Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus turns things upside down when it comes to who is invited into his

kingdom - it’s everyone, really everyone. What’s more, the invitation to

receive the blessing of his kingdom is not dependent on anything that we

might deem a qualification or a disqualification. But Jesus doesn’t end his

teaching there. And neither must we. Entrance into his kingdom is just the

first step.

Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount by painting a picture of what

Kingdom people look like. Fundamentally, they are ontologically changed.

Kingdom people are salt and light. They don’t try to be, or should be, or

can be salt and light. They are. Such a radical change only happens when we

allow God to resurrect us. And we can only be resurrected if we’re willing

first to die to what we were.

Salt stops things decaying, makes things pleasurable, and helps things

grow. Light is the presence of Jesus shining out of us and redeeming the

world. The world needs us to be who we are - salt of the earth and light of

the world.

By Ed Flint