Scripture: Matthew
5:13-20
One of the important themes of the Gospel of Matthew is the
kingdom of heaven. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows us that the kingdom
of heaven is different from the kingdom of earth. He began with the Beatitudes
in which we find that the blessed people are opposite to those the world would
call blessed because their hope is in God. In today’s reading Jesus’ sermon
continues as he describes his disciples as salt and light, and then turns his
attention to the fulfillment of the Law. The effect of the reading is to see
ourselves as in the world, but distinct – just as salt and light are distinct
and noticeable. At the same time, we note the importance of good works as a
part of our lives to point people to God.
Teaching
Salt and light are essential. Salt is a preservative. Light
symbolizes all that is good. Together these images remind us that the people of
God preserve life and do good in the world. Of course, this is not something
that is done within our own strength. God blesses the world through us as we
live in him. The flavor (saltiness) of our character comes from him, and the
light we shine is a reflection of his own.
The good we do, however, is defined by God’s Law. Sometimes
people try to act as though God’s commands do not matter because of his grace.
They will also selectively apply God’s Law according to their own preferences
and ideology. Jesus treats the Law as a whole, and he keeps the whole of it. At
the same time, trying to keep the Law on our own will do nothing but drive us
to despair. We need a righteousness that exceeds the most righteous people in
the world. Thanks be to God we have that righteousness given to us through
faith in Jesus.
Life
I have a friend who uses a hash-tag on his social media
posts: #bethesalt. He’s been using it
for a couple years now and people notice. It gets him into conversations about
Jesus. It’s a small thing, but often the witness we give to the world is in
small things done over long periods of time. People fret over how to share
their faith. Jesus describes his followers as salt and light – things that
cannot be missed. How can you be the salt today?
Righteousness, as well, is something that cannot be missed.
Our righteousness is given to us by Jesus. He kept the Law perfectly and died
to atone for our sins. Our lives, however, should show forth this
righteousness. It should impact our behavior and attitude. Where do we fall
short of that righteousness? How can we help people experience Jesus’
righteousness in our lives?
Prayer
Father in heaven, Jesus calls us salt and light.
Our lives are meant to point people to you so that they give you glory. This
happens as we live in the righteousness Jesus gives us and our lives reflect
that righteousness in good works. Thank you for giving us this righteousness
that we have not earned and for making us salt and light in this life. We ask
you to forgive us for not living up to the status you have given us, and
confess that our good deeds are often lacking. Help us to live as salt and
light, so that our good deeds flow from Christ’s righteousness and give you
glory. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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