First Mennonite Church
March 2, 2025
Salt and Light of the World
Text: Matthew 5:13-16
Throughout the gospel according to John, in particular, we find various statements Jesus made about his identity. In the “I AM” statements about himself, Jesus gave us important revelations as to who he is. “I am the true vine,” Jesus said. “I am the bread of life,” “the gate,” “the good shepherd,” “I am the resurrection and the life,” are among those declarations Jesus made about himself. Such succinct and metaphorical declarations about who Jesus is, tell us a lot about Jesus’ character and mission. In him is life, security, protection, and secure hope. By the very way he stated who he is, reminded his first listeners of Yahweh as the “Great I AM,” who is Creator and Sustainer of all things. Therefore, Jesus came to rescue and redeem that which was lost. He came as the appointed one to lead us back to our Creator God.
On the other hand, in the gospel according to Matthew, Jesus made some statements about his followers. The Beatitudes found in Matthew, chapter five, describe who Jesus’ followers are. They are blessed; they are God’s children, and they are heirs to the kingdom of God. In the verses of our passage for today, Jesus uses two metaphors to describe who his followers are.
“You are the salt of the earth.”
“You are the light of the world.”
It is important to take notice that these are declarations, not commandments. Jesus does not say, “Be the salt of the earth” nor “be the light of the world.” He declares, “You are the salt of the world; you are the light of the world.” And again, if Jesus is the one who makes these declarations, then we need to hear, believe, and especially, act upon them because his opinion about who we are matters above all other opinions. We need to hear it, be reminded of it, but most importantly, embrace who Jesus says we are. This is particularly important in our days when so often we are tempted or even succumb to be how the world defines us, which at best we are called: outdated, Debbie downers, fun-killers, grumpy, etc. At worst, Christians are sometimes called fundamentalists, bigots, intolerant, or judgmental.
The experts on child development say that what a child hears often gets internalized and ultimately shapes the child. If a child is encouraged and duly praised, he or she develops a positive attitude in life. And that it takes 10 positive affirmations to undo one single putdown they undergo. Therefore, although we are not children, we need to hear, believe, and act according to who Jesus says we are. And when we do, none of those negative descriptions will hold true for us. So, let us hear what Jesus says about us, and let us be reminded of what God has for us in the world that he loves so much.
So, allow me to repeat the words of Jesus to you this morning:
Jesus says, “You are the salt of the world. You are the light of the world.” Let us receive, believe, and be who we are, according to Jesus.
So, what does it mean to be salt and light in the world?
We know how essential these elements are in life. Food without salt is not delectable. But salt provides more than good taste in food, our bodies need salt. Therefore, salt is essential to our lives. Salt has healing and preserving properties. In ancient cultures, salt was the currency for commerce. And, in ancient Israel’s life, salt was an essential element for their worship of Yahweh. Salt was an essential ingredient in the incense that burned on the altar to Yahweh, according to Exodus 30:35. And all offerings presented to the Lord must have salt mixed or rubbed onto them, according to Leviticus 2:13. Newborn babies were rubbed with salt at the time of their birth, according to Ezekiel 16, 4. The practice seemed to symbolize the consecration of the baby to the Lord. Worshiping Yahweh would have been impossible if Israel did not have salt. Salt for all that it was in Israel’s daily life, was above all a sacred element. Salt symbolizes holiness, faithfulness, and endurance.
So when Jesus tells his disciples, among whom are Peter, Andrew, James, and John who were fishermen in their past lives, they knew how important salt was to preserve their catch. Their livelihood as fishermen would not have been possible if they did not have salt.
With regards to light, again it is impossible to conceive life without light. For that reason, light is considered in most religions a symbol of the divine, whatever the concept of the divine would be.
The Hebrew Bible opens by telling us that light was the first major creation of God. “Let there be light,” God ordered in the beginning. In the New Testament, the apostle John begins by saying “In Jesus was life and that life was the light of men.” In both the Old Testament and New Testament, the concept of light is prominent. Light stands for the presence of Yahweh. But light is also the representation of wisdom, truth, and life/liveliness.
Therefore, when Jesus tells his followers that they are the salt and the light of the world, he is speaking from the perspective of God’s covenant with his people This is even more so about those who enter into the new covenant with God through his Son—you and me and every believer in Christ. Jesus addressed these words to those men and women who had responded to his call. To these humble men and women, to these very ordinary people, Jesus was declaring their sacred and God-given identity. He was empowering them with things, virtues, and purposes that were natural and inherent in these two elements. Light is by nature fueled by something other than the medium by which it is given. That means we are the light of the world not by our own means, righteousness, status, or power. We are the light of the world when Christ who is the “True Light” (John 1:9) is revealed through us. We are the light of the world when we pursue to do the will of God in words and deeds. We are the light of the world, which reaffirms Jesus’ words when he said that we are in the world but a NOT of this world. In other words, the values we hold, the priorities we have, and the causes we stand for, demonstrate our love for God and neighbor. At the heart of our lives and existence in this world is the goal of revealing God’s graciousness extended to us, which we actively seek to make known to the rest of the world God continues to love and care.
As for being the salt of the world, salt cannot be made unsalted. Salt remains true to its nature; in other words salt cannot deny what it is. But just as salt has more uses than we can imagine, yet we know that as the salt of the world, we have been placed by God to preserve whatever there is that should be preserved: Godly families, honest businesses, joyful worship services, healthy societies, loving and sincere friendships, cordial relationships, and caring for the needy. As the salt of the world, God brings healing to the broken world. What else can we ask for but simply be what Jesus says we are.
This week, take notice of every opportunity God will put in your way, your day, your interactions with others. Take every opportunity to be a light and to be the salt of the world.
Jesus is very clear as to what will happen when we live out our identity: A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.. . In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Speaking of our church being or becoming visible, here is the answer. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden, Jesus tells us. So let us be the light. This is what will lead others to give glory to our Father in heaven. Amen!
Pastor Romero