1 SALT AND LIGHT Matthew 5:13-20 First Presbyterian Church of Georgetown, Texas Dr. Michael A. Roberts February 11, 2018 Matthew 5:13-20 13 You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, 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 in heaven. 17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Influence. We all have influence on people in our lives. The Christian and the Christian church is called by Jesus to influence our world. In this life, we have influence with other people. Whether we realize it or not. Whether that influence is positive or negative. No matter who we are- we are influencing those around us: children, spouses, friends, co-workers, fellow believers. Everywhere we go in this life, every place we live, we will influence people who will be better or worse because of our involvement. This brief passage reminds us that we are called to influence people for God and the good. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. These words are found in the Sermon on the Mount, immediately following the beatitudes. The beatitudes describe characteristics or attributes of the Christian person. The Christian disciple recognizes their need for God, mourns the world's pain, is gentle, merciful, hungers for right relationships, and works for peace.
2 The person who lives the beatitudes influences the world for good and for God. Jesus says that whoever lives the beatitudes will function as salt and light in the world. Notice that the person who lives the beatitudes does not live them in isolation from people or in isolation from the world. These qualities are lived out in the world. Salt of the earth, light of the world. The Christian life is not some pious retreat from the realities of the world. Salt does not exist for itself, neither does the church. Salt exists to season food. The church exists for the world. Remember, the church is not important in the Roman empire when this is written. It is somewhat presumptuous of Jesus to claim world-wide dimensions for his mission. Light of the world is literally light of the cosmos. Yet when one looks at what happened-a small Jewish sect that became present on all continents and is now the most universally dispersed faith of them all. Jesus' words ring true. Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth." In the ancient world, salt had more value than it does today. Salt is so common and ordinary today. In the ancient world, a bag of salt was considered very valuable. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt. This practice, by the way, became the root for the word "salary." What did Jesus' listeners think of when he said they were the salt of the earth? It s hard to know for sure. Some emphasize that salt makes us thirsty. The church should live their lives in such a way that people want to know more about this Christ we follow. Some believe that Jesus may be indicating the gradual, quiet, and inconspicuous way the kingdom affects our world. No one likes too much salt on their food. The church can be overbearing- our call is to flavor and season the world. Most commentators though think that the primary emphasis is on salt as a preservative. In the first century world, you didn't have refrigerators, meat was preserved by rubbing salt into it. Jesus was saying to his disciples-you are to preserve this society, this earth. Preserve it from corruption. The church can serve as a preserver, a voice, a brake to the evil and violence present in our society. When Jesus first uttered these words, the church was a small insignificant group of people. But history has shown that Jesus spoke the truth. The church has spoken out and fought various evils through time. The church spoke out against violence in Roman society, against the evils of slavery, the oppression of many, and sought a more just society. The church has been the salt of the earth. Not always, of course, but the church has often been the salt of the earth.
3 But Jesus also issues a warning- if we lose our saltiness, we are good for nothing. Technically, salt cannot lose its chemical properties and remain salt. Pure salt does not lose its taste. However, what was popularly called salt in Palestine was in fact a white powder containing sodium chloride but often mixed with gypsum and other minerals. The sodium chloride was easily washed out of the compound. The residue of white powder still looked like salt, but it neither tasted or acted like salt. When a batch of contaminated salt was discovered by a household, it was thrown out. They were careful not to throw it on a garden or a field because it would kill it. It was thrown on to a path or a road where it would be ground up naturally. If disciples lose their distinctive character, if they give themselves over to the culture they live in- they will become useless to the world. We must remain faithful to who we already are. Notice that Jesus does not say "you must be salt", but "you are salt." Jesus is not giving a command or request, but stating a fact. Jesus is not saying that disciples should be, ought to be, or must be salt. You are salt. Be true to that calling. You are also the light of the world. Jesus would also say that he himself was the light of the world. We derive our light from his. There are many who wonder if the church can really make an impact on the world. What could we possibly do? There are many, even in the church, who are skeptical about our influence in the world. Jesus does not share this skepticism. He truly believed that his disciples, you and I, could make a real, specific impact on the world we live in. Jesus defines the light as our good works. Good works, the commentators are quick to point out, are both word and deed. Another way to define good works is to say that someone who lives the beatitudes is involved in good works. The one who feels the world's pain and does something about it, the one who expresses mercy to the forgotten, the one who builds bridges between friends- that is a Christian who shows light to the world. How silly it would be, Jesus says, to buy a new lamp, the only light available for the room and then stick it under the couch. That light is not living up to its full purpose. Yet that is exactly what disciples sometimes do. They sense God's involvement in their lives but do not share it through helping others or in talking about benefits of worshipping God or living in a way that follows God s will. Jesus uses two metaphors to describe the mission of the disciple and the church. Salt is the more indirect influence of the gospel, while light is more its direct communication. Both visible and verbal witness are important. Some churches emphasize only sharing the faith verbally to the neglect of hard work in our world. Some churches serve humanity greatly but rarely talk about the God who encourages us to serve.
4 It is God s intention that the church would influence the world for good. The world needs our influence. Historically, the church has been supportive and active in bringing about healing and health to our world. Back in the 19th century when the poor could not receive adequate medical care, the church was strong in forming hospitals. When the dying did not receive sensitive care, the church supported the Hospice movement. When alcoholics were ostracized, the church supported Alcoholics Anonymous. When few would serve AIDS patients, the church has formed AIDS centers to care for those affected by this disease. When people need clean water and nourishing food, the church has stepped up to help. God's plan is that we would continually influence the world for good. The reality, though, is that sometimes our influence with others can be eroded. Over a long process, we become less salty, the light fades. That's what happens to the disciple and the church sometimes. The light is no longer clear and bright. It fades away. Sadly, the church today is often influenced more by the world than the world is influenced by the church. There is a fundamental difference between the church and the world. One of the great tragedies of the church throughout its history has been its constant tendency to conform to the culture rather than to transform the culture. One can become useless for the mission if one fails to take discipleship seriously. The church is not co-opted by the culture but rather seeks to present the biblical faith in a relevant manner. So how do we remain distinctive in our Christian lives? How do we know if the culture is transforming us or the other way around? I think Jesus points the way in the Sermon on the Mount- we learn what it means to follow Christ by paying close attention to the scriptures. It is by considering carefully what scripture teaches and making relevant application to our own lives that keeps us fresh spiritually, that continues to give us that distinctive Christian edge. Jesus says: 17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said the way we live fulfills the Old Testament scriptures. There is an inner meaning to the law. If we miss the inner meaning, we've missed the point.
5 All throughout Matthew 5 Jesus is contrasting the first century's understanding of the law with his own teachings. To the Jews the law brought wholeness and health. The law was viewed positively. Psalm 19, for example, says: "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul...they are more precious than gold, than much pure gold...in keeping them there is great reward." There are many Christians who think that Jesus was doing away with the law. Bringing an ethic of love rather than an ethic of law. Jesus clarifies what he believed. He was not abolishing the law, he was fulfilling it. The Old Testament scriptures have value and they find fulfillment in Jesus. Jesus deepened and intensified the focus of these laws. What Jesus asks his disciples to do is not just hear the letter of the law but to understand the spirit of the law. Living the law begins inside- in our hearts, in our minds. Jesus says to us "You can t just focus on outward acts- what the world sees. You can t just focus on what can be measured. You have to go deeper than that. To be my disciple requires a transformation of your whole being." By living the inner meaning of the law, though, we will learn and live distinctively. This takes time, it takes careful attention. But when we absorb these teachings, when we become distinctive people, we will be equipped to be salt and light in the world.