Brian Maloy

This week we pop into Chapter 5 (which is a familiar favorite for many, and misunderstood and misquoted too!). But sadly we don’t have time to read and study ALL of chapter 5. The good news is, there are probably more commentaries, books, and sermons than I can easily count written on “The Sermon on the Mount” — so my exegesis and reflection of them won’t add any amazing insight 🙂

We get to pick up in Matt. 5:13 for our lesson this week, where Jesus speaks of those who follow Him, as the Salt and Light of the world. I LOVE these metaphors, and sadly probably don’t even understand half of the depth and beauty woven within them. They are just fantastically affirming, and convicting. 

I think where Jesus is going begs the question — the question of influence. 

• What does it mean to have influence?
• What does it take to have influence?
• Why would we even really care?
• How does the influence of other impact us?
• How can/should we influence others?
• Even if we don’t have mass influence, do we still have influence in small ordinary ways?

I mean this sincerely — we need to be cautious, as those who seek to follow Jesus, to really discern and pay attention to what influences us. Believers and non-believers are being led astray constantly and quickly by allowing the influence of others to shape and form how they should view the world. 

I love watching little Dave Ramsey clips about stewardship. I really enjoy healthy habits type of videos. I REALLY love little theology clips. But even in those, as “good” as they may seem, I must be wise to consider what/how they are influencing me. Are they pointing me to Christ? Are they helping me understand Scripture more faithfully? Are they helping me be a good steward in light of Scripture. There is potential they are — or are not leading me astray. BUT I have to pause, take hold of those thoughts, and not blindly accept. 

Too often today, people scroll before even thinking, and they are taking in ideas, visions of the “good life”, rhythms, habits, etc — simply because they look “right”, without weighing them against the life of holiness God has called us to**. I could talk about this a LONG time, but we must learn. We are no different than the Hebrews in the wilderness who seeing the Canaanites around them, long for the “grass is greener” stuff they possess. It’s dangerous, and we are just as susceptible. 

So, as we look to Matt. 5:13-20, let’s sincerely understand what we have been called to as followers of Jesus, not what the influences of SnapGram and FacePage would love for us to become (made in their image). 

**we are called to Glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 
**we are called to grow in sanctification, becoming more like Jesus
**we are called to be restorers of brokenness, we are instruments of God’s Kingdom, right here, right now — we are called to help set right, what has been broken
**we are to be steadfast, holding to the Word of God in all things, seeking to reflect His beauty, wisdom, grace, and kingdom to a lost world

Salt of the Earth & Light of the World

Salt of the Earth

When Jesus starts to explain to his followers that they are the salt of the world (Matt. 5:13) — He really brings such a deep metaphor to help them understand how important their calling was. Salt wasn’t just a seasoning, but it was also a tool pf preserving. So Jesus is connecting this for them that they are to preserve spiritual integrity. Their “saltiness” indeed can have a preserving effect, slowing and reversing corruption in society. After all, salt prevents the “spoilage” of food — we likewise, can/should prevent the continued decay of culture. In effect, we are to have a positive impact on the world around us. 

I love this, because not only is Jesus telling us something about ourselves, an ability we have a His disciples, but He is also helping direct us to our purpose! We are more than just followers, we are His tools, His instruments — to help bring His kingdom to a world desperately in need of a Savior, dearly in need of real and lasting hope. 

Then Jesus continues with this metaphor. If we lose our saltiness, if we are mixed with impurities, we are worthless — useless for anything… it’s a heavy statement, one that bears a lingering look.

IF we are salt, how can we lose our saltiness?

• We allow the world to define our perspective and “worldview”
• We fail to rest  and abide in Scripture 
• We don’t hold fast to God’s promises, and seek other “helps”
• We allow idolatry to creep in, compromising our “first love”
• We hide our identity in Christ to avoid discomfort or rejection
• We neglect confession and repentance of sin, daily
• We walk from the mission, and seek comfort and self-preservation
• We forget that discipleship is costly
• We allow fear of man to become greater than fear of God

That list is just a quick “Brian list” of things I think/talk about too much. I am confident we could fill a book together of the ways salt loses its saltiness, but not paramount at this moment. 

BUT — this matters because a compromised faith is spiritually impotent, when we are spiritual inept — how can we possibly make a positive impact on culture? We cannot. We cannot. We cannot bring hope to a lost dying world. We cannot fulfill our mission and purpose in the Kingdom/Church. That should break our heart.

Light of the World

Well, now we finally get to v. 14, ha! Jesus then tells His followers that they are also the light of the world. I love metaphors in Scripture about light, I am sad I spent SO much time on Salt that now I need to keep moving a little quickly through light. So much mirrors the previous discussion about salt, but there is this addition bit. 

Jesus tells them through metaphor, no one hides light — that defeats the actual purpose of the light! Rather, a lamp is meant to GIVE light to the darkness. It is only useful when it is providing light, illuminating. Ergo, we have to consider this in how Jesus is explaining it for their role and purpose in the Kingdom. 

Coming out of the conversation about salt, we know Jesus is calling them to not only pursue spiritual integrity, but to allow their character, and calling to positively impact the culture. So given that context, Jesus is building on this in a public, visible manner that if they are indeed called to such a witness of the Kingdom of God — there is NO logical reason they would ever hide such a gift, literal LIGHT in the darkness. 

We are reflecting the true light of the world — and no one who has really experienced the true hope of Jesus, the Light of the World, would dream of guarding that light, that hope. Even more beautifully, Jesus is giving us clear identity, that as His followers, we are the Light of the World too — it’s not a “try hard”, but declaration that He has made us such, ambassadors of light and hope to a world cloaked in darkness. Wow…

Obeying the Father

I really love this next passage, Matt. 5:17-20, although I will admit when I was younger, parts of it confused me a tad. Now I can see that Jesus is speaking in hyperbole in a few spots to really highlight the absurdity of trying to accomplish any of this in a legalistic mentality. He’s not lowering the bar so we don’t care or seek to be Holy, He’s raising it so high that no one could possibly imagine climbing it in their own strength.

And I think it’s worthwhile, coming out of the last passages, to pause and ask: How can believers actually impact society? And perhaps more importantly, how should they? We all know this question can quickly get tangled in emotions, political ideologies, personal histories, and cultural assumptions. But as always, the safest and clearest path is to return to the question: What does Scripture call us to?

Jesus has just told His disciples that they are salt and light — people whose very lives are meant to preserve, illuminate, and bless the world around them. But now, in 5:17–20, He shifts the conversation from influence to foundation. Before His followers can understand how to live in the world, they must understand how He relates to the Law and the Prophets. Their mission flows from their identity, and their identity flows from His fulfillment. Does this remind you yet of the time we’ve spent the last year or so in the Wilderness with the Hebrews, being prepared to live holy lives in the Promised Land, as God’s own people? If it doesn’t… it should! It’s awesome!

This is where Jesus makes a really awesome claim: He has not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. In other words, the righteousness God requires has not been relaxed, it has been embodied in Jesus. Yet again… Jesus is fulfilling and completing what the Hebrews themselves were unable to do! Jesus is not rejecting the law, but He is completing its story. And this matters deeply for the question of how believers engage the world, because it means:

• Our influence is not about perfection or performance
• Our witness is not reliant upon being powerful
• Our righteousness is not behavior modification
• Our hope is not in our ability to “fix” society

Our impact comes from a life shaped by the One who fulfilled the Law on our behalf. Jesus is preparing His disciples to understand that true righteousness is not about legalistic rule-keeping but about a transformed heart, a righteousness that “exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees” because it comes from and through Him. Doing what we ourselves could never do. 

So before we talk about what believers do in society, Jesus insists we understand who believers are in Him. Only then can we engage the world not as holier-than thou cultural warriors, but as people whose lives reflect the beauty, salt, and light of Christ.

We are part of a Spiritual Kingdom — its patterns and rhythms and wisdom are NOT of this world. 

Loving Our Enemies

So we pop down to Matt. 5:43-48, reading how we are to not just love our neighbors, but we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. 

We have read this, most believers have heard this a million times. But do we pause here to understand it? 

This passage connects with the rest of our lesson today because it helps us have a tangible and visible way of practicing being Salt and Light to the World. Think about it, everyone says we are to love one another, we should love people, love is kind, etc. Good things right? BUT, the world around us (culture) does NOT love their enemies well. Scroll through almost any comment section online — it’s a dumpster fire of sarcasm, outrage, and gracelessness. Spend five minutes there and you can feel hope draining out of you.

SO, we want to be the Salt & Light, reflecting the beauty of God’s Kingdom to a broken, hurting world overwhelmed in darkness? Let’s take Jesus seriously. Let us love well, let us encourage, let us build up instead of tear down with our words, let us point people to the TRANSFORMING love of Jesus, not the “accepting” love of the world. Loving our enemies is not optional — it’s one of the clearest ways the world can see the difference Jesus makes. Let us draw people to the hope with us. Let us show people a better way than the way of the world. 

Look deeper — Jesus is contrasting common grace love (“even tax collectors do that”) with Kingdom love. There is a difference, and it actually makes a difference in the hearts of people. Jesus’ love is deeper than just platitudes and kind words. The world defines love as acceptance, or “I won’t challenge you.”

But in contrast, what we see in Jesus’ teaching, His transforming (Kingdom) love says: “I love you enough to want your good, even when it costs me.” Jesus roots this command in the very heart of the Father (v45) — He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good. When we love enemies, we resemble Him.

We can love enemies because we were once enemies of God, and He loved us first.

So ask yourself — what gets in the way of loving your enemies?

Take it to the Lord, ask for help — and wisdom.

Wrap Up

We’ve seen a lot in this passage today.

We are people living in an age of constant formation, and Jesus’ message also calls us to pay attention to what is shaping our minds, desires, and habits. He tells us we are salt of the earth, people whose very presence is meant to preserve what is good and slow the decay of what is broken, not by withdrawing from the world, but by remaining distinct/set-apart within it. He then tells us we are light of the world — not hidden, not muted, but visible, and purposeful. We are to live lives that actually illuminate the beauty of the Kingdom in dark places.

Then He pulls back the curtain and shows us the reality beneath it all: He has not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Our mission comes from our identity, and our identity comes from His finished work. We are not trying to earn righteousness; we are living out of the righteousness He has already fulfilled on our behalf.

And finally, He gives us one of the most concrete, costly ways this Kingdom life looks in the real world: loving our enemies. Not just loving people who are easy, not just being “nice,” but loving the people who hurt us, oppose us, or frustrate us. Praying for them. Seeking their good. Reflecting the heart of the Father who “makes His sun rise on the evil and the good.”

The amazing thing about God’s Kingdom, we don’t do these things to prove ourselves. We do this because we were once enemies of God, and He loved us first. And now, as His disciples, we get to carry that same transforming love into the spaces He’s placed us, everywhere He has placed us.

Questions to Leave Us Thinking:

• Influence — who is shaping you most?
  • If you honestly traced your week (social media, podcasts, YouTube, friends, news, etc.) –> who or what is most forming your vision of the “good life”? 
  • How would you know?
• Salt — where have you lost “saltiness”?
  • Is there an area where you’ve started blending in so much that your distinctiveness as a follower of Jesus has faded (compromise, fear of what others think, hidden sin, apathy, or comfort)?
• Light — where are you hiding what Jesus has made you?
  • Is there a place where you’ve been dimming or hiding your witness because you don’t want to stand out or be rejected?
• Foundation — what are you secretly trusting in?
  • When you think about “making a difference” in the world, are you more dependent on your own effort, personality, and performance, or on the fact that Jesus has already fulfilled the Law for you?
  • Again, how can you discern this?

Let us learn to continually turn to the Lord, the author and perfecter of our faith — to help us trust in His work, His fulfillment — so we can live in real hope — and truly be the salt & light the world so desperately needs.