Morning Message Text: Matthew 5: 13-16
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.
Morning Message:
The question of the day is: What are you? Do you know the answer? The question seems like it should be more properly asked, “Who are you”?
From your Lenten devotional: “I can still remember these words of encouragement I heard from a friend years ago: ‘You are who you are, so be who you are.’ I can’t remember why he said those words to me. I may have been going through a hard time.”
Think about that for a moment. How often in life do we try to face our problems by being someone we are not? We all have natural abilities, special attributes given to each of us by God, so we are capable of doing things and helping in ways that no one else can. Maybe we are not happy with who we are. Maybe we don’t see our own gifts, so we try to be someone we are not.
The devotional goes on to say: “But when I read Jesus’ words, ‘You are the salt of the earth …,’ I think of my friend’s words and how Jesus might be adding another layer of meaning to them, ‘You are what you are, so be what you are … the salt of the earth.”
Just be salt! Well, we don’t want to be salt. Salt is just so plain and simple, and we want to be special. Jesus doesn’t say, just be plain old salt, he says, “You are the salt”. Now I am not going to get into all of the ways that salt changes things and how necessary it was in Jesus’ time, but I want you to realize that Jesus is telling his disciples, us, that we were created to be different.
Here is something to think about brothers and sisters in Christ. How are you different from the world? Let me tell you a story to make this point.
A friend of mine was taking an 18-minute Uber ride. He jovially and curiously asked the driver, “If you had all the money you needed and could do whatever you wanted … what would you do?” Instantly the driver burst into tears and said, “I’d leave the band I’m in and the guy I’m with who treats me rotten and leave town with my little child”. She explained that the boyfriend controlled her life and would not allow her to make more than $1500 a month, and she felt trapped because she needed $1800 to break free and start a new life. He asked her another question, “If I gave you a piece of paper and you were to write down the words that describe the way you see yourself, what would you write?” Immediately she said, “I’m worthless and I’m small.” Wow! That was an honest identity answer. His third question: “If Jesus were to write down a word to describe you, what do you think he would write?” She pondered a moment and said, “Prized.” He talked to her about Jesus and who she could be in Jesus.
Let me pause the story for just a moment to ask you this question. Do you see what salt looks like in a Christian? This is what Jesus is referring to when he says you are the salt of the earth.
Okay. Listen to the rest of the story. The ride was almost over. He said, “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I am going to give you a $300 tip (Why? She had said $300 was what was keeping her from starting a new life.), and you will have to trust Jesus and step out in faith every day. They exchanged contact information. Now she regularly texts him. She got out of Dodge, started a new life, and is trusting Jesus daily. This is the difference that salt makes in a hurtful world.
The writer of this story says: “As I have told this story some people confide in me (and sometimes our groups) that they feel worthless and small or similar words like failure or stupid.
I am convinced the most important spiritual question is, “Who do you say Jesus is?” But the next most important question is, “Who does Jesus say you are?” Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth.” So be what you are. Do not lose your saltiness. Do not lose that difference that Jesus has made in your life. Be what you are. Be what you were created to be. If regular salt loses it’s saltiness it is worthless because it can no longer make your food better, and you can’t make salt salty again, but as believers you can regain your ability to make a difference.
Jesus also said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden”. Jesus wants us to stand out, to make a difference in this world, all for his sake. Your devotional says, “Children are taught to sing, “This little light of mine; I’m gonna let it shine.” I think it’s time we joined them.
Listen, you can be salty, you can be different, and your saltiness may vary, but when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior you are instilled with the light of God’s Holy Spirit. That light can never be quenched. You may muffle it, cover it up, hide it deep inside of you, but it is there. That light is not your personal possession. It was placed there for the world to see.
Be what you are. Our ultimate identity in Christ is not based on our circumstances, the economy, whether Caesar is for us or against us, what the Supreme Court says, what others say or don’t say about us, but our identity is 100% anchored in the risen, living, triumphant, victorious person of the Lord Jesus Christ who says in Him we are most cherished sons and daughters of the most High God. Your failures do not define you, God’s forgiveness does. Your “likes” on Facebook do not define you, but God’s grace does. What you do for God does not define you, but what God has already done for you on a bloodstained cross and empty tomb defines you. The hell you are going through does not define you, but the heaven you are going to does. The things around you do not define you, but the Spirit in you does. Be what you are. Salt and light, saved and blessed, the difference that you were created to be.
In Christ’s Love and Peace,
Pastor Bob
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