Matthew 5:13-20....Are you the Salt and Light of the Earth?

Check out the Exegesis of Matthew 5:13-20 located to the right. This passage really helps to encourage us to fulfill our role as believers here on the earth. It reminds us that God doesn't need us to complete any part of His will for the future but that He has invited us into His story and thus we get to be a part of it.

What do you think of the passages out lined in this exegesis? Do you have any questions? Is there any part of the passage that really makes you think? What about?

Let's get this thing rolling!!

Comments

Amanda said…
The passage about being salt and light has a lot of bearing on my life. I should be an influence in my culture, instead of running to the nearest Christian bubble and soaking in the comfort of being around people that agree with me. One of the scariest things is sharing my faith with a stranger, but I am supposed to care so much about the state of my neighbor's heart, that I must invest in the lives of strangers, with the hope that I can tell them about Jesus. What good is it if I just go to church every Sunday and then shuffle about the rest of the week avoiding eye contact with "sinners". I am a sinner! I need to be light; I must pray more for Jesus to open the doors to talk about Christ with strangers, relatives who aren't believers, coworkers, etc. Help me Lord Jesus.
manny said…
Hey Josh the exegesis is good. I would like to add specifically about this passage that the salt and light are only doing what they can do! salt has to be salty or it no longer is called salt. Light has to be light or it ceases to be light. Prior to this passage Jesus declares how the people of the new kingdom will be (matt 5:1-12). Once our new nature is established and the work of the Holy Spirit begins then our nature will change. We will be light and salt we have no other choice.
I would also like to add that Jesus positions two ideas to convey same message. Salt as a preservative and light as a way to dis-spell darkness. Both have the same job to correct what has been made wrong. Ultimately leading to the same purpose "bringing glory or shining light on God".
Josh said…
I think that Amanda has really hit the nail on the head. We must be living out our faith in a real way, in the way the Christ has called us to. That is our purpose, that is our calling no matter what.

Manny brings up an interesting point...Are Christ's statements directed towards the future kingdom or are they directed towards Christians living now?

I also like Manny's final comment...Believer's all have one purpose...to bring glory to God.
Manny said…
Theologically I believe Jesus is speaking in a now / then framework. However contextually Jesus is communicating to a people about the now situations. This idea comes to life as the teaching expands in the next chapters. If the now / then is not understood then relate it this way... Jesus is relaying a message about a current kingdom and a future kingdom. Current kingdom began with Jesus beginning his ministry and future kingdom is one when Jesus comes back and the new heaven and new earth are joined. The now kingdom supposes that we will be about our fathers work as the example of Jesus following his father. The future Kingdom is one in which that father reigns directly without the corruption of the evil one.
Josh said…
Just imagine how important it was for the oppressed Jews and few gentiles who were hearing this message to be given a hope for the future that Jesus promised to the faithful! Restoration from the grip of sin and Satan would have brought hope for believer living in this time as well as for any believer living in any time who needs an uplifting message.

I so much look forward to that day!

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