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Deeper Deeper Prayer Prayer Life Life A Sermon Series on A Sermon Series on Prayer Prayer
Deeper Deeper Prayer Prayer
LifeLife
A Sermon Series on A Sermon Series on PrayerPrayer
Praying ThroughPraying ThroughThe Sermon on the Mount:The Sermon on the Mount:
Your Mission Your Mission Must BeMust Be
ClearClear
Matthew 5:13-16Matthew 5:13-16
The passion to live righteous lives The passion to live righteous lives and the feeling of repugnance and the feeling of repugnance toward sin sometimes drive toward sin sometimes drive Christians to stay away from the Christians to stay away from the sinful environment. But our Lord sinful environment. But our Lord Jesus Christ affirms our unique Jesus Christ affirms our unique roles in the world. roles in the world.
He expects us to be both distinct He expects us to be both distinct from the people of the world and from the people of the world and yet fully involved in the society yet fully involved in the society where we live. Our distinctiveness where we live. Our distinctiveness and our presence will demonstrate and our presence will demonstrate a visible goodness that will a visible goodness that will challenge the community to follow challenge the community to follow our lead as we follow Jesus Christ.our lead as we follow Jesus Christ.
You are the SALTYou are the SALTof the Earth: of the Earth:
Living with a sense of Living with a sense of DistinctivenessDistinctiveness
(v. 13)(v. 13)
A A roughrough Dead Sea, Dead Sea, with salt deposits on cliffs.with salt deposits on cliffs.
Near Ein Gedi, salt builds up along Near Ein Gedi, salt builds up along the shores of the Dead Sea.the shores of the Dead Sea.
1.1. You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of Distinctiveness Distinctiveness (v. 13)(v. 13)
““You are the salt of the earth. But if You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer be made salty again? It is no longer
good for anything, except to be good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.thrown out and trampled by men.””
1.1. You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of Distinctiveness Distinctiveness (v. 13)(v. 13)
What were the uses of salt in Jesus' time?What were the uses of salt in Jesus' time?
1.1. CleansingCleansing1.1. PurifyingPurifying1.1. PreservingPreserving1.1. SeasoningSeasoning1.1. Antiseptic / DisinfectantAntiseptic / Disinfectant1.1. Sustaining moisture in humans in very Sustaining moisture in humans in very
dry climatesdry climates
1.1. You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of Distinctiveness Distinctiveness (v. 13)(v. 13)
““Christians are called the 'salt of the Christians are called the 'salt of the earth' because of their penetrating earth' because of their penetrating
and preserving power in a lost and preserving power in a lost world... Believers are salt. It is not an world... Believers are salt. It is not an
option. The only choice is what kind of option. The only choice is what kind of salt will they be. Salt can become salt will they be. Salt can become
adulterated and useless. Lost people adulterated and useless. Lost people are watching.” are watching.”
(Bob Utley; The First Christian Primer: Matthew)(Bob Utley; The First Christian Primer: Matthew)
1.1. You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of You are the SALT of the earth: Living with a sense of Distinctiveness Distinctiveness (v. 13)(v. 13)
• As the salt mixed with impurities As the salt mixed with impurities can lose its saltiness, so Christians can lose its saltiness, so Christians must be careful not to lose the must be careful not to lose the effectiveness of their testimonies.effectiveness of their testimonies.
““If salt If salt (v. 13)(v. 13) exercises the negative exercises the negative function of delaying decay and warns function of delaying decay and warns disciples of the danger of compromise disciples of the danger of compromise
and conformity to the world, then and conformity to the world, then light light (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16) speaks positively of speaks positively of
illuminating a sin-darkened world and illuminating a sin-darkened world and warns against a withdrawal from the warns against a withdrawal from the
world that does not lead others to world that does not lead others to glorify the Father in heaven.” glorify the Father in heaven.”
(Carson, 'Matthew')(Carson, 'Matthew')
You are the LIGHTYou are the LIGHTof the World: of the World:
Living with a sense of Living with a sense of DestinyDestiny(vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
““You are the light of the world. A You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 15 Neither do people light a lamp Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead and put it under a bowl. Instead
they put it on its stand, and it they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the gives light to everyone in the
house.house.””
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
““In the same way, let your light In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise see your good deeds and praise
your Father in heaven.your Father in heaven.””
What does light represent in the Bible?What does light represent in the Bible?
1.1. PurityPurity1.1. TruthTruth1.1. KnowledgeKnowledge1.1. Divine RevelationDivine Revelation1.1. God’s PresenceGod’s Presence1.1. God’s DirectionGod’s Direction
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
• ““Flight into the invisible is a denial Flight into the invisible is a denial of the call. A community of Jesus of the call. A community of Jesus which seeks to hide itself has which seeks to hide itself has ceased to follow him.” ceased to follow him.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Cost of Discipleship)(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Cost of Discipleship)
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
““Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great living in darkness have seen a great
light; on those living in the land of the light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” shadow of death a light has dawned.”
(Matthew 4:15-16)(Matthew 4:15-16)
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
““When Jesus spoke again to the When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, people, he said,
‘‘I am the light of the world. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk Whoever follows me will never walk
in darkness, but will have in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” the light of life.’”
(John 8:12)(John 8:12)
• As the moon derives its light from As the moon derives its light from the sun, so Christians reflect the the sun, so Christians reflect the holiness of Jesus Christ in their lives.holiness of Jesus Christ in their lives.
1.1. You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of You are the LIGHT of the world: Living with a sense of Destiny Destiny (vv. 14-16)(vv. 14-16)
For we must consider that we shall be as a For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken... our God in this work we have undertaken... we shall be made a story and a by-word we shall be made a story and a by-word throughout the world. We shall open the throughout the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God... We shall shame the faces of many of God... We shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants, and cause their of God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us til prayers to be turned into curses upon us til we be consumed out of the good land we be consumed out of the good land whither we are a-going. whither we are a-going. (John Winthrop)(John Winthrop)
"It is not easy to be a dedicated "It is not easy to be a dedicated Christian. Our society is not a friend to Christian. Our society is not a friend to God nor to God’s people. Whether we God nor to God’s people. Whether we like it or not, there is conflict between like it or not, there is conflict between us and the world. Why? Because we us and the world. Why? Because we are different from the world and we are different from the world and we
have different attitudes." have different attitudes." (Warren W. Wiersbe)(Warren W. Wiersbe)
ConclusionConclusion
While there is an "occupational While there is an "occupational hazard" attached to the roles of hazard" attached to the roles of
Christians, there is a greater "blessing" Christians, there is a greater "blessing" that results to the believers' carrying that results to the believers' carrying
out these roles. And it is a crucial out these roles. And it is a crucial blessing because the health of the blessing because the health of the world depends on the Christians' world depends on the Christians'
"saltiness" and “brightness.”"saltiness" and “brightness.”
ConclusionConclusion
Our clear mission from the Lord is this:Our clear mission from the Lord is this:
ConclusionConclusion
That we become who He wants us to That we become who He wants us to become and that we do what He wants become and that we do what He wants
us to do. us to do. He wants us to become Christlike in He wants us to become Christlike in every way and He wants us to serve every way and He wants us to serve
Him as His witnesses.Him as His witnesses.
Our clear mission from the Lord is this:Our clear mission from the Lord is this:
ConclusionConclusion
He calls us to ABIDE in Christ and then He calls us to ABIDE in Christ and then to ADVANCE His Kingdom.to ADVANCE His Kingdom.
Know Christ Know Christ and and Make Him KnownMake Him Known
