Views from the Pew: 9.21.21

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What did you learn from last week’s sermon, “Shining Lights, Part Three” ?

Q1: Where do we find the High Priestly Prayer?

Q2: Does John 17 talk about our mission, our Great Commission?

Q3: What lesson did Jesus teach before praying His High Priestly Prayer?

Q4: Are Christians gradually becoming salt, or are we salt right now?

Q5: Does God want us to stay close to home and mostly mingle with Christians, or does He want us to go out and “get rubbed into the world?”

Q6: What is the only genuinely satisfying thing we can have while on earth?

Q7: What do you get by being persecuted by the world for your “salty-shine?”

Sermon Summary & Answers

John 17 contains what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer,” or more aptly called the “High Priestly Prayer.” It is Jesus talking directly to the Father. Verse 18 expresses His mission and all believer’s mission to evangelize in one unified church that stretches beyond time, history, and boundaries, so that the lost may come to believe. Verse 20 discusses the “Great Commission.”

Before Jesus prayed that prayer, He taught the lesson that we can read in Matthew 5. Verse 13 calls believers “salt.” He was trying to tell us to let our light shine into the world to unbelievers in a “salty way.” He is suggesting that we do this by using the character of our illumination. These character traits are found in Matthew 5:1-10. We also call these the “Beatitudes” – or now you can call them, Salty-Character-Prep-for-Shining-Christ’s-Light. No salt, no shining! Matthew 5:13 tells us that we ARE SALT. It does not say that we will become salt.

Why?

Christ wants us to…

  1. Be an influence – to permeate the meat (humans), like salt does as it goes deep into the core and disappears. It takes meat that would otherwise rot (die in sins) and preserves it for a time or slows down the rot. You have to come in contact with that meat and rub that salt in. It is a steadfast commitment to being a part of the surroundings and blending to help make a difference while still being your own compound (NaCl or Christian). This is the idea of committing yourself to Kingdom-living in the middle of a fallen world so that the permeating power of the living Christ can change hearts. Instead of criticizing the world’s decay, we should respond to the call to actively influence change. No, the world doesn’t want this, and they will persecute you for this. Good! That means you will be blessed all the more (Matthew 5:11-12). God is not teaching us that the world is good and getting better. He is teaching us that the world is rotten and getting worse. We have to have salty characteristics to slow down the rot of this dark world. We cannot try to have prominence as Christians. Even Christ, a Holy being, became one of us and blended into our world. Let God rub you into the world JUST LIKE JESUS. You need to be choosing intentional relationships with lost people. You should not think yourself too Christian to engage. You are commanded to deny yourself (lay down your conceit and criticism), take up your cross, and follow Him – be salt and shine to the lost INTENTIONALLY.
  2. Be an Inspiration – to bring flavor to life. The world without Jesus is ultimately unsatisfying, and the world knows it. The world is constantly pursuing satisfaction in this or that and always remaining unsatisfied. Jesus is the only true and lasting satisfaction that we will feel on this earth. Do you bring flavor to the world? Do you bring spice to the room? Do you bring hope into hopelessness? Do you bring life into dead rooms, or are you the dark cloud that depresses other people? Be the shine in the room, at home, at work, and at the funeral. Again, they will hate you – reread Matthew 5:10-12. You can’t pretend it doesn’t hurt. You can’t solve this idea of persecution based on how you feel or manipulating your mind with some psychological perspective. You’ll only solve it with knowledge. Here is the knowledge – you are blessed when you are persecuted. Your reward is greater, and you are being your most effective. You will rejoice!
  3. The salt that produces the soul’s thirst for the water that never runs dry – salt causes thirst and desire! Get to salting the world around you. They will recognize the peace you have and the joy you have in trouble. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to be ready for those thirsty people to ask us about the living water. Does your life create a thirst in the souls of those who are around you?

Did you find this quiz and sermon summary helpful? Log on to gccbg.com/blog each week for the latest Q&A. Jessica will send the link out in the Midweek church emails. I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please email me at thepew@gccbg.com.


Answers:

  1. John 17
  2. yes
  3. the characteristics of a Christian – how to be salty (the Beatitudes)
  4. We are salt now
  5. He wants us to get rubbed into the world so that we can slow down the decay and shine Christ’s light on the lost
  6. Jesus Christ
  7. Reward, peace & joy in times of trouble – oh, how satisfying!