Matthew 5:13-16 New International Version (NIV)
Salt and Light
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.
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.
Introduction
When we come to these verses, we can come with some trepidation. And if we have been reading from the beginning of Chapter 5 we’ve been in the sermon on the mount for only a few verses and already there’s a sense of hmmm this is not getting any easier is it.
Matthew has recalled Jesus’ presentation of what are the defining attributes of christian character and they are very different to what would have been the 1c’s ideals of what we are to be. And actually, I don’t think that has changed very much over the centuries since and is not likely to change very much in the future.
However, the beatitudes are an encouragement to be “who we are meant to be”. Paul in Galatians 5 says very much the same thing when he describes the Holy Spirit’s work in us as God’s children. The Spirit, developing, growing and nurturing fruit in us. The fruit of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. So just as the fruit, the beatitudes are worked in us, are the Holy Spirit manifesting Himself in us, not us trying to manufacture them in ourselves. Fruit grows, if we try to manufacture we fail.
What can also make it hard to “be who we are meant to be” is that we are not meant to live in isolation from each other and the world. It would seem nice to do so. I’d be a brilliant christian if it wasn’t for everyone else etc. Jesus never separated Himself from the world, the very fact of the incarnation tells us that. God removed Himself from glory to be with us. Jesus would remove himself and pray alone, yes, often, but then He went back to laugh, cry, eat, work and be in the world again and again and again.
It is a call for us as well. As Peter in Ch 2 of his 1st letter says, we are to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. That word, declare, can be translated “SHOW FORTH” to let the world know about. But this is the part I really love, we are “God’s special possession” which is translated in KJV as “ God’s peculiar people” We are called to be peculiar. Different, special and also visible. To be SALT and LIGHT?
Feeling peculiar this morning?
Is it peculiar to be a christian today?
Should it be? If so how are we to be peculiar?
What is the difference?
SHOW FORTH
Jesus is not calling us “TO TRY OUR HARDEST TO BE” peculiar by the way. No, the idea of us, being both salt and light, is that, if we are followers of Christ we just are peculiar. The word used is “YOU ARE”. Not you might be, or could be, You are peculiar. Now, I’ve been saying this for ages but no one would take me seriously. Maybe you all will now. You are all peculiar.
We are also NOT one without the other, not just salt OR just light, and to be salt and light is of the utmost importance, it is urgent because of the few verses before in Matthew chapter 5. V10-11 says that one thing is certain that if we exhibit the characteristics of the beatitudes we will suffer. There will be persecution. But then the character built in us, will allow us to be SALT and LIGHT to the world.
SALT
I’m not going to detail every advantage, need or requirement for SALT in the world, as I’m sure that’s what normally happens at this stage. No, I’m going to share about the problems that occur if we are deficient in salt… Here are some…
DEFICIENCY
Reduced Hydration – Feeling dizzy. Sleepiness, lack of energy, confusion or irritability. Fainting. Headaches – IS OUR FAITH A LITTLE Sleepy and do we lack energy when it comes to our relationship with God? Do we find ourselves irritable in our relationships with others?
Muscle cramps- stiffness, difficult to move effectively, pain and weakness in limbs – IS OUR WITNESS stiff and difficult? Do we feel weak in what we do and how we are?
Cognitive decline – Confusion. Poor motor coordination. Loss of short-term or long-term memory. Identity confusion. Impaired judgment. DOES OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE FEEL confused and uncoordinated with our life outside the church and christian context? Are making poor judgements when it comes to our behaviour and choices?
Are we feeling a little dehydrated, spiritually, at the moment?
Do we have the cramps?
Is our faith confused, are we feeling unable to concentrate and is our judgement a little, impaired?
We must live in a world that has a tendency to live by the values of the flesh not the spirit. The reverse of the fruit from Gal 5 … sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
The world lives by all the opposite characteristics of those called by God. So we need to ask ourselves then… Which values do we live by?What ones do we actually live by, day in, day out?
I know I said I wouldn’t detail the advantages of SALT, apart from this one, which I believe is paramount. Salt water rinses are a natural remedy for anyone with gum disease, infections, mouth sores or wounds. Rinsing with salt water promotes healing and soothes tissue inflammation, making them especially great after teeth cleaning.
So does our breath smell, are our gums diseased, are we able to talk well of others, offer encouragement and speak truth and mercy into every situation, regardless of the situation, and into every person’s life we know. Are we being a disinfectant? Not in the sense Trump has expressed, of course.
In Matt 15:11 Jesus says this “It is not what goes into a person that makes him unclean but what comes out of their mouths”
This is only one way that salt is beneficial for us and therefore we can be beneficial in a world that lies, cheats, uses language for their own benefit, spins justice and creates a version of the world where they come first above others, especially the weak and vulnerable. A world that uses speech that allows us to look away from what is really in front of us to see a vision of a place we can feel justified in taking instead of giving.
We can be different…
Are we living differently?
Are our characteristics different from the world’s?
Does our speech smell fresh?
LIGHT
And likewise when it comes to light. Light is, of course, illuminating. That is true but there are also health benefits to light.
Health benefits of natural light
1. Boosts vitamin D
When exposed to sunlight, the skin absorbs vitamin D, a critical nutrient that prevents bone loss and reduces the risk of heart disease, weight gain, and various cancers.
This bit I really like…Vitamin D the “sunshine vitamin” also doesn’t discriminate based on whether you get your sunlight indoors or out. ARE WE GETTING ENOUGH light from God’s strengthen our bones and keep us healthy?
2. Wards off seasonal depression
For many people, autumn is a giddy time of crunchy leaves and all things pumpkin spice. Getting as much natural light as possible can help keep these mood changes at bay.
For about 6 percent of the population, autumn kicks off a time of serious depression known as seasonal affected disorder (aka major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns).
Another 14 percent experience the less debilitating (but still significant) “winter blues.” Are we getting enough light so that we exhibit joy and peace to others and rejoice no matter what the circumstances we find ourselves in?
3. Improves sleep
Since mental health and sleep often go hand in hand, it’s not surprising that natural light affects both.
Right in the middle of Psalm 3 a Psalm where David calls out to God to rescue him in his suffering and the attacks from his enemies vs 5-6 reads I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.
Is our sleep, that of someone who sleeps well because of what God has done for us in Jesus?
Or do we still toss and turn as someone who doubts the very same one who holds the universe and us in the very same hands?
Why are we sometimes afraid to be salt and light?
Light also Repels fear, shows the way. These two would normally be part of the conversation we have about the world. The world outside of the church as being the one which is fearful and has no direction. I’m not convinced we don’t exhibit these very same traits ourselves actually. Even in my own experience I’ve had moments where I have been fearful of life, worried about myself and family. Where my faith has not necessarily been one where I can say “I am not afraid”.
Times when the light to my feet is not very bright at all. Where the path has been shaded dimly, if not in complete blackness and any thought of looking up to prevent myself from stumbling and seeing the way, was never going to happen.
These times where we lose our saltiness and hide the light.
I can’t help you identify the reasons, you have to. It’s between you and God’s spirit to find out why your salt has been watered down and become less effective. It’s only you and your loving father that can remove the basket, cover, whatever it is that you have placed over your light.
We all know this verse don’t we? Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. And we love it don’t we, we sing songs and share it with each other, blah blah blah. What we do not love so much and what may actually be part of our lack of saltiness and dimmed light, is the next verse where the psalmist in some ways qualifies God’s light in us and our response His word…David continues v106: I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.
We may not have followed up on our oath to follow God’s righteousness or avoided the Holy Spirit’s prompting as He has tried to light our paths and salt our characters so that we may then be that peculiar witness to others as Jesus promised we would be.
To end I’d like to read a song/poem by Matthew Newman as a prayer
As We Come Together
As we come together
In each house and home
We know God is with us
We are not alone
In these days of darkness
Through the longest night
We will sing together:
Jesus, be our Light
Jesus comes to meet us
In our time of fear
Reaches out to hold us
We know He is here
In these days of darkness
Through the longest night
We will sing together:
Jesus, be our Light
In these days of darkness
Through the longest night
We will sing together:
Jesus, be our Light
We will sing together:
Jesus, be our Light
As we pray together
We are not alone
We will not be shaken
Jesus, be our Cornerstone
AMEN