Grow! The World Needs God’s Love

Churches are perceived to be an important part of the community, but in the past couple of years, fewer new churches are opening while more established churches are closing. What does the community lose if more and more churches close down?

Transcript

Why did RiverLife plant another campus? The answer is simple—to grow. And I’ve got great news. We are growing. In fact, here’s a graph of our total attendance since we re-started in-person services in Feb. After a couple of years of dropping attendance, it’s nice to see us growing again.

Over this series, we’ve talked about three different reasons why we want to grow:

• Growth is God’s plan for humanity

• Growth is Jesus’ mission for us

• Growth is essential for our spiritual health

There’s one more reason we launched RiverLife BP – the world needs God’s love.

Have you ever thought about what the world needs? There was one day in seminary when I thought a lot about it. I was at Bethel, taking a walk between classes along one of their paths. As I approached the College campus, I saw flags hanging on the lampposts with Bethel’s values. And they were inspiring:

• Christ-followers

• Character-builders

• Learners

• Truth-seekers

Then I saw one that made me stop… and laugh a little.

• World-changers

The snarky person in me went back to myself as a college student, and immediately thought: Change the world?!? Really?!? When I was in college, I didn’t even change my sheets. [That’s true. Pang Foua can verify. It was nasty.]

Now it’s time for punchline roulette.

• Change the world?!? When I was in college, I changed my major, my girlfriend, my waistline… but not the world.

• Change the world?!? When I was in college, I couldn’t even change my freshmen roommate into a nice person. Just kidding. Steven Franks, wherever you are, you were an awesome roommate.

• Change the world?!? When I was in college, I had a better chance of bringing peace to the Middle East or racial diversity to Minnetonka.

Bethel’s value did raise an interesting question, though. I think it’s a question that sits in all of our brains. It’s a question that rattles around in there and shapes what we think, do, and say. How do I make a difference?

You might not want to change the world, but you might want to make a difference in your kids, at your job, here at church. I guarantee that there is someplace where you want to make a difference. Where is it? I want you to name that place or person right now.

Got it? Let’s go further. That’s the what; now, what about the how. Here’s the amazing thing: you already have an answer to this question. Every one of you has completed this statement: “I make a difference by ____________.” It’s how you decide your values, priorities, and even the words you say.

Here are some examples of how you might answer that question for, let’s say, your family:

• I make a difference by… loving my spouse well.

• I make a difference by… teaching my children discipline.

• I make a difference by… working hard to provide for my family.

• I make a difference by… being a good son or daughter for my mom and dad.

There are a million different answers for a million different situations. But not all answers are equally helpful or beneficial or even effective.

There’s a great example of this going on in the headlines these days, “I make a difference by overturning Roe v. Wade.” Now, that is true. If Roe v. Wade gets overturned, analysts estimate it will reduce abortions by 10-15%. But social policy research shows there are more effective ways to reduce abortion:

• Comprehensive sex ed, talking about both abstinence and contraception

• Guaranteed paid family leave

• Improved access to health care for low-income women

• Prioritizing racial equity in healthcare

Data shows that all these options are more effective at reducing abortion than simply overturning Roe v. Wade. It doesn’t mean it has to be one or the other. But in our lives and our social policy, we need to make sure we’re paying attention to the best ways to make a difference, not just our preferred ways.

So, that leaves us with an obvious question: What’s the best way to make a difference? Thankfully, we don’t have to rely on science alone to answer this question. God has given us guidance. He has told us the best ways to make a difference. We’re gonna look at one of those today.

It comes out of a passage that’s probably familiar to many of you—salt and light from the Sermon on the Mount. But there’s a critical piece to it that you’re probably missing. So, here’s the clickbait headline: You’ll never believe what you’re getting wrong about being salt and light? Curious? Did I make you click? Ok, let’s look at the passage.

This is Jesus teaching in Matthew 5:13-16

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Salt

Let’s start with that salt metaphor. What in the salt does that mean? Nearly every sermon I’ve heard on this passage focuses on a couple of things: The qualities of salt as a preservative, purifying agent, or seasoning”

• Christians are to preserve against the decay of society

• Christians are to fight for moral purity in an impure world

• Christians are to act as kingdom seasoning to the world

And to be honest, I’ve always found those little hokey. In fact, in my studying, I found a dozen different possible explanations for this. But there was one that stood out. This one stood out because of an important principle of understanding the Bible: let the Bible interpret the Bible. If you run across a passage that you don’t understand, look for ways that other bible passages might explain it. One of the best variations of this is: Let the Old Testament interpret the New Testament.

I didn’t get this advice as a new believer. Evangelical Christianity tends to focus on the New Testament, sometimes at the exclusion of the Old Testament. But the truth is that we should read EVERYTHING in the New Testament in light of the Old Testament.

So, what might salt and light mean when they’re seen through the lens of the Old Testament? Well, it shouldn’t surprise us that Jesus didn’t make up the salt metaphor. He was borrowing it from the Old Testament.

Let me read you a few verses:

Leviticus 2:13 - “13 Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.”

Numbers 18:19 - “19 Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

2 Chronicles 13:5 - “5 Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?”

Whaaaa?? When Jesus called the disciples “the salt of the earth,” was he referencing back to the covenant of God, arguably one of the most important concepts in the whole Bible. Now, that makes a lot of sense.

When the Bible talks about God establishing a covenant with the Israelites or that Jesus established a new covenant, think of that as a new promised identity and mission as the people of God.

So, why call it a “covenant of salt”? Because it’s a perpetual, enduring covenant—because of the use of salt as a preservative—it’s a covenant that lasts through the generations.

Light

Now, let’s revisit the light metaphor. How are we to understand that one? Would it surprise you to learn that Israel was routinely called light in the Old Testament? Take a look at these verses from the Book of Isaiah of God talking about his people.

Isaiah 9:2 - “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

Isaiah 49:6 - “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 60:1-3 - “1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you, and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Now, let’s connect the dots. When Jesus was talking about salt and light, he was reminding them and us of our identity and mission as the people of God.

“You are the salt of the earth.” That’s identity. You don’t try to be salt. You are salt.
“You are the light of the world.” That’s identity. You don’t try to be light. You are light.
“Let your light shine before others.” That’s mission.
“Let them see your good deeds and glorify God.” That’s mission.

This passage says that if you are a Jesus follower, you have an identity in Christ and you have a mission in Christ. So, the only questions are:

• Are you living out of your true identity or a false one?

• Are you living on-mission or off-mission?

“Don’t lose your saltiness.” That’s living a false identity, a false self.

• I am what I do

• If I’m pretty, I’ll be more likable

• I don’t need anyone

• I have to earn God’s love

• I deserve God’s blessing

Any of this instead of saying, “I exist in an enduring, promised covenant with the God of the universe, who loves me because of who I am not what I do.” That’s living out your true identity. That’s being salt.

“Don’t cover up your light.” That’s ignoring your God-given mission.

• Ignoring – Love God, love others.

• Ignoring – Be a student of Jesus.

• Ignoring – Make disciples of others.

• Ignoring – Do good works.

• Ignoring – Bless others

Jesus’ followers find their identity and mission in their promised, covenantal relationship with God. All true growth comes out of that.

I’d like to close with a video of a recent college graduation speech that went viral. Normally, these speeches are about as interesting as rice and water, but this one was special. It was an amazing example of someone who knew their true identity and was living out their mission. It’s from Elizabeth Bonker, a valedictorian from Rollins College in Florida. I don’t know what Elizabeth’s faith perspective is, but she uses some Christian language, so as a minimum, she was inspired by the words of Scripture.

Here's what it looks like to refuse a false identity and to never give up on your mission.