Matthew 5:14-16

DAY 30

Date: 12-15-2024

Sermon on the Mount

Scripture Matthew 5:13-16

Pray

Read scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

(NIV 1984) 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 by men.

You are the light of the world. A city 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 men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The supporting idea for this week is the same as last week
In our book on pg 61, it says… 
(Holman Commentary) SUPPORTING IDEA: “The righteousness of Jesus’ followers must impact their world.” (Must is a verb, an imperative, implying urgency and necessity and has force behind it.)

Quick Review of last week: Salt
In the Beatitudes, we are “growing into” the character of a true Christian. We are growing in humility and meekness, we are growing in our hunger and thirst for righteousness, we are growing in purity and our capacity to peacemakers, etc. 

But Salt and Light are slightly different.
Jesus does not say that we are “growing into” being Salt and Light. Rather, He says very clearly that we ARE Salt and Light. Whether we know it or not, whether we are aware of it or not. WE ARE SALT AND LIGHT, whether we like it or not. As Jesus launches into the main body of the Sermon on the Mount, this is something we need to know to understand the context of the rest of the Sermon.

After the section on the fulfillment of the law, which we are going over next week, there are 6 sections in the rest of Matthew 5;

1. Murder
2. Adultry
3. Divorce
4. Oaths
5. Eye for an Eye
6. Love for Enemies.

In each of these areas of life, we are to be Salt and Light.
Last week we learned that Salt preserves and purifies. And it makes people thirsty. 
Knowing this, and having the mindset that we are Salt, actually helps give flavor to the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. Does that make sense? (Show Olivetree!)
So keep this simple fact in mind as we go thru the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. 

Also, remember from last week, the righteousness of Jesus’ followers is not our own righteousness. It is God’s righteousness. Jesus is like the sun in the sky, and we are like moon. As the sun’s light hits the moon, the moon reflects that light here on the earth, and thus, the moon gives us light, but it is not the moon’s light. It is the sun’s light. In the same way, Jesus is the light of the world, and we are to reflect His light on the earth. But it is not our light, but Jesus’s light. Jesus’ light is spiritual light, not just physical light, and as such, it impacts every area of our lives.

Think of it like a light bulb. A light bulb has no light in and of itself. It get’s it power from plugging into the source of electricity. Without electricity, without a power source, there is no light. Our light source, our power source, is Jesus, and His power comes to us thru the Holy Spirit, thru the the Word of God and prayer. 

William Hendricksen says, in his commentary on Matthew, “Apart from Christ, we cannot shine.” 

Jesus says in John 15:5, (NIV 1984) 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

So- today, let’s talk a little bit about light.

Analysis of Light:
What is LIGHT?

On pg 62 in our book (Holman Commentary), it says, “The picture of light is similar to salt, in that both describe the influence the believer is to have in the world (“world” here is synonymous with earth in 5:13). However, it reveals a different facet of the believer’s influence. The function of light is to make reality or truth visible, thereby giving direction and guidance by what is seen.“

 Jesus’ light gives us direction and guidance for every area of our lives, for every aspect of our lives. There is NOTHING outside the scope of Jesus’ light. Nothing. 

The book then goes on to say, (Holman Commentary) “Jesus again used the emphatic “you,” and again clearly stated that this is already what a believer is, not something he might become.”

Sidebar: I would add to this that, yes, while it is 100% true and accurate that we ARE already Salt and Light, we can, with desire (hunger and thirst) and with effort and diligence, we can become MORE SALTY, and we can learn to reflect MORE and MORE OF THE LIGHT OF JESUS. WE CAN LEARN TO BECOME BRIGHTER LIGHTS.

So – I have a question for you…

Q: How does all this relate to us?
What are we to do with this information?

SPECIFICALLY?

WHAT CAN YOU AND I DO, TODAY, TO BE SALT AND LIGHT 

IN THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE THAT GOD GAVE US? 

WHO can I encourage TODAY? HOW?

With a good word from the Lord/Scripture? (this is where memorization really helps!)

With A word of encouragement? Patience? Kindness? Gentleness?

Unconditional love? Undeserved love? Tough love? 

Uncomfortable truth? Speaking the truth in love without being judgmental?

By being a peacemaker? By being pure in heart (people can tell!)

By being merciful? By being humble? Meek? 

By being hungry for truth and righteousness and holiness?

By being different – really different – than the world?

By bringing a sense of peace and calm into chaos and disjunction?

WHO can I believe in today?

With WHOM can I share the reason for my hope

and trust in the Lord of Life with TODAY?

A: We are to be influencers. Witnesses. We are to be like little moons, God’s light bulbs to bring HIS light into a dark world. 

How does all this relate to the SUPPORTING IDEA in our book that says, “The righteousness of Jesus’ followers must impact their world.”

Maybe Luke 11:33-36 will shed a little “light” on the subject.

A little background about Luke 11 and the Sermon on the Mount; how they relate to each other. Matthew recorded his version of it according to how the Holy Spirit led him, according to the purposes and audience of Matthew’s Gospel, which is a little different than Luke’s purpose and audience. Jesus preached in His public ministry for about three years. Most likely, historians and biblical scholars surmise, Jesus preached this sermon, or variations of it, many times and in many locations. We know for sure that He did this at least once, because Luke has a slightly different parts the Sermon on the Mount his Gospel in Luke sometimes called the Sermon on the Plain because of where it was given.

 In Luke 11 he talks about the light in a little more detail than Matthew’s version in the Sermon on the Mount. He says in Luke 11:33-36, (NIV 1984) “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

What is the brief idea of this? What you look at affect you – both you life and your light. If you look at the junk of this world, like the junk on TV, it will bring a little degree of darkness into who you are. Look at Jesus. Do not look at the junk of this world. Do not let the influence of the world – especially the evil influence of Hollywood, into your life! 

Look to Jesus! Look to the Word. Look to the church. Look to God. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus and you will see God. Keep your eyes focused on the Word, and the Word will be a Lamp unto your feet, and you will be full of light. Do not let darkness in. It will dilute your light. It will dim your light and make you unsalty.

1 John 2:15-17 says, 

(NIV 1984) 15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.“

Be who God made you to be. BE THE SALT of the earth. Be the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

The world needs us. The world needs our light. Or, more accurately, like we said last week, the world needs us to REFLECT the Light of Jesus. 

Can someone read John 1:1-5?

Then, John 1:6-9 says, (NIV 1984) 6 “There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

Then, John 3:19-21 says, (NIV 1984) 19 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Then, Eph 5:8-15 says, (NIV 1984) 8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise,“

Thoughts on being Salt and Light

Salt is effective only when it is salty, and light only when it is lit. (Me)

Get lit!

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QUOTES

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RELEVANT VERSES

Light:

1. Ps 119:130 Ps 119:30 says, (NIV 1984) 130 “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.“
2. Ps 19:8b (NIV 1984) 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
3. Pro 13:9 (NIV 1984) 9 ‘The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.”
4. Daniel 12:3 (NIV 1984) 3 “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

The MAIN POINT(s)
Our mission in this life is to be an influencer for good.

1. Be who God created and intended you to be.
   1. Be Salt and Light
   2. Be the Gospel
   3. Be an influencer – with your life and/or your lips – for Christ.
2. Love your enemies. 

OVERVIEW

Our response to the world is important! Our response is how we influence. Our response to the world around us is what makes us Salty and Light.

Salt and Light is how we respond to persecution, but not only how we respond to persecution, but how we respond to everything in this fallen world, including, and especially each topic in the rest of Matthew 5.

Knowing that we ARE Salt and Light informs how we understand the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. In and thru every section teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, we have an opportunity to be Salt and Light to the lost and fallen world around us. Especially to the people God has intentionally put in our sphere of influence. 

APPLICATION

1. Be who God made you to be!

2. Be prepared!

For us to be salt and light we need to prepare – to always be preparing. We need to be in the Word and submitted and committed to Christ and HIS purposes in the world. 

1 Peter 3:15-16 says, (NIV 1984) 15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.“

We can make Christ known AND attractive with, not only our lips – by sharing what Christ means to us in our hearts – but also with our lives, our actions, how we choose to live. 

3. Always be patient and kind and gentle and respectful. 

Phil 2:14-15 tells us to…

(NIV 1984) 14 “Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe…“

And Eph 5:8-14 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
“Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

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Next week: 

Matthew 5:17-20: Fulfilling the Law

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Notes: 

What has Christianity contributed to the world?

1. Orphanages
2. Hospitals
3. Dignity for women and children
4. Human rights
5. Moral reforms
6. University
7. Science
8. Art

Early Christians who were martyred in the Roman Coliseum were salt and light in how they died, and eventually changed the culture of Rome, leading to end of the “games,” and the beginning of Christianity in Rome.