Clip from the movie The Hurricane-scene where Denzel Washington’s character is on the phone from prison and sees the light in the window that shows him that there are people out there who are working to see him set free.
-Light in the darkness gives hope for freedom,
That is what Christ is calling us to tonight-be salt in light in the world.
Pray
Tony Campolo Story
While teaching at U of Penn, became friends w/ young Jewish student who eventually became a follower of X.
-mentoring and giving direction on how to live as a xian, advised him to go to a particular church that was well known for it’s biblically based preaching.
When they met several weeks later, he said:
“You know, if you put together a committee and asked them to take the Beatitudes and create a religion that contradicted everyone of them, you would come pretty close to what I’m hearing down there at that church.”
“Whereas Jesus said ‘Blessed are the poor,’ down there they make it clear that it is the rich who are blessed.”
Jesus said ‘blessed are they that mourn’ but the people at that church have a religion that promises happiness w/ no crucifictions.”
Whereas Jesus talked about the meek being blessed, they talk as if they took assertiveness training courses. Jesus may have talked about the merciful and peacemakers, but those people are the most enthusiastic supporters of American militarism and capital punishment I have ever met.
Jesus may have lifted up those who endured persecution because they dared to embrace a radical gospel, but that church declares a gospel that espouses middle class success and affirms a lifestyle marked by social prestige.”
Include you in the conversation: Something there to offend everyone. So in Groups of 2-4-One area where you agree or disagree w/ the young man in the story about how we do as the church in America at living out the Beatitudes. Responses?
If we live out the beatitudes, they lifestyle that X has said should mark those who His followers, we will stand out from the world, we will be different, we will be salt and light in the world.
Read Matt. 5:13-16
Jesus used two common word pictures: salt and light-each is essential but each will only have its necessary effect on its environment they are both distinctive from that environment and yet fully involved in it
Salt of the earth: Jesus’ followers would be like salt in that they would create a thirst for greater information. When one sees a unique person who possesses superior qualities in specific areas, he desires to discover why that person is different. Live out the Vintage Christianity Christ has called us to we will be unique-people will desire to know what makes us different.
What good is salt if it loses it’s saltiness?- “salt” then most likely a white powder that came from around the Dead Sea. Contined sodium chloride, but also many other minerals (no refineries), of all the elements in this powder-sodium chloride was probably the most soluble and so it washed out the easiest. When that happened the power that was left over still looked like salt, and was probably still called salt, but did not look or act like salt and was in reality nothing more than road dust.
Light of the world: A light is meant to shine and give direction. Individuals Jesus described in verses 3-10 would obviously radiate and point others to the proper path. Their influence would be evident, like a city on a hill or a lamp . . . on its stand. A concealed lamp, placed under a bowl would be useless. Light-radiating people live so that others see their good deeds and give praise not to them but to their Father in heaven.
Both these word pictures help us realize that the values which we hold as citizens of Jesus’ kingdom are to find expression in our behavior, so that our difference from men of the world will be made plain. Those who come to know us will gradually realize that we are different because of our relationship with our Father “in heaven” (v. 16). The kingdom of heaven is to break into our world, today, through you and me!
Story: JH camp-
Campolo story-Jr. High boys-strange and cruel sense of humor. Tend to pick on those who maybe a little bit different, don’t fit in.
This week it was a 13 yr. old kid named Billy, who couldn’t walk or talk right. Dragged his body around camp w/ a limp and slurred his words together.
Boys @ camp would make fun of him, mimicking his walk and how he talked.
Asked for directions “Which... Way... Is... The... Craft... shop?”
Mocked his speech as they answered It’s… over….there….Billy boy”
Cruelest thing they did was on Thursday morning. Billy’s cabin had been assigned to lead the morning devotions, and his cabin mates all voted for him to be the speaker. They wanted to get him up there in front of everyone so they could all be entertained by his struggling attempts to say anything at all.
When Tony found out about it he was furious, but by then there was nothing that could be done and it didn’t seem to bother Billy.
Somehow he dragged himself to the podium as waves of snickers flowed over the audience & it took him almost half a minute to say
“Jesus….loves….me….and….I….love Jesus.”
When he finished there was a stunned silence. When Tony looked over his shoulder he saw that all over the place there were Jr. high boys with tears streaming down their cheeks. Some of them had their heads bowed! A revival had broke out.
Doesn’t take fancy words, training, etc. To be salt and light only takes a love for God that shines through in our lives.
Tonight, if you want to be a light into the world where God has placed you light a candle
-Large candle represents Christ, It is His light that shines through us. Come light your candle from His and commit yourself to take His light into the world as mark sings.
