I’m tired of sermons. Oh, no, you’re thinking. Another bible study whining about his job. Get over it, dude. Well, either that or “Now you know how WE feel!” If that was your reaction to the first sentence, then don’t tell me about it. OK?
But, I repeat. I’m tired of sermons. This was month two of my Course of Study class on preaching down in Indianapolis. The Course of Study is for those who are in process of becoming Local Pastors. And a Local Pastor is not the same as a pastor who is local. Local Pastor is an official designation within the United Methodist Church, they are clergy but differentiated from Elders and Deacons. In some ways, they are a bridge between the laity and the clergy. They have a foot in each camp.
Their training is done over a long period of time, a course of study, where they take one class a semester that meets over three Saturdays. This was the second of three sessions that I will have with the current group. So, I left early this morning and drove, in the fog mind you, down to the University of Indianapolis to teach my course. Last month I did the talking. Gave them a crash course on everything you need to know about preaching. And then today and next month they preach and we critique. So, I got to hear nine sermons from 9am to 4pm Saturday. I’m tired of sermons.
Actually, I heard ten sermons. Because I was invited to preach at the opening devotions. So, I heard me and then nine more. I’m tired of sermons. Doesn’t bode well for Sunday morning now does it? Not to worry. I’ll be fine by tomorrow. I hope anyway. Since I have to be. Pretty much. Kinda my job.
Well, actually, I’ve got to deal with another sermon right now. Right here. The passage I chose for this week is a part of a sermon. Perhaps the most famous sermon of them all. The Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:13-16 "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.
Point two of the Sermon on the Mount. Well, part two. Jesus’ introduction is ear grabbing and powerful. It stands on it’s own. In fact you talk about the Sermon on the Mount and most people will know about the opening. The Blesseds are. The Beatitudes. The Happys. It’s a wonderful picture of how God chooses those that the world might overlook. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Blessed are the meek, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, the merciful, the peacemakers, the persecuted. Quite a team. Good on you Jesus. You know how to pick them.
Now moving on, let’s look at the next group. Salt and light Christians. But wait a minute. What if he isn’t moving on. What if he’s talking about the same group. The Beatitude group. Except now he’s saying “you know that kingdom of heaven thing? Yeah, well, that’s not just so that you come out ok. You have the kingdom of heaven so you can share it.” What if the inheriting the earth thing is not so that you can have it, but so that you can share it? So that you can serve it?
OK, maybe, that might work. But the middle three, that sounds like something to keep. Blessed are you who mourn for you shall be comforted. That’s just helping someone get through, right? Just a partner through the grief process, don’t you think? And Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy. What goes around comes around, don’t you think? You reap what you sow. That’s what being said here. You’ll get yours in the end, whatever it is. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for you will be filled. Surely you can’t share your own filled-ness? Can you? Well, no. But you can share from your sense of being filled. Because you are filled you see to fill others. Because you received mercy you offer more mercy. Because you’ve been comforted, you can now comfort. That’s inherent in the design of the body of Christ. A part of what it means to be the community of faith.
You are the salt, you pure in heart, you merciful, you meek and poor in spirit. You are the salt. Meaning don’t keep it to yourself. Don’t just make sure you are ok. We are in the business of being salt of the earth. The earth. Catch that? Pretty all encompassing that word.
The idea is that you don’t parcel out little bits of salt, but that you’re like the little girl on the old Morton’s salt package, you just run around pouring it everywhere. Rain or shine! Just keep pouring salt.
On a health kick? Don’t like all this saltiness? OK, then you are the light of the world. The world! Again, it is inherent in the design. That’s what light is for, to be shared. To help others see. You are the light of the world, so don’t hide in a bucket. Don’t be so self-effacing that no one knows that you care. That no one knows that are present. Or that no one knows who you work for, or why you do what you do. Let them see your good works, let them see your meekness, your purity of heart, let them see your peacemaking and your hungering and thirsting for righteousness, so that through you they can come closer to God.
Be a transparent light source. No, it’s not about you. But about the one who sent you, who sends you. Let your light shine so that they see your good works and give glory to God. But how do they know to give glory to God when they see what you do? Wouldn't they be more inclined to give glory to you? Isn’t that how this works? Do something good and get recognition. How do they know that your motivation, your inspiration, your passion is God?
Because you tell them. Duh. That’s where the sharing of faith comes in. And you do it everywhere, to anyone, all the time. Not to beat them down and make God another annoyance in their lives. But to let them have an answer to the questions they ask. Questions like “How are you able to do all this and keep a sense of equilibrium?” Well, you say, I had help. And then you speak somehow about what motivated you. In church I heard ..., in my small group we were saying ..., this great book I was reading said ... You tell them, that’s how they know.
And then you invite them. To pray with you if that works. To come to worship with you, if you think they might be open to that (and how will you know unless you ask?) To join your fellowship group. Don’t have one? Start one. Or ask and we’ll help put one together. It’s time to get those things going again.
I mean there is salt going to waste because we aren't sure how to share it. There is light behind closed doors that gets shuttered when we go out. It’s time to make a difference in the world around us. Season your surroundings. Shine bright. From your natural enthusiasm about your faith. From your hope and your joy. Let it shine.
To the world. Yeah, it’s a big place. Someone once said that all the light that ever shined is still shining as it spreads father and farther out into the universe. Good works are like that. They never really stop influencing, it just keeps rippling out. No act of mercy or peacemaking ever is wasted, even if the results aren't what you hope. But the very act of making the attempt has eternal transformative power. Let it shine. Let it pour. Let it brighten. Let it season.
Give God glory.
Shalom,
Derek
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