(based on Southeast Christian Church’s “Living a Life of Integrity”)
SERIES: “WORDS OF WISDOM FOR KINGDOM LIVING”
TEXT: MATTHEW 5:7-16
TITLE: “WATCH YOUR EXAMPLE”
INTRODUCTION: A. Letter to Diognetus, mid-to late-2nd century under the heading “The Manners of the
Christians”:
For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language,
nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor
employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any
singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any
speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim
themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as
well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and
following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their
ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method
of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they
share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign
land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of
strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy
their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the
flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are
citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the
laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown
and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make
many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured,
and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are
justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with
honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as
if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted
by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their
hatred.
--Prov. 22:1 – “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is
better than silver or gold.”
B. What is your reputation?
1. Do people see you as someone who has set a good example to follow?
2. Do they see a correlation between what you profess and how you live?
3. Is your home, your place of employment, and your community influenced by how
you live your life?
C. Listen to what Jesus said about how our relationship with Him should impact those
that live around us
1. Mt. 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can
it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled by men”
a. Salt has a number of uses. It adds taste to food, melts ice, creates thirst. But in
the first century salt was used primarily as a preservative. Jesus’ audience didn’t
have refrigeration—when they butchered meat or caught fish they packed the
meat in salt to preserve it. You can still buy country hams that are salt-cured.
b. When Jesus said that you are the salt of the earth, He acknowledged that decay is
inevitable in a fallen world. Left alone, culture will always deteriorate, without
Christ the world will rot. Jesus was saying that your job is to preserve truth and
conserve Godly values in society. You permeate the world and help maintain a
wholesomeness in the culture.
c. Jesus said that if salt loses its saltiness it’s no longer good for anything but to be
thrown out and tromped on like sand in a path. Technically, Sodium Chloride
cannot lose its saltiness, but the salt mined from the Dead Sea was so polluted
with other minerals that it lost its preserving abilities.
d. If a Christian becomes polluted by the sin and philosophy of the world we lose
our preserving ability.
e. Rebecca Manley Pippert wrote a book that became a best-seller, Out of the
Saltshaker. Her premise is that Christians aren’t to remain comfortably in
church and associate only with each other. If we do then we’re of no value to
the world. Salt permeates the meat to preserve it. Salt works quietly, often
unnoticed. But it serves its primary purpose when it’s out of the container. The
church is most needed in the world, not in the church building.
--Our job as Christians is to add flavor and create a thirst for God
2. Mt. 5:14 – “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden”
a. Light does one particular thing: it dispels darkness
b. Light illuminates a potentially dangerous path and makes it safe.
--Christians are to be luminaries along the path to God. We’re to be spotlights
showing the way to salvation.
c. The role of God’s people has always been to be light in the darkness
1). Isaiah 49:6 says, “I will…make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may
bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
2). That passage was also used as a prophesy concerning the work of the
Messiah which has been passed on to us
d. Jesus said, “Your testimony should not be hidden.”
1). You don’t light a lamp and put it under a huge bowl. You put that lamp on
an elevated place so it gives as much light as possible.
2). Mt. 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may
see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
3). Ephesians 5:8 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in
the Lord. Live as children of light.”
4). Some Christian people misinterpret this passage and conclude, “This means
I don’t ever have to say anything about Christ; I’ll let my light shine by my
good example.”
e. But there are two essentials to letting your light shine.
1). One is the positive example
2). The other is the verbal witness.
--Both are needed or God doesn’t get the glory—you do.
D. How can we be salt and light most effectively?
1. Last week we began our study of the Sermon on the Mount by looking at the
first four beatitudes that deal with our relationship with God.
2. The next four beatitudes focus on our relationship with people.
a. They suggest practical ways that we can help preserve the truth.
b. These are ways to watch your example.
--Here’s how you can most effectively be salt and light
I. SHOW MERCY
--Mt. 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
A. One of the best ways to influence the world for Christ is to show mercy to the hurting.
1. Many unbelievers reject our message as being irrelevant and they accuse Christians as being
hypocrites.
--But there’s one virtue that impresses everyone in the world: deeds of mercy to those who are hurting.
2. Jesus told a parable about a man who was mugged and left for dead along the Jericho highway. Two
religious men came by, saw his condition, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, a man of
despised race, came by and had mercy on him. He bandaged his wounds, took him to a nearby hotel
and paid for all his medical expenses. Jesus asked the crowd, “Who did the right thing?” Everyone in
the audience agreed—the one who showed compassion on him.
a. Even the most cynical skeptic instinctively knows mercy is good.
b. Even the most morally liberal, postmodern mind appreciates the rightness of helping someone in
need.
3. Wiersbe, Live Like a King: “The Roman world did not admire mercy. The Romans did admire justice,
courage, self-control, and wisdom, but not mercy. The philosophers called mercy ‘a disease of the
soul.’ Something to be abhorred and ashamed of if you expected to be a success. Slaves were treated
like pieces of used furniture, and the position of women and children was far from ideal. If a woman
gave birth to a daughter or a sickly son, the father had the privilege of rejecting the child and having it
exposed to die. A temperamental master could, in a fit of anger, main or even kill a slave. An enemy
was an enemy, and the best enemy was a dead enemy. “
--Christ taught and the early Christians lived the message that instead of being a sickness to the soul,
mercy was the very health of the Christian experience.
B. Mercy is a bridge.
1. It’s a bridge that God built so He can relate to you and me.
2. It’s also a bridge we have to build if we’re going to relate lovingly to others.
3. Rick Atchely is the minister of the Richland Hills Church of Christ in Ft. Worth, Texas. That church
has a food pantry that serves a thousand people a month. At Christmas they give away free toys to
hundreds. People line up the night before and sleep outside the church building. Rick takes strong
stands on Biblical and social issues. But if you ask anyone in a six-mile radius about that church
they’ll say, “Oh, that’s the church that helps people.”
B. The greatest example of mercy is found in Jesus Christ at the cross.
--It’s a fulfillment of Ps. 85:10 – “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed
each other.”
1. Mercy to others is a direct result of our recognition that God has showed us mercy.
a. It’s not that we are sinners and can therefore show mercy to other sinners.
b. It’s because I’m a forgiven sinner and have experienced mercy that I can extend mercy to others.
2. How do we obtain mercy?
a. It’s not that we earn mercy because we offer mercy.
b. Mercy by its very definition cannot be earned.
--Mercy is when an offender does not get what is deserved.
3. Mercy is obtained when we become channels of mercy. God’s mercy flows through us to others.
--Bob Russell: “You’ve seen those Gatorade commercials where everything is in black and white
except the beverage? An exhausted athlete drinks Gatorade and then sweats purple or green sweat.
(It sure makes me want to drink it!) We ought to drink so deeply of God’s grace and mercy that
mercy and compassion just flow out of our pores.”
a. Do you know someone who has a special needs child? Volunteer to baby sit once in a while. Give
those parents a certificate at a restaurant so they can get away from their responsibility and enjoy a
night out.
b. Do you know a person who has severe health problems? Send them a card and say, “I’m praying
for you today.”
c. Do you know someone who is having marriage trouble or difficulty with a teenager? Give them a
phone call and tell them you’re praying for them.
d. Is there someone who has wronged you? Don’t demand justice—you be merciful, forgive them and
be kind to them.
II. HAVE A PURITY OF HEART
--Mt. 5:8 – “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
A. The heart is the center of our being.
1. It’s the master control area of life
--Prov. 4:23 –“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
2. The heart is the source of all of our trouble
a. Jer. 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things…”
b. Matt. 15:19 – “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft,
false testimony, slander.”
B. The first step toward seeing God is admitting that our heart needs to be changed
1. Jer. 24:7 – “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD . They will be my people, and I
will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.”
--We’re not changed from the outside in. We are changed from the inside out.
2. Ps. 19:14 – “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
3. The Greek word translated as “pure” has two basic meanings: “clean” and “unmixed”
--The basic idea is that of “singleness” of heart as opposed to a “divided” heart.
a. We do not need a sinless heart but a singleness of heart.
b. Singleness of heart is a sincerity of heart.
4. It doesn’t matter how much you talk about your faith, how often you invite others to church, or if you
wear a Christian logo on your clothes, when others see that kind of inconsistency and impurity, your
salt has lost its saltiness; your light is out.
a. I’ve heard that people who wait tables in local restaurants hate to work Sundays. You know why?
They don’t want to wait on the church crowd. They say church people are rude, demanding,
occupy tables for a long time, and leave miserly tips.
--Don’t bother to invite them to church; your actions speak more loudly than words. Your light is
snuffed out. The world sees you as a hypocrite because your example is insensitive and
tightfisted.
b. On the other hand the world respects people who are genuine and pure in heart. They’ll say,
“She’s for real.” “He has a good heart.” People can usually tell. They know if you really believe
or you’re playing a role.
5. Having a pure heart helps your testimony but living a bad life hurts your witness even when you’re
telling the truth.
a. Just a short time ago, former baseball slugger and outfielder Jose Canseco released a book that
alleges that some pretty big names and surprising baseball stars used steroids and some very
important people had knowledge of this and did not do anything about it. It was the talk of the
sports world and some of the allegations are probably true. The truth will not matter however
because few will give the book and its accusations much credibility, true or not, because of
Canseco’s reputation and horrible past. He has had a history of drug problems, bad attitudes and
lies. You see his witness is compromised by his life.
b. The same can be true for us.
--We are never going to be perfect but if we live an impure life and our actions do not
demonstrate a pure heart, people will not give our testimony much stock even when it is
something true such as the gospel.
6. Strive for a pure heart.
1. To be pure in heart means to have pure thoughts and genuine motives.
--There is a consistency between your beliefs and behavior.
2. A person who is pure in heart is sincere and authentic.
III. BE A PEACEMAKER
--Mt. 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”
A. Chuck Swindoll, A Simple Faith: “Peacemakers release tension, they don’t intensify it. Peacemakers
seek solution and find no delight in arguments. Peacemakers calm the waters, they don’t rrouble them.
Peacemakers work hard to keep an offense from occurring.
And if it has occurred, they strive for resolution. Peacemakers lower their voices rather than raise them.
Peacemakers generate more light than heat.”
1. A peacemaker brings reconciliation between two parties at odds with one another.
2. Jesus is the Prince of Peace so the ultimate peacemaker is one who helps make peace between others
and God by bringing them to Christ.
B. Sometimes you make peace by stepping in where there is conflict between two people and enabling
reconciliation.
1. Do you recall when David and his angry warriors were galloping toward the home of the rancher,
Nabal, armed for battle?
--Nabal had arrogantly refused to pay David’s men what was due them.
2. Nabal’s wife, Abigail, sized up the coming bloodshed and took action.
--She prepared a catered meal for David and his men; rode out to meet them, fed them, apologized for
her husband’s insolence, and pleaded for forgiveness.
3. She defused the hostility and war was averted.
a. David said, “May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this
day” (1 Samuel 25:33).
b. Abigail was a peacemaker.
--She was perceptive to the problem. She sacrificed her pride and energy to avoid conflict and she
facilitated reconciliation. David was so impressed that when Nabal died several days later, he
asked Abigail to marry him.
C. Sometimes you make peace by avoiding a potential conflict with someone else.
1. Someone insults you, cheats you, or mistreats your child and your first instinct is to get even.
2. But a peacemaker absorbs the hurt and sacrifices self to maintain a positive relationship.
D.
E. When you pursue peace and what’s right in God’s eyes good things will come.
-- Rick Stedman and the Adventure Christian Church was just beginning in 1993. And being a non-
denominational church the only land they could afford was in an industrial zone and we found one
piece that had power lines going over one corner, and the industry didn’t want it because of that.
They raised funds to purchase the land. And then the city actually came to them and held an early
emergency zoning ordinance revision meeting. The zoning commission decided that they really didn’t
want a school and a church in that corner of the industrial zone. The church felt it was being
persecuted.
The church hired an attorney and the church‘s engineers met - and when the big city council
meeting came – they presented their case. They felt they had a valid case, because right across the
street there were houses and schools. But bottom line, some of the businesses in the area were not in
support and the council voted 5-0 against them.
Stedman had told the church the week before what the major goal was here – He said, “God has not
called us to build buildings; God has called us to honor Jesus Christ by our lives and actions. So if this
meeting goes the wrong way I don’t want anyone to get out of control. So if you don’t have your anger
under control you are not invited to this meeting, because we want to honor Jesus Christ.”
Listen to how Rick responded to the commission’s vote in his own words: “I was just crushed. But
I knew in my spirit that God wanted me to say something. Our whole church was there and before they
left I leaned over to the attorney and asked if after they’re done voting, before they take a recess would
I have a chance to speak?” And he said, ‘No.’ ‘Well would they stop me if I stood up to speak?’ And
with fear in his eyes he said, ‘Probably not, but what are you going to say?’ ‘I have no idea, but I am
praying.’”
“And you know that Scripture that says God will give us the words to speak when we stand before
the magistrates and counsels? Well I said, ‘Lord if that Scripture ever applied it is now. Please inspire
me. I jumped to my feet and said, ‘Please there is just something I have got to say before everyone
leaves.’ The city council said, ‘Okay, what?’ Well, I am praying and waiting for inspiration and
inspiration didn’t come so I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll stall. I’ll give God a little time and thank everyone
there.’”
So I thanked the Mayor for the time that he spent with this. I know he is a busy man and he
graciously gave us his time. Still no inspiration. So I thanked each of the city council members by
name. Still no inspiration. I thanked the city attorney, the city manager, and I thanked the head planner.
And I saw that when I thanked the head planner, a wonderful woman, I saw that she teared up a little
bit and I knew God was doing something but I had just run out of people to thank. And I said, ‘That’s
all I have to say. We are a new church in town and we are going to work hard with you to make this a
wonderful place to live and we look forward to working with you in the future.’”
And I went to sit down. Then the mayor said to me, ‘Don’t sit down.’ So I jumped back to my feet.
And then he said these words, and I will never forget it. ‘We want your church in our town. We have
never met a church like yours before. How can we help you find and build a church home?’ I said, ‘I
don’t know. You just passed a law stating that we cannot build on the property we own.’
“And he said, ‘Well, would you consider a swap or a trade?’ And I said, ‘Of course, but it would
have to be the same price, because we are non-denominational so there are no "deep pockets"
anywhere. Same price (and then the inspiration began to come), same freeway access, same visibility,
same size and different zoning. It can’t be industrial since you just passed that law.’”
And they said, ‘That’s fine, we’ll work with you.’ That night the counsel set up a sub-committee to
find the Adventure Christian Church land. They did and it is a wonderful site visible to thousands who
drive by every day for miles.
1. Now how do you think the mayor and council would have reacted if the Adventure Christian Church
came out fighting?
2. The peacemaker approach not only pleased God but it allowed him to work.
E. “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called the children of God.”
1. It’s not just God who says, “That’s one of my children.”
2. The world takes note of the peacemaker and says, “That’s my idea of what a Christian should be. That
person bears resemblance to God.”
IV. EXPECT PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
--Mt. 5:10-12 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against
you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way
they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
A. Notice the reason for persecution: for the sake of righteousness.
1. To be honest, sometimes we suffer – not because we’re righteous – but because we’re obnoxious or
dishonest ourselves.
a. I remember a television evangelist claiming he was being persecuted because the Security and
Exchange commission was investigating his practice of selling bonds that were not legal.
b. He wasn’t being persecuted, he was receiving justice.
2. Sometimes when you’re merciful, pure, and peaceful, your standards tend to incriminate others and
they will attack you.
a. Jesus was perfect yet the world crucified Him.
b. If we seek to follow Him we must anticipate some opposition.
3. I’ve witnessed a preacher being called insane on a talk show because he said that homosexuality was
a sin.
a. When Franklin Graham labeled Islam a false religion he was called a hatemonger and bigot in the
press.
b. I’ve known people who even have lost their jobs because of their stance for Christ.
c. All around the world there are people who face life and death because of their faith.
4. Sometimes when you try to be salt and light, you can be the victim of intense opposition.
B. Jesus said, “If you are persecuted, don’t whine, holler “foul,” and threaten to sue for every dime.
--Rejoice and be glad for three reasons:
1. First, you’re in good company—that’s the way God’s prophets were treated.
2. Second, your reward in heaven will be greater.
3. Third, when the world sees us respond with joy instead of anger, they will be attracted to Jesus
Christ.
C. Paul and Silas were arrested in Philippi, beaten by the jailer, and placed in stocks in a damp, inner
dungeon.
1. Instead of complaining to the jailer about their abuse, the Bible says, “Paul and Silas prayed and sang
praises to God.”
--And the prisoners heard them. They’d heard all kinds of profanity from the inner dungeon, but never
singing and praising.
2. Then an earthquake shook the entire prison and everyone was freed.
--The jailer prepared to commit suicide because he was responsible for them. But Paul called out,
“Don’t harm yourself, we’re all here! The jailer called out, “What must I do to be saved?”
3. Why was he so receptive to the gospel? Why did he listen to Paul’s instruction and then be baptized
the same night?
--Because when Paul and Silas were persecuted, they rejoiced and praised God.
C. My first reaction to persecution is not like Paul and Silas.
--My first reaction is to defend myself—retaliate.
1. You see, I’m not as strong as Paul and Silas.
a. I have even further to go to be like Jesus, who, when falsely accused, didn’t retaliate, and who for
the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame.
b. No wonder when the centurion saw the demeanor of Jesus when persecuted said, “This man is the
Son of God!”
2. I would challenge you to make an effort not to get defensive or sarcastic when ridiculed or
mistreated.
a. If you’re not invited to the get-together because you don’t party hard enough, don’t mope because
you’re unpopular—rejoice and be glad.
b. If you’re criticized as intolerant and ignorant because you stand for Biblical truth, don’t be
wounded in ego, don’t seek to retaliate with sarcasm—rejoice and be glad.
c. If you lose a bid in business because your estimates are honest and you don’t play deceptive games
don’t bemoan the fact that others are richer—rejoice and be glad.
d. If you’re single partly because you have kept high moral standards and others who have played
loose are married, don’t be resentful.
--God knows your heart—rejoice and be glad.
CONCLUSION: A. Bill Gaither, I Almost Missed The Sunset:
Gloria and I had been married a couple of years. We were teaching school in
Alexandria, Indiana, where I had grown up, and we wanted a piece of land where we
could build a house. I noticed the parcel south of town where cattle grazed, and I
learned it belonged to a 92-year-old retired banker named Mr. Yule. He owned a lot
of land in the area, and word was he would sell none of it. He gave the same speech to
everyone who inquired: “I promised the farmers they could use it for their cattle.”
Gloria and I visited him at the bank. Although he was retired, he spent a couple of
hours each morning in his office. He looked at us over the top of his bifocals.
I introduced myself and told him we were interested in a piece of his land. “Not
selling,” he said pleasantly. “Promised it to a farmer for grazing.”
“I know, but we teach school here and thought maybe you’d be interested in selling
it to someone planning to settle in the area.”
He pursed his lips and stared at me. “What’d you say your name was?”
“Gaither. Bill Gaither.”
“Hmmm. Any relation to Grover Gaither?”
“Yes, sir. He was my granddad.”
Mr. Yule put down his paper and removed his glasses. “Interesting. Grover Gaither
was the best worker I ever had on my farm. Full day’s work for a day’s pay. So honest.
What’d you say you wanted?”
I told him again.
“Let me do some thinking on it, then come back and see me.”
I came back within the week, and Mr. Yule told me he had had the property
appraised. I held my breath. “How does $3,800 sound? Would that be okay?”
If that was per acre, I would have to come up with nearly $60,000! “$3,800?” I
repeated.
“Yup. Fifteen acres for $3,800.”
I knew it had to be worth at least three times that. I readily accepted.
Nearly three decades later, my son and I strolled that beautiful, lush property that
had once been pasture land. “Benjy” I said, “you’ve had this wonderful place to grow
up through nothing that you’ve done, but because of the good name of a great-
granddad you never met.”
B. Our reputation is important because it should reflect Christ.
--However, we’re not good just “for goodness’ sake”
1. What we have as Christ followers is not because of what we’ve done but because of
what Christ has done.
2. We have salvation and an eternal inheritance not because of anything that we could do
but because of the good name of Jesus Christ
3. We have a wonderful place to spend eternity because of a Savior who has gone there
to prepare a place for us
