5 February 2023 Epiphany5
Isaiah 58:1-9a; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; Matthew 5:13-20
The last sentence in today’s gospel is one which may leave some of us a little overawed, or at least a little confused. Is Jesus really suggesting that the disciples be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees who are the holders of all the law and how to keep them. I mean, how do you become better than those who, by their own admission, are the ‘bee’s knees’ at keeping God’s laws.
And the thing is, most of us are familiar with the 10 Commandments, but in Hebrew Law there were 612 commandments which everyone was supposed to both know and keep. They ranged from the ones we all find important, like – don’t murder, don’t steal; to others which only some of us are in favour of like – who we can or can’t sleep with or whether it is right to charge interest on our loans; and then there are those which few of us find important like – what hairstyle is permitted or whether you are allowed put yoghurt or labneh on your meat skewers. Now most of us would agree that our understanding of, and the application of, the biblical law has changed as a result of the salvation given us by Jesus, but that does not solve our dilemma about what laws we are still supposed to be upholding. And this can be a major problem for many people because if the law tells us what God expects and requires from us, then knowing how to understand and obey them is obviously going to be important. And the passage we have heard this morning is the most explicit teaching we have from Jesus on the subject. But it can still sound very confusing.
So if entry into the kingdom of God depends on our righteousness outshining the resident experts in the study and application of the law, and not an iota or dot is to be omitted, then what chance do we really have because we really don’t know how to work out what we should be following. And added to that, Jesus tells us we are to be salt of the earth and a shining light to everyone else on how to live out these rules and law.
But let’s return to the beginning of the passage. You are salt of the earth and light of the world. A big ask. But this statement is not an instruction of what we should be doing; it is an assurance of what already is. You are salt of the earth; you are light of the world. And the rest simply tells us what a difference our salt and light can be for the earth and the world. So, if you were to examine your life over the last couple of weeks, where do you see God using you to be salt of the earth, or light of the world. Have you offered words of encouragement to someone; perhaps you have volunteered somewhere. And yes, these things may seem ‘small potatoes’ in the grand scheme of life, but God often uses the ‘small’ to change the world. As the jingle in the ad says ‘from little things, big things grow’; small words of encouragement, small acts of kindness, can have a huge effect on those touched by them.
But sometimes it is hard for us to see ourselves as ‘salt’ or ‘light’ because we don’t think there is anything special about who we are or what we do. However when we think about and we examine our lives, it probably is not hard to see examples of where God has used me, used you, to help someone else. Or maybe, at first, it is easier to see where God has used someone else to help another person, or even you. And then, with practice, you will begin to recognise God working through you for the good of others.
Last week we heard how God calls blessed all sorts of people we don’t usually refer to as blessed. And we heard how it is in these people we can see God most clearly. If you are light of the world, is your light shining, or is it a bit dim and hidden. If you are salt of the earth, is your salt being spread around to give taste and flavour to the world, or is it just being kept safe and dry in the salt shaker. God calls and sends us into our communities, within those hungering for righteousness; those poor in spirit and those who are merciful; these are the people God blesses and calls us to bless.
And when we look at our news cycles, at our communities, at the social media feeds, we see a world struggling to find purpose and peace. We need salt and light in this world. And God has already provided it, in and through everyone seated here. You are loved. You are blessed. You are salt and light. But remember, God hasn’t finished with any of us yet; God will continue to bless the world through our prayers, our words, our actions as faithful disciples of Jesus. Jesus has given us some awesome promises today, and we will all be changed by them.