Vision 2020 'My City'

Matthew 5:13–14 NKJV

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:13–16 KJV 1900

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:13–15 NKJV

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

My City

In our reading from the book of Matthew, Jesus has withdrawn away from the multitudes, into a high place. Here in this elevated setting, as his disciples gathered close to hear, Jesus begins to deliver what is called the greatest sermon every preached, the “sermon on the mount”. It begins with the beatitudes and ends with admonition on choosing the right foundation on which to build our lives. Its contents stretch over 107 verses through 3 chapters and include our communication with God, our relationship with our fellow man, and the basic standard for Christian living.

yet it is here in the 13th verse, as he moves from what is known as the beatitudes…and what we should be like…that he brings two metaphors describing what we should be about. After you get your attitudes right, get your actions right.

First, you are the salt of the earth.

And second, you are the light of the world.

Both are a call to action.

Yes…it is imperative as Christians that we get our attitudes right. But right attitudes without right actions result in a correct posture but a wrong position.

I want to focus in on the 13th verse where Jesus tells those first representatives of the New Testament church. These were the 12, save Judas, that would transform the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

You are the salt of the earth:

but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth (at the point that it has lost its savour) good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Understand that this isn’t Pastor Staten’s viewpoint of what the church should be about. This is the declaration of Jesus Christ. When the church loses its savor, it is GOOD for nothing.

So what does this mean…to lose ones savour. What does that even look like when we apply it to the church?

The Darby translation renders verse 13 this way: Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have become insipid, wherewith shall it be salted?

If the salt have become insipid…commentaries conclude that the salt of that region from which Jesus would have utilized was taken from the marshes or salt lakes that would dry in the summer. The commentary goes on to stated: Indeed, it is a well-known fact that the salt of this country, when in contact with the ground, or exposed to rain and sun, does become insipid and useless.

Websters dictionary identifies insipid as being without distinctive qualities.

You are the salt and when you no longer have distinctive qualities, you are good for nothing.

As pertains to salt, when salt loses its flavor and just takes on the flavor of whatever you sprinkle it onto, it is good for nothing.

When the church starts looking like, sounding like, living like the world…it is good for nothing.

I know that stating that you are “holiness” today is viewed negatively and there is no what that you can love holiness and still love people...

If you have any kind of conviction you are a pharisee and if you strive to separate yourself from worldliness, you are referred to as legalistic.

but when salt becomes insipid…when it loses its insipid quality. When you can’t tell the difference in the unsalted food and the salted food…it is good for nothing.

So…while everyone else is deciding that a church that doesn’t feel much different than a club…doesn’t act much different than a social group…doesn’t look much different than a secular get together…I’m gonna hold on to holiness! This church is going to keep its distinctive qualities!

however, this is not the only lacking quality identified in the definition of insipid. If you would read on, you would find that the term insipid also means…Lacking stimulating qualities.

It doesn’t change what it touches. It has no influence and no impact on its environment.

And when salt no longer changes its environment. when it no longer changes the things around it…it is good for nothing.

And we can rejoice in our distinctive qualities all day long…and thats good…thats great…im glad there is a distinction between the church and the world…but if there is no stimulating quality! If we aren’t changing our world…if we aren’t impacting our community…we have become good for nothing!

Can I tell you the two are not disconnected from one another…the reason for our distinction is so that we can impact our world. Salt that tastes just like the food its added to will never impact the food. But when that salt is different. When that salt has its unique quality and its unique flavor, and that salt is sprinkled onto the food…then there is an impact.