Our Purpose as Salt and Light

[00:00:00] Speaker A: In the name of Jesus, Amen. So he says, you are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. And then you are the light of the world. We'll talk about the city. You're the light of the world. You don't stick a light under a basket, but you put it on a stand so that it gives light to the whole house. Both of these images, salt and light. If it loses its purpose, well, what's it good for anymore? Neither one is really about itself. Like salt. If it didn't have the property of saltiness or the taste, or you could even say, the ability to preserve things. Think about the purpose of salt. If it didn't have its purpose, well, then what's it for? At least it can well help with the cooking. Back then, they would burn dung, and the salt helped it burn. That's another thing it's used for. But light also, you know, if you had light in a basket and you carried it around, you'd be like, hey, I got some light in this basket. You know, like, well, whoop de. Do you know, open the lid so that we can benefit from it would be the response. Neither one is really. Well, nothing really is about itself. But maybe these especially, like salt without its flavor or without its ability to preserve things. It's still there. You can see it maybe actually. Does such a thing exist? I don't know. I think in the ancient world, there was, like, salt that maybe was, like, red, had gypsum in it and such, and like, maybe the salt could leach out, and then you'd have something there that looked like salt but didn't function like salt. But if you saw it there and it was useless, you wouldn't care about it anymore. Light. Light enlightens things, but you don't really see it, you know, like, I can see it where it's concentrated, or it's shining at me. But really what it does is light other things up for me. Now I can't even see because I was looking at the light. It lights other things up. So the lights turn on and I can see everything. But I'm not like, oh, look at the light. I'm like, oh, look at you and the wall. Because I can see now. I can see where I'm going. It has its function, but its function isn't really for its own sake, right? It's for those around us. And that's Just a neat image for what Jesus is doing in you and me. Jesus came to redeem us, to restore us to our nature. Not for our own sake, not to build us up so that we could feel good about ourselves. Not to make us something impressive that others would look to and see us and say, wow, but simply for the benefit of those around us, so that those around us would get their flavor back. That turned out to be a harder thing to bring home in the children's message than I was anticipating. So that everything around us would get its flavor back, right? So that people around us can see. And then finally there's this image of the mountain or of the city on the hill, which he combines with the light. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. You know, Zion. Zion is the city on the hill. In Isaiah 2, we hear that in those days, Mount Zion, the mountain of the temple of the Lord, will be the highest of the mountains. And elsewhere you hear about the nations streaming to the mountain. Remember a few weeks ago, earlier in Epiphany, we had Jesus in the temple, and we talked about Jesus as a boy in the temple, in the highest place there. And his family starts to go home, right? Kind of down the mountain, right out of the hill country, down to humble Nazareth, or Capernaum, I suppose. But he stays there and. Yeah, right, Capernaum by the sea. That's the landscape. And so the city sat on the hill. I mean, Jesus is saying to his disciples, you're a city on a hill. Like you're saying you're Jerusalem, you're a light, you're a gathering place, right? And not just not a gathering place, generally speaking, but like a gathering, gathering up. You are light, you are salt, you're a city. That's what a city is. It's a gathering, harmonious kind of gathering of multiplicity into one, into unity, for benefit. The opposite of dispersion and disintegration and destruction. To gathering together. All of this, all of this is a gift. Jesus drawing us up into his life for the benefit of the world, to preserve the world. One of the main uses of salt in the ancient world, to preserve fish or meat didn't have refrigeration. You are the salt of the earth to preserve, to work against corruption, right? And in the end, in the end, when the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, right, when Christ restores his people, finally nothing corrupt will enter the city. There you got, like, kind of salt at its best. In the end, when the new Jerusalem comes Out of heaven, there will be no need for a lamp or sun because the lamb on the throne is the light. In the end, you've got a city on a hill, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. All of this perfectly. But now we have the beginning of it, because you and I in Christ have been called salt and light and a city on a hill. Now again, Jesus calls them that. He's not saying, I've chosen you because you're salt. Like, I've chosen the salt and the light and the city of the world. He's called them up into that. He's made them that. But they don't have it of themselves. They receive it as a gift from Christ. In the next chapter in Matthew 6, Jesus talks about light, and he talks about how you become light. He says, the eye is the lamp of the body. If the eye is light, then the whole body is filled with light. If the eye is darkness, then the. The whole body is filled with darkness. Says, and how great is that darkness? Just kind of an odd passage in a way. It sounds kind of odd, but the I is like, it's how you receive. So, for example, you can think about it this way. Like, if you have your eyes open, then you receive in yourself. Well, you receive light, right? If you have your eyes closed, then it's dark. And on a spiritual level, well, if you're looking to the light of the world, who is Jesus himself, the true light which enlightens everyone was coming into the world. John tells us, if we have our eyes on the light of the world, then we receive from him light. We receive him. That's faith. We receive Jesus by faith. Jesus living in us, shining in us. And through us. We receive the mind of Christ, as the epistle reading says here, his understanding. We receive him coming to dwell in us, to tabernacle, to tent in us. He has dwelt among us. We've seen his glory. We receive him, and then he conforms us to himself. As we look to Him. Our whole body is filled with. We are filled with light. But to turn away from Christ, to turn away from the light, well, then we. Well, we lose the light. We lose the saltiness. We're scattered and are no longer the city. In the Old Testament reading, God is well, he's showing the Israelites that they're presuming that they are light. They're presuming that they have what they should have and that they're right before God. But they're really. They really only have a shell of it. So they're thinking, well, we've fasted and you're not blessing us for it. You don't see it. We've humbled ourselves and you take no knowledge of it. And then God says, behold, in the day of your fast, you seek your own pleasure. It's like salt thinking it's for itself, or light thinking it's for itself. You seek your own pleasure and you oppress all your workers. They hold you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. See, thinking in terms of light and salt, it's not doing its job anymore. It's not serving those around in terms of a city. It's like driving one another apart rather than living together in harmony for the benefit of one another. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed? Love that image, you see, a reed like, well, what does that do? It's not just the outward shell of it that does anything to spread sackcloth and ashes under him. Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose? To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke? See, these things are. This is the pattern of so many Old Testament passages that. Passages that talk about Christ and his work, right, that he's come to, like the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, to, you know, free the captives and such, right? Like this is the fast that God has called his ancient people and us to, which is to participate in God's own work, in his own mind and heart, in his will to be lifted up into his will and work. To have Christ living in us and speaking through us, thinking through us, to have the mind of Christ. And then those around us are not just tools for our own benefit or pleasure. That's what happens with oppression or captivity. To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free. If those around me are not there to serve me, but I'm there to serve them as the body of Christ. Christ living in me and working through me and speaking and thinking through me. Well, then take that yoke off. Let the oppressed go free. To break every yoke. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house? If we're there for those around Us and not to serve ourselves, then everything that we have is up for. I mean, it's all available to be used to benefit those in need around us. When you see the naked to cover him and not to hide yourself from your own flesh, I think there's a little bit of humor there. Not to hide yourself from your own flesh. You know, it's like by maybe with ornate garments, something like that, as opposed to. To clothing those in need. We cover ourselves and. Well, that certainly, that fits more than just clothing, you know, to surround ourselves with all of the accoutrements of the modern age. Then shall your light break forth like the dawn. There it is. Then shall your light break forth. When you're participating in God's own life and mind and heart, when God himself is working through you and living in you, thinking and speaking through you, then your light breaks forth. Because you didn't have it on your own, you can't get it on your own. It doesn't work that way. It's something that we participate in by God's grace as he calls us up into it and shares that life with us. Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily, and righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer and shall cry, and he will say, here I am, Christ. At the end of the Gospel reading says, I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. It's like, oh, boy, you know, that's a high bar. If we're trying to do it. Like the scribes and the Pharisees who are bending over like a reed and, well, exerting themselves in order to look good before others and in order to obey the rules to a T. But they're not looking to the light. Their eyes are darkened by. Well, by their obsession with themselves and with outward works. They would just open their eyes and look to the light. Then they would see, Then they would become light in Christ. It's not actually hard in the sense that Jesus yoke is easy and his burden is light. It's by faith in Christ. And he comes to dwell in us. And he's the light, he's the source, he's the one shining in us by faith. He's everything. Look away from him, we lose it all. So there, that's the life of faith, is to look to the light. Jesus Christ, the light who enlightens Everyone who's come into the world. And not to look away and then not to become proud in our faith or hold onto that light like it belongs to us. Not to become, you know, overbearing salt in the mouth of those around us through pride or something like that. Right? But to just keep our eyes on Christ and remember that he is all in all in Jesus name. Amen. Let's stand and confess our Christian faith with the words of the Nicene Creed. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds. God of God, light of light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. [00:19:59] Speaker B: Special prayers today requested for Aaron Hesse, who is recovering from surgery after donating kidney. Also for the family of Debbie Heine. Debbie passed away this past week. And also for the family of Larry Ziegler, again Larry, who passed away this past week. We pray. Give counsel and aid, O Lord, for your people cry to you in weakness and in need. So bless and prosper your church according to your purpose, that she may be salt and light, giving bold witness to the redemption you have provided in Jesus Christ and giving shape to your love by showing compassion to all who are in need. [00:20:55] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:20:59] Speaker B: We ask, Lord, that you would bless our synod, her congregations and schools, her pastors, her teachers, her DCEs, her Deaconesses, her musicians and all her faithful servants. Send laborers into your harvest and sustain those whom you have sent that they may be faithful and steadfast in their work. [00:21:21] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:21:24] Speaker B: O God, give your blessing to our homes, to husbands and wives, to the children in their care, and to extended family. Guide us in the service of one another. Make our homes places of blessing and peace, where your word is spoken and forgiveness is shown and love is demonstrated in word and in deed. [00:21:46] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:21:52] Speaker B: Lord, the eyes of all look to you and you provide in due season. But together we ask your blessing and your provision of usable moisture onto our fields for the health and life of all living things. [00:22:07] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:22:10] Speaker B: Holy God, it's in your wisdom that you establish rulers for this age, for this time. So we lift up before you Donald, our president, Jared, our governor, and all those who you have placed in authority that they might fulfill their duties with wisdom and truth. [00:22:32] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:22:35] Speaker B: Merciful Lord, give healing to the sick and relief to the suffering and comfort to the grieving and peace to the dying, especially today. Aaron, Karen, Mary, Virtus, Rachel, Bill, Christy, Ellen, Becky, Jim, Esther, Bob, Joanne, Ron, Bruce, Dick, Paul, Teresa, Terry, Linda, Laureen, Allen, Doug, Les, Sandy, Vern, Einsbar, the family of Debbie Heine and the family of Larry Ziegler and all that we name before you now in our hearts. According to your will. O Lord, deliver them from their afflictions and sustain them in their struggles and give them patience in their adversities. [00:23:41] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:23:45] Speaker B: Heavenly Father in Christ, your righteousness goes before us and your glory is our rear guard. Answer our pleas for mercy this day in the gift of Christ's body and blood, and prepare all those who commune to receive him worthily and joyfully. And all these things we pray. O Lord, in the confidence of your mercy, supply us with all things needed and beneficial to us and to our faith. Especially today, we lift up to you the second, first and second grade class of our school in Ms. Jane's classroom. We ask, Lord, that you would bless these students. We thank you that you brought them to our school and we ask that they would stay healthy, that they would grow in love, and that they would learn the tools that they need for a successful life ahead. Especially, we pray for Ms. Janes, Isla, Alice, Logan, Eli, Declan, Elijah, Sabrina, Giovanni and Elam. [00:24:59] Speaker C: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. [00:25:05] Speaker B: So we ask, Lord, that you would keep from us all things harmful that we may rest our fears in you and be granted a clear conscience and and peace. For we pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you. And the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. [00:25:25] Speaker A: Amen. [00:25:27] Speaker B: And take opportunity right now, if you would, to share the peace of the Lord with one another.