The Church: Her World's Light
 

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The Church: Her World’s Light

Matthew 5:13-16 

Light of the World and Salt of the Earth

Lessons to Learn: 

  1. There is a fundamental difference between the church and the world (Christians and non-Christians).
    1. We are different: no questions asked! True, some non-Christians can adopt the veneer of Christian culture and some Christians are hardly distinguishable from the world. Regardless, the distinction remains.

                                                              i.      One of the themes running throughout the Sermon on the Mount is this concept of distinction.

                                                            ii.      We are distinctly Christ’s, and we are called to be different from the world.  

  1. We must accept the responsibility which this distinction puts on us.
    1. Each affirmation begins with the emphatic “YOU” pronoun, meaning “you and you only” are the salt and light of the world.

                                                              i.      Therefore, with logic, the condition follows: you must not fail at your job. You must never loose your saltiness or fail to let your light shine. God has chosen you for this particular purpose. 

  1. We must see our responsibility as twofold:
    1. We have to take this in conjunction with the salt discourse of the previous verse.

                                                              i.      Salt’s purpose is largely negative or preventative.

1.      Prevention of the decay (stop the spread of evil)

a.       Romans 1:18 – Paul’s commentary on society’s decay after it suppresses the truth out of its love of evil (corruption in values and standards).

                                                                                                                                      i.      Christians are placed in society to limit this process of decay.

                                                                                                                                    ii.      We need courage to condemn evil – We aren’t there to provide sweetner to an evil world, but to preserve society through truth.

                                                            ii.      Light’s function is predominantly positive or illuminating. 

1.      Effect Change (promote the spread of truth, beauty and goodness)

a.       Stand boldly for Christ (the Light)

                                                                                                                                      i.      This is done through good works which shows the light of Christ in our lives.

 

Are we being the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World?

 

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