The Shocking Meaning Behind This Biblical Parable Few People Know About

Summary

This script explores the biblical metaphors of Christians being 'salt' and 'light' of the world. It emphasizes that true influence comes from embodying distinct moral qualities rather than mere words or actions. The sermon delves into the original context of Jesus' teachings, explaining the agricultural and societal significance of salt in antiquity and urging Christians to maintain their distinctiveness and purity to positively impact their environment. It also touches on the unpopular yet necessary role of light in exposing and guiding away from moral darkness, highlighting the high moral standards set by Jesus as a beacon for followers.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Being 'salt and light' is about embodying qualities that positively influence one's environment, rather than just through actions or words.
• 📜 Luke's Gospel provides context to Jesus' metaphor of being 'the salt of the earth,' explaining its use as a fertilizer and disinfectant in ancient times.
• 🌱 Salt's dual role in promoting growth and inhibiting the spread of undesirable elements is a metaphor for Christians' impact on society by fostering good and preventing harm.
• 🔢 The concept of 'five percent salt' suggests that a small, committed group can influence societal trends towards the better, emphasizing the importance of Christian presence in various sectors.
• 🏆 The quality of being 'salt' is crucial; Christians must maintain their distinctiveness from the world to effectively influence it, avoiding conformity to secular values.
• 💡 Light, like salt, has a dual function of exposing wrongdoing and illuminating the right path, which is inherently unpopular but necessary for moral guidance.
• ✨ Jesus identifies himself and his followers as 'the light of the world,' highlighting the importance of personal integrity and moral conduct as a guiding force.
• 📖 The Sermon on the Mount raises moral standards higher than any other teaching, emphasizing the supernatural nature of living a life free from worry and sin.
• 🕊️ The 'Beatitudes' outline the character traits of those who can be considered 'salt,' such as humility, purity of heart, and being peacemakers, which contrast with worldly values.
• 🛡️ Christians are encouraged to maintain their 'saltiness' and 'light' even in the face of persecution and contempt, as their true reward lies in the next life.
• 📍 The importance of distribution and presence is highlighted; Christians must be in direct contact with society to be effective as salt and light, avoiding isolation in 'Christian ghettos.'

Q & A

What is the primary way that salt affects its environment according to the transcript?

Salt affects its environment simply by being what it is, without the need for saying or doing anything.

What does the speaker believe is the common misunderstanding about the metaphor 'you are the salt of the earth'?

The common misunderstanding is that people often interpret 'salt' as either a flavoring or a preservative, missing the deeper meaning Jesus intended in Luke's gospel.

What was the primary use of salt in the ancient world as described in the transcript?

In the ancient world, salt was primarily used as a fertilizer, largely because of the potash content found in the salts from the Dead Sea.

How does the speaker explain the concept of 'salt losing its saltiness'?

The speaker explains that 'salt losing its saltiness' refers to salt being adulterated with other substances, which reduces its effectiveness as a fertilizer or disinfectant.

What is the percentage of Christians in a society needed to reverse social trends for the better, according to the transcript?

The transcript suggests that when there is 5% Christian presence in a society, social trends begin to reverse for the better.

What does the speaker mean by 'salt is no use in the box or the salt cellar'?

This means that Christians must be in direct contact with the world ('the dirt') to have an influence, rather than being isolated within their own communities.

What does the speaker suggest is the consequence of Christians not maintaining their distinctness from the world?

The speaker suggests that if Christians do not maintain their distinctness, they risk losing their 'saltiness' and their ability to positively influence society.

How does the speaker interpret Jesus' statement 'I am the light of the world'?

The speaker interprets this statement as Jesus claiming to provide guidance and truth, and by following him, people would not walk in moral darkness but would have the light of life.

What is the main function of light as described in the transcript?

The main function of light, as described, is to expose bad ways and exhibit a better way, which involves both the negative aspect of showing up bad ways and the positive aspect of demonstrating a superior path.

What does the speaker emphasize about the role of Christians in society?

The speaker emphasizes that Christians should be different from the society around them, maintaining a higher moral standard and being in direct contact with the world to influence it positively.

How does the speaker describe the impact of worry on a Christian's life?

The speaker describes worry as a sin that is forbidden in the kingdom of God, indicating a lack of faith in God's provision and care.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Essence of Being 'Salt and Light'

This paragraph explores the metaphorical meaning of Jesus' words, 'You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.' It emphasizes that being salt and light is not about actions or words but about embodying a transformative presence in one's environment. The speaker explains that in Luke's Gospel, Jesus clarifies the purpose of salt as a fertilizer and disinfectant, illustrating its dual role in promoting growth and preventing decay. Christians are encouraged to be different from their surroundings, positively influencing society by inhibiting negative growth and fostering righteousness, not through mere words but through their distinct character.

05:00

📉 The Decline of Societal 'Salt' and Its Reversal

The speaker discusses the current lack of 'salt' in society, suggesting that social trends are deteriorating due to insufficient Christian influence. They argue that occasional victories, such as those won through lobbying or protesting, are not enough to reverse the overall negative trajectory. The speaker introduces the concept that a 5% Christian presence in any community can lead to a reversal of social trends, not through preaching or acting, but simply by being present and distinct. The importance of distribution and the avoidance of Christian 'ghettos' are highlighted to ensure that the 'salt' is in direct contact with the 'dirt' of society, where it can have a positive effect.

10:00

🧂 The Quality and Adulteration of 'Salt'

This paragraph delves into the importance of maintaining the purity and quality of 'salt,' using the metaphor of adulterated salt losing its effectiveness. The speaker warns that Christians must remain distinct from the world and not be conformed by secular influences, or they risk losing their impact. Jesus' words about salt losing its savor and being useless are interpreted as a caution against the dilution of Christian values with worldly attitudes. The speaker calls for Christians to be different, to embody the beatitudes, and to stand out as a moral guide in a world that often values the opposite.

15:01

🛡 The Perseverance and Reward of Being 'Salt'

The speaker acknowledges the challenges faced by Christians who strive to be 'salt' in their communities, noting that it often leads to persecution and misunderstanding. Jesus' promise of a great reward in heaven for those who are persecuted for their faith is highlighted, emphasizing the need for faith and perseverance. The speaker contrasts the worldly contempt that may come to those who live as 'salt' with the eternal reward that awaits them, framing the choice as one between temporary hardship and eternal gain.

20:02

💡 The Role and Impact of 'Light' in Darkness

The speaker transitions from discussing 'salt' to 'light,' explaining that light, like salt, has the dual function of exposing wrong paths and illuminating the right ones. Jesus' identification as 'the light of the world' and the call for his followers to be light as well is explored, using the story of the woman caught in adultery to illustrate how Jesus demonstrated his role as light. The narrative shows Jesus' superior understanding of the law, his mercy, and his teaching to not sin again, positioning him as a moral guide and exposing the hypocrisy of the accusers.

25:04

🕯️ The Public Display and Moral Standard of 'Light'

This paragraph focuses on the public aspect of being 'light,' with the speaker emphasizing the responsibility of Christians to live in a way that reflects a higher moral standard, thereby influencing others. The sermon on the mount is cited as evidence of Jesus setting an impossibly high moral bar, which is supernatural to achieve without divine help. The speaker argues that living up to these standards is a witness to the world and a way to glorify God. The example of not worrying is given to illustrate the supernatural peace that should characterize Christian life, contrasting with the anxieties of the world.

🌗 The Unpopularity and Ultimate Triumph of 'Light'

In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the unpopularity of being 'light' in a world of moral darkness. Jesus' acknowledgment of the hatred and desire to kill him because he is the light of the world is used to illustrate the cost of standing for truth and righteousness. The speaker challenges the current lowering of moral standards by the church and calls for Christians to be a distinct presence, embodying the qualities of salt and light that are different from society's norms. The message concludes with a call to conquer with Christ and a reminder of God's omnipotence and promise of return.

Keywords

💡Salt of the Earth

The term 'salt of the earth' is a metaphor used by Jesus in the Christian gospels to describe the role of his followers. It implies that Christians should have a transformative effect on society, much like salt enhances flavor or preserves food. In the video, the speaker explains that being 'salt' is not about actions or words but about being fundamentally different from the environment in a way that positively influences it.

💡Light of the World

'Light of the World' is another metaphor attributed to Jesus, signifying that he and his followers should illuminate the darkness with truth and righteousness. The video emphasizes that light exposes wrongdoing and showcases the correct path. It is about the inherent qualities of believers that guide and inspire others, contrasting the moral darkness around them.

💡Potash

Potash, or potassium chloride, is highlighted in the script as a key component of the salt from the Dead Sea, which was used as a fertilizer in ancient times. The speaker uses potash as an example to explain the agricultural significance of salt, drawing a parallel to how Christians are to act as spiritual fertilizers, promoting the growth of good in society.

💡Fertilizer

In the context of the video, 'fertilizer' symbolizes the nurturing and growth-promoting aspect of salt. The speaker explains that just as fertilizer helps plants grow, Christians are meant to foster the development of good qualities in society. This concept is used to illustrate the positive influence Christians should have.

💡Disinfectant

The term 'disinfectant' is used to describe the purifying function of salt when used in the context of a 'dunghill'. The speaker points out that salt, in this case, acts to prevent the spread of harmful elements. This is likened to the role of Christians in inhibiting the growth of negative influences in society.

💡Savor

The concept of 'savor' refers to the distinctive taste or quality of salt that makes it effective as a seasoning or preservative. In the video, Jesus' words about salt losing its savor are used as a warning against Christians losing their distinctiveness and effectiveness in society by becoming too similar to the world around them.

💡Presence

'Presence' in the video refers to the necessity of Christians being actively engaged and physically present in the world to fulfill their role as salt and light. The speaker argues that Christians must be in direct contact with society to influence it positively, rather than isolating themselves in 'Christian ghettos'.

💡Moral Standards

The script discusses 'moral standards' as the ethical and behavioral guidelines that Christians should uphold. The speaker contrasts these high standards with the world's tendencies, emphasizing that it is through living by these standards that Christians can be a positive influence in society.

💡Worry

The speaker mentions 'worry' as an example of a natural human tendency that Jesus forbids in his teachings. It is used to illustrate the supernatural peace that should characterize Christians, setting them apart from the anxieties of the world and serving as a testament to their faith in God's provision.

💡Beatitude

A 'beatitude' is a declaration of blessedness or happiness, often found in the teachings of Jesus, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. The video references the beatitudes as the opposite of worldly attitudes, defining the character of true 'salt' and illustrating the qualities that Christians should embody.

💡Adultery

The script recounts the story of the woman caught in adultery to demonstrate how Jesus, as the 'light of the world', handled a moral dilemma. It serves as an example of Jesus' teachings on forgiveness, mercy, and the higher moral standards he advocates for his followers.

Highlights

Being the 'salt of the earth' and 'light of the world' is not about actions or words, but about the inherent nature of individuals affecting their environment.

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus explains the metaphor of salt as promoting growth of good things and inhibiting bad, unlike Matthew's Gospel which doesn't define it.

Ancient salt from the Dead Sea was used as a fertilizer and disinfectant, illustrating the dual role of salt in promoting good growth and preventing bad spread.

Christians are encouraged to be different from their environment, influencing it positively without necessarily needing to conform to societal pressures.

A society needs at least 5% 'salt' to reverse negative social trends, emphasizing the importance of a critical mass of influence.

The distribution of 'salt' is crucial; it must be in direct contact with the 'dirt' to be effective, highlighting the need for Christians to engage with society.

The quality of 'salt' is essential; Christians must maintain their distinctiveness to effectively influence the world.

Jesus emphasized that once 'salt' loses its savor, it cannot be restored, indicating the importance of maintaining Christian integrity.

The Beatitudes provide a contrast to worldly attitudes, defining the character of 'salt' in terms of humility, purity, and righteousness.

Being 'light of the world' involves exposing wrongdoing and demonstrating a better way, even though it may not be popular.

Jesus, as the 'light of the world', sets an example for his disciples to follow, emphasizing moral integrity over material success.

The story of the woman taken in adultery illustrates Jesus' use of the law to show mercy and to reveal the hypocrisy of the accusers.

Christians are called to live by higher moral standards, setting an example for others to see and glorifying God in the process.

Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount raise the bar for ethical behavior, challenging Christians to live supernaturally.

Worry is forbidden in the kingdom of God, reflecting a trust in divine provision and care, which is a distinctive mark of Christian living.

Christians are to be light and salt in a world of darkness and corruption, maintaining their distinctiveness for the sake of societal influence.

Transcripts

[Music]

you are the salt of the earth and the

light of the world

and in both cases that is not by saying

anything

or by doing anything but by being

something

salt affects its environment

simply by being what it is and light

affects its environment by being simply

what it is

not by saying or doing anything and if

we're going to be salt and light it's

not by

a lot of talk or even a lot of action

that we're going to be salt and light

it's by being

totally different from our environment

and so different that we affect it

and it is luke's gospel that tells us

what jesus

meant when he said you are the salt of

the earth matthew's gospel doesn't

define it

it just says you're the salt of the

earth and that

allows the preacher preaching from

matthew by itself

to put any meaning he likes into it and

unfortunately what we do

is we put our own experience of salt

into the meaning we think of salt as

either a flavoring or a preservative

and almost every sermon i've heard on

you are the salt of the earth talks

about flavoring or preservative

that somehow a little sprinkling of

christians makes the atmosphere sweeter

or somehow we manage to be the museum of

society

and in luke's gospel jesus defines what

he means

he says if the salt loses its saltness

it is no good either for the field

or the dunghill and this tells you what

salt was used for in the ancient world

it was scraped up from the shores of the

dead sea

which as you probably know is 28 salts

in solution

now it's not pure sodium chloride nacl

it is a mixture of various salts there

are all kinds of different salts there

and one of the main ones

is potassium chloride potash

if you're a gardener then you know that

every plant needs

three kinds of fertilizer it needs

phosphate

to develop the roots it needs nitrates

to develop the leaves and it needs

potash to develop the flowers and fruit

and a balanced fertilizer will include

all those three

and so the salt that was scraped up from

the dead sea was widely used as a

fertilizer

largely because of the potash in it

there were other things too magnesium

bromide there are all kinds of

major salts in the dead sea there is

also sodium

chloride quite a lot and that of course

was used in the kitchen but

jesus is thinking about its use as a

fertilizer he said on the soil

and the word soil there is exactly the

same as the word

earth in matthew the salt of the earth

the salt of the soil

the fertilizer that you put on the soil

to make good

things grow and then he mentioned the

dunghill

that was a reference the word there is a

word for

not animal manure but human manure

he's now into the backyard they simply

had a heap of dirt at the bottom of the

yard

you went and emptied your bowels at the

bottom of the yard and then

by the side of the dirt was a box full

of salt from the dead sea

and you put a handful of that on your

dirt

and that in fact was a disinfectant

a very simple disinfectant to stop the

spread of things you didn't want to grow

now those two put together give you a

negative and a positive

influence of salt that it promoted the

growth of good things that you wanted to

grow

and it inhibited the spread of bad

things that you didn't want to grow

it is a vivid picture and christians are

to be the salt of the soil

here you've got a very clear vivid

picture jesus was

always using very familiar pictures from

ordinary life

and using them to illustrate profound

truth

you are the salt of the soil you are the

people

who will stop bad things growing and

spreading

and who will promote the growth of good

things

that are wanted there now that's a vivid

picture

and you are that salt not by saying

anything

and not by doing anything but by being

totally different from the environment

and it's as simple as that in the

kitchen a sprinkling

will do a little salt in the soup and

that's enough

but as a fertilizer or a disinfectant

you need a considerable amount before

the effect shows

you need handfuls in both cases

a little sprinkling on the soil will not

do a thing

and therefore the very concept of being

salt in society demands

a certain proportion of that society

being christian being different being

salt

and the simple fact is we have not got

enough

salt it is as simple as that

and that is why social trends are going

the wrong way

and there's no way it can be reversed

until there is a sufficient

amount of salt to do the trick in other

words we might be

able to win an occasional battle by

lobbying and by protesting

but we will lose the war while there is

an insufficient amount of salt and you

can apply this in any situation

and while you read the papers and decry

what's happening in society

it all shrieks at me we no longer have

enough salt in this country we once had

but we no longer have and we can't

expect the trends to reverse until we do

now how much do we need

now this is where i've got some good

news for you that in fact

when in any community or society

there is five percent salt the social

trends reverse for the better

and it's not by anything that five

percent are saying or doing

but just by being five percent

until we are producing enough salt to

save a society we're going to

continue to work in a situation that's

going downhill

and where incidentally it becomes

increasingly difficult to be a christian

because the tide is running hard against

us at the moment and will continue to do

so

well now that's the quantitative

aspect of salt sprinkling is no good we

need shovelfuls

and we haven't got them the second

aspect is

the aspect not only of a mount but of

distribution

of distribution salt is no use in the

box or the salt cellar

it has got to be in direct contact with

the dirt before it

operates in other words it operates by

presence and not absence and as long as

salt is locked up in a meeting like this

we cannot be salt of the earth this

morning

we just can't do it because we're out of

contact

with the dirt and therefore distribution

we need first of all

five percent but if that five percent

were all locked up in christian schools

and in suburban churches it would not be

salt

it's got to be in among the dirt it's

got to be in direct physical contact

if it's going to operate in a factory

where there's a 5 christian presence the

language changes

without anybody saying anything think of

your street or the place where you work

don't grumble because you're in direct

contact with the dirt that's precisely

where salt can act

but it does need a five percent presence

and there is a disturbing

attitude among christians to try and get

out of that dirt

and to get into a christian situation

but i remember a girl coming to me and

saying

isn't it wonderful she said i'm the only

christian in the office where i work and

she said it's so hard but she said i've

seen an advertisement

for a christian firm and they

they want someone and i'm qualified for

the job and

i've been accepted in a christian firm

she was looking forward to starting the

day with prayer and all the rest of it

you know and going to work in a firm

where

everybody was christian and she saw my

face and she said what's the matter

i said you just told me that you

were the only christian in the office

where you worked

and now they have no contact with jesus

i want that to be an encouragement to

some of you to stay right where you are

or to put it in bible terms to remain in

the vocation in which you were called

because god called you right there

because you wanted some salt right there

better to pray that more christians will

join you

in that situation until you get the five

percent

then run away and join a christian

outfit we need salt in national

government local government we need salt

in sport

distribution of salt is very very

important and the more we shrink back

into christian

ghettos the less that salt

can operate it can only operate in

direct contact

with the dirt the third

aspect of salt and perhaps the most

important for us is the aspect

of quality you see salt is needed in a

certain amount

in any given situation it is also needed

to be in direct

physical contact with the situation it's

going to influence

but thirdly it must be salty

and jesus talked about salt losing its

savor

now how can sodium chloride lose

its salt equality the answer is it

cannot it is a physical impossibility

and yet it must have happened in jesus

day for him to be able to talk about it

he said if the salt has lost its savior

it's no good for anything and men throw

it in the street

which is where they threw all that

rubbish and it was trodden under foot

trodden into the dirt that's what

happens

to dirt in the middle east or to rubbish

now how could salt lose its savor

a very simple way not by ceasing to be

sodium chloride

but by being adulterated with other

substances

and a clever salt dealer would scrape up

plenty of sand with the salt

from the dead sea shores and so

a lot of it was not salt at all that's

the only way in which salt can lose its

saltness

by having too much other stuff mixed in

with it

and so it loses its quality

and any housewife who bought adulterated

salt that was half

sand would throw it out of the door into

the street

and men would walk it back into the dirt

from which it came

now the lesson of that is pretty obvious

christians will only influence the world

if they're different from it

somebody said of the church the lifeboat

should be in the sea but when the sea

gets in the lifeboat you're in trouble

and in fact our real situation is is not

just that we don't have enough salt

but the salt we do have is losing its

saltness

very very rapidly by being adulterated

by

having too much of the humanist

secularist

society around us getting right in among

christians

because the pressure is enormous to

conform

well now it therefore can lose its saver

and jesus said if it does all it will do

will produce contempt

in men they will treat it with disgust

so we have the rather sad spectacle

of christians trying to be

to quote the archbishop of canterbury we

must be

credible to our contemporary generation

we called to be credible

are we called to be different that's the

real issue

the feeling we've got to be with it

we've got to be one of the boys we've

got to

go along with contemporary society or

will lose them

that is when the salt loses its saltness

and in fact it's not the way to save

society it's the way to follow it

we should be leading society into a

better way

not following their way 30 years after

them

and then jesus said something which i

don't think people have taken too

seriously he said

if the salt loses its saltness there's

no way it can be restored

wherewith shall it be salted again now

that's important

once you lose your saltness you can't

get it back again

once you've lost when an individual

christian

loses their reputation almost impossible

to get it back again once salt loses

souls

wherewith shall it be salted it's gone

for good

now then so what is saltness well we've

got to go back

to the beatitudes and when you read

those beatitudes properly they are the

exact

opposite of the attitudes of the world

in which we have to live and move

to be poor in spirit is to be despised

by the world

it means to lack self-confidence

to the point where you say god if you

don't help me i can't do it

now the world admires self-confidence

people who are proud in spirit

people who stand up for themselves

people say i can do this

the poor in spirit is the exact opposite

it's to

say hey this is way beyond me it's the

opposite of self-confidence

it's got confidence but it's a lack of

self-confidence

to be mourning in a world that loves to

be happy and

jovial and joking to weep when others

laugh

to be meek the world i'm afraid is an

aggressive competitive meritocracy

and meat people are not going to get

very far people who can be pushed around

and then hunger and thirst for

righteousness

that means those whose top ambition is

to live right

not to live rich but to live right

that's their major ambition in life

that kind of person will be salt not the

person whose ambition it is to be famous

or powerful

or wealthy to be merciful in a

competitive

cruel opportunist world to be merciful

to give others a chance

to be pure in heart not only means to be

clean

in desires it means to be unmixed in

motives

not to have ulterior motives to be

motivated by

simple pure motives in what you do in

your career

and to be peacemakers rather than

fighters

now jesus was a realist and when he

outlined the character of salt in this

way

he realized he knew from his own

experience as well

that this was the surest way to be

persecuted which is why he

adds an extra beatitude blessed are you

when you are persecuted when people say

all kinds of bad things about you

and he knew that saying sticks and

stones hurt your bones but names don't

head at all

that's one of the most untrue proverbs

that's ever been coined

what people say does hurt hurts deeply

and jesus said blessed are you when

people

say all manner of evil against you

because if you're going to be assault in

your situation this is

certain to happen people will not

believe that you have unmixed motives

you can't believe you're doing it for

the right reasons they're

trying satan was ever the slanderer and

the accuser of the brethren

so jesus said if you're going to be salt

it's going to be tough

it will not pay in this world it will in

the next

great is your reward in heaven which

means you really have to have

faith to believe your rewards going to

be big because you're not going to see

it in this world

so you better accept that it's going to

be pretty big in the next

depends where you want your rewards for

jesus

the choice is contempt what a choice

contempt or hatred

you either are good salt in which case

you'll get contempt

sorry hatred or you're bad salt and you

lose your soul which case you get

contempt so

i tell you a christian loses every way

in this world but if you're real salt

there's a great reward for you in the

next

what about light light also has its

negative and its positive aspects

its negative aspect is to expose bad

ways

to show people up and that's not the way

to popularity either

but it also has a positive function in

exhibiting the right way the better way

so it's negative aspect is to show up

bad ways

the positive aspect is to exhibit a

better way neither way will be popular

again

now this is the only thing jesus ever

said about himself

and his disciples he said i am the light

of the world you are the light of the

world

he didn't say i am the salt of the earth

but he did say i am the light of the

world

and he said you are too and the occasion

on which he said it is fascinating

it is in the context of the woman taken

in adultery

a story which you probably have never

understood

it is a jewish story as the bible is a

jewish book

happy are you if you've a jewish friend

to teach you the scripture

because a jew understands it now you see

this is the situation they have caught a

woman in the very act of adultery so

they brought him to jesus

knowing that the law of moses said she

must be stoned

and knowing that jesus

if he said stone her would go against

the roman law which forbade

execution by jews or if he said

don't stone her then he was going

against the lord moses

in other words they trapped him between

the law of rome and the law of moses do

you see

it is perfectly true that the lord moses

said she must be stoned

so what did jesus do he wrote with his

finger in the dust

now to a jew that means one thing

that's a claim to be god it's a claim to

be the one who wrote the ten

commandments with his finger on the

stone

was jesus saying i wrote that law now

jews would come to that conclusion we

don't when we hear it read in church

because we're not jewish

a finger writing i hear preachers say

now what did jesus write that's not the

point

in a vivid act he's claiming to be

responsible for that law

as he did all the way through the sermon

on the mount incidentally

moses but i say unto you this is what i

meant when i gave that law

this was my intention behind it and then

jesus

reminded them of another law of moses

which they'd forgotten and that is

it's a very simple law it says nobody

can be a witness

in a criminal charge if they have ever

committed the same crime

so when jesus said he that is without

sin let him throw the first stone

he did not mean you've got to be 100

morally perfect before you can punish

anyone that's how most

gentiles take it but you see that would

rule out parents punishing children or

police

punish it would rule out all the law

courts because no judge

is without sin but he was re-quoting the

law that said

if you have never committed adultery you

can be a witness in this case

that's when they began to go away one by

one beginning with the oldest the young

ones tried to brazen it out but

even they had to admit that they'd done

it so in fact the witnesses were

dismissed on the basis of the law

you follow me then he looked up he said

where are your accusers where are the

witnesses

they're all gone yes they've all gone

now then

another point of the law was that there

had to be witnesses

two or three and of course the case had

to be dropped jesus said neither do i

condemn you not

just because he was not a witness and

there were no other witnesses

case dismissed neither do i condemn you

but he said don't do it again

i might not be around to defend you if

you get into trouble

do get jesus as your lawyer i mean it is

a brilliant

he was showing i know the law better

than you do

and i'm going to use the very law of

moses to sort out this situation

isn't it it's an amazing story but when

she'd gone

and noticed he said now don't do it

again because

mercy is not offered to us to go back

into sin

but to stop doing it he then said to the

crowd that had gathered

i am the light of the world he who

follows me won't walk in darkness

but he'll have the light of life now

that tells us

a profound truth about what light is

meant to be

it is not what we say or do it's what we

are what he's saying is that woman would

never have got

into that situation if she'd followed me

because that's a situation of darkness

moral darkness

and the man with her and all the men who

accused it they were all

living in darkness and if you follow me

you don't get into that kind of a mess

it's really a very simple situation but

he had actually shown them all up hadn't

he

he'd shown them all up exposed their bad

ways

and exhibited the better way don't do it

again don't sin anymore now then

the only action that we have to do is

light or put ourselves on a lampstand

in other words there is a responsibility

deliberately to put yourself

in public view now that's a difficult

thing for christians to do

because hiding your light is no use to

anybody else

you may be shining by yourself but

that's not going to help anyone else

now then what is it that we have to let

shine

the answer is christians are to be

seen for having a higher

standard of living than everybody else

but not in material ways

in moral ways a higher

moral standard of living is what jesus

meant

when he said let your light shine before

men that they may see

your good actions and by good he didn't

mean

doing good he meant being good

and he then proceeds to spell it out in

one sphere

after another and he raised moral

standards

higher than anybody has ever

dared to raise them there is no ethical

teacher in the whole of human history

dead to say what jesus said in the

sermon on the mount

and that is why many dismiss it as

impractical

and idealistic and they say it's

impossible for anyone

to live like that and it is

it is not natural for anyone to live

like this

it is supernatural which is why jesus

said let them

see how you live and glorify your father

in heaven

they will say that's not natural it's

not natural let me take one example from

the sermon on the mount

jesus for bad in fact he spent more time

on this sin than any other in the son of

a man

he forbade anybody in the kingdom to

worry and this is why you never see a

christian

worried

[Music]

now why is it why

is it that whenever i say that it's

treated as a joke

because jesus didn't mean it as a joke

we treat it like that because we are

laughing it off

but he said worry is forbidden in my

kingdom

because it is a liable on my heavenly

father

it is saying your father in heaven cares

more about his animals

his pets and his garden than he does

about his kids

he closed the lilies of the field and he

looks after the birds the air but me

i'm his child i have to worry now do you

see what a libel that is

why did he spend more time on that than

anything else than sermon on the mount

because he knows how natural it is to

worry it is supernatural not to

do you understand what an influence it

would be

if people said why is it christians

never worry

in a world that everybody's having to

worry about the mortgage and everything

else

why is it christians not worried boy

that would be an opener for a testimony

wouldn't it

why are you never worried well i don't

need to

jesus said that will be light in the

world that you of

all people as things get worse and

they're going to get worse

you're at peace my father's running this

world

and i'm his child and therefore he will

see

that i always have enough to eat enough

to wear that's the best welfare state in

the world

he will not see that i get everything i

want

but everything i need right on my dying

day

who wouldn't want to be in a welfare

state like that when the government is

scrapping every other bit of welfare

you see jesus fixed moral standards

higher than anybody else

but what he then did was he lifted

people

to the standard what the church in our

country is doing today is lowering the

standards to meet the people

now that's not going to be light or salt

do you follow me

and jesus was quite clear that being

light is going to be

terribly unpopular because he went on to

say i'm the light of the world he went

on to say and because i am you hate me

and you want to kill me

and he knew perfectly well that being

light is a very costly thing

and standing for what you know to be

right and true

will be painful and profoundly unpopular

and yet that is what it is to be light

in the world

of darkness but i hope i've left you

with a sense that salt and light

are not what you do or say but what you

are

and they only operate when you're in

direct physical contact with a world

that's in darkness

and dirt and we need a certain amount

if it's going to operate

and we need above all a quality of salt

and a quality of light

that is totally different from the

society in which god has placed us

i am alpha and omega the beginning and

the end saith the lord

which is and which was and which is to

come the almighty

he which testifieth these things saith

surely i come quickly amen

even so conquer lord jesus