021220 – Matthew 5. 13-20
Jesus was a “GREAT teacher.”
He “ENGAGED” his listeners/hearers.
He “commanded” their attention.
“All over THE Scriptures” it talks about HOW HE taught like ONE with AUTHORITY… and NOT at all, LIKE the other RABBIS or SCRIBES or the PHARISEES, for that matter.
He was warm…
In TOUCH
Straight FORWARD.
You see, the 1st Century rabbis used “salt” as a symbol for WISDOM.
SO, to “lose your saltiness” meant to become FOOLISH, to become A MORON, literally, to be irresponsible, stupid and half-witted.
None of THOSE GUYS would HAVE EVER told “common people,” the “crowds,” “the masses,” that they were SALT of the earth.
But Jesus DID.
HE had no problem with it – whatsoever.
They were an OCCUPIED PEOPLE.
There was little HOPE.
THEY were being TAXED to DEATH, but more importantly being PUT TO DEATH by the Romans.
“Like a people ENSLAVED”…they were forced to do the WILL of their OVERSEERS…their OPPRESSORS.
EVEN religiously, they were MADE to FEEL that everything was THEIR FAULT.
DO THIS.
DON’T DO THAT.
Follow this LAW.
Follow THAT law. What does MOSES say?
The ROMANS are PRESENT because of YOU.
The MESSIAH is NOT here – because of YOU.
YOUR SINS – which are great…
Your sins – which are MANY…
YOUR “foolishness, stupidity and half-wittedness. The fault, the blame lies with YOU.
The weight of our NATION, the weight of our PEOPLE rests upon YOUR shoulders.
IT IS like a YOKE and it is YOUR own doing.
But NOT Jesus…he didn’t go there.
“You are the SALT of the earth!”
YOU are the LIGHT of the WORLD.
The people would sit up, take notice, sit a little straighter, stand up a little taller…hold their heads a little higher.
They NEEDED that. We all need that!
They very much needed some POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.
Jesus ENCOURAGED them. IT would be AMAZING what they could DO, what they could ACCOMPLISH.
Indeed, a small group of committed individuals CAN accomplish GREAT THINGS.
You ONLY NEED to look to present day – HONG KONG.
“Millions of people have mobilized to protest” a proposed EXTRADITION BILL, that would EXPAND the “jurisdiction of the Communist-controlled courts in Mainland China.”
A group of Christians SANG the chorus, “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord,” and it CAUGHT ON with the rest of the crowd.
IN FACT, Reuters reported that THE SONG has become “the UNLIKELY ANTHEM of Hong Kong’s protests” even though only about 10% of Hong Kong’s people are Christian.
The PROTESTS have been LARGELY peaceful; although at times police have used TEAR GAS and RUBBER BULLETS to DISPERSE the exceedingly large crowds.
Even SO, one protester held a PLACARD which said, “STOP SHOOTING, or else we will sing ‘Hallelujah to the Lord’”.
Protesters SAY THE “religious song” has often helped DEFUSE TENSION with the police. “It has a CALMING effect,” said a pastor at Grace Church Hong Kong, who has ATTENDED the protests with other churchmen to PROMOTE PEACE.
Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed GOVERNMENT LEADER, Carrie Lam, postponed the introduction of the extradition bill and later APOLOGIZED in the face of the HUGE SHOW of OPPOSITION.
Carrie Lam is Catholic, and some protesters said they thought their adoption of “Sing Hallelujah to the Lord” might have helped SWAY HER.
NEVER underestimate WHAT a small group of committed people can DO.
We have only to look at the 12 disciples and what 12 men, plus an UNKNOWN NUMBER of women FOLLOWERS of Jesus were able to do.
REMEMBER it was OF THEM…that it was stated, “THEY have turned the very world UPSIDE DOWN!”
YOU are the SALT of the EARTH.
YOU are the LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
YOU can accomplish GREAT THINGS.
In Mark 9.23, JESUS says, “All things are possible to those who believe.”
YOU’VE GOT THIS! Amen.