If you would open up your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5,
we're going to be looking at verses 13 through 16 this morning,
and let me read for you this morning these words of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
He says,
You, you are the salt of the earth,
but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?
It's no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
You, you are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden,
nor do people light a lamp and put under a basket,
but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Amen.
Blend in or bail out.
Sooner or later, as a Christian, you're going to have to figure out
what God is calling you to
in terms of your relationship to the world.
Now, the world, biblically understood,
is not so much the planet,
though the Bible does talk about the planet,
but in passages like in 1 John 2,
when we learn about the world,
here's what is being said.
It's the group of non-Christians
who are living their lifestyles,
and it creates currents.
Currents of ungodliness.
And so we've got to figure out,
as Christians called out from the world,
how are we to live in relationship to the world?
Because we used to be numbered with them.
And the classic polar opposites are blend in or bail out.
And both are mistakes.
So the blend in approach is this.
Hey, you know, in the name of relevance,
I'm just going to kind of blend in with the world
and look like them and talk like them
and do what they do,
you know, with the hope of having some kind of influence.
But Jesus doesn't allow that.
He's going to call us this morning
to be distinct from the world.
And when we're distinct from the world,
we're able to make a lasting difference
for Christ in the world.
But if you blend in,
you're not going to make a difference for Jesus.
So mistake number one is blend in.
Mistake number two is bail out.
And that's the idea like,
okay, I'm a Christian.
I don't want to have anything to do with the world.
I don't want to have any dealings with the world.
So I'm cutting out.
I'm going to call my best Christian friends
and we're going to find a beautiful place
in the valley and the Rockies
and set up a little compound with big walls
and not let anybody in.
Bail out.
Jesus doesn't allow that either.
He calls us to be distinct from the world,
but to remain in the world
so that we can make a lasting difference
for Him in the world.
And this morning,
the words that we just read out of Matthew,
He guides us.
He shows us how to live in this world
for the glory of God.
He shows us how to be distinct from the world
yet remaining in the world
and making a difference for Him.
And so right here in this passage,
Jesus is going to help us to see
how we're to be in this world
as Christians.
He says,
you are the salt of the earth.
You are the light of the world.
Our distinctly Christian,
Christ-like lives
are to be salt and light
in a decaying and dark world.
And I want you to see it
in the words of Jesus.
I want you to see this
in Jesus' words.
So this morning,
we're going to look at four words.
I pulled them right out of this passage.
It's the word you.
We've got to be clear on who that is.
You,
salt,
light,
and the word that.
Jesus is getting at purpose.
You,
salt,
light,
that
they may see
your good works
and
glorify
your Father in Heaven.
So,
let's turn our attention
to the word
you.
We see that in Matthew
chapter 5
verse 13.
That first word,
you
are the salt
of the earth.
And then look at verse 14.
You
are the light
of the world.
Remember those iconic
recruiting posters
from World War II?
Uncle Sam,
I want you!
Remember that?
Jesus is basically
saying to us this morning,
you.
You!
I've called you to something.
You.
This word is
emphatic,
which means like
in the original language,
it's glowing.
It actually means
you and you only.
So,
Jesus is talking
to His disciples
and He's saying,
you guys
are the light
of the world.
You guys
are the salt
of the earth.
Not the Roman
government.
Not the religious
leaders here.
Not the police.
Not the school
system.
You are
my salt.
You
are my light.
So,
we've got to be clear
on who He's talking about.
So,
if you remember,
this is the Sermon
on the Mount.
And if you turn
and you look at
Matthew 5,
verse 1,
it starts giving you
some clues.
Jesus is on this
mountainside
talking to
His disciples
who have
come to Him.
Now,
who are His disciples?
If you look at
the end of
Matthew 4,
He's already
called some.
Simon,
Peter,
and Andrew
who are fishermen.
And then He also
calls James
and John.
You see that
in Matthew 4,
verses 18-22.
And they
followed after Him.
So,
here we have
Jesus talking
to His
early disciples.
Ordinary
Joes.
Just like you
and me.
These guys
were Galilean
peasants.
Seriously,
there was nothing
impressive about them.
We've got a lot
to relate to them.
I hope that wasn't
an insult.
It's just kind of
where we are,
isn't it?
Just ordinary people
following after
an extraordinary
Savior.
And so,
what I want to
remind you of
is that
these are real
people Jesus
is speaking to
back in the
first century.
This is a real
sermon spoken
on a real
mountainside
to real disciples
of His,
His first
disciples.
And what He
just got done
saying at the
beginning of the
sermon out is
what we've been
talking about.
The Beatitudes.
And so,
what He's been
saying is this.
These are the
kingdom traits
of my citizens.
These eight
Beatitudes are
to mark in
increasing measure
my followers.
Christians.
These eight
beautiful traits
in God's eyes
are true of
those people
I've called
out of the
domain of
darkness
and brought
into the
kingdom
that I
am bringing
about.
The kingdom
of heaven.
Who is
this you?
Early
disciples
and Jesus
already covered
the ground
of you're
to be
beautiful
in God's
sight.
All eight
of these
Beatitudes
are going to
be true of
you.
And here's
why He's
saying this.
The Beatitudes
have an effect.
If you are
living out
the Beatitudes,
if you're
living them
out,
you're going
to have
an influence
on the world
around you.
It's automatic.
It's going
to happen.
If you are
growing in
Christlikeness
as the Beatitudes
are a profile
of,
you are going
to influence
others around
you.
And Jesus
says,
if you live
like this,
if this is
your character,
you're going
to be salt
and light
in the people
around you.
You can't
hold it
back.
And so
what Jesus
is doing
here is
saying,
hey,
if these
Beatitudes
are true
of you,
and they
are if you
belong to
Jesus,
it's all
by His
grace.
grace,
you can't
make yourself
beautiful in
God's eyes.
Only His
grace does
that.
But as
He does
that in
growing measure,
it makes
you stand
out in
a world
that's
decaying
and dark.
You.
He's telling
His disciples,
you are
the salt.
You are
the light.
Don't look
around you.
Nobody else
is going
to be that.
You will
be that for
me in
this dark
place.
So now
the question
we've got
to ask
is,
okay,
Jesus is
talking to
His disciples
in the
first century.
Okay,
He's on
a mountainside.
How does
that apply
to us?
Who likes
roller coasters?
I have
some friends
who are
going to
go on
a roller
coaster
fest
here pretty
soon.
They're
really
excited.
I personally
don't like
roller coasters.
I don't like
paying for
getting jostled
around.
It's just
old man
disease,
I guess.
Have you
been driving
down 94
and you
see the
screaming
eagle,
six flags?
That's an
impressive,
impressive
roller coaster.
This morning
I want to
talk to you
about another
roller coaster.
It's called
the roller
coaster of
discipleship.
And on
this roller
coaster,
there's two
tracks.
And they're
Jesus'
words.
follow me
as a
disciple
and go
make
disciples
of the
nations.
And Jesus
leads us
on this
track of
discipleship.
We go
up and
down.
Loop
de loop.
Highs,
lows,
stomach in
your throat,
down through
the dark
tunnels,
all the way
out.
So here's
what I want
you to
imagine
with me.
We're all
on the
platform of
the roller
coaster called
discipleship.
And we're
waiting for
the car to
come in so
we can get
on.
And so we're
looking down
the line and
here comes the
car.
And you know,
you've seen
this.
They come
really fast and
then they slow
down real quick
and people's
hair goes in
front of them
and then they
look kind of
dazed.
Do you know
what I'm
talking about?
This car comes
in and we're
noticing that
there's a whole
bunch of
Galilean peasants
on board.
And emblazoned
on the side of
this roller
coaster car is
a three letter
word in bright
red called
you.
You.
And it
pulls up
the safety
bar goes
up and all
of these
first century
disciples get
out.
They get out
on the platform
on the other
side and they
turn around and
you know who
they're looking
at?
They're looking
at us.
Do you know
why?
Because it's
our turn to
get into the
you.
to get into
the you.
You are the
salt.
You are the
light.
This is part of
following Jesus
and for
generation to
generation,
faithful Christians
before us have
been on this
coaster.
They have
followed Jesus
faithfully.
They have run
their course and
now it's our
turn.
it's our
turn to get
into this
roller coaster
car in this
city of
Kenosha and
to be salt
and to be
light.
You are a
citizen of
heaven,
brother,
sister in
Christ.
God's grace
has busted
into your life
and he's
radically changed
you.
You were dead
and he made
you alive.
You were in
the domain of
darkness,
now you're the
kingdom of
light.
You were
living for
the world,
now you've
been called
out of the
world yet to
remain in the
world for
Jesus' sake.
So make no
mistake,
brothers and
sisters,
Jesus today
is calling
you to
follow him.
To be salt
and to be
light in our
little slice
of the
darkness.
us.
He's calling
us to live
distinct lives
for the glory
of God.
So let's,
we looked at
the word
you,
and I hope
you're feeling
the weight of
that.
You are the
salt of the
earth.
You are the
salt of the
earth.
salt of the
earth.
If they're the
essential marks
of a Christian,
salt and light
are the metaphors
that describe our
impact.
salt.
You are the
salt of the
earth.
What's the
primary function
of salt?
Anyone?
Bueller?
Did someone say
dessert?
Preserve.
That's right.
Now remember,
Jesus is speaking
to a people back
in the first
century in the
ancient Near
East, and
Jesus, on his
itinerant preaching,
he didn't stay in
Super 8's.
He wouldn't walk
in from the
heat, turn on
the air
conditioning, and
open up his
little mini
fridge.
They didn't have
refrigerators.
So how did they
preserve meat?
They packed it
in salt.
And that salt
served as a
preservative.
It kept it from
decaying.
It slowed down
the rot process.
The primary
function of salt
in the first
century was to
be a preservative.
We use it for
flavor.
And throwing
on ice, they
used it to
preserve meat.
I hope you see
what Jesus is
implying about
the world.
You see it?
Jesus is saying
that there is a
moral decay among
the inhabitants of
the earth.
A moral decay.
A spiritual decay.
A spiritual rot.
And at its heart
is called sin.
Now, if you left
this building today
and you pulled
somebody aside on
the street and you
asked them,
hey, what's the
source of all the
world's problems,
you might get
something like this.
Well, it's
ignorance, so we
need to educate.
Or you might hear
something like this.
You know what?
There is some
socioeconomic
inequality.
So we need to
spread out what
the haves have
to the have-nots.
What Jesus is
saying here is
this, and he's
not pulling any
punches.
Jesus is saying
that the problem,
the source of
this decay is
in the heart
of every human
being that
walks the earth.
This problem
in the human
heart is the
equivalent of
decaying meat.
The problem is
sin.
You all
experienced the
rot-out,
decaying effect
of sin.
whether that's
in your own
character, or
in your
relationship with
your spouse, or
in your family, or
with your
friendships, or
in a city, or
in a county, or
in a state, or
in a nation.
Sin rots
stuff out.
It brings
decay.
It
disintegrates.
Jesus is
implying
something very
serious here
about the
real source
of human
problems.
And so what
Jesus is calling
us to,
he's saying
this,
I have made
you beautiful
by my
grace.
I've called
you out of
darkness into
the light.
You were in
the devil's
kingdom, now
you're in my
kingdom.
And now that
I've saved
you, I've
positioned you,
and I am
packing you
into your
city like
salt.
To be a
preservative
presence.
To slow
down the
moral decay
happening all
around us.
I'm not sure
if you guys
notice this, but
there's a bit
of a warning
here too.
You are the
salt of the
earth, but
if salt has
lost its
taste, how
shall it
saltiness be
restored.
It's no
longer good
for anything
except to be
thrown out and
trampled under
people's feet.
That word
if is a
huge clue.
Salt losing
its taste.
Do you know
what Jesus is
saying for
us?
It's when a
Christian loses
his or her
distinctiveness.
When a
Christian strays
from the
beatitudes.
When there's
no longer a
hunger and
thirst for
righteousness that
governs all
things.
When a purity
of heart means
nothing more to
you anymore.
What Jesus is
saying here is
if we lose our
distinctiveness,
it's like salt
that's lost its
taste.
It becomes
useless.
And in that
day, useless
salt was
thrown into
the first
century garbage
heap, which
was the
street, and
got trampled
on.
How does a
Christian lose
his or her
saltiness,
distinctiveness?
Because it does
happen.
maybe you're
sitting there
right now and
the heat's
starting to
turn up.
And I'm
not talking
about the
temperature here.
When we
start blending
in with the
world, that's
when we start
to lose our
saltiness, our
distinctiveness.
Instead of
becoming more
and more Christ-like,
instead of day
after day making
choices based on
God's word, I'm
going to believe
this, God.
I'm going to
trust you for
this, God.
You're telling me
to live this way,
God, and I'm
going to because I
want to bring
glory to your
name, God.
Instead of that,
what happens is it
becomes one
compromise after
another.
And you
compromise into
being indistinguishable
from the decay
around us.
According to
Jesus,
our witness
rises or
falls on
being distinct
from the
decay of
our culture.
Our impact
on the world
depends on
the saltiness
of our
presence.
We cannot
blend into
the decay of
the world.
We've got to
be distinct
from it.
That's why
he called us
to himself
to begin
with.
Now, if you
know you're
sitting here
and you're
like, I've
professed Christ
but I am, I
know it, I'm
indistinguishable
from the rest
of the world, I
blend in great.
If you know
that's you, you
know what Jesus
would say to
you?
He'd say this,
blessed are the
poor in spirit
for theirs
is the kingdom
of heaven.
Blessed are
those who
mourn
their sin
for they
shall be
comforted.
Come to
me.
Come to
me.
Turn from
your sin,
turn to
me.
And I will
make you
salty again.
when a
Christian
slips into
worldliness,
they become
very acute
of their
own
unhappiness.
But what I
need to tell
you today,
if you're
in that
spot,
there's much
more riding
on your
character
and on your
witness than
just your
happiness.
Your life
is making
a statement
about the
kingdom of
heaven,
about what
Jesus has
done.
Turn to
him.
I'm not
sure if this
is a
confession,
but I
like DC
talk.
I grew up
listening to
them.
In the
90s,
they released
an album
called
Jesus
Freak.
And in
one of the
tracks called
What If I
Stumble,
Brennan
Manning,
who is a
Christian
speaker at
the time,
he's
recorded.
And this
is what
he said.
The greatest
single cause
of atheism
today is
Christians who
acknowledge Jesus
with their
lips,
but walk
out the
door and
deny Him
by their
lifestyle.
And then he
says,
this is what
an unbelieving
world simply
finds
unbelievable.
people.
There's more
riding on
your witness
than just
your happiness.
So now the
question becomes,
how does a
Christian stay
salty?
You stay
close to
Jesus.
You get in
close to
Him.
You come
real close
and you
abide in
Him and
He bears
His fruit
through you.
Are you
lacking
salt?
Go to
Jesus.
He'll make
you beautiful
again.
What should
you expect?
if you're
living for
Jesus and
you're living
out the
Beatitudes
by faith,
trusting in
Him and
growing measure,
what should
you expect?
How does
this salt
actually show
up?
What will
happen?
Well, you
probably already
experienced.
I tried to
point out some
of them.
Here's one.
Conversations.
Have you ever
experienced this?
You're among
non-Christians
and they start
opening
cans of
cuss.
It's all
over you
and they
realize
they're
cussing in
your presence
and they say
things like,
oh, I'm so
sorry.
I'm so
sorry for
swearing.
I'm so
sorry.
I'm so
sorry.
I'll try
not to
swear around
you.
You're being
salt.
You're having
an effect.
The cleanness
of your
speech is
having a
salt effect
on their
decaying
speech.
or another
kind of
conversation
salt.
This is
when you
walk into
a group
of people
and they're
obviously
talking about
something
and when
you walk
in,
their faces
drop and
they're looking
at their
feet and
they start
talking about
the weather.
Your salty
presence has
brought about
a topic
change in
conversation.
who knows
what they
are talking
about.
That's
good.
That's
being salty.
They might
not like
it,
but you're
being salty.
Entertainment.
When was the
last time you
walked out of a
movie?
Because it
was just
rank.
When was the
last time you're
driving with your
kids and you're
like, I've got to
turn this off or
turn the station
because this is
just decay.
Mom, dad, be
salty.
Be salt in your
family.
Workplace.
Jesus is
calling us
to speak
truth.
To work
hard.
To not
cut corners.
To speak
the truth in
love.
In the
workplace,
your salt
shows up
big time.
When you
don't gossip,
when you
don't lie,
when you
don't cheat,
when you
insist on
doing it
the right
way,
and when
you work
hard.
Just a
quick word
about
politics.
Jesus
isn't going
to bring
in the
kingdom
through the
Republican
or Democratic
party.
Can we
all agree
on that?
You
are the
salt.
You
are the
light.
It's
us.
And so
we will
work
through
the
democratic
process
to be
salt
and
light.
But here's
how I
want you
to help
you think
in terms
of the
presidential
cycle that
we're in.
Think about
it this
way.
You
are a
citizen
of heaven
with
American
voting
rights.
That's
who you
are.
So vote
your
conscience.
Live
for
Jesus.
Make
the
most
of the
opportunities
we have
to
influence
politics
for
Jesus'
name.
We
are to
be a
preservative
presence
for
Jesus.
You
are the
salt
of the
earth.
You
are the
light
of the
world.
You
see this
in
14.
You
are the
light
of the
world.
What's
the
primary
function
of
light?
Let me
tell you.
It's
to help
people see
in
darkness.
That's
it.
Light
helps
people see
in
darkness.
When
it's
dark,
you
can't
see.
When
there's
light,
you
can
see
in
darkness.
Jesus
uses a
couple
illustrations
here.
He
says,
you
are the
light
of
the
world.
A
city
set
on
a
hill
cannot
be
hidden.
The
picture
there
is
an
elevated
city,
maybe
even
the
city
of
Jerusalem
on
Mount
Zion.
A
city
set
on
a
hill,
elevated,
and in
the windows
lit up
with oil
lamps.
They
didn't
have
light
switches,
Edison
not
yet,
no
LEDs,
oil
lamps.
But a
city
at night
elevated
with oil
lamps
lights
it up.
You'll
see it.
It
gives you,
it helps
people in
darkness
to see.
You don't
light a lamp
and put
under a
basket,
no.
You put
on a
stand,
elevated,
distinct,
so everybody
can see.
Light
enables people
to see in
darkness.
And so what
is Jesus
implying about
the world?
The world
is in
darkness.
What does
he mean by
that?
Well,
it's decaying
because of
sin,
right?
Darkness
is a nice
cover for
decay.
And if you
were to open
up your
Bibles to
John 3,
would you
just go
over there
real quick?
John 3.
You know
John 3.16.
Look at
verse 19.
And this is
the judgment.
The light
has come
into the
world and
the people
love the
darkness
rather than
the light
because their
deeds were
evil.
For everyone
who does
wicked things
hates the
light and
does not
come to
light lest
his deeds
should be
exposed.
The darkness
is the
sinful
concealing
of the
decaying
sin.
Jesus
doesn't
pull any
punches.
Not only
is the
world
decaying,
the world
is in
darkness.
It likes
its own
rot.
It keeps
it hidden.
It keeps
it out of
sight.
And if you
were recently
converted or
converted as
an adult,
you know
what he's
talking about.
You know
what it was
like to
hide your
sin.
You know
it.
You didn't
want to
be exposed.
And so
what is
Jesus
calling us
to do
here?
We are
to stand
out.
We are
to be
his light.
You know
that elevation
theme?
A city
on a hill,
a light
on a
lampstand?
That simply
means being
distinct
from yet
present in.
If we're
living out
the beatitudes,
our presence
is going
to have
a shining
exposing
effect on
the sin
of people
around us.
We're not
trying to be
self-righteous.
We're not
trying to be
the police.
It's going
to have an
effect because
it's a real
change that
he's affected
in us.
People will
know.
People will
feel it.
And so
there's this
moral dimension
to our
shining as
lights.
darkness.
But there's
more here.
Not only
do our
lives
light up
the darkness
and expose
people's sin
which they
may not
like,
but some
may
appreciate it.
We are
to be
shining the
light of
the gospel
so that
when a
sinner's
sin is
exposed,
we get
to point
them to
the light
of life.
Jesus.
The
light of
the world.
John 8.12.
Do you know
what a marquee
sign is?
If you
drive out
50 and
you're like,
I wonder
what's showing
at Tinseltown
tonight.
And you
look on
top of
the building,
there's a
big lit
up sign
that says
all the
movies being
shown,
that's a
marquee.
And it's
lit up at
night to
shine in
the darkness.
You are
an incarnate
living marquee
for Jesus.
Your life
says something.
It points
to something.
It lights
up the
darkness
for Jesus.
You're a
living marquee
sign.
And might
I add,
you and
you only.
We can't
expect the
Kenosha
Unified
School District
to be a
light shining
in the
darkness
for Jesus.
We can't
expect that.
We can't
expect the
Kenosha
Police Department
to do that.
Jesus has
called us
to that.
And so
we'll work
within these
things to
be salt
and light
for Him.
Now
there's a
warning here.
this little
light of
mine,
I'm going
to let it
shine.
This little
light of
mine,
I'm going
to let it
shine.
Don't put a
bushel over
it.
No.
That's the
warning.
You don't put
baskets over
lights.
Why not?
Because that's
not what they're
meant for.
They're meant
to shine.
So here are a
couple baskets
that we put
over our
light.
we are
blending into
the world.
It's like a
dimmer to
our light.
It makes us
less and less
brilliant.
And then
there's the
fear.
You know
what I'm
talking about?
Fear.
You don't
want to open
your mouth and
tell other
people about
Jesus because
you're afraid
of something.
And what are
you afraid of?
It's what I'm
afraid of.
It's afraid of
rejection.
That I'm going
to say something
about Jesus and
they're going to
turn around and
walk out of my
life.
It's a
basket.
Don't put that
basket over your
light.
Remember, Jesus
has already told
us about that.
Blessed are
those who are
persecuted for
righteousness sake.
Blessed are you
when you're
reviled and
persecuted and
charged with
false things on
account of me.
He's already
covered that.
It may happen.
But we're to be
rejoicing and
being glad for
our reward is in
heaven.
There's one other
basket.
Unbelief.
That's a
snuffer.
Here's what
happens.
You're like, I
want to let my
light shine, but
that guy is so
smart, there is no
way he would ever
believe in Jesus.
He's too smart
for that.
That's unbelief.
He's not.
Or, oh man, this
guy is so just
mired in addictions,
there's no way he
was going to ever
believe in Jesus and
be pulled out of
that.
Unbelief.
Do you remember
Romans 1.16?
Paul says, I'm not
ashamed of the
gospel, let your
light shine.
Why?
Because it is the
power of God unto
salvation for all
who believe.
The power of the
gospel is not
limited by
intellect.
It's not limited
by depth of sin.
No, no, no, no.
It is the power of
God.
How do you stay
bright?
How does a
Christian stay
bright in the
darkness?
Let me illustrate.
You see this
watch?
See it?
There's a minute
hand and an hour
hand.
Do you know what
it does in the
darkness?
It glows.
It's awesome.
I was watching
and looking at it
last night.
I'm like, this is
awesome.
Do you know why
it glows?
During the day,
there's some kind
of chemical reaction
in which it
energizes
these hands.
And at night
it glows.
Exposure to the
source of light
makes it glow.
How do you stay
bright?
How do you grow
in brilliance?
How do you kind
of turn up
that dimmer switch
so it's brighter
and brighter
and brighter?
You get close
to Jesus.
That's it.
You get close
to Him.
And when you're
around Him,
you're going to
be compelled
to be more salty
and be more
brilliant and
it's going to
affect those
people around
you.
One last thing.
We've looked at
you.
We've looked at
salt.
We've looked at
light.
Now let's look
at the word
that.
Verse 16,
in the same way
let your light
shine before
others so that
they may see
your good works
and give glory
to your Father
who is in heaven.
That.
It's a purpose
clause.
It means what
you're aiming at.
You're not just
trying to be salt
and light to be
salt and light.
You're salt and
light in order
to show what
God has done
in you and
point to
Him.
Ultimately,
this is about
God's glory.
Glory.
Let me try to
make one
connection for you
then I'll close.
close.
I need to make
two connections
for you
then I'll
close.
First one is
this.
Notice in
Matthew 16,
in the same
way,
let your light
shine before
others so that
they may see
your good works.
Shining is the
equivalent of
good works.
Your good works
is what shines.
Okay?
That's point
number one.
Point number two
is this.
It's a question.
How does
someone,
how does
someone who's
in darkness
watching your
life,
how do they go
from seeing
your good works
and then
knowing that
they should
glorify God
in heaven?
How does
that happen?
How does
that happen?
You tell
them.
You tell
them.
Mike,
you're such
a hard worker.
Why do you
work so hard?
How do you
do that?
I could say,
my dad's a
hard worker and
I come from a
line of hard
workers.
I buy into
the Protestant
work ethic.
That's one
approach,
which is true,
but you want
to know what's
really true?
when I first
became a
Christian,
I had a
brother who
came up to me
because he saw
laziness in me
and he pointed
me to Colossians
3.23.
Whatever you put
your hand to,
do wholeheartedly
as unto the
Lord.
So to be
honest with you,
if you see
hard work in me,
it's because I'm
trying to work
for my king.
Now you're
given glory.
Now you're
given glory.
Take the
opportunity.
And what I just
want you to see
here is our
witness is a
combination of
word and
deed.
Our lives are a
springboard to
the gospel.
Because we're
distinct and
present.
The goal is
is the worship
of God.
Your distinct
life is a
salt and
light to an
unbelieving
world of a
great and
gracious God.
We don't
blend in.
We don't
bail out.
We're
distinct from
and remain
in to the
glory of
God.
Let me
pray.
God in
heaven,
God, would
you do a
work in us
and that we
would be more
salty and we
would be more
brilliant ultimately
for the glory of
your name.
Would you
make our
lights shine?
in Jesus' name,
amen.
Amen.