Matthew 5:13-20
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
March 16, 2020, people ask what were you doing the day Kennedy was shot. People will ask what did you do during Covid 19 The Virus and the Stock Market.
I know what my family did the day Kennedy died. I know my father was completely and uncharacteristically in Horror of Horrors during the Cuban Missile Crisis. And didn't calm down until, uncharacteristically, my mother froze him into calm. I remember 1987 and several good recovery histories.
We have to say to ourselves 96 and 85% recovery. My brother has a woman in his office who is in the 5th day of recovery in El Paso.
We have to acknowledge in my area, the traffic has significantly reduced, the grocery stores and the Post Office are the only hive of activity and families are gathering under groups of 10. People are pulling together.
Meeting a neighbor today, I can see tension. The people I talk to have concerns. Faces are serious. Stock market - remember Sars 2003. Recovery.
When we went on a cruise two years ago, the Cruise Line hasn't had illness break out in 18 years. At the entrance of entering the ship, at meals, going into auditoriums, there are public hand sanitizing stops. This works. Public displays of unified hand sanitizing.
Fellowship
Now how does this relate to Matthew 5?
When we read about Creation, Jesus is created as God Spoke His Word. Earth is created this way. Science has never created soil to grow crops in. God Created the earth. Pretty quickly - Adam and Eve began to procreate and we find all have Mitochondrial DNA from Eve. Proving God chose Creation.
What God did not do - God did not create clones. We didn't turn out like manufactured Twinkies. Plop, bake, Plop, bake.
You had reactions to today. You will probably remember your reactions to life today. No one is going to forget this time.
When Jesus chose the 12 Disciples, He didn't create plop, bake Twinkies. The 12 Tribes of Israel were very different. God values our personalities and diversity. Jesus had Peter and Andrew who were quite successful according to the huge fish story, his willingness to philanthropy, archaeology and the placement of his home. Jesus had thug - Tax Collector Matthew. Jesus chose screaming and yelling John and Andrew, placement seekers. He had a Roman Hebrew war hound - Simon the Zealot and a corrupt accountant, Judas. He had Disciples willing to be called Lesser James. And Disciples who were given the choice work, the close work and the go further ahead work.
These men never did have matching robes and hats and tonsures. No one pointed at the Disciples and said, "Now, which one is Jesus?" Didn't happen. They all began life differently, they did Ministry work differently and ended life differently.
Instead, in this list, we discover Jesus picked Thomas - who offered astutely to die with Jesus at an odd time. Jesus picked salty men. Peter looked at the catch of his life and turned and said to the Messiah of God, "Hey, I think You need someone else, I'm not that man, I'm a SINNER."
Jesus chose mankind who had Salt. Personality.
Jesus told people who annoyed others, i.e. the children are told to move on. Jesus chose people who were told in the Temple in The Book of Acts to sit down and be quiet when told. Jesus chose mankind who was said to be Drunk in Public. These men did not line up and chant. They ran home and hid. And sent - the women - out to get news on Easter Sunday. Salt. Salt is not diamonds.
Today. Today, we need Father God to be God the Almighty.
Today, Jesus is in the Boat and we would pray, do not let us perish. Today, Jesus is in our lives and we would pray Jesus to be God fulfilling God's Word.
We really need the Grace and Mercy of Jesus to fill us and ask God to be pleased with us today.
You and I are valued as we are. God will do this for us. God said He would.
God chose to announce the Presence of the Holy Spirit with fire. We have the Fire of the Holy Spirit within us. God goes with us. God is for us. God is our Hope and Future. Love the people God has given you.
Abba,
You are the Comforter. We long for Your Comfort.
Psalm 87
On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 the Lord loves
the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken,
O city of God. Selah
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush —
“This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah
7 Singers and dancers alike say,
“All my springs are in you.”
Jesus told us to pray to You as we really are. Mark 11 and Luke 18. Jesus arrived as the people who needed Him lined up to have Him walk by or touch Him. We need Jesus, Jesus will be with us.
Father in all seasons, abide in us, increase the Spirit whom You have given us.
We ask to be able to Seek You first. We ask to seek and Find Your Kingdom this day and always. We ask to live in Love, Joy and Peace. We ask this for the people we Love and those people You have given us. We need You.
We believe YOu have the ability and Authority to Speak Your Word and allow this to advance no further. By Your Word, all things are Created. Your Word Exists Forever.
Lord Jesus Christ, we need Your Love, Grace and Mercy. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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