Sunday, February 5, 2023

February 4-6, 2023 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Matthew 5:13-20 “YOU ARE SUCH A GREAT BLESSING!”

 

EPIPHANY 5

February 4-6, 2023

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Matthew 5:13-20

 

“YOU ARE SUCH A GREAT BLESSING!”

1.     As you live your lives as salt.

2.     As you live your lives as light.

3.     As you live your lives as teachers.

 

          “You are such a blessing!” Have you ever heard or said that? Maybe you helped push someone’s car when they were stuck in the snow. Maybe someone shoveled all that plow slush from the end of your driveway. Maybe you are the primary caregiver for an aging parent. “You are such a blessing to me!” How did that make you feel? Good, right? You know why? Because it is good and godly to a blessing to other people and we feel good because it is good and that’s why God’s word for us today is such good news. Too often we get tricked into thinking that we need to do something great to have purpose or having meaning or be relevant but no less than the Lord Jesus Himself comes to us through His word, looks at you, looks at me and says, “You are such a great blessing!” simply for being who He made us to be. Let’s see why and how.

          We are in a part of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. His words are for all people to hear but especially directed at those following Him, His disciples. He corrects the bad teaching of the Pharisees and teachers of the law who taught you were not acceptable to God unless you lived like they did. Jesus taught that you were acceptable to God only through the forgiveness He provided. That changes everyone who believes in Jesus.

          “You are the salt of the earth.” When we think of salt we mostly think of its use to flavor food, or, this time of year, to melt snow and ice. The people of Jesus’ time knew its value for flavoring but likely they thought of another important use, a preservative. Before there was refrigeration meat was preserved by soaking it in barrels of salt water. The salt that the meat absorbed prevented it from becoming rotten. This is why you are such a great blessing. Simply be being you. At your Baptism you were brought into the family of God. You are believers in Jesus. Your presence as believers in this community and country are preserving it. Throughout history when God has had enough of blatant immorality and disregard for His will, He destroys. The world before the Flood. Sodom and Gomorrah. Rome. When that happens God ends people's time of grace. There is no longer a chance to repent. Souls are lost to Hell. As Christians we prevent that from happening. For the sake of ten God fearing souls, Sodom and Gomorrah would have been spared. So don’t get discouraged if everybody does not jump on our Jesus loving bandwagon. You are a reason this community and this country still enjoys God’s grace. You are still such a great blessing, as long as you maintain faith in Jesus. “But if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people.”

          You are also such a great blessing as you live your lives as light. “You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 15People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Now some of you may be remembering that Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” It’s one of His great I AM statements. Here he says we are. What gives? A good illustration often used is as the sun is to the moon, so Jesus is to us. He is the light of the world. He has chased away the darkness of sin death and the devil. He brought us from the darkness of unbelief to the light of faith. He has revealed what God’s good and holy will is. We are reflectors as the sun is to the moon. Now I don’t want anyone going away from here saying, “Pastor told us to moon people.” I didn’t. What I’m saying is reflect Jesus.

          As Jesus has loved you, love others. Not just the easy ones but especially those difficult for you. And know this, it is no easy task for Jesus to love people like you and me. As Jesus has forgiven you, forgive others. Freely. Fully. As Jesus served you, serve others. He cared about people’s physical and emotional needs but was never content with that. So you and I can care about other people, help them as we have opportunity, praying that we can build a relationship to the point we can talk to them about what they really need, the same Savior we need. As Jesus prioritized the work of His Father, we prioritize the work of our Father in heaven. Another thought. Jesus said, “Let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Shine in people’s presence. I am so glad the pandemic pushed us to offer online worship. It was a blessing for shutdown time. It has been a blessing for shut ins, people who are sick, when jobs have interfered. It has been a blessing for those who have moved to where there is no faithful to Christ church, people in the military, and our off to college students. For all our online worshippers we are glad to have you and if you need a pastor call us. For all those whose only way to worship is online keep it up. But for the rest of I’d like you to think about something. How are people going to see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven if you keep staying at home? You don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket, do you? You are such a great blessing as you live your life that can be seen, not hidden.

          And you are such a great blessing as you live you lives as teachers. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. 18Amen I tell you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not even the smallest letter, or even part of a letter, will in any way pass away from the Law until everything is fulfilled. 19So whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” There it is. Great. Jesus says you are a great blessing as you teach others to obey God’s commandments. Some portray Jesus as coming to proclaim a moral free for all. They misuse His forgiveness and mercy to set aside God’s holy will. Jesus does not. He came to uphold God’s will and keep it in our place. We are a blessing, a great blessing when we teach others God’s commandments as well. And no this is not just for pastors and teachers using Luther’s catechism. Some of you have been attending our Christian parenting class. We have been focusing on providing our children with the tools they need to thrive as Christians in a non Christian society with the goal of having them with us in heaven some day. For each of the tools the number one way for parents to teach is modeling. And this is how you are such a great blessing not by doing big things that make a splash but your quiet every day living for Christ. The way you talk and words you refuse to use. Your faithfulness at your job. Your kindness and your caring. The way you strive to live each day as a Christian is how you teach. You are such a great blessing.

          Jesus concluded this part of His sermon with some words that at first might sound scary. “Indeed I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and experts in the law, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The people hearing this must have gone, “Oh, no!” because outwardly the Pharisees lived pretty good lives. For us it would be like He said, “Unless you are nicer than Pastor Waldschmidt, you’re not going to heaven!” Guess I’m out. But I’m not. Neither are you. As believers in Jesus we are covered by His righteousness which is perfect. He’s the greatest blessing to us. Which is why we want to be a blessing to others. For about 150 years now, the people of St. Jacobi have understood the importance of their presence as salt, light and teachers. Not because of themselves but because they are connectors to Jesus. May God in His grace give us many more years of being such great blessings! Amen.

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