Matthew 5:13-16                How to Bring Happiness to Others         March 5, 2006

       We come today to Jesus final words about the happy life.  He has shown us that this full life does not begin in me because I am poor and empty.  We have seen how the realization of my own poverty brings a sorrow to my life.  However, out of that come repentance, righteousness, new life, purity, love, and peace.  This is the life that Jesus came to teach.  In fact, Jesus said in John 10:10 “I came to bring a full life.”  What more could he have to say to us?  It all sounds so wonderful.  And so for many Christians, for many church members in churches all around us, this is where they finish.  Jesus has come to bless my life.  What good news!

      However, Jesus does not stop there.  He has another word.  Christ has come to bless your life.  Now Christ wants you to bless the lives of other people throughout the whole earth.  Jesus tells us that we are to be the salt of the world.  We are to be the light of the world.  We are to bring the joy of God to people until the day of full Shalom—Peace, Prosperity, abundance, security, health, love—have filled the entire world.  We pray for that every Sunday.  “Our Father…May your Kingdom Come, May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  We pray each Sunday that the fullness, the victory of God will come to the earth.  We have faith that a new world is coming.  And Jesus tells us here that we will be the instruments to share and help bring that new world where everyone will know the full joy of Christ.  How can we do that?  Let’s see.

      Jesus tells us first that we are to be the salt of the world.  We think of salt as simply a flavoring for food.  But how was alt used in the days before refrigeration?   Salt kept meat from spoiling.  And we as the people of Jesus are called to be the salt that keeps the world from going bad and spoiling.  You know, meat left at room temperature will spoil.  That is just the nature of meat.  And the world left to itself will go bad.  Many people today would have us think that people—men and women, girls and boys—are basically good inside.  They only do bad things because they are led astray by someone.  When I was in full time youth ministry in the late 1980s and early 1990s, parents always talked to me about Johnny or Suzie who had fallen in with the wrong crowd.  Mothers would cry to me that their poor son had been led astray by the wrong crowd.  But sometimes I would think to myself, “Johnny was not led.  He was leading.  He has not fallen into the wrong crowd.  He is the wrong crowd.”  The scriptures teach us that there is something fundamentally wrong with us inside and like meat, if we are left to ourselves, we will go bad.  The world in its selfish, greedy, warlike, vengeful habits will follow the path to destruction.  But the good news is that we are the salt.  We can bring a preservative to the world. 

      Secondly, Jesus tells us that we are to be light in a dark world.  Again, the world is dark.  The world is filled with trouble.  But if our light is shining, then they will see. But sadly, too many of us are hiding our light.  It is certainly tempting for Christians in our culture today to hide their light.  We feel deep concern over the state of our world.  We just want to huddle together with our Christian friends and stay safe.  In fact, never before in history have Christians created such a massive subculture as in America today.  Christian music is more widespread than ever before.  The Christian publishing industry has never in history produced more literature for us the read.  We are surrounded by Christian schools, radio, TV, athletic leagues, coffee houses, and more.  Within the larger culture of America, we have created today a massive subculture where we can feel safe.  But in effect, we are hiding our light under a bushel basket.  There is a bright light under the basket for those under there.  But how much is getting out? 

      So how can we let our light shine?  Look at vs. 15-16.  People need to see our good works.  Our light shines best when in our daily lives, people see our joy, our peace, our love, and our actions that come from a heart devoted to Jesus Christ.  We are not asked to hide our light under a basket where it is warm and safe.  No.  We are to be busy doing the good works of Christ out in the world.  In our homes.  Neighborhoods.  Schools.  Work.  Nation.  Jesus calls us in the gospels to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, care for the sick, to work for a better world.  The world will rot if left to itself.  The world is a dark place left to itself.  We are to be that salt and light to make a difference.  All that required for evil to succeed is for good men and women to do nothing.  The Christian cannot sit and do nothing.  The Christian life is the active life of being a light to the world.

      What will happen when we let our light shine?  Vs 16 says, “They will see us.”  Do you know that?  Jesus promises that if we will do the work of God, then they will see us.  As the old campfire song sings, “They will know we are Christians by our love.”  They do not know because we say we are Christians.  They do not know because we carry our Bible to work or school.  They do not know because we go to church.  They will know when they see our good works of light.  And when they see, then Jesus says, “They will glorify and praise God.”  Why do most people not come to God?  Because they have seen how God’s people live and act.  Gandhi, the great Indian leader of peace, was asked why he had never become a Christian.  He sadly responded, “Because I have known too many British Christians.”  I pray no one in our community might say, “I would never follow the way of Jesus because I have seen his people.”  No.  They are to see our good works and then they will come to praise God.  That is the promise.  It is as clear as one plus one equals two.  If they see, they will praise God. 

      Finally, look at vs. 15 closely.  When we let our light shine high as on a candlestick, then there will be light to all that are in the house.  How will the entire world come to know Christ?  We are to let our light shine high.  Then all will have light.  Again, we pray the prayer each week: May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth.  How will Christ’s Kingdom come?  It comes as we are His instruments to let the light shine. 

      Now we must realistically and practically asked, “Can we really expect to change the world and bring the full joy of God to everyone?”  First, we are to know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  Secondly, we are to know that we will not bring in this new world by our own power.  Christ has promised to return and finish the work which he started two thousand years ago.  So what are we doing?  We keep the work going until he returns.  We keep the candles burning.  We keep the salt pouring.  We are his hands and feet and voice.  We are today the body of Christ on earth until he returns himself to complete the work. 

      During WW II in Nazi occupied France, it was known that at some point the allied armies of Britain and the United States would make an attempt to cross the English Channel and liberate Europe for the German army.  However, until that time should come, the French underground was in constant secret communication with the Allied commanders across the Channel.  They did all they could to bring hope to all the people that someday liberation would come. And they worked with direct action in every way they could to subvert the power of the occupying Germans. 

      As the salt and light of the world, we are much like the French underground.  We are to stay in close communication with the commander who is coming.  We are to bring hope to the world.  And we are to subvert, undermine, and overthrow the dark forces in our world until the light fully comes. 

      Well, that seems a tall order for a group of people like us.  It is easy to think, “Oh, who am I to change the world?”  Friends, you are the children of God.  You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.  You are the light of the world.  You are the salt.  Friends, we are the plan of God to bring a new world.  I heard a little story once.  Not a true story or a Biblical story, but a good story nonetheless.  Jesus had returned to Heaven after his life on earth.  The angels asked him how it went and what was going to happen next.  Jesus said, “I have left behind eleven disciples.  They are uneducated men.  Not wealthy men.  Not powerful men.  But these eleven men are going to spread the Word about me and change the world.”  The angels then asked, “What is plan B?”  And Jesus said, “There is no plan B.”  

        As followers of Jesus the Christ, we are blessed in our lives.  If we walk in his ways, we will know his great joy.  But even more, we are called now to carry that Joy to all the earth.  That is the plan.  And there is no plan B.   Amen.