"You Are" 9-11-22
Overview
You Are: Salt and Light
In the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses two of the most evocative metaphors in all of Scripture to describe his followers: "You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world" Matthew 5:13-16. Salt was precious in the ancient world—used to flavor, to purify, and to preserve. We see it throughout Scripture: Elisha purifies a spring with salt 2 Kings 2; newborns were rubbed with salt Ezekiel 16; the holy incense included salt Exodus 30; and Israel was bound to God by "the salt of the covenant" Leviticus 2. Light, likewise, is woven through the biblical witness: God appoints his servant "as a light to the nations" Isaiah 49:6; Jesus declares, "I am the light of the world" John 8:12; and the God who said "Let light shine out of darkness" has shone in our hearts "to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" 2 Corinthians 4:6.
It is tempting to hear these words as a pep talk—go out there and be more salty, shine a little brighter, the world needs it. But that misreads Jesus entirely. We have heart disease. Luther insisted that a true knowledge of ourselves means reckoning honestly with the depth and breadth of our sin; only then do we taste how sweet God's grace truly is. Paul names it plainly: "When I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand… Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" Romans 7:21-24. When salt is mixed with gypsum, it loses its potency. So too our hearts—diluted by sin, prone to anger and selfishness even in our most ordinary moments—cannot manufacture saltiness or generate light by sheer effort.
Notice what Jesus actually says. He does not command, "Become salt; become light." He declares, "You are." This is gospel, not pressure. Christ has taken the darkness of our sin upon himself at the cross; the debt is paid; God has spoken the word forgiven. Through the waters of baptism the light of Jesus Christ has taken up residence in us, and the Holy Spirit dwells within. As Paul writes, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" Galatians 2:20. Where Christ lives, light and salt cannot help but express themselves.
So the pastoral application is not striving but receiving. Confess your sin honestly—including what is hidden even from yourself—and let the mirror of God's law drive you again to the mercy of Christ. Then trust who he says you are. The good works that flavor the world and the light that shines before others are born of faith, not willpower. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" Matthew 5:16. It is all his grace. You are.
Transcript
What you're open your Bibles please with me for our study this morning to Matthew the 5th 3s
chapter. 8s
If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you'll find the 5th chapter of Matthew 9s
in the New Testament on page 4. 14s
Matthew chapter 5 for our study. 17s
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks. 23s
It is the east and Juliette is the sun. 31s
Those famous words, of course, from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette. 40s
And Shakespeare in play, in plays there, what is called the metaphor? 46s
We're all familiar with metaphors. 51s
A metaphor is a figure of speech, isn't it? 55s
Certainly, Juliette is not literally the sun. 58s
But yet the metaphor is used to invoke the sun in association with Juliette. 64s
The qualities that becomes descriptive of her. 71s
In fact, what Shakespeare employs here is what's called the sustained metaphor. 80s
Because you see in the writings there, as the sustained metaphor can last for sentences, 86s
it can last for paragraphs. 90s
This beautiful description and the language comes to life, the metaphor. 93s
Today we begin a six week sermon series. 107s
It's based upon two metaphors in Holy Scripture, salt and light. 111s
And so over these next six weeks, Pastor Melonek and I want to delve into that with you. 117s
I want to lift up those metaphors. 122s
And here's the whole point of the sermon series. 126s
Our prayer is that by God's grace, we might make a positive impact more and more in the world. 130s
So let's study. 145s
We pick up in Matthew the fifth chapter. 146s
It's the very beginning of the greatest sermon by the greatest preacher, the Lord Jesus Christ. 149s
The sermon on the Mount. 157s
And Jesus says this in verse 13, 159s
you are the salt of the earth. 163s
Salt is a very common reference in Holy Scripture. 170s
For example, in Second Kings, the Second Chapter, 174s
Alaysha uses salt to purify a spring. 178s
In the Zekeel 16, a newborn is rubbed with salt. 182s
Perhaps to try and ward off, stave off any type of infection. 187s
In Exodus 30, the perfumer putting together the incense for the altar of the Lord, 194s
uses as part of the ingredients salt. 201s
In Leviticus, the Second Chapter, it talks about the salt of the covenant with our God. 206s
Salt in ancient days was very, very expensive. 215s
And so to use salt that was always done with a great, great deal of care. 221s
And salt was used to flavor, to purify, and to preserve, salt used to flavor, purify. 232s
And preserve. 250s
Jesus goes on in verse 13. 254s
But if salt has lost its taste, how can it's saltiness be restored? 256s
It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot. 263s
If people of ancient day were quite aware that if gypsum became involved with the salt, 270s
that that could dilute the salt, it could dilute it. It could become then worthless. 277s
This metaphor then lifted up by our Lord of salt, flavor, purify, 287s
preserve. 299s
Goes on then to the Second metaphor. Verse 14, 301s
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 306s
No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, 314s
and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before 319s
others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven. 327s
Do you hear the echoes of our baptismal liturgy there from that verse? 333s
This image of light, this metaphor of light, Isaiah, the 49th chapter. It says, 339s
I will give you as a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. 347s
In John 8, Jesus said, I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, 356s
but will have the light of life. Paul writes in the Second Corinthians 4, 365s
for it is the God who said, let light shine out of darkness who has shown in our hearts 372s
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 378s
Light, that which shines the way of salvation in a dark world. Salt, 389s
light, these two metaphors. So what's the message here then? Is the message then? 404s
So get about being salt and light, get about it. Come on, we can be more salt and more light 421s
in the world. The world needs it. So is that the message? Come on now, muster up some salt, 429s
muster up some light, and let's get out there and be salt and light. Is that the message? 440s
Is that? Is that the message? Martin Luther. He said, it is so absolutely important 455s
for every human being to have a knowledge of themselves. And what Luther was getting at 472s
was an understanding of the depth and the breadth of our sin. In fact, Luther went so far as to say 483s
that we should be terrified of ourselves because of our sin. When you look at the huge figures 496s
in the life of the church, you know, the Luther and the Calvins and the Wesley, they had such 510s
a deep understanding of the reality of their sinfulness. Luther said, when we understand our sinfulness, 516s
when we understand the depths of our sinfulness, then we understand our need for a savior. 533s
Luther said, when we understand the depths of our sinfulness, then by God's grace, God's grace 541s
is all the more sweeter. What Luther was getting at was a need for all of us to understand 551s
our heart, our heart. Think of a book by the author, Don Metzop. He writes of it time where 566s
he and his wife at brought home their newborn from the hospital. She's a beautiful, beautiful girl. 577s
He writes, just gorgeous, big, brown eyes. They were so excited. Well, that changed a few things. 584s
In their life. And the nights were not the same anymore. And at 215, one morning, 594s
there was the cry of their little one. She was hungry. Metzop writes that, 604s
that is wife nudged him there and said, you do the feeding. Tonight. Metzop said, 612s
I'm tired. Why can't you do the feeding? But the thing is, this man's not right. He hadn't done 619s
one feeding up to this point. And so his wife said, no, it's your turn. You're going to do the feeding. 626s
So Metzop threw off the call, covers, and he writes that he was instantly reminded that they lived 635s
in central Michigan in the winter, and it was cold. Went into his daughter's room, and there she 640s
was full scream. She wanted the bottle, and she wanted it now. He picked her up, tried to comfort her. 647s
Try to assure that the bottle would soon be there. She could care less about that comfort. 657s
She wanted the bottle. Soon, he sat down on the couch, holding his newborn daughter 663s
and feeding her. He said, the moonlight was coming in through the window. It was a memory. 675s
She sucked down every last drop he writes of that bottle. And finally, finally, the burp came. 689s
He carried her back upstairs. Her eyes still open, walked around with her for a little bit, 701s
until the eyes became heavy. She fell asleep. And then he laid her gently down to sleep. 709s
He shut the door, tiptoed down the hall back into the bedroom, and just as he pulled, 721s
the covers up over his chest as if on perfect cue. She started to scream once again. 733s
Who knows what the problem was? Maybe the tummy was bothering, or maybe she was still hungry. 746s
Maybe she was afraid of the dark. Maybe she just wanted to be held again. 752s
Matt saw it through off the covers. He was filled. He said with anger. 759s
And he stormed down the hall and opened the door with anger and then he stopped. 767s
And he writes that he saw his heart. He saw his heart. He was filled with anger 778s
because this little one was disrupting his comfort and his sleep. And as he stood in the doorway, 792s
he saw his heart. He went over and gently picked up his daughter, 809s
held her close and apologized to his daughter. For his heart, his heart. 817s
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 7. He says, So I find it to be a law. 840s
But when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 849s
For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law 856s
of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 861s
And then he writes, 870s
So, Richard Man that I am. Richard Man that I am, who will rescue me from this body of death. 871s
We've confessed this morning, one of the confessions that we use. We've confessed, we've sinned against you. 888s
Some of my sin, I know, the thoughts and words and deeds of which I am ashamed, but some is known only to you. 896s
And when we delve into those words, we get a glimpse once again into the heart. 908s
A glimpse into the extent, the breath and the height of our sinfulness. 920s
As we delve into that confession, a new law does it work and the mirror shows us. 932s
It shows us the heart, it shows us how the gypsum has infiltrated. 944s
It shows how the darkness of the world is so prevalent in our own heart. 950s
And so if the message today from the text is, 964s
So, get out there and be some so more salt, get out there because the world needs more light. 969s
So, get out there and do it. Come on now. We can all do better. 976s
Let's just be more salt and more light. If the message then this morning is simply like a pep talk before a game. 985s
Where we leave the confines of the sanctuary and head out onto the field to play the game outside of these doors, 995s
if it is nothing more than a pep talk. 1006s
That's not going to be too helpful. Is it? 1015s
It's not going to be too helpful. 1020s
Because we've got heart disease. 1026s
It's the disease of our sinfulness. 1032s
Notice, notice what Matthew writes. 1042s
Verse 13, 1048s
You are the salt of the earth. 1051s
Those were the writes in 14. You are the light of the world. 1059s
You are the salt. You are the light. It's not something that we strive for. 1071s
It's something that we are. 1085s
The Lord Jesus Christ has taken the darkness of our sin upon him at the cross. 1092s
The death has been paid and God says forgiven. 1105s
He calls us. He calls us to be light. 1114s
But the call is a declaration of who we are. 1121s
Because you see, we are the light of the world. Because the light of the Lord Jesus Christ 1129s
has taken up residents in our heart through the waters of baptism. 1137s
The light of the Lord Jesus Christ dwells in us through the Holy Spirit 1146s
and that light cannot help but express itself. 1152s
And so Jesus says, 1160s
You are the light of the world. 1162s
The Holy Spirit has taken residents inside of us and God expresses his purifying 1174s
and preserving through us. We flavor the world with our good works that are born of faith. 1183s
We can't help it for where there is faith. There will be the expression of faith. 1194s
The Scripture tells us. And so we are seasoned by the grace of God. 1200s
And that salt then, that salt simply expresses itself. 1208s
It's not something you see where Jesus is calling us with a pep talk saying, 1219s
you better get about it now. You better get about being light and salt in the world. 1225s
Now, come on, you can do better. No, it's the Lord Jesus Christ who says, 1230s
You are. You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth. 1237s
Why? 1252s
Because it is Christ. 1255s
Through us. Paul said, It is no longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in me. 1259s
And when Christ lives in us, there is light and salt. 1270s
But soft. 1288s
With light through yonder window breaks, it is the east and Juliette is the sun. 1292s
Oh, what a beautiful, beautiful metaphor. 1303s
The author incredible words, but that metaphor pales in comparison 1308s
to the beauty of the metaphors of salt and light. 1314s
The beauty of that metaphor penned by Shakespeare, 1320s
pales in comparison to the author of the metaphor, the Lord Jesus Christ. 1324s
You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. 1333s
It's not something we strive for. It's not something that we strive to be. 1353s
It is who He has made and makes us to be. 1364s
You are. You are. 1376s