Salt and Light
Bible passage: Matthew 5:13-16
“13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. ”
We give all thanks and glory to Father God who’s blessed us to inaugurate five elders, 95 senior deaconesses, 24 honorary senior deaconesses, and 1 cooperative senior deaconess. I also thank their families and guests who came to celebrate. Brothers and sisters, whichever organization you belong, you need to go through a lot of processes for a long time to become a leader.
For example, for a new recruit to become a president, he has to start off from the lowest position and go all the way up to presidency, which takes decades of time. But, this isn’t the case for any employee. It’s possible when he is recognized for his capabilities and achievements. The same goes for titles in the church. When we’re recognized for our faith, achievements, and fruits, we can receive a higher title. So, what an honor and blessing this is for you, inaugurated workers! If you cherish your title and live up to it, God will also recognize you. How thankful you should be for that! Thus, receiving a title in the kingdom of God is such a great honor and blessings which cannot be compared to any titles and positions in the world.
For you who’re receiving such precious titles, God gives a message under the title, Salt and Light. Hopefully, all of you who are inaugurated today ponder over how you should act to be found proper before God as elders and senior deaconesses and have a blessed time to solidify your resolve once again. I urge all of you to become the salt and light in the world, give glory to God, and be honored all the more by God, the church, and the congregation. In doing so, I ask in the name of the Lord that all of you will become competent elders and senior deaconesses who accomplish the world evangelization. Brothers and sisters, as we find in Matthew 13:34, Jesus did not speak to people without a parable. Namely, He explained things of the spiritual realm, comparing them to tangible things in this world and revealed heaven. Through today’s message, Salt and Light, as well, our Lord is giving us very significant lessons.
Then, what spiritual meanings are embedded in salt? First, it plays a crucial role in maintaining our life. As for a healthy person, his blood has a salt concentration of 0.9%, keeping our bodies functioning properly. Salt is also put in a lot of dishes to add flavor and taste, and it kills dirty germs and prevents decay. So, Jesus said in today’s passage says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Namely, the verse means that we, believers, have to melt ourselves like salt and exemplify the taste of Christ wherever we are.
Worldly people indulge in eating and drinking and live in pursuit of their benefits and greed. But, people who’ve accepted the Lord as their Savior know that they have eternal life. So, they root out untruth from them and diligently change themselves in the truth. As we circumcise our hearts and recover the Lord’s image, we can sacrifice ourselves like the Christ sacrificed His body, thereby exemplifying the taste of Christ. Then, we can perfectly perform the duty of the salt, purifying what is dirty and ugly and preventing decay. Next, what roles does light play? Light has power to illuminate darkness. No matter how pitch-dark night is, once the sun rises, houses and streets which have been covered in darkness come into bright light. In darkness, it’s difficult to tell where we’re headed and we’re likely to trip over something. But in daylight, it’s easy to find our ways and avoid dirty places.
In this world darkened by sins and evil like this, we, God’s children, should become the light to drive away the darkness. That’s why today’s passage says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Here, light signifies the aroma of Christ, spiritually. Let’s say, when someone slaps your right cheek, you turn to him the left one. You give your coat when asked for a shirt. When you’re asked to go one mile, you go two miles. Then, you’re giving off the aroma of Christ and shining the light.
Therefore, you can save many dying souls and give glory to God just as a grain of wheat falls into the earth and bears much fruit. I believe that all of you who are inaugurated today are assigned precious titles because you’ve carried out the roles of salt and light well. But, you shouldn’t think that all things are finished with this inauguration service. Starting today, you should always examine and discover yourselves with all the more fear and trembling. In doing so, you shouldn’t lack anything in carrying out God-given precious duties. Brothers and sisters and all inaugurated workers, for us to carry out the roles of salt and light properly, we have to glorify God through good deeds as we find in today’s passage, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The verse means that when our roles of salt and light are manifested as good deeds, namely, deeds of doing good in pursuit of the truth, people give glory to God. Then, what are good deeds specifically?
We’ll divide them into three categories. First, good deeds is lowering ourselves. Our Jesus was originally one with God as we find in Philippians 2:6. Yet, He lowered Himself and came to this earth, taking the form of man, His creature, and suffered all kinds of mockery and persecution by evildoers. He also completely fulfilled the will of Father God until He shed all His water and blood on the cross. Thus, it’s only natural that God’s children also resemble the Christ, lower themselves, and take the form of a servant. Taking the form of a servant means not having our own will. Regardless of whether something is in agreement with our feelings or the way things are, we just do whatever the master wants. This is the duty of a servant. If a servant doesn’t lower himself, how could he accept his master’s will?
It’d be even more difficult to please him. Likewise, in order to fulfill God’s will, we should first lower ourselves. Even though John the Baptist performed a significant duty of preparing the Lord’s way and making His paths straight, he only accepted and lived according to God’s will without boasting of himself. As John the Baptist testified of the Christ, he said, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” He demonstrated the humility of highly exalting the Christ by lowering himself down to the bottom. Also, when his disciples complained saying, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” John the Baptist replied, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Since he completely lowered himself and only pursued God’s will, Jesus highly regarded him saying, “Among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” If you also lower yourselves and put your “self” to death and always obey even what is not in agreement with your thoughts and theories, you can fully accomplish God’s will for this church. As Jesus also said in Matthew 23:11-12, “But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted,” as you rise to higher positions in God’s kingdom, you have to lower and humble yourselves even more. Those who lower themselves can understand others’ heart. Even when they’re not in the leadership, they joyfully obey and unite. So, there is peace wherever they go. I pray in the name of the Lord that all of you will lower yourselves and achieve peace like our Jesus emptied Himself and took a form of a servant so that you can receive honor and praise from God. Brothers and sisters, to glorify God through good deeds, secondly, we have to serve.
Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” This remark exemplifies true service. Serving is not just about being humble but sacrificing ourselves to benefit others and provide their needs. Just as mothers don’t look after themselves in love for their children, just as salt melts itself to give taste despite losing its form, serving is letting go of our “self” and wholly achieving the love of Christ. By the way, there is an order in achieving service. First, we have to serve God. Serving God is turning away from evil, achieving sanctification, and most of all, loving God first and completely devoting ourselves, as we find in Proverbs 8:13, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.” We should also serve people in higher positions. To apply this in your church life, you have pastors and leaders over you. To demonstrate true service for them, you are to share their burdens and wholeheartedly help them to achieve greater things for God’s kingdom.
For example, if you’re serving a pastor, you are to carry our your duties well and obey him in the lord. But, no matter how many times you say, “I love you,” unless you obey and bear fruit, that confession can’t be truthful. When you find your opinions differing from those in higher positions, you can express yourselves. But, you are to make sure you’re not being discourteous. On top of that, you have to understand his heart and handle things wisely. This is how you serve him the right way. Next, how can you serve those in lower positions? Whether they are wise or not, whether they’re rich or poor, you are to respect their character, figure out their heart, and embrace them. Even if they have mistakes and transgressions, you shouldn’t deal with them emotionally but advise and teach them through figurative speech. This is the kind of service God wants from us. So, I ask all the church leaders and people who are inaugurated today not to become haughty but examine how sincerely you’re serving others.
Brothers and sisters and inaugurated workers, lastly and thirdly, to give glory to God through good deeds, you are to become faithful ones like good stewards. 1 Peter 4:10 tells us, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” And, 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” Namely, as God assigns people of proper vessels titles and duties, He wants them to be faithful. For example, elders are those who help the pastor in running the church. So, in the absence of the pastor, they can preside over a service, which means they have to be faithful and have to set a good example in all areas. Only then can they become elders acknowledged by God.
In addition to wholly keeping the Sabbath and attending all official services, they should worship God in spirit and in truth. Also, they should not neglect the basics like offering tithes. They are to pray without ceasing for the church, pastors, and souls, diligently share the Gospel both in and out of season, and bear much fruit wherever they are. In doing so, they can please God and win the church members’ respect and love. But what would happen if they just admonish others while not setting good examples? Since their words are not accompanied by spiritual authority, the church members cannot show heartfelt obedience. So, those who’ve been given a title should not only be recognized in the church through faithfulness but also win recognition in their families and workplaces. They have to set a good example as fathers or husbands and become recognized out in the world as well.
As everyone with God-given titles is faithful wherever they are, the church becomes better and more advanced and stands on the rock all the more firmly. Brothers and sisters and all inaugurated workers, 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” To that end, you have to lower yourselves, accept God’s will completely, serve others, and become faithful ones like good stewards. In the Bible, what kind of people gave glory to our God? Were they people with wealth and honor? Were they people with a lot of knowledge and good backgrounds? God was glorified by those who were righteous in heart, longed for the truth, and shone the light. Joseph went to Egypt being sold as a slave. But, he only walked the right path thinking, ‘How could I sin before God?’ Through him, God made a great nation of Israel and was glorified. Also, when the entire nation had committed idolatry and got stricken with a severe drought as a result, God listened to the earnest prayer of Elijah and sent down the answers of fire and rain, demonstrating that only He is the true Deity.
Daniel was faithful to the point where he was found with no transgressions. When he was saved from the lion’s den, God was greatly glorified in the presence of the gentiles. Shouldn’t you also magnify God that way? Particularly, people who are inaugurated today are established as elders and senior deaconesses of Manmin Central Church which has duties to accomplish the world & national evangelization, which means God has much expectation of you. You have to become the pillars of this church, fulfill God’s will, become qualified for New Jerusalem, and play significant roles in guiding other members. I urge you to march on all the more vigorously.
Also, I pray in our Lord’s name that all of you, Manmin members, become the light and salt of this world, share the Gospel of Christ to all peoples, and greatly reveal God’s glory all over the earth.
