’t belong in the ice cream and it shouted its presence. But salt adds taste to food and makes it enjoyable. I like it a lot, but it doesn’t like me.

13 “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.

C. Its significant loss. Vs. 13b “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.” Scientifically it is impossible for sodium chloride to loose its taste. The best way to understand this is that the sodium chloride of those days could be mixed with various of substances making it worthless as a preservative. “It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” This has nothing to do with eternal security, but only usefulness as God’s purpose influence our world. (ESV) helps us with understanding this. “It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

II. The importance of light. Vs.14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 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. Again we have an emphatic You as words are introduced that apply not to people at large but to all who are committed to Jesus. The light of the world implies that the world is in darkness (despite its continuing claims to enlightenment!

35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Salt and Light

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, But in this way they bring the light to the world and the world to the light in a way that would not take place apart from them. World in this verse, like earth in the previous verse, points to no small and mean task. The task of the disciples is to bring light to the whole world. Jesus goes on to point out that, being who and what they are, giving light is inevitable. It is quite impossible for a city set on a hill to be hidden. Its situation makes concealment impossible. The disciples are not to be worldly people, indistinguishable from the people among whom they live.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (; ; cf. ); thus it is interesting to find it used also of his followers. The sense is, of course, quite different; Christ is himself the light, whereas his followers are no more than pointers to and reflectors of Christ the Light (they are “light in the Lord,” , and they shine “as lights in the world,” ). But in this way they bring the light to the world and the world to the light in a way that would not take place apart from them. World in this verse, like earth in the previous verse, points to no small and mean task. The task of the disciples is to bring light to the whole world. Jesus goes on to point out that, being who and what they are, giving light is inevitable. It is quite impossible for a city set on a hill to be hidden. Its situation makes concealment impossible. The disciples are not to be worldly people, indistinguishable from the people among whom they live.

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light , and they shine “as lights in the world,” ). But in this way they bring the light to the world and the world to the light in a way that would not take place apart from them. World in this verse, like earth in the previous verse, points to no small and mean task. The task of the disciples is to bring light to the whole world. Jesus goes on to point out that, being who and what they are, giving light is inevitable. It is quite impossible for a city set on a hill to be hidden. Its situation makes concealment impossible. The disciples are not to be worldly people, indistinguishable from the people among whom they live.

A. Jesus is the light. (ESV) “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (ESV) “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” It is interesting to find it used also of us. The sense is, of course, quite different; Christ is himself the light, whereas his followers are reflectors of Christ the Light. (they are “light in the Lord,” Paul described this in (ESV) “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (ESV) “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, But in this way they bring the light to the world and the world to the light in a way that would not take place apart from them. World in this verse, like earth in the previous verse, points to no small task. The task of the disciples is to bring light to the whole world. Jesus goes on to point out that, being who and what they are, giving light is inevitable. It is quite impossible for a city set on a hill to be hidden. Its situation makes concealment impossible. It reveals that which is hidden.The disciples are not to be worldly people, indistinguishable from the people among whom they live.

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (; ; cf. ); thus it is interesting to find it used also of his followers. The sense is, of course, quite different; Christ is himself the light, whereas his followers are no more than pointers to and reflectors of Christ the Light (they are “light in the Lord,” , and they shine “as lights in the world,” ). But in this way they bring the light to the world and the world to the light in a way that would not take place apart from them. World in this verse, like earth in the previous verse, points to no small and mean task. The task of the disciples is to bring light to the whole world. Jesus goes on to point out that, being who and what they are, giving light is inevitable. It is quite impossible for a city set on a hill to be hidden. Its situation makes concealment impossible. The disciples are not to be worldly people, indistinguishable from the people among whom they live.

B. The illustrations. Vs.14b-15 “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. A further example of visibility is added: the point is clearly important. Jesus refers to people lighting a lamp. Literally he says, “they light,” but “they” does not refer to any particular group of people; the verb is quite general. The present tense likewise points to continuous activity: this is what people habitually do, or in this case do not do. When they light a lamp people do not put it under the measuring bowl, the implement the household would use for measuring grain (the word could also denote a specific quantity of grain, but that is not in mind here). That would defeat the purpose of lighting the lamp. Instead they put it on the lampstand, with the result that everyone in the house has light. This homely illustration brings out an important function of discipleship. The very purpose of being a follower of Jesus is to give light. Giving light is not an option, so to speak, which the disciple may or may not choose. It is part of being a disciple, just as much part of discipleship as giving light is of a lighted lamp. Jesus has chosen his own so that they may give light. It is the nature of light to shine, and when people have received the light of the gospel they will shine in a dark world. That is the point of both comparisons. It is of the very nature of light that it brings illumination.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 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.

13 “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.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. A further example of visibility is added: the point is clearly important. Jesus refers to people lighting a lamp. Literally he says, “they light,” but “they” does not refer to any particular group of people; the verb is quite general. The present tense likewise points to continuous activity: this is what people habitually do, or in this case do not do. When they light a lamp people do not put it under the measuring bowl, the implement the household would use for measuring grain (the word could also denote a specific quantity of grain, but that is not in mind here). That would defeat the purpose of lighting the lamp. Instead they put it on the lampstand, with the result that everyone in the house has light. This homely illustration brings out an important function of discipleship. The very purpose of being a follower of Jesus is to give light. Giving light is not an option, so to speak, which the disciple may or may not choose. It is part of being a disciple, just as much part of discipleship as giving light is of a lighted lamp. Jesus has chosen his own so that they may give light. It is the nature of light to shine, and when people have received the light of the gospel they will shine in a dark world. That is the point of both comparisons. It is of the very nature of light that it brings illumination.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. A further example of visibility is added: the point is clearly important. Jesus refers to people lighting a lamp. Literally he says, “they light,” but “they” does not refer to any particular group of people; the verb is quite general. The present tense likewise points to continuous activity: this is what people habitually do, or in this case do not do. When they light a lamp people do not put it under the measuring bowl, the implement the household would use for measuring grain (the word could also denote a specific quantity of grain, but that is not in mind here). That would defeat the purpose of lighting the lamp. Instead they put it on the lampstand, with the result that everyone in the house has light. This homely illustration brings out an important function of discipleship. The very purpose of being a follower of Jesus is to give light. Giving light is not an option, so to speak, which the disciple may or may not choose. It is part of being a disciple, just as much part of discipleship as giving light is of a lighted lamp. Jesus has chosen his own so that they may give light. It is the nature of light to shine, and when people have received the light of the gospel they will shine in a dark world. That is the point of both comparisons. It is of the very nature of light that it brings illumination.

C. The object of our light. Vs.16 “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.” The point of all this is explicitly brought out. Your light is, of course, a reflected light. It is because they have received light from Jesus that the disciples can shine in the world. So refers back to the preceding: “let your light shine in the aforementioned way.” This light will issue in good works that are seen by people, a provision that must be understood carefully, for there were people like the Pharisees who made sure that their good deeds were seen by others and it is not this Pharisaic attitude that Jesus is commending. The good works are to be seen, not in order that the doers may be congratulated as fine, upstanding servants of God, but in such a way that the observers will give glory to your Father. There is to be no parade of virtue, no attempt to win praise for oneself. It is the light that is to shine, not those privileged to be the bearers of the light. People will always see the deeds that disciples do, and disciples are to make sure that when that takes place it is the light that they will see. And that they will see it in such a way that they will praise God. This is the first time in this Gospel that God is called Father, a usage that will recur (44 times, a total exceeded only by John; in this sermon it occurs 16 times); the divine fatherhood meant much to Matthew. God was sometimes called Father in the Old Testament and by the Jews, but it was not characteristic. It was characteristic for Jesus and for his followers after him. Matthew often qualifies Father with a reference to heaven (v. 45; 6:1, 9; 7:11, 21; 10:32, 33; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10, 14, 19). We are so accustomed to referring to God as “the Father” that we do not stop to reflect that this is a revolutionary way of thinking of “the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy” (). Jesus altered forever the way we think of God.

16 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. The point of all this is explicitly brought out. Your light is, of course, a reflected light. It is because they have received light from Jesus that the disciples can shine in the world. So refers back to the preceding: “let your light shine in the aforementioned way.” This light will issue in good works that are seen by people, a provision that must be understood carefully, for there were people like the Pharisees who made sure that their good deeds were seen by others and it is not this Pharisaic attitude that Jesus is commending. The good works are to be seen, not in order that the doers may be congratulated as fine, upstanding servants of God, but in such a way that the observers will give glory to your Father. There is to be no parade of virtue, no attempt to win praise for oneself. It is the light that is to shine, not those privileged to be the bearers of the light. People will always see the deeds that disciples do, and disciples are to make sure that when that takes place it is the light that they will see. And that they will see it in such a way that they will praise God. This is the first time in this Gospel that God is called Father, a usage that will recur (44 times, a total exceeded only by John; in this sermon it occurs 16 times); the divine fatherhood meant much to Matthew. God was sometimes called Father in the Old Testament and by the Jews, but it was not characteristic. It was characteristic for Jesus and for his followers after him. Matthew often qualifies Father with a reference to heaven (v. 45; 6:1, 9; 7:11, 21; 10:32, 33; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10, 14, 19). We are so accustomed to referring to God as “the Father” that we do not stop to reflect that this is a revolutionary way of thinking of “the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy” (). Jesus altered forever the way we think of God.