Epiphany 5: Salt and Light

Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12]

Psalm 112:1-9[10]
1 Corinthians 2:1-12 [13-16]
Matthew 5:13-20

Okay, before I even begin, perhaps we should just call this the "Sunday of the Brackets." Choices, choices, choices!  I say, go for all them, why not??

First Lesson: Isaiah 58:1-9a [9b-12]

Challenges:

Quite often, when I hear Scripture read in worship, especially when it does not involve a plot or storyline, it is very easy for the lector/reader to make all of the words string together into a mish-mash of bible-sounds.  This can be especially true if your lector/reader does not prepare beforehand. And I get that: life really is crazy and there are plenty of things to do. Have you ever considered doing a Lector Workshop that can help people figure out how to read the Bible out loud in a way that true communicates what being said? It can be a really fun thing to do!

Opportunities:

What is truly important? What really connects us with God's way?  Isaiah puts it really well. It's not empty or showy worship practices, it's righteous living.  And, yes, this can add a real weight or burden to us.  A passage like this can show us that we fall short constantly.  That's very important.  It can also show us a way to live, a path to follow.  As I was reading this Luther's explanation of the Lord's Prayer came to mind. "The good and gracious will of God is surely done without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may be done also among us."  When it comes to removing yokes and not pointing the finger and offering food to the hungry, I believe it is a good thing to pray that I will be able to do these things with with help of God. (...or that God will do these things with my help)

The Good News: 

I can read this passage and feel depressed that I can't measure up. I can also read this passage and be inspired because I have seen a different way of living.  It's a way where there are no yokes and no pointing fingers, a way of light, strong bones and repaired breaches.  I can yearn after this way and pray that I can be a part of it.

Psalm: Psalm 112:1-9[10]

Challenges:

I read this psalm and it all felt so simple to me.  Fear the Lord and things will be okay!  Of course, then I look at the world around me and all that simplicity falls away. Not only do those who fear the Lord and do all of these things have a tough time, it's not really that simple to 'fear the Lord.' Paul hits the nail on the head when he says "I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing that I hate..." (Romans 5:15)

Opportunities:

While, this psalm can seem really simplistic and naieve (see challenges above), it can also serve as an example of what it means to 'fear the Lord.' In other words people can ask you, "So what does it REALLY mean to love God, fear the Lord, be a Christian, etc." In other words, what does Christian living look like? Psalm 112 can be an example of that.

The Good News: 

Verse 8b says "...in the end they will look in triumph on their foes." If this hasn't happened yet, maybe it's not the end.

Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 [13-16]

Challenges:

This is a great chapter. In my opinion, anytime you read Chapter 2 and Paul's words about knowing nothing but Christ Crucified) you should remember Chapter 15 (i.e. statements on the Resurrection). It goes the opposite way as well: when you read Chapter 15 and his statements on Christ's Resurrection, it's very important to remember Chapter 2 (and Chapter 1 for that matter).  Cross and empty tomb, they go together.  You can't have one without the other.

Opportunities:

Sometimes in the church it's tempting to think that we just don't have the coolest, smartest, flashiest methods and that's why things aren't going well. I read Paul's comments about worldly wisdom and I realize that it was a "problem" in his day as well. What makes a difference, then and now? "a demonstration of the Spirit and of power."  That demonstration is not a flashy magic show which wows us all (that'd be worldly wisdom again), instead it is profound acts of community, generosity, selflessness, intergrity and righteousness. That makes people sit up and take notice.

The Good News: 

Flashy trends come and go, the Spirit isn't going anywhere...or maybe the Spirit IS going somewhere, and we get to come along for the ride.

Gospel: Matthew 5:13-20

Challenges:

The challenges here are twofold: first, while the other lessons have brackets and this one doesn't, I believe the Gospel lesson could actually use them.  Verses 13-16 form a section, while 17-20 form their own.  Of the two, verses 17-20 are much more challenging, chiefly because it will take quite a bit of time and effort to really unpack all sorts of weighty concepts like "the law," "least in the kingdom of heaven," or "righteousness." As in other gospel lessons, I feel like you should choose between 13-16 OR 17-20 as you emphasis.  That's what I'm doing, and I'll be going with 13-16.

Second, Jesus' words about 'letting our light shine' appear to contradict his statements in chapter six which say "beware practicing your piety before other in order to be seen my them." Of course, there really is no contradiction because the two actions (shining light and practicing piety) have different motivations AND results.

Second,

In verse 16, we are called to shine our light "...so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven." In Matthew 6:1, the motivation is "in order to be seen by them."  In other words, what are these actions trying to achieve? Glory for you or glory for God?  To quote the Knight from the Order of the Cruciform Sword in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade "why do you seek the cup of Christ? Is it for his glory or for yours?"  (well, that might not really be relevant, but any chance you get to reference Indiana Jones is a good thing)

The challenge comes with the fact that people will take part in Matthew 6:1 actions while believing they are doing Matthew 5:16 things. It's curious how much God's glory and our own glory can be so conveniently linked at times, isn't it?  I don't have a good cure for this except constant prayer and the grace of God.

Opportunities:

This passge has IMAGERY written all over it.  How about singing "This Little Light of Mine" as a Hymn of the Day.  How about using a flashlight as an example?  Lighthouses?  Whatever. 

Light can be useful in many different ways. It can guide us, it can protect us, it can encourage us.  It can even help us while being "unpleasant." It can show us things that we would rather keep in the darkness but really need to be seen.

Salt might be a bit more a stretch for some people: after all, it's that white stuff in the shaker on the table. You can go into the fact that before refrigeration, salt was used as a very important preservative.  Some people where even given their wages in the form of salt.  AND a little of salt goes a long way.

David Lose, in his preaching blog, talks about how this is a commissioning of the disciples to be who they already are. Lose says (and I wholeheartedly agree) that Jesus says they are ALREADY light and salt and that they should be who they ALREADY are.  A similar thing happens in 1 Corinthians 12 when Paul describes the 'Body of Christ.' He says to this rather disfunctional congregation "Now you ARE the Body of Christ," not 'you should become' or  'maybe you'll improve to be,' but rather YOU ARE.  It's the same way with salt and light.  Jesus is saying BE WHO I HAVE MADE YOU.

 

The Good News:

You could talk about the deep sense of satisfaction and meaning that we can get from having a purpose. We have been given a mission: to make things better, so that it will be to the glory of our Father in heaven. Will we fall short? Of course! Will this mess up God's plans? Nope. Something tells me that God has things well in hand. We just get to be a part of things: that's pretty exciting.

Plus, we always think about the need to be the light and the salt. There's truth to this. But think about it this way: say you're in darkness or you need something to keep your life from being rotten (i.e. salt).  Guess what? God is providing light and salt through the followers of his son Jesus.  If you are in trouble, help is on the way.  That sounds like good news.