Today we go a step further.….what happens when we become believers. What does our life look like? Our life has a mission/purpose!
Mission Granted Salt and Light: Matthew 5:13-16 When we become Children of God, when we become believers and receive the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, our joy is permeated throughout the world. Others can see what has happened to us. People notice the change. It is not just about our change, more importantly, we are the witnesses of the Kingdom to the world. Not only have we changed and others can tell the difference but we also bear witness to the authenticity of the Kingdom. D.A. Carson says it like this: "The Beautiful Attitudes are worked out in the lives of the heirs of the Kingdom. Such Christians refuse to rob their employers by being lazy or succumbing to greed or stinginess. They are first to help a colleague in difficulty and last to return a barbed reply. They honestly desire the advancement of the other’s interests." The world around us is dark and bitter. When in complete isolation hundreds of miles from civilization, the darkness is almost impenetrable yet a single light can emit such a beacon that it can be noticed for miles. And salt that is old or has been put to the side can still effectively preserve….without Christians the world may become even more rotten. We can let our light shine before men Good deeds & Righteous living This is simply done by living as Christ would have lived...with Christ’s Character. This is spiritual growth. Once we have become believers we must not not stop with simply believing, we must also grow in our everyday living….how we interact with others and with God. Extremely difficult, I understand, but it is our duty, nay our mission to "be perfect" (Matthew 5:48) just as God is perfect. We are to live such holy lives that others will be directed toward the light. If we are like everyone else, no one will notice Christ. No one will notice the joy that is inside us. Students and parents are looking for examples, looking for the light. You and I can be the light they are looking for....just simply live for Jesus. When temptation is thrown at you, bat it away because you love Jesus and you desire to impact lives with the message of the Gospel - joy, unspeakable joy! The mission is before us. Our lives matter. We are designed to impact the world around us. Our character should be that of Christ...never ceasing to reach others with the message of the Gospel through Word and Deed. Check back tomorrow for the Mission Objectives! |