Sermon Notes

Salt preserves what is good and stops what is harmful. Light drives back darkness and shows the path forward. In Matthew 5:13–16, Jesus says His followers are both. This short section of the Sermon on the Mount is a clear call to live in a way that makes God visible to others.

This week’s message from the Radical series looks at how we can influence the world without blending into it, and how our good works can point people toward God.

Key Takeaways

Salt preserves, enhances, and protects what is good.
Light reveals what is true and guides people to safety.
Disciples are called to be different from the world for the good of the world.
Our influence is about pointing people to God, not ourselves.
Without salt and light, the world decays and stays in darkness.
Discussion Questions

Where do you see God using you to preserve what is good in your community?
How can you reflect the light of Christ in your daily routines?
Why do you think Jesus used these two images—salt and light—to describe His followers?
What does it look like to stand out without being self-promoting?
How can your words and actions help others see God more clearly?

Transcript

The Call to Stand Out

In Matthew 5:13–16, Jesus makes two powerful statements: You are the salt of the earth and You are the light of the world. He’s not giving a suggestion. He’s describing reality for those who follow Him.

Salt adds flavor. It preserves. It stands out. Light drives back darkness. It makes things visible. Jesus says that if we belong to Him, our lives should be both flavorful and visible.

But there’s a warning. Salt can lose its taste if it’s diluted or contaminated. And light can be hidden if we cover it. In both cases, it becomes useless.

What It Means to Be Salt

In the ancient world, salt was valuable. It was used to preserve food, to season meals, and even as payment. For Jesus, salt is about distinctiveness. A follower of Christ should bring the flavor of His kingdom into every part of life.

When we lose that distinctiveness by blending in with the world’s values, chasing the same idols, or allowing sin to mix into our witness, we lose our usefulness. A Christian who no longer tastes like Christ is like flavorless salt: fit to be thrown out.

Jesus’ point is simple. Your faith should be noticeable. The people around you should be able to taste the difference in the way you live, speak, and love.

What It Means to Be Light

Light reveals what’s hidden. It pushes back the darkness. It draws attention—not to itself, but to what it illuminates.

Jesus calls His people to live in such a way that others see their good works and glorify the Father. This is not about showing off. It’s about living faithfully in public so that the reality of God’s kingdom becomes visible.

In a dark world, hiding the light makes no sense. We are not called to retreat into secrecy or keep faith private. The world needs to see the hope, love, and truth of Christ on display in our actions.

Living the Salt and Light Life

So how do we stay salty and bright?

We refuse to dilute our faith with distractions or compromise. We stay rooted in God’s Word. We remove the impurities of sin through repentance. We live in public as people who belong to Jesus: serving the needy, loving our enemies, and speaking truth with grace.

And when we do, the world will taste the salt and see the light of the gospel. Our goal is not to bring attention to ourselves, but to point others to the One who saves.

Because when Jesus changes us, it’s impossible to keep it hidden.