Salt of the Earth and Light of the World

Sermon: FCC Marianna 2-6-2022 SOTM - Salt of the Earth & Light of the World Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16 Today we continue our survey through Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount. Remember, surveying the Scriptures is the idea of digging into the Word, examining what ends up in our hands, then sifting through it to find the nuggets of truth and wisdom that the Holy Spirit is sharing, and storing those things away for further examination later on. The Sermon on the Mount is divided into distinct parts: * the Beatitudes * the Believers' impact on the world * the Believers rejection of old teaching and practices * Jesus' calling to the Listener. Last week, we wrapped up this first section of the Sermon on the Mount: the Beatitudes. Remember, being a Beatitude man means that we live in such a way that these characteristics, these attributes of Jesus that He also wants to see in us, are clearly evident in us! We live so that we are clear reflections, clear representation, of Jesus! No one should be able to look at us, we who claim the discipleship of Christ, and wonder at where our lives belong. They should be able to look at us in the very worst circumstances and see poor in spirit, meek, merciful, hungry for righteousness, and say "Yep, that one is surrendered to Jesus." As we move into this second, short section of the Sermon on the Mount, we will examine the impact that a Beatitude Man should have, and will have if they are authentically living out the Beatitudes, on the world. Read Matthew 5:13-16 here: Pray here! We are examining this idea this morning: that now that we have received the truths of the Beatitudes, now that we understand the expectation that we are to be a reflection of Jesus and a good example of the Father to the world around us, now it is time for Jesus to put us to work. It's almost as if Jesus is saying: "I've given you the preparation and the blueprint for how you are to act and behave in this world. Now get out there and do it!" He's given us the detailed job description, hired us to do the work, has given us the opportunities to be effective, and is now giving us His expectation for what we should accomplish. Main point: We have been given the role and responsibility of bringing life to the world around us. Our tasks will all be different- we are different parts of the Body of Christ, after all- but our purpose is the same: to exemplify Christ and to bring life to the world. We followers of Jesus are not meant to live in isolation. We are sent by Jesus to go be influential in the world, not to be isolated from it. We are expected to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world, but we still must be in the world in order to be an effective example of Christ to the world and if we will be the life-bringers that Christ expects us to be. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are in the world as "ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing" to the world through us. Indeed, in verse 21, we are reminded that our job is to plead with the world on Christ's behalf to "be reconciled to God." We are in the world, but we are not of the world or the product of the world. We are instructed in Philippians 4:8 to have our minds focused on the things of God, things that are uncommon to this fallen world, but we must remain on task here in this world for as long as God keeps us here. The error of Christian monasticism is this thought process: that somehow we can be removed from the world and yet somehow still be effective in accomplishing our purpose and mission here. How can we bring life to a world that we have no contact with? How can we bring life to a world that refuses to engage with us because they fear our bad attitudes and judgment? We are to be poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and hungering after righteousness- we are called to be the image of Jesus- so that the world will know Jesus and be open to us accomplishing our purpose in this world: sharing with them the life-giving truth of the Gospel. Point #1 You are the salt of the earth. This command is pretty straightforward. There is a reason that cultural idiom "salt of the earth people" describes down-to-earth, hardworking people who mind their own business and stay out of trouble, because aside from seeking to help others find peace with God, that is exactly who we are supposed to be: down-to-earth folks with pure motives and low ego who want to be a good reflection of Jesus and who want to love the world around us. In the ancient world, salt was highly valued. It was often used as currency- it had a more stable value than coinage and it had abundant applications for daily life. Salt is useful for much more than simply seasoning food. Salt hinders the spread of death and corruption; it preserves food; it seasons food and highlights flavors, creating more complex dishes; and it creates thirst. People needed and desired salt, so Jesus knew what He was doing when He compared His disciples to salt. When discussing the role of the Believer in bringing life to the world, this analogy of being salt becomes pretty clear: We are to be preservers of life; We are to strive to retard corruption; We are to provide the world with a flavor profile that they will desire- they should desire Jesus because they see Him in us; We are to make the world thirsty for the righteousness of God. "If salt loses it saltiness, how can it again be made salty? It is good for nothing but to be tossed into the streets to be trampled by men." When examined, this statement from Jesus is very telling. It is not something that we can quite grasp here in the west, but consider this commentary from theologian Albert Barnes: "Salt (in the west) is mostly pure. If the saltiness were lost, or if it were to lose it savor, there would be nothing remaining. In eastern countries, however, the salt was impure, so that is might lose the whole of its saltiness, and a considerable amount of salt without flavor would remain (think snow melt salt). This salt would be good for nothing except that it was used, as it is said, to place in paths or walkways, as we use gravel." -The disciple of Jesus has one great function: to spread life to the world by being the salt of the earth, living out the Beatitudes, the attributes of Jesus. If the Believer fails to be the salt of the earth to the world, the world will despise the message of life and will trample it under their feet. The world has only contempt for an undedicated, an unsalty, Believer. Imagine if Peter or Paul had acted one way to the Church, but completely differently, completely out of character, completely contrary to the character of Christ, to the world. The Church would have fallen flat on its face and never grown, because the world sees lack of authenticity and hypocrisy and want nothing to do with it. Christians not acting like Jesus will slam shut any opportunity for seeds to be planted in their lives. Christian, if you lose your saltiness, your witness to the world, it will be really difficult for your Christian walk going forward to become effective again. If the world doesn't want what you have to offer, not because they are unsure about Jesus but because they are turned off by you, then something very wrong has happened. Jesus has given you the command to be the salt of the earth, along with the imperative: maintain your saltiness and your effectiveness in the world! We have a purpose in the world: to demonstrate the Beatitudes of Jesus as we act as the salt of the earth for the world around us. Point #2 You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men. Where being the salt of the earth is something of a passive command- not entirely, because you still must act in a certain way in order to be the salt, to be a preserver of life, to stop corruption, and to provide the picture of Jesus for the world to desire- being a light to the world comes with the action command for Believers: "Let your light shine before men." Then there is a reaffirmation of our purpose: "that they may see your good deeds and glorify God." It sums up the Great Commission for us: we must be out among the world, being a light for Jesus, and doing good things that cause the world to take notice and give glory to God. Remember, Jesus refers to Himself in the same way, the Light of the World, in John 8:12 and 12:35. It's a reminder to us that we are to be reflections of the source of light. Our purpose is to shine for Him, to reflect Him just as the moon reflects the light of the sun. We are called to be a city on a hill, elevated to provide light in the midst of the darkness. We followers of Jesus are to be elevated in the eyes of the world- which sometimes just serves to illustrate that we are sinners who struggle and fail just like everyone else- but hopefully, we are demonstrating these characteristics of Jesus in a way that cannot be hidden. Think about this: the light that we are shining is a message that cannot be hidden. Even if I were forced to stop preaching, even if I were kept from even speaking, still my life, my actions and attitude, should shout about Jesus to the world around me! Christian, is your life shouting about your surrender to Jesus and demonstrating who He is to the world around you? Can people even tell you're a follower of Jesus without hearing you make the claim? If not, maybe something about your light is broken. Maybe you need to do some self-examination and figure out how to fix it. Being a light to the world isn't a suggestion- it's a major part of your calling and purpose! That's not just me saying it's not a suggestion, Jesus said it first: "A city on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, where it gives light for all who are in the house." This is one of those reminders from Jesus that I imagine being said in a sarcastic, teasing way. Much like later in chapter 7, where Jesus asks: "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will instead give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?" It's a "Come on, guys, this isn't that difficult" statement. "You don't light a lamp and then put it under a basket to hide the light. That makes no sense. You know what a lamp is for." Jesus is saying to us: "I created you for a purpose- to shine the light that I've given you. There is no hiding this light; there is no putting it in a basket or flipping the off switch. If you are not shining your light for Christ, then you are not being a disciple for Jesus. Too often in the church, we tend to say, "Well, I don't want to offend anyone, so I will keep my faith to my personal life, to the walls of the church." But to be faithful to this calling Jesus has for you, you've got to be shining like a lighthouse into the darkness, whether it upsets someone or not- you're called to be a peacemaker, not a peacekeeper, remember? Jesus then reaffirms this point: "Let your light shine before men." Why? So that they may see your good deeds and glorify the Father. The implication here, of course, is that along with your light-shining, you will be doing "the good works He has prepared in advance" for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Closing Question: What does this mean for you? You've got work to do! Being the salt of the earth is the character that you are to bring into your relationships with the world. Are you helping to stave off death in those perishing around you? Are you providing that Godly flavor that makes the world around you desire what you've got to offer? Is the world thirsting to experience the righteousness of Christ because they see it in you? Are you being the light that pierces the darkness and makes the world see Jesus? Are you lighting up your world; is the world able to see your good works and giving glory to the Father? It's an active task that God has given you to accomplish. We're not spending long in this section of the Sermon on the Mount, the Believer's impact on the world, but it highlights the important work that Christ has called you to: be the Beatitudes, the attributes of Christ, to the world and then get out there to make an impact on the world! Invitation: