Dearest e-votees-
This Sunday we are celebrating a baptism here at Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran. We are remembering the good promises God makes to Abigail and to all of us. We are made right with God through what Jesus has done. We are restored into right relationship. We are made well (what salvation means in the fullest sense).
And then we are given opportunities to live and serve in ways that bring glory to God. I have always loved the part of the baptismal service where we quote Matthew 5:16 where Jesus says: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Peace,
Karl
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This Sunday we are celebrating a baptism here at Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran. We are remembering the good promises God makes to Abigail and to all of us. We are made right with God through what Jesus has done. We are restored into right relationship. We are made well (what salvation means in the fullest sense).
And then we are given opportunities to live and serve in ways that bring glory to God. I have always loved the part of the baptismal service where we quote Matthew 5:16 where Jesus says: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Peace,
Karl
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13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:13-20, NRSV
What does it mean to say that we are the light of the world? Or that we are the salt of the earth? Are we something that brings life to the world? Or are we more like a revealing or an intensifying agent? Are we the bread of life? Or are we the salt that can help that bread be more fully engaged by the world? Are we the light that has come into the world? Or are we a conduit or lens or mirror or some other optical channel that helps reveal Jesus, the true light coming into the world?
Our text study group this week spent a good deal of time talking about righteousness not being strictly about doing the right and proper things but being in right relationship. The call to be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees isn't about being more pious than they (which would be exceedingly hard to do) but rather to be more fully restored into the relationships for which God has created us.
Jesus has come into the world to fulfill the law and the prophets (and the psalms, see Luke 24:44). Our task is to allow ourselves to be entered into the kingdom of heaven through what Christ has done. The world needs the bread of life who gave himself in communion and on the cross. Our spiritual hunger can most fully be sated through Christ. It we lead salty lives God just may be able to use that to bring more folks to the table. The dark world in which we dwell needs the light of the world, Jesus, to draw us out of our sin and isolation into restored community with God. If we lead shiny lives God just may be able to use that to bring more folks out of the shadows.
The scribes and Pharisees seemed more interested in having everyone know they were more righteous and more faithful than others than just about anything else. We can't compete with their piety. And we don't have to. Jesus has done what is required. We are back in right relationship with God. And when people see us living that way, and perhaps even hear our testimony to that end, they will see and taste the good works that Jesus has done in our lives and give glory to his Father and our Father in heaven. Thanks be to God.
God, make us salty and shiny all to your glory. Amen.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore, 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 does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Our text study group this week spent a good deal of time talking about righteousness not being strictly about doing the right and proper things but being in right relationship. The call to be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees isn't about being more pious than they (which would be exceedingly hard to do) but rather to be more fully restored into the relationships for which God has created us.
Jesus has come into the world to fulfill the law and the prophets (and the psalms, see Luke 24:44). Our task is to allow ourselves to be entered into the kingdom of heaven through what Christ has done. The world needs the bread of life who gave himself in communion and on the cross. Our spiritual hunger can most fully be sated through Christ. It we lead salty lives God just may be able to use that to bring more folks to the table. The dark world in which we dwell needs the light of the world, Jesus, to draw us out of our sin and isolation into restored community with God. If we lead shiny lives God just may be able to use that to bring more folks out of the shadows.
The scribes and Pharisees seemed more interested in having everyone know they were more righteous and more faithful than others than just about anything else. We can't compete with their piety. And we don't have to. Jesus has done what is required. We are back in right relationship with God. And when people see us living that way, and perhaps even hear our testimony to that end, they will see and taste the good works that Jesus has done in our lives and give glory to his Father and our Father in heaven. Thanks be to God.
God, make us salty and shiny all to your glory. Amen.
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