Amen, folks. Well, with that passage open in front of you, here's a job that is available up and down the UK. It does wonders for your step count. And depending on where you are in the UK, it could earn you between 12 and 18 pounds an hour. You ready for this? Who fancies a new challenge in life being a walking billboard?
I mean, who wouldn't want to walk around the streets of Yorkshire advertising Cherry Bakewell Brew? Just thought I'd put that there to intrigue you. But you'll know the kind of thing, I'm sure, if you think about it. Walking adverts, walking billboards. If you're a Christian here today, that's exactly what we're going to see Jesus say that we are. Walking adverts for the kingdom of God.
Now, if you've got Matthew chapter 5 there, we're in this series in Matthew's Gospel. We're at the portion called the Sermon on the Mount. We began it last week with Wayne. And I hope you had your dose of American enthusiasm. You're getting some Scottish accent today. But Wayne kicked us off in this portion of Matthew's Gospel, the Sermon on the Mount.
Really, it's a speech that is widely accepted to have fundamentally shaped Western morality for generations.
And don't just take my word for it. Here is former US Congressman Daniel Webster.
He said this, he said,
The Sermon on the Mount cannot be a merely human production.
This belief enters into the very depth of my conscience.
The whole history of man proves it.
From what I can tell, the guy wasn't a believer.
But it's really interesting what he made of this sermon.
And I think whoever you are here today, whatever you've brought in here,
whatever you think about the God of the Bible,
can I suggest that what he's saying there
gives you a reason to listen to this.
Because really, this has impacted our society, what Jesus is saying here.
And it touches on so many of the live issues in our culture right now.
And so that's why this is worth a listen.
Let Jesus intrigue you with what he says here.
But what we need to appreciate as we step into this,
is that this isn't Jesus giving the world some ethical top tips.
Like some kind of first century Stacey Dooley on an episode of Sort Your Life Out.
This is not what this is.
Have a look at verse 1. Come with me and see it.
Others may be in earshot.
But Jesus has his disciples in his sights.
Do you see that?
Verse 1, chapter 5.
And in this sermon, he's teaching them
what life inside the kingdom of God looks like.
So this is what happens in a human heart
when the king moves in.
You want to think about it like that.
This is what happens in a human heart when the king moves in.
And who are Jesus' disciples at this point in time in Matthew's gospel?
They are a small, ragtag, unimpressive-looking bunch of newbies.
And if we're to get the power of this today,
we need to enter their world.
A religious world that's dominated by the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.
Who both look the part and sound the part when it comes to godliness.
This is their world, okay?
Because what the Pharisees and the teachers of the law have done
is that they've taken the Ten Commandments
that God gave to Moses to give to the people
and the surrounding legislation that God had given his people in the Old Testament.
And what they've done is produced their own commentary on it.
And they've created this whole spider web worth of rules and regulations
that you need to keep to show that you're in the club.
I love how Sinclair Ferguson sums this up.
A little bit Scottish humour, but I think this makes the point.
With some 248 regulations and 365 prohibitions to deal with,
salvation was certainly for the professionals.
Do you like that?
So if you're a country bumpkin disciple at this point in time,
and this is what you're looking at religiously, so to speak,
what do you think you are thinking?
You're probably feeling intimidated, aren't you?
Add to that the fact that you've just heard Jesus.
Do you just see in the immediate verses from verse 11?
You've just heard Jesus tell you to expect persecution as you follow him.
And with that backdrop of intimidation and questions,
have a look at the phrase that Jesus uses in this chapter at verse 13 and verse 15.
You've got to see this.
This isn't a beat-up sermon from Jesus.
Like some kind of boardroom encounter with Alan Sugar.
What were you thinking?
Who's responsible for the failure of this task?
Why are you not better?
Why did you do it like that?
What a mess that you've made of things.
This isn't a beat-up sermon from Jesus.
This is a chin-up sermon from Jesus.
He doesn't say, you've got to see this,
He doesn't say,
go and be the salt of the earth.
Or, one day, one day, you'll be the light of the world.
What does He say?
See it there.
He says,
you are.
You see it?
So this is something that's already true of the disciples
because of their faith in Him.
The logic of everything that follows is,
be what I've made you to be.
Be who you are.
That's a game changer for how you hear this sermon.
And so with that backdrop,
can I just say that there's two things that Jesus says to them
in these verses that we need to hear.
And then I want to give us one challenge and one encouragement.
That sound okay?
Two things Jesus says,
one challenge, one encouragement.
Here's the first thing,
and this is verses 13 to 15.
Remember, Jesus speaking to the disciples,
speaking to them.
He's saying,
firstly, you are a blessed people,
don't doubt it.
And that's the heart behind the two images
that Jesus uses here.
Do you see them?
Salt and light.
Light.
Now you might hear those words
and immediately your mind is off
in a million different directions.
You're kind of a greyhound
that's been released from the tracks
and you're hunting that rabbit.
Your mind is going in all sorts of places
and you're playing this mental game of articulate,
thinking salt, preserving, purifying,
flavoursome, light, illuminating, attractive, healing.
And those things may well be there,
but the question to ask with this stuff is always,
what would the original readers have understood?
Try the first one at verse 13, okay?
Salt.
They hear that word,
and I'll put it to you likely,
that they would have clicked
that salt throughout the Old Testament
was a symbol of the covenant relationship
that existed between God and his people.
Yeah?
And if that's the case,
what is Jesus saying here?
He's saying,
even if the world hates you,
even if the Pharisees
and the teachers of the law persecute you,
I want you to know
that you are my called out people.
Right?
I've got my heart on you.
I've saved you out of the world.
You are mine.
Now, what an encouragement
that must have been for the disciples
if you're looking at this world
and you're feeling intimidated.
You are the salt of the earth.
And what is it about salt?
Do you see that he draws attention to?
He draws attention to its taste,
which I think
is a direct shot
at the Pharisees,
the religious pretenders of the day.
Jesus is saying of them,
I know that they look like salt.
I know that they sound like salt.
But would you believe me
that their inner lives
tell a different story?
And carry that logic
on to the second image
at verse 13.
What is it?
It's light.
You see it?
Now, it's a kind of double whammy here.
It's light,
but he combines it
with another image.
I love how Jesus uses images
and metaphors.
It's great, isn't it?
To help us picture it.
What's the second one?
It's a city on a hill.
Now, again,
what would they have first thought of?
Combining light
and a city on a hill.
More likely they would have thought
of the city of Jerusalem.
And what was God's heart
for the city?
That the godliness
of the people
who live in the city,
because they're infatuated
with Yahweh,
with the Lord,
would act like a blazing beacon
to the world,
compelling the world
to come in and see
how good the Lord is.
And we're going to show you
by the devotion of our lives
how great and good
this God is.
How marvelous is the God
who dwells in the city
and the God who has called
us his people.
Come in and see.
Isaiah 60, verse 3.
Nations will come to your light
and kings
to the brightness
of your dawn.
And so Jesus is saying
to his disciples,
as you live
kingdom lives,
as you embrace
salt and light living,
you are everything
that Jerusalem
was supposed to be
but wasn't.
the church,
through its good deeds,
through its love
for the Lord
that just expresses
itself publicly,
is a light to the world.
And the question then
that follows, I guess,
is what are the good deeds
that Jesus has in mind?
Is he just throwing
the net really wide
and saying any good thing
that you do is a worship
to the Lord?
I think he's a lot more
specific than that
because of what follows.
What are the good deeds
that Jesus has in mind?
Here's the second thing
that Jesus says
and this is verses 17 to 20.
You see a phony righteousness,
don't buy it.
And without a shadow of a doubt,
we're back with our boys,
the Pharisees again,
who think that when it comes
to the law,
Jesus isn't taking it
seriously enough.
In fact, all he's doing
is lowering the bar
to which Jesus says,
I've not come to abolish the law,
but rather,
and see the word that he uses,
not explain,
not keep,
but fulfill it.
Now that word means
that we need to do
a lot more work
to try and understand
what he's saying,
right?
It's a lot more holistic.
Fulfill.
In what ways
has Jesus come
to fulfill the law?
You ready for this?
Can I give you
three quick ways?
Now we are skimming
the slither of the top
of the iceberg here,
but go with me
and we can run with this
in growth groups
during the week.
But it's really important
for understanding
the Old Testament.
We can't understand
the New without the Old.
We can't understand
the Old without the New.
Do you know why that is?
Because this is one story.
Three quick things
fulfill means.
Number one,
it means that Jesus
is the one
who it all points to.
Every person,
prophet,
priest,
king,
every system,
the sacrificial system
for sin,
every problem.
How can sinners stand
to be right
with a holy God?
How can God
be both loving
and just?
Every promise
of a future,
new heavens
and a new earth
where righteousness
reigns.
You've heard that phrase,
all roads lead to Rome.
Well,
can I just
kind of spin on it
a bit and say
that all the Old Testament
roads lead to
the personal work
of Jesus?
And see,
when you understand that,
you begin to read it
differently.
Right?
Love a murder mystery novel.
More watch them these days
than read them,
but the thing is
with a murder mystery,
you can only watch it twice,
right?
You watch it all the way
through first time,
not knowing how it's
going to end,
how are all these
tensions and puzzles
and threads
going to find their conclusion?
And once you find
the conclusion,
you go back
and you watch it again,
but the thing is,
because you know
where it's all going,
you begin to see,
oh,
that's what that was about.
And that's what that was about.
And that's how we understand
the Old Testament.
Jesus
fulfills it.
Right?
Number two,
Jesus is the one
who perfectly
keeps it.
So his life
was one of
perfect obedience
to the law.
And it wasn't
begrudging obedience.
It was a delight
for Jesus
to obey
the law
of his father.
The heart
of the gospel
is that Jesus
lived the life
we couldn't live.
And we need
in order to ascend
the hill
of the Lord.
But by coming
to him
at the moment
we believe in him,
we are united
to him
and Jesus
shares
his perfect
life with us.
he takes
our sin
and we are
caught up
in his
perfect righteousness
and obedience.
He's come
to fulfill it.
He's come
to live it out.
But number three,
and this is maybe
one you haven't
thought about before,
is that he
shows us
what
obedience
looks like.
So if you're
asking yourself,
what does it mean
for me to
obey?
If you're
asking yourself,
what is God
the Spirit
inside of me
like a master
sculptor?
What is he
chiseling away
from my
character?
And what is he
forming me
into?
Whose likeness
is he shaping
me into?
The answer
is
Jesus.
Friends,
the Pharisees
think that Jesus
is relaxing
the law
because he
won't do it
their way.
But have a
look at
verse 21.
You need to
jog on a
wee bit here,
right?
21,
27,
and 31.
And just
take in
the repeated
refrain at the
beginning of
each section.
All right,
give you a second.
21,
27,
31.
What's the
repeated
refrain?
you have
heard it
said.
Not you
have read
it written.
Do you see
that?
Really important.
So Jesus is
helping his
disciples see
the real
reason that
the Pharisees
have created
all these
rules and
regulations.
The real
thing is
going on
here is
that they
are lowering
the bar
so that
they can
say that
they've got
over the
bar.
Parents,
do you find
this?
If you want
to think
about it
like this,
I'm a
simple person,
my mind
works like
this.
This is
what happens
as a
parent,
the battle
that you
face every
meal time.
Now,
you put
five bits
of broccoli
on the
plate,
and what
does it
turn into
with the
kids?
A
negotiation
game,
doesn't it?
Won't
negotiate
with
terrorists,
but I'm
being held
to ransom
around my
own table
by a
five-year-old.
And you
start,
you say,
if you eat
all five,
we're good,
right?
And they
say,
I'll eat
one.
And you're
in a good
mood,
and you
think,
well,
how about
four,
thinking
they'll
meet you
in the
middle,
but no,
no,
they're
hanging
at one.
Yeah?
And eventually
this goes on
for 20
minutes,
and I'll
let you
figure out
how it
ends,
but what's
can we
just agree
what the
lowest
common
denominator
is?
Can we
just agree
what the
bare
minimum
is,
so that
I can
say,
and we
can all
say,
that I've
qualified?
And Jesus
is saying
that's exactly
what the
Pharisees are
doing with
God's law,
right?
And so
much of the
rest of the
Sermon on
the Mount
is Jesus
bringing out
the law's
true meaning,
in contrast
with the
Pharisees'
minimum
standard
interpretation
of it.
I love
Jen Wilkin,
she puts it
like this,
but this
helps.
When it
comes to
obedience,
Jesus is
changing the
question from
how much
can I get
away with
to how
much can I
get away
from?
And you've
got to come
back over the
next number of
weeks as we
just tease
this out as
we walk
with Jesus
through this
sermon,
which might
be the
clue to
explaining the
puzzle at
verse 20.
Were you
thinking this?
Because I was
thinking this
all week.
You there?
Verse 20?
Because in
the face of
it, Jesus
is saying
something like,
unless your
time for the
100-meter
sprint is
quicker than
you saying
boat,
back in
28,
or whenever
he was
quick,
you will
not enter
the kingdom
of heaven.
Does it not
read a bit
like that?
And you're
thinking,
what chance
do I have?
If the
Pharisees
can't make
it,
and these
guys on
the outside
are squeaky
clean,
if they
can't make
it,
what chance
do I have?
Here's what's
going on.
I think
according to
Jesus,
and just
remember this,
the Pharisees,
despite all
their,
if I could put
it like this,
all their
religious
virtue
signaling,
they aren't
lovers of
God.
Do you know
what they are
according to
Jesus?
When you
pull away
the thinnest
of veneers,
all they are
is lovers
of self.
God didn't
love their
actions,
God loathed
their actions,
because it
was all
external and
no internal.
And so
what is
Jesus saying
will happen
in the
lives of
his people
through the
power of
the Spirit?
Change.
Internal
leading to
external.
Does that
encourage you
this morning?
In my
ordinary
everyday life,
we'll come
back to this
in a minute,
that Jesus
is changing
me on the
inside,
the Spirit
living inside
of me is
turning this
heart of
stone into
a heart of
flesh that
actually longs
to obey
God and
wants to
obey God.
Why?
Because he's
changed us
internally.
He will
produce in
us the
Spirit through
transformed
hearts and
obedience that
truly pleases
the Lord.
And so
here, as we
begin to bring
the threads of
this together,
just think
back to our
walking billboards.
Ignore
Yorkshire
Brew for a
minute.
Here's the
challenge.
Ready for
this?
Here's the
challenge.
It's not to
underplay the
call to
obedience.
It's striking
to see just
how seriously
Jesus takes
obedience to
his Father.
Now,
theologians will
often talk about
the three
dimensions of
the law.
And I thought
about not doing
this, but I
think we need to
do it.
The three
dimensions of
the law.
So if we're
to understand
as New
Testament
believers,
how do we
relate to
the Old
Testament
law?
I think
this might
be helpful.
So you
have the
three
dimensions
of it.
People
talk about
the
ceremonial
part of
the law,
so the
sacrifices,
the temple,
etc.
All those
things would
find a
fulfillment in
the person
and work of
Jesus.
So we
don't need
to go to
a temple
anymore to
worship.
So the
kind of
ceremonial
part of
it has
been
fulfilled
in
Christ.
We've
also got
the civil
law.
So laws
governing
Israel as
a nation
under God,
so that's
how they
handle
disputes,
things like
that.
And so
we're living
at different
times,
we are not
Israel in
the land,
kind of
being fulfilled
in Christ.
And then
you've got
the moral,
which is
God's heart
and his
expressed
character
through the
law.
people.
And it
reveals his
will for
his people.
We just
think about
the moon.
Why is the
moon bright?
Because the
sun shines
on it and
the moon
displays light
to the world.
It's kind of
like that with
God and his
people.
He calls
us to
reflect his
holiness.
And so
this is the
thing, I
take it,
that God is
writing on the
hearts of his
people.
That longing
to display
his heart
and his
character that
we see
revealed here.
You know,
when it comes
to obedience,
I take it
that is
encouragement
for us.
I wonder
if you've
ever thought
to yourself,
does an
act of
obedience
done in
secret,
does it
even matter?
Does
anybody see
it?
That old
riddle of
a tree
falls in
the forest,
does it
make any
sound?
It's kind
of like that,
isn't it?
If I do
something in
secret,
if I'm
obedient in
secret,
but does
anyone see?
Does anyone
care?
And I
take it
that this
and what's
going to
come after
this is
going to
show us
that so
much of
this sermon
is going
to be
about
motivations
and why
we do
what we
do and
whose
praise
are we
living
for.
And is
it not
a wonderful
thought,
before we
get really
specific,
that the
Spirit-inspired
obedience
out of
overflowing
love for
Jesus
is thrilling
in the
sight of
God the
Father.
And let's
be encouraged
by what
Jesus says
we will be
called when
we practice
and teach
these commands.
Do you see
the end of
verse 19?
great in
the kingdom
of heaven.
So the
challenge
here,
friends,
is how
seriously
do we
take
obedience?
And let
that search
you,
that question,
wherever God
might be
putting his
finger on
in your
life,
how seriously
do we
take this
call to
obedience?
And here's
the encouragement,
and maybe just a
little bit longer
here to leave
us in this
encouraging
place.
It's not
to underrate
the power
of obedience.
Because if you
think about it,
what Jesus
says here
is the
opposite of
what the
world tells
us.
Think about
it.
That faith
is a private
thing, keep
it to
yourself.
You can
believe what
you want,
but you can
believe it
over the
hair.
I'd say
there's two
reasons why
we shouldn't
be duped
into thinking
that.
First of
all,
it's the
belief that
everyone has
a world
view,
right?
That mine
is,
it's
happened to
be a
Jesus
shaped one
and someone
else's is
maybe an
agnostic
one or an
atheist
driven one,
but everybody's
got a view
on things.
The question
really is,
will it
hold?
Why do we
believe what
we believe?
And ultimately,
where does it
get us if we
keep on going?
So let that
encourage you
when you live
your life as a
Christian in
public,
that you've
got really good
things to offer.
Everybody's
coming at this
with a view of
the world.
You know,
I've got a
friend,
Colin,
who is a
pastor in
Gilmerton.
He does this
thing once a
month.
He goes,
it's called
Think and
Drink,
and he puts
it out online
and saying,
I'm going to
go to the
Robins Nest
pub.
Now,
if you know
that pub
on the
south side,
you'll know
it's a tasty
place.
I'm not talking
about the
food,
right?
Tasty
place.
But here's
what he
says,
this is
where the
people in
this
community
go.
So he
goes,
I think
it's
every once,
it's on a
Thursday night,
once a month,
he goes and
he sits in
the corner,
gets a
drink,
and he
just waits
to see
who comes.
And it's
this kind
of idea
that drives
him to
do it.
He says,
I've had
some great
conversations
with people
in our
community,
but why
we believe
what we
believe.
So he
picks one
subject for
the evening,
says,
if you want
to come
and talk
about it,
buy a
pint and
we'll
talk
about it.
He
says he
loves
it.
But it's
this kind
of thing
that drives
him to
do it.
So that's
one reason.
But the
second one
that we
shouldn't be
duped into
thinking is
because of
what Jesus
says here.
Our world
says faith
is a private
thing,
keep it to
yourself.
Jesus
says be
your
ordinary
salt and
light
selves
out in
the open.
It's the
opposite to
what the
world
says.
And I
think that
is Jesus'
slightly
comical
logic at
verse 14.
Come and
have a look
at it.
I just
hadn't really
spent the
time thinking
about this
image here.
This is how
my brain
works.
Think about
it like
this.
Imagine
you light
a birthday
cake and
you walk
into a
room full
of people
with that
cake and
you start
singing
happy
birthday
to you
and no
one else
joins in.
And you
think I'm
in for a
penny,
in for a
pound,
I'll go
for it
again.
Happy
birthday
to you
and there's
still puzzled
faces everywhere
and you
stop and
you say
what's
going on?
Why
are you
not
joining
in?
And
everybody
says,
well you've
got a
massive
bowl over
the top
of the
cake and
we don't
know what's
happening.
And you
think,
oh yeah.
And that's
the kind of
logic of
Jesus.
Here do you
see what
he's saying?
He's saying
you wouldn't,
it doesn't
make any
sense to
do that,
to hide
your light.
you.
So why
would you?
It's the
very thing
that works.
Do you
see that?
It's the
very thing
that works.
When you
are salt
and light
in the
world,
in public,
evangelistically,
it's the
very thing
that's going
to work.
The way
that people
see you
love each
other,
and I
can't quite
figure it
out.
The way
that people
see that
you've got
opinions on
human life
and on
end of
life matters
and beginning
of life
matters,
and you're
willing to
take a stand
on that
and talk
about that.
When you
happily embrace
a Christian
sexual ethic,
and the way
that we see
that you're
different in
the workplace,
that you seem
to tell the
truth,
you seem
to just
work when
no one
else is
watching,
when everyone
else,
the boss
goes out,
you go on
BBC Sport.
The way
that people
look at you
at work and
perceive that
you're a
really dependable
employee.
Can I be
honest?
Sometimes,
and I wonder
if you're
like me,
I'm tempted
to think
that those
are exactly
the kind
of things
that will
put people
off.
But Jesus
says they're
exactly the
kind of
things that
will draw
people in.
You know,
we had a few
school parents
around for
dinner last
month,
and it
came to
that moment
in the
meal.
people,
they're
non-believers,
and I
thought about
it,
and I
thought,
well,
this is
our house,
we'll just
do what
we normally
do,
and I
said,
do you
mind if
we just
stop,
we always
do this
as a
family's
meal,
we just
stop at
the beginning
and say
thank you
to God,
is that
okay?
And it
was a bit
awkward,
and we all
had a laugh
about it
afterwards,
but it
was this
passage that
made me
just go
for it.
Don't
hide your
light,
right?
don't
hide,
and is
that not
incredibly
freeing in
our world
of silver
bullets,
and hot
takes,
and the
next new
thing,
where newer
is better,
and where
novelty
attracts?
Is it not
wonderfully
liberating to
hear Jesus
tell his
disciples that
when it
comes to
evangelism,
there ain't
no school
like the
old school?
You see
it?
what has
been working
well for
2,000 odd
years in
terms of
drawing people
to the
beauty of
Jesus.
It's
everyday
believers
doing
everyday
things in
everyday
places in
salt and
light ways.
Will I say
that again?
It's
everyday
believers
doing
everyday
things in
everyday
places in
salt and
light ways,
and saying
there's
something
different
about
you.
I can't
quite work
it out,
but there's
something
different
about
you.
How are
we going
to make
an impact
on this
city,
on this
area?
It's
by being
distinct
disciples who
love the
Lord our
God with
all our
mind,
soul,
heart,
and strength,
and being
a people who
love our
neighbour as
ourselves.
That's the
way that we're
going to make
an impact in
this city,
in your
workplace,
in the
student
halls,
in your
digs,
in the
school
playground,
whatever it
is,
wherever God's
got you,
that is how
you're going
to make a
difference for
him.
Jesus says,
do you see
it?
You are the
light of the
world,
you are the
salt of the
earth,
and this is
the way it's
always worked.
And just as we
close, I was
reminded of
this recently,
I spoke to
my friend Amy.
Amy came to
stay with us a
month or so ago.
Amy used to
be part of
this church
family, she
graduated in
the summer.
Loved Amy,
currently here,
studied geography,
if you get her
in your mind.
I remember
speaking to
Amy, she was
telling me this
story about her
flat and about
how towards the
end of her
tenancy she had
this conversation
with a letting
agent.
And she said
to the letting
agent, I
might know some
people who might
be interested in
taking on the
tenancy.
party.
And her
words to me
were, when I
told them that
they were
Christian students,
part of the
CU, I didn't
even get to
finish the
sentence before
the estate
agent said,
we'd love to
have them.
Isn't that
cool?
Because the
letting agent
thought about
how Amy and
her flatmates
had just looked
after this
flat for two
years.
No world
parties, no
strangers sleeping
over, no
late payments,
no hassle on
the phone,
all of this
stuff, cleaning
it up and
leaving it in a
better condition
than when they
found it.
And the fact
that there might
be another
round of these
kind of students
was the dream
ticket.
But as Amy
was telling me
this story, I
thought to
myself, what a
wonderful reputation
for Christian
students to have
in this city.
Yeah?
And what a
wonderful example
of everyday,
non-spectacular,
faithfully
obedient, salt
and light
living for
Jesus.
People notice.
And so
Jesus says,
salt and
light.
Walking
adverts for
the kingdom
of God.
So friends,
why don't we
pray and
let's just
be quiet
as we
respond in
our own
hearts to
what we've
heard from
God's
word this
morning.
And then
I'll pray
and we'll
finish our
time in
response of
singing together.
Father.
And so
heavenly
father, we
thank you so
much for
sending your
son.
thank you
and we'll
thank you
and we'll
thank you
and we'll
thank you
and we'll
thank you
and we'll
thank you for
the encouragement
that if our
faith is in
your son,
if we're
trusting him
for our
salvation,
if we're
looking to
him as our
pattern for
obedience,
Lord, thank you
that you
promise us
here that we
are the
salt of the
earth, we
are the light
of the world.
And so
Lord, I
pray that
that would
hugely
encourage us
this morning.
Father, I
pray as well
if there's
areas today
in our
individual
lives,
Lord, that
perhaps we
are out of
sync with
your will,
maybe in the
way that we're
living or the
things that we're
believing or the
circles that we're
dabbling in.
Lord, I pray
that you would
put people
around us
that can help
us bring us
back on track.
Thank you for
the call this
morning to
holiness, to
obedience, to
that devotion to
you.
And so, Father, I
pray that you'd be
with us as we
finish our time
together this
morning.
Thank you for
your word.
Thank you that we
have it in our
own language.
We can pick up,
we can read, we
can understand, and
we can respond.
So, Lord, help us
this morning, we
pray.
Thank you for our
time together.
Thank you for your
word.
Pray all of these
things in Jesus'
precious name.
Amen.
Thank you.