Poking Holes In The Darkness / Salt & Light

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture readings prior to the Message. Today's assigned readings are: Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 112:1-10; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 and Matthew 5:13-20.

A quiet forest dweller ... lived in the mountains ... high above ... a Swiss village ... along the eastern slopes ... of the Alps.

The elderly gentleman ... had been hired many years ago, by the town council ... to clear away debris ... from the pools of water ... that fed the lovely spring ... flowing through their town.

With faithful, ... silent regularity, ... he patrolled the hills, ... removing leaves and branches, ... and clearing away the silt ... that would otherwise choke ... and contaminate .... the Fresh flow ... of spring water.

By and by, ... the village became ... a popular attraction ... for vacationers.

Swans ... floated along the crystal-clear spring, ...mill wheels of various businesses located along the waterway ... turned ... with regularity.

The Farmlands were irrigated, ... and the views from the towns ... eating establishments ... were picturesque ... beyond description.

The Years passed. (Pause)

One evening ... the town council met ... for its semiannual meeting.

As they reviewed the budget, ... one man's eye caught the salary figure being paid ... to the obscure keeper ... of the mountain spring.

Said the towns treasure, ... "Who is this old man?

Why do we keep him on ... year after year?

No one ever sees him.

For all we know ... this ranger of the hills ... is doing us ... no good.

He isn't necessary ... any longer!"

By a unanimous vote, ... they dispensed with ... the old man's services.

For several weeks, ... nothing really changed.

By early autumn ... the trees began to shed their leaves.

Small branches snapped off and fell into the pools, ... hindering the rushing flow ... of sparkling water.

One afternoon ... the townsfolk noticed a slight yellowish-brown tint ... in the spring.

A few days later ... the water was ... much darker.

Within another week, ... a slimy film covered sections of the water ... and a foul odor ... was soon detected.

The mill wheels moved slower, ... some finally ground to a halt.

Swans left the town ... as did ... the tourists.

The Clammy fingers of disease and sickness .... ...reached deep ... into the village.

Quickly, ... the embarrassed council ... called a special meeting.

Realizing their gross error in judgment, ... they hired back the old keeper ... of the spring.

Within a few weeks .... the veritable ... river of life ...began to clear up.

The wheels started to turn, ... and new life returned once again...to the hamlet ... in the Alps. (Pause)

This story ... is more than ... an idle tale.

It carries with it ... a vivid ... relevant analogy ... directly related ... to the times ... in which we live.

Beloved ... What the keeper of the springs meant to that Swiss village, ... The followers of the Christ ... ...Christians ... mean ... to this world.

Christians may seem unimportant, Or ... a nuisance to the world, ... to many ... who do not believe.

But God help any society ... that attempts to exist ... without the work ... without the prayers ... of Christians.

We, ... Christ's ambassadors, ... are assigned the position ... of influencing ... and impacting our world ...not unlike ... the elderly gentleman ... in the Alps.

Nowhere in the Scriptures ... does Jesus' state ... that we are to live in isolation, ... separated from this world.

Jesus is clear ... crystal clear ... you are in the world ... but not of the world.

It is impossible to live, ... for the kingdom ... in private ... in isolation.

We are called to make a difference, ... yet sadly that calling ... has gone largely ... unfulfilled.

Put simply, ... the church has lost its influence on Society... especially ... in the western world.

There are many reasons ... why this is so, ... but one reason ... stands out ... far above the rest.

The church has lost its influence ... because Christians have ... neglected their call.

Their call ... to be salt ... and their call ... to be ... light.

And since we, ... as a whole ... have neglected to be what God has called us to be, ... the world has decided to ignore us... or in some cases ... hate us.

Yet the flip side ... is also true.

When Christians decide to be salt and light, ... to point the way to the saving grace of Jesus... the world will and does ... pay close attention.