{"id":1232,"date":"2014-02-09T16:26:27","date_gmt":"2014-02-09T16:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/?p=1232"},"modified":"2020-12-02T21:10:57","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T21:10:57","slug":"salty-christians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/salty-christians\/","title":{"rendered":"Salty Christians"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Matthew 5:13-20<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 9, 2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one complained last Sunday or this past week when the Bay Area received some rain. But water experts believe that it\u2019s still not enough to solve our drought problem for the past 3 years. Too bad we can\u2019t do something about the vast Pacific Ocean out there west of us where there\u2019s plenty of water. Unfortunately, salt water is not the right kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salt water is pretty useless for us who may need to ration our water use soon. We know that salt water plays a critical role in the delicate balance of the global ecosystem, but it\u2019s not for filling our water bottles. It\u2019s not good to water our lawns or wash our cars. We know that when we swim in the ocean, we look forward to washing salt water off with fresh water. Occasionally, we use it to gargle our throats when we have a cold or fill our water tanks for tropical fish, but besides that, what good is it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anticipating that our drought may become the way of life for us, there\u2019s been a renewed interest in desalination\u2014a technology to transform salt water with its limited usefulness, into fresh water\u2014the kind that we humans really, really need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good example of this is in Singapore where they have opened a desalination plant that can produce 36 million U.S. gallons of fresh water every day by pulling it straight from the ocean\u2014that\u2019s more than 10% of the country\u2019s supply. But Singapore is a much smaller country than the US!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While desalination is a good thing when it comes to water, Jesus tells us that it\u2019s really a bad thing when it comes to his people. In the middle of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus looks out over his followers and disciples and proclaims, \u201cYou are the salt of the earth, but if salt 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\u2019s feet\u201d (v. 13).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those are tough words from Jesus, but in order to understand them, we need to grasp them from a first-century perspective. While salt in water is largely a pain for us humans, salt minus the water has long been a blessing for us humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valuable Salt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salt has proven to be so valuable because of its many uses that it has, in history, been used as currency and fought for in wars. Before refrigeration and canning, salt was used to cure and store meat. Before antiseptics, salt was used to disinfect wounds. Salt was used to make pottery and in many other daily household things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salt, in general, was loved not for just one of its uses but because it had so many uses. It was an unexpected blessing in a thousand ways. Jesus\u2019 point is that those who belong to him, who live under his reign and rule in this world, are just like salt. When salt is not in water, it\u2019s incredibly useful and surprisingly valuable. Just like salt can enhance the food that we are about to eat, we can enhance and make the kingdom of God known in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Jesus tells his disciples that they are the \u201csalt of the earth,\u201d he is not just saying that they are good, honest and hard-working people. Being the \u201csalt of the earth\u201d has become a clich\u00e9 of someone who has persevered. Sometimes we describe someone who may be boring or uninformed, \u201cOh well, he may not be brilliant, but he\u2019s the salt of the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not the way Jesus intended in his phrase. What he was saying to his disciples was \u201cYou are the people called by God to give some zest or taste in the world.\u201d For us today, Jesus is saying, \u201cYou are the siracha or Tabasco sauce of the world!\u201d You have been called by God to add spice and savor to the world\u2014to make people\u2019s tired, tasteless, dead spirits alive again with the message about God\u2019s kingdom of love and peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a similar way, Jesus tells his disciples that they are the \u201clight of the world.\u201d In the first century, the imperial power of Rome was described as a \u201clight of the world.\u201d After the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE, this disarray brought about by Roman violence sent both Jews and Christians into a painful process of finding what their identity is. In this chaotic society, Jesus teaches his disciples that it\u2019s not the Romans imperial powers but that they are the light of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Jesus is saying is that what the people of God do in the world really makes a difference. We are called by God to lighten up the world and to give it the spicy savor of God\u2019s kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salty Church<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice that this Sunday is the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany which means we are getting manifestations of who Jesus really is who was born in Bethlehem, who was baptized in the Jordan, who changed water into wine at a wedding feast, and today who spoke in parables about such earthy elements as salt and light. God reveals himself in the person of Jesus as salt and light. And God reveals himself in God\u2019s people, you and me as salt and light too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While we read Jesus\u2019 words, \u201cYou are the salt of the earth,\u201d this \u201cyou\u201d is plural. He is not saying \u201cyou\u201d meaning each individual person rather he is saying \u201cy\u2019all.\u201d He is saying, \u201cAll of us are the salt of the earth.\u201d He\u2019s speaking to the whole church, or what would become the whole church. The church has the mission of being salt in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have all sung, \u201cThis little light of mine, I\u2019m gonna let it shine.\u201d It\u2019s catchy and we all should know it but it doesn\u2019t really capture the sense of what Jesus is saying. He\u2019s not talking about each one of you being that little light, he\u2019s talking about the church as a body, the Body of Christ being the light. That means that you do not have to be salt and light all by yourself. We are to be salt and light together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do we do this? In San Francisco and the Bay Area, the church has become so inconsequential in today\u2019s world. Nobody listens to what we have to say anymore. I never get an invitation from Mayor Lee to advise him. At best, the outside world thinks that we\u2019re quaint and irrelevant; at worst they think we\u2019re superstitious and deluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Matthew\u2019s church didn\u2019t have it any easier than we do. Remember it was the imperial Roman powers that prevailed over this little, tiny breakaway movement from the synagogue. At best, they were considered superstitious and deluded; at worst they were persecuted. At least, we have the freedom of religion in the U.S.! It must have sounded ridiculous to them to be called the salt of the earth and the light of the world in this setting. But we know now that they went into the world with the name of Christ on their lips, and the world changed because of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you think we have appointed a Long-range Planning Committee? We don\u2019t want to be inconsequential. The world has changed in the past 25 years and nobody listens to what we have to say anymore. Notice that the world isn\u2019t exactly beating a path to our door\u2014fewer and fewer people today attend church, and even fewer people become church members. This means our primary mission field is no longer in distant countries, but right outside our doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the reason why the new Reception Ministry is the right ministry for us today and I wish and pray that more of our members would take some time to participate in it. Last Sunday after the annual Meeting, we opened our doors to the neighbors and many came. This is both a challenge and an opportunity for our church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One characteristic of a salty church is to develop and foster a church culture that empowers the members of the congregation for a variety of ministries. We all know that each of us as individuals has gifts and passion for ministry but how might we nurture in our church this vibrant and healthy church spirit to start new ministries?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It begins with our church leaders being open to the movement of God\u2019s Spirit as they see that Spirit moving in and among the people of God. If someone wants to try out a new program to meet the needs of the homeless, we would say, \u201cLet\u2019s do it!\u201d If the youth of the church want to take the lead in developing some more times to meet for fellowship outside of Sunday mornings, we say, \u201cGo for it!\u201d If adults want to offer seminars and retreats on retirement planning and good stewardship, we say, \u201cGood idea, let\u2019s do it.\u201d When we said that we haven\u2019t had a Christmas pageant as long as anyone can remember, we went ahead and did it. And when you said to us that we need more opportunities to fellowship and grow in faith as a church, we\u2019ll be doing it on March 22nd<\/sup>. When Pastor Lee came back from China and said, \u201cLet\u2019s start a Reception Ministry to reach out to our neighbors and visitors,\u201d we are doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are bubbling over with ideas to salt and lighten the world, and the church says, \u201cWe\u2019ll see what we can do to support you in this potential new ministry. We are salt and light together.\u201d What more might we do to become salt and light today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another consistent characteristic of churches that are thriving in the 21st<\/sup> century that was present in the first century is that the members know how to talk about their faith, both to each other and to people outside the church. They talked about Jesus. They call this giving a \u201ctestimony.\u201d Churches are discovering that it is a key to their vitality. Churches where people are able to talk about their faith, to point to the presence of God in their lives, are churches that are salt and light for the world. We see this when we invite candidates for Baptism and church membership. It may come across intimidating but our practice has proven to be essential to our ongoing vitality and health as a church. Going to Sunday school regularly and seeking out opportunities to share your faith with others\u2014to talk about Jesus would continue to sharpen your ability to give a testimony of your faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Re-Salination<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting back to our desalination example, there are times when we feel un-salty. Desalination happened to us. What\u2019s good for the water is bad for us Christians. We may become desalinated when cultural distractions cloud our minds and confuse our focus. We may become desalinated through osmosis in the world and become tempted to idolatry, self-righteousness, and violent behavior. We may become desalinated by our hot tempers like how one can boil seawater and the evaporated water in the form of steam can be condensed for us to drink because the water has lost its saltiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus said if salt has lost it\u2019s saltiness and not restored, it is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot. How can our saltiness be restored? The truth is that none of us ever truly stays salty all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The point of the Sermon on the Mount is a call to be salt and light, to be blessed peacemaker, to be slow to anger, to be low on lust and high on love. We are called to be the kingdom of God and to demonstrate how to live under the gracious rule of God in Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we become desalinated in the world, we become re-salinated as salt in the world by receiving it from Jesus Christ. And how does that happen? By hearing the gospel, by receiving his words of pardon, by feasting on his body and blood, by connecting with his people and drawing life in his word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those of us who are feeling particularly un-salty today, the good news is that there is a \u201cre-salination process.\u201d His name is Jesus. He has a salt mine of forgiveness, grace and mercy that is yours for the asking\u2014\u201cPlease pass the salt of Christ.\u201d In Christ, you are lovingly restored into someone who can beautifully bring the good news of the kingdom to a world that is in short supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know that salt is not necessarily the healthiest season to put on your food especially if you have high heart pressure. But whether it is sea salt or Black Sea salt or plain old iodized salt that is for your information all sodium chloride, we are to be salty Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salt water is pretty useless especially for us Californians living during the worst drought in recent history. Thank God for desalination and rationing. But salty Christians are incredibly important and surprisingly valuable. Salty Christians are the people of God\u2019s world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The larger church and our church, FCBC in particular is not inconsequential for the world. Where we as a church are doing things that are making God known in the world, people\u2019s lives change. They can taste the saltiness in our lives. Like salt in a dull, flavorless dish, like light in a place of gloom and shadows, Christians can make a genuine difference. We might not get credit for it, we might not even be noticed like how salt is absorbed into the dish we are enjoying, but the salt and the light are doing their work nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brothers and sisters in Christ, God\u2019s people, you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Outside these church doors there are desalinated people who are hungering for a savory taste of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Are you ready to be the salt shakers in the world to add flavor and life to physical suffering, emotional emptiness and spiritual hunger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ has re-salinated you again. The world is waiting for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Jesus, you have called us to live the sorts of lives whereby others might see and taste your love and peace through us. Help us to share love that we have received from you, to show forth your plan for our lives as the salt of the earth. Help us to shine and to become salty Christians. Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Matthew 5:13-20 February 9, 2014 Sermon preached by Rev. Donald Ng at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco. No one complained last Sunday or this past week whenContinue readingSalty Christians<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[11,12],"class_list":["post-1232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-donald-ng-sermons","tag-fcbc","tag-matthew"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1232"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2454,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions\/2454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.followgreg.com\/revdonaldng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}