The Bridge Church
Upside Down Kingdom - Salt and Light
September 8, 2024
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Kingdom: The rule (law) and reign (authority) of the King
As citizens of God’s kingdom, we are called to influence the world for Jesus Christ.
What is influence? The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.
What is influence? The capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something.
1. As salt, we bring healing to a decaying world.
Matthew 5:13 - "You are the salt of the earth…”
Salt seasons, preserves, and heals.
Matthew 5:13 - "You are the salt of the earth…”
Salt seasons, preserves, and heals.
Influence can be lost through compromise
2. As light, we reflect the hope of Christ.
Light exposes darkness and serves as a guide.
Influence your family.
Influence people without a relationship with Christ.
Influence people without a relationship with Christ.
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
Dig Deeper:
1. Besides the beatitudes we just studied in the previous series, what do you know about The Sermon on the Mount? What does it bring to your mind?
2. What comes to mind when you think of a kingdom? Who rules a kingdom?
3. When you think of God’s kingdom, how is it different than from kingdoms ruled by people?
4. As you are entering this series, what are you praying about? What are you praying that God would reveal to you in this study?
5. What were the people like who were the original hearers of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount? How are they similar to us? How might they be different?
6. Why do you think the beatitudes come before the rest of His sermon? Why would Jesus lead with the beatitudes first?
7. As citizens of God’s kingdom, we are called to influence the world for Jesus Christ. How is being a leader the same as having influence on someone in your life?
8. Why don’t we consider ourselves leaders or capable of influencing others for Jesus? What excuses might we use?
9. Read Matthew 5:13. Have you ever heard someone use the expression, “they are salt of the earth”? What does it mean when someone describes another person that way?
10. Read Colossians 4:6. What are some of the ways in which the original audience might view salt differently than us? What are some ways in which we view salt the same? How do you use salt, or see others use salt, in our everyday lives?
11. How can a person lose their “saltiness”? What habits cause us to become less salty?
12. What does it mean to compromise? What do we conform to when we compromise?
13. How can our influence on others be lost by compromise? Have you witnessed or known of an example of this in your life or those around you?
14. Who does Jesus say we are the salt of/for? Define what this looks like in your day-to-day life. What challenges do you face when you “get out of the saltshaker”?
15. Read Matthew 5:14-15. What is light meant to do? What is its purpose? What does it expose?
16. Have you ever seen even the smallest of light in a dark space? Is it easy to spot? Discuss.
17. Read John 1:4-5. Discuss what this passage of scripture means. Why should we not allow darkness to intimidate us?
18. Read Matthew 5:16. Provide examples of how you can “let your light shine before others”? What does it mean to “expose darkness” in your day-to-day? What does it not mean?
19. Read Acts 16:25-34. Describe the events happening here and how it is a great example of being both salt and light.
20. What is one takeaway from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
Live It Out:
Who in your life do you have influence on? What can you do today to influence them in a way that shows them both salt and light; that shows them how to draw closer to Jesus?
1. Influence your family. This includes not only children in your household, but also immediate, and extended, family members that do not have a relationship with God. Write out a name of at least one person in your family who you need to influence with the love and grace of Christ. Write out specific ways you intend to show them both salt and light. Then, live out what you wrote!
2. Influence the next generation. Parents, you have an incredible opportunity in your own home to be a huge influencer in your child’s life. Prioritize shining light and pushing away the darkness that inevitably presses into your child/ren’s life. Spend time with your child/ren in intentional ways in order to consistently have authentic conversations with them. If you do not have children in your home, know that you, too, have opportunities wherever you go to influence the next generation!
3. Influence people who do not have a relationship with Jesus. Whether it is a family member, child, neighbor, co-worker, classmate…whoever it is that you see...wherever you go, be an influencer! Similar to above, write out at least one person in your life who you need to influence with the love and grace of Christ. Write out specific ways you intend to show them both salt and light. Then, live out what you wrote!
1. Besides the beatitudes we just studied in the previous series, what do you know about The Sermon on the Mount? What does it bring to your mind?
2. What comes to mind when you think of a kingdom? Who rules a kingdom?
3. When you think of God’s kingdom, how is it different than from kingdoms ruled by people?
4. As you are entering this series, what are you praying about? What are you praying that God would reveal to you in this study?
5. What were the people like who were the original hearers of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount? How are they similar to us? How might they be different?
6. Why do you think the beatitudes come before the rest of His sermon? Why would Jesus lead with the beatitudes first?
7. As citizens of God’s kingdom, we are called to influence the world for Jesus Christ. How is being a leader the same as having influence on someone in your life?
8. Why don’t we consider ourselves leaders or capable of influencing others for Jesus? What excuses might we use?
9. Read Matthew 5:13. Have you ever heard someone use the expression, “they are salt of the earth”? What does it mean when someone describes another person that way?
10. Read Colossians 4:6. What are some of the ways in which the original audience might view salt differently than us? What are some ways in which we view salt the same? How do you use salt, or see others use salt, in our everyday lives?
11. How can a person lose their “saltiness”? What habits cause us to become less salty?
12. What does it mean to compromise? What do we conform to when we compromise?
13. How can our influence on others be lost by compromise? Have you witnessed or known of an example of this in your life or those around you?
14. Who does Jesus say we are the salt of/for? Define what this looks like in your day-to-day life. What challenges do you face when you “get out of the saltshaker”?
15. Read Matthew 5:14-15. What is light meant to do? What is its purpose? What does it expose?
16. Have you ever seen even the smallest of light in a dark space? Is it easy to spot? Discuss.
17. Read John 1:4-5. Discuss what this passage of scripture means. Why should we not allow darkness to intimidate us?
18. Read Matthew 5:16. Provide examples of how you can “let your light shine before others”? What does it mean to “expose darkness” in your day-to-day? What does it not mean?
19. Read Acts 16:25-34. Describe the events happening here and how it is a great example of being both salt and light.
20. What is one takeaway from this sermon that you can intentionally live out this week? Share with others what that is and when you plan to do it!
Live It Out:
Who in your life do you have influence on? What can you do today to influence them in a way that shows them both salt and light; that shows them how to draw closer to Jesus?
1. Influence your family. This includes not only children in your household, but also immediate, and extended, family members that do not have a relationship with God. Write out a name of at least one person in your family who you need to influence with the love and grace of Christ. Write out specific ways you intend to show them both salt and light. Then, live out what you wrote!
2. Influence the next generation. Parents, you have an incredible opportunity in your own home to be a huge influencer in your child’s life. Prioritize shining light and pushing away the darkness that inevitably presses into your child/ren’s life. Spend time with your child/ren in intentional ways in order to consistently have authentic conversations with them. If you do not have children in your home, know that you, too, have opportunities wherever you go to influence the next generation!
3. Influence people who do not have a relationship with Jesus. Whether it is a family member, child, neighbor, co-worker, classmate…whoever it is that you see...wherever you go, be an influencer! Similar to above, write out at least one person in your life who you need to influence with the love and grace of Christ. Write out specific ways you intend to show them both salt and light. Then, live out what you wrote!
Reading Plan:
This week, choose one of the scriptures and work on memorizing it!
Monday: Matthew 5:13
Tuesday: Colossians 4:6
Wednesday: Matthew 5:14-15
Thursday: John 1:4-5
Friday: Matthew 5:16
Saturday: Acts:25-34
This week, choose one of the scriptures and work on memorizing it!
Monday: Matthew 5:13
Tuesday: Colossians 4:6
Wednesday: Matthew 5:14-15
Thursday: John 1:4-5
Friday: Matthew 5:16
Saturday: Acts:25-34