Matthew 5:13-16

Matthew 5, 13-16 says,

Before we jump into Matthew 5, I'd like to remind you all of the context of Matthew 5, the verses 2-12 that we've been going over the last eight weeks.

The text has gloriously explained to us what the kingdom of God looks like, how it is radically distinct from this world.

It is counter-cultural.

But the context here is not as a sermon is preached to thousands of people, as commonly believed, but it's preached to Christ's disciples in this context.

It says in Matthew 5, 2,

And he opened his mouth and taught, or Matthew 5, 1, sorry.

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

So the audience here in this sermon is his disciples, not massive crowds.

And further, we see that the kingdom of God has come because the king has come.

So in Matthew 4, 17, it says,

From this time forward, Jesus began to preach, saying,

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So the context here is talking about what a citizen of the kingdom is like.

What is the kingdom of heaven like?

So in Matthew 5, 3 through 12, that's what this text is explaining is,

What is the nature of those who are of the kingdom of heaven?

But the nature of those who are of the kingdom of heaven are those who are, as verse 3 says, poor in spirit.

Those who come before God in realization of their sin, and of their state before God,

They are desperate.

They are spiritually broken.

They are bankrupt.

They are impoverished.

That apart from the abundant and marvelous grace of God, that they have no hope.

But praise God that the king has come, and through his life, death, and resurrection,

We are not helpless, and we do not stand condemned in our sins.

Verse 4 says,

Blessed are those who mourn.

We are to mourn over our sins, over other sins, and the world's sins.

We should be people who weep over the wickedness of the world,

And over the lack of worship to our king.

That God is so glorious and deserves to be praised, but so often he's not because of the sin in the world.

We are meek.

Verse 5, blessed are the meek.

We cannot do any good apart from God.

We should humbly approach God, and humbly approach others.

We should be less concerned about ourselves, and be more concerned about others.

Verse 6, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Because God has taken our heart of stone, and given us a heart of flesh, we can now praise him as he should be.

We have hunger and longing and thirst to know Jesus Christ more.

And because of this conditional heart, that from verse 3 to 6, this orientation of the heart goes from ourselves to Christ.

And from that, there is an overflow of God's grace and abundance in our lives.

We see in verse 7, blessed are the merciful.

Because Christ came and died for us, we have been given mercy.

That we are not rightly judged for our sins, but Christ's mercy was washed on us.

And because of that, we should be people full of mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, that our lives should be blameless before a watching world.

And the world sees us, they should see purity.

They should see the king represented in us.

And then verse 9, blessed are the peacemaker.

We should be people full of peace, preaching peace to others.

Because Jesus Christ came and died for our sins, there's no longer a chasm between God and man.

We're no longer lost in our sins, but God has reconciled us to himself.

He has brought peace between God and man.

Because of that, we have the gospel.

This is the ministry of reconciliation, that we can preach peace to others.

And ultimately, because of this life is so unusual, and so odd, so counter-cultural,

those who are poor in spirit, those who are weeping, those who are humble,

those who are thirsting for God, not themselves, those who show mercy and peace,

those who are pure in heart, because it's so unusual in the world, they won't like it.

And they might hate you, they might persecute you.

As 2 Corinthians says, we are an aroma of Christ.

Our presence is either life to those who believe, or death to those who don't believe.

The way we live is a testimony to others.

It's a display, you could say.

So as Caleb greatly encouraged us to remind us last week that a citizen of the kingdom is a citizen of the kingdom,

but we're also rewarded for the way we live and the way we act and who we are,

that one day we will be face-to-face before God,

and that we are sojourners and exiles in this earth heading toward a promised land,

that we have an inheritance from this temporary transient world.

So in light of us being children of God, let us live confidently in the life to come.

We are bound for a promised land, we have an inheritance.

So that's the context we're coming to in Matthew 5, 13 through 16,

is that we are citizens of the kingdom.

This kingdom is radically different than the kingdom of earth.

This is radically different than the world.

But we are to live in the world.

We're supposed to be in the world, but not of the world.

So that's what we're going to be discussing here.

Here, my main point or purpose statement, you could say, is not,

we can't break it up and say, here's the points of the sermon,

but I think every part of the sermon brings us to what this statement says.

Those who are citizens of the kingdom of God are to be salt and light of the world

by experiencing, proclaiming, and displaying the supremacy of Christ in all things to all people.

I'll repeat it one more time.

Those who are citizens of the kingdom of God are to be salt and light of the world

by experiencing, proclaiming, and displaying the supremacy of Christ in all things to all peoples.

So let's read, hold on.

With this in mind, let us dive into Matthew 5, 13 through 16.

As we approach this text, pretty much the flow of this sermon is,

I'm going to discuss what the you are statements are, where it says,

you are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world.

I'm going to talk about what's important about using you are,

and the way the statement is constructed.

Then I'm going to talk about the importance of the use of earth and world,

and how these are meaning the rottenness of the world,

that the world is ultimately opposed to God,

and we're in a world where we're trying to witness to a world that hates us.

And then I'm going to talk about the statements themselves,

because that's ultimately what this sermon is about,

is that you are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world.

How does that affect the world?

So first, the way the statement is constructed says,

you are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world.

In this passage, the two you are declarations,

are modifiers of the phrase,

or the phrase of the world and of the earth modify the you are statements.

But the you are statements are emphatic.

In that saying, it means, you and you alone are.

So in this text, you can read it as,

you and you alone are the salt of the earth,

and you and you alone are the light of the world.

Also, the you are is not stating what we should be like,

it's stating what we are.

So John MacArthur points out,

our stress is rather being than doing.

So we are not to be the salt of the earth,

and to be the light of the world.

As disciples of Christ,

we are the salt of the earth,

and we are the light of the world.

So if we are not being the salt of the earth,

and the light of the world,

then we are not being disciples.

Let us sink in.

If we're not being the salt of the earth,

we are not being disciples.

The terms earth and world imply that of all of fallen humanity.

1 John 2, 15-17 says,

Do not love the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes, and the pride and possession, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

And the world is passing away along with its desires.

But whoever does the will of God abides forever.

In John 17, Jesus prays,

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

What we see is that in 1 John and in John, he's warning us that the world is going to hate us,

and we should resist from loving and desire the things of the world, which are ever before us.

That the world does not like God.

The world hates God.

The world is opposed to God.

We should take that and heed that, that we're living in a world that is rotten, that has a tendency to pollute and become correct,

that is sinful and bad.

The desires of the world tempt us every day.

So, how did this begin?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and then he created man.

At the very end of creation, he said, this is very good.

Then he put in creation, he put man in the garden to live before him, to worship him and obey him.

But the serpent, the cleverest of all the creatures, comes in the garden.

And the serpent tempts Adam and Eve.

And Adam and Eve are tempted by three things.

They're tempted by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

They desire the fruit, they want to take part in it, and they want it to be like God.

And what they did was they desired it, they took part in it, and they wanted to be like God.

And because of that, they fell.

Because of that sin entered the world, they corrupted everything.

And since the sin corrupted everything, from that you see in Genesis 3, Genesis 6, with Noah in the ark,

you see in Sodom and Gomorrah, you see in Babel, that this corruption continues.

And it continues today.

Today, we are tempted by the things of the world.

So, the question remains, if we're living in a world with all these temptations,

how do we resist conforming to them?

How do we stay holy, completely separate from the world, and devoted to our king?

What do we do?

How do we continue those things?

The world's vision, the world's dream, is to get rich, marry the perfect spouse,

and to retire early and enjoy life.

That is the vision.

That's the American dream.

How do we resist these lies?

How do we interact with the world and not become part of it?

I think Jesus describes well,

I think Jesus describes well in Luke 14, 26 through 27,

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers,

yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

I think that's a commission almost for us that, not even just family, but those who don't hate Netflix,

those who don't hate Facebook, those who don't hate school, those who don't hate our work,

if anything takes precedent over God, if we love anything over God, then we're in sin.

That is idolatry.

And I think the command here is that we're not disciples when we love things over sin.

We're disciples when we love God above all things.

So, these things, I don't think are necessarily bad.

I think family is wonderful.

Books, school, work are great things ordained by God.

But that's the problem is when we put them in the place of God.

I think a good statement in the morning we should pray is,

Christ, you are more valuable and more important in my life than dot, dot, dot.

Whatever that struggle is, whether that is social media, whether that is friends, whether that is spouse,

whether that is whatever is in the place, fill in the blank.

Because in our lives, Paul describes it well,

Whatever gain I had, I count it as loss for the sake of Christ.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because it's surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

So with that, we have the you are statement.

That we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

And that the world hates us and the world is tempting us to conform to the simple desires of the flesh.

Now let's come to the first you are statement.

You are the salt of the earth.

In history, salt was seen as something very valuable.

The Greeks called it theon.

I think I said that right, theon.

And it means divine.

The Romans saw it as the second most important thing.

The only thing above that is their God of Son.

And then the Romans actually paid their soldiers in salt for their work.

The idea of you're not worth your salt is from Roman society when they would pay their workers, their soldiers.

So obviously we see that the people hearing this sermon would process that when Jesus says,

You are the salt of the earth.

That they're saying that you're valuable to the earth.

But there's so much more impacting in that statement of, You are the salt of the earth.

I read John MacArthur's commentary in preparation for this sermon.

And he gives four reasons.

And he says one of them is the primary.

And I read a few other things.

I think his was the best way of saying it.

So I'm going to borrow, if you will, from him the four things.

First off, salt has a strong flavor.

It is flavorful.

You put salt on food, and that food that's kind of tasteless becomes stronger.

In the same way, Christians bring a divine flavor to the world to bring blessing to them.

In Matthew 5, 44 through 45, Jesus says,

Love the world.

Love your enemies.

And in that, you'll be bringing a blessing to them.

And God uses the analogy that both the righteous and the unrighteous get rain.

Salt, when placed on a wound, stings.

Christians, in their obedience to God, and in their representation of God,

it can be an aroma of death.

It's condemning in some way because Christians are living holy before the world,

and the world's living completely opposite of them.

John MacArthur says,

Christians are to sting the world, prick its conscience, and make it uncomfortable in the presence of God's holy gospel.

When the world hears of the holy and just creator,

create the heavens and the earth,

and that man, every man, has sinned against God and turned from him,

it hurts.

It stings.

Because they don't want to submit to the Lord.

They want to live for themselves.

Because most people, their own idol is themselves.

Their own image they're making is of themselves.

So it stings.

It stings because at the end of the day,

they're going to be judged for their sin,

or they're going to believe in Jesus.

And they're either going to reject that truth or accept it.

Third, salt, when consumed, causes thirst.

When you have salt, it gives a natural thing that you want water.

In the same way, when Christians are testifying of what they believe,

they're proclaiming the good news.

It is salty to those who hear it in the fact that they see their spiritual dehydration

and pressing danger of death.

That they haven't had water in a long time,

and without this living water, they will die and perish for their sins.

And finally, which I believe is the primary use of salt in this passage,

is salt preserves food.

We live in a world where we have a refrigerator,

so we're able to preserve stuff just by opening a door and putting it in there.

But they had to put salt on things to preserve their food,

to keep it lasting longer.

I believe in Matthew 5.13, this is the primary use,

that as salt of the world, our influence matters.

As we go from this church building,

and as we go our separate ways to our jobs, to our schools,

that our influence in the jobs and schools has an effect.

We're a preserving,

we have a preserving effect on these people.

We deter moral degradation.

We help prevent the world's rotting more and more because of our influence,

because we stand for truth,

we stand for righteousness,

which can help have effect to change things in this world.

So, we are to prevent the world's rottenness

to have a powerful influence here in this world.

We are God's children,

and we are temples of the Holy Spirit.

We represent and manifest God's presence to the world.

So, as we experience God personally,

He is experienced by those who interact with us.

We are to represent God's presence on this earth

through the power of His Holy Spirit.

So, in the way we interact with all those we see,

we should be a fragrance, a smell.

Our influence in this world should be a blessing of our selfless love.

It should be a sting of our bold witness.

It should cause others to see their desperate need for salvation.

And ultimately, it should preserve humanity

by deterring moral and spiritual corruption and improve society.

We are God's salt.

So, the best example I've ever, I think, seen of this is,

as I was growing in my walk with the Lord,

it was probably around 2010,

I met this one young man, he was like 8.

I watched him grow up, but as he's grown up,

he's like 18 now,

but when he was 16, I watched his influence change in business.

Because he'd go into business,

he'd live righteously before the people,

and people would notice when he comes.

He'd walk in the door,

and people would start modifying their language when he walks in the door,

because, not that they just don't want to offend him,

but they felt wrong talking bad around him.

So, in the same way,

when we walk in the room,

people should know what we represent.

We shouldn't be undercover,

or hiding under a basket.

We should be salt.

They might not like it,

and we can still honor them in how we live our lives,

but we can't hide what we stand for,

who we are.

God's presence lives in us,

and should shine through us.

So, my question is,

in light of what it means to be salt,

does your life embody saltiness?

Would you say your influence in the world is salty?

Do you have a tendency to conform to the world,

rather than stand for truth?

Do you hold your brothers and sisters accountable

for being salty to each other,

or to the world?

And, what impact does your presence have

where you're at right now?

The rest of verse 13 says,

But if salt has lost its taste,

how shall its saltiness be restored?

It is no longer good for anything,

except to be thrown away,

and trampled under people's feet.

This is used three times in the Gospels.

It's used in Mark 9.50 and Luke 14.34.

And then, each time it's used,

it's an exhortation for a Christian to be a Christian

by resisting temptation,

by loving God above all things,

and by having an impact in this lost and broken world.

In our walk with the world,

we're supposed to resist temptation,

resist the enticement of our evil desires.

We're supposed to turn away from the things the world offers.

But sometimes,

we fall in seasons where we experience temptation.

We experience those seasons where we fall,

and we start doubting the love of God.

And sometimes,

we turn from our first love,

and start living completely counter-cultural

to what it means to be in the kingdom of heaven.

But brothers and sisters,

what is great news,

is that we have a Savior.

We have one who mediated for us.

He walked before us.

He came,

he lived perfectly,

he died,

and took our sins on him,

and he rose again from the grave.

And because of that,

we have the privilege of confessing our sins.

1 John 1.9 says,

if you confess your sins,

he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins,

and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So,

if you're there,

if you're at that point where you are struggling,

be encouraged.

We have a Savior who died for us,

and if we run to him,

and pray,

and confess our sins,

he can cleanse us,

and move us forward,

to act more like a citizen of the kingdom.

Second,

you are statement.

You are the light of the world.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

So here,

the author uses two illustrations

to help us understand this example.

First off,

he says,

you are,

so our being is light.

We are lights.

But then he said,

he describes in two illustrations.

My goal here is to come back to those.

I think it will help us

really understand

what it means to be light to the world

after we understand

what it means to be a light.

So I'm going to chase the trail

of what it means to be a light,

and then use these illustrations

to better support that.

The Bible uses light and darkness

to represent righteousness

and unrighteousness.

It talks about light being truth.

It talks about light being righteousness,

light being life-giving,

peace,

godliness.

Then it talks about darkness

being blind,

lost,

wickedness.

The emphasis here

in the text

of you are the light of the world

is you and you alone

are the light of the world.

There is a singular light,

not multiple lights

in this text.

Ultimately,

light is from God.

First John says,

God is light.

So all light is derived from God,

but it's ultimately manifested

in Christ himself.

Christ is the light of the world,

John 8, 12.

Jesus perfectly manifested

the light of the glory of God

in himself,

and it is his light

that offers the way of salvation.

So in some sense,

we're not the light,

but we are the light

because the light lives within us.

We have the spirit of Christ.

So the way we live

should shine Christ's light

in our lives.

Christ should be shining

from our living.

So he,

but ultimately,

Christ is the light

that shines in the darkness

and darkness cannot comprehend it.

It is by his light

that those who are lost

are found.

We were once lost.

We were once captive

to our sins.

We once believed

the lies of the world

and we identified

with who he used to be.

But that light

shined in our hearts

and opened our eyes

to the glory of Christ

and realized that

when we believed in Jesus,

we died in him

and now we're identified

in him.

The spirit of God

has caused us

believers of Jesus

to be born again

and the power of spirit

has made us lit,

if you will.

So now we have the spirit

inside shining from us.

God's presence

has come and dwells in us.

We are God's temple

and as the light of the world,

our job is to make

the gospel known.

We are to make Christ known

to the world.

So now we come

to these two illustrations

that will help us

better understand

what it means

for the light

to shine out of us.

First illustration,

a city on a hill

cannot be hidden.

When you think

of building a city,

you think of

building it on a river,

building it on the ocean

so you can do trade

or building in the middle

of a state

so people can get

into and from it

to do their business

in America.

In Israel,

they would build

their cities on a hill

because they were

in a place

that was often invaded.

They were kind of

the bridge

for all the other nations

around them

that were superpowers

to go through.

So in building this hill,

it gave them

a superior advantage

when an army came,

though the armies

are usually a lot bigger

than the Israelites.

But why does this matter

to the text

is that when you're

a traveler

and you're going

to this city,

if it gets night

and you can't see,

if one person

lights a light

at that city,

it can be seen

from miles away.

People can see

that light

and they know

that they're heading

in the right direction.

It's like the light

at the end of the tunnel

after a long journey.

In the same way,

this text uses

the word city.

It's not talking

about a soul light.

It's talking about

all these different lights

in one place

shining so bright

that from miles

and miles away,

people can see

this light

and know that

that's the way to go.

In the same way,

we are the city

of God.

We are the city

here at Christ's family

shining our lights.

Each of us individually

have been lit

if we are believers

of Christ.

And if we move forward,

we are those

who proclaim

the ecstasy of him

who called us

out of darkness

into this marvelous light.

So let us shine

our lights brightly

into the world,

whether it's our workplace,

whether it's our school.

And I just imagine,

like, think about

if we all,

to the best ability

we're pursuing Christ

and shine our light,

it could have

such a massive impact.

But I also want

to encourage you right now.

I've never been

part of a church

that is so gospel-oriented,

shines our light

so bright already.

There's people

new coming here

almost every Sunday.

Either they've been

witness to

or someone's

bringing to church,

but the effort is

that our church

is mobilizing.

Our church is going out

and telling people

about the hope

they have in Christ.

So be encouraged, guys,

that you guys

are a church that shines.

And that is a beautiful thing.

It is something

that's filled my heart

with so much joy

to see a church

that is growing

because we shine

such a bright light.

Second illustration.

Nor do people

light a lamp

and put it under a basket,

but on a stand

and it gives light

to all the house.

In the first century,

surprise,

there was no electricity.

But they had clay lamps.

The way they lit their house

was they had a lamppost

right in the middle of the house

and they'd get a clay lamp

and they would fill,

it was like,

it wasn't really big,

but they'd fill it with oil,

put a wick in it,

light it,

and they'd bring it over

to this lamppost

and put it in

and that lamppost

gave light to the whole room.

So the whole room

was lit up

because it's one little lamp,

but it takes effort

to do that.

So the author's

just analogy is

people don't light this light

to put it in a basket.

I have to spend some time

putting oil on a lamp,

putting a wick in it,

wasting my wick

and lighting the lamp.

So because of that,

it's not something

that's going to be done

for no purpose.

In the same way,

as Christians,

we're not called

to become saved,

enjoy the blessings

of being a Christian

but not tell others

about Jesus Christ.

If Jesus Christ

has came

and changed your life,

if you've been lit

by the Holy Spirit,

we're not saved

to not go,

we're saved to go.

Going is our purpose,

and shining bright

is what we're called to do.

We are lights of the world.

But also,

Synology brings

an even more abundant

part of it

is that

this one little light

lit the whole room.

So as a Christian,

are you the only Christian

in your workplace

or in your school

or in one of your classrooms?

Is there somewhere you go

that you just don't feel

like you have much

encouragement

by fellow brothers

and sisters?

Well, be encouraged

because the light of Christ

is in you,

and that light

can light the whole room,

and the darkness

cannot comprehend that light.

The darkness

cannot overcome that light.

It might be able

to tempt you away from Christ,

and then you're putting

your light under a basket.

But if you're following Christ,

you're in this workplace,

you are shining.

So be encouraged

that you can shine bright

no matter where you're at.

You are the lights

of the world.

Verse 16 says,

In the same way,

let your light shine

before others

so that they may see

your good works

and give glory

to your Father

who is in heaven.

In this section,

I think the text

offers us a command

and then offers us

a motivation

why we do that command.

The command I see here

is that

we are to shine

our lights before others

so that they may

see our good works.

The motivation

is that

they would see

these good works

and they'd give glory

to God.

So first,

the command.

As Christians,

we are to

shine our lights

that by

our lives

that our lights

are shining.

So in our gathering

here today,

in our singing,

in our preaching,

in our living,

in our breathing,

in our cups of coffee,

and whatever we do,

our light should be shining.

Another way you can put this

is in our experiencing,

proclaiming,

and displaying

the supremacy of Christ

in all things,

all people.

That's how we should

live our lives,

that whatever we do

and whatever we say

should be that

of sharing Christ

to the world.

We should shine

so brightly

that the world questions

why do you act like that?

Why are you loving?

Why are you doing this?

Why are you doing that?

It should bring curiosity.

And again,

they might hate that curiosity,

but it should be there.

If you will,

turn your Bibles

to Philippians 2,

14 through 17 with me.

Philippians 2 helps us

better understand

the how of it.

The text commands us

to shine our lights

before the world.

How?

How do we shine our lights?

We are light,

we're supposed to shine a light,

but how does that happen?

I think this text offers us

some insight on how.

Philippians 2,

14 through 17 says,

do all things

without grumbling

or questioning

that you may be

blameless and innocent

children of God

without blemish

in the midst

of a crooked

and twisted generation

among whom

you shine

as lights in the world

holding fast

to the word of life

so that in the day of Christ

I may be proud

and that I did not run in vain

or labor in vain

even if I am to be poured out

as a drink offering

upon the sacrificial offering

of your faith.

I am glad

and rejoice with you all.

Paul first commands

the Philippian believers here

that their life

should be one

of good conduct

that represents him well

in our attitudes

and in our living.

So when people look at us

they're not like

that guy has a bad attitude

at work.

He's always grumbling

and always complaining

about how

all the things go wrong

but we should do things

even when we don't feel like it

even when things do go wrong

in a way that honors Christ.

Further

what we see

is that

when the world

sees this conduct

when they see that

we are honoring Christ

even in the worst situations

why is he doing that?

It gives a testimony

that we are children of God

and it makes us look blameless.

They can't point fingers

at us saying

well that guy cussed

three times the other day

or that guy is

over there

yelling all the time

is he really representing Christ

or that guy is doing this.

The point is that

when we're not grumbling

and complaining

the world will see us

and they will be

wow that guy

handled that situation so well

he really is different than me.

Why did he not cuss

in that situation?

Why did he not do this

or that in that situation?

And in our conduct

we shine light

in the world

but the text goes further

it says

you shine as lights

in the world

holding fast

to the word of life.

2 Corinthians says

3.18 says

And we all

with unveiled face

beholding the glory of the Lord

are being transformed

to the same image

from one degree of glory

to another

for this comes from the Lord

who is spirit.

We have been given

the word of life

and this word

serves as a window

into the glory of God.

When we get in the scriptures

and when we meditate

on who the Lord is

in the scriptures

we get to know him more

and we get to know

his promises more.

And in the text

it talks about how

we are transformed

by beholding God's glory.

As we experience

God in the text

and know he is

more and more

an object of our affection

the object of our faith

grows

our affections grow

but we also

start shining light better

and we are transformed

more and more

into Christ likeness.

2 Peter 1 says

And we have something

more sure

the prophetic word

to which

you will do well

to pay attention to.

In this text

Peter

is reflecting

on the time

he spent with Jesus

and there was one day

that Jesus took him

and two other disciples

up a mountain

and Jesus

transfigured

he changed

and glory shined

all around him

and when he did this

from the heavens

roared the voice of God

talking to Peter

and Jesus

and then appeared

the prophets

but during this time

Peter is reflecting

back on that experience

and saying

that was wonderful

there was majestic glory

but

he now has something

more sure

the prophetic word

which will do well

to heed to.

This copy of God's word

is so beautiful

and glorious

that it is more sure

that Jesus

or Peter's experience

with Jesus

on the mount

of transfiguration.

That is such

a marvelous truth

and it should humble us.

Further in the text

2 Corinthians 3.18

says the word

transformed.

That is the exact

same word

which only appears

three times

in scripture

that is used

on the mount

of transfiguration

that when Jesus

transfigured

into the glory

his heavenly glory.

So this idea

that we're being

transferred

one image of glory

to another

and we're being

conformed to Christ

is the way

in which

we become more

like God

more representing

him well

but ultimately

we're going to

shine his glory

shine who Christ is

in our lives more.

So let us come

to the word

and let us behold

our king

and let the word

transform us

from the inside out

and change the way

we live

and make us love

our Lord more.

If you'll take

your bulletin

the quote on it

is by Charles Spurgeon

Spurgeon says

nearness to God

brings likeness to God

the more you see God

the more of God

will be seen in you.

So brothers and sisters

let us see God

let us be like Paul

who said

that his life

was poured out

as a sacrifice

offering

of his faith.

Let us be like

Romans 12 1

that our bodies

our lives

are being presented

to God

as a living sacrifice

that the way

we live and think

is to honor God

that our lives

our breathing and being

is for Christ.

Finally

the rest of Matthew 5 16

says

so that

they may see

your good works

and give glory

to your father

who is in heaven.

The word

here

glorify

is the word

doxodzo

and

what it's saying

here is

this word here

is the same word

we get the word

doxology from.

And Stephen Lawson

has a really enlightening

description of it.

He says

the word glorify

doxodzo

is the word

from which we get

doxology.

your life

becomes a worship

service.

Your life

becomes a living

doxology to God

when the light

is shining from you.

We are made

to worship God

in spirit and truth.

Also

John Piper famously

said

mission exists

because worship

doesn't.

Worship is ultimate

mission not missions

because God is ultimate

not man.

When this age is over

and countless millions

of the redeemed

fall on their faces

before the throne of God

missions will be

no more.

Therefore

our motivation

in our mission

to be the church

and our mission

to be salt and light

and our mission

to experience

and proclaim

and display

the supremacy

of Christ

in all things

all people

should be

the glory of God.

Should be

that the one

who came

and died

and saved us

is one we're

living for.

That because he's

deemed it worthy

that a sinner

should be saved

because of his

life, death

and resurrection

in the same way

that he is worthy

to live life for.

Ultimately

our breath

our living

our motivation

to be salt and light

in this broken world

is to bring everlasting

praise and honor

and glory to our king

who we will be doing

in eternity past

or eternity future.

So ultimately

one day

when we die

and we are believers

in Christ

we'll be raised again

and we'll be with Christ

eternally

praising our king

and worshiping him

eternally.

So let's do it now

let's praise him now

and let's shine brightly now.

So in closing

when we realize

our spiritual poverty

before Yahweh

and the wickedness

of the world

we come humbly

before Yahweh

hungering and thirst

and be solely

satisfied in him

and not wickedness.

From our exclusive

love for God

we'll be merciful

pure in heart

and peacemakers.

People will hate us

for sharing about

the peace of God

brought about

through the blood of Christ

but take heart

our Lord Jesus

has overcome the world

so let us be encouraged

and bring about

a salty preservation

to the rottenness

of this world

and let us

individually

and corporately

shine bright

the light of Christ

in his dark

and perverse world.

Feel prayer with me.

Pray with me.

Sorry.

Let us pray.