Salt, Light, and Good News

Matthew 5:13-20

Does this text sound familiar?  If you feel like you recently heard several sermons on this text that is true.  Last November this text was used as the them for our focus on stewardship, so you heard it consecutively for three weeks.  That is a challenge to me, as your pastor to say something we didn't say just a few months ago.  It is also a challenge for me because I received a phone call from Pastor Bruce this morning notifying me that he had returned from Nicaragua, but he had returned with a severe case of laryngitis.  So with just a few hours before worship I had to whip up a sermon...yikes.  That is one of my biggest fears...but I guess now I can say fear conquered!

            As I read this text today I couldn't help but notice that this text is related to the opening question I have planned for confirmation next week.  Who was the first person to tell you about Jesus?  What do you remember that person telling you?  I would invite you to turn to a neighbor and answer that question.  Who was the first person to tell you about Jesus?  What do you remember that person telling you?  I think I first remember my Grandma Marilyn telling me about Jesus.  What I remember is her singing songs to me as a little girl and then as I got older I remember her teaching me those songs.  From the time I was little my grandma was salt and light, not only to me, but to others.  In fact, she still is salt and light to me and to others at the age of 81. 

            Jesus doesn't ask us to be salt and light, because it will be good for us.  The entire premise of this text is that we are salt and light for others.  We let our light shine so that others may see Jesus shining through us.  We make our lives salty so that others may taste the goodness of the Lord through our very presence.  It is our characteristics of salt and light that make a difference in the world.  It is the salt and light that allow others to see the work of Christ.

            So why did Jesus use the example of salt and light?  Salt and light were precious commodities in his time period.  Both salt and light sustain life.  They are useful resources.  Salt was used to preserve food.  They didn't have refrigerators or ice cube makers, so they used the salt to preserve the vegetables and to dry out the fish for winter.  They would also wash newborn babies in salt water, because it was supposed to preserve their life.  During wars they would rub salt into soldier's wounds as a treatment.  They would use it as a contract, instead of writing the contract down each party would bring salt from their house and throw it over the other person's shoulder as a sign of the covenant they had together.  Light also sustained life.  Life before Thomas Edison was much darker, so the moments where light existed were fewer.  But those moments where light existed were even more important than light is today, because it wasn't taken for granted.  Jesus joined these two commodities together to explain to us that preservation from salt was not enough, we also needed light, to expand the kingdom of God.  Salt wasn't enough for Jesus to make his point, he needed to use light too.

            We are salt and light, not because we need those characteristics for ourselves, but because others need to see those characteristics in us.  We exist not only for ourselves, but for the entire kingdom of God.  The same is true of salt and light.  Think about their purpose, the reason for their existence.  Salt does not exist for itself.  Salt doesn't need salt.  The same is true of light.  Light does not exist for itself.  Light doesn't need light.  Salt and light only fulfill their purpose when they are used, shared, given a purpose. 

            The salt and light within us are necessary in order for us to be good news sharers.  They give us the tools we need to be bringers of the kingdom of God.  It is salt and light that made my grandma able to share the good news of Jesus with me.  It is salt and light that allowed someone to share that same gospel message with you.  Without salt and light we are useless.  We are like salt without saltiness or a light under a basket.  We are like news sharers with no good news.  The good news of the love and grace that comes from Jesus Christ are hidden. 

            Before we head out to the streets with our message of salt and light I think we need a bit of a pep talk, not from me, but from Kid President.  I saw this video last weekend at the continuing education event I was at and I found it very inspiring and motivational.  I hope you find it to be the same.  Here's the Kid President's "Pep Talk!"

            Now, I know Kid President is not speaking in terms of our faith, but I think it can be applied to our faith.  This is your time.  This is my time.  This is our time.  Together we can make a difference.  Truly, we have a message to share.  We have light and salt to bring.  We don't need to do that alone.  Jesus gave his life, his very self, to make a difference, to make a change.  Together we too can make a difference.  Together we can make a change.  Together we can give salt and light to the world.  So, be filled with salt and with light.  Share that salt and light with others.  And let the good news lead you down the path less traveled.  Amen.