This week, our post is early, as we hope they will be for the next two weeks. Please accept our thanks for all comments. We have not been responding to all of them, but we have read and considered all of them!

The title of these lessons is “Salt and Light: Everyday Discipleship for Everyday Christians.” About the time we began preparing these lessons, God convicted me that much of our teachings about evangelism and discipleship implicitly indicates to people that to be a good disciple of Christ you need to be “radical.” There are a lot of Christian teachers who emphasize this aspect of Christian faith. A negative of this approach is that it implies that ordinary people who have ordinary lives and spend most of their time with family, at work, and among friends must completely alther their lives and change what they are doing in order to be true, disciple making, followers of Christ. Part of what these lessons are intended to do is to allow people to see that they can incorporate being a motivated disciple of Christ into their existing way of life.

This does not mean that we do not need to change some things about how we live, work, and relate to others in our day-to-day lives. What we do need to do is live wisely, love others unconditionally, and follow Jesus. As we follow Jesus, our lives will change and take a different direction, but that may or may not mean that we change our careers, friendships, location, and the like. In fact many, if not most, Christians, will continue to live where they now live, in the career and occupation they now have, supporting and sharing God’s love with their family, neighborhood, community, friends, and fellow-workers.

People of the Way

Acts tells us that the earliest name for Christians was “People of the Way” (Acts 9:2).  The first Christians were primarily Jews, who had lived by the Law of Moses, and who had found in Christ a new way of relating to God. This way was not merely following external laws and rules. It was primarily a relationship with God in Christ, a relationship in which they were filled with the Holy Spirit to live wisely and in loving relationships with God and others. As people of the Way, their ordinary, day-to-day lives were to shine with the power of God’s Spirit of Love. The earliest Christians saw in Jesus not just a new way to experience forgiveness of sins, but also a new way of living in relationship with God and others.

Jesus summarizes this way of life as characterized by loving God and others by telling us that we must love the Lord our God with all of our hearts and all of minds and all of our wills and our neighbors as ourselves. When asked what was the greatest of the commandments, Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Acts 22:37-39). Living out the love of God in our day-to-day lives is the primary duty of the Christian. Everything else flows from this first decision—the decision for unselfish, self-giving love.

Salt and Light

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has these words for his disciples:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16).

These words remind us that it is not just what we say that matters; what we do matters even more. Salt is a physical mineral. It is a strong preservative and antiseptic. It preserves and heals. Light illuminates the world and allows us to see where we are going. Jesus described himself as “The Light of the World, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). To be a disciple is both to walk in the Light that is Christ and to reflect that light into the world (Matthew 5:14). Jesus wants us to live in such a way that we are a preservative and healer of the brokenness of the world. He wants us to have a kind of wisdom in the way we love others that that we become a kind of light. It is that light, the light of God shining in our lives that can and should attract people.

A Matter of Grace

All of this sounds pretty legalistic until we remember that we are saved by grace and it is God’s grace that empowers us to live the Christian life. In fact, in my experience, and in the experience of many Christians, the first step towards hypocrisy is to forget the role of grace, God’s mercy and gift of the Spirit in our daily Christian life. When we forget how dependant we are on God’s grace, sooner or later we lose that intimate fellowship with God that allows us to live in the Way of Christ and share that way with others. We cannot live the Christian life without the power of God sustaining our spiritual life.

If we are going to be the salt and life of the world, then we will reflect the light and healing power of God in our day-to-day lives. Obviously, this is something that takes a lifetime to accomplish. Obviously, we fail and fall short not only from time to time, but almost all the time! Nevertheless, if we can remain in Christ, and continue to live on the basis of Grace, if we can continue to ask God to enter our lives and transform us, we do make progress in the Christian life.

When I am teaching about this life of grace, I like to say, “I am not the person I ought to be, but thank God I am also not the person I used to be!” This is what we should all aspire to daily-we are not the people we were yesterday, or last week, or last month, or last year. We are making progress because of the Spirit of God working in us. We will never be perfect, but we can be better.

Means of Grace

Theologians, have ways of talking about how God allows us to grow in Christ. They talk first about the “Means of Grace.” The Means of Grace is a way of describing how God works in our lives so that we grow in Christ. We can put ourselves in a position to grow and sense the power of God in our lives if we do these things.

Christ in Us the Hope of Glory

Of course, the primary means by which we become and grow as a disciple is in a relationship with Christ. Jesus called his disciples into a relationship with him, and Christians ever since have called people into a relationship with Jesus. This relationship changes us from the inside out. Paul begins his letter to the Colossians by reminding the Colossians who Jesus was and is. He is the very image of God (1:15). He is the vehicle through whom the universe and everything in it was made (1:16). He is the head of the church, those called out by God to proclaim his glory (1:18). He is the one who reconciles creation and people to one another so that God’s peace can prevail (1:1:19-20. He is the source of forgiveness of sins and fellowship with God the Father (1:21). In Christ, our old life is put to death and we receive a new life 3:1).

In response to what God has done, believers are to live a different kind of life because a different kind of life, the life of God, is growing up inside of us. This putting on of a new life is described both as a dying to an older kind of life, characterized by passions, immorality, evil desires, greed, covetousness, malice, slander of others, and obscenity and the like. As we overcome the dark side of our personalities, we begin to experience a new kind of life. Here is how Paul describes this new life:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:12-17).

Notice that it is not primarily behaviors that Paul urges on the Colossians but spiritual qualities they receive by remaining in a relationship with Christ. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love are spiritual qualities we receive by grace as we allow Christ to work in our hearts. Growing in Christ involves behaviors, however, most importantly it involves developing new spiritual qualities.

Baptism

God works in our lives through his Word, that is through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. God also works in our lives through what are called, “Sacraments” or “Sacred Acts.” When we come to believe in Christ, we are baptized. In some groups, parents baptize their children when quite small as a sign that God is already working his salvation. If a new believer has never been baptized, they should be. In many cases, a believer who has already been baptized will want to renew that baptism in a Renewal of Baptism service that can be much like a baptism, except that it is a renewal of a prior baptism and not a baptism. [1]

In any sacrament, there is an outward sign. In the case of baptism the physical sign is water. Some groups immerse, some groups pour the water on a new believer, and some groups sprinkle. However the water is administered, it signifies our leaving our old life and the new life we have in Christ because of the cleansing power of God.

One of the first things we should do when we become a Christian, and encourage others to do when they accept Christ, is to experience the sacrament, the sacred rite, the mystery of baptism, as we celebrate the new life we have in Christ. If we were bapatized as children or even earlier in our lives as adults, it may be important to “own” the new life we have received by publically renewing our baptism.

Some years ago, a lady in our congregation married a man who had been in her life some years earlier. She had always remembered and loved him. Years later God brought them back together and him back into the community of faith. This person became a friend of mine, a prayer partner, and and a fellow worker in our congregation and in a Christian ministry in our area. One of the great priviledges of my life was the day we baptized my friend! We see each other almost weekly, and once or twice a year, we take time to remember that “sacred moment” in his life when he publically declared his faith in Christ and his commitment to be a disciple of Christ.

Word-Centered Worship

In classical Reformed theology, there are three means of Grace, the Word, the Lord’s Supper, and Baptism. When the Word of God is read and taught, God works profoundly in the human mind and heart. This is why Paul says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This “hearing” is not any hearing, but a hearing of the Gospel, the Good News of God’s love. Reading and hearing the word of God, studying the Bible, memorizing Scripture, and allowing Scripture to form the way we see and react to the world is such an important part of discipleship that it will receive a separate treatment later in this series of lessons.

Although hearing the word read in Scripture is of supreme importance, hearing it preached and taught is also important for Christians. This aspect of growing in discipleship reminds us that it is not enough to simply read the word on our own, but to hear it in the company of others who are also growing in discipleship. Listening to the Word of God in Scripture allows us to hear the word of God and its meaning for our lives through the voice and in the words of another person, often the pastor or teacher of a Bible study. It allows us to respond with others who have also heard the word together with us. Finally, hearing the word taught or peached by another person who may know more about this particular passage, and who probably studied the passage in connection with preparing to speak, reminds us that our private interpretation and response to Scripture, as important as it is, must be disciplined and clarified by the opinions and responses of others.
All of this means that a disciple will be regular in worship and in attending studies, at least from time to time. We cannot enter the communal life of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, without living in community with people who have responded to God’s call to show his light and love in the world. Although in Protestant worship services the Word is at the center of worship, it is like a jewel in a precious setting. The calls to worship, the songs and hymns sung, the prayers of the people, the common confession of sin, baptism, the Lord’s Supper—all these things deepen our walk with Christ.

When was younger, I went through a period when I did not attend worship and was not a part of a Christian community. Not surprisingly, I drifted away from the Way of Christ. While we believe that it is possible to live the Christian life without living within and worshiping as part of the community of faith, ordinarily, this cannot and should not happen. Most of us can take time to worship God regularly. We can hear the Word in community with others. We should thank God we can, for there are those who because of age, infirmity, or other necessity cannot.

The Lord’s Supper

Once you are a part of a Christian church, sooner or later you are almost certain to participate in a communion service. Different groups have different names for such services. In Catholic Churches it is called the “Eucharist.” In Protestant congregations it is called the “Lord’s Supper” or “Communion.” In one way or another, Christians believe that their faith is strengthened and they are changed by this service of remembrance and participation in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. God is present to believers by the power of the Holy Spirit in a special way when we share the Lord’s Supper together.

Just as with baptism, different groups have differing ideas of what is happening when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. For the purpose of growing as a disciple it is not so much important which group is correct concerning how the Lord’s Supper acts as a means of grace but the sheer fact that it does. Some congregations celebrate communion weekly. Others celebrate communion monthly, quarterly, or on some other schedule. Disciples make every effort to receive communion whenever it is offered in a way consistent with their particular tradition.

Some groups have a service called a “Love Feast” in which small groups within their fellowship celebrate a meal during which the love of Christ and the unity of the group are celebrated. Love Feasts are not communion services for those groups in which an ordained clergy cannot be present. In whatever case, remembering and contemplating the love of God present in Christ strengthens our faith.

Public and Private Prayer

Because the life of discipleship is a life of relationship with God through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, the life of a disciple is strengthened and deepened by the habit of prayer. Once again, prayers should and will be part of worship,  small groups, and other places where Christians gather. Nevertheless, private prayer is one of the most important ways in which we grow in discipleship.

In the beginning of our Christian walk, our prayers may be selfish and even a bit simple. That is fine. When a small child begins to talk, his or her words are not complicated or deep. However, as a child grows and matures, his or her ability to communicate grows and deepens. This is true also of the life of faith. Once again, this particular part of the Christian life is of such importance that it is discussed in detail below. For now, it is important to encourage the practice of communal and private prayer in the life of every disciple.

Works of Love

It was not long before Jesus began to involve his disciples in his own work. The Gospels and Acts reflect the disciples doing acts of healing and of mercy towards others. Although God is interested in our spiritual growth, we are physical creatures,  and love must be enacted. Therefore, disciples develop the habit of serving others. These acts of service can be both personal, such as giving to the needs of others, personal actions of mercy, visiting the sick, caring for those in need, and the like, and public, such as being involved in solving social problems, overcoming injustices, etc. As we change our priorities and move out of a life of selfish self-seeking and into a life of loving service to others, we grow in discipleship.

Walking the Walk as Well as Talking the Talk

If we are to lead other people, and especially new believers, into a deeper walk with Christ, we must be attentive both to our own discipleship and to ways in which we can draw others more deeply into a life of discipleship. Assuming we regularly attend church, one sure way for us to help another person internalize the Word and participate in the Sacraments is to simply invite them to join us. The same is true of Bible studies, prayer groups and other Christian ministries in which we participate.

There is, however, a deeper sense in which those we disciple “catch” more than they are “taught” what it means to be a disciple. If we regularly visit the sick, give to the needs of the less fortunate, manage our lives with wisdom and prudence, are involved in making our neighborhoods, cities, and nation a better, fairer, and more just place to live, those we know, including those we are discipling are sure to see what we are doing.

Many years ago, as a layperson and an elder in a local congregation, I had the habit of visiting people who were sick in our Sunday school class. I did not always visit, but I did visit a good bit. Over the years, people have mentioned to me how much that meant to them. Years later, when I was in seminary, one of our members had a very serious heart attack. Although I wrote a card, I could not visit. I was heartbroken that I could not visit my friend. Other people in his Sunday school class did visit my friend and his spouse. Others saw what was being done, and I am sure that many years later, people are visiting the sick without being told or asked because they saw it modeled.

Hidden for All the World To See

Why be different? The answer is, so we can be salt and light. Unless we are different than everyone else around us, they will not notice that difference and ask the question, could my life be different, better, more loving, wise, and fruitful. This is why Jesus tells us that we should not hide our light. Hidden light does no one any good. It is the candle on the table that lights the room.

Being filled with the love of Christ, worshiping God fearlessly, being baptized as a sign of our new life, sharing in communion, praying often, and studying the Word, these are not only ways we are changed, they are ways that we shine, and in shining illuminate, preserve, and heal the world.