STANDING FIRM WITH COURAGE

Text: Matthew 5:11-16

INTRODUCTION

 Jesus was not one to shy away from asking hard questions that penetrated the lives of the people who claimed to follow God. He came at a time when the nation of Israel had become very ingrown and self-preserving. The Jews remembered a glorious past and longed for a new and glorious future, but in the present they had morphed into a very closed, self-defined, self-praising community. In reality Israel was a small community way out on the edge of the Roman Empire, insignificant in the larger scope of world history. The Jews longed for a sense of the transcendent place in history that they had once had, and they were waiting for their messiah-king to come and throw off the Roman Empire and reestablish them as a great and mighty nation. Some were willing to go to extreme political measures, even insurrection, in order to achieve these goals. Others were content to find security in the Law, piling up more and more regulations in order to define themselves as the righteous people of God. Jesus stepped into that culture and told them, "You have it all wrong." He reinterpreted what it meant to be a follower of God and reminded them of their original calling.

What was relevant for the disciples to hear in Jesus’ days has important lessons for us today too. We need to take heed to the life altering teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:11-16 as the Master unfolds to us areas where we need to stand firm for our faith in a midst of opposition with joy and gladness, to stand wisely by guarding our influence as salt of the earth, and to stand as courageous witness, a city set on a mountain and a light on a lampstand.

STAND FIRMLY

Disciples should rejoice and be glad, standing firm in their witness in the face of opposition because they will be blessed, their reward is great, and they will be identified with the persecuted prophets.

We, too, like the disciples, will receive blessings from the Lord when we stand firm in our witness in the face of persecution – when men reviles us, speaks against us and calls us names. Yes, we understand the blessing part but what does Jesus said about those who would receive his blessings?

The blessing is for those who stand firm in innocence; “when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you,” do not retaliate or pay back in kind. Because Jesus anticipated difficult times, He encourages the disciples that “even the persecuted can be happy. They may appear to lose all; it is not so. They gain the kingdom of heaven.”

The other point to note has to do with the words “because of me” in verse 11. It speaks about giving allegiance to Jesus and living in conformity with his standards even in a harsh condition.

Some 30 years ago I lead my best friend to the Lord. He was from a very staunch Taoist-Buddhist background and his late father was the president of a religious festival in their area. He had a very genuine experience of God but had to endure the wrath of the family. When his family found out that he became a Christian they threaten him, scolded him and some even tried to physically beat him up. He’s just one of the 14 members of the family! For one whole year he was severely persecuted; his brand new bible was thrown into the fire, he was often prevented from going to church and many more ugly things that they had done to him. I bear witness to his testimony; in that one year of persecution he experienced the presence of God protecting him, he secretly (late at night and in dim darkness) read through the entire bible. God’s word was his spiritual nourishment. His spiritual growth was amazing. Today, he is a pastor and has been serving God for 19 years. In the course of it all he led his father to the Lord and three of his sisters.

I see God’s blessing upon this life over and over again until today! His testimony proves the words of Jesus’ encouragement to the disciples to stand firm in the face of opposition because out of it will flow the blessings of God.

Jesus went on to say in verse 12 that those who learn to stand firm in their faith will receive great reward. Isn’t that encouraging? We need not fear what man can do to us. We need not buckled under the weight of persecution because we have a great reward waiting for us. Yes, suffering will be a part of our association with Jesus but this world is not our home and we are promised of a great reward.

Moreover Jesus also brought up the fact that this obedience of standing firm in our faith is identification with the suffering Prophets. Jesus offers a poignant reminder that the great men and women of Old Testament times often suffered a similar fate. Perhaps Jesus is also teaching the disciples to avoid the trap of thinking that they are the only ones who would ever experience such problem. The prophet Jeremiah provides the classic example. Prophets are people who are persecuted for God’s sake and who do not do evil things to others. This will be further underscored in 7:15-23 which emphasizes that the disciples’ identification with the prophets is not just someone who proclaims the right things of God but one who also bear good fruits.

Are you going through any difficulties, are you being bombarded with any unpleasant words from people, and is there any injustice done to you because you are a Christian? You can rest assured – Jesus commanded us to rejoice and be glad. We need to possess a new perspective; this world is not our home and we will have great reward waiting for us and secondly, suffering for Jesus’ name sake is part of discipleship and growth. What a privilege? 

STAND WISELY

Disciples should guard their influence and avoid doing foolish things that is detrimental to their witness because it is impossible to restore a reputation that is soiled and to regain back respect that is broken.

In the first part of verse 13, “You are the salt of the earth,” the pronoun “you” is emphatic. The idea given is that you are the only salt of the earth. “Are” stresses the being rather than the doing. We have an extremely important function in the world. Whatever else it may have represented, salt always stood for that which was of high value and importance.

Many suggestions have been made as to the particular characteristics of salt that Jesus intended to associate with this figure. Some pointed out that salt is white and therefore represents purity and linked it to verse 8, “the pure in heart” – meaning the disciples are to help purify the rest of the world. All that is certainly true but it does not seem to the point to the fact that Jesus said that if the salt become foolish or “lost its saltiness.” 

Others emphasize the characteristic of flavor. Again we can say that in certain sense the principle is true. Still others said that because salt stings when placed in a wound, Jesus meant to illustrate just the opposite characteristic to that of flavor. The analogy has merit too. Whatever picture we use to illustrate the analogy of the disciples as salt of the earth may principally have merit but we need to be careful not to read too much into it.

At the bottom-line, Jesus meant to illustrate to the disciples and to us that we are to guard our influence and witness. Therefore Jesus warns us against doing anything foolish. The primary reason for Jesus’ warning is that when we do foolish things it is impossible to restore back our influence. When we lose our influence we would lose respect as Christ’s witnesses. Jesus was not talking about losing our salvation but our value and effectiveness in the kingdom when sin and worldliness contaminate their lives, just as salt can become tasteless.

One of the most difficult things in witnessing to our unbelieving friends is when they have bad experiences in their lives dealing with people who identified themselves as Christian but does not show in their conduct and their dealings. Almost instantly they would question us, “I know of this Christian who is…dah…dah…dah” It can become very demoralizing.

But before we point our fingers at these “bad apple” Christians we need to know that Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth … we need to guard our influence, our reputation and our walk with the Lord. James says in his letter, “Show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works.” He was being consistent with the teaching of Jesus here – guard our influence and avoid doing foolish things that is detrimental to our witness because it is impossible to restore a reputation that is soiled and to regain back respect that is broken.

STAND COURAGEOUSLY

Disciples should be courageous and forthright in their witness because it is impossible to hide the light as a city set upon a mountain and it would be foolishness or contrary to the purpose to hide a lamp under a basket.

We are the light of the world (14a) Light is obvious; it not only reveals what is wrong and false but helps produce what is righteous and true. By its nature and by definition light must be visible in order to illuminate. There is a reasoned argument and there is the result of obedience to shine as light.

Jesus gave two analogies. First, “a city set on a mountain cannot be hidden,” he argued that it is impossible to hide the light when we are like a city set on a mountain. He is bringing to the attention of the disciples to be courageous, to be upfront or forthright in their witness like a city, a beacon set on a high place – a place where the light of God will illuminate in the dark places.

Second, Jesus said the men don’t “light the lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand,” so that it will give light to the house. This second picture gives the disciples the idea that to hide a lamp that one has lighted would be foolishness. It would really be contrary to the purpose of the lighted lamp. It should be on the lampstand and should give light to the whole house. The powerful analogy is to encourage the disciples to be forthright in their witness, to be courageous and not hide their witness.

I was reflecting on what Jesus said here about being the light of the world and tries to link it with our everyday Christian life in the marketplace. We know that Jesus’ analogies speak of courageous witness. My first impression seems to have something to do with being bold to share the gospel. That is true but I thought further and I believe it is more than that. There are several things that we can consider as being a courageous witness: (a) In our workplace we walk in integrity and we will not compromise our witness as a Christian. (b) We show kindness and compassion by not being calculative, going out of the way to help and that would marked us out as different – shining as light in places of darkness. (c) We do our work with excellence. (d) Of course, we extent help when there is a need or problems that our non-Christians friends are facing. We must not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ – we must be courageous and forthright in our witness. 

Why do we need to be courageous and forthright in our witness? “Let your light shine” certainly is a stated command that demands a response. Jesus continued by giving the result if our response is positive and out of obedience. The first of the result of their response to obedience is that the people will see our good works and deeds and the second is that the people will glorify the Father in heaven. The word for “good” that Jesus uses here does not so much emphasize quality – though that obviously is important – as it does attractiveness, beautiful appearance. “Good works” – the beauty the Lord has worked in the disciples and in us.

CONCLUSION

Just like Jesus encourages and exhorts the disciples, we should also rejoice and be glad, standing firm in their witness in the face of opposition because we will be blessed, our reward will be great, and we will be identified with the persecuted prophets. Jesus encourages and exhorts us to guard our influence and avoid doing foolish things that is detrimental to our witness because it is impossible to restore a reputation that is soiled and to regain back respect that is broken. Jesus encourages and exhorts us to be courageous and forthright in our witness because it is impossible to hide the light as a city set upon a mountain and it would be foolishness or contrary to the purpose to hide a lamp under a basket.