Our focus passage this Sunday came from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:13-16. This is where Jesus calls his followers both salt and light. We also looked at the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they resisted bowing down to the idol created by the king of Babylon.
There was a shift on this particular communion Sunday. Whereas our mission to Know Christ” has to do with the internal strength of discipleship, “Making Christ Known” has to do with the external focus of mission. The first dynamic we discussed in making Christ known was action- how we live.
Jesus called his followers salt and light. Both salt and light impact their environments. Jesus calls his followers salt and light- environment impactors- because he was salt and light. The most basic and fundamental way we make Christ known is by being salt and light in a bland a dark world through our actions- the way we live our lives bears witness to the one who has impacted us.
We discussed two primary ways that we can be environment impactors- salt and light- for Christ.
1. Resisting the ways of this world.
Our three friends from Daniel resisted what the culture was doing. The result was not only encountering God in a unique way but allowing King Nebuchadnezzar to see God’s glory as well.
The Greek word “ecclesia” translated “church” literally means “called-out-ones.” Being called out from our culture means to resist the patterns of this world for the sake of God’s glory.
2. Pursuing excellence in all we do.
Whatever we do, we are to do with our whole hearts as unto the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23). To illustrate this we looked at some edited clips from the movie Chariots of Fire. Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell understood this concept of pursuing excellence for God’s glory.
In one scene he tells his sister that he knows God has called him to ministry in China, but that God also made him fast. “When I run, I feel his pleasure… and to win, to win is to honor him.” A life lived for excellence unto God is a life lived as salt and light and bears witness to Christ’s redemptive work in those who believe.
-Pastor Scott
There was a shift on this particular communion Sunday. Whereas our mission to Know Christ” has to do with the internal strength of discipleship, “Making Christ Known” has to do with the external focus of mission. The first dynamic we discussed in making Christ known was action- how we live.
Jesus called his followers salt and light. Both salt and light impact their environments. Jesus calls his followers salt and light- environment impactors- because he was salt and light. The most basic and fundamental way we make Christ known is by being salt and light in a bland a dark world through our actions- the way we live our lives bears witness to the one who has impacted us.
We discussed two primary ways that we can be environment impactors- salt and light- for Christ.
1. Resisting the ways of this world.
Our three friends from Daniel resisted what the culture was doing. The result was not only encountering God in a unique way but allowing King Nebuchadnezzar to see God’s glory as well.
The Greek word “ecclesia” translated “church” literally means “called-out-ones.” Being called out from our culture means to resist the patterns of this world for the sake of God’s glory.
2. Pursuing excellence in all we do.
Whatever we do, we are to do with our whole hearts as unto the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23). To illustrate this we looked at some edited clips from the movie Chariots of Fire. Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell understood this concept of pursuing excellence for God’s glory.
In one scene he tells his sister that he knows God has called him to ministry in China, but that God also made him fast. “When I run, I feel his pleasure… and to win, to win is to honor him.” A life lived for excellence unto God is a life lived as salt and light and bears witness to Christ’s redemptive work in those who believe.
-Pastor Scott
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