Salt & Light

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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. -Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus says in Matthew 5:13–16, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world.” In the Sermon on the Mount, these words come immediately after the Beatitudes, where Christ describes the blessed life of those who belong to Him, those who are marked with Kingdom realities. Salt and light are not tasks we achieve but identities given to us in union with Christ.

In the first-century world, salt was both a preservative and a seasoning. It kept away decay and added a distinct flavor. In the same way, the people of God are called to live lives so shaped by the gospel that corruption is restrained and the goodness of Christ is made known. Light, too, carries profound meaning. In a world darkened by sin, God has shone in our hearts the light of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6). We are not the source of light, but we reflect the One who is the Light of the world (John 8:12).

This truth proclaims our faithful witness; our good works are not for self-praise but for the glory of our Father. Our shining is not a mere moral example, but a display of joy in Christ that puts Him on display.

So, brothers and sisters, this week remember: your ordinary obedience, your quiet faithfulness, your merciful words and generous deeds; these are beams of gospel light. This is how we make Jesus non-ignorable. We don’t live our lives on retreat, nor do we dilute our distinctiveness from the world. Instead, we live boldly as those who belong to Jesus, so that others may “see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Let us shine, not for ourselves, but for the glory of our Redeemer.

In Christ,

Pastor Kris