Jesus words to his disciples in Matthew 5 . . .
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
We obey these amazing words of Jesus today if we are his disciples and not mere churchgoers or professors of religion.
His words are so encouraging: “You are the salt of the earth! You are the light of the world!”
Those who follow him are declared wonderful, salt that has a heavenly and altogether different taste to what is seen in the world whether in ancient Israel or in our troubled world of 2016.
Jesus’ words show he expected his disciples to be outstanding, flavoursome, even delicious. They were intended for suffering, as the context of his words surely indicate, but yet for glory. For glory!
His disciples are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Amazing. World changers.
Is that how you see yourself as a follower of Jesus? How else can you see yourself in Christ?
There is no way his expectation of us would be anything less because he is the living bread who comes down from heaven and gives life abundantly. He promises the Holy Spirit as our helper, our resource.
Not quite like the average religious people attending church services.
Jesus intended nothing like church buildings, money-driven organisations, services, priests and hierarchies. Right?
He intended that his followers be salt that had not lost its flavour and light that would not be hidden in Christian ghettos. He hates it when his people are lukewarm (Revelation 3). He would rather have them cold. But he expects them to be hot with all the amazing blessings he has lavished upon them. Isn’t that true?
They must be good salt—full of good deeds like their master because they are in him and he in them.
Their light must shine before others.
Others must see their good deeds, without them seeking the glory from men, just the glory from God.
And as a result, glorify their heavenly Father. You agree?
What have we all done with Jesus’ designs, his intentions, his commands? slumbering as we often do under the false systems of denominational, competitive businesses driven by human effort and worldly glory. So we have salt that has lost all the brilliant taste of its designer. So what will happen to this useless salt? It will be thrown out.
The light of Jesus’ good news must be shining out there in the world, upon the needy, the sick and oppressed of the satan. But all too often the light is hidden. Are we so afraid to approach the people of the world that we instead find plenty of meetings, conferences, seminars, talk-fests, group studies and formal study courses are more important?
Time for change. Radical change. Re-formation. Are we up for it?
Ian Thomson 