The Influence of the Supernatural Community Reading Matthew 5:13—16
Story of two naughty Brothers sent to see the Pastor!
“God’s gone missing and we are being blamed for that now!
The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best known part of the teachings of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood and certainly it is the least obeyed. It is the nearest thing to a manifesto that he ever uttered, for it is his own description of what he wanted his followers to be and to do. Jesus had begun to announce the good news that the long-promised Kingdom of God was about to be inaugurated. With him the new age had dawned and the rule of God had broken into History. “Repent” Jesus Cried, “For the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17). Matthew then adds that Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23). The Sermon on the Mount is to be read and understood in that context. It describes what human life and human community looks like when they come under the gracious rule of God that is when Jesus is really Lord and the Church becomes a Supernatural Community!
And what do such Christians look like? Different! Jesus emphasises that his followers are to be different from others. They are not to be like the world around them but to shine like lights in the darkness. Many people believe that these are unattainable goals but that is to disregard the difference the Holy Spirit makes in the lives of those redeemed by the blood of Jesus and born again by his Spirit. Jesus spoke the sermon to those who were already disciples and citizens of God’s kingdom and members of God’s family. If Christians whole-heartedly accepted his standards and values and lived by them, we would become a radically different society that Jesus always intended us to be – and the world would see and believe. This series is all about developing Spiritual Character and adopting the teachings of Jesus as a life-style.
Let us begin by reading again Matthew 5:13-16.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. ‘
1. The Salt of the Earth
Now there is an important verb tense to notice right away. And it’s super simple an but it is significant. Very, simply the text says you “ARE” the salt of the earth. It does not say, “YOU MUST BE”the salt of the earth. The verb is an indicative (a statement of fact) not an imperative (a command to be something). Why is that significant? Jesus is not telling his disciples to be something they are not. He is telling them what they are as his kingdom people. This is such a liberating concept. TELL ME “WE ARE SALT” What are you?
Now this image of salt has to be understood in the context of the first century world. There are two main usages of salt in the ancient world both of which I think apply here. Salt was used both as a preservative and as a seasoning. First let’s think in terms of a preservative.
SALT AS A PRESERVATIVE
Salt was vitally important as a preservative. If you don’t have refrigeration, your meat will spoil in a matter of days. And since you can’t eat an entire cow in a couple of days, that’s a problem.
EG UNCLE GEORGE’S PIG!! Hung up for months preserved by Salt!
Salt will make it last months and months. Salt was an incredible preservative. And the image of course is that this world is decaying. This world is breaking down, It’s quickly becoming foul and rotten. It’s spoiling. And so God has put some restraining influences in the world to prevent it from breaking down. He has himself established certain institutions in his common grace, which curb man’s selfish tendencies and prevent society from slipping into anarchy. For instance: the state (with its authority to frame and enforce laws) and the home (including marriage and family life). These exert a wholesome influence in the community. Christians are to be this preserving additive in the workplace, in the home, in the community. Now I want you to think about what this means in our communities.
There is a book that was written about this topic that is entitled, “Out of the saltshaker. – evangelism a way of life”(1980). In order to stop the decay process you have to leave the safety of the church. You have to be evenly dispersed over the soon-to-be rotten meat. The solution to the decay is right here in this shaker. But in order for it to be effective, it’s got to go from here to here.
There are certain forces at work in the world that if left unchecked will destroy our societies. There are forces at work that are like rotting bacteria. Unless they are checked, unless those forces are halted, it will spread through the world. It’s easy to look at the world and give up, to clam up, and to say nothing. When you engage in conversation you immediately sense that you don’t have the same values. We are so different.” I’m not going to say anything because it’s pointless” “He’s not going to change.” “What good is to just talk about morality when he’s not even a believer? His motivations are all wrong. “And that’s just staying in the salt shaker.
The idea here is that the way you live your life, the way you carry out the Beatitudes is a testimony to the power of Jesus Christ. The world today says “There are no rules. You can try what you want to try and I’ll try what I want to try. You create your own way of thinking about the world and I can create mine.” But what’s undeniable is the outcome. What is the outcome of your philosophy lived out? What does your philosophy do when turned loose? Rottenness and chaos! What does Jesus’ truth do to the world when turned loose? Give the world an alternative!
Listen, God has made us, as a supernatural community, to be rubbed into the secular community, as salt is rubbed into meat, to stop it going bad. And when society does go bad, we Christians tend to throw up our hands in pious horror and reproach the non-Christian world; but should we not rather reproach ourselves?. Salt is used to prevent decay. But there’s a second thing salt is used for:
SALT AS SEASONING
Salt is the earliest and still the best seasoning. I hate potatoes without salt! But what does it mean to be a seasoning to society?
- The beauty of your life will confront racism.
- The beauty of your life should confront greed and materialism.
- The beauty of your life should confront the sexual exploitation of women. But, on the other hand, at the same time, you are the joy of a particular group.
- You are the stability in your neighbourhood.
- You are the glue in your office, because a Christian doesn’t look at a situation and say, “What can I get out of it?” but the Christian acts like salt and gets in there and says, There is a sting to salt and yet it’s the sting that gives it the flavour.
Jesus did not say you are the honey of the world. We are not to sweeten and sugar the bitterness of life with an all too easy conception of a loving God. He said, “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt bites and it’s in the bite that there’s flavour.
There is an unadulterated message of the judgment and grace of God has always been a biting and simultaneously beautiful thing. Jesus was the perfect example of this. Constantly confronting people and arresting the corruption and in the very act of halting the corruption, seasoning society. The crowds were attracted to him in amazing ways as he overturned the money changer’s tables ending the corruption. He was a preservative and a seasoning at the same time. BRING JOY TO THE WORLD
2. The Light of the World. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus makes clear that the light is our “good deeds”. This phrase good deeds is a general expression that covers everything that Christians say and do because they are Christians; every outward and visible mark of faith, including the testimony of their words. Since light is a common biblical symbol of truth, the shining light of Christians must surely include their spoken testimony. Evangelism must be counted as one of the good works by which our light shines and our Father is glorified. Our light is to shine, not be concealed; we are to be willing for our Christian character to be visible to all. Good works are the acts of love and faith. They express not only our loyalty to God but our care for others as well. The primary meaning of “works” must be practical, visible deeds of compassion. When people see these, Jesus said they will Glorify God for they embody the good news we proclaim. Without them our gospel loses its credibility and our God his honour.
The difference between light and everything else is that the light is the way in which we see everything else. Jesus then is the ultimate reality when he says… “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life!” When he says that, he is saying, “I am the true guide. I and I alone, show you the way.” This is why Christianity is exclusive. Jesus says, “I am the light of the world,” he is saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”A lot of people hate that, and a lot of people consider that absolutely repugnant, and yet that is at the essence of the Christian message .Some people say, “Listen, the real problem with all this is if you believe that, then you’re saying other religions don’t have as much truth in them, that Jesus is the light and all the other religions don’t really have light, do they?” The answer of the Christian to that is, “Yes, that’s right.” What do you say beyond that? It’s so awkward and in a sense it does feel arrogant to say that.
CONCLUSION: So Jesus calls his disciples to exert a double influence on the community, an negative by arresting its decay, as salt, and an influence by bringing light into the darkness. God intends us to penetrate the world. Christian salt has no business to remain safe and sound inside churchy little salt shakers. Instead we are to be rubbed into the secular World around us to stop it going bad. The world is in such a state because the Church has failed to be its salt and light. People need regeneration, new life through the Gospel. So our second calling is to be the light of the world. The truth of the Gospel is the light, contained in fragile clay lamps, yet shining brightly into the spiritual and moral darkness around us.
EXP…Gideon! The Pots had to be broken for the light to be revealed.”
The Apostle Paul said, “We have this treasure in Jars of clay”. We are the pots that have be broken if the treasure who is Jesus is to be seen.
Make this your prayer
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me
All his wondrous compassion and purity.
Oh Thou Spirit Divine Make Christ’s Nature mine
‘Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.