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Salt & Light & Law. (What’s my Purpose?). (Matthew 5:13-20). Modern times....The Need. Questions: What does a successful Christian look like? What does a successful non-believer look like?.
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Salt & Light & Law. (What’s my Purpose?) (Matthew 5:13-20)
Modern times....The Need. • Questions: • What does a successful Christian look like? • What does a successful non-believer look like?
“The definition of success is so narrowly defined that very few people can attain it....People feel utterly insignificant and inadequate.” – Richard Rohr. (Franciscan Monk).
4 Types of Social Institutions • Kinship – (Family Systems) • Religion - (Meaning) • Politics - (Government and Social order) • Economics - (Production & Consumption) In most cultures one of the 4 dominates all the rest. 1st Century Palestine – Patriarchal Society (1.) 21st Century Europe / USA – Capitalism (4.)
Jesus the Rebel : The End of Patriarchy? When Peter bellowed, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Matt.19 v.27), he was considering what it had cost him and his brother Andrew to follow Jesus. Peter and Andrew were at work when Jesus called them and “at once they left their nets and followed him” (1:17–18). Likewise brothers James and John left their father and their fishing trade (vv. 19–20). Jesus said, “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39). This life, abundant and eternal, is to know “the only true God, and Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).
SALT.Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth > (Covenant of the Dependable; Business Guarantee) Salt is Preserver Salt Flavours Salt Heals
Light. Matthew 5:14-16 Light A. Small oil lamps do not give much light; but many together can light a City or a football stadium. (c.f. Promise Keepers Movement) Pre-electricity domestic light came from a flame: warmth & Light Light B. You are the light of the world (comparable with Sun). (Common Metaphor for God). Sun brings life, growth, and good health A source of Power and of Danger We are called to reflect HIS light before men / women
BEWARE! The opposite of Light is Darkness; a city can emanate either.
Under the Law.Matthew 5:17-20 “do not think... I have come to abolish the Law” - (Has Jesus indicated by word or action that he intended to do this?) Question: what is the purpose of the Law?
1. To demonstrate the absolute need for GRACE.2. To act as a scaffold to the internal “building of Grace” in our lives until it’s completion.3. To emphasise the need for internal righteousness (faith) and not external righteousness (works). Grace wholly swallows the Law AND exposes the darkness hidden in the human heart. Grace brings healing and illumination.
The Pharisees and the Law-givers had added multiple layers of external ordinances to the Torah (E.g.the Talmud); Laws and rules that heaped a great burden onto the shoulders of everyman and everywoman. NB - (Matthew was an ex-lawyer...)
They had missed the point!!The Law was there to make mankind realise the need for radical ‘Surgery of the Heart’.To call out to God the Father for an Eternal Cure...Jesus !
Final conclusions...I God is writing history using YOU as his hands. You are the image-bearers and imitators of his Son. “This is your utmost purpose: Not to have honour or status in the eyes of others. “ Don’t base your image / your status / your identity on Success and Fame. They will always be smoke and mirrors. “Who you are in God is who YOU are. Nothing more and Nothing less.” – Richard Rohr This is your true identity. ABOVE ALL ELSE. Grace was won in a moment, but takes a lifetime to reach every corner of our lives. “Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” - (Php.2:12-13)
Final conclusions...II • Dolly-isms (Ms Dolly Parton) • Leave something good in every day. • Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. • If you see someone without a smile, give ‘em yours! ”What can I create today?” (Rob Bell)
Final Conclusions...III What is my pupose?A>Be a Blessing & Give Grace Freely to all...Grace Ephesians 2:7“God has lavished on us the incomparable riches of his GRACE”... Definition:[Extravagant giving / kindness / forgiveness / love to the undeserved.” / Les Miserables”/“The Utter Destitute”. -Enemies included.] B> Expand the Kingdom of God, not just a geographic place but a spiritual place that is within us and without us, and in those around us.
Final Conclusions...IV “ IKIGAI “ • Definition (Japanese) • “The Japanese have a word for what gets you out bed in the morning. • The call it your IKIGAI. • Ikigai is that sense that you have when you wake up that this day matters. • ...sometimes called your calling, your destiny, your path. • Ikigai is your reason for being.” Rob Bell – “How to be Here”
IKIGAI : What is My / Our Purpose? Jesus said “Be perfect.” (Telos,Gk). Be one in purpose; be the one, unique, person God intended you to be. Will you fail? Most likely, but He will keep picking you up. Again and Again and Again and Again... “We also discussed in the event that he were to stop breathing, or his heart were to stop, we would unlikely to be successful in having a meaningful and acceptable outcome for BILL, therefore we wouldn't do CPR. BILL understood the DNAR decision. I asked him what his biggest joy/happiness was in life, and he explained this was preaching at his church, and this was very important to him.”
Useful Resources: Oneyouleeds.co.uk “Trust me I’m a doctor. Mental Health Special.” – BBC 2. Last week. Sermon on the Mount. Richard Rohr. Humanifesto. Gerard Kelly. How To Be Here – Rob Bell. The Upside Down Kingdom – Donald Kraybill.
“My Joy…Your Joy”By Oswald Chambers“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” —John 15:11What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “…the cares of this world,…choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life…hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
