Believers Are Salt and Light - Matthew 5:13-16

Matthew 5:13-16 (NKJV)
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Similar passage can also be found in Mark 9:49-50; Luke 14:34-35

Jesus teaching is full of metaphors-(to draw comparison) to help understand His teachings.

So, to understand this passage we need to understand the value and usage of salt and light:

1. Na-Cl Sodium Chloride, Seasoning agent or a flavor enhancer.

Even if you have all the best and expensive ingredients in your food without salt it will be nothing! You won't enjoy a single bit of it!

A pinch of salt can determine the quality of food! A very important compound element not just for food but also other materials and products that we use daily.

2. Preserving Agent, because of it's anti-septic properties.
The oldest way of preserving food, meat can spoil in a day so the ancient people rub salt to preserve it.

Even with the advancement of technology in food preservation (refrigeration & other preservation methods), salt is still use as preservative agent.

3. Light reveals things hidden in the dark.

We can apply it to our passage, that as a 

1. Moral Influencer.
Christians are great influencer if we stand for Christ. Christians have lots of spiritual gifts to offer to society for the advancement of the gospel and changed lives, though only a minority but because of God's grace we can influence great multitude of people (believers and non alike).

We should preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and back-it up with our personal testimony. 

But we should also find the balance when and not to engage with the non-believers.

Jesus Christ, which is in every heart of the believer gives the true meaning and purpose of life.

2. Preserver of God's word.
 As a believer we should always study God's word. Always asking the Holy's Spirit to guide us with the correct interpretation of the word and protecting it against the corruption of this world.

3. Unashamed of the Gospel.
We can't keep the gospel for ourselves, but we need to actively tell other people (family members, classmates, co-workers and friends) the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

1 John 1:5, This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

In today's technology (social media) we can easily spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to great multitude of people at the least time and comfort.

If keep/hide the gospel from other people then we can't expect a renewed life from other people. 

Satan Tempts Jesus - Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 4:1-11(NKJV)

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not [a]tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, [b]“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

At the start of Jesus Ministry, right after the water baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to fast for 40 days.

After fasting Jesus was physically weak and hungry thus proving His full human nature.

Seeing the Lord Jesus' condition the devil had the opportunity to tempt Him. 

Matthew 26:41 "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 

Satan's goal is make Jesus act in His own will and not in perfect obedience to the will of the father, by using His power in a wrong way.

Since the fall of man Satan is the tempter destroying the plan of God. John 10:10

The first temptation is putting physical needs before obedience to the will of God the father.  

People will do unimaginable things just to ease hunger. e.g. Crash Plane incident.

John 4:31-34 In the meantime His disciples were asking Him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But He said to them, I have food to eat which you do not know. 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, No one brought Him [anything] to eat? 34 Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of [Him] who sent Me and to finish His work. 

Second: Proving to the unbelievers that He is the Messiah by performing a miracle. If miracle outside God's plan. God will not do it, even if He is able. Matt 16: 1-4

Third: To gain a new kingdom not through a cross. A physical kingdom, not the spiritual kingdom. (see Matt 16:21-23; John 6:15)

The same way Jesus overcome temptation can be applied to the believers:

1. Use the word of God.

That's why every Christian should read, memorize and study God's word so that when temptation comes, you can apply the word of God. Deut 6:13,16; 8:3

2. Don't just read but study God's word.

Satan knows the Bible, and will tweak it to make us compromise about our faith.

3. Cast out the Satan (tempter)/demons using the Lord's name (Jesus Christ).

Acts 16:16-18

As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

Love Your Enemies - Matthew 5:43-48

Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 [a]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your [b]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [c]tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Similar passage can also be found in Luke 6:27-28

Intro:

Probably the hardest commandment to obey, it takes the grace of God to make it possible!

The same person that brought you heart aches, sufferings, brokenness, sadness, hate and possibly make your life miserable. You brand them as mortal enemies, frinimies, etc.

1. Have you heard about a story about 5 missionaries killed by tribes men, Waodani tribe, the movie tells the story from the perspective of Steve Saint (the son of Nate Saint, one of the missionaries killed in the encounter), and Mincayani, one of the tribesmen who took part in the attack.[1][2] The two eventually form a bond that continues to this day. The movie "End of the Spear"

2. In the Christian catacombs of Rome, the following story (retold in Modern English) was found:

"A rich man named Proculus had hundreds of slaves. The slave named Paulus was so trustworthy that Proculus made him the steward over his whole household.

Look at the verse again, 43, “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."

This is not the same as ‘It is written’. Jesus is not quoting from the Old Testament but from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. He is not contradicting the law but the interpretations of the law that the scribes taught.

Notice in the previous verse, Mat. 5:17-19

After that Jesus gave the correct interpretation of the law not by outward appearance but by the condition of the heart (where sin comes out)

Best Illustration of that can be found in many Bible passage, like John 3:16, Phil 3:18, Romans 5:10, James 4:4

Christ called us to be imitators of His love to the ungodly.

His benevolent love to the ungodly verse 45, the same treatment as we need to show/exercise even to our enemies.

What it means to work-out your own Salvation - Philippians 2:12

Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:

Does it mean that salvation is based on faith plus good work? Look at James 2:14-17, 

Or it means we should fear and tremble whenever we fail to obey God because He will send us to hell? NO, salvation is by faith alone, by grace alone, through Jesus Christ alone!

Salvation in the Bible 3 phases or tenses 

Past, Present & Future or elements or stages.

1. Justification (Past) - God's working alone - Monergism

2. Sanctification (Present) - Man & God working together - Synergism

3. Glorification (Future) - Monergism

After conversion, we go through the stage of Sanctification - commonly refers to set the person or thing to it's proper functioning e.g. Eyeglasses are sanctified when used to improve eye sight. Therefore a human being is sanctified when he/she lives according to God's design and purpose.

In Greek translation of the word Sanctification (hagiasmos) which means holiness, To be sanctified means to be holy.

Working out our own salvation simply means to be cheerful, diligent, humble and in constant obedience to Christ. Imitating Jesus Christ obedience to the father.

With fear and trembling: 

Having a reverential fear to our Lord and Savior, both King, Savior and righteous Judge. Not the common fear to make us in flight, but all the more to draw us near to Him.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

    To him belongs eternal praise. Psalms 111:10 

If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Phil. 2:8