October 2nd~Salt and Light

Mark 3:7-19

Luke 6:12-16

Matthew 5:1-12

Luke 6:17-26

Matthew 5:13-48

Luke 6:27-36

Matthew 6:1-4

Jesus selected His twelve disciples — Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot. Then, He began to teach them what it meant to be His disciples. He also shared this teaching with thousands of others in the most well-known lesson of all time — the Sermon on the Mount.

The Sermon on the Mount was not meant to be evangelistic; Jesus did not teach about salvation. Therefore, it was not meant for unbelievers. The Sermon on the Mount, which was filled with various topics, was an expression of the expectations that God had for His people. His underlying theme was “be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). The word “perfect” here does not mean sinless; that is impossible for men to accomplish on earth. Being perfect means to strive to live a life of holiness, to do that which is right and pleasing to God.

Living a life pleasing to God immediately separates His disciples into a category of their own. They will be readily identifiable, because they will be different from the world around them. That’s why Jesus referred to His followers as “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (5:13-16). Salt was used to impede the decay of meat; likewise Christians impede the decay of sinful society. A light, of course, is used to illumine the darkness; God’s people are His lights in a spiritually dark world.

Too often God’s people forfeit their saltiness and hide their light under a basket. Flavorless salt is worthless, only to be thrown out and trampled. Also, what good is a light if it is concealed? The challenge is clear — we are to impact the world more than the world impacts us! Otherwise, we’re not meeting Christ’s expectations.

Daily Reflection

Look back at the Sermon on the Mount. Which of Jesus’ teachings stood out to you the most?

Which of Jesus’ expectations do you struggle most to fulfill?

If you are serious about being a disciple of Christ, you will stand out from the crowd. In fact, you will be labeled, targeted, ostracized, and perhaps, in some ways, even persecuted. What part of Jesus’ sermon, then, should be a comfort to you? Is it?

Can Christians impact the world if they look like the world? Can they speak truth, challenge sin, and share the Gospel if they do the things that the world does? If you do not stand out, you will forfeit your opportunity to speak up. Others will simply point out that you are no different than they are. Is that true?

BiAY.org | Day 275 — 90 Days to Go