1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,300 A Bible reading this morning is Matthew 5, 13-16, and I'll be reading from the NIV. 2 00:00:12,300 --> 00:00:17,020 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made 3 00:00:17,020 --> 00:00:18,580 salty again? 4 00:00:18,580 --> 00:00:24,420 It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 5 00:00:24,420 --> 00:00:25,900 You are the light of the world. 6 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:29,220 A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 7 00:00:29,220 --> 00:00:32,380 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. 8 00:00:32,380 --> 00:00:37,380 Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. 9 00:00:37,380 --> 00:00:42,180 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds 10 00:00:42,180 --> 00:00:45,780 and glorify your Father in heaven. 11 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:51,100 Good morning everyone. 12 00:00:51,100 --> 00:00:57,540 It is wonderful to be together in church and to be singing together, praying together, 13 00:00:57,540 --> 00:01:04,140 and right now we are going to listen to these words from our God together. 14 00:01:04,140 --> 00:01:15,620 But before we do that, let us join together in prayer. 15 00:01:15,620 --> 00:01:22,700 Father God, we are indeed so thankful that we are able to be here together, singing your 16 00:01:22,700 --> 00:01:31,180 praises, worshipping you in public, speaking these words from the Bible, that we are not 17 00:01:31,180 --> 00:01:36,660 afraid for our very lives right now, like some of our brothers and sisters around the 18 00:01:36,660 --> 00:01:40,260 world who are doing this in secret. 19 00:01:40,260 --> 00:01:48,540 Father, we ask that as we come to this text this morning, that your Spirit, your Holy 20 00:01:48,540 --> 00:01:55,900 Spirit would be at work among us, that Christ would be held high and that this high calling 21 00:01:55,900 --> 00:02:01,980 that we as your disciples, Lord Jesus, that are called to, that you would lead and guide 22 00:02:01,980 --> 00:02:10,900 us, Lord, that we would be a people that would be indeed light and salt of this earth. 23 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:16,300 We ask for this in Jesus' name, Amen. 24 00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:22,500 A man flew into New York and hired a taxi to take him downtown. 25 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:29,180 As he was riding along the way, they came to a red light and the driver went right on 26 00:02:29,180 --> 00:02:31,300 through the red light. 27 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:35,460 The man said, hey, the light was red, you're supposed to stop. 28 00:02:35,460 --> 00:02:39,860 The driver said, yeah, I know, but my brother does it all the time. 29 00:02:39,860 --> 00:02:45,220 Soon they came to a second red light and again they went right on through it. 30 00:02:45,220 --> 00:02:50,460 The passenger said, you're going to get us killed, that light was red, why didn't you 31 00:02:50,460 --> 00:02:51,460 stop? 32 00:02:51,460 --> 00:02:55,620 The driver said, don't worry about it, my brother does it all the time. 33 00:02:55,620 --> 00:03:00,900 Then they came to a green light and suddenly he stopped. 34 00:03:00,900 --> 00:03:05,700 The man said, the light's green, now is the time to go, why don't you go on through? 35 00:03:05,700 --> 00:03:10,580 The driver answered, I know it's green, but you never know when my brother's going to 36 00:03:10,580 --> 00:03:14,260 come on through. 37 00:03:14,260 --> 00:03:20,260 Now why might that illustration be relevant for us here this morning? 38 00:03:20,260 --> 00:03:27,180 Well because sometimes it seems as if the whole world is doing things backwards, going 39 00:03:27,180 --> 00:03:33,860 through an endless series of red lights and stopping on green, consistently trying things 40 00:03:33,860 --> 00:03:39,020 that don't work and are somewhat incredibly terrifying. 41 00:03:39,020 --> 00:03:48,220 And like it or not, there are serious consequences and eternal consequences in rejecting God's 42 00:03:48,220 --> 00:03:49,820 order in this world. 43 00:03:49,820 --> 00:03:58,540 But here's the thing, we the church are called to not just sit there and do nothing about 44 00:03:58,540 --> 00:04:05,380 it, no, we're called to engage with this world so that people will come to the knowledge 45 00:04:05,380 --> 00:04:09,340 of the truth and be saved. 46 00:04:09,340 --> 00:04:13,580 But before we get into any of that, we need to have a think about where we've come from 47 00:04:13,580 --> 00:04:20,380 so far in the book of Matthews so that we can understand what's going on in our passage 48 00:04:20,380 --> 00:04:21,380 this morning. 49 00:04:21,380 --> 00:04:27,800 Now just a few weeks ago, we worked our way through chapter four with Sean Tan, who generously 50 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,200 came to preach for us. 51 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:37,340 And we saw that Jesus went to Galilee when he heard that John had been put into prison, 52 00:04:37,340 --> 00:04:42,140 which was something God told Israel would happen regarding the Messiah. 53 00:04:42,140 --> 00:04:48,180 Saying, through the prophet Isaiah, land of Zebulun, land of Nephtali, the way of the 54 00:04:48,180 --> 00:04:55,820 sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people living in darkness have seen a 55 00:04:55,820 --> 00:04:58,060 great light. 56 00:04:58,060 --> 00:05:05,020 Beyond those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. 57 00:05:05,020 --> 00:05:08,900 Now that's interesting what's being said there for a couple of reasons. 58 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:14,700 First, because nothing that happened in the life of Jesus was by mistake. 59 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:22,060 God planned it all, even where Jesus would live and he proclaimed it to Israel 700 years 60 00:05:22,060 --> 00:05:24,180 before it even happened. 61 00:05:24,180 --> 00:05:29,340 But I digress, because it's the second thing that I want you to notice here. 62 00:05:29,340 --> 00:05:34,100 And that's what Isaiah called Jesus and saw of him. 63 00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:42,660 And that was that Jesus would be a great light in this dark, dark world. 64 00:05:42,660 --> 00:05:48,860 It's after the fulfilment of that prophecy, wrote Matthew, that we then saw Jesus not 65 00:05:48,860 --> 00:05:57,700 remain withdrawn in any sense, but then enter into his public ministry as this light, proclaiming 66 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:02,340 repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near. 67 00:06:02,340 --> 00:06:07,420 Which is another way of saying God's kingdom that you've been waiting for Israel, it's 68 00:06:07,420 --> 00:06:08,920 finally here. 69 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:14,180 And Jesus proved that to be the case as he went through that region with the disciples 70 00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:16,860 that he had picked up along the way. 71 00:06:16,860 --> 00:06:22,180 Working in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every 72 00:06:22,180 --> 00:06:25,180 disease and sickness. 73 00:06:25,180 --> 00:06:29,840 To which Jesus was becoming more and more famous throughout the land. 74 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:35,740 So much so that as we saw last week, Jesus went up on a mountain and large crowds from 75 00:06:35,740 --> 00:06:42,980 all over the country had come to see and hear what he was about. 76 00:06:42,980 --> 00:06:49,420 Which as we saw was incredibly significant because Jesus was more than just a great teacher 77 00:06:49,420 --> 00:06:52,020 doing great things among these people. 78 00:06:52,020 --> 00:06:58,820 No, he was much more as the opening scene of the sermon on the mount had the flavour 79 00:06:58,820 --> 00:07:02,420 of what Moses said would happen one day. 80 00:07:02,420 --> 00:07:09,740 Namely that one greater than he would eventually come to God's people and have the very words 81 00:07:09,740 --> 00:07:13,140 of God to give to them. 82 00:07:13,140 --> 00:07:17,340 What were those words that Jesus said to them? 83 00:07:17,340 --> 00:07:23,380 We saw that throughout the announcements of blessing or the Beatitudes as they're classically 84 00:07:23,380 --> 00:07:31,540 called, none of them could be achieved in and of ourselves in any real or lasting way. 85 00:07:31,540 --> 00:07:38,140 For example, Jesus preached to the crowds that one is blessed if they're poor in spirit. 86 00:07:38,140 --> 00:07:45,660 Meaning that one had so come to the end of themselves that they relied on God for everything. 87 00:07:45,660 --> 00:07:50,980 Looking at nothing in themselves to enter into his kingdom. 88 00:07:50,980 --> 00:07:56,660 They looked to him alone, which was the main thrust of all that Jesus said in the opening 89 00:07:56,660 --> 00:07:59,300 verses of chapter five. 90 00:07:59,300 --> 00:08:05,380 What was interesting about what Jesus said about those who are poor in spirit is that 91 00:08:05,380 --> 00:08:11,380 the kingdom is talked about in the present tense. 92 00:08:11,380 --> 00:08:16,140 It's talked about in the present tense as there's now. 93 00:08:16,140 --> 00:08:22,340 Notice it, if you have your Bibles with you this morning, chapter five, verse three, blessed 94 00:08:22,340 --> 00:08:27,500 are the poor in spirit for there's is the kingdom of heaven. 95 00:08:27,500 --> 00:08:34,740 Verse 10, blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness for there's is the 96 00:08:34,740 --> 00:08:37,100 kingdom of heaven. 97 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:45,980 And I mention this because these two pronouncements bookend the Beatitudes with this present tense 98 00:08:45,980 --> 00:08:48,980 language. 99 00:08:48,980 --> 00:08:56,260 Now I want you to notice this because language is so important for us to take note of as 100 00:08:56,260 --> 00:09:00,840 you work your way through any biblical text. 101 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:06,220 Because every word matters and the Beatitudes are no different. 102 00:09:06,220 --> 00:09:13,020 And the careful reader will notice that Jesus is doing a few interesting things with the 103 00:09:13,020 --> 00:09:17,440 language throughout the opening of this sermon. 104 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:22,500 Like he would talk in the present and then in the future tense. 105 00:09:22,500 --> 00:09:27,060 He would speak in an active and then in a passive way. 106 00:09:27,060 --> 00:09:33,420 Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted, for example. 107 00:09:33,420 --> 00:09:39,220 And I mention this because we also need to notice that the language switches in verses 108 00:09:39,220 --> 00:09:45,420 11 and 12 from the third to the second person. 109 00:09:45,420 --> 00:09:51,180 Notice it, it goes from they to you. 110 00:09:51,180 --> 00:09:53,740 Now why might that be the case? 111 00:09:53,740 --> 00:09:58,020 Well looking back at verses 1 and 2 we actually get the answer. 112 00:09:58,020 --> 00:10:04,860 See if you go back to those verses you'll notice that when Jesus saw the crowds he sat 113 00:10:04,860 --> 00:10:07,540 down and began to teach. 114 00:10:07,540 --> 00:10:15,100 But you'll also notice that Matthew mentions that his disciples came to him as well. 115 00:10:15,100 --> 00:10:21,500 So it seems in one sense that Jesus was teaching in a general way to all those who were gathered 116 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:29,220 to hear him to the crowds but then switched to a specific sense in verses 11 and 12 to 117 00:10:29,220 --> 00:10:33,340 address his disciples personally. 118 00:10:33,340 --> 00:10:35,620 What does he say to them? 119 00:10:35,620 --> 00:10:42,340 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against 120 00:10:42,340 --> 00:10:44,580 you because of me. 121 00:10:44,580 --> 00:10:49,220 Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven for in the same way they 122 00:10:49,220 --> 00:10:56,020 persecuted the prophets who were before you. 123 00:10:56,020 --> 00:11:01,340 That's some interesting English class there Michael but why mention it? 124 00:11:01,340 --> 00:11:11,180 Well because the personal second pronoun you continues right into our text this morning. 125 00:11:11,180 --> 00:11:17,820 Meaning that Jesus is specifically addressing those who had come in a very real sense to 126 00:11:17,820 --> 00:11:27,660 the end of themselves and had left their way of doing things to follow Jesus as his disciple. 127 00:11:27,660 --> 00:11:33,060 All this to say what we've seen thus far in the ministry of Jesus the Messiah the light 128 00:11:33,060 --> 00:11:39,720 that had come into this dark world is that he had come to establish the long awaited 129 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:46,940 kingdom of heaven and that those who believed his preaching of repentance well they became 130 00:11:46,940 --> 00:11:53,980 his disciples to whom Jesus saw as people who had entered God's kingdom and had themselves 131 00:11:53,980 --> 00:11:57,420 become the salt and light in this world. 132 00:11:57,420 --> 00:12:02,700 So with that said let's have a look at what Jesus has to say not only to the disciples 133 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:10,200 of his day but to anyone who has come to the end of themselves and put their trust in Jesus 134 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:12,860 and become his disciple. 135 00:12:12,860 --> 00:12:19,180 If you have your Bibles let's have a look at the text verse 13. 136 00:12:19,180 --> 00:12:30,940 You are the salt of the earth and we really need to understand what Jesus is saying here 137 00:12:30,940 --> 00:12:38,340 because salt is such an interesting thing to call people right. 138 00:12:38,340 --> 00:12:46,380 It's interesting to call anyone let alone in the ancient world. 139 00:12:46,380 --> 00:12:53,400 You see salt in these times was used for a number of different things but it might be 140 00:12:53,400 --> 00:13:00,220 noted that it was primarily used in the ancient world as a preservative. 141 00:13:00,220 --> 00:13:05,220 That's because in the ancient world no one had a fridge so they needed a way to preserve 142 00:13:05,220 --> 00:13:09,220 their meat and of course it didn't taste too bad either. 143 00:13:09,220 --> 00:13:13,740 So there might be a couple of different pictures that we're getting here on a couple of different 144 00:13:13,740 --> 00:13:15,700 levels. 145 00:13:15,700 --> 00:13:20,700 The Lexham dictionary of biblical theology puts it like this. 146 00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:26,100 Salt is one of the most common substances on the earth and cannot be destroyed by fire 147 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:27,580 or time. 148 00:13:27,580 --> 00:13:33,900 Also known as white gold it is one of the most significant substances in history along 149 00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:36,240 with iron, gold and wheat. 150 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:43,340 In ancient societies it was a valuable social and economic commodity which was used to preserve 151 00:13:43,340 --> 00:13:48,060 such things as olives and fish. 152 00:13:48,060 --> 00:13:53,500 So thinking about what Jesus has called his disciples here in this ancient context it 153 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:59,780 seems that he's saying you have something to do in this world and if you're not out 154 00:13:59,780 --> 00:14:08,420 there doing what you're meant to be doing the world will rot, fester and waste away. 155 00:14:08,420 --> 00:14:14,460 Now we all know by reading through the gospel according to any of the evangelists that Jesus 156 00:14:14,460 --> 00:14:20,340 couldn't possibly be talking about his disciples and their own bright ideas right. 157 00:14:20,340 --> 00:14:25,300 I mean my connect group is going through the book of Mark at the moment and we're seeing 158 00:14:25,300 --> 00:14:30,860 through the weeks that the disciples of Jesus well they don't really get what he's about 159 00:14:30,860 --> 00:14:32,340 most of the time. 160 00:14:32,340 --> 00:14:37,380 I mean they play background characters in a lot of the scenes but as we'll see when 161 00:14:37,380 --> 00:14:43,180 they do speak they seem to have foot in mouth syndrome. 162 00:14:43,180 --> 00:14:47,780 So we shouldn't walk away from what Jesus is saying here to these disciples thinking 163 00:14:47,780 --> 00:14:54,140 to ourselves that Jesus was saying you disciples with your big personalities you're going to 164 00:14:54,140 --> 00:15:03,820 win the world over, not in any sense and that's why we can't disconnect what's come before. 165 00:15:03,820 --> 00:15:08,700 Those who had heard the message of Jesus, heard the message to repent, those who had 166 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:16,060 seen their dire need for God well the kingdom of heaven was theirs and they as the disciples 167 00:15:16,060 --> 00:15:24,620 of Jesus were the salt of the earth as they lived in light of what God had told them. 168 00:15:24,620 --> 00:15:31,900 In other words their very obedience to God's word would have such a profound effect on 169 00:15:31,900 --> 00:15:41,520 the society around them that they were likened to salt which preserved flesh. 170 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:49,620 And church we mustn't just relegate this to the annuals of the past, no not in any sense. 171 00:15:49,620 --> 00:15:58,480 What Jesus said to his disciples here applies directly to us this morning as well. 172 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:03,140 If you have seen your desperate need to be saved, if you have called upon the name of 173 00:16:03,140 --> 00:16:10,740 the Lord and you trust in Jesus alone then there has been an awesome supernatural work 174 00:16:10,740 --> 00:16:12,940 take place in you. 175 00:16:12,940 --> 00:16:19,380 So much so that you have been transformed to what Jesus calls born again and because 176 00:16:19,380 --> 00:16:26,900 of that supernatural work that has taken place in you by the work of the Holy Spirit, that 177 00:16:26,900 --> 00:16:34,340 deep desire that you have to quit doing things your way and follow Jesus in every area of 178 00:16:34,340 --> 00:16:41,220 your life mustn't ever be pushed aside or ignored. 179 00:16:41,220 --> 00:16:49,380 Brother and sister though you might look at your life and see so, so, so much that still 180 00:16:49,380 --> 00:16:58,420 needs to change, that transfer from death to life, from darkness to light, from highway 181 00:16:58,420 --> 00:17:06,140 to hell to heavenly home permeates through you more and more as you trust and obey the 182 00:17:06,140 --> 00:17:09,500 Lord in this world. 183 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:12,060 That's what Jesus is saying. 184 00:17:12,060 --> 00:17:18,300 He's saying you disciples are not to withdraw from this world, from your community, no not 185 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:19,940 in any sense. 186 00:17:19,940 --> 00:17:26,940 The world needs people of the kingdom present and working in this world so it doesn't rot 187 00:17:26,940 --> 00:17:27,940 away. 188 00:17:27,940 --> 00:17:35,060 And like soldier influence in those places will be for the good. 189 00:17:35,060 --> 00:17:39,980 Paul says it like this when speaking to the Corinthians, for we are to God the pleasing 190 00:17:39,980 --> 00:17:47,260 aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those and notice this language who 191 00:17:47,260 --> 00:17:50,060 are perishing. 192 00:17:50,060 --> 00:17:56,220 Amazing amazing stuff right where you are now Christian, right where God has you in 193 00:17:56,220 --> 00:18:02,580 this life, in your family, in your job, in your community, in your street, wherever God 194 00:18:02,580 --> 00:18:11,500 has you because of his work in you, because of your obedience in response to his totally 195 00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:20,420 unmerited favour, you are so, so, so much more than a mum, than a brother, an employee, 196 00:18:20,420 --> 00:18:22,660 a friend or neighbour. 197 00:18:22,660 --> 00:18:31,220 You're a beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, changed and commissioned to take and live 198 00:18:31,220 --> 00:18:35,860 out his preserving message wherever you go. 199 00:18:35,860 --> 00:18:39,420 That's what you are in a very real sense. 200 00:18:39,420 --> 00:18:46,380 We might say you're an insulted person which totally gives us a different outlook on our 201 00:18:46,380 --> 00:18:49,520 weekly environments, right? 202 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:55,260 Because the places that we find ourselves in, the streets where we live, the places 203 00:18:55,260 --> 00:19:01,860 that we play sport, the classes we take, the people we meet, the people we work with, where 204 00:19:01,860 --> 00:19:10,380 they're all environments where we have been sent to influence this world for Christ and 205 00:19:10,380 --> 00:19:13,260 his kingdom. 206 00:19:13,260 --> 00:19:17,420 Amazing stuff, amazing, amazing stuff. 207 00:19:17,420 --> 00:19:20,300 But hang on for just a moment. 208 00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:26,460 You see, like we're not to disconnect these disciples from ourselves, their commission 209 00:19:26,460 --> 00:19:33,940 and commands from our commission and command, we too, by no means can ignore the perplexing 210 00:19:33,940 --> 00:19:37,100 warning that Jesus then gives. 211 00:19:37,100 --> 00:19:44,820 Verse 13, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 212 00:19:44,820 --> 00:19:50,540 It's no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 213 00:19:50,540 --> 00:19:59,300 Now I say that this warning is perplexing because salt, by its very nature, can be nothing 214 00:19:59,300 --> 00:20:08,980 other than salt, which means that salt cannot really lose its saltiness or by implication 215 00:20:08,980 --> 00:20:12,540 be made salty again. 216 00:20:12,540 --> 00:20:17,420 Some have argued that Jesus is using something called hyperbolic language here. 217 00:20:17,420 --> 00:20:24,820 He's saying that this is impossible, suggesting that salt losing its saltiness can't happen 218 00:20:24,820 --> 00:20:31,620 and thus disciples who are really disciples will never lose their flavour, so to speak. 219 00:20:31,620 --> 00:20:39,860 We mustn't move past this warning too quickly, church, because he has said something and 220 00:20:39,860 --> 00:20:43,420 we need to take note. 221 00:20:43,420 --> 00:20:49,780 See I don't think this is primarily a comment on salvation as it is on witness. 222 00:20:49,780 --> 00:20:55,940 And if we are to take it as Jesus talking about our witness in this world, then we must 223 00:20:55,940 --> 00:21:02,260 take into account that in context here, salt from the marshes of the regions Jesus ministered 224 00:21:02,260 --> 00:21:08,860 in and the Dead Sea were always in danger of being adulterated with sand and thus in 225 00:21:08,860 --> 00:21:13,380 no way could be used as a preservative for anything. 226 00:21:13,380 --> 00:21:16,900 So it was thrown out as utterly useless. 227 00:21:16,900 --> 00:21:24,260 D.A. Carson puts it like this, salt in the ancient world was always in danger of losing 228 00:21:24,260 --> 00:21:30,100 its effectiveness in keeping corruption at bay and thus would have to be jettisoned if 229 00:21:30,100 --> 00:21:35,380 compromised as a useless commodity. 230 00:21:35,380 --> 00:21:39,700 Remember that's what salt was among other things in the ancient world. 231 00:21:39,700 --> 00:21:49,500 It was used on flesh to fight deterioration and therefore it must not itself deteriorate. 232 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:55,460 The illustration couldn't be any more clearer on the back of verses 11 and 12. 233 00:21:55,460 --> 00:22:03,580 Jesus is saying to his disciples, don't compromise with the world because if you do you'll lose 234 00:22:03,580 --> 00:22:07,260 your effectiveness in this world. 235 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:13,660 Think about it, Jesus has said you will be disrespected, persecuted and slandered because 236 00:22:13,660 --> 00:22:14,660 of me. 237 00:22:14,660 --> 00:22:22,260 But when, not if, when that happens, don't think that something has gone horribly wrong 238 00:22:22,260 --> 00:22:27,780 because they did the exact same things to all those who came before you who stood for 239 00:22:27,780 --> 00:22:29,900 the kingdom of heaven. 240 00:22:29,900 --> 00:22:34,220 So when you're out there in the world living in the way that God would have you, if you 241 00:22:34,220 --> 00:22:40,860 compromise with the world, if you mix all that it adopts with what God calls you to, 242 00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:52,460 your effectiveness in this world will be utterly useless and good for nothing. 243 00:22:52,460 --> 00:22:58,660 That's the thing brothers and sisters, that we as the disciples of Christ individually 244 00:22:58,660 --> 00:23:03,480 and as the church must pay attention to. 245 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:10,620 We are called to engage with this world but not compromise with it. 246 00:23:10,620 --> 00:23:16,260 You become so tempting in the face of being fired because you won't affirm a certain colleague's 247 00:23:16,260 --> 00:23:21,660 pronoun choices or called a bigot because you won't celebrate a family member's life 248 00:23:21,660 --> 00:23:27,580 decision or hated by friends because you won't shift on saying there's one way and his name 249 00:23:27,580 --> 00:23:30,180 is Jesus Christ. 250 00:23:30,180 --> 00:23:37,620 The list goes on and on and on and these are very real things that face us day in and day 251 00:23:37,620 --> 00:23:41,980 out as Christians here in Australia. 252 00:23:41,980 --> 00:23:50,100 The reality is church, the message of the kingdom, the good news of Jesus is worth the 253 00:23:50,100 --> 00:23:58,340 slander, disrespect and persecution because if our family, friends, work colleagues, neighbours, 254 00:23:58,340 --> 00:24:03,340 communities and city is going to be preserved from eternal destruction, if this is what 255 00:24:03,340 --> 00:24:09,580 we believe, it's not going to come through you and me adopting the way of the world to 256 00:24:09,580 --> 00:24:13,060 seem more appealing to them. 257 00:24:13,060 --> 00:24:18,880 Now it's going to come through living our transformed lives in front of this world showing 258 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:30,780 them that there is a right way and we do it in truth and we do it in love. 259 00:24:30,780 --> 00:24:39,180 Jesus then shifts metaphor saying in verse 14, you are the light of the world. 260 00:24:39,180 --> 00:24:43,900 Now I want to make a couple of comments on what Jesus has said here because for some 261 00:24:43,900 --> 00:24:49,860 of us a comment is uncomfortable. 262 00:24:49,860 --> 00:24:57,740 That saying, that second personal pronoun is there again. 263 00:24:57,740 --> 00:25:04,260 Notice it, Jesus says you, you are the light of the world. 264 00:25:04,260 --> 00:25:09,180 But if we're honest with ourselves and I always think we should be, we know that if we really 265 00:25:09,180 --> 00:25:15,060 assess ourselves by the standards of let's say the Beatitudes, we know that there is 266 00:25:15,060 --> 00:25:21,060 no light that comes from in and of ourselves, just the opposite. 267 00:25:21,060 --> 00:25:25,060 We are the poor in spirit. 268 00:25:25,060 --> 00:25:27,740 So what is Jesus saying here? 269 00:25:27,740 --> 00:25:34,260 Well for this to be really understood, we have to understand what Jesus is saying here 270 00:25:34,260 --> 00:25:41,780 in its wider biblical context because light is one of scriptures most common symbols and 271 00:25:41,780 --> 00:25:49,500 Jesus's original Jewish audience who knew the Hebrew scriptures would have known that. 272 00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:55,660 For example in the Psalms, God is revealed as light over and over again and that his 273 00:25:55,660 --> 00:26:01,440 very word, his very word is a lamp unto our feet. 274 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:07,340 And Jesus as we have seen in the prophecy given by Isaiah which Matthew said was fulfilled 275 00:26:07,340 --> 00:26:15,540 by the coming of Jesus into this world, shows us that Jesus was the coming light that dawned 276 00:26:15,540 --> 00:26:25,340 and Jesus will even go on to say in John 8-12 that I am the light of the world. 277 00:26:25,340 --> 00:26:29,740 That's the thing that we come to understand in regards to the whole council of scripture 278 00:26:29,740 --> 00:26:31,900 and it's this. 279 00:26:31,900 --> 00:26:42,420 We the human race, we're in the dark but God, well here's the one who came into our world 280 00:26:42,420 --> 00:26:50,180 and here's the one who is the light of all people and so as we believe the gospel and 281 00:26:50,180 --> 00:26:58,140 turn to him and not just listen to his word but obey what it says, we are in a very real 282 00:26:58,140 --> 00:27:05,860 sense as the disciples of Jesus, the light of this world. 283 00:27:05,860 --> 00:27:12,660 The apostle Paul puts it like this in Ephesians 5 verses 8-13, we heard it before. 284 00:27:12,660 --> 00:27:17,700 You were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. 285 00:27:17,700 --> 00:27:23,660 Live as children of light for the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth and 286 00:27:23,660 --> 00:27:29,500 find out what pleases the Lord, have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness 287 00:27:29,500 --> 00:27:34,460 but rather expose them. 288 00:27:34,460 --> 00:27:43,980 Hear what's being said here church, God never left his children in the dark but became the 289 00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:46,260 man Jesus Christ. 290 00:27:46,260 --> 00:27:55,940 He came into our world not just to show us the way but to save us, to transform us and 291 00:27:55,940 --> 00:28:03,780 make us light in the Lord as Paul puts it and because of the awesome transforming work 292 00:28:03,780 --> 00:28:11,940 of God on our behalf, we are able to live as children of light or as Jesus puts it here, 293 00:28:11,940 --> 00:28:14,940 the light of the world. 294 00:28:14,940 --> 00:28:22,380 That's what we are because of Jesus, we are like a light bulb that has been switched on 295 00:28:22,380 --> 00:28:31,500 in a dark room to show it for what it really is, a place that is lost and full of people 296 00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:38,140 who are lost and poor in spirit. 297 00:28:38,140 --> 00:28:43,940 Now many of you might be aware that an incredible event happened this week where Perth came 298 00:28:43,940 --> 00:28:51,940 under the shadow of the moon and that happened because the moon came between us and the sun 299 00:28:51,940 --> 00:28:59,980 which caused an eclipse which just sounds so exciting right? 300 00:28:59,980 --> 00:29:08,860 So exactly 11.21 on Thursday we got our kids ready to witness this incredible event and 301 00:29:08,860 --> 00:29:15,180 I must confess I was a little bit excited about this as well. 302 00:29:15,180 --> 00:29:23,100 And so without looking at the sun we stood outside and waited for this massive eclipse 303 00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:26,020 to take place. 304 00:29:26,020 --> 00:29:31,740 Now church I don't want to be cynical or anything but I told you what a let down. 305 00:29:31,740 --> 00:29:38,140 I mean I was expecting something like a biblical event where it was so dark that you would 306 00:29:38,140 --> 00:29:45,940 call day night and I may have described it to my children like that as well. 307 00:29:45,940 --> 00:29:54,020 So when the sun was eclipsed by the moon and it was still brighter than an overcast day 308 00:29:54,020 --> 00:29:57,900 we were all pretty disappointed. 309 00:29:57,900 --> 00:30:01,460 I might say I was the most disappointed. 310 00:30:01,460 --> 00:30:04,540 Such is the power of the sun. 311 00:30:04,540 --> 00:30:13,500 It's so bright that even if the moon covers 75% of its light the earth is hardly affected 312 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:15,580 by it. 313 00:30:15,580 --> 00:30:22,540 That's what Jesus is getting about, talking about when he says a town built on a hill 314 00:30:22,540 --> 00:30:26,820 cannot be hidden verse 14. 315 00:30:26,820 --> 00:30:34,040 He's saying that such light radiates from the people of God either individually or corporately 316 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:40,260 as the church that when it does come in contact with the darkness of this world the light 317 00:30:40,260 --> 00:30:45,620 that we radiate is impossible to ignore. 318 00:30:45,620 --> 00:30:51,340 Because we as the disciples of Jesus live in such a way that it's like trying to not 319 00:30:51,340 --> 00:30:56,660 notice a city in the middle of nowhere. 320 00:30:56,660 --> 00:31:01,220 Jesus goes on neither to people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. 321 00:31:01,220 --> 00:31:05,980 Either they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. 322 00:31:05,980 --> 00:31:14,080 In other words that light, that light that Jesus by his work has brought us into is going 323 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:20,900 to shine and people of this world they're going to notice it. 324 00:31:20,900 --> 00:31:29,420 And yes, yes this world seems so dark at times. 325 00:31:29,420 --> 00:31:33,140 Such black in some cases. 326 00:31:33,140 --> 00:31:41,780 But like an eclipse on a beautiful autumn day that darkness isn't going to really overcome 327 00:31:41,780 --> 00:31:44,280 that light. 328 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:52,500 And believe it or not though we might not see it right now what we do in this generation, 329 00:31:52,500 --> 00:32:01,180 what we do where God has us right now as individuals and as grace Christian church and the wider 330 00:32:01,180 --> 00:32:10,740 body in whole with our very lives in response with what God has called us to do drastically 331 00:32:10,740 --> 00:32:13,900 impacts the world around us. 332 00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:22,100 That's because our lives are a living testimony to those in the world who don't have what 333 00:32:22,100 --> 00:32:23,100 we possess. 334 00:32:23,100 --> 00:32:29,660 That's why Jesus goes on to say in verse 16 in the same way let your light shine before 335 00:32:29,660 --> 00:32:41,340 others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. 336 00:32:41,340 --> 00:32:48,660 This morning church we have seen that we are called to be so much more than just nice polite 337 00:32:48,660 --> 00:32:51,460 people in this world. 338 00:32:51,460 --> 00:32:58,780 So we've been called by the living God and commissioned to be the salt and light of the 339 00:32:58,780 --> 00:33:00,380 world. 340 00:33:00,380 --> 00:33:05,660 As we've seen this morning salt and light are both effective commodities. 341 00:33:05,660 --> 00:33:11,280 That's because they change the environment into which they're introduced. 342 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:15,180 It may be argued that salt and light have complementary effects. 343 00:33:15,180 --> 00:33:18,180 The influence of salt is negative. 344 00:33:18,180 --> 00:33:20,580 It hinders bacterial decay. 345 00:33:20,580 --> 00:33:22,340 The influence of light is positive. 346 00:33:22,340 --> 00:33:24,860 It illuminates the darkness. 347 00:33:24,860 --> 00:33:33,380 This means that the influence of us on society, us here this morning on this society, this 348 00:33:33,380 --> 00:33:40,300 community is intended by Jesus to be both negative, checking the spread of evil by the 349 00:33:40,300 --> 00:33:48,260 way we live out our faith and positive promoting the truth and especially speaking the gospel 350 00:33:48,260 --> 00:33:50,460 to people. 351 00:33:50,460 --> 00:33:57,740 Meaning that wherever you find yourself in whatever context you're in you are there for 352 00:33:57,740 --> 00:34:00,340 a purpose. 353 00:34:00,340 --> 00:34:06,460 You're not to ignore people driving through the so-called red lights. 354 00:34:06,460 --> 00:34:08,900 We're to engage. 355 00:34:08,900 --> 00:34:13,540 Some of you might be wondering here this morning, Michael how on earth am I meant to preach 356 00:34:13,540 --> 00:34:16,940 the gospel and teach others about the Bible? 357 00:34:16,940 --> 00:34:25,300 This is the thing brothers and sisters, salt and light are such incredibly common things 358 00:34:25,300 --> 00:34:27,220 in this world. 359 00:34:27,220 --> 00:34:30,780 And I think that's what we're meant to see in all of this. 360 00:34:30,780 --> 00:34:38,740 God uses the common things of this world to do incredible things. 361 00:34:38,740 --> 00:34:44,820 Salt preserves and light reveals things that might be lurking in the dark. 362 00:34:44,820 --> 00:34:51,420 And it's as we not withdraw from the world but engage with it with our words and with 363 00:34:51,420 --> 00:34:59,140 our very lives that have been transformed by the work of our Lord and Saviour that we 364 00:34:59,140 --> 00:35:05,860 will see the effect of God take place. 365 00:35:05,860 --> 00:35:08,780 Let's pray. 366 00:35:08,780 --> 00:35:18,140 Father, we have heard this morning from this pulpit a prayer to you that has gone to your 367 00:35:18,140 --> 00:35:25,300 throne room because of your assurance that there are governments that like Psalm 2 warns 368 00:35:25,300 --> 00:35:31,820 that are trying to cast off your bonds and throw your cords aside. 369 00:35:31,820 --> 00:35:38,420 There is a great warning in that Psalm that you laugh at them at those efforts and that 370 00:35:38,420 --> 00:35:44,420 you will put them in confusion into derision Lord and we are seeing that in this world. 371 00:35:44,420 --> 00:35:54,540 Governments, councils, kings, governors that are trying to cast you aside and Father it 372 00:35:54,540 --> 00:36:00,860 is terrifying but we thank you for your word that you have revealed to us that you are 373 00:36:00,860 --> 00:36:09,460 the King of Kings, you are the Lord of Lords and that we aren't to hide away but to be 374 00:36:09,460 --> 00:36:17,860 bold in our faith, to speak truth and to love as you have loved us with a self-sacrificial 375 00:36:17,860 --> 00:36:18,860 love. 376 00:36:18,860 --> 00:36:26,460 Father, we are keenly aware that some of us will be mocked, cancelled, fired. 377 00:36:26,460 --> 00:36:33,100 Lord, I don't know what you have called this church too but Father we are keenly aware 378 00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:39,060 that this world is not loving and wanting to pat the church on the back. 379 00:36:39,060 --> 00:36:45,500 So Lord would you give us strength because we never want to bow the knee to this world 380 00:36:45,500 --> 00:36:49,500 but Father to follow you wherever it may take us. 381 00:36:49,500 --> 00:36:55,620 We ask Lord that you would use us individually as your servants, as your family but that 382 00:36:55,620 --> 00:37:01,460 you would use us as a church, that we would never compromise on truth, that we would love 383 00:37:01,460 --> 00:37:08,540 the people you send to us whoever they may be and that that word, the gospel invites 384 00:37:08,540 --> 00:37:12,040 us to come as we are but not to stay as we are. 385 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:18,120 We pray that this place would be Christ-centred, gospel-focused and that you would have your 386 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:19,620 way with us. 387 00:37:19,620 --> 00:37:22,820 We ask for this in the precious name of Jesus Christ. 388 00:37:22,820 --> 00:37:25,820 Amen.