I’d Like To Speak To A Manager: Community
Matthew 5:13-16
11.13.2022

Series Intro

Loyalty Sunday is all about Community! Community is one of the gifts that God gives us. And we are called to manage our part of that gift. But our Concordia family isn’t the only community we have been given.

- Family – manage the kids and manage your spouse
- Work – manage the coworker in the cubicle next to you who loves to listen to the worst of the 90s all day every day
- Neighborhood – HOAs whose management we protest

We only “own” a part of our communities. The way we steward/manage our part in each of our communities depends on our intent for that community.

- Are we focused on ourselves? We want to gain something.
- Are we focused on others? We want to bless/help others.

A few months ago, we launched an initiative called “LoveSA.” The idea is that we want to use our collective ability to serve/volunteer inside or outside Concordia, to bless our city ... the community of which we “own” a part. We’ve been saying ...

#1 Concordia is a congregation of servant leaders committed to transforming San Antonio through Jesus’ love in action.

That is how we want to manage our community. Ultimately, we want to manage our community, by blessing our community. But that’s not new. That’s the way Jesus wants us to live in community.

Let’s read from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Now this sermon by Jesus is about how we, who trust in Jesus, should manage/bless our community.

The people know what/where he’s talking about!

I want to talk through the metaphors of salt and light that Jesus uses here. They will help us better understand how we are called to bless our community.

#2 Salt Terichaea in Greek means “Fish preservation.” Salt was used as a preservative/valuable. Ancient histories talk about this fish being popular in Rome. There’s a lot in our world, for the sake of community, that needs to be preserved. Imagine Jesus looking down and pointing.

- Listening instead of fighting - Grace instead of vengeance
- Commitment instead of abuse - Hope instead of immediacy
- Truth instead of relativism

Jesus calls us to preserve community! And he also gives us a warning:

Salt was valuable and it was considered indestructible.Salt can’t lose its saltiness. Jesus is talking about when salt gets mixed with dirt or sand and is ruined. “As you’re trying to preserve the world, don’t let the world get the best of you. Don’t let the world lure you into sin that compromises who/what you are.”

Preserving hearts that are broken by tragedy. Stay salty!

#3 Light Jesus pointing to his left. Everyone knows!

There are a lot of things that make us feel, “in the dark.” We don’t know what’s will happen with…

- The economy
- The outcome of the election
- A health crisis
- Our kids

When our communities are facing uncertainty and darkness, we can bless them with light. NOT that we know everything. But we do know the One who does. God’s got this! He will shed light on everything in His good time.

Jesus gives us another warning. Don’t get pulled into distraction. Don’t get covered up. We’re called to rise above the squabbles and darkness of this world. Take the high road! In fact, that’s what Jesus says next…

One of the best ways we can be light is to do good even when we’re confronted with bad. To do right even when we’re surrounded by wrong.

That leads me to one final thought. This teaching is about how we live/act. But remember, being good can’t make us good with God. Only God can do that. But the way we live and the things we do can lead others to God.

Salt was added to sacrifices as a symbol of God’s unchanging and eternal faithfulness. In 2 Chronicles 13:5 Abijah makes a speech about a “Salt Covenant.” While he doesn’t understand the meaning. He is right about the covenant. If you remember, God makes an incredible promise/covenant with David ... an irrevocable/“Salt Covenant.”

"The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you." David wanted to build a house for God … "Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." 2 Samuel 7:11, 16 What does this mean? The child from the house of David is Jesus the Messiah. He will reign forever. And we can live with complete confidence ... we know where to turn in difficult times.

When our world gets discouraging, remember, we have an indestructible, “Salt Covenant” with God. God’s love and faithfulness will NOT change. That means we can look to Jesus and know that He will light the way ... for this community, called Concordia and in all the communities God has given us.