Date: February 6, 2011
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 5:13-20
Sermon: Briny and Bright
Pastor: Rev. Kim P. Wells
I can remember as a child we had a food crisis in our house. One morning, my brother and I sat down for our morning bowl of cereal and started eating only to notice that it didn’t taste right. We tried the milk. Was the milk sour? No. We didn’t know what the problem was, but we threw the cereal out and headed on to toasted bagels. Then at dinner, we had one of my favorites salads as a child – a wedge of iceberg lettuce with lemon juice and a dusting of sugar. It just didn’t taste right. I refused to eat it. The rest of the family ate their iceberg with Italian dressing, so they thought I was just being difficult. The next day, it was the iced tea. None of us could drink it. What was wrong? It wasn’t the refrigerator. It wasn’t the water. It wasn’t soap residue from the dishwasher. Why was our food tasting strange? We finally solved the mystery. Somehow, the sugar bowl had been refilled with salt! So we had put salt on our cereal, salt on the lettuce wedge instead of the expected sugar, salt in the iced tea. And one thing was clear – salt is powerful. Even a little salt can have an enormous effect!
Salt was a precious commodity in ancient times. It was used as a condiment. It was sprinkled on offerings to the gods. It was used as a preservative in the days before refrigeration. It was used to purify and cleanse. [Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 4, “salt”] In the ancient world, salt was so valuable that it was traded ounce for ounce for gold. In the Mediterranean area, salt cakes were used as currency. Taxes were paid in salt. [World Book Encyclopedia, vol. 17, “salt”]
Salt is necessary for the human body to live and for cells to function properly. So salt is an extremely important, powerful substance. It is a very valuable necessity. Salt sustains life. So when we read that Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth,” we want to make sure to see the power and significance of salt. Today we take salt for granted. It is cheap. And we concern ourselves with moderating our salt intake because too much salt contributes to high blood pressure. So given our contemporary associations with salt, we want to be sure that we see the significance of salt in the context in which Jesus lived. Salt was a vital, life-sustaining necessity and was highly valued as such.
Light also has significant, powerful associations. Imagine the difference light made in a world without electricity. In the days before light pollution, a single oil lamp illuminating the pitch black darkness had an enormous impact.
Maybe you remember that crime thriller movie from 1967 starring Audrey Hepburn, “Wait Until Dark.” Hepburn plays a blind woman who is the unwitting recipient of a heroin-stuffed doll. She is terrorized in her apartment by the man who wants the heroin back. To get the advantage, the blind woman disables all of the lights in the apartment because she is accustomed to functioning in the dark. She gets every light. Then the refrigerator opens and the light fills the apartment. You see the impact of just one small light in the pitch black darkness.
Salt and light are images of incredible power. And Jesus is remembered for saying, “You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world.” And he is remembered as saying this to ordinary people. To the crowd gathered on the hillside to listen to his teaching. To a mix of people, perhaps. From those who didn’t feel good enough for traditional organized religion to those who were sincerely wanting to go deeper in their faith commitment. All are told: You are salt. You are light. This is saying: You are valuable. You are necessary. You sustain life. You are powerful. You make a difference. You change the game. You. You have the power of salt and light.
There are no conditions attached. You could be like salt if . . . You would shine like light if . . . You should have an impact if . . . No. What we are told is: You are salt. You are light. There are no conditions. This is not determined by training. Or economics. Or ethnicity. Or education. Or income. Or piety. Or gender. Or sexual orientation. Or anything else. To whosoever is listening, to whosoever is reading: You are salt. You are light.
The community of followers of Jesus is completely egalitarian. Everyone is salt and light. Despite the hierarchy and patriarchy that has become infused in the faith community, the original intention was egalitarian. Everyone endowed as salt and light. Everyone making a difference. Everyone necessary. Everyone valuable. Everyone sustaining life. No exceptions!
We see that sense of power, passion, and purpose in the stories of those early disciples and in the stories of the early faith community, especially in the book of Acts. But through the ages, there seem to be influences undermining that sense of knowing you have a life-changing, world-changing impact.
What are some of those influences and factors that seem to undermine the power of the faith community as salt and light? There are forces in society that want people to think they can’t make a difference so that they don’t interfere with the status quo, or with the agenda of a certain group. We are told that things are so big and complex now, it’s harder to make a difference. There is the cultivation of fear. All the reporting on crime and violence makes people afraid to involve themselves in the community. The recent crack down on peace activists in this country is meant to intimidate and instill fear in those who would speak out for peace and the end of the war in Afghanistan. We’re told that the people who make a difference, who have power, are the executives in large corporations. They control everything. They are running the government. Average people have no power. Columnist Nicholas Kristoff recently observed, “The U.S. military now has more people in its marching bands than the State Department has in its foreign service – and that’s preposterous.” [Columnist Nichoal D. Kristoff, cited in “The Christian Century,” 1/25/11, p. 9] And even if we did change things here in the US, the rest of the world is still contributing to problems like global warming and violent conflict and resource depletion and the violating of human rights. So what can we do?
So many messages assault us everyday that are disempowering. Then there is the flip side of the coin. The focus on status and prestige. You are special. You deserve the best. You should be recognized. So people expect to be extolled for any “good” that they do. And if there isn’t some pay off, some recognition, some status or publicity, then don’t bother. You should expect to be extolled and appreciated.
There was a growing congregation that needed to build a new building to accommodate its ministry. The leaders of the church decided to honor the New Testament spirit of egalitarianism, and Jesus’ teachings like don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, and let your light shine so that people give glory to God. So it was determined that all contributions to the building fund would be kept secret. The concept was that giving was a pure act of selfless, Christian devotion. The fundraising for the building began and returns were disappointing. Some made sacrificial donations. Others, some of the wealthiest people in the congregation, were not fully supportive. The church leaders decided that in the interests of having the building and ministry fully funded, the contributors would be publicized. Many people increased their support, and the building was erected. But there were those in the congregation disturbed by the motives for giving. They were not donating to give glory to God, but to themselves. [The Sermon on the Mount: A Guide to Jesus’ Most Famous Sermon, Roger Shinn, p.30]
There are many influences that can undermine our being salt and light in the world. It can seem overwhelming. But let us remember that the same was true in Jesus’ day. The people were living under Roman rule. What could they do? They were living in an extremely stratified, hierarchichal society. They were mostly poor. Salt and light? Really? What could they possibly do to change the world? It is the issue of disempowerment that lies behind the comments about hiding the light under a bushel. Having the light is one thing. Hiding the light is another. And it was a temptation then, as it is now, or the business about the the bushel basket would not be in the Gospel.
In a recent Gallup poll which asked, “At the present time, do you think religion as a whole is increasing its influence on American life or losing its influence?” 70 percent of respondents said that religion is losing its influence on American life. [CC 1/25/11, p. 8] In some ways, that could be a good thing. But in thinking about light and salt, images pointing to common, humble, virtually unnoticed substances having a significant influence for peace, compassion, and goodwill, the US could use more salt and light. In the wake of the recent incidents of horrific violence that we have witnessed, I am wondering how things might be different if Christians, who are salt and light, were not hiding their light under a bushel. Would this have prevented the shootings in Arizona? Would this have changed the course of the life of Hydra Lacey who recently killed two St. Petersburg police officers? We can’t change the past, but we can look to the future. How are we needed as salt and light in the world?
I recently read about about a salt/light initiative in Bethlehem, as in “O LIttle Town of.” We’re told that “in Bethlehem . . . 70,000 Palestinians are walled in by Israeli military occupation and surrounded by illegal settlements on confiscated Palestinian land. Here Palestinian Lutherans have defied all odds by building a wellness center, a medical clinic, a first-rate cultural center hosting local and international events and a K-12 school for Muslim and Christian students. Two months ago, the first fine arts college in the Arab world was opened under their sponsorship. Dar Al Kalima . . .has 200 full-time students and a thousand more in part-time studies. Despite a dwindling number of Arab Christians, the inclusive organization called Diyar (“home”) serves women, children, youth and the elderly; it is the third largest employer in Bethlehem.” Mitri Raheb, the pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church and founding director of Diyar, was asked what keeps him from going crazy under relentless pressures. “I start a new project,” he said. This is his way of being salt and light, in spite of the challenges he faces. (“The Christian Century,” Reflections on the Lectionary, F. Dean Lueking, 1/11/11, p. 21] We can always make or find excuses. But that does not change that we are salt and light.
Recently in the life of this church, it has been suggested that as a follow up to the focus on peace of the Advent/Christmas season, we pursue an initiative specifically aimed at addressing gun violence. Plans are in the works to take action on this important issue since we are peacemakers and followers of the one who taught love of enemy. This is a way of being salt and light to the world.
Another recent initiative that has surfaced in our church is the Property Improvement Initiative which you will hear more about following the service this morning. The focus of this effort is to improve the visual presentation of the church to the public so that people know that we are here and that we are a vital, vibrant presence and not dilapidated or defunct. This is about shining our light and not hiding it under a bushel. So both seeking to end gun violence and sprucing up the property are part of the church being light and salt, and not hiding under a bushel.
We are salt. We are light. We have power. We have influence. We are needed. We sustain life. Each and every day, may we bring glory to God! Amen.
A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 