Parish fundraising event: put up signs.
Challenge: all signs up INSIDE the building.
Upset that no one from broader community came to event
Never wondered WHY…
Learning is that when we look inwards, even with the best of intentions, we’re serving ourselves. It’s a closed circle.
Communities of Christ’s followers do not exist for ourselves.
Our identity is not to retreat from the world into our circle; facing inward
But to face outward – taking the Good News into the world.
Our shared identity is to engage in practices that highlight God’s kin-dom - and invite others to join us in this mission.
Today’s scripture: second half of Sermon on Mount – immediately following the beatitudes.
Beatitudes turn world upside down - bring hope, promise, inspiration
YOU ARE SALT.
You – plural.
Of the Earth – rooted, grounded. Belonging.
Salt: exists to affect other elements.
Preserves, flavours, cleanses. Melts ice even! It enhances –
but too much all at once can be too much. – overpowering, dangerous
Jesus then goes on:
YOU ARE LIGHT.
Light: also good! Shows us where things are. Nurtures growth.
FOR the world: Biblical reference of God’s people resisting imperial injustice - light
But again too much all at once can be a problem – prevents sleep (restoring bodies); blinding; heat
Salt and Light: contextual: Meant for other things.
Salt enhances goodness that’s already there.
Light overcomes darkness.
We know the world is full of pockets of darkness:
We know the world is already full of pockets of goodness.
We are called to go to those.
Mission: enhance the goodness; overcome the darkness.
We are already called to do this:
We’re not told you WILL be salt or you’ll PLAN to be light.
These are already here:
Christ Followers.
Going into the world.
Jesus reminds us that as his followers, we live that identity as we are mission-focused.
We are facing out into the world – never alone, but supported, together, existing to bring the Good News of God to the world.
May God bless us as we take God’s good news beyond this space.
YOU ARE SALT.
You – plural.
Of the Earth – rooted, grounded. Belonging.
Salt: exists to affect other elements.
Preserves, flavours, cleanses. Melts ice even! It enhances –
but too much all at once can be too much. – overpowering, dangerous
Jesus then goes on:
YOU ARE LIGHT.
Light: also good! Shows us where things are. Nurtures growth.
FOR the world: Biblical reference of God’s people resisting imperial injustice - light
But again too much all at once can be a problem – prevents sleep (restoring bodies); blinding; heat
Salt and Light: contextual: Meant for other things.
Salt enhances goodness that’s already there.
Light overcomes darkness.
We know the world is full of pockets of darkness:
We know the world is already full of pockets of goodness.
We are called to go to those.
Mission: enhance the goodness; overcome the darkness.
We are already called to do this:
We’re not told you WILL be salt or you’ll PLAN to be light.
These are already here:
Christ Followers.
Going into the world.
Jesus reminds us that as his followers, we live that identity as we are mission-focused.
We are facing out into the world – never alone, but supported, together, existing to bring the Good News of God to the world.
May God bless us as we take God’s good news beyond this space.
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