Alignment (Part 2)

Last week we began our new series entitled alignment. We defined alignment as

Alignment: 1. arrangement in a straight line, or in correct or appropriate relative positions. 2. a position of agreement or alliance

We connected alignment with success and said that success should be understood as

Success — the accomplishment of an aim or purpose

From there we argued that true success is not about what you do, but who you are. And nothing defines you better than the one who created you. In case you don’t know, God created you with a plan in mind. He wrote your story with a successful end even before your mother and father met.

This is why it’s important that we come into alignment with God. That’s the only guarantee to god-like success. When we are in alignment with him we can be secure in the fact that we are blessed. Blessed is not about what you have. It’s about who you are.

Here’s a reminder in case you forgot what we talked about last week.

Matthew 5:1-12

Matthew 5:1–12 NIV

1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Now, for those of you who are still unsure about who you are, I want you to know that you’re not far from it. Especially those of you who have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. Because for the Christian, our identity is found in Christ. And he doesn’t want us to be ignorant of who we are so he entrusted a few meticulous men to write a memo for all who would come after him.

Matthew was one of those men who recorded the words of Christ and he tells us in the 4th chapter of Matthew that Jesus, after spending 40 days fasting in the wilderness, he began preaching this message...

Matthew 4:17 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.””

Repent, means to change your way of thinking. It means to turn away from something and turn towards something else. Jesus was preaching a message that said, “Stop thinking of God and people the way you always have. Instead, I want you to start thinking like God as it relates to every area of your life.”

And as he is preaching this message throughout the land, he calls a few men to follow him. And because they were obedient enough to to just that, they were granted a front row seat to the miraculous things Jesus would do next. As we saw last week, Matthew tells us that

Matthew 4:18-24

Matthew 4:18–24 NIV

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.

And now that we’re all caught up, I want to talk with you about what Jesus said next because what he says next applies to all of us who have chosen to follow Jesus. No exceptions. Let me set the scene for you.

First, we have the luxury of scripture that show us how Jesus regularly used his surroundings to teach lessons. He used a fig tree to teach the importance of productivity. He used the turbans on a crowd of men’s heads that would have resembled a cotton field to springboard the lesson about the harvest being plentiful but laborers being few.

And so it is here, Jesus is teaching a lesson that springboards off of his surroundings. Here, Jesus is teaching on a mountain that looks over the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon. Which means, he’s looking at salt water and possibly salt mines. But here’s the kicker. Peter and Andrew are just finishing up their work fishing which means it’s probably early morning. Which means it might still be a little dark outside. You’ll understand in a moment why that’s so important.

Let’s read what Jesus says to his disciples.

Matthew 5:13 NIV

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

Let’s pause here for a second because the value of salt may escape some of us who don’t know that literal wars have been fought over salt. In fact, you’ve probably went to war in your own house or at a restaurant the last time you were denied salt, meaning your food was unseasoned. Don’t get me wrong, salt has many more uses than just food but I imagine Jesus chose this illustration to make his point because we can all identify with how things can be, or rather taste, when it lacks flavor.

Perhaps I can make my point this way. Salt without flavor is nothing more than sand. And I doubt any of us would ask for more of that in our food. So again, Jesus says,

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

But just in case you don’t consume salt or understand its value, in the next verse Jesus uses an undeniable illustration that all of us can relate to. He tells his disciples

Matthew 5:14 “14 “You are the light of the world.”

Earlier I made mention of the fact that Mathew gives us the impression that this lesson is happening early in the morning. This was a very long day for Jesus and his disciples.

Read it when you get home and you’ll see that I’m telling you the truth but for now, trust me. This was an early morning sermon on the mount. Which means that there may still be quite a few lanterns burning in the city, much like porch lights remain lit in our own neighborhoods today. So, Looking at the ocean on one side Jesus tells his disciples they are the salt of the earth. But turning his head to the other side and seeing the city lights, he tells them this:

Matthew 5:14-16

Matthew 5:14–16 NIV

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

As I said before, this command is not optional for those of us who claim to follow Jesus. We are called to be both salt and light. We are called to make a difference in the world, especially in the darkest of times. That’s what alignment is about. That’s what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

Can I challenge you to add godly flavor to your inner circle? Can I encourage you to shine your light in a way that shows people a better path than the dark road to death they are currently on?

Can we be the seasoning that adds value to our community? Can we be the city on the hill, where champions gather and where people who are in need of a champion knows where to find them?

Can we be the flavor this city needs? The city all souls desire to be citizens of? I believe we can when we get in alignment with God. And that starts with your decision to follow Jesus.