{"id":1007,"date":"2014-08-06T11:23:46","date_gmt":"2014-08-06T16:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=1007"},"modified":"2014-11-25T10:11:05","modified_gmt":"2014-11-25T16:11:05","slug":"walk-in-the-light-and-be-salt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/06\/walk-in-the-light-and-be-salt\/","title":{"rendered":"Walk in the Light and Be Salt"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/sermons\/?sermon_id=43\">Audio Link<\/a><br \/>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PKVobiQd8Bo?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><br \/>\n1 Kings 3:5\u201312<br \/>\nPsalm 119:129\u2013136<br \/>\nRomans 8:26\u201339<br \/>\nMatthew 5:13-16<br \/>\nMatthew 13:31-33<br \/>\nMatthew 13:44-52<\/p>\n<p>For the last week I was engaged in a community of Christian believers.\u00a0 We are known as the Butterfly People.\u00a0 We are challenged to be a changed people, breaking out of our old-self, coming out of darkness and into the light of God.\u00a0 It is when people do that, that are changed, all the brokenness of before is forgiven, forgiven by the love of God in Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n<p>I am a Butterfly, daring to risk all by loving all, as Christ loves us.\u00a0 Although I am a Butterfly and there is a whole community of us, you too can be among the Butterflies, and become a Butterfly too.\u00a0 The community I am speaking of is a group of volunteer leaders and the ones who also attend an event that is put on each year.<\/p>\n<p>Each year in July, there is an event that is open to anyone going into high school, through adults.\u00a0 That event is known as Leadership Lab and it held at Augustana College, in Rock Island.\u00a0 We spend a week together each year to become energized and learn about responding to God.\u00a0 This week\u2019s theme was Salt and Light and we focused all of our activities and twice a day worship services upon the theme.\u00a0 Write down the address, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leadershiplab.net\">http:\/\/www.leadershiplab.net<\/a>, use this to see all the activities I posted on Facebook this week.<\/p>\n<p>Solomon asks God, to give him the wisdom to be the light, to know the difference between light and darkness so that he can be the salt for the people, God\u2019s people. Solomon says; give me an understanding mind to govern Your (God\u2019s) people and discern between good and evil.\u00a0 Discernment of Good \/ Light, Evil \/Darkness, is what Solomon asks for and is granted by God.\u00a0 Solomon, in Light, wants to be the Salt for the people.\u00a0 Solomon wants to pour out the salt and turn on the light.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/06\/walk-in-the-light-and-be-salt\/saltandlight\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1010\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1010\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/06\/walk-in-the-light-and-be-salt\/saltandlight\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SaltAndLight.jpg?fit=403%2C336&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"403,336\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Salt and Light\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Matthew 5:13-16&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SaltAndLight.jpg?fit=403%2C336&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1010\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SaltAndLight.jpg?resize=403%2C336\" alt=\"Matthew 5:13-16\" width=\"403\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SaltAndLight.jpg?w=403&amp;ssl=1 403w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/SaltAndLight.jpg?resize=300%2C250&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 403px) 100vw, 403px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth.\u00a0 Just what the heck doe is mean to be salt?\u00a0 We use salt to flavor and preserve our foods.\u00a0 Can we flavor or preserve life?\u00a0 You bet we can!\u00a0 How we act towards others, react towards others is the flavor we give to life.\u00a0 We have a choice, a choice of how we respond to Jesus Christ.\u00a0 We can flavor others in the good news, which in turn can preserve them for all eternity.\u00a0 The gospel, the good news is preserving, it is life saving.\u00a0 I tell you, pour it out and turn it on.<\/p>\n<p>We are the light of the world and we cannot be snuffed out, we cannot have a bushel basket or anything else cover us over, unless we choose to.\u00a0 We can choose to live in the darkness or live in the light and as the light.\u00a0 How we live, can either shine before others or be hidden in the darkness of the evil one.\u00a0 We can choose to pour it out; we can choose to turn it on.\u00a0 We can also choose to not pour it out and we can choose to not turn it on.\u00a0\u00a0 Neither be salt nor light.<\/p>\n<p>In Romans 13 it says that we should lay aside the works of darkness.\u00a0 We are to wear the armor of the light and live honorably as in the day.\u00a0 No more the way of darkness and the things of the evil one.\u00a0 Instead we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and we are not to provide those things that lead to darkness and the evil one.\u00a0 Paul tells us to turn on the light.<\/p>\n<p>The Psalm today says that the words of the Lord give light.\u00a0 The Psalmist asks that God shine upon them.\u00a0 God\u2019s light is shinning up each of us, as we take in the words that God has given us for all eternity.\u00a0 We are all changed people by the Word and walking in the light of God, we become a beacon of the light of God, for all of God\u2019s people. We can turn it on and walk in the light.<\/p>\n<p>So, let me go back to this event I attended.\u00a0 Leadership Lab has been going on for years and years and years now.\u00a0 I have been involved over the last six years and each year I am changed more and more.\u00a0 I learn more of God\u2019s love and to live out that love towards others and God.<\/p>\n<p>The weeklong event, or as we call it \u201cLab\u201d, equips the children of God to be the light, even in all of our brokenness.\u00a0 God uses the brokenness of each of us, for God\u2019s purpose, if we just don\u2019t stand in the way.\u00a0 The change that I see in each of the youth and adults is so moving; there are just no words to describe how the Holy Spirit is changing them.\u00a0 We left yesterday, ready, willing, and able to pour it out and to turn it on for the world.<\/p>\n<p>If we are unwilling to be the salt to flavor others in the Gospel, then we have lost our saltiness.\u00a0 In biblical times, salt blocks were used in the cooking ovens.\u00a0 Salt reflects heat but when it stops reflecting the heat, as it breaks down over time, it has lost its saltiness.\u00a0 So Jesus says that it is no longer good for anything and gets thrown out and trampled under foot.\u00a0 We are salt and we can only loose our saltiness by our choice to be in darkness.\u00a0 When we are in darkens are we of any good to the kingdom of God?<\/p>\n<p>We are saints and yet we are sinners.\u00a0\u00a0 Our God has sent the Spirit to be with us always.\u00a0 It is in our weakness that the Spirit intercedes, calling us back to the light and to retain our saltiness.\u00a0 It is God coming to us, calling us to pour it out.\u00a0 It is God coming to us, calling us to turn it on.<\/p>\n<p>Sometime being salt hurts but when we hurt, Jesus is with us turning our hurts into something amazing, something amazing for your and others. Sometimes when we are the salt, it can also hurt.\u00a0 Just like salt in a wound hurts, it also cures.\u00a0 Salt has been and still is used as a sterilizer in some parts of the world.\u00a0 Pour on the salt and add flavor everywhere you go.\u00a0 Turn on the light, be the light of the world.<\/p>\n<p>It is our choice, to live a life of saltiness and pour it out.\u00a0 It is our choice to live in the light or live in darkness.<\/p>\n<p>Turn it on\u2026..<\/p>\n<p>Pour it out\u2026..<\/p>\n<p>Be changed and become a butterfly.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Audio Link 1 Kings 3:5\u201312 Psalm 119:129\u2013136 Romans 8:26\u201339 Matthew 5:13-16 Matthew 13:31-33 Matthew 13:44-52 For the last week I was engaged in a community of Christian believers.\u00a0 We are known as the Butterfly People.\u00a0 We are challenged to be a changed people, breaking out of our old-self, coming out of darkness and into the &#8230; <span class=\"more\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/06\/walk-in-the-light-and-be-salt\/\">[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[72,78,3,79,34,58,80,83],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-1007","6":"format-standard","7":"category-evangelism","8":"category-gospel","9":"category-grace","10":"category-light","11":"category-mission","12":"category-response","13":"category-salt","14":"category-sermon"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-gf","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1716,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/02\/11\/be-salt-and-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":1007,"position":0},"title":"Be Salt and Light","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"February 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, February 5, 2017 Fifth Sunday After The Epiphany Year A Isaiah 58:1-9 a 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 Matthew 5:13-20 Click here for an audio only version. https:\/\/youtu.be\/_CkeMJ_VtG4","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Calling&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Calling","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/calling\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/_CkeMJ_VtG4\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2473,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2020\/11\/10\/you-are-blessed-to-bless\/","url_meta":{"origin":1007,"position":1},"title":"You Are Blessed to Bless","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"November 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"November 1, 2020 Revelation 7:9-171 John 3:13Matthew 5:1-12 \u00a0 https:\/\/vimeo.com\/476752110","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Saints&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Saints","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/all-saints\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3095,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2023\/05\/30\/blessed-forgiven-saved-as-sinners\/","url_meta":{"origin":1007,"position":2},"title":"Blessed, Forgiven, Saved as Sinners","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"May 30, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"May 14th, 2023 Sixth Sunday of Easter Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)Romans 3:28-30, 5:1-11 (NIV)","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blessed&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blessed","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/blessed\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":667,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/05\/vision-being-the-light-to-the-nations\/","url_meta":{"origin":1007,"position":3},"title":"Vision, Being the Light to the Nations","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Video Link Audio Link Isaiah 60:1\u20136 Ephesians 3:1\u201312 Matthew 2:1\u201312 Today is the Epiphany of the Lord. The easy route to take today would be to tell you about the Wise Men who visited Jesus, Joseph and Mary and show how the Isaiah and Matthew text can be tied together.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Campus Ministry&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Campus Ministry","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/campus-ministry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"2013-11-20 06.51.34","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/2013-11-20-06.51.34.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/2013-11-20-06.51.34.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/2013-11-20-06.51.34.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1193,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2015\/01\/27\/sloth-or-caterpillar\/","url_meta":{"origin":1007,"position":4},"title":"Sloth or Caterpillar?","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 27, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0Audio Version http:\/\/youtu.be\/kBwSV4Iu0Rs Jonah 3:1\u20135, 10 1 Corinthians 7:29\u201331 Mark 1:14\u201320 How do we respond to the calling for change? Many people do not like change and often, put up a fight or flight response to change. When God is calling us to change, do we look for the change\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christ&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christ","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christ\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/blueweevil.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/07\/perezoso-1.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3380,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2025\/03\/08\/our-40-day-walk\/","url_meta":{"origin":1007,"position":5},"title":"Our 40 Day Walk","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"March 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"3-5-2025Ash Wednesday 2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10 (NRSV)Matthew 6:1-6 (NRSV) Matthew 6:16-21 (NRSV)","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Ash Wednesday&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Ash Wednesday","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/ash-wednesday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1007"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1007\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1014,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1007\/revisions\/1014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}