Sermon -- Last Sunday after Epiphany: Transfiguration (February 15, 2026)

YOU DO WELL TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HE SAYS.

2 PETER 1:16-21

In the name + of Jesus.

      When I was in high school, we had a presentation about rock music.  We had one simple task: Listen to the lyrics.  When you listen to music, it is the tune that catches your attention.  That’s what makes your toes tap.  One song which was popular (and I suppose still is) is, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult.  If you know this song at all, it is from the guitar riff which, I think, is one of the most catchy guitar riffs in rock music.  You might also know it as the “Cow Bell” song on Saturday Night Live.  Anyway, as we were all tapping our toes, we were drawn back to the assignment: Listen to the lyrics.  It was only then that we discovered the song praises and encourages suicide.  Suddenly, that song was not as great as we thought it was.  It pays to listen to what they say.

     The same can be said for the hymns we sing.  Everyone has their favorites.  Many become favorites because they are linked to a special event.  Maybe it was sung at your daughter’s wedding.  Maybe it was at your grandfather’s funeral.  Or maybe you learned it at Sunday School.  Often the favorites are the ones that stir up our emotions.  You have to sing Silent Night on Christmas Eve because it makes you cry.  Of course, music has its part in any hymn.  But if the music or the emotion is all you remember, then the hymn did not teach you anything.  St. Paul spoke of the purpose of hymns when he wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).  If hymns are to teach, then we need to pay attention to what they say.  And the best ones proclaim the redeeming work of our Lord.

     Shortly before Jesus traveled to Jerusalem to suffer and die for our sins, he took Peter, James, and John with him up a mountain.  There, they saw Jesus’ divine glory.  St. Matthew described it: “(Jesus) was transfigured in front of them.  His face was shining like the sun.  His clothing became as white as the light.  Just then, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus” (Matthew 17:2-3). 

     Peter wanted to keep this vision of glory for as long as possible.  I suppose we can’t blame him for that.  The disciples had confessed that Jesus is the Son of God.  Here, he finally looked the part!  Their confession was no longer by faith, but now it was by sight.  Peter concluded that others should see it, too.  Jesus, Moses, and Elijah could each have their own tabernacle.  Then anyone could climb the mountain and see it.  God the Father, however, redirected the attention of the disciples.  He declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.  Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). 

     Eventually, Simon Peter did learn the lesson.  He wrote in his second epistle, “We also have the completely reliable prophetic word.  You do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).  We can be dazzled by what we see or swayed by emotional experiences.  But if we want confidence about what God is like, what God desires, and what God does for people, then we must listen to him.  You do well to pay attention to what he says.

     God’s blessings upon his creation are often tangible.  We can see a brilliant sunrise, a waterfall, or the vibrant feathers of songbirds.  We can feel a cool breeze in summer, the warmth of a hug, or the soft fur of a cat.  We can smell a flower, a campfire, or bacon.  All of these show that our Lord is kind in blessing us with so much variety and beauty.  While the creation reveals God’s kindness, it does not reveal what God does about people who do not listen to his word.

     Our problem is not that we don’t know what God says.  Why else would we create arguments that defend our actions?  Why else would we rationalize that what is bad when others do it is okay when we do it?  The driver who cut you off in traffic is a jerk, but others should understand that when you cut your way through traffic, you have important business to get to.  No one needs to work that hard to explain why they did something good.  But to defend our sins, our reason bends like a contortionist, the kind you look at and say, “The body is not supposed to bend like that.”  Our excuses for our sins are not supposed to contort like that either, but they do.  God’s commands, however, are unmistakable.  Our problem is not ignorance, as if we ask, “Who can say what is right or wrong?”  Our problem is that we do not pay attention to what he says.

     That problem goes back to the Garden of Eden.  God gave Adam and Eve one commandment to follow.  It was very clear: “You may freely eat from every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” (Genesis 2:16-17).  And the consequence of failing to listen was clear: “On the day that you eat from it, you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17).  Sadly, they did not pay attention to what he said.  Sin and death entered the world and have claimed everyone who enters it.

     Even Simon Peter did not pay attention to the word of the Lord.  On the night Jesus was betrayed, he warned his disciples, “This night you will all fall away on account of me” (Matthew 26:31).  “Peter answered him, ‘Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Amen I tell you: Tonight before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.’  Peter said to him, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you’” (Matthew 26:33-35).  Jesus had issued the warning, but Peter did not pay attention to it.  Within hours, he swore before God that he did not have any association with Jesus.

     If we pay attention to what God says, we spare ourselves many griefs.  We don’t destroy reputations or relationships with juicy gossip.  We don’t jeopardize a marriage by streaming raunchy websites.  We don’t risk arrest from shoplifting.  We don’t suffer the consequences from our rage against someone we disagree with.  You do well to pay attention to what he has to say.  If you do not pay attention to what he has to say, you fall under his condemnation.  And, sadly, if you do not pay attention to what he has to say, you won’t know how the Lord delivers you from that condemnation.

     That’s why St. Peter wrote, “We also have the completely reliable prophetic word.  You do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).  Only God can enlighten us to know how he takes care of our guilt.  You and I might try to ignore it or distract ourselves from it.  God does not.  He deals with it.  Our Savior takes away our guilt by taking it upon himself.

     When God the Father told the disciples, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.  Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5), he could also have said, “You should have been listening to him.”  St. Matthew records, “Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus” (Matthew 17:3).  St. Luke, however, records the content of that conversation.  “(Moses and Elijah) appeared in glory and were talking about his departure, which he was going to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31).  If they had paid attention to what he was saying, they would have been focused on Jesus’ mission rather than on his dazzling appearance.

     God the Father sent Jesus to take away the guilt of all mankind.  Jesus paid attention to what he had commanded him, and he was committed to bringing it to its fulfillment.  Jesus took upon himself the guilt of all who fail to pay attention to his word.  He died for Adam’s and Eve’s paying attention to the devil’s words instead of his.  He died for Simon Peter’s failure to heed the warning that he would deny Jesus.  He has taken the punishment for you not paying attention to what he has said.  He has even shed his blood for the times you had paid attention and did what was forbidden anyway.  For these and all our sins, Jesus did what he was commanded to do.  He paid attention to the word of God and paid the price for all the iniquities of mankind.  Jesus’ sacrificial death assures that God’s word to you is a declaration of pardon and peace.

     You do well to pay attention to what the Lord says.  That is what God the Father told Peter, James, and John when they saw Jesus radiant in glory.  He did not ask them, “What do you think about that?” or “How does that make you feel?”  Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ transfiguration expressed his thoughts and feelings.  Instead, God the Father kept the disciples focused: “Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).

     No matter what you see or experience, you will only draw comfort when you pay attention to what our Lord has to say.  In other words, pay attention to what is written in the Bible.  St. Peter reminds you, “No prophecy of Scripture comes about from someone’s own interpretation.  In fact, no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were being carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).  The Bible are not merely words about God.  They are God’s words.  They guide you in godly living.  They encourage you with divine promises which endure through dark days, tear-filled moments, and painful trials.  They assure you of God’s steadfast love and abiding presence.  Especially when it feels like God has turned away from you, listen to him!  You do well to pay attention to what he has to say, because God speaks to you through the Scriptures for your comfort, encouragement, peace.  He keeps you focused on the end goal.  The end goal is not just to get through rough times—although God will be with you through those.  The goal is to see the glory of the Lord and to partake in the glory of the eternal kingdom. 

     St. Peter wrote, “To be sure, we were not following cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the powerful appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).  The glory that Peter saw is but a glimpse of the glory that awaits you.  It was not a fantasy when Peter saw it.  It is not a fantasy that you dream about.  It is a reality you simply wait for.  God has promised it.  God’s word points you to it.  And you do well to pay attention to the only one who will get you there, which is Jesus Christ, our Lord.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- The Gen Z Bible

There are many translations of the Bible.  Some are good, some are weak, some are bad.  The danger of a paraphrase "translation" is that it begs the one who is producing it to use his own theological bias in the paraphrase.  And if the theology is flawed, the translation will steer the reader off course from what God actually says.

The goal of a translation is to put the original Hebrew and Greek into the vernacular of the modern-day reader.  Some people love the King James Version and demand its usage.   While the King James Version is a faithful translation, most people don't speak the English that was common in 1611 anymore.  In the past 50 years or so, there have been many translations marketed.  One translation that you may have never heard of is the Gen Z Bible.  The goal is to make the Bible speak like Gen Z people.

It reads like a parody.  I wish it were; I fear it's not.  Here is a small section from Genesis 3.

          1.  So, this snake, right, it was like super sneaky compared to all the other animals that God created in the field. And it goes up to the woman and says, 'Hey, did God really say you can't eat from any tree in the garden? Like, seriously?'  2. The woman was like, 'Yo, Mr. Snake, we can totally chow down on any of the fruit from these wicked cool trees in the garden! 🍎🌳'
          3.  But like, there's this tree in the garden, and God's like, 'Don't eat from it or even touch it, or you're toast.'" }  4.  And the serpent was like, 'Nah, girl, you ain't gonna die for real:'  5.  God knows that once you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you'll be able to understand good and evil, feeling a lot more enlightened, like gods.
          6.  So, the woman looked at the tree and saw that it had delicious food on it and looked really nice. Plus, she thought it would make her wise. She couldn't resist, so she took a bite from its fruit and shared it with her husband. And guess what? He took a bite too.
          7.  Then both of them suddenly became aware that they were naked. So, they quickly stitched together some fig leaves and fashioned them into cover-ups.

I suspect no Gen Z'er who seeks gainful employment speaks like that to his boss.  If a place of employment demands proper speech, certainly the Holy Scriptures do, too.  The Scriptures are sacred; they should be treated that way.  

If this translation were adopted for use in a Divine Service, do you think anyone would take that church seriously?  I bet it would be received with laughter because everyone would regard it as a parody.  Or people would leave, convinced that it is mockery of God's word.  I would be among those who would leave.

I can only laugh at this because I don't take it seriously as a translation of the Bible.  If I were to take it seriously, it would only make me angry.  Or, as my title for this post suggests, it would make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Update from Good Shepherd (February 12, 2026)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is Sundays at 9:00 AM.
Adult Bible Class is Sundays at 9:00 AM.

Bible Matters will resume on Wednesday, April 8 at 6:30 PM.

CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

OPEN FORUM AND VOTERS’ MEETING

We have scheduled our Open Forum, followed up by our Annual Voters’ Meeting, on Sunday, February 15 at 11:15 AM.  We will present proposed projects for the coming year as well as various opportunities for our members to serve the congregation.

ASH WEDNESDAY is February 18. This begins our 40-day Lenten journey toward Easter. We will have a Divine Service at 7:00 PM which will include the Imposition of Ashes for any who desire it. More information on the Imposition of Ashes can be found  here. 

LENTEN VESPERS
          As is our custom, we will add a mid-week opportunity to ponder the sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Sundays will focus more on Jesus’ actively serving to overcome our enemies. The Wednesday evening services will focus more on Jesus passively enduring his sufferings as the payment for our sins. Pastor Schroeder will be involved in a pulpit rotation with Pastor James Frey of St. Paul’s, Belleville and Pastor Paul Schaefer of St. Peter’s, Plymouth.  The schedule is here.
          Vespers will be at 7:00 PM. A Lenten dinner will be provided at 6:00 PM, allowing people to come from work and/or to not concern themselves with meal prep and clean up before the service.

LENTEN DINNERS
          We will need people to provide for meals on February 25 and March 4, 11, and 18. The Ladies of Good Shepherd have already agreed to cover February 18 and March 25. March 25 will include the supper for the Michigan Lutheran Seminary Choir. If necessary, we can have a meal catered, but we will need to know which Wednesday to do that if no one is available to provide a dinner.

EASTER FOR KIDS PREP MEETING
          On Sunday, February 22, we will have an organizational meeting to prepare for our Easter for Kids event. We will need people to attend each of the five stations for our visitors, as well as others who can assist with crafts as needed and to interact with our guests. To find out how you can serve, join us this Sunday after church.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS

          Sometimes we have a hard time understanding parts of the Bible. Some of those words come from Jesus himself. We are considering the Hard Sayings of Jesus. The weekly schedule can be found here.  Adult Bible Class meets at 9:00 AM. All from grade 7 on up are welcome to attend.  

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

           Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the Divine Service from January 25, 2026: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, January 25, 2026

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (February)

>  We will be ordering postcards to invite people to our Easter Festival Service on April 5.  These postcards will blanket the area around church.  We will also be ordering additional postcards for our members to use to invite their friends and family.

>  Our efforts to get the windows replaced above the altar and the organ pipes were thwarted when the glass company who provided estimates closed their business.  Ken DeSantis has contacted two other glass companies to get estimates.  There were also some questions about the need to retain the design in the window above the altar.  A window with fewer panes would reduce the cost of replacement.  This will be a topic of discussion at our Open Forum.

>  In an effort to engage more members with more opportunities to serve, we are summoning more men to serve as ushers.  We also intend to be more organized so that we don’t grab people at the last minute to fill in for absent people.  We will be recruiting people who will count and deposit the offerings.  We will also be recruiting more women who can serve in handling the sacred vessels for holy communion.  Training for all of these areas of service will be scheduled in the months to come.

>  Every four years or so, the pastor conducts visits at the homes of all the members.  It is intended to stay connected with everyone and to allow people to address any issues that may bother them or confuse them.  Every Member Visits will begin in February.  A sign-up sheet will be posted at church by February 15 to allow people to schedule their visit.  As the year goes on, phone calls will be made to those who have not yet signed up (ominous music inserted here).

BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD
          We will always have services as scheduled at Good Shepherd. Since I live across the parking lot, I can get to the church no matter how bad the weather gets. Even if the service is just me and my family, we will be here. For everyone else, please use your God-given common sense to determine whether or not you will get on the road to attend any service when the weather is bad. We don't want anyone to risk his or her life to be here. But if you do venture out, the scheduled service will take place. It may be only a handful with a cappella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here.
          Bible Classes and meetings may be canceled due to weather. Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events are canceled. If there is no email about it, it is not canceled. But again, use common sense to determine if you can make it, and call the pastor to let him know if you will not be coming.

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS

          For the most part, the pastor will be observing formal office hours (Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon). Occasionally, duties will take him away from the office during these scheduled times, so you will still want to call or text to confirm any meetings with the pastor (248-719-5218).

INTRODUCTION VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
          Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Share it as much as you can.

DO YOU LIKE US?

          Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
          We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder

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REGULAR SCHEDULE

Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM 

Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM 

DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.

Bible Matters resumes on Wednesday, April 8 at 6:30 PM.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG

www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com  

Worship Notes: Imposition of Ashes

Remember that you are dust,

and to dust you will return.

            These words paraphrase Genesis 3:19 where the Lord proclaimed a curse upon man when he had first sinned.  St. Paul repeated that thought in his letter to the Romans: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

            Ashes to ashes.  Dust to dust.  This is the harsh reality of sin.  The use of ashes long pre-dates the New Testament Church.  In the era of the Patriarchs, Job confessed his sin and declared, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).  The Imposition of Ashes teaches a dual lesson.

            1)  It is a mark of penitence.  We demonstrate outwardly the sorrow for sin that we have inwardly. 

            2)  It is a mark of death.  It is a reminder that we are all dust, and to dust we will return.  The ashes remind us that we are helpless in our sinful condition.  Our only hope is a Savior.  We repent of our works.  We cling to Jesus for his.

            No one should feel obligated to receive the ashes on the forehead.  If you do not want to do it, the ushers will simply pass you by and go to the next row.  Children may participate at the discretion of their parents.

            We will begin the service with the rite.  Where the bulletin indicates, the ushers will begin to invite people by row to come to the communion railing to receive the ashes.  The penitent will kneel at the railing (like Lord’s Supper), and wait as the pastor applies the ashes to the forehead in the shape of a cross.  Please resist all temptations to scratch or smear the ashes.  (The ashes will easily be washed off with soapy water.)

            This ceremony truly sets the tone for Lenten season.  We are marked as sinners.  We are marked for death.  We are marked as the penitent whose only hope is Jesus Christ. 

            Our comfort comes from Jesus who takes our sin.  He dies our death.  He marks us as his own who have been baptized into his name.  That is where the penitent find comfort.  That is where the dying find life.

Super Bowl LX

Another Super Bowl is in the books.  Every year, we put together a board of squares to track the score as it changes.  Often, this provides more entertainment than the game itself.  This year's rendition is here:

I also have my annual rant about the Super Bowl MVP, which usually goes to the quarterback of the winning team.  It is easy to do that since the QB handles the ball on every offensive play.  This year's QB's, on each team, did not play exceptionally well.  Passes were often off-target.  I was pleased to see that the voters recognized that.

I am content with the selection of Kenneth Walker III as the MVP.  He was the major contributor of the Seahawks' offense.  I would also have been pleased to see it handed to a defensive player from the Seahawks for their outstanding effort.  Since you can't give it to the whole defense, I would have chosen defensive back Devon Witherspoon.  Another choice, which would have been bold, unprecedented, and justifiable, was kicker Josh Myers who scored more than half of the Seahawks' points.

And now, it's about 7 more months until football.  Sniff.

Mid-Week Lenten services 2026

LENTEN 

VESPERS

2026

February 18     ASH WEDNESDAY
                             Divine Service with the Imposition of Ashes

                             Return to Me! (Zechariah 1:1-6)
                               Rev. Thomas Schroeder, Good Shepherd, Novi

February 25     Scattered Sheep. (Zechariah 13:7-9)
                               Rev. James Frey from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Belleville

March 4            The Truth, the Whole Truth,

                                    and Nothing but the Truth. (Zechariah 8:14-17)
                               Rev. Paul Schaefer from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Plymouth

March 11           What’s He Worth to You? (Zechariah 11:7-13)
                               Rev. Thomas Schroeder, Good Shepherd, Novi

March 18          The Kingly Priest. (Zechariah 6:9-13)
                               Rev. James Frey from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Belleville

March 25           Sacred Concert by
                              Michigan Lutheran Seminary Choir

All services for Lenten Vespers are at 7:00 PM.

A supper will be served each Wednesday at 6:00 PM.

Sermon -- 5th Sunday after Epiphany (February 8, 2026)

YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

MATTHEW 5:13-20

In the name + of Jesus.

     It is important to recognize Jesus’ audience in this Gospel reading.  St. Matthew wrote, “When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up onto a mountain.  When he sat down, his disciples came to him.  He opened his mouth and began to teach them” (Matthew 5:1-2).  While God’s word is intended for everyone on earth, these words are spoken specifically to his disciples.  That means you and me, too.

     Jesus calls his disciples, “Follow me.”  Jesus’ disciples are to be different; for, they are set apart.  You have been set apart from sin, death, and Satan.  Jesus has taken every charge of guilt which had stood against you.  He was condemned so that you would not be.  You are free from sin.  Jesus went into the grave to rob it of its power.  Jesus died and rose so that you would also rise from the dead to receive eternal life.  You are free from death.  Jesus has also delivered you from the devil.  The devil has no claim on you.  The devil’s name is Satan which means “Accuser.”  But whatever accusations he makes against you are overruled by Jesus.  Jesus has crushed the serpent’s head.  He has rendered him powerless against you.  You are free from the devil.

     Just as Jesus has set you apart from sin, death, and the devil, he has also set you apart for a better path.  But God does more than declare you innocent.  He has changed your heart so that you strive for innocence as well.  He calls you to serve him in righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.  That is why he told his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13,14).  Jesus does not say, “This is what you should be.”  No, he says, “This is what you are.”  You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world.  You are set apart as God’s people, and he calls you to be godly people.

     “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13).  Salt was used in Jesus’ day mainly as a preservative.  In days before refrigerators and freezers, meat was packed in salt to prevent rot.  God’s people have the same influence on society.  This is done to an extent by upholding laws that promote righteousness and punish wickedness.  No doubt, you have noticed that our society keeps on moving the lines on what should be promoted and what should be punished.  If standards for morality can be moved that often and that quickly, does our society actually have any true standards? 

     God’s standards, however, remain unchanged.  Jesus said, “Until heaven and earth pass away, not even the smallest letter, or even part of a letter, will in any way pass away from the Law until everything is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18).  God does not change; neither does his word.  God defines what is good and what is evil.  So, when we urge our leaders to pass laws that promote what is good and which prohibit what is wicked, we rely on God’s word as our standard.  In this way, God’s people preserve this world from rotting away.

     You are the salt of the earth.  While seeking to preserve the world from rotting through laws, your prayers will do much more.  Laws may curb behavior, but only God’s word will convert hearts to love what is good and to hate what is evil.  We pray that the Lord would raise up more faithful pastors to preach God’s word.  We pray that fathers and mothers would discipline their children in godliness and that families would be strengthened in the faith.  We pray that God would send his angels forth to defend and protect us from all that would harm us in body and soul.  We pray for our nation, its leaders, its teachers, and so forth.  When we commend all these things to God’s care, we trust that God will pour out his grace to preserve this world from rot and decay.

     You are the salt of the earth.  But sin continues to rot everything.  Unbelievers are going to act like unbelievers.  Their actions and attitudes are so prevalent that even Christians begin to accept and adopt them.  This rots your own heart and life.  So, what can you do?  You remember who you are: You are the salt of the earth.  You do not have to do what sinners do.  You don’t have to be ruled by your stomach, your wallet, your ego, or your hormones. Actually, it is stronger than “You don’t have to.”  Jesus says plainly, “Don’t.”  Jesus warned, “If salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again?  Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people” (Matthew 5:13).  If you refuse to be the salt of the earth, you will not be Jesus’ disciple.  To be set free from sin and then to run back to it is to say that you would rather have your sins than to be set free from them.  You will be thrown out of the kingdom and trampled underfoot.

     But if you are Jesus’ disciple, you will be different.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).  The true light is Jesus Christ.  But you are clothed with Christ.  You have been given a clean heart and a right spirit.  Therefore, you will reflect the light of Christ.  It will be displayed in your words and actions.  These cannot escape the notice of other people.  You may not think it is anything remarkable.  But others will see it.  Some will respect you for it because it encourages them to be godly.  But even if they remain ungodly, they will respect you for being trustworthy.  Others will be bothered by it because your light exposes the darkness in them.  These are the people who berate you for thinking you are holier than everyone else.  Do not ever let anyone put you to shame for being godly people.

     “You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden.  People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket.  No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).  Of course, Jesus is not telling you to do anything for your own praise.  If your light shines and others take notice, it is not because you flaunt it.  It is simply a matter of living as God’s people because that is what you are. 

     Take the prophet Daniel as an example.  We call Daniel a prophet, and rightly so.  But Daniel’s profession was a government worker.  He served for decades in the Babylonian government.  Then Daniel served in the Persian Empire after they had conquered the Babylonians.  He was so proficient at his work that he was about to be promoted over a whole province.  The Persian officials would not stand for this Jew to be exalted over them, so they plotted to get Daniel ousted. 

     They scoured the records to prove that Daniel was corrupt.  To their surprise, Daniel was an honest politician.  So, they decided, “We will not find any accusation to bring against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God” (Daniel 6:5).  How did they know this?  Because Daniel had let his light shine.  They knew he followed the word of the Lord—not because Daniel boasted about it, but because he simply did it.  Daniel’s enemies got the king to pass a law that no one should pray to anyone but the king for thirty days under penalty of death.  When Daniel heard about the decree, he went home to pray about it.  Daniel’s enemies went to his house, knowing that he would be praying to the Lord.  How did they know?  Because Daniel had let his light shine.  They knew he would continue faithfully in prayer to the Lord. 

      “You are the light of the world.  A city located on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).  While you have no need to flaunt your good works, you have no reason to hide them, either.  A godly life cannot be hidden from others.  Once again, these things may not seem extraordinary to you, but others see it.  When others are complaining about their wives and you praise yours and uphold marriage as the sacred union that it is, who could fail to notice?  When you pour water on the slander and the gossip against other people instead of piling more logs on that fire, who could not notice?  Or when a group of friends says, “Let’s go out.  Sunday mornings are mimosa mornings!” and you reply, “I can meet you after church,” who could miss it?

     You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world.  But the light of Christ can be shadowed by poor choices and prickly words.  And the salt that is in you does not always have the same bite.  This is why you cannot take pride in your good works.  Who takes pride in what is flawed or in failings?

     Jesus’ words jolt us when he says, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and experts in the law, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).  The Pharisees did take pride in their works and their prayers and their tithing.  And the thing is—they actually did these things.  They were careful to do them, so when they boasted about them, no one could call them liars.  Jesus says you have to be more righteous than that.

     You and I do not possess such righteousness.  That is why we cling to Jesus.  He supplies the very righteousness we need.  Jesus perished in utter darkness so that you could be light in the Lord.  He was covered in your guilt so that you could be clothed in his righteousness.  Therefore, we rely on Jesus’ merits for the favor of God the Father which was earned by Jesus’ perfect life and for the forgiveness of God the Father which was earned by Jesus’ innocent death.  These assure us of a righteous verdict. 

     You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world.  This is not only your status, it is also your life.  God’s word guides your works, your words, and your motives.  Jesus told his disciples, “Whoever practices and teaches (these commandments) will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).  Since you are Jesus’ disciples, you put God’s word into practice in your life.  You teach God’s word to your children.  You confess God’s word to others.  You not only find joy in following God’s word now, you will continue to love and serve the Lord in the kingdom of heaven.  In fact, you will be confirmed in holiness and rejoice in godliness. 

     You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world.  And the Lord promises what you will be in the glories of heaven: “Those who have insight will shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who bring many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).  There is great joy in pondering what we will be in heaven.  But don’t forget what you are now.  You are a blessing to this world—reflecting the light of God’s goodness and seasoning the world with God’s grace.  For, you are Jesus’ disciples.  You are called to be different.  And this “different” is good.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.