A Witnessing Community

Church Family Series : A Witnessing Community
19 March 2017

Ps Renny Khoo and Eric Chong

Salt of the Earth, light of the world

Matthew 5:13-16

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The illustration of a plaque that are hung in most home “Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest, the silent listener to every conversation” provided an impression of God’s omnipresence and a God who wants to be known, seen and acknowledged. As a church family, it is also God’s desire that we are witnesses of His goodness and grace to us.

Matt 5: 13 -16 provided an indication of how we can be a witnessing community.

1. Salt of the earth

A man is worth his salt. Roman soldiers were paid with salt.

We need to guard and preserve.

How can salt lose its saltiness?

i. Who are you

In the days of Jesus, a roman soldier received his wages in salt. The Greeks regarded salt as divine and the mosaic law states all offering must contain salt. Lev 2:13. So when Jesus said to the disciples you are salt, they understood it. The Disciples are to serve as preservatives stopping the moral decay in a sin infected world just like salt inhibits food from going bad in their times where refrigeration was not available then. There is a need to guard, preserve, protect else compromises creeps in and all will be destroyed. However, salt can lose its “saltiness” if our lives are lived in compromised positions leading to contamination.  Disobedience, apathy, carelessness, indifference are some examples of contaminated salt. The human gateways, the ear, eye and mind are strongholds to guard so that our lives will not be compromised for we live in a world filled with sublime messages. The example of sublime messages embedded in a film statements of “buy coke eat popcorn” and “Cow drinks milk” are subtle messages that the world is trying to mould us into.

ii. Whose are you

In 2 chronicles 13 : 5 David’s kingship of Israel was given by a covenant of salt. It was a legally binding agreement. As inferred, we are the salt of the Earth so we belong to God and He belongs to us. As He is a covenant keeping God, we are to guard and preserve and do not allow compromises to creep into our lives by guarding our mind gate.

We belong to God through convenient of salt 

Must protect and guard the Convenant. 

Guard the gateways of our eyes, ears and mind against things we are receiving and we allow things to contaminate our minds and corrupt practices. 

Light of the world

We are the light of the world.

2. Light of the world

Matthew 5: 14 – 16 You are the light of the world.

In Eric’s sharing, the moment we receive Jesus in our lives, we automatically become the light of the world and there is no in between. Either light or darkness. The Black hole illustration showed that the Black hole can only be seen because of the light surrounding it. The presence of light is always going to be there despite of the black hole and likewise the joy and zeal of becoming a child of God cannot be hidden. As God did not redeem us to hide and segregate us but as a lampstand for all to see. It is an act of showing the world His glory. We walk as a member of Christ and going to where God has sent us in the community and schools to shine for Jesus bringing the message of gospel with the Church as a platform so that God’s name can be glorified. We are as the moon reflecting the sun’s light. The sun/ Son is the source of light. As the verse in

2 Cor 318 “ .. on veil face transform from glory to glory...” We are to reflect God’s glory.

In an environment of change, Ps 89 the prayer of Nathan started with adoration, remembering God’s favours and complaining on the family of David. However, he ended by saying praise be to God forever and ever, Amen and Amen. We too need to always give thank in times like these, illuminating our light and proclaiming His name. May our prayer be as Paul’s in Phil 1: 21 ” for me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”

i. The who
The salt of the earth clearly describe a sense of identity and distinctiveness in Jesus for it addresses of who and whose are we.

The light of the world, it reminded us that we are a reflection of the ‘son”. We have a sense of destiny and influence.

“Salt focuses on our being and light focuses on our doing. Being and doing are parallel”.

ii. The what
We have a spiritual dynamo in side us that does not require us to be pushed or pretend for it is imbedded this identity we are who we are. As we embrace this being and doing we shall be found as a witnessing community.

iii. The world
The application of the power of accumulated effect where as a community of likeminded people proclaiming Jesus to whoever is interested, the Holy Spirit can work with us in convicting those whom we share thus making us a witnessing community.

We are reflection of the son just like the moon reflecting the lightness of the sun.

Application
Be salt and light, to make a difference


Questions

1) “Salt focuses on our being and light focuses on our doing. Being and doing are parallel”. Share how do you understand and practice the above statement.

2) What are some experiences/ insights/ creative ways where you can or/ and your CG were/ intending to be salt and light?

3)  Encourage one another with testimonies where ‘they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”