Feb. 9, 2014 5th Sunday after Epiphany

Matthew 5:13-20

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
   14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
    17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.


“The Righteousness of Love”

You can’t just talk it; you have to live it!
We are called to be caring not religious; compassionate not righteous; committed not remote.  Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:8, Amos 5:21-24;Is 58:6-9a

The righteousness which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisee’s is the righteousness not of obedience to the law and holy ritual but the righteousness born of and expressed in love.

Love which is not just interested in talking about Jesus but is also into living in the spirit of Jesus.  A love which is able to live with uncertainty and still risk for the sake of God’s love at work in and through us.

Feb. 5, 1984   “Be Salt...A light...Real”

With God we always get more then we bargained for.  We get more love, more forgiveness, more acceptance, more grace.
And we are asked to give more then we bargained for.
For God never lets us go, never lets us down, nor does God ever let us OFF!

We are to be salt;  salt brings out the natural flavor; gets lost in the ingredients; and too much of it spoils the taste.  Our love for our God is hidden in our living.  It enhances someone else's living. It dare not be overdone lest it spoil the good we seek to accomplish.

We are to be a light on a hill - so it cannot be missed.  A light which shines in the darkness and the darkness can not overcome it because it comes from He who IS the light of the world.

We are to be salt and light in a real way.  So that what we say and do might be a part of the real world; might be something of God’s grace at work in the real world.