March 3, 2016
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:13-16
13 “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.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither 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. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Questions for Reflection:
Jesus compares the church, followers of Jesus, to two things in this passage. What two things does he liken the church to?
Why do you think that he chose salt? What was salt used for? In our day and age, salt is used for two primary purposes: (1) to season food and (2) to put on our roads when we have no plans to scrape the ice away. In the New Testament period in the Middle East, clearly they weren’t using it for the second purpose. They used salt for seasoning, but they also used it as a preservative and in small doses as a fertilizer. In fact, salt was such an essential part of life that the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder said, “There is nothing more useful than salt and sunshine.” Darrin Patrick in his book For the City asks the question: “If our churches shut their doors tomorrow, would our cities even know we were gone?” What would it take for the church to be an essential part of the community? What are you, as a follower of Jesus, bringing to the city that is sustaining, enhancing or improving?
Why did Jesus tell the church to be the light of the world? Light was a common symbol used throughout the Old and New Testaments. DA Carson writes, “In the Old Testament as in the New Testament, it most frequently symbolizes purity as opposed to filth, truth or knowledge as opposed to error or ignorance, and divine revelation and presents as opposed to reprobation and abandonment by God.” How can the church be light in our world? Where can we provide guidance and direction to our city?
Tim Keller sat down for an interview and was asked about how the church can be salt and light. Listen to his response:
What is one step that you can take today to be salt and light in your world? Spend time in prayer reflecting on how you could live out these verses today.