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.