Acts 1:1-11   Jesus stated the mission and purpose of the church.

Matthew 5-7   Jesus elaborated on how we become his witnesses.

Matthew 5:13-16   The beatitudes prepare disciples to be salt and light.

These beatitudes are intended to yield at least three significant outcomes: 1) glory to God, 2) blessedness (holiness and happiness) for the disciple, and 3) godly influence in the world.

We are different – different from both religious and the nonreligious, from the Pharisees (Matthew 6:1-18) and the Gentiles (Matthew 6:24-34).

Matthew 5:13   Salt was used as a preservative and a disinfectant.

Prayers, visibility, and sharing are all part of being salt. We are different (but not separate) from the world.

We are not to peacefully coexist and acquiesce to the world’s insanity. Christ’s disciples follow his example. He was continually out in the community modeling holiness, confronting evil, and speaking the truth.

Salt represented qualities like loyalty, fidelity, commitment, purity, integrity, and protection. Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; Ezekiel 16:4; 2 Kings 2:20-22; and Judges 9:45

Mark 9:50; Luke 14:33-35   The effect of Christians in and on society depends on our being distinct, not identical.

Matthew 5:14-16   We are the lights of the world.

John 8:12; 9:5   Jesus called himself the light of the world and light of life. We are the lights of the world because he lives in us.

Ephesians 5:8-9; Philippians 2:15-16