Epiphany: Be(ing) Salt & Light
Matthew 5:13-20 CEB
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? It’s good for nothing except to be thrown away and trampled under people’s feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Don’t even begin to think that I have come to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I haven’t come to do away with them but to fulfill them. 18 I say to you very seriously that as long as heaven and earth exist, neither the smallest letter nor even the smallest stroke of a pen will be erased from the Law until everything there becomes a reality. 19 Therefore, whoever ignores one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps these commands and teaches people to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I say to you that unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the legal experts and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
GATHERING FOR SUNDAY
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Following the worship gathering, worship services will be uploaded to our website and will be available at www.newdaycov.org/listen.
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I invite you to read through the Scripture texts to prepare for worship for this coming Sunday: Psalm 112:4-9; Isaiah 58:3-9a; 1 Corinthians 2:1-11; Matthew 5:13-16.
The Gospel of Matthew will be the sermon focus, where we continue along with Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. This was Jesus' new manifesto given to His disciples on how to live into the summation of the Law- Love the LORD your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself- this is the how of discipling after Jesus, where we Be with Jesus, Become Like Him, and Do what He did.
As Jesus continued teaching His disciples, he compares them to salt and light. Two very common elements in His time, and ones that are still common now! Too much or not enough of either element is noticeable, and the purposes of each are significant. I have to say, that I am grateful at the basic, everyday things Jesus used to point us to God, and also how we can live out His life in our own lives.
I am looking forward as always, to sharing God's Word with you this Sunday, and grow with you.
Pastor Kari