Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus Teaches The Meaning Of Salt And Light

14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

---

---

This is the Word of the Lord ... It is meant to change the way that we think, and the way that we live.

---

---

Commentary by Bob Pardue

The Salt Of The Earth - The Light Of The World

If you've ever made a mistake and put too much salt on your meal you know the meaning of the first verses here.

A little bit of salt goes a long way just as a little bit of Christian behavior goes a long way to those observing it.

But what about outdated salt which has lost all flavor? That seasoning is pretty much worthless and of no use to anyone.

Good salt, like good Christians, bring the food to life and add a flavor the food would have never known otherwise.

A saltless dish is bland and tasteless. A Christian who makes no effort to spread the good news about Jesus Christ is pretty much worthless to God.

We need to be careful not to blend too much into the world and worldly things. Others shouldn't see us as just one more in the crowd but as a seasoning who brings joy and helps others to see the benefits of knowing Jesus.

The Light Of The World

Following the same example as above, we should let our little lights shine (just as the song goes) and not hide or dim it.

There are several ways in our everyday life that we, as Christians, dim or even put out our light to keep others from seeing it.

These include; Not speaking out when we should; going along with the rest of the world or dimming the light by actually participating in the sin around us.

But, most importantly, we shut off our light with apathy -- not caring about other people, ignoring their needs or not telling them about the light of Jesus Christ when they reach out to us.

I'm not here today to beat you up about this (I'm too busy beating myself up) but to make you aware of these four little sentences given to us by our Lord.

Let's try to make it a point to seize the next opportunity to show other people our light by showing the way to Jesus Christ.

Remember, a little salt and a little light goes a long way!

Love in Christ

- Bob

Matthew - 5:1-12 - The 8 Beatitudes from Sermon on the Mount. You've probably heard of the the famous sermon on the mount where Jesus gave the eight beatitudes including blessed are the meek for daily living. But, have you read what Christ has to say lately? This guide for living deserves repeated readings.

Comments are welcome. Please email me with any questions or comments you may have.