Everyday Ethics For The Exilic Minority: Revisiting Christian Identity Within A Confused World
Who Jesus Says You Are
Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount wanted to create a picture for his disciples of what it looks like to be a citizen of His Kingdom. Looking at what Jesus portrayed for them on that Galilean mountainside many years ago serves as a good reminder for us to not forget what our identity is as citizens of his kingdom living in a confused world.
In the last beatitude (5:10-11) Jesus speaks of the impact of the world on Christians. Now in vs. 13-16 he describes the impact of Christians on the world.
Two realities and one expectation of kingdom citizenship:
1. 1st Reality of Kingdom Citizenship – Followers of Christ ARE the SALT of the earth! (vs. 13)
The significance and effect of ‘salt’:
- Who Jesus says we are indicates the significant value and influence we have as citizens of his kingdom in the world
- Similar to salt, followers of Christ have a preserving effect in the world by living out the values of the kingdom of God
- God’s strategy is through the presence of his people in the world, living out the values of his kingdom through his power, people who are perishing will be preserved ( 2 Peter 1:3-4; 2 Cor. 2:15)
- To be effective as the salt of the earth, we must be in contact with those who are perishing (Mark 2:17)
2. 2nd Reality of Kingdom Citizenship – Followers of Christ ARE the LIGHT of the world! (vs. 14)
The nature and effect of ‘light’:
- Similar to light, followers of Christ have an illuminating effect on the darkness of our fallen world
- We are the light of the world because we are “in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8-10)
- Jesus is the “true” light (John 1:9) of the world and we derive our light from him
- “Light-possessors become light-transmitters”
- The light of the kingdom of God is to be both visible and radiant in our lives
- Key to having maximum impact is to abide/remain in Christ (John 15:4-5)
3. An expectation of Kingdom Citizenship – Let your light SHINE before others (vs. 16)
The effect of ‘shining’:
- “We speak the truth of the gospel for people to know it, but we are also called to live out the truth of the gospel for people to see that it is real.”
-Living out who we are in our daily routines, both visibly and radiantly will have a kingdom effect (vs. 16)
BE THE SALT AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD – IT’S WHO YOU ARE & IT’S WHAT OUR WORLD NEEDS
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