WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.620 For those of you who don't know me, my name is Sean. 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:03.500 I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Cambridge Church. 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:08.019 It's my great joy and privilege to preach God's word to you this morning. 00:00:08.859 --> 00:00:13.259 We are in the Gospel of Matthew, which is the first book in the New Testament. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:18.140 We're in chapter 5 today. 00:00:18.240 --> 00:00:20.120 We just finished the Beatitudes. 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:23.339 We're in Matthew 5, verses 13 to 16. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:40.340 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:52.600 Heavenly Father, 00:00:52.600 --> 00:01:00.460 Father, you have redeemed us at a steep price, 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:04.960 the blood of your only Son, Jesus Christ. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:08.700 And we belong to you. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:14.099 And you have adopted us as your children. 00:01:14.099 --> 00:01:26.759 And as your children, it is only fitting that we resemble you and represent you. 00:01:29.759 --> 00:01:36.479 And so we want to be, as Jesus says here, salt and light of the world. 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:43.579 Refresh us. 00:01:44.600 --> 00:01:45.439 Renew us. 00:01:47.180 --> 00:01:48.560 Help us to remember 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:54.760 Jesus and what he has done for us. 00:01:59.060 --> 00:02:02.280 So that we might leave this place this morning 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:04.359 a little more salty, 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:07.640 shining a little more bright 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:13.219 than perhaps we have been this past week. 00:02:17.860 --> 00:02:19.419 Glorify your name, God, 00:02:19.740 --> 00:02:21.500 in the reading and preaching of your word. 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:23.740 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:24.699 Amen. 00:02:25.900 --> 00:02:27.740 If you are able, please stand 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:31.060 to honor God as we read from his word. 00:02:34.360 --> 00:02:39.280 Matthew 5, verses 13 to 16. 00:02:40.820 --> 00:02:43.540 You are the salt of the earth. 00:02:45.180 --> 00:02:47.860 But if salt has lost its taste, 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:50.480 how shall its saltiness be restored? 00:02:51.640 --> 00:02:54.480 It is no longer good for anything 00:02:54.480 --> 00:02:58.000 except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:02.659 You are the light of the world. 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:05.479 A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:08.939 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, 00:03:09.060 --> 00:03:09.939 but on a stand, 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:12.379 and it gives light to all in the house. 00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:14.620 In the same way, 00:03:15.139 --> 00:03:17.479 let your light shine before others 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:20.580 so that they may see your good works 00:03:20.580 --> 00:03:24.840 and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:28.420 This is God's holy and authoritative word. 00:03:28.500 --> 00:03:29.080 Please be seated. 00:03:35.820 --> 00:03:37.500 John Lennon was a member 00:03:37.500 --> 00:03:39.800 of the 20th century English rock band, The Beatles. 00:03:41.020 --> 00:03:43.880 And in one of his most famous songs, Imagine, 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.260 he tells his listeners to imagine a world 00:03:47.259 --> 00:03:48.939 where there is no religion. 00:03:50.439 --> 00:03:51.840 And he says that in such a world, 00:03:52.219 --> 00:03:54.780 there's no heaven, no hell below us. 00:03:55.179 --> 00:03:57.759 He claims that there will be nothing to kill or die for 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.079 and that there would be worldwide peace. 00:04:01.419 --> 00:04:03.939 Sung over a beautiful piano motif, 00:04:04.139 --> 00:04:06.439 the sentiment seems more plausible than it actually is 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:08.379 because it's a hollow statement 00:04:08.379 --> 00:04:10.699 that betrays a shallow understanding 00:04:10.699 --> 00:04:11.699 of the human condition. 00:04:13.459 --> 00:04:15.879 The self-centeredness that is at the root 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:17.839 of all social ills in the world 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:19.959 resides in the human heart. 00:04:21.259 --> 00:04:25.060 The problem is man, not religion. 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:29.600 It's man's sin-sick heart that twists everything, 00:04:29.699 --> 00:04:32.219 including religion, for its selfish purposes. 00:04:33.860 --> 00:04:36.399 The solution then is not no religion, 00:04:37.019 --> 00:04:38.560 but true religion. 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:41.420 Truth that sets us free. 00:04:42.100 --> 00:04:45.399 Truth that heals our sin-sick hearts. 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:49.719 And that truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:53.159 The people who believe the gospel, Jesus says, 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:56.860 are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. 00:04:57.719 --> 00:05:01.139 Salt preserves food and it flavors food. 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:05.219 Imagine food that is bland and rotting without salt. 00:05:05.779 --> 00:05:09.139 That's Jesus' provocative claim 00:05:09.139 --> 00:05:10.639 that that's what this world would be like 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:12.360 without Christians. 00:05:12.360 --> 00:05:16.980 Light, like salt, is an essential ingredient of life. 00:05:17.520 --> 00:05:19.360 It drives out darkness. 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:21.240 It enables us to see. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:23.240 Imagine a world without the sun 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:25.500 or without any of the artificial lights that we have. 00:05:25.980 --> 00:05:28.240 Dark, dreary, cold. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:31.060 That's what the world would be like 00:05:31.060 --> 00:05:34.280 without the light of God that shines through his people. 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:37.959 My main point this morning is this, 00:05:38.019 --> 00:05:41.299 that we must let our distinctive identity as Christians 00:05:41.299 --> 00:05:45.399 shine in order to bring glory to our Father in heaven. 00:05:45.859 --> 00:05:47.659 So first, we'll talk about the salt of the earth, 00:05:47.719 --> 00:05:49.519 and then second, we'll talk about the light of the world. 00:05:50.159 --> 00:05:51.299 Jesus says in verse 13, 00:05:51.419 --> 00:05:53.199 you are the salt of the earth. 00:05:53.819 --> 00:05:56.859 This marks an important transition from the Beatitudes. 00:05:57.399 --> 00:05:59.279 The Beatitudes were all phrased 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:00.839 in the third person plural forms. 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:03.539 If you look back at the few verses before this, 00:06:03.979 --> 00:06:05.579 it said, blessed are those 00:06:05.579 --> 00:06:07.459 who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:10.679 But then in the second half of that last Beatitude, 00:06:11.060 --> 00:06:12.299 verses 11 and 12, 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:14.259 it switched to the second person plural. 00:06:14.799 --> 00:06:17.259 Blessed are you when others revile you 00:06:17.259 --> 00:06:18.579 and persecute you. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:22.299 This transition prepares the way for today's passage, 00:06:22.299 --> 00:06:24.979 which says you are the salt of the earth. 00:06:25.299 --> 00:06:26.879 You are the light of the world. 00:06:27.579 --> 00:06:30.639 The Beatitudes described who Christians are. 00:06:31.299 --> 00:06:32.119 Their identity. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:34.619 But the rest of the Sermon on the Mount 00:06:34.619 --> 00:06:36.819 now describes what Christians do. 00:06:37.719 --> 00:06:38.779 How they live. 00:06:39.859 --> 00:06:41.219 It's from our identity, 00:06:41.419 --> 00:06:43.139 who we are in Jesus Christ, 00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:46.179 that our obedience to his commands flow. 00:06:48.139 --> 00:06:50.479 This follows a pattern of the Ten Commitments. 00:06:50.539 --> 00:06:52.559 You may recall when we first started our series 00:06:52.559 --> 00:06:54.299 in the Beatitudes seven weeks ago, 00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:58.400 I mentioned that Jesus going up on the mountain 00:06:58.400 --> 00:07:02.280 to speak God's new law parallels Moses going up on the mountain 00:07:02.280 --> 00:07:04.120 to bring God's law, 00:07:04.180 --> 00:07:05.400 to receive the Ten Commandments 00:07:05.400 --> 00:07:07.480 and the subsequent explanations of it. 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:11.319 The Ten Commandments doesn't begin with the First Commandment. 00:07:11.379 --> 00:07:13.199 It actually begins with the preamble, 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:16.699 which establishes who God is and who God's people are. 00:07:16.699 --> 00:07:18.240 I am the Lord, your God, 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:22.099 who brought you out of Egypt from the land of slavery. 00:07:22.259 --> 00:07:25.099 It begins with the identity of God's people 00:07:25.099 --> 00:07:27.399 as the redeemed people of God. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.759 And Beatitudes likewise serve as the preamble to the Sermon on the Mount. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:33.980 It begins, 00:07:34.159 --> 00:07:37.000 it tells us by showing us who we are. 00:07:37.399 --> 00:07:39.000 We are people who are poor, 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:40.079 mourning, 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:40.759 meek, 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:41.360 and hungry. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:45.379 We are people who have received God's mercy and purity 00:07:45.379 --> 00:07:47.840 and peace and righteousness in Jesus Christ. 00:07:48.680 --> 00:07:50.340 That's who we are as Christians. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:52.319 It's only after telling us who we are, 00:07:52.900 --> 00:07:54.860 Jesus goes on to tell us what we must do. 00:07:56.180 --> 00:07:59.540 So Matthew 5, 13 to 16 is a transitional passage 00:07:59.540 --> 00:08:03.600 to the ethical sections of the Sermon on the Mount. 00:08:05.020 --> 00:08:07.060 You are the salt of the earth. 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:11.259 And that it's an emphatic you, 00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:12.100 personal pronoun. 00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:13.920 You, not they. 00:08:14.899 --> 00:08:15.959 You, yourselves, 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:18.000 are the salt of the earth, 00:08:18.459 --> 00:08:19.300 the light of the world. 00:08:20.420 --> 00:08:23.819 So what does it mean to be the salt of the earth? 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:27.600 Salt in many ways is a humble condiment, right? 00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:29.360 Any restaurant you go to, 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:32.059 any Western household you go to, 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:34.879 you'll find a little table salt, 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:36.220 shaker up full of table salt. 00:08:37.059 --> 00:08:42.500 But it's only in the last 150 years, actually, 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:45.379 that salt became cheap and commonplace. 00:08:48.579 --> 00:08:50.959 Because of the advancement in the mining technologies 00:08:50.959 --> 00:08:53.379 and evaporating salt and all that. 00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:54.639 But before that, 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:57.079 there's actually an entire book dedicated to salt 00:08:57.079 --> 00:08:59.039 by Mark Kralansky. 00:08:59.219 --> 00:09:00.939 It's called Salt, A World History. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:04.399 I know, it sounds like I haven't read the whole thing, 00:09:04.459 --> 00:09:06.659 but it's an interesting idea. 00:09:06.659 --> 00:09:12.100 He writes that human civilization has been shaped by this simple mineral. 00:09:13.719 --> 00:09:19.360 Wars were fought over salt reserves as early as 6,000 BC in China. 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:23.100 Salt was the first international trade good. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:28.259 And ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians and Romans used salt as currency. 00:09:28.259 --> 00:09:32.019 In fact, that's where we get the English word salary, 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.580 which is derived from the Latin word salarius, 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.379 which means of salt, 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:39.939 because the Romans paid their soldiers in salt. 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:45.280 Why was salt so valuable and cherished throughout human history? 00:09:45.280 --> 00:09:46.300 Two main reasons. 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:50.420 One, salt is essential for human survival, for life. 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:53.280 Salt is crucial for hydration, 00:09:53.640 --> 00:09:54.760 maintaining blood pressure, 00:09:54.920 --> 00:09:56.420 nerve impulse transmission, 00:09:56.620 --> 00:09:57.400 muscle contraction, 00:09:57.900 --> 00:09:58.760 heart function, 00:09:59.000 --> 00:09:59.980 and hormonal regulation, 00:10:00.140 --> 00:10:00.600 digestion, 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:01.700 bone health, 00:10:01.820 --> 00:10:02.480 immune function, 00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:03.100 and so on. 00:10:03.100 --> 00:10:06.440 Severely low sodium levels in our bodies 00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:08.259 lead to muscle cramps and nausea 00:10:08.259 --> 00:10:09.620 and vomiting and dizziness 00:10:09.620 --> 00:10:10.860 and eventually to shock, 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:11.620 coma, 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:12.960 and death. 00:10:15.379 --> 00:10:18.379 This is why many endurance athletes carry 00:10:18.379 --> 00:10:19.440 not only water, 00:10:19.980 --> 00:10:21.060 but salt tablets. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:24.720 Salt is something that our bodies need. 00:10:25.680 --> 00:10:26.860 And yet, interestingly enough, 00:10:26.860 --> 00:10:31.340 it's something that our bodies are incapable of producing on its own. 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:34.519 It must come from an external source 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:38.360 in the same way we receive God's grace and mercy from elsewhere, 00:10:38.500 --> 00:10:39.500 not from within ourselves. 00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:43.600 So that's one reason salt is precious. 00:10:43.779 --> 00:10:47.500 Second reason is that salt is essential for flavoring and preserving food. 00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:50.200 Nobody likes bland food, 00:10:51.139 --> 00:10:53.000 and salt makes food tasty. 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:56.299 Even more importantly, 00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:57.379 ancient Egyptians, 00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:57.860 I think, 00:10:57.940 --> 00:11:00.279 were one of the earliest people to discover 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:03.779 that salt kills bacteria in certain foods, 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:06.399 and they learned that because it extracts moisture 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:07.620 and it kills bacteria, 00:11:07.980 --> 00:11:11.360 it preserves food to make it last significantly longer 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:12.620 than it otherwise would. 00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:15.500 That process we call curing, 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.700 which is commonly used for meats and fish and cheeses. 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:21.440 I'm sure you've had some cured ham recently, 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:23.060 or bacon. 00:11:24.160 --> 00:11:26.680 In the days before refrigeration, 00:11:27.140 --> 00:11:28.720 salt could mean the difference 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:31.140 between edible food and spoiled food, 00:11:31.560 --> 00:11:33.240 which then would mean the difference 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:35.300 between life or death. 00:11:38.900 --> 00:11:41.500 This antibacterial property of salt 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:43.980 was also an effective antiseptic, 00:11:44.040 --> 00:11:45.940 made it an effective antiseptic, 00:11:46.300 --> 00:11:48.960 and many ancient civilizations used it to clean wounds 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:50.480 and prevent infections, 00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:51.860 which is where we get the expression, 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:54.700 rubbing wound on your salt, 00:11:54.800 --> 00:11:56.680 which kind of has a bad connotation now. 00:11:57.440 --> 00:11:59.879 But when you don't have other things to use, 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:02.879 it helps. 00:12:02.980 --> 00:12:03.400 Even now, 00:12:03.460 --> 00:12:05.480 I think some of you rinsed your throats, 00:12:05.740 --> 00:12:06.120 mouths, 00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:07.780 with salt water 00:12:07.780 --> 00:12:10.120 when you have canker sores in your mouth. 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:13.560 In light of this historical background, 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:15.560 what does it mean that followers of Christ 00:12:15.560 --> 00:12:17.120 are to be salt of the earth? 00:12:17.659 --> 00:12:18.500 You know to understand that, 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:19.539 we must first address 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:21.460 what this is implying about the world. 00:12:22.759 --> 00:12:25.120 By saying that we are the salt of the earth, 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:26.799 Jesus is saying that the earth, 00:12:27.259 --> 00:12:27.960 the rest of the earth, 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:28.840 is not salt, 00:12:29.220 --> 00:12:30.799 and that it needs salt. 00:12:31.940 --> 00:12:34.240 It means first that the world is bland, 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:36.480 and then needs flavoring, 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:42.039 and it also means that the world is putrefying. 00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:43.639 It is rotting, 00:12:44.420 --> 00:12:47.019 and it must be preserved. 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:50.940 Ever since sin first entered the world, 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:53.620 our world has been decaying and dying, 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:54.720 and therefore, 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:56.279 it needs salt, 00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:57.779 people who are salt, 00:12:57.860 --> 00:12:59.800 as a preservative and an antiseptic. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:02.360 The world, 00:13:02.700 --> 00:13:03.960 left on its own, 00:13:04.100 --> 00:13:05.539 has a tendency to fester, 00:13:05.539 --> 00:13:08.799 unless God's people arrest 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.740 the continual decay. 00:13:11.819 --> 00:13:13.019 In Genesis 6, 5, 00:13:13.059 --> 00:13:13.240 it says, 00:13:13.339 --> 00:13:14.839 the Lord saw that the wickedness of man 00:13:14.839 --> 00:13:15.759 was great in the earth, 00:13:15.799 --> 00:13:17.219 and that every intention of the thoughts 00:13:17.219 --> 00:13:19.240 of his heart was only evil continually. 00:13:19.839 --> 00:13:21.459 It's this reality that leads God 00:13:21.459 --> 00:13:23.339 to bring down the flood judgment 00:13:23.339 --> 00:13:24.439 during Noah's day. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.439 And why was the world in such a state? 00:13:27.579 --> 00:13:28.339 In Genesis 6, 00:13:28.419 --> 00:13:29.679 it tells us in verse 8 to 9, 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:30.980 it says that only Noah 00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:33.139 was a righteous man who walked with God, 00:13:33.139 --> 00:13:35.500 while the rest of mankind was corrupt, 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:38.419 for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:40.559 Why did it come to such a dire point? 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:42.539 Because there's not enough salt on the earth. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:47.000 If you do a concordance search 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.340 for the word salt in the Bible 00:13:49.340 --> 00:13:52.279 and find references to salt in the Bible, 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:53.699 you'll find an interesting phrase 00:13:53.699 --> 00:13:55.100 that occurs several times. 00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:57.440 It's a covenant of salt. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.680 God refers to his covenant 00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:02.460 with his chosen people 00:14:02.460 --> 00:14:04.240 as a covenant of salt. 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:05.340 The reason why is because 00:14:05.340 --> 00:14:07.519 of salt's preserving property. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:11.279 It became a symbol of endurance, 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:13.700 symbol of permanence. 00:14:14.680 --> 00:14:17.240 And so when people in the Arab world, 00:14:17.320 --> 00:14:18.200 in the ancient Near East, 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:20.440 would make a covenant with other people, 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:21.879 they would often eat salt together 00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:23.700 to symbolize this is a covenant 00:14:23.700 --> 00:14:24.940 that's meant to last. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:26.879 Like salt. 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:30.980 So he says in Leviticus 2.13, 00:14:31.100 --> 00:14:33.080 you shall season all your grain offerings 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:34.240 with salt. 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.620 You shall not let the salt of the covenant 00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:39.019 with your God be missing 00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:40.100 from your grain offering. 00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:42.180 With all your offerings, 00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:44.080 you shall offer salt. 00:14:45.180 --> 00:14:46.940 Salt had to accompany 00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:48.480 every grain offering. 00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:49.820 In this way, 00:14:50.060 --> 00:14:51.840 in Scripture, 00:14:52.060 --> 00:14:54.100 salt becomes a powerful symbol 00:14:54.100 --> 00:14:56.259 of our covenant relationship with God. 00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:58.860 So in light of that, 00:14:58.920 --> 00:15:00.200 then what does it mean for us 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:01.240 to be salt of the earth? 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:03.180 It means to be a people 00:15:03.180 --> 00:15:04.519 who are loyal to God. 00:15:05.180 --> 00:15:07.080 People who are obedient to God. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:09.100 To be representatives of God. 00:15:09.180 --> 00:15:11.120 To be people who preserve the earth 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:12.019 as it should be, 00:15:12.180 --> 00:15:13.540 reflecting on the earth 00:15:13.540 --> 00:15:14.759 the righteousness of God 00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:15.919 and resisting 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:18.340 the decay and death 00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:19.319 of sin. 00:15:22.740 --> 00:15:24.379 But we can only do that 00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:25.620 if we remain salty. 00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:29.939 Jesus says in verse 13, 00:15:29.940 --> 00:15:32.360 but if salt has lost its taste, 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:35.300 how shall its saltiness be restored? 00:15:36.160 --> 00:15:38.060 It is no longer good for anything 00:15:38.060 --> 00:15:39.220 except to be thrown out 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:41.700 and trampled under people's feet. 00:15:43.280 --> 00:15:44.560 The chemists in the room 00:15:44.560 --> 00:15:45.340 can tell you guys 00:15:45.340 --> 00:15:48.220 that salt doesn't lose its saltiness 00:15:48.220 --> 00:15:49.360 because as soon as, 00:15:49.420 --> 00:15:50.440 Bailey's nodding over there, 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:52.760 as soon as salt loses its saltiness, 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.140 it would cease to be salt 00:15:54.140 --> 00:15:55.360 because its chemical composition 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.140 would be changed. 00:15:56.840 --> 00:15:58.000 But that defeats the point 00:15:58.000 --> 00:15:58.399 of the metaphor, 00:15:58.539 --> 00:15:59.179 so don't go there. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:02.000 In this part of the ancient world, 00:16:02.379 --> 00:16:03.480 salt was likely derived 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:04.279 from the Dead Sea 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:06.100 or from the ocean nearby 00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:07.539 and there would often be 00:16:07.539 --> 00:16:09.539 other residue and minerals 00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:10.899 that are mixed in with salt. 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:11.820 So there would be 00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:14.159 some salt-like things, 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:15.159 minerals that are extracted 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:16.440 that people would use as salt 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:18.059 but they would actually have no taste 00:16:18.059 --> 00:16:19.500 because it wasn't salt. 00:16:20.820 --> 00:16:23.379 So if salt has been diluted 00:16:23.379 --> 00:16:24.620 or it has been mixed 00:16:24.620 --> 00:16:25.659 with these other minerals, 00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:26.580 it would be useless 00:16:26.580 --> 00:16:28.620 for preserving or flavoring food. 00:16:29.400 --> 00:16:31.180 And once salt loses its taste, 00:16:31.280 --> 00:16:33.160 its saltiness cannot be restored. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:35.040 It's really good for nothing. 00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:38.700 The phrase lost its taste, 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:40.320 interestingly in Greek, 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.120 which is the language 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:41.660 that the New Testament 00:16:41.660 --> 00:16:42.259 is written in, 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:44.000 the phrase lost its taste 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:44.879 literally means 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:46.460 to become foolish. 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:48.379 Isn't that fascinating? 00:16:49.180 --> 00:16:50.340 The reason why 00:16:50.340 --> 00:16:52.020 this unusual Greek word 00:16:52.020 --> 00:16:52.759 is used 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.639 to mean lose its taste 00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.439 is because 00:16:56.439 --> 00:16:58.120 in the original Aramaic 00:16:58.120 --> 00:16:59.379 that Jesus would have spoken 00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:01.220 and in the related language 00:17:01.220 --> 00:17:01.819 of Hebrew, 00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:04.220 the word for tasteless 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:06.039 also means foolish 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:06.879 or wrong. 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:09.420 For example, 00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:10.879 in Jeremiah 23, 13, 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:11.420 the Lord says, 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:12.660 in the prophets of Samaria, 00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:14.779 I saw an unsavory thing, 00:17:14.859 --> 00:17:16.000 a tasteless thing. 00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:17.799 They prophesied by Baal 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:19.920 and led my people Israel astray. 00:17:20.580 --> 00:17:21.680 That tasteless thing 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:22.400 is translated 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:23.400 by other translations 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:24.300 as folly 00:17:24.300 --> 00:17:26.019 or that offensive thing 00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:27.480 or the repulsive thing. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:29.680 In Lamentations 2, 14, 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.340 that same word 00:17:30.340 --> 00:17:30.820 is translated 00:17:30.820 --> 00:17:32.120 as deceptive visions 00:17:32.120 --> 00:17:33.500 or worthless things 00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:34.700 or foolish things 00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:35.340 that prophets, 00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:36.680 the false prophets prophesy. 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:38.840 In Job 1, 22, 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:39.740 and 24, 12, 00:17:39.900 --> 00:17:41.080 that tasteless thing 00:17:41.080 --> 00:17:42.420 is used to refer to 00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:43.300 an offense 00:17:43.300 --> 00:17:44.400 or a wrong 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:44.800 that someone 00:17:44.800 --> 00:17:45.860 can be charged with. 00:17:47.320 --> 00:17:47.779 And perhaps 00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:48.779 most suggestively, 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:50.379 throughout the prophetic literature, 00:17:50.619 --> 00:17:52.319 especially in Ezekiel 13, 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:54.519 that same word, 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:55.639 that tasteless thing 00:17:55.639 --> 00:17:57.500 refers to the whitewash 00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:58.819 that people use 00:17:58.819 --> 00:18:00.859 to hide blemishes 00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:03.139 and dirt 00:18:03.139 --> 00:18:04.160 and grime 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:04.980 and mold 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:06.519 on walls 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:10.839 because that's an unseemly 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:12.359 and an offensive practice 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:13.160 to whitewash 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:14.000 something like that 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:14.980 instead of actually 00:18:14.980 --> 00:18:15.720 cleaning it 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.380 and getting rid of 00:18:17.380 --> 00:18:18.440 the mold 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:18.980 and the grime. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.120 So that's what it means 00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:22.940 for the salt 00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:24.579 to lose its taste, 00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:26.120 for it to be tasteless. 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:28.100 To lose our taste 00:18:28.100 --> 00:18:28.799 as salt, 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:29.480 as believers, 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.180 is to become foolish. 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.960 To lose sight 00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:35.319 of the wisdom of God. 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.120 To become complicit 00:18:38.120 --> 00:18:38.720 with the repulsiveness 00:18:39.360 --> 00:18:40.720 and the offensiveness 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.740 of idolatry 00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:42.339 in our world. 00:18:42.339 --> 00:18:44.279 to lose our distinctive 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:45.459 identity as Christians. 00:18:45.939 --> 00:18:47.019 To blend in 00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:48.399 to this sinful world 00:18:48.399 --> 00:18:49.159 instead of 00:18:49.159 --> 00:18:50.399 standing out. 00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:54.279 It means to whitewash 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:55.039 the evils 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:55.919 of our world 00:18:55.919 --> 00:18:58.039 and to call them good. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.480 G.K. Chesterton 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:02.359 once wrote about 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:03.399 this folly 00:19:03.399 --> 00:19:03.899 in his book, 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:04.659 Orthodoxy. 00:19:05.299 --> 00:19:05.720 He says, 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.860 what is the evil 00:19:06.860 --> 00:19:07.380 of the man 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.180 commonly called 00:19:08.180 --> 00:19:08.900 an optimist? 00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:09.779 Obviously, 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:10.380 it is felt 00:19:10.380 --> 00:19:11.299 that the optimist 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:12.259 wishing to defend 00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:13.440 the honor of this world 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.339 will defend 00:19:14.339 --> 00:19:15.339 the indefensible. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:16.640 He will not 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:17.620 wash the world 00:19:17.620 --> 00:19:19.200 but whitewash 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:19.640 the world. 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:22.960 That's what it looks like 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:23.460 for salt 00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:24.400 to lose its taste. 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:26.279 Christians who have 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:27.240 lost their saltiness 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:27.839 are no longer 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.600 distinguishable 00:19:28.600 --> 00:19:29.279 from the rest 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:29.720 of the world. 00:19:29.819 --> 00:19:30.660 They justify 00:19:30.660 --> 00:19:31.680 the sins of the world. 00:19:31.779 --> 00:19:32.400 Their values 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:33.039 and priorities 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:34.039 are not aligned 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:34.700 with God's 00:19:34.700 --> 00:19:35.579 unchanging word. 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:36.140 Rather, 00:19:36.259 --> 00:19:36.759 it is aligned 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:37.720 with the ever-changing 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:38.180 culture. 00:19:44.100 --> 00:19:44.940 But the church 00:19:44.940 --> 00:19:45.860 that represents 00:19:45.860 --> 00:19:47.059 God and Jesus 00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:48.360 must be set apart, 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:50.980 must be holy. 00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:52.299 In order for us 00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:52.839 to be a city 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:53.400 on a hill 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:54.559 and light in the darkness, 00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.519 the salt of the earth, 00:19:55.579 --> 00:19:56.380 we must be 00:19:56.380 --> 00:19:57.880 an alternate community, 00:19:58.620 --> 00:19:59.839 a contrast community. 00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:04.759 Let me give a few 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:06.799 examples 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:08.039 as practical application 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:08.379 points. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:09.039 Does the way 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:10.019 you talk 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:12.819 distinguish you 00:20:12.819 --> 00:20:13.420 from the way 00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:14.400 the world speaks? 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:18.779 Maybe the conversations 00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:19.619 in your workplace 00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:21.299 are usually vulgar 00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:22.400 and obscene 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.460 and profane. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:24.599 Maybe it's full 00:20:24.599 --> 00:20:25.099 of gossip 00:20:25.099 --> 00:20:25.819 and slander 00:20:25.819 --> 00:20:26.640 about your coworkers, 00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:27.519 but when you come 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.640 into the office space, 00:20:29.140 --> 00:20:30.559 people start 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.559 talking differently. 00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:32.819 They start 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:33.659 watching what 00:20:33.659 --> 00:20:34.119 they say. 00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:36.579 They stop 00:20:36.579 --> 00:20:37.440 taking the Lord's 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:38.079 name in vain. 00:20:38.579 --> 00:20:39.000 They stop 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:39.720 talking about 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:40.639 lewd subjects. 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.299 They stop 00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:42.279 swearing nonstop. 00:20:42.379 --> 00:20:42.779 They stop 00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:43.419 gossiping 00:20:43.419 --> 00:20:44.299 about their coworkers 00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:45.619 because they know 00:20:45.619 --> 00:20:46.299 that you don't join 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:46.940 in on that kind 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:47.299 of talk. 00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:51.419 you are being 00:20:51.419 --> 00:20:52.220 salt of the earth, 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:54.859 restraining sin 00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:55.379 and preserving 00:20:55.379 --> 00:20:55.779 the earth. 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:57.259 How do you 00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:58.099 interact with people 00:20:58.099 --> 00:20:58.919 that you disagree 00:20:58.919 --> 00:20:59.839 strongly with? 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:01.740 Do you 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:02.299 caricature 00:21:02.299 --> 00:21:03.539 your opponent's 00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:04.000 position 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.839 to make it 00:21:04.839 --> 00:21:05.500 sound as 00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:06.139 unreasonable 00:21:06.139 --> 00:21:07.079 as possible? 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:11.220 Do you 00:21:11.220 --> 00:21:11.720 cancel 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:12.720 and dox them? 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:14.980 when you 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.839 listen well 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:16.680 to your opponents 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.600 and you represent 00:21:17.600 --> 00:21:18.339 their positions 00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:19.460 fairly and when 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:20.240 you reason with 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:20.799 them instead of 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:21.420 canceling them, 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.079 you are functioning 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:23.299 as salt and 00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:24.539 slowing the rapid 00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:25.700 deterioration of 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.380 dialogue in our 00:21:26.380 --> 00:21:26.700 culture. 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:31.660 Is your media 00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:32.600 consumption different 00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:33.400 from that of the 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:34.019 rest of the world? 00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:36.720 According to the 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:37.980 Pew Research Center, 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:39.819 62% of U.S. 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:40.660 adults identify 00:21:40.660 --> 00:21:41.299 as Christians. 00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:41.379 Christians. 00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:43.099 That number is 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:44.279 very, very 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.940 inflated because 00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:46.779 there are many 00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:47.740 cultural and 00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.460 nominal Christians 00:21:48.460 --> 00:21:49.279 who on surveys 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:49.819 like that say 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:50.419 they are Christian 00:21:50.419 --> 00:21:51.259 but don't actually 00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.159 do anything in 00:21:52.159 --> 00:21:52.720 their life that 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.500 resembles what a 00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:53.940 Christian should 00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:55.399 look like because 00:21:55.399 --> 00:21:55.919 they don't actually 00:21:55.919 --> 00:21:56.639 believe what the 00:21:56.639 --> 00:21:57.440 Bible teaches and 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:58.220 don't actually live 00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:58.799 according to what 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.519 the Bible says. 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:01.200 But imagine 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:01.799 with me, 00:22:01.980 --> 00:22:04.059 if 62% of 00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:04.339 U.S. 00:22:04.399 --> 00:22:05.599 adults were 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:06.500 really Christians, 00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:10.339 if 62% of 00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:10.599 U.S. 00:22:10.659 --> 00:22:10.980 Christians 00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.980 refused to, 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:12.819 U.S. 00:22:12.860 --> 00:22:14.180 adults refused to 00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:15.400 watch gratuitously 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:16.759 violent and 00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:17.819 sexually explicit 00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:19.200 and or occultic 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:20.759 horror films and 00:22:20.759 --> 00:22:21.279 shows, 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:24.660 do you think that 00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:25.660 Hollywood keep 00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:26.920 churning out those 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:27.579 kinds of movies 00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:30.860 when 62% of the 00:22:30.860 --> 00:22:31.839 population refuses to 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:32.200 watch them? 00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:33.779 Of course not. 00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:34.400 It affects their 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:35.240 bottom line way too 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:35.519 much. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:41.139 they produce those 00:22:41.139 --> 00:22:41.920 kinds of shows and 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.599 movies because 00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:44.000 Christians gobble 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:45.000 them up like the 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:45.720 rest of the world 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.700 because their salt 00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:47.619 has lost its taste. 00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:52.460 Does the way you 00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:53.279 spend your money 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.740 distinguish you from 00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:55.619 the way the world 00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:56.339 spends money? 00:22:57.119 --> 00:22:57.879 Of course some 00:22:57.879 --> 00:22:58.759 basic things and 00:22:58.759 --> 00:22:59.480 basic needs are 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.019 going to look the 00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.220 same. 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:01.359 We all need food and 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:02.119 clothing and shelter. 00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:03.279 But beyond those 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:04.299 basic needs, if we 00:23:04.299 --> 00:23:05.500 really store up our 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:06.439 treasures in heaven 00:23:06.439 --> 00:23:08.419 and not on earth, if 00:23:08.419 --> 00:23:09.599 we are invested in 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.579 not just temporal 00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:11.619 priorities but in 00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:13.000 eternal priorities, 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:14.479 then it should show 00:23:14.479 --> 00:23:15.159 in our budget. 00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:19.000 It should show in our 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.960 generosity toward the 00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:20.820 needy around us. 00:23:23.820 --> 00:23:24.920 It should be apparent 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:25.740 to the people of this 00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:27.040 world that, oh, 00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:28.540 these Christians don't 00:23:28.540 --> 00:23:29.240 treasure the same 00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:30.060 thing that I 00:23:30.060 --> 00:23:30.380 treasure. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:36.200 If we are 00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:37.519 indistinguishable from 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:38.640 unbelievers at this 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:39.480 point, then the salt 00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:41.220 has lost its taste. 00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:44.380 How sad it is when 00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:44.980 those who are called 00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.460 by the name 00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.019 Christian are the 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:47.120 indistinguishable from 00:23:47.120 --> 00:23:47.920 the non-Christians. 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:49.680 A tasteless salt cannot 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.180 flavor. 00:23:50.420 --> 00:23:51.559 It no longer absorbs 00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:52.200 water and kills 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:52.620 bacteria. 00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.460 It cannot preserve 00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:53.900 food. 00:23:55.460 --> 00:23:56.240 And a Christian who 00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:57.420 exhibits no Christian 00:23:57.420 --> 00:23:58.960 character, a Christian 00:23:58.960 --> 00:23:59.880 who does not uphold 00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:00.839 Christian convictions, 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:02.500 is no longer good for 00:24:02.500 --> 00:24:03.480 anything except to be 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:04.440 thrown out and trampled 00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:05.400 under people's feet. 00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:06.640 This is a fearful 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:07.059 warning. 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:08.599 That's not a good 00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:08.920 thing. 00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:12.920 Being trampled under 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:13.620 people's feet is a 00:24:13.620 --> 00:24:14.559 mark of destruction. 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:17.839 In Luke 8, the 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:18.500 parable of the sower, 00:24:18.639 --> 00:24:19.579 the seed that falls 00:24:19.579 --> 00:24:21.579 along the path and 00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.119 is subsequently 00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:23.579 trampled by men and 00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:24.519 then consumed by 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:27.299 birds, Jesus says, is 00:24:27.299 --> 00:24:28.599 an illustration of 00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:29.899 people who hear the 00:24:29.899 --> 00:24:31.879 gospel, but then that 00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:33.240 gospel seed is snatched 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:35.159 away by the devil and 00:24:35.159 --> 00:24:36.819 it does not, they do 00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:38.079 not believe from their 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:38.440 hearts. 00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:41.519 Salt that has lost its 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:43.039 taste is useless salt. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.619 In fact, it's no true 00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:45.819 salt at all. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:50.899 Jesus switches metaphors 00:24:50.899 --> 00:24:51.639 in verse 14. 00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:52.940 He says, you are the 00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:53.759 light of the world. 00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:56.159 Once again, what we do 00:24:56.159 --> 00:24:57.379 flows from who we are. 00:24:57.920 --> 00:24:59.599 Our identity is you are 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:00.940 the light of the world 00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.899 and that's a remarkable 00:25:01.899 --> 00:25:04.720 claim because Jesus is 00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:05.659 speaking here to his 00:25:05.659 --> 00:25:06.659 ragtag group of 00:25:06.659 --> 00:25:09.099 disciples, the ordinary 00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:10.759 fishermen, the tax 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:11.180 collector. 00:25:15.379 --> 00:25:19.160 Jesus didn't say, oh, 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:23.119 Socrates, Plato, 00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:25.839 Aristotle, Homer, 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:28.000 Caesar, Augustus, 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:30.000 they're the light of the 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:30.259 world. 00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:37.119 The world speaks often 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:37.759 of enlightenment. 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:39.099 It speaks often of 00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:41.259 luminaries or geniuses of 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:42.299 history who are the light 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:42.660 of the world. 00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:44.440 The world speaks often of 00:25:44.440 --> 00:25:46.839 stars, but it's not the 00:25:46.839 --> 00:25:47.960 Grammy winners and the 00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:49.019 Oscar winners and the 00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:50.119 election winners and the 00:25:50.119 --> 00:25:51.180 gold medal winners and 00:25:51.180 --> 00:25:52.779 championship winners and 00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:53.900 the billionaires in the 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:55.000 world that they, the 00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:56.319 people who have their 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.539 names on the Hollywood 00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:58.759 Walk of Fame, who have a 00:25:58.759 --> 00:26:00.279 star on the walk of 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:00.299 them. 00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:01.940 They are not the stars of 00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:02.319 this world. 00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:03.480 They are not the light of 00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:03.900 this world. 00:26:04.259 --> 00:26:08.420 You are the people of 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:08.660 God. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:10.079 You are the light of the 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.359 world. 00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.819 You are the people who can 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:12.940 shine the light of Jesus 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:14.740 Christ in this dark world. 00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:16.379 You are the people whose 00:26:16.379 --> 00:26:17.259 good deeds, whose 00:26:17.259 --> 00:26:19.000 righteousness will check the 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:20.359 progress of death and 00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:21.240 decay in our world. 00:26:21.980 --> 00:26:23.779 You are the hope of the 00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:24.220 earth. 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:26.019 Do you believe this, 00:26:26.180 --> 00:26:26.720 brothers and sisters? 00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:31.440 I believe that with all 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:33.259 my heart, and that's why 00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:34.140 I've given my life to 00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:34.859 serve the church of 00:26:34.859 --> 00:26:35.279 Christ. 00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:38.960 But, brothers and 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:40.220 sisters, I did not choose 00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:41.299 a humble profession. 00:26:43.859 --> 00:26:45.140 I chose to serve the 00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:45.839 king of kings. 00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:49.420 I chose to be associated 00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:50.660 with and to work among 00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:53.480 the stars, the light of 00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:53.880 the world. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:00.380 In fact, the only light. 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:04.799 The fact that the 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:05.779 follower of Christ are the 00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.799 light of the world implies 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.099 something obvious, again, 00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:09.579 that this sinful world is 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:10.259 now lost. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:11.980 It's plunged in darkness. 00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.900 It is full of sin and 00:27:15.900 --> 00:27:16.180 evil. 00:27:17.779 --> 00:27:19.380 The world is full of 00:27:19.380 --> 00:27:20.380 knowledge of various 00:27:20.380 --> 00:27:20.839 kinds. 00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:22.059 Every time a PhD 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:23.019 dissertation is written, 00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:23.859 it seems like we make 00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:25.799 some marginal progress 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:26.859 toward more knowledge. 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:31.720 Yet, for all of its 00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:32.919 knowledge, the world 00:27:32.919 --> 00:27:35.059 profoundly lacks the 00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:36.000 wisdom of God. 00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:41.799 It understands much 00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:42.500 about things that are 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:43.940 immediate, but it 00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:45.099 understands very little 00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:45.839 about the things that 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:46.399 are ultimate. 00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:49.099 Think about this. 00:27:49.159 --> 00:27:49.720 People are more 00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:50.679 connected to each other 00:27:50.679 --> 00:27:51.399 than they ever were 00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:53.820 before, by fast travel, 00:27:54.040 --> 00:27:56.560 by social media, by 00:27:56.560 --> 00:27:57.519 distance communication. 00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:59.580 Yet, people are 00:27:59.580 --> 00:28:00.640 lonelier than they ever 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:00.880 were. 00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:06.200 No matter how 00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:07.400 intelligent or rich or 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:08.280 talented the people of 00:28:08.280 --> 00:28:09.080 this world might be, 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.000 Ephesians 4.18 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:10.920 describes those who 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:12.440 live apart from Christ as 00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.560 darkened in their 00:28:13.560 --> 00:28:15.400 understanding, alienated 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:16.660 from the life of God 00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:17.600 because of the 00:28:17.600 --> 00:28:18.440 ignorance that is in 00:28:18.440 --> 00:28:19.000 them due to their 00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.840 hardness of heart. 00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:22.980 For this reason, only 00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:23.899 those who humbly 00:28:23.899 --> 00:28:24.879 acknowledge their 00:28:24.879 --> 00:28:26.079 ignorance and darkness 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:27.819 and come to Christ can 00:28:27.819 --> 00:28:28.859 receive his light and 00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:29.619 become the light of the 00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:29.919 world. 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:31.659 That's why in the 00:28:31.659 --> 00:28:32.339 Beatitudes, Jesus 00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:34.119 describes Christians as 00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:35.799 those who are poor and 00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:37.740 mourning and meek and 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:38.899 hungering and thirsting 00:28:38.899 --> 00:28:39.859 for righteousness because 00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:41.179 they recognize their 00:28:41.179 --> 00:28:41.799 deficiency. 00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:43.959 They recognize their 00:28:43.959 --> 00:28:44.599 neediness. 00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:45.839 They recognize their 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:46.220 lack. 00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:50.900 And those who have 00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.880 become the light of the 00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.960 world, they shine. 00:28:53.700 --> 00:28:54.839 A city set on a hill 00:28:54.839 --> 00:28:55.920 cannot be hidden, nor do 00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:56.779 people light a lamp and 00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:57.860 put it under a basket, but 00:28:57.860 --> 00:28:59.100 on a stand, and it gives 00:28:59.100 --> 00:29:00.220 light to all in the 00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:00.539 house. 00:29:01.100 --> 00:29:02.460 When a city is nestled in 00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:03.799 a valley, it can be 00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:05.140 hidden by the hills that 00:29:05.140 --> 00:29:06.140 surround it, but if a 00:29:06.140 --> 00:29:07.720 city is on top of a 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:10.200 hill, all eyes gravitate 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:10.700 toward it. 00:29:11.360 --> 00:29:12.960 There's nothing you can do 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.640 to hide it. 00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:18.480 Likewise, people do not 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:20.060 light a lamp and then 00:29:20.060 --> 00:29:21.600 put it under a basket. 00:29:21.820 --> 00:29:22.920 They put it on a stand 00:29:22.920 --> 00:29:24.720 so that it gives light to 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:26.360 everyone in the house. 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:27.620 That is the very purpose 00:29:27.620 --> 00:29:30.540 of light, to shine. 00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:32.960 If you're going to put 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:34.720 your light under a basket 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.820 and hide it, why have it 00:29:36.820 --> 00:29:37.580 turned on in the first 00:29:37.580 --> 00:29:37.920 place? 00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:42.100 Jesus is saying that this 00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:43.639 is the very nature and 00:29:43.639 --> 00:29:44.939 purpose of Christians. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.659 As salt that has lost its 00:29:48.659 --> 00:29:50.099 taste is useless, so a 00:29:50.099 --> 00:29:51.319 light that is hidden and 00:29:51.319 --> 00:29:52.459 fails to give light is 00:29:52.459 --> 00:29:52.819 useless. 00:29:53.439 --> 00:29:54.439 What good is an 00:29:54.439 --> 00:29:56.639 extinguished candle or a 00:29:56.639 --> 00:29:57.779 burnt-out light bulb? 00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:00.379 So a Christian who is 00:30:00.379 --> 00:30:01.559 indistinguishable from the 00:30:01.559 --> 00:30:03.000 world, whose life bears no 00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:05.939 witness to Jesus Christ, is 00:30:05.939 --> 00:30:06.240 useless. 00:30:07.859 --> 00:30:09.199 The best way to understand 00:30:09.199 --> 00:30:09.980 what it means to be the 00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:11.019 light of the world is to 00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:11.879 make the connection that 00:30:11.879 --> 00:30:13.039 Matthew himself makes in 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.279 his gospel because earlier 00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:16.299 in chapter 4, verse 16, he 00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:17.819 wrote that Jesus, about the 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:18.920 coming of Jesus, that Jesus 00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:20.079 himself is the one who 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:22.000 fulfills the prophecy of 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:23.319 Isaiah 9, verse 2, which 00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:25.220 says that people dwelling in 00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:27.539 darkness have seen a great 00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:28.319 light. 00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:34.019 And that's why Jesus claimed, 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:35.400 an audacious claim really, 00:30:35.579 --> 00:30:37.619 if it's, he said in John 8, 00:30:37.639 --> 00:30:39.839 12, I am the light of the 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:40.199 world. 00:30:42.139 --> 00:30:43.559 Whoever follows me will not 00:30:43.559 --> 00:30:44.759 walk in darkness, but will 00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:46.059 have the light of life. 00:30:46.419 --> 00:30:48.019 In order to have the light 00:30:48.019 --> 00:30:49.599 of life, you must follow 00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:51.819 Jesus, the light of the 00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:52.079 world. 00:30:55.919 --> 00:30:57.639 Second Corinthians 4, 4-6, 00:30:57.879 --> 00:30:59.939 Paul speaks of the light of 00:30:59.939 --> 00:31:01.559 the gospel of the glory of 00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:02.679 Christ, who is the image of 00:31:02.679 --> 00:31:02.919 God. 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:04.799 So Christians are those who 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:07.339 have believed in the gospel or 00:31:07.339 --> 00:31:09.139 the good news of Jesus 00:31:09.139 --> 00:31:09.619 Christ. 00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:12.519 Do you acknowledge that the 00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:13.399 world is dark? 00:31:15.339 --> 00:31:16.399 Do you acknowledge that your 00:31:16.399 --> 00:31:17.439 ways are darkness? 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:21.159 God the Father sent his only 00:31:21.159 --> 00:31:23.179 son, Jesus Christ, into this 00:31:23.179 --> 00:31:25.119 world in order to deliver us, 00:31:25.179 --> 00:31:26.220 deliver us, as it says in 00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:27.699 Colossians, from the dominion 00:31:27.699 --> 00:31:29.720 of darkness into the kingdom 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.659 of his beloved son. 00:31:30.660 --> 00:31:36.860 God, we were, no matter how 00:31:36.860 --> 00:31:38.240 much we claim to say, well, I 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.960 have eyes, I am not blind. 00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:42.960 No matter how good your 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:44.200 eyesight is, without light, you 00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:45.279 can not see a thing. 00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:50.599 So it is in the spiritual world. 00:31:50.920 --> 00:31:52.359 Unless the light of Jesus 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:54.480 Christ shines upon us, you 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:55.639 cannot see. 00:31:55.759 --> 00:31:57.180 We were groping about in the 00:31:57.180 --> 00:32:00.240 darkness, lost in sin and 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:02.119 destined for death and hell and 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:03.779 unable to save ourselves, 00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:05.559 unable to pull ourselves up by 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:06.460 our own bootstraps. 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:07.920 And it's in that place that 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:08.960 Jesus came. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:10.579 God the Father sent his son, 00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:12.099 Jesus Christ, as the light of 00:32:12.099 --> 00:32:13.240 the world to illumine our 00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:14.440 darkness so that we might 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:15.960 believe in him who died on the 00:32:15.960 --> 00:32:18.840 cross for our sins, who bore 00:32:18.840 --> 00:32:20.500 our darkness and carried our 00:32:20.500 --> 00:32:23.840 darkness and buried it and 00:32:23.840 --> 00:32:26.799 rose from the dead so that we 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:29.700 can sing and say, I once was 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:33.019 blind, but now I see. 00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:46.100 And it's when our spiritual eyes 00:32:46.100 --> 00:32:47.140 are open to the light of the 00:32:47.140 --> 00:32:49.039 gospel of Jesus Christ that we 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:50.420 too begin to shine. 00:32:51.519 --> 00:32:55.080 It's like we are all a thousand 00:32:55.080 --> 00:32:59.000 candles being brought to Jesus, 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:01.080 the light of the world, and being 00:33:01.080 --> 00:33:01.920 lit aflame. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:06.720 It's by our union with Jesus 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:08.539 Christ, by faith, that we become 00:33:08.539 --> 00:33:09.539 light of the world. 00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:11.119 And the amazing thing about light 00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:12.500 and the amazing thing about fire 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:14.460 is when you spread it, it doesn't 00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:15.960 get extinguished in its original 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:17.379 source, no, it multiplies. 00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:27.079 And once we have this light, we can't 00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:27.940 help but shine. 00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:29.940 That's why following Christ is not 00:33:29.940 --> 00:33:31.819 merely about personal, private 00:33:31.819 --> 00:33:32.180 holiness. 00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:34.960 There's always a public witness 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:35.859 component. 00:33:35.859 --> 00:33:38.079 In fact, if there is true, genuine 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:40.799 personal holiness, inevitably there 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:42.279 will be interpersonal witness. 00:33:42.879 --> 00:33:44.159 Because people will notice. 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:48.579 It says in verse 16, in the same 00:33:48.579 --> 00:33:49.879 way, let your light shine before 00:33:49.879 --> 00:33:51.099 others so that they may see your 00:33:51.099 --> 00:33:52.539 good works and give glory to your 00:33:52.539 --> 00:33:53.359 Father who is in heaven. 00:33:57.199 --> 00:33:58.839 What does it mean that we are to 00:33:58.839 --> 00:34:00.679 shine before others so that they 00:34:00.679 --> 00:34:01.339 praise their Father? 00:34:01.339 --> 00:34:04.279 It tells us, it tells us that they 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:06.720 will see our good works and give 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:08.099 glory to our Father who is in 00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:08.259 heaven. 00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:10.000 So the emphasis on this passage is 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:12.860 on the good works that we do in 00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:14.759 response to the good news that we 00:34:14.759 --> 00:34:15.300 believe in. 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:19.440 Light's primary function is to 00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:21.079 enable us to see, as we mentioned, 00:34:21.279 --> 00:34:21.440 right? 00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:23.779 And how do we point people to the 00:34:23.779 --> 00:34:25.139 saving light of the gospel of the 00:34:25.139 --> 00:34:25.820 glory of Christ? 00:34:26.420 --> 00:34:28.119 Titus 2.10 says that one of the 00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:30.779 ways we do that is by adorning the 00:34:30.779 --> 00:34:32.840 doctrine of God our Savior with the 00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:34.160 good works that we do. 00:34:36.660 --> 00:34:39.920 So yes, as Christians, we must speak 00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:42.539 the good news, but we are also to 00:34:42.539 --> 00:34:44.960 adorn that good news that we speak by 00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:46.420 the good works that we do. 00:34:49.600 --> 00:34:51.140 And what do these good works look 00:34:51.140 --> 00:34:51.380 like? 00:34:51.660 --> 00:34:53.320 It looks like what Jesus talks about 00:34:53.320 --> 00:34:54.300 in the rest of the Sermon on the 00:34:54.300 --> 00:34:54.440 Mount. 00:34:56.680 --> 00:34:59.720 It's not always spectacular things. 00:34:59.719 --> 00:35:03.239 It looks like being patient and 00:35:03.239 --> 00:35:06.219 gentle when you can lash out at 00:35:06.219 --> 00:35:07.299 somebody in sinful anger. 00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:11.159 It looks like being self-controlled 00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:12.779 rather than lustful. 00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:15.679 It looks like being faithful to your 00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:17.919 spouse for a lifetime rather than 00:35:17.919 --> 00:35:20.059 divorcing him or her or committing 00:35:20.059 --> 00:35:20.619 adultery. 00:35:20.619 --> 00:35:24.279 It looks like not retaliating, but 00:35:24.279 --> 00:35:26.339 loving and praying for your enemies. 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:28.799 It looks like giving to the needy in 00:35:28.799 --> 00:35:29.239 secret. 00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:31.880 It looks like trusting God rather than 00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:32.719 being anxious. 00:35:33.299 --> 00:35:35.359 It looks like serving God rather than 00:35:35.359 --> 00:35:36.079 serving money. 00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:38.380 It looks like praying for God's will to 00:35:38.380 --> 00:35:40.500 be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:35:40.880 --> 00:35:44.420 It looks like, in short, loving God with 00:35:44.420 --> 00:35:46.159 our whole hearts and loving our neighbors 00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:47.179 as we love ourselves. 00:35:47.179 --> 00:35:50.079 That's what it looks like for us to do 00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:52.539 good works that shine, that shine our 00:35:52.539 --> 00:35:52.799 light. 00:35:56.000 --> 00:35:58.119 I can also point to many examples from 00:35:58.119 --> 00:36:00.059 history that are maybe perhaps a little 00:36:00.059 --> 00:36:03.799 more spectacular, although they didn't 00:36:03.799 --> 00:36:05.940 happen necessarily in spectacular ways. 00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:07.339 Looking back, they look spectacular. 00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:10.199 Historian Alvin Schmidt points this out in 00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:11.819 his book, How Christianity Changed the 00:36:11.819 --> 00:36:13.919 World, and he says that Christian 00:36:13.919 --> 00:36:16.879 influence on government and not all of 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:18.140 these happen through the legislations. 00:36:18.220 --> 00:36:20.180 It just happened by multiplying 00:36:20.180 --> 00:36:22.920 Christians in these places so that more 00:36:22.920 --> 00:36:25.079 and more people thought these ways and 00:36:25.079 --> 00:36:26.320 started acting these ways. 00:36:27.420 --> 00:36:29.519 But he says that Christian influence in 00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:31.340 the world is primarily responsible for, he 00:36:31.340 --> 00:36:34.119 says, outlawing infanticide, child 00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:36.280 abandonment and abortion and gladiatorial 00:36:36.280 --> 00:36:39.200 games in the Roman Empire, instituting 00:36:39.200 --> 00:36:41.360 prison reforms, something as basic as 00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:43.160 segregating male and female prisoners, 00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:46.500 stopping the practice of human sacrifice 00:36:46.500 --> 00:36:48.639 among the Irish, the Prusians, and the 00:36:48.639 --> 00:36:50.079 Lithuanians as well as among other 00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:53.739 nations, outlawing pedophilia, granting 00:36:53.739 --> 00:36:55.980 of property rights and other protections to 00:36:55.980 --> 00:36:59.039 women, banning polygamy, prohibiting the 00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:01.940 burning alive of widows in India after their 00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:04.599 husbands are deceased, outlawing the painful 00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:06.840 and crippling practice of binding young 00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:10.000 women's feet in China, persuading government 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:12.239 officials to begin a system of public schools in 00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:12.599 Germany. 00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:18.519 Two-thirds of the abolitionists in America in 00:37:18.519 --> 00:37:21.299 the mid-1830s were Christian clergymen, not 00:37:21.299 --> 00:37:22.759 just Christians, but clergymen. 00:37:26.559 --> 00:37:29.059 In fact, English historian Tom Holland writes in 00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:31.139 his book, Dominion, How the Christian Revolution 00:37:31.139 --> 00:37:34.719 Remade the World, that every abolitionist movement 00:37:34.719 --> 00:37:38.779 throughout all of human history, or at least the last 00:37:38.780 --> 00:37:43.000 2,000 years since Christ, from Gregory of Nyssa in the 00:37:43.000 --> 00:37:44.760 fourth century to Martin Luther King Jr. in the 00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:46.780 20th century, every single one of them has been 00:37:46.780 --> 00:37:47.519 Christian movements. 00:37:53.040 --> 00:37:55.120 But I do want to add one qualifier here. 00:37:56.160 --> 00:37:59.560 This doesn't mean that it is the mission of the church 00:37:59.560 --> 00:38:03.440 as a whole or the church as an institution to specialize in 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.519 these public good works. 00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:10.619 It's the church's mission to proclaim the gospel and make 00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:14.139 disciples of Jesus Christ who will then obey everything 00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:16.800 Christ has commanded them, including doing all these good 00:38:16.800 --> 00:38:17.059 works. 00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:25.599 It's not our mission as a church to build orphanages, but it 00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:29.159 is our mission to produce disciples like George Mueller, 00:38:29.159 --> 00:38:36.319 who built many orphanages and cared for 10,024 orphans during 00:38:36.319 --> 00:38:36.819 his lifetime. 00:38:39.239 --> 00:38:42.519 That's what Christian disciples do when they are rightly 00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:44.819 discipled and they shine as light in the world. 00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:49.500 It is not the mission of the church to collectively stage 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:51.219 protests and lobby lawmakers. 00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:57.319 But it is our mission to produce disciples like William 00:38:57.320 --> 00:39:02.380 Wilberforce, who led the charge in the UK of abolishing slavery. 00:39:09.220 --> 00:39:12.220 I pray and hope and I trust that some of you will be 00:39:12.220 --> 00:39:15.860 professors and scientists and lawyers and judges and 00:39:15.860 --> 00:39:18.760 diplomats and legislators and teachers and financial 00:39:18.760 --> 00:39:22.360 advisors and nurses and doctors who will make all kinds of 00:39:22.360 --> 00:39:23.200 difference in the world. 00:39:23.199 --> 00:39:35.239 But if the church as an institution, the collective church's 00:39:35.239 --> 00:39:39.619 mission becomes merely the betterment of society, then we 00:39:39.619 --> 00:39:42.899 will eventually lose sight of the gospel, which is the driving 00:39:42.899 --> 00:39:44.279 engine of all our good works. 00:39:47.719 --> 00:39:50.859 That's why he says in Philippians 2, 14 to 16, Paul tells us the 00:39:50.860 --> 00:39:53.059 secret to shining as lights in the world. 00:39:53.120 --> 00:39:53.960 And this is what he says. 00:39:54.260 --> 00:39:56.360 You shine as lights in the world. 00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:56.820 How? 00:39:57.660 --> 00:39:59.940 Holding fast to the word of life. 00:40:02.900 --> 00:40:03.940 What is the word of life? 00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:05.640 It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:07.559 The good news of Jesus Christ. 00:40:07.720 --> 00:40:09.680 When we gather together, that's what we're doing. 00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:11.960 We're holding fast to the word of life. 00:40:12.700 --> 00:40:15.960 Being renewed and transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:40:15.960 --> 00:40:19.199 Receiving God's mercy so that we become more merciful people. 00:40:19.559 --> 00:40:22.019 Receiving God's forgiveness so that we become more forgiving 00:40:22.019 --> 00:40:22.500 people. 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:25.679 Receiving God's generosity so that we become more generous 00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:26.320 people. 00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:32.699 We hold fast to the word of life when we gather together so that 00:40:32.699 --> 00:40:36.679 when we are scattered, we shine as bright lights in the world. 00:40:41.639 --> 00:40:43.820 There's one more question that this passage raises and I'll 00:40:43.820 --> 00:40:44.440 close with this. 00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:46.240 Jesus says in verse 16, 00:40:46.720 --> 00:40:49.740 let your light shine before others so that they may see your 00:40:49.740 --> 00:40:52.039 good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. 00:40:53.200 --> 00:40:57.340 Does this mean then we should do our good works in order to be 00:40:57.340 --> 00:40:58.840 seen by people? 00:41:00.679 --> 00:41:03.300 So they can see our good works and then glorify God? 00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:09.700 Because that seems to contradict what Jesus says repeatedly in the 00:41:09.700 --> 00:41:12.559 gospel of Matthew, including in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, 00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:13.759 verse 1 to 4 when Jesus says, 00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:19.840 beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen 00:41:19.840 --> 00:41:20.500 by them. 00:41:21.300 --> 00:41:23.960 For then you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven. 00:41:24.860 --> 00:41:27.840 When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know. 00:41:28.220 --> 00:41:29.440 Sorry, this is your left. 00:41:29.620 --> 00:41:33.360 So left hand know what your right hand is doing so that you're giving may be in 00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:33.680 secret. 00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:37.260 And your father who sees in secret will reward you. 00:41:37.260 --> 00:41:39.620 Jesus says this multiple times. 00:41:39.680 --> 00:41:43.900 He says, don't pray and fast in a manner to be seen by others. 00:41:44.620 --> 00:41:46.480 Don't announce it to the world when you do it. 00:41:46.540 --> 00:41:51.760 In Matthew 23, 5, Jesus denounces the scribes and the Pharisees for precisely this 00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:56.400 thing because they do all their deeds in order to be seen by others. 00:41:56.400 --> 00:42:02.599 So are we supposed to do our good deeds to be seen by others or not? 00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:08.960 I think virtue signaling is never for the Christian. 00:42:13.460 --> 00:42:19.500 We should never announce our good deeds on social media in order to be seen by others 00:42:19.500 --> 00:42:20.420 and praised by men. 00:42:20.420 --> 00:42:25.800 You might have other purpose, other reasons for doing that, but it should not be for the 00:42:25.800 --> 00:42:29.039 purpose of being seen by men and would be praised by them. 00:42:31.240 --> 00:42:33.059 That is consistently denounced in scripture. 00:42:35.180 --> 00:42:39.500 There are some good works, however, that simply cannot be hidden, at least not from the people 00:42:39.500 --> 00:42:40.559 that you are doing good to. 00:42:42.760 --> 00:42:47.659 He says in 1 Timothy 5, 25, good works are conspicuous. 00:42:47.659 --> 00:42:52.819 And even those that are not cannot remain hidden. 00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:57.579 Don't worry about broadcasting your good works. 00:42:58.440 --> 00:43:02.500 If you do your good works in secret before the Father who alone sees in heaven above, 00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:04.259 eventually things come to light. 00:43:05.940 --> 00:43:08.139 Sometimes it comes to light after you die. 00:43:08.519 --> 00:43:09.000 All the better. 00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:09.599 Yeah. 00:43:09.599 --> 00:43:09.699 Yeah. 00:43:17.659 --> 00:43:21.219 I think what matters is your heart's disposition. 00:43:25.639 --> 00:43:26.799 Why do we do the glory? 00:43:26.799 --> 00:43:31.039 Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works. 00:43:31.139 --> 00:43:32.399 Is that the ultimate purpose? 00:43:32.519 --> 00:43:34.960 Is that the reason why we let our shine light before others? 00:43:35.059 --> 00:43:36.000 No, that's not. 00:43:37.619 --> 00:43:42.219 Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your 00:43:42.219 --> 00:43:43.519 Father who is in heaven. 00:43:43.519 --> 00:43:44.980 Again, that's the reason. 00:43:46.039 --> 00:43:47.139 That's the purpose. 00:43:49.179 --> 00:43:54.400 If we are doing good deeds before others to be seen by men so that they give glory to us, 00:43:54.599 --> 00:43:56.719 then that's, our heart's not in the right place. 00:44:00.300 --> 00:44:03.460 Our goal is to give glory to God the Father in heaven. 00:44:03.460 --> 00:44:12.500 And this is important because sometimes the good works that we do are not going to be praised by people. 00:44:13.639 --> 00:44:13.860 Right? 00:44:13.900 --> 00:44:18.940 We just talked about it in the last beatitude and that context is important because it immediately precedes this. 00:44:19.300 --> 00:44:20.039 Jesus said, 00:44:20.619 --> 00:44:24.519 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. 00:44:24.519 --> 00:44:26.960 Jesus said, 00:44:27.139 --> 00:44:28.460 If you do righteous deeds, 00:44:28.539 --> 00:44:30.800 if you do good deeds and obedience to God, 00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:34.559 that the world will hate us and that it will persecute us. 00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:40.320 And if we are out to get the world's praise, 00:44:40.599 --> 00:44:44.099 if we are out to be seen by people so that they would praise us and glorify us, 00:44:44.259 --> 00:44:47.119 then we will not do the works that will gain us infamy 00:44:47.119 --> 00:44:52.019 and revulsion and slander from the world. 00:44:52.019 --> 00:44:55.759 Because there are many good works that are like that. 00:44:59.340 --> 00:45:03.420 So then what does it mean that people will see our good works and give glory to the Father in heaven? 00:45:03.539 --> 00:45:05.320 Of course, there is some common grace. 00:45:06.619 --> 00:45:09.840 And there are good works that we do that the world will agree are good works. 00:45:10.199 --> 00:45:11.360 They'll see that, oh, that is good. 00:45:13.800 --> 00:45:15.960 And that will bring some glory to God the Father. 00:45:17.099 --> 00:45:19.039 But even when they don't recognize them, 00:45:19.079 --> 00:45:20.920 they revile us as evildoers, 00:45:20.920 --> 00:45:28.039 eventually the good works that we do will elicit praise and glory from all the world 00:45:28.039 --> 00:45:29.900 when Christ returns. 00:45:30.340 --> 00:45:32.420 And that's what we see in 1 Peter 2, 12. 00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:33.579 He says, 00:45:33.980 --> 00:45:36.820 We should keep our conduct among the Gentiles honorable, 00:45:37.820 --> 00:45:42.340 even when they speak against us as evildoers, 00:45:42.340 --> 00:45:48.280 so that they will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 00:45:48.280 --> 00:45:51.300 It's speaking of the return of Christ, 00:45:51.300 --> 00:45:52.640 the final day of visitation. 00:45:53.960 --> 00:45:57.519 Even if we are maligned here on earth because of the good works that we do, 00:45:57.560 --> 00:45:59.920 even if we are persecuted on account of righteousness, 00:46:01.260 --> 00:46:04.200 there will be a day when every knee will bow before Christ 00:46:04.200 --> 00:46:06.920 and every tongue will confess that he is God. 00:46:07.620 --> 00:46:10.400 There will be a day when all the good deeds that you have done, 00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:12.639 they will not have been in vain and they will be seen 00:46:12.639 --> 00:46:16.900 and they will result in redounding glory to God, our heavenly Father. 00:46:17.539 --> 00:46:18.320 That's why. 00:46:19.460 --> 00:46:20.820 That's why we persevere. 00:46:20.820 --> 00:46:26.100 So let's hold fast to the good news 00:46:26.100 --> 00:46:30.340 and shine our light and do good works. 00:46:30.440 --> 00:46:30.840 Let's pray. 00:46:46.680 --> 00:46:47.500 Heavenly Father, 00:46:48.200 --> 00:46:50.420 we are so lost apart from you. 00:46:50.820 --> 00:46:56.620 in utter blindness, 00:46:58.760 --> 00:47:00.160 groping about in the darkness, 00:47:01.620 --> 00:47:03.900 unable to help ourselves from our sin. 00:47:04.100 --> 00:47:06.000 Lord, that's who you were. 00:47:08.400 --> 00:47:09.420 God, thank you 00:47:09.420 --> 00:47:13.160 that in Jesus the light of the gospel has dawned. 00:47:15.720 --> 00:47:17.740 And thank you that you now call us 00:47:17.740 --> 00:47:19.519 the salt of the earth, 00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:20.900 the light of the world. 00:47:20.900 --> 00:47:22.360 What a privilege 00:47:22.360 --> 00:47:23.759 and honor. 00:47:25.500 --> 00:47:26.539 Father, thank you. 00:47:28.739 --> 00:47:30.099 Help us to wear it well. 00:47:33.239 --> 00:47:34.880 Help us to represent you well. 00:47:34.880 --> 00:47:40.280 all for your glory. 00:47:41.280 --> 00:47:42.599 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:47:42.599 --> 00:47:43.500 Amen.