Last time, we began a study on the most well-known teaching Jesus ever gave—the so-called "Sermon on the Mount,"named because He gave it to a very large group of people from the top of a hill next to the Sea of Galilee.
I noted that its theme is the kingdom of heaven (a synonym for the "kingdom of God")—see Matthew 5:3, 10, 19–20; 7:21. As God's King, He invites His hearers into God's kingdom and explains how life under God's loving rule is radically different from life lived under both religious and secular power structures.
Last time, we looked at Jesus' instruction on how His followers can have the kind of true happiness God desires for us. Now He turns to instruction on the kind of impact God wants us to have on the world of human society.
It is another famous passage—many of you are probably familiar with it—but read it carefully (read Matthew 5:13–16).
Before we look more closely at what it means to be salt and light, we need to make sure we understand what Jesus is saying here.
Jesus said in John 8:12 (read): "I am the light of the world."
We who follow Jesus are the light of the world because He is the true light who shines through us.
Yet God loves them and wants to be reconciled with them—which is why He reaches out to them through Jesus and His followers.
Involvement and Distinctiveness
(Elsewhere, Jesus calls this being “in” the world but not “of” it — John 17:15–17.)
We are to be in close contact with and personally involved with people who don’t know Christ.
All attempts to isolate ourselves from the world are fundamentally wrong-headed.
(Think: monastic movements; Christian cultural “ghettos”)
We are to be distinct from people who don’t know Christ.
This is why Jesus’ main concern is not how horrible the world is being (what do you expect?)—
but whether His people are being what they are supposed to be.¹
Is it proclamation or demonstration?
Certainly, it involves talking with people about Christ—
sharing the good news of God’s grace, how Jesus has changed your life, and inviting people to receive and follow Him.
Jesus commands us to do this (Luke 24:47), and it is a key part of the ethos of every healthy church.
However, this is not what Jesus is emphasizing when He says we should be salt and light.
Instead, He is emphasizing that we should exhibit a way of life that attracts rather than repels people from the message,
a way of life that confirms the gospel rather than contradicts it.
Let me show you why this is the case:
Jesus’ original audience would have understood “salt and light” this way.
I think this is a very encouraging passage. Very few of us are powerful speakers, charismatic conversationalists, or persuasive intellectuals. But Jesus says that we can still have great spiritual impact—even on people who may never respond to public preaching or debate.
If you are willing to get involved with people and show them the life of Christ, you will find many becoming open to the message of Christ that you share in your own personal way.
Salt in the ancient world had two main uses: seasoning and preservation. Meat without salt is both bland in taste and prone to rapid decay.
Jesus seems to be emphasizing salt as seasoning in Matthew 5:13 ("tasteless").
Explain how Dead Sea salt could become unsalty—due to contamination or leaching.
Life apart from a vital love relationship with God is ultimately tasteless, insipid. Even God’s good gifts lose their flavorwhen they are put in God's place.
Jesus’ followers are meant to exemplify a flavorful life—but sadly, they are often insipidity personified.
What does it look like to be salty in this sense?
Three other passages provide answers:
Read Mark 9:50. Jesus again uses the language of "unsalty salt"—but now links being salty with being at peace with one another.
As we saw earlier, biblical peace means more than the absence of conflict—it means the presence of relational closeness and harmony.
Being salty involves close love relationships with other Christians.
Read John 13:34–35; 17:21,23 and note the connection:
Our love for one another draws people in and makes them open to God.
Why? Because everyone longs for healthy, close relationships.
When people don’t have this, but see others who do, they become curious and open (e.g., home church testimonies).
Do you have this?
Read Luke 14:33–35. Jesus again uses salt imagery, this time linking it to costly, total commitment to Himself.
Is He saying you must give all your possessions to a commune and take a vow of poverty?
No—but He is calling for something far more radical.
Everything you possess—your money, time, talents, relationships, plans—should be voluntarily given over to Him to be used for His purposes.
(OWNER vs. STEWARD mindset)
What is unsalty? Nominalism.
As a child, I saw many “Christians” who lived for tribalism and materialism just like everyone else.
Who needs the extra religious baggage?
But when people see that your commitment to Christ affects your lifestyle, they take Him seriously—especially family members and long-standing friends.
This explains the appeal of movies about sacrificial causes—Braveheart, The Patriot, Gladiator.
Have you given your life to a cause greater than yourself?
Read Colossians 4:5–6. Paul uses salt as a metaphor for gracious, seasoned conversation with those who don’t know God.
While we may disagree with people’s beliefs and behaviors, we must communicate with grace—showing they are precious to God, that He loves and accepts them, and is ready to receive them through Christ.
This attitude opens doors to gospel conversations (Col. 4:6b).
Jesus excelled at this.
They were drawn to Him as strongly as they were repelled by the Pharisees.
Sadly, American Christianity has many unsalty Pharisees:
This is why the biggest single barrier to people coming to Christ today is other Christians.
Would your non-Christian neighbors or coworkers, regardless of disagreement, say that you genuinely love and accept them?
Think of the total darkness of the ancient world. When you're in complete darkness, you:
That’s how life without God is—you don’t really know how to live or relate to others. You get confused and damaged.
What’s needed? Light.
Someone who shows how life works.
Paul and Peter develop this metaphor in two key ways:
Read Ephesians 5:3–4, 8–11.
When Paul says we should "expose" deeds of darkness, he means expose them by positive contrast—by living differently.
He highlights two areas:
Read 1 Peter 2:12.
Peter echoes Jesus—without using the word “light”—but with the same idea. He then applies this to social roles (1 Pet. 2:13–3:7). Paul does the same in:
Examples:
SUMMARIZE: The issue is not perfection, but direction.I wonder how many of you came to Christ largely through the influence ofChristians who were salt and light to you. I want you to listen to the story ofa friend of mine who was very far from God when someone in this church was saltand light to her (VIDEO TESTIMONY).
Gospel: If you're tasting the flavor, like thelight--why not come to the Source?
[1] "When society does go bad, we Christianstend to throw up our hands in pious horror and reproach the non-Christianworld; but should we not reproach ourselves? One can hardly blame unsalted meatfor going bad. It cannot do anything else. The real question to ask is: whereis the salt?" John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on theMount (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1978), p. 65.