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Sep 29
I am currently in a series on the Sermon on the Mount which I have entitled “Authenticity: Living with Integrity and Simplicity.” I have been reading commentaries and journal articles on the “Salt and Light” passage. Leadership Journal had some interesting articles on the role of the church, messages, the pastor during an election year. I mentioned the tension of being a prophet of righteousness and an evangelist for the lost. When you lead with your stand against something, you run the risk of losing the audience before you ever share the message that changes their life. D. Martyn-Lloyd Jones suggested that the church should stick to the business of evangelism and individuals should impose their “salt and light” position upon society out of their authentic walk with Christ. Obviously, Jones’ view of the “Church,” was the body gathered formally in one place rather than the “Church” being the body scattered as individuals.
While we may not lead with our righteousness stand (i.e. start out talking about homosexuality, abortion, etc.) in our evangelism, we certainly do not deny it or hide it. What the world needs in all its secularism, pluralism, and materialism is Jesus Christ. But when confronted with the ills of gambling, abortion, homosexuality, and pornography and the like; the truth is the correct response and will set you free. I must confess that I would love to express my great disdain for biased coverage of events and politics of our national media. Their bias is so overt and obvious. For us to even think that we resemble a “Christian nation,” is ludicrous. Those elements which act as salt and light quickly draw the ire of a system far from righteousness. Some of us have lost sight of the morality associated with helping those who are weak being mistreated through racism, injustice towards those who are poor, corruption of greed for money, power, and fame. Never lose sight of the fact that this world, politics, government, etc. offers no lasting hope. Our hope is not in this world or even this country and especially government but rather in another world or country or kingdom—that being God’s Kingdom.
This hope is brought into sharp focus when doing funerals. Recently, I assisted in the funeral of a 86 year old saint who suffered much physically the past 20 plus years; but her hope was not in physical healing but in spiritual transformation. Two days later, I conducted the funeral of a 9 month old who suffered much of his life before being delivered from his earthly temple that had been riddled with pain, infection, and challenge his entire life here. The hope of Christ comforts people, parents, families unlike anything else. As great as our nation may or may not be, it does not compare to the greatness of God. That is never clearer than on days like these. Our nation is broken and cannot be repaired in a voter’s booth. Christ is the hope for families and the broken hearted. Christ is the hope for a broken nation. While our nation appears to be nowhere close to repentance, personal repentance is still a possibility. Personal salt and light is still the call of today. When I think about grieving families that have lost their babies of a few months or their wife of 65 years; who is winning in the polls or what Oprah is saying has little meaning to these people. Our persecuted brother in Christ separated from his family in a Chinese, India, jail doesn’t think much about left wing liberal media trying to influence the election here. But Christ and His hope and His life, means everything. Until next time. . .Wes