February 9 2020 Scout Sunday *Matthew 5.13-20, Isaiah 58.1-12 “Love Lights the Street You’re Walking On” [8 30 service only]
The other day, I was meditating on the biblical concept of light. I often think about how inconvenient it was when during a snow storm a few years ago the electricity went out because the ice and snow was so heavy it caused the electric wires to fall down. [slide # 1 snow – lines down] Another time a car hit an electric pole and we were without electricity for several hours. [slide # 2 car hit pole] In times like that, we are often fortunate to have some daylight or candles and flashlights. Some even have generators to keep their homes running like normal.
When the lights go out at home, we are ready with a backup plan. But have you ever been in the mall when the lights go out? Have you been at work or on vacation? One of the worst case scenarios that came to mind is being in the dark of night, in the woods. Clouds overshadow the moonlight. It is pitch black. You cannot even see your hand in front of your face. There are holes in the ground that you stumble on as you try to walk forward. Branches push us to and fro. We can see animal eyes glowing in the dark. [slide # 3 animal eyes] The sound of bird wings fluttering, owls hooting, and what is certain to be furry animals bustling about at speeds faster than any human, howling for their dinner and you hope they are not looking to take a bite out of you.
There are times that our need for light is not only convenient but a matter of life and death. [slide # 4 life or death] Can you think of a person or a situation that is in a dark place? Is their need for light a matter of convenience or a matter of life and death?
There are situations that are a matter of life and death. There are people who are on the edge of destruction. Who are they? What is his name? What is her name? Whoever it is, you are not only a prayer away from them. You are their light. Jesus says to you today, “You are the light of the world.” You are the help they need to make it safely in their journey. You are the illumination that reveals the blessings that they desperately need. You make a difference in their life. YOU!! Jesus said, “You!!” [slide # 5 sheep on back]
Can you handle that responsibility? Are you available to be a light? Ae you willing to be a light? [slide # 6 man bowed sadly]
Jesus also says we Christians are the salt of the earth. A little salt goes a long way in making food taste better. Nutritionists do say if we eat over a teaspoon of salt in a day, our health is at risk. It is up to us Salty Christians to pray for God to give us wisdom in order to have just the right amount to keep both the spiritual and physical atmosphere balanced and risk-free. You do know that God is faithful to give you wisdom if you ask.
Pastor Clair Sauer of Tennessee did some research on salt saying, “… 40 million tons are required each year to fill our needs. Homer [writer of the Iliad and the Odyssey] called salt divine. Plato called it a "substance dear to the gods." Shakespeare mentioned salt 17 times in his plays. Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci wanted to send a subtle message about purity lost when he painted "The last Supper." [slide # 7 Last Supper ] In that painting an overturned salt cellar [shaker] is conspicuously placed before Judas. [slide # 8 Judas and spilled salt diagram] In ancient Greece a far-flung trade involving the exchange of salt for slaves gave rise to the expression, "...not worth his salt." Special salt rations were given to Roman soldiers and known as "Solarium Argentums" the forerunner of the English word "salary." Thousands of Napoleon's troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal--their bodies lacked salt. The human body contains about 4oz. of salt. Without enough of it, muscles won't contract, blood won't circulate, food won't digest and the heart won't beat a beat. Without a doubt, salt is the essence of life. And Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth."”
As the salt of the earth, we can be the spice of life [slide # 9 spice of life] for those who need to taste and see that the Lord is God, for those who need to see that Christians are good.
In 1963, Pastor Sauer’s grandfather was serving as the Senior Minister of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville. No doubt they said thousands of prayers in that church, but this story tells us that prayer doesn’t make holy unless we want to be holy. She tells this story about an event in the 60’s: West End is situated right across the street from Vanderbilt University, [slide # 10 Vanderbilt University] and has always been a wealthy, predominately white church. One communion Sunday, a black family happened to be worshipping at West End, and like the rest of the congregation, they came forward to receive the meal. Without a sidelong thought, my grandfather served them the bread and juice just as he did the rest of the congregation…And as soon as church dismissed that day, the Administrative Board went into a meeting. A few hours later, they called my grandfather into the room, and though my grandfather was greatly liked by all the people of West End, they asked for his immediate resignation because he served communion to blacks. My grandfather told the gathered group that if that was really the way they felt, then he was not the right minister for them anyway. In stunned silence, the members of the board said nothing more…They knew that he was right. My grandfather stayed at West End for many more years, and in that time, other blacks came to worship there as well. Pastor Sauer’s grandfather spiced the Church up in a very good way.
Another touchy subject these days is the corona virus. There is much fear and panic around our world as people are dying. We seem to be moving from the virus being an epidemic to becoming a pandemic. [slide # 11 coronavirus] This virus, with prongs like those on a crown – thus the name corona – is causing health care workers to stay overtime for 12-14 hours. Cities are being shut down. Can you imagine what it is like to suddenly, suddenly not be able to drive out of town whenever you want to? People are panicking, fighting, resisting and resenting. Hundreds are being detained in airports for days hoping to get back to their jobs, families and vacations. One source says, if the virus is not stopped soon, it will become endemic – that is people will die from the corona virus as commonly as people die every flu season.
In the year 260, the Black Plague ripped through the Roman Empire and according to historian Rodney Starks, Dionysius (Bishop of Alexandria) wrote that the non-Christians pushed those who suffered away and fled for their lives, but Christians stayed to minister to the infected and dying to the point that they the even died themselves. They knew the risks and they were willing to take them. (source Will Willimon)
That is the kind of Christian we want to be! That is, if God calls us to do so. As we pray about everything, we realize we are not called to make every sacrifice that can be made. Neither are we called to live only for luxury and ease. We are called to live for Jesus – to seek him diligently, to serve him faithfully, and to obey him quickly. Then we can be a light for those who need a lamp to see where God is leading them. [slide # 12 lit path in woods] Then we can be the salt that causes others to taste and see that the Lord is good and that we are good, too! [slide # 13 salty Christians] Amen. [slide # 14 …never forget you are loved] [slide # 15 you are not only loved, you…]
No comments:
Post a Comment