The Sermon on the Mount 4

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Thursday, March 6, 2014   Jeff Lampl

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage."

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.  If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.

Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."             Matthew 5:13-16 (MSG)  

Early on in my life as a believer I would get really confused about what Jesus was talking about when he would talk about faith and belief and trust and obedience.   If I believe, does that make me a Christian even though I’m really, really bad at the obedience thing?   Is faith an effort and therefore a “work”?, but I’m saved “not by works” says (Ephesians 2:8,9).   And didn’t Jesus say I’m his friend if I obey him?  (John 15)  So, what’s it take to “get saved” anyhow?  And what does “saved” mean?  Does it mean I get to go to heaven when I die, but meanwhile I just strive to do my best, never succeed, feel guilty and then finally get to die and go to heaven?  As you can see I started out as one confused pastor!!!  

But then one day it dawned on me.   If I believe or trust someone, actually trust that what that person is saying is true and is good and am convinced what that person is telling me is not just good, but good also for me, then I’ll actually seek to do what that person says.     Breakthrough!   Faith, belief, trust, obedience are all the same thing!  

Jesus said “believe me” a ton of times.   And right after he told that representative list of hopeless people (the beatitudes) that they can have the happy life, He then said that they were the seasoning that the world needs, that they were the examples of a flourishing life that the world needs to see!   

And he expects them to believe it!!!!   He’s saying that as you live into this new reality where Psalm 23:1 (“Because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need”) is what’s real and what makes me happy and alive, not money, sex and power . . . . .  as we begin to live in the Kingdom of God, available to all, but accepted by few, others will see this really, really good life we’ve got and want it for themselves.     

Kind of mind blowing I think.    

A young single guy who was a believer and happy about his life as a believer moved into a low rent apartment complex in an inner city neighborhood.  After six months or so a neighbor approached him and said, “You know something has happened since you moved into this neighborhood.  It’s hard to describe, but it’s like an enzyme has been added.  Where once there was not life, now there is life.   What is that?”  

 
 

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