Salt and Light
Journey through Matthew • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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With that all being said let’s jump into todays message.
If you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
That being said, if you’re new to our church, we are currently walking through the NT book of Matthew.
And so if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to YouTube or any Podcast service where you can watch or listen to messages leading up to today.
This week I had the opportunity to sit down with Rabbi Jerry Feldman- Assembly of God Missionary to the Jews in Kansas City.
One thing he pointed out to me was that Matthew is writing this narrative from the vantage point of Jesus as King of the Jews and Savior.
Jesus is entering the scene of this region and demonstrating his Authority to preach.
We have to read this from the vantage point that the Jews have not had a prophet for 300 Years and it has been nearly 1000 years since the Kingdom of Isreal was united under King Solomon.
We tend to read the New Testament in the light of Pharisees bad, Jesus Good.
What we don’t give the Pharisees credit for is the fact that they were trying to preserve the relationship of Jews to God in a divided and spiritually silent culture.
The natural thing we can see here is that they did it by creating fences around the Law.
However these fences made it very difficult to distinguish what was truly being faithful to God and what was Just Religion.
We have done the same things.
Early AG Leaders did this: No Cards, Dice, Dancing, Roller Skating, TV.............. I still know guys that won’t eat at a restaurant with Bar in the title.
You see when it becomes about image rather than Kingdom we tend to really stray from relationship with God.
Luke adds this to the end of his reciting of the beatitudes.
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
This is the scene that King Jesus enters and he has come to unify and establish God’s Kingdom on earth.
So Naturally the first thing He teaches his Disciples is how members of His Kingdom Act.
Thus We learned from the Beatitudes last week and we will be building upon that frame work this week.
However let’s first jump into today’s scripture.
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.
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.
Let’s take a look at this.
Notice the First word that Jesus uses is You.
As we read this we have to read it from an Inclusive stand point.
Jesus has just told his disciples what Kingdom Believers act like now he is addressing how they interact with the World.
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 in Jesus’ Time.........
Possibly a mixture of multiple minerals.......
Salts Primary purpose was to preserve and to make food acceptable for eating......... Kosher
Once it had been used for this purpose it was then thrown out on the paths to keep plants from growing up.
There has always been a remnant in Isreal that has preserved the whole nation.............
9 If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.
I believe disciples of Christ are called to be the preservers of our culture.........
Not with rules but through faithfulness to God and living out the Beatitudes.......
We do that by the power of the Holy Spirit who leads us to:
Sanctification
The Lost
Because when we fail to exhibit those nine characteristics of the Beatitudes, we forfeit the potential we had to be an influence in this world, to be a blessing to those with whom we interact.
Moving on:
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Again he addresses them as included. They are a light in Darkness.
When you are traveling by foot in the wilderness Light is ..........
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.
Oil is expensive and only used for purpose.
People went to bed when it was dark.
God did not place you as a light for you to hide it.
He paid a huge price to place his oil inside you.
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.
If you are hearing this from the vantage point off look at me look at me than you are missing the point.
This is not about you being scene it is about How we represent the Kingdom.
Our good works that bring Glory to God come of this idea of living out The Beatitudes.
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
As I close this morning I want us to reflect on what we have learned today?
In what ways is your relationship with the King acting as a preservative to the world around you?
In what ways is your relationship with the King acting as a preservative to the world around you?
In what ways is the light of Jesus in you shining in a world full of darkness?
In what ways is the light of Jesus in you shining in a world full of darkness?
In what ways are you hiding these qualities?
In what ways are you hiding these qualities?
In what ways are you going to allow the Word that was preached today change your tomorrow?
In what ways are you going to allow the Word that was preached today change your tomorrow?