The type of people are people who bring nothing and depend on God for everything
13 “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.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 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.
Kingdom people – people who are merciful, humble, thirsty for God, people who live for God despite how they are treated.
How do these type of people affect society?
Salt: Common metaphors.=
flavor – preserve – how do kingdom people preserve? What’s the flavor? Making people thirsty for something.
Poor people who inherit God’s kingdom are not stingy.
Comforted people comfort people.
Meek people (humble people) are humble toward people.
Spiritually satisfied people satisfy people with God food.
People who receive mercy give mercy.
People who see God reflect God.
People who made at peace with God offer peace to others.
What’s the flavor? Humility is a flavor this world needs. The is the point of being poor in spirit. Being needy people, remembering our need for saving.
What Jesus’ hearers would have heard? — Luke 14:34 – “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
What’s your flavor?
Manufactured flavor – aspartame, Splenda, artificial sweeteners — [religion vs gospel]
Light:
Light as a warning – lighthouse, warning off intruders.
Guide – light to find your way. Flashlight in a power outage.
Light is visible and makes things visible.
There is no such thing as a secret disciple. When you become a kingdom person, a Christian, you reflect a type of light.
Both images:
There is no separation from society. We are not promised our ability to legislate Biblical values, but we are called to be embraced by and embrace kingdom values. We march to the beat of God’s kingdom.
Created for good works – Good works do not save you, but saved you produces good works.
Ephesians 2:8-10 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Titus 2:14 – Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Philippians 1:6 – And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.