 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||
|
LOST RIVER CHURCH OF CHRIST | |||||||
|
|
Sermon On The Mount IX: The Christian's Influence On The Worldby Lawrence Kelley Having set forth the character of the kingdom citizen in the beatitudes, Jesus now addresses their impact on the world (Matt 5:13-16). What was implied in the last beatitude now becomes explicit. The true Christian life is not a merely a private matter, but rather influences the world like salt and light. TWO FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTIONS are necessary for Jesus words to make sense. First, we must view the world as a fallen place that, if left to itself, will spiral into ever deepening darkness and decay. Second, that the light of Jesus Christ shining in and through His disciples is the only hope of restoring righteousness and light to the world. You are the salt; You are the light (1Cor 1:26-31). YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. Salt is a flavor enhancer, but more importantly, salt is a preservative
used to prevent meat from rotting. Christians are salt in that they prevent the world from rushing headlong into
moral debauchery. Man apart from God degenerates. It is the Christian's job to prevent this decay. This has been
called the Christian's negative influence on the world because, it has to do with our stopping what is wrong, but
there is a positive counterpart. You are the light of the world. This image provides a wonderful lesson in how Christians should influence
the world. Light isn't noisy or shrill, but when it enters a dark room it displaces the darkness and the darkness
is powerless to resist (Eph 5:8-14). The way we think, worship, work and live should scatter the darkness. CHRISTIANS WHO AREN'T influencing the world for good may be described in two words - useless & ridiculous. They are unsalty salt. Useless as road dust. They are as absurd as a light with a bucket on top. Jesus is addressing two kinds of people who lived in His time and whose spiritual children are still with us today. There were Jews in Jesus day who became so comfortable with the paganism of the Greeks and Romans that they finally were indistinguishable from them. In their desire to be relevant to their culture, they were swallowed up by their culture and were thereby rendered useless as a witness of God to the nations. Another group was the Essenes. These people withdrew from the larger culture and formed enclaves where they would not be corrupted by the world around them. They even called themselves the children of light, but what good is all their moral and spiritual illumination if they keep it all to themselves? Someone has well described this problems as follows: "The marginal Christian is a man who knows enough about Christianity to render him incapable of enjoying the worldly life, but not enough to give him real happiness, peace and joy and abundance of life. I think such people are the most pathetic people in the world. Our Lord certainly says they are the most useless people in the world. They do not function as worldings or as Christians. They are nothing, neither salt nor light, neither one thing nor the other."
GLORIFY YOUR FATHER. The point of these verses is simple and profound. When Christians live out the beatitudes, they lead the world to glorify God. Here is a sobering fact. The church leads the world. It may do so for good or for ill, but it always leads. So what is needed to save the world? Christians who are really Christians. |
Related Information:
Left click to play. Sermons on: |
|
||||
|
Copyright © 2006, Lost River
Church of Christ |
||||
