Matthew Part 6 - Salt and Light

Mathew 5:1 – 16

Many of you know how much I enjoy photography. I am not brave enough to call my self a photographer but I do enjoy taking cool pictures. There is a huge difference between a snapshot and a good photograph, and while there are many components that make a cool photo I want to focus on two of the simplest tools in the photographer’s toolbox … lenses. A wide-angle lens allows you to stand back and get the full vista, the full breadth of the view. A zoom lens allows you to zoom in a little closer to get more of the detail. I want to look at the first 16 verses of Mathew 5 firstly through a wide angle lens then secondly zoom in a little to capture the detail

The wide-angle view of Mathew 5 is simply Jesus teaching (vv2) us how we should conduct ourselves in the household of faith. If I were to paraphrase the text it would look something like this. “I trust you will act as if you are poor in spirit when you are around each other. Humility is one of the keys to the Kingdom and if you practice it you will find your inheritance in the kingdom. I hope you never loose the ability to mourn with each other. I hope you will never harden your hearts to effects of sin but will always be there for each other at moment of pain and sadness. I desire that gentleness and kindness are always the currency of your community life. I hope you never become satisfied but rather remain hungry for my righteousness among my people. I hope your community is filled with peacemakers who take forgiveness and reconciliation seriously! I want to teach you about courage also so that you are prepared and will persevere through tough times.”

I believe Jesus is asking us to behave in these ways around each other. He is giving us some distinctives, some community and personal attributes that should mark our communities of faith and set us apart in this world.

That is the wide-angle view and here comes the zoom.

BUT … He does not stop there! Jesus jumps immediately to those outside of the community of faith, giving us the well-worn parable of salt and light! I believe if we combine these two views we will realize that Jesus is telling us that one of the most irresistible and compelling witnesses for salvation is the community described in the beatitudes. I have long said, “There is no point in being the best kept secret in town”. A community that displays these attributes would be hard to hide!  This kind of community will penetrate and preserve … as salt does! And it will pierce the darkness and proclaim the truth … as light does!

“Changed Lives … change lives” vv16 asks each one of us to be bold, to let our light shine and to invite others into our lives so that they can see how distinctive we are and ultimately the scriptures tells us, when we do that they will “praise our father in heaven”