June 28th
– Matthew 5:1-16 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:1-16&version=NLT)
Two things I want to briefly touch on.
1) Verses 11-12. WE SHOULD BE HAPPY WHEN WE ARE PERSECUTED FOR OUR FAITH. Yes, I did just say that. Take a moment for it to sink in…………. good? Okay. Be happy about it. You’re probably like “Well, why should I be happy if people are persecuting me for my faith?” Wanna’ know? That means it’s showing. In this world, I think we all know talk is often cheap, and actions are worth a million words. We could all go around and say all we wanted. Many people may not agree, but they won’t call you out for it if they see it as all just talk. They won’t call you out on it unless or until they see some evidence in some actions that follow up the talk. So if people are calling you out for your faith, then that’s because they know, because they can see the evidence, that it is real. And when your faith is being proven as real, that is plenty of reason to be happy, because we are supposed to not just believe it but live it out.
Not just believing but also living it out leads us to…
2) Verses 13-16. WE NEED TO BE THE SALT AND LIGHT OF THE EARTH. So, salt. Doesn’t seem to make much sense right? Well, back then it was used to preserve things and keep them from spoiling/rotting. We are meant to be the salt of the earth. We have to try and keep this world from becoming rotten/evil. It has sin, but it is still good. Creation is inherently good, as it was created. It has merely been tainted with sin. We need to help stop that spread. Then light. Well, light shines into and penetrates darkness. This world has so much darkness, and we need to shine God’s light into it. But lights aren’t good if we hide them. They can be giving off lots of light but there’s no point to that if nobody sees it. We need to make sure our light isn’t hidden, but able to be seen by all and any. Our lights need to shine – and brightly – for God. We need to be the salt and the light. Not just slow evil, like salt slows decay, but also cast out evil, like light casts out dark. Salt and light. Us.
1) Verses 11-12. WE SHOULD BE HAPPY WHEN WE ARE PERSECUTED FOR OUR FAITH. Yes, I did just say that. Take a moment for it to sink in…………. good? Okay. Be happy about it. You’re probably like “Well, why should I be happy if people are persecuting me for my faith?” Wanna’ know? That means it’s showing. In this world, I think we all know talk is often cheap, and actions are worth a million words. We could all go around and say all we wanted. Many people may not agree, but they won’t call you out for it if they see it as all just talk. They won’t call you out on it unless or until they see some evidence in some actions that follow up the talk. So if people are calling you out for your faith, then that’s because they know, because they can see the evidence, that it is real. And when your faith is being proven as real, that is plenty of reason to be happy, because we are supposed to not just believe it but live it out.
Not just believing but also living it out leads us to…
2) Verses 13-16. WE NEED TO BE THE SALT AND LIGHT OF THE EARTH. So, salt. Doesn’t seem to make much sense right? Well, back then it was used to preserve things and keep them from spoiling/rotting. We are meant to be the salt of the earth. We have to try and keep this world from becoming rotten/evil. It has sin, but it is still good. Creation is inherently good, as it was created. It has merely been tainted with sin. We need to help stop that spread. Then light. Well, light shines into and penetrates darkness. This world has so much darkness, and we need to shine God’s light into it. But lights aren’t good if we hide them. They can be giving off lots of light but there’s no point to that if nobody sees it. We need to make sure our light isn’t hidden, but able to be seen by all and any. Our lights need to shine – and brightly – for God. We need to be the salt and the light. Not just slow evil, like salt slows decay, but also cast out evil, like light casts out dark. Salt and light. Us.
That shall be all for today! God bless! Shalom!
(Yes, this is late. I was away and had no internet so I did this and typed it and just had to wait to post it)
(Yes, this is late. I was away and had no internet so I did this and typed it and just had to wait to post it)
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