January 10, 2010: “R U worth your Salt?”
Posted on : Jan 7th, 2010 | By office | Category: This Sunday's Service
Happy New Year, everyone. In the last weeks we’ve been “teasing you” about an exciting new year of ministry opportunities coming up at WeHo Pres. Well, here we are.
Welcome to
LifeServe 2010
Whose lives are different because of you?
All this year we are going to be focusing on the question “Whose lives are different because of you?”
Last Sunday Kobie opened our “Epiphany series” with Jesus’ dramatic proclamation that the light and love of God that was in Jesus from his birth, isn’t his alone. It is also ours. While the gospel proclaims that “Jesus is the Light of the World,” Jesus enlarges on that teaching and says YOU (as in the southern plural “y’all”) are the light of the world.
Yet even more astounding is Jesus’ proclamation “You (as in “y’all”) are the SALT OF THE EARTH.”
What in the world does it mean when Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth?” Salt today is one of the cheapest items you can buy in the grocery store. It’s in everything – in fact, we now know that too much salt is not good for us. Even knowing that, why is there so much salt used in everything? Prepared foods, such as microwave meals, canned soups and almost anything you buy at the store that is “ready to eat” is loaded with salt – too much salt! But try the “healthy stuff” that isn’t loaded with salt and you immediately know why so much salt is used in prepared foods. Without salt, food tastes very bland.
Are you starting to see why Jesus used these words to describe what we are supposed to be and do in the world?
In this New Year, our year-long focus will be:
LifeServe 2010
Whose lives are different because of you?
We’re not only going to talk about what Jesus calls us to do and be, we’re going to be doing it! Our purpose is not to be bland, but to be that which adds goodness and “unmistakable taste” to life. By serving others, by using our gifts for God’s-good, we will make a huge difference in our lives and the lives of others, all for God’s-good!
Margaret Mead (1901-1978) was an anthropologist. She did extensive work dealing with issues as interconnected as race, sex, marriage, childbearing, mental health, feminism and education. She reminds us of the power of collective, unified action to make change in the world. One of her many famous sayings is, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever does.”
For us that sayings is, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed Christians can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever does.” That’s exactly what Jesus meant when he said, “You (“y’all”) are the Salt of the Earth.
Eugene Peterson authored a paraphrase version of the Bible called “The Message.” A paraphrase version of the Bible is one that uses contemporary language and is not meant to be a literal translation of the ancient texts. His rendering of Jesus’ teaching is quite “salty;” I like it. Here is how he presents Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:13-16.
Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt – seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous, loving parent who is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16
Blessings,
Dan
This Sunday’s Scriptures:
Isaiah 42: 1-9
God speaks through the Prophet Isaiah about God’s Servant who will
bring about the transformation of the way we live.
“Here is my Servant, whom I uphold
My chosen one, in whom I delight!
I have endowed you with my Spirit that you may bring true justice to the nations.
You do not cry out or raise your voice, or make yourself heard in the street.
So gentle that you do not break a bruised reed, or quench a wavering flame,
faithfully you will bring forth true justice.
You will neither waver nor be crushed until justice is established on earth,
for the islands await your teaching!”
Thus says, the Holy One your God, who created the heavens and spread them out, who gave shape to the earth and what it produces, who gave life to its peoples and spirit to its inhabitants:
I, your God, have called you to serve the cause of right;
I have taken you by the hand, and I watch over you.
I have appointed you to be a covenant people, a light to the nations:
To open the eyes of the blind
To free captives from prison,
And those who sit in darkness from the dungeon.
I am your God! This is my Name!
I will not yield my glory to another god or my praise to idols!
See how former predictions have come true.
And now I declare new things!
Before they spring forth, I tell them to you.”
Gospel — Matthew 5: 13-16
Jesus teaches about the transformation of our lives
You are the salt of the earth. But what if salt were to lose its flavor? How could you restore it? It would be fit for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world. You don’t build a city on a hill, then try to hide it, do you? You don’t light a lamp, then put it under a bushel basket, do you? No, you set it on a lamp stand where it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, your light must shine before others so that they may see your good acts and works and give praise to our Loving God in heaven.