I Want to Know Christ

Posted by Chris on January 4, 2004 under Sermons

A Story about “Who you Know …”

• When I was a boy, a new family moved in on the other side of the county road out on our mountain inBrentwood. The new family had built a large house for his family on a great expanse of land. The housewas well off the road and was only accessible by a smaller road that was gated. I remember my familytalking about the strangers who were moving in. We heard he was a wealthy Texan moving out to thecountry for seclusion. My uncle knew the older man who tended the new homeowner’s farmland. Whenmy cousin and I were selling candy for our school we asked the farmhand if we should sell to the man- it only heightened the mystery of these newcomers when the farmhand told us that the Texan probablywouldn’t care to be bothered by such stuff. We assumed that to mean that he was some sort of recluse,so though my cousins and I could roam just about anywhere on the mountain, we were instructed notto disturb the new family and don’t go through the gate to their land.
• Well imagine my concern the day my cousin David, bored and looking for something to do, suggestedwe go over and visit the new house.
  “But we aren’t supposed to go there David,” I said.
  “Don’t worry, we’ll be able to get in – and I hear he has a swimming pool!”
• So we set off on our bikes and down the narrow shaded road to the new house. When we came to thegate, we climbed over and slid our bikes underneath. And farther down the road we came upon thishouse that was amazing to me – it had large picture windows and two stories – the only other two storystructure on the mountain was our barn. None of our houses were so amazing. This was the kind ofhouse you see on movies. I was a bit nervous when we came to the door, but David was truly confidentand pressed the doorbell (no one on the farm had doorbells!) I wondered what old the man who ownedthis house would be like. Would he meet us with a shotgun? Would he shout at us? Would he call thesheriff?
• I was surprised when a rather ordinary and kind looking fellow in a sweater and spectacles came to thedoor and said “Hello.”
  David said “Hello, we live over across the road – we’re friends of your son.”
  “Of course,” said the older man. I’ll tell him you’re here, come in.”
  And as we entered into the house a tall boy, only a few years older than my cousin David, with blond hairand glasses greeted us. This was the man’s son, and he showed us around his house and even showedus the swimming pool. It was all quite an adventure.
• When I finally got home and my mom asked me where we had gone today she did a double takewhen I said “We went to the new house across the county road.” Sensing her shock andconcern I then said, “It’s okay; we know his son.”

It’s not just what you know, it’s who you know!

1. Knowing Christ is important for our destination (at the judgment, it’s not what you know, but whoyou know – Do you know Christ?)

   This is Paul’s sentiment in Philippians 3 … (see the context, Paul would gladly dispose of everything he knows just to know Christ!)
   ⁷But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸What is more, I considereverything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sakeI have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having arighteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousnessthat comes from God and is by faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and thefellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to theresurrection from the dead. – Philippians 3:7-11

   Paul’s vision is on the destination (judgment, eternity) but he also has his sights on the current moment ashe communicates in the next few verses:
   ¹⁴I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Allof us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that tooGod will make clear to you. ¹⁶Only let us live up to what we have already attained. – Philippians 3:14-16

2. Knowing Christ makes a difference in the journey.

   • (allusion to story – knowing the son made a difference in the way we were received, but italso made a difference in what we did that single day – he set out on an adventure withconfidence, we overcame barriers, we were inspired by a vision of marvelous, mysteriousthings)
   • The Christian Life is a journey …

Ephesians 1 – “Christian Life” is “A Life In Christ”

• God has blessed us through his son – Jesus Christ. Christ is God “up close and in person.” ReadEphesians 1:3-12
• Eleven times Paul praises God for what we have received “in Christ.” What are these blessings? Here are five definite blessings mentioned in this text (watch these closely as they will come upagain in our future worship preaching)
  1. IN CHRIST, He chose us and
  2. has made us holy and blameless in God’s presence
  3. THROUGH CHRIST, he adopted us as his children
  4. THROUGH HIS BELOVED SON, He has poured out his grace on us …
     • Which means that IN CHRIST we have redemption through his blood.
     • Which means that IN CHRIST we have forgiveness for our sins – allbecause of his grace.
  5. He has made known to us the mystery of his plan to sum everything up IN CHRIST – thingsin heaven and also on earth

     • If God has made himself KNOWN to us IN CHRIST, then shouldn’t we wantto know him?
     • To share in the divine nature even in our everyday human life, isn’t that wasJesus – God in the flesh was about? These blessings are related to ourknowing Christ and sharing in the divine nature

I Want to Know Christ –

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become therighteousness of God. We’ve always noticed the first part but have we paid attention to the second part?
• At the heart and core of salvation is a relationship – a relationship with Christ. He takes up ournature so that we might take up his nature.
• Knowing Christ = a purpose in life even now – Jesus Christ has given our life incredible value andpurpose – to be the righteousness of God. He took up our nature so we can take up his. We can beborn again as a new humanity. (more on this next week.)
• The Christian way of life – [A Life In Christ – Becoming the Righteousness of God] – It is a way of lifefor the here and now and not just the hereafter. It is about concrete streets as much as it is aboutgolden streets. In fact, if the Christian way of life has nothing to do with right now, then why didJesus come to us in the flesh – fully human, though fully God?

CONCLUSION – [Challenge]

• The old doomsayer’s slogan was “Prepare to meet thy God.”
• The best way to prepare to meet him is to know him – even now!

Meeting is not the same things as knowing!

The most important person you can ever know is Jesus Christ. . .

I want every person here to be prepared for more than just meeting God! I want you to know God! I want you to know Christ!

This is the journey I’m inviting you to share with me. We’re going to pass through some barriersand we may go through places where fearful people say we shouldn’t go, but don’t worry – weknow the son – that will make the reception at journey’s end sweet – but it will make the journeyeven better!

Light and Shadows

Posted by Chris on December 21, 2003 under Sermons

How long had old Simeon been waiting to see the Messiah? When he heard the Holy Spirit’s promise that he would not die until he saw the Lord’s Anointed One, what did he expect?

• Perhaps he expected that in his lifetime he would see the triumphant warrior-king of God take over the throne of Israel and restore the glory of David’s kingdom.
• Perhaps he thought that he might serve the king as a faithful son of Israel in his prime.
• But as the years rolled on and there was no sign of a Messiah, Simeon must have had moments of doubt.

Anna waits too. She’s a godly woman. She is well-respected and comes to the Temple daily – often she stays from sunrise to sunset. She has the gift of prophecy and that is exceptional. In a society where women are not given much respect, it is astounding when a woman claims to speak for the Lord God. Anna’s manner of life is above reproach and that lends to her credibility.

Anna’s from the North country, but she and Simeon have a lot in common, these two aged Israelites. They are both quite old and their lives span almost a century. During that century they have seen dark days.

• The Roman invasion and subjugation of Judea
• Ever increasing taxation
• Moral decline, beginning with Herod – the king who claimed to be a Jew.
• Samaritan attacks and the desecration of the temple.

Simeon hopes for the day that Israel can be comforted.
Anna has taught her students that despite all the difficulties of the age, God will keep the promises he made to Abraham and rescue Israel – he will make this declining nation into something wonderful.
Simeon and Anna are waiting for a ray of God’s light to pierce the darkness.

So, when the aged Simeon with his wrinkled, crippled hands holds this six-week old child his hope is fulfilled. All the years of waiting and praying, the recommitment to believe the Spirit’s promise all pays off in this one simple moment – he has seen with his own eyes the salvation of Israel. Now Simeon is at peace. His wait is over.

Simeon has spiritual insight. Chalk it up to the power of the Holy Spirit and years of waiting to see what God has promised. Though he is old, Simeon’s spiritual vision is keen and sharp. He knows that though he has waited for years to see the Lord’s savior and receives this as a blessing, he knows that some will not be so receptive. And so his blessing for Mary and the child speaks of the grand destiny of the child Jesus – yes, Jesus represents hope and salvation, but that which makes Jesus a hope for many also threatens others.

"This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵ so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Simeon’s blessing has a shadow in it. Some will fall and some will rise. Some will accept the sign and others will speak out against it. Why? Because the inner thoughts and motives of all will be revealed. . .

1. Rejection: Simeon knows that the sign to be opposed and rejected threatens what is already there. Everything is not a-okay until Christ arrives and makes it difficult. No, the pain and disease is under the surface and eating away on humanity and the world. The light of Christ simply uncovers it all and makes it known. When you turn on the light, it creates shadows. Some things reject the light.
   Illustration: Thomas Kincade’s portraits. Shadows are absent. We may try to connect Jesus only to that which is positive and cheerful, but there is a bitter assumption for the good news. Jesus is a savior and needing a savior assumes that there are people who need saving. A doctor is a worthy profession, but there would be no doctors if there were not sickness.

2. Renewal: Change and renewal are not always embraced. The experience can be painful and demand sacrifice and even loss. Resurrection follows a death. This is why we must reflect and count the cost of discipleship. There is an investment – a costly one. When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die. Hope is made possible but only through sacrifice. But some would rather remain in the cold shadows than risk the challenge of renewal. They would rather deny than decide.
3. Decision: Jesus will bring the truth to light – and that is risky. Revealing the truth calls those who confront truth into a crisis of decision! You have to decide. You cannot remain unaffected. You can reject, but you cannot be unimpressed if you really understand what Jesus’ presence and mission really is!
4. Simeon and Anna stand apart from those who reject Christ because they realize that the very old promises of God can be kept in new and unexpected ways. They decide to receive the child rather than reject him. And they are renewed!

After Simeon’s blessing, Anna steps up and places a hand on Mary’s shoulder. She smiles and looks at the child. Her students have gathered around and she tells them though she is not certain if she will live to see it, that many of them will see with their own eyes God’s redemption of Jerusalem. They will see the rule of God spread out from Jerusalem and into the far reaches of the earth. This child is the light of the world!

It’s been centuries since old Simeon and Anna saw the Light of the World come into the world. Simeon died in peace. Like all righteous men, he longed to see God’s work done on earth. When he saw Jesus, he had all the hope he needed.

Since the time of Simeon and Anna, the great battle was won too. The enemy is defeated, but he has not conceded. He will never concede until Jesus brings his light into the world once more. Wouldn’t it be great to see that before you die?

You don’t have to be old to be like Simeon and Anna. If you’ve just had enough darkness and are looking to see a ray of light. If you want peace in your heart – having no fear of death or darkness. Then you are Simeon. You are Anna.

Keep watch! Keep praying! You may yet see the Light of the World shine forth ever brighter in your lifetime!

Great Expectations

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Our depictions of the birth reveal something of about our assumptions and expectations.

• Who’s in the picture and who’s not? Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Wise Men?
• Where’s the child? Cradled? Set apart? Halo or Non-Halo?
• Angels: Male, female, ghostly, chubby babies?
• Joseph: Old or Young?
• Mary: Motherly, Young, Ordinary or Halo?

• It is possible to place our assumptions and expectations onto the Kingdom . . . and the King

Our American heritage, which rejected kings and royalty, cannot adequately comprehend the importance of Jesus’ birth story. The result is the story of his birth is a sort of birthday story. And the remembrance of his birth in America has been transformedinto a birthday celebration for Christ. But the biblical proclamation about this birth announces that expectations are going tochange because reality is going to change. In fact, it is a proclamation of the birth of the king – it is good and it is news!

• Isaiah 9 – The birth of the child that changes the order of things that is assumed or is expected. But even though theKing is expected, he doesn’t always meet expectations!
• Certainly not at his birth – this was no ruler born in a fine palace.
• Not even in his ministry – his disciples didn’t always get it and wondered when the war would break out.
• And even his family’s expectations were challenged.
• Including his cousin and the preacher who prepared the way. Even he had a moment of failed expectations . . .

John the Baptist: The Disappointed Prophet – Matt. 11

John the Baptist was having a weak-kneed moment. He is tired – a heaviness of heart. One of those moments where hewonders – has it all been worth it? Was it all for nothing? Have the choices that brought me to this point been worth it?

Now But Not Yet

Posted by Chris on November 9, 2003 under Sermons

David and I have spoken often about managing the transition that the two of us are experiencing in this ministry partnership. I think we are doing a good job of it. Tonight I want to share with you the testimony of a man in transition – namely, me. As I mentioned this morning, a bond has been forming between my family and this church. Even before I moved we felt connected and we longed to be with you. And even though I am here NOW, I know that in some ways I am NOT YET here. Up until a week ago I was living in Lake Jackson, Texas, but felt my heart and hope centered in Fort Smith. And NOW I am living in Fort Smith, but my family is NOT YET here. That’s the nature of transition. A reality exists NOW but it is NOT YET realized. It’s like an engagement: a couple is in love and they have a ring and a wedding date NOW, but they are NOT YET married. And if an engagement was as good as a marriage, then it wouldn’t be an engagement, it would be a marriage! Even though there is a relationship NOW it is NOT YET a marriage.

Transitions are tough because we tend to worry a lot during transitions. Consider the transition period of an engagement. As a minister I work with couples engaged to be married and they worry a lot. They worry about things that probably won’t matter after the wedding is over. Maybe it is easier to worry about NOW rather than focus on that which is NOT YET realized. In my own transition with my family in Lake Jackson I admit that I worry about pressing issues NOW because my family is NOT YET here. Transitions between what is NOW and what is NOT YET can be filled with a lot of worry.

I have learned that this transition between two places is a symbol of our existence in this world. As Christians we live between the promises and of God NOW and the things that have NOT YET happened. Jesus was crucified, buried, raised from the dead and he rules even NOW, but he has NOT YET returned to fully realize his rightful rule. We know that even NOW Jesus has defeated the powers of evil, but evil has NOT YET been completely eradicated. So, you can see that even as a church we can get worried even about matters of church and faith …

Trust: "Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, Trust also in me."

1. Jesus’ absence was to the benefit of the early disciples – he left to prepare a place for them.
2. He did not leave them as orphans, he did not abandon them (v. 18):
   1. He left the Spirit, another Comforter (14:15-17).
   2. He left them peace (14:27).
   3. Trust = they would have to have faith to endure the death and they would need trust and faith to endure the transition between NOW and NOT YET.

3. My leaving has been especially hard on my youngest son Ethan. He is only five. Sometimes he would say to Karen, "Why is Daddy leaving us?" Friday I sent digital photos of our rent house to Karen. I was in one of the photos and Ethan saw it. He started crying and saying, "That’s what Daddy looks like today."
   1. I spent a lot of time before I left trying to help the boys understand (trying to help myself, too). I wanted Ethan to trust me while I am gone. And one of the things I have said and Karen has said is that I am going to "prepare a house for them." And this experience has helped me realize the truth of the world we live in and the work of Jesus between what is NOW and what is NOT YET. Christ gave us the truth when we said … [Scripture from John 14].

Truth: "In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you."

1. Truth is, "This World is Not My Home"
   1. Christ is preparing a better home.
   2. Peter says that we don’t worry in this transition world; rather we look forward to a new heaven and earth – the home of righteousness.
2. C. S. Lewis – "I find within myself a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, which draws me to the conclusion that I was made for another world." – [Why do we give in to worry when it is just as easy to hope?]

Hope: "When everything is ready, I will come back and get you so that you will always be with me where I am."

1. The Return of Christ:
   1. Unfortunately it has been used as an instrument of fear
   2. Results:
      1. We live timid lives
      2. We have lost a desire for his return
2. But John regards the Return as a message of HOPE!
1. The slogan of the early church: (Aramaic) Marana Tha! (1 Corinthians 16:22) "Come soon, O Lord."

I believe that the news of Christ’s return, the news of our Father’s rule can be good news of great hope when we consider the truth and how much we can trust God.

[Illustration: The Day Care Story. We were waiting for our Father’s return. He came to take us home.]

Now if little children can find hope and trust, rather than worry, because of a simple truth like a parent’s love, then I think we can find the courage to live faithfully and hopefully in a world that is not our home. He has NOT YET returned, but he is NOW preparing a place for us. There’s room for you in the Father’s house. Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in Jesus, the way, the truth and the life.

A Commitment to Service

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

A week and a day ago I was chugging up I-45 and Highway 75 through Texas and Oklahoma in my Oldsmobile, its back end weighed down by a U Haul trailer. I felt like a nomad or a pioneer of old making my way to unknown territory. And now I feel like I am home.

And yet I feel incomplete. I really want my family to be here – and they want to be here – but you understand that and you have made me and my family feel so very welcomed. Even before my arrival a week and a day ago you have welcomed us with your emails and cards. We have prayed with you and for you and shared in your prayer requests and your dreams – and we weren’t even here yet.

So much has occurred so quickly that the last week and a day has seemed like a month and a week. I have even experienced two or three seasons since I have been here – summer, fall, and deer season! It has been sunny and it has been rainy – but as heavy as the rainfall has been, it is nothing compared to the outpouring of God’s blessings. This last week has been a week of blessings. I have been blessed to share this with all of you. Friday was particularly a day of blessings. In less than seven hours I was blessed to find a place to rent here in Fort Smith and sell my house in Lake Jackson [Texas]. [All of it happening simultaneously!] I was at the home of Blake and Colleen Frost with Larry and Donna Roper when my cell phone rang and the good news about a contract on our house came in. My phone kept ringing Friday. Now church, I do believe in a cappella worship, but on Friday my cell phone ring started to sound like praise music! It was a day of good news and blessings – and I got to share it with you!

Since that phone call from the West-Ark elders in September following a congregational meeting when an offer and invitation was made and my family has accepted, we have experienced the work of God’s Spirit to create bonds of love and fellowship. This is what I want to proclaim this morning. The wonderful power of God’s Spirit to create unity and to empower a people to praise and service. I believe in this, not only through experience, but also from God’s word (Numbers 11) …

¹⁶ The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.
²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the Tent. ²⁵ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. ²⁶ However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷ A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” ²⁸ Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”²⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

• Consider the attitude of Moses. He knows the Spirit of the Lord is not a limited resource. He is not threatened by others who are empowered to praise and service. In fact he welcomes it. Moses knows that leadership in the Kingdom of God can be shared – and we ought to know this for we are all servants and there is one Lord over us all.

I have already told you how I have experienced the blessings of God with some recent good things in my life and that I was especially blessed to share it with you. But I also want to proclaim that the blessings and Spirit of the Lord may be experienced in difficult circumstances.

Consider this: An elderly man who cares for his ill wife faces poor health himself. He despairs of being separated from her so he takes her life and then his own. I know that this story sounds very familiar to many of you in the West-Ark church family. I know and you know that this happened here over a year ago. But what you may not know is that this very same event took place in where I lived, in Lake Jackson, just three weeks ago. Horrible tragedies and yet I have witnessed the power of God’s Spirit at work in His people to work in a tragic situation to bring about good. I was so very disturbed the night I heard that one of our members at Lake Jackson, a man with a strong family in our church, had done something like this. I was planning to leave Lake Jackson in two weeks and I wasn’t sure if I was able mentally and spiritually to minister in this serious crisis. So I turned to friends outside our Lake Jackson congregation for support. Among those, I contacted the elders and ministers at West-Ark. I wasn’t sure quite how to explain what happened. I was amazed to learn this congregation had suffered through a similar crisis – and suddenly I no longer felt alone. You were sharing the burden with me and understood. And I thank God for David Chadwell. He was able to share with me his experience as a minister of God in a similar crisis. Without David, I would not have been able to minister as I did to the family at Lake Jackson. God’s spirit is not a limited resource.

I am blessed to be a part of a team (David, Brad, Derrick, Roy, Lynn, Debbie and Myra) and a spiritual community. And regarding David and I, I want you to know that I am not replacing David. I don’t see it that way, neither does David, and we don’t want you to see it that way. I feel like I am part of a team – David and Joyce Chadwell are truly friends. I have been blessed by David this week and I look forward to working alongside him – as well as the other ministers, the elders, and ministry leaders. I know that God’s Spirit is easily shared with all who are baptized into Christ and who receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is unlimited. That’s clear to me as I read the vision of the body of Christ Paul describes in Romans 12 …

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.³For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. ⁴Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. ⁷If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

• Whatever gifts and talents I have to offer, they have been entrusted to me by God. They are the fruit of His Spirit. I must offer them in the service of His mission. I encourage all of us to do the same.
• I am blessed to be given this opportunity to serve in the Name of Christ – to preach His word, to baptize in His name, to bring reconciliation with the help of His gracious Spirit, to share in the common faith around the table of our Lord.
• I welcome your prayers for me and my family as God brings us even closer into this fellowship and as He guides us in His mission in Fort Smith.

Salt and Light

Posted by Chris on September 7, 2003 under Sermons

The Sermon on the Mount = Matthew 5, 6, and 7.

• What Jesus proclaims is a vision for the people of God, the kingdom people, and it reveals what we must be for the sake of the Lord’s mission. What Jesus declares though is not an idea that will simply change the church, it is an way of life that seeks to transform all the world.

• Jesus tells us that those whoreceive his teaching and "put it into practice" are like a wise man who builds his house on the rock. His teaching is the foundation of a blessed, kingdom way of living.
• This is a way of life that goes beyond rule-keeping. This is more than regulations on what to do and not do. He is calling us to BE salt and light – to let our light shine so that the good things we do glorify God. What does it mean to BE salt and light? …

1. [The NATURE of Salt and Light]
   • Salt is a seasoning and a preservative. The presence of salt in food makes a difference. It creates zest and prevents decay.
     • Contradictions of language: jumbo shrimp, late advance registration, mild hot sauce.
     • Unsalty salt is just as much of a foolish contradiction.
     • It is the nature of salt to be salty!
   • Light overcomes darkness and illuminates. It reveals dangers and shows the way to safety.
     • It is ridiculous to light a lamp and then cover it. The purpose is for the lamp to shine.
     • It is the nature of light to shine!
   • "Salt and Light" say something about the nature of God’s kingdom people. Notice also that Jesus declares these as true! Without reservation or qualification he declares that WE ARE salt and light.
     • Salt and Light are not projects or programs that we undertake; this statement is not meant to describe an achievement or a goal, it describes our character as the people of God!
     • Jesus is saying that this is our being! The nature of salt is saltiness. The nature of light is illumination. When a city is placed on a hill, it is not hidden.What we do emerges from who we are!

       • In the film, Weapons of the Spirit, Pierre Sauvage tells the story of a village in Nazi-occupied France, Le Chambon. 5000 Jewish refugees were saved from the terrors of the Holocaust by the 5000 people of Le Chambon. Sauvage was born in that city and he had to know why this village of Christian people would risk their lives and the fate of their village to shelter Jewish refugees. Sauvage found that the people of Le Chambon had a strong sense of self and history – they knew who they were. The villagers of Le Chambon did not consider themselves heroic, they did not agonize over the decision to help the refugees. They simply did what was natural! What they did emerged from who they were!
   • Our good works emerge from our identity as the blessed children of God. When people see those sort of good works, God will be glorified because the light than shines from us is reflected from our God who is light.

     • Mars is one of the brightest objects in the sky right now, but it has no light of its own.
   • God is described as light and in him is no darkness (1 John 1:5). Jesus calls himself the light of the world (John 9:5). These describe the character of the God and Christ. In the kingdom we share in that divine character. Kingdom people are like their king …

2. [The Higher Righteousness of the Kingdom]
   • But that can seem so intimidating! When Jesus tells us to "be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect" (Mt. 5:48) – is that even possible?
   • Jesus must have believed that such righteousness was possible for he makes it essential to being a part of God’s reign. He insisted that our righteousness had to surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees … (Matthew 5:20)
   • The problem of the scribes and Pharisees was that they used the law and prophets as binding legislation to react to situations. We do the same thing when all we strive to do is find the legislative bond or loophole that justifies or confirms our actions. But this sort of rule-keeping does not generate godliness or holiness.
     • The external image is met, but the internal character of BEING a disciple is weak. Col. 2:23 – "Such regulations look good, but lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."
     • The law and the prophets were not regulations given so we could make distinctions among people. The intent of the law and the prophets was to shape the character of a people – a people with godly character would by nature be distinctive!
   • That’s why Jesus declares (5:21-48 – Class material) that it isn’t enough to say, "I’ve never killed anyone." You need to overcome anger. It isn’t enough to say "I’ve never committed adultery." Maybe so, but is your heart pure or is it corrupted with lust? Have we just kept the rules, or are we reflecting the nature of our Father? That’s the test of kingdom righteousness …

3. HOW exactly does our righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees? Kingdom righteousness differs from the righteousness of scribes and Pharisees (ancient or modern) in two important ways:

   1. First, kingdom righteousness is for the sake of others; not simply for our select group and certainly not to earn a reward. Notice that we are the salt of the EARTH and the light of the WORLD. In his declaration, Jesus declares that the presence of the kingdom is for the world!

      • April 1912 – Lifeboat 14 did what no other life boat did – They went back to save others. They knew that a lifeboat was for much more than the safety of the saved, it is for the rescue of the dying.
      • As righteous people, we are called out – not in contempt for the world, but for the sake of the world!
      • We overcome anger, lust, lying, and revenge, because like our Father we love others – including those who hate us. We do this not because he told us to; we do this because he told us who we are!

   2. Second, it emerges from our being and not just our doing. When we ARE salt and light our righteousness becomes a reflex and a discipline. It is our nature to be salty. It is our nature to shine.
      • We live in response to God’s grace and mercy. Our good works are not an attempt to claim salvation or earn God’s favor. The Holy Spirit is a gift. Those who have been baptized are new creation – and their good works, their righteousness, flows from who we have become in Christ.

4. WHY exactly must our righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees?
   • The first teaching in Matthew anticipates the final teaching. In Matthew, Jesus leaves his disciples with a mission and a promise. He promises that he will always be with them, and their mission is to make disciples. [“Making Disciples Eager to Serve Others”]
   • But how can we make disciples if we are not disciples ourselves? We can only share the joy of the gospel and the blessings of the kingdom if that is who we are. This is why Jesus declares that we ARE salt of the earth and light of the world.
   • The Point Bolivar Lighthouse [Texas]. It has the structure, form, and the appearance and the history of a grand lighthouse that has saved many. But it has no light! We need good form, solid structure and thank God for healthy heritage – but we need His Spirit to ignite our light!

I think a lighthouse is needed in Western Arkansas even though we are not on the coast. Good news! Jesus says – We Are that Lighthouse!