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GO LIGHT WITH THE SALT |
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I thought we would start off this morning by adding a
little stress to your life. This is
a Necker Cube. Isn’t that
fun? Kinda hard to orientate
the mind on which board is suppose to go where. Try this
one. These are
impossible items. Things that
cannot exist in the universe as we know it. Last
one. Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin’s dad says, “Playing
a record? I’ll show you
something interesting.
Compare a point on the label with a point on the record’s outer
edge. They both make a
complete circle in the same amount of time right?” “Yeah…” “But the point on the record’s
edge has to make a bigger circle in the same time, so it goes faster. See, two points on one disk move
at two speeds, even though they both make the same revolutions per
minute.” Isn’t that a
great way to stress out a child?
Stresses out some adults too!
Our trying to
understand the Kingdom of God is like that - trying to get our minds
around what for us is impossible.
Imagine God. What’s He
like? What’s it like for Him
to be holy - almighty - all knowing - eternally existing transcendent of
time. What’s it like to dwell
in God’s presence? The
blinding radiance - the magnificence - the awesomeness beyond anything we
can even begin to begin to begin to imagine. How are we to understand God? How are we to understand God’s
kingdom - the universal sovereignty of God - in particular His sovereign
rule over the affairs of history - over human life - over our
lives. What we’ve
been looking at - starting last Sunday - is Jesus’ Sermon on the
Mount. Jesus - out on
a hill by the Sea of Galilee - a spot - probably this one - Jesus teaching a
diverse - large - crowd of people.
Taking the unimaginable - hard to wrap our minds around - reality
of God and His kingdom - and bringing all that down to the reality of
where we live our lives.
Teaching us what it means for us to live in relationship with the
Sovereign God down on the level where we live life. If you would,
please turn with me to Matthew 5 - starting at verse 13. We’ll read through these verses -
making some observations - and then look at how what Jesus says can apply
to our lives today. Matthew 5 - starting at verse 13: You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has
become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no
longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot
by men. Its
estimated that there are over 14,000 uses for salt. Someone said
once, “Nothing is more useful than salt and
sunshine.” In
the ancient world salt was used as a preservative. Salt was
rubbed into meat to slow down decay. I don’t really know how that works - but
it does.
Its a process of preservation we still use today. That’s predominately what Jesus has in mind. We are the preservative in our world today. About a year and a half ago Karen and I and the kids
decided to unplug . We discontinued our satellite service
and we’ve gone cold-turkey. No satellite - no cable - no rabbit
ears.
That decision wasn’t necessarily based on the programming. Most of our
viewing was Hallmark, the History Channel, Food Network - programming like
that. It was mainly the commercials. We’d be
watching a football game or something and a commercial would come on -
advertising some other program - content of which is perverse - or some
scantily clad or suggestive woman advertising some male enhancement - and
we couldn’t get to the remote fast enough. You know what I’m talking about -
right?
Then the Food Network started getting suggestive. We
unplugged. Hear me. I’m not saying that every Christian
should unplug and you all are pagan sinners if you don’t. To be plugged
or unplugged that was a decision we made. You and God can work out what’s best
for you.
What I am saying is that we’re a long way from Ricky and Lucy
sleeping in separate beds. With me? It
doesn’t take a lot of observation to see that the culture surrounding us
in this state and in this nation - even here in Merced - is decaying. Things that were once neutral or benign
more and more we find are sources of decay. Whether decay comes to us through the media - or the
things that are taught in schools - or permitted to go on at school - or the discussions that
are held in business settings - or just the decaying norms of how people
behave. What the world needs is salt that’s salty. Not salt that’s lost its usefulness as
salt.
Salt that gets scattered on roofs or roads. Which is what
they did back then. The salt they had back then was mostly
from marshes that would loose its effectiveness as salt. So, they’d
scatter it on roofs and roads to harden the surface. What the world needs today is salty salt. Salt
that offers the
possibility of something beside corruption and decay. That’s us. That’s Jesus’ point. Those who
live in relationship with God are salt in this world. By God’s
working in us and through us we are the preservative. In Jesus, we are the salt. Say that together. “In Jesus, we are the salt.” Grab that. Its an awesome reality. Almighty God
- God and His kingdom - touch the world through
us. Mark and Alice Westlind were missionaries in Colombia. Westlind Family. They’re now
in Argentina with the Evangelical Covenant Church. Let me read you a short
excerpt from one of their prayer letters from while they were in Columbia. “Driving
through Christmas traffic, fighting the drizzling rain, I chanced on a
4-year-old little girl. She was wet and cold and shaking. Her clothes
were ragged, her hair was matted, and her nose was running. She walked
between the cars at the stoplight, washing headlights because she was too
short to wash windshields. A few gave her coins, others honked at
her to get away from their vehicles. As I drove away only some 50 cents
poorer, I raged at God for the injustice in the world that allowed the
situation. ‘God, how could You just stand by, helpless.’ Later that
evening, God came to me softly with that still small voice and responded
not in like kind to my rage, but with tenderness, ‘I have done
something.
I created you.’” (1) Being preservative requires action on our part - and there are a number of
ways that we can be salt through our actions. Prayer. When we drive through our neighborhoods we need to be
in prayer for our neighborhoods. Or, when you’re at school. Be praying
for the people around you. On the road - when there’s an
accident - we can pray for those involved. When we see
people with bumper stickers that expouse a life apart from God - we need
to pray.
In business - to pray for our fellow workers - to pray for those in
the businesses around us. When we see others who live apart from
God - when we see those who struggle - when we view the society in which
we live - we should be moved to prayer. Standing firm in our obedience to Jesus is another way
we can actively be salt. Its easy for us - in our relationships - easy to
degenerate into
worldliness - to give ourselves permission to live at a lower level
than most of us really wants to - even in our Christian relationships. But,
we need to encourage each other to be salt - to
inspire each other to put aside those things that drag us into the world -
to live in this world as preservative. People need to see that difference in us.
There’s nothing more unsalty than Christians who repeatedly
take the name of God in vain or who find it permissible to swear. What kind of salt are we when the world
influences how we dress - what we talk about - what we involve ourselves
in. What testimony of God’s life in us do we demonstrate
in the community and before our families - when we miss worship on Sundays - or wander in late - or our participation
in the service and life of Christ’s church is somehow a lesser priority -
than whatever may be more valuable to us at moment? How salty are we if we practice business with the
dishonesty and greed of the world? Or if we live indifferent to the needs of others? Or, condemn others without looking at ourselves
first? We are the salt. That’s awesome. Each of us
makes a difference. When we live according to what we say
we believe those around us will see that difference - wherever we live
life - family - work - community - school. They’ll feel the preservative. When we act
like salt the effects will be felt - impacting the greater Merced
metroplex with the Gospel. Who are we? “In Jesus, we are the salt.” Verse 14: You are the light of the world. A city set on
a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a
basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the
house.
Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Do
you remember the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes? There was this vain emperor who wanted to be seen
by all of his subjects. So he hired some tailors to design the
most beautiful outfit of clothing ever created. As the story
goes, the “tailors” were actually “con men” who devised a scheme to bilk
the emperor out of his money. The “tailors” spent hours weaving at looms to produce
the finest quality material. So fine, they said, that it could only
be seen by the most discerning of persons. Of course there was no material. But nobody
would admit that they were not “discerning” and so couldn’t see the cloth. So, when the emperor tried on his new
outfit, all the royal courtiers praised the quality of the fabric and the
beauty of the clothes. The emperor declared a holiday with a parade through
the main street of the city, just so that he could show off his new
outfit.
And of course, he ended up marching through throngs of his loyal
subjects buff naked. But, no one would dare admit that they couldn’t
see the fabric.
Until one little boy, not concerned with what other people thought about him, shouted out the truth,
“But, I don’t see a thing! The Emperor
has no clothes on!” Light dispels darkness. In the Bible
- light is a metaphor - it symbolizes God’s truth - the Word of God - it
symbolizes Jesus and His Gospel. Light as opposed to darkness. Darkness meaning the lies and sin and
corruption and decay of this world which comes from Satan. Jesus said, “I am the
light of the world.” (John 8:12) When we open our lives up to God - giving our lives
to God through Jesus Christ - the light that shines in us and through us is the light of our Savior Jesus Christ. Grab that. Its an awesome reality. The Almighty
God - God and the reality of life in His kingdom - shine
through us into this world. In Jesus, we are the light. Say that with me, “In Jesus, we are the light.” In
this world Satan is working to create an illusion of life which in reality
is a lie.
The message of Jesus Christ and His people is like the outcry of
that little boy. “This is wrong! Its a
lie! God
has shown us something different!” Jesus tells us that we are the proclaimers of His
Gospel - His truth - His light. To be light requires that we shine for
Jesus. Anyone know what this tower is called? Sutro
Tower.
Have you
seen this? 977 feet tall - tallest structure in
San Francisco - on top of the Mount Sutro - the top is is 1,800 feet above
sea level.
Even on a foggy day - when the city is hidden in fog - Sutro Tower
can be seen all over the Bay Area. Its like a city set on a hill. Couldn’t hide
it if we tried.
Why would we? Like a lamp. Why would
anyone want to hide it - cover its light. What would be the purpose of lighting
it and hiding it? The purpose of being God’s light in the world is to
shine - to be seen - visible. In
our society it takes courage to stand for Jesus. It is not
easy to speak out. Who in our society wants to be shown
the lie upon which our lives are constructed? Jesus said,
“You will be hated by all on account of My name.”
(Luke
21:17)
But its essential - vital and required - that we speak up. The world
needs to hear the cry of the Gospel which can set us free from Satan’s
lies. What our neighbors - friends - associates -
schools - and every other place we’re in - need for us to say is, “Apart
from my Savior I’m nothing. I don’t have anything to offer - and
neither do you.
We’re desperate apart from the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
We aren’t going to make it - even doing our best. God’s
answer - the truth we need - is in
Jesus - the Gospel is our only hope.” Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word
is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” There are a
tremendous number of people who are looking for that light but have not
idea where to find it. We need to hold it up - and in love -
say, “Here it is - truth - the word of God.” In Jesus, we are the what? Light. Verse 17: Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I
say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or
stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Let’s pause and make sure we’re together on what
Jesus is getting at. Jesus is talking to a crowd of diverse thousands
- multi-ethnic - multi-cultural - from every economic strata - the
suffering and sick - average people just trying to get by - people from
different religious backgrounds - religious people proud of their piety and traditions. To Jesus’ listeners - life with God meant sacrifices - regulations - traditions -
impossible standards of holiness - condemnation and ostracism for failure
- hundreds of laws imposed on them by their religious leaders. Jesus starts off with the Beatitudes - verses 1 to 12
- what we looked at last Sunday. Jesus said: You all - the
ones who are trying to live rightly with God - who recognize your
spiritual emptiness - and you’re mourning over it - )cause you see yourselves as spiritual failures. You all who
are hungering and thirsting for righteousness - who are crying out for
mercy.
Who’ve been run over - longing for peace - who’ve been abused and
persecuted - slandered - while you’ve been trying to live in obedience to
God - you all are blessed by God. You don’t need to achieve a relationship with
God. God
has brought the reality of that relationship down to you. God will be
the One to satisfy and comfort and be merciful to you. You all are
the sons of God. You have an eternal inheritance in His
heavenly kingdom. Now Jesus adds, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the
light of the world.” That’s revolutionary. So absolutely contrary to what they’d
be taught.
The wheels are turning in the crowd’s minds. “We like what we hear - this being blessed by God
thing.
Wish it was true. But this guy is nuts - a few sandwiches
shy of a picnic. What He’s saying borders on
heresy.” What Jesus says here - starting in verse 17 - is an
answer to what’s rattling around in the minds of the people. “How can you relate to God apart from
the law?
You just can’t do away with the law.” Its important that we understand the purpose of
the law. Abraham believed God and God declared Abraham to be
what?
righteous. God and Abraham had a relationship
together that God established and blessed. It wasn’t until Moses - some 600 plus
years later that God writes out the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai. The law - the five books of Moses - Genesis through
Deuteronomy - the 10 Commandments and all the instructions that were given
to God’s people - all that wasn’t about how to earn a relationship with
God. That’s what these people had been
taught.
Do these things and God might bless you. The God of the Bible is a covenant God not a contract
God. His
message to us is not, “Do this for Me. Then I’ll love you.” That’s a do this and you’ll get paid - blessed -
contract. But instead God says, “I’ve done this for you as your Creator and as your
Redeemer.
Therefore this is the kind of relationship that I invite you to be
a part of.” So many people are trying to live in a relationship
with God as a contract - trying to live rightly - morally - as Christians
- as Jews - trying to somehow please God - to earn God’s favor. The 10
Commandments - the hundreds of laws imposed by the Scribes and Pharisees -
had become a burdensome list of don’ts that we must fulfill if we’re to
avoid the wrath of Almighty God. But the law is a tutor - an instructor - that coaches us in how to live rightly in our
relationship with God. The prophets spoke forth God’s word to
the people so that that relationship could be entered into - maintained -
or renewed - lived out in every life. (Galatians 3:24) Jesus is saying, “I’m not going to abolish the law. The law - the
prophets - all that isn’t going away. But all that that pointed to I’m going
to fulfill it.”
Complete it. Bring it down to the level of where
everyday life is lived out in your relationship with God. These people listening to Jesus are about to get a
huge upgrade to their operating system. They’re going from DOS to Vista in one
short sermon. Point being: We can have a relationship with
God apart from the law. Don’t get hung up on the law. Live in the
relationship God has brought to you. Verse 19: Whoever then annuls one of the least of these
commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in
the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be
called great in the kingdom of heaven. The purpose of the law is what? The law
teaches us what it means to live in the relationship with God that God
establishes with us. I’ve got that written out because that
would be easy to get tripped up on. The purpose of the law is what? Say it with
me, “The law teaches us what it means to live in the
relationship with God that God establishes with us.”
So - follow this - if someone is teaching about the
law in a way contrary to the purpose of the law - and teaching others to
live in a way that God never intended for His law to be used - according
to verse 19 - what does Jesus say about that person? They are to
called least in the kingdom of heaven. So much for legalism. If you don’t keep every law of the
Scribes and Pharisees you’re a spiritual failure. If you wear
lipstick, play canasta, and listen to the Newsboys you’re going to
hell.
Who are the least in God’s kingdom - the Scribes and the
Pharisees.
Ouch.
But who’s dealing straight with the people? Jesus. Who’s telling
them exactly what God requires? Jesus. Who’s the greatest teacher? Jesus. And if we
live by what Jesus teaches who’s considered great in the kingdom of
God?
Us. Steve Zeisler puts it this way. “What Jesus has broken open is a world in which
people slavishly obey external rigidities. The first-century Jews were given a
religion based on the Old Testament that actually was contradictory to
what the Old Testament taught.” (2) Bottom Line: Jesus isn’t doing away with the law and prophets He’s
fulfilling what God intended in the first place. Here’s the awesome part: We get to
live in that fulfillment. Verse 20: For I say to you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the
kingdom of heaven. That’s harsh. But not in the way that most people
hear it. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees - the
visible quality and character of their relationship with God - was
legendary.
Held up as an impossible standard for the average person to
emulate.
How could anyone ever surpass them in righteousness? But, how righteous were these scribes and Pharisees -
these confused teachers of the law - least in God’s kingdom? By what Jesus
says - not very. That’s harsh. How righteous are those whom God declares
righteous?
Righteous enough to not only enter the kingdom but to be considered
great in God’s kingdom. Hold on to this truth: We really are blessed by
God. We really are the salt and light that
Jesus is talking about. There may be a whole lot of voices out
there - maybe even some in here (our heads) -voices telling us something
contrary.
But, we need to choose to listen to Jesus. Its not a
matter of becoming salt and light - we are salt and light. Say that with me, “We are salt and light.” Going one step further with this - thinking about how what Jesus say’s applies to us
today - I’d like to have us come back to verse 16. Jesus says,
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in
heaven.” Who gets the glorify for how we live our lives? God. Our Father in
heaven. Being salt and light is all
about God. Try that with me, “Being salt and light is all about God.” East of Stockton on highway 4 - in the Sierra
Foothills - is the small, rural community of Copperopolis. Anyone ever been there? John Rush - in his book, “The Man
With The Bird On His Head,” shares about his experience in Copperopolis.
Under the guidance of what John had come to recognize as being God's voice,
John began holding services on Sunday afternoons in the
rundown former church - which long before had been shut down and the
building was converted into a town hall. John writes: I would sweep the rustic floorboards, dust off the
chairs and place a hymnal on each one. Then I would tune up my guitar in
anticipation of the congregations' arrival. But Sunday after Sunday, it was rare
that anyone would come. I
had visited door to door and invited the community to the services. I had handed
out flyers, but no one seemed to be interested. The first
time this happened, I was greatly discouraged. I wanted to
simply give up and go home. I
began folding up the chairs and collecting the hymnals, but God's voice in
me was saying, “No, you sing. You preach and do what you've come here
to do.”
“There's no one here,” I pointed out the obvious to
God. The still, small voice urged me on. “That
doesn't matter.
Do what I sent you here to do.” At
the time, this seemed to be the single most nonsensical thing that God
could ever ask me to do. Feeling utterly silly, I stepped up to
the front of the room and began to sing and play the songs I had chosen
for the service. I finished the songs and cleared my
throat, ready to preach my message to my audience of empty chairs. Over the months, this process repeated itself with
only an occasional inquisitive spectator. Worshipping and preaching became
a matter of discipline and obedience rather than something reaping obvious
rewards.
I remember driving home from Copperopolis, pondering this strange
exercise that God seemed to be putting me through. I
will never forget how He opened my heart to a whole new dimension when He
explained simply, “Your
unseen audience will always outnumber any audience you will ever see.” I
realized that every message I had spoken and every song I had sung had
been cheered on by angelic participants and had made a difference in the
unseen realm.
Indeed, we are surrounded by a heavenly host, a cloud of
witnesses.
This revelation was confirmed nearly two decades
after my final visit to Copperopolis. In 1994, I was speaking at a church in
San Andreas.
After the service, a woman approached me and asked me to come and
talk to her mother who was unable to walk to the platform. Her mother,
upon hearing that I was in town, had very much wanted to meet me. I
was certainly surprised and asked what had caused her interest. The daughter
related to me that her parents had been pastoring in California and in
their senior years had felt God specifically telling them to minister in
Copperopolis.
They had since planted a thriving church there. I
was delighted to meet this lovely woman of God. She excitedly
shook my hand and explained that from their first arrival in Copperopolis
she had sensed such a sweet presence of Jesus in the town hall. She had told
her husband that surely someone had spent many hours praying and preparing
the way for their work. It
had been years later that she came across a church bulletin in which I had
written the story of my seemingly fruitless efforts in Copperopolis, and
her speculations had been confirmed. They had put that bulletin on the front
page of their church history, and every year on the church's anniversary,
someone would read my article to the congregation and give thanks to
God. I
now look with joy upon those hours I spent with the birds and the angels,
learning that success has nothing to do with numbers and everything to do
with obedience to God. (3) Sometimes we’re tempted to doubt the truth of what
Jesus says here - about being salt and light. Sometimes we
think that we don’t have what it takes. Or, that we’ve failed too
miserably.
We think of ourselves as tasteless or the dim bulb in the box. Why should
God bless my puny little efforts. How could I ever glorify God? Being salt and light isn’t about us. Its about
who? God
- what He has done in our lives - blessed us with. We may
never see or never know this side of heaven how He’s using us. That’s not
the point.
When we choose to obey Him - to place our lives in His hands - He
will bring glory to Himself through us. You are the salt. You are the light. Live
that God may be glorified. _______________
1. RBS, ODB, 01.03.97 |