th
5 Sunday after Epiphany
“You are Salt”
Matthew 5:13-20
February 9, 2014
Do you remember the movie, “The Lion King”? It is one of my favorite movies. In fact I own the DVD.
There is a particular scene that is my favorite. Simba, the lion king, has run away and eventually ends
up with a baboon named Rafiki. Rafiki after guiding Simba to a spot where he says will show him
Mufasa, he tells Simba, “Look down there.”
Simba looks into the pool of water and says,” That's not my father. That's just my reflection.”
Rafiki says, “No, look harder.” He then touches the water. As it ripples Simba's reflection changes to
that of his father. Rafiki says, “You see? He lives in you.” Just then Simba’s father appears among the
stars and calls out to Simba. Mufasa says to his son, “Simba, you have forgotten me.” Simba responds
by saying, “How could I?” Mufasa then says, “You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten
me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become.”
What a great line! What a great thing to be told by his father. At that point Simba knows what he has
to do and he not only finds himself, but he learns to live by the new image/truth of who he is. In this
case he learns to live as the new lion king.
I see a parallel in our lesson today. As Mufasa reminded his son Simba of who he is, the new lion king,
so too, Jesus reminds us who we are and that we are more than we have become! I know it can be
difficult to come to terms with this image especially if it runs counter to our life experience. Regardless
of how wonderful the new image may be, if our past doesn’t hold up any signs that this is indeed who
we are, then to let go of the old and embrace the new is very difficult. And yet that is what is
happening in our lesson from Matthew.
The image we have of ourselves has been developing over a lifetime. It is formed by experience, by
family, and by the way we interpret all that happens in our lives, both good and bad. When that image
is influenced by experiences that can lead to anxiety, self-doubt, even apprehension we can become
lost and lose our way. I contend that there is yet another image, one that is life giving and helps us to
see who we are and what our purpose is. It is the image that Jesus has given, an image based on salt.
The image God desires us to have is not tied to what others think or what they expect. The image God
desires is tied to how we understand and believe our selves to be. God calls us to live as we are and
have the courage to be who we are, to remember that we are more than what we have become.
When Jesus speaks of the church, his image is not based on what people think or desire. The image
Jesus has is based on what the church is. It is based on the fact that the church is more than what it has
become. And that image is salt.
Pastor Greg Uthus
73 N. Hill Avenue ● Pasadena, CA 91106 ● 626 792-4169 ● www.hillavenuegrace.org
At the time of Jesus salt had a deeply religious and economic significance. You have heard, “A person is
worth his/her salt.” That saying comes from a context in which people were paid a day’s wage in salt.
Salt has qualities of preserving as well as seasoning. This gave salt a symbol of endurance and value.
Salt was associated with God. For example, salt was used in worship. During baptism salt was placed on
an infant’s tongue. Newborns were rubbed with salt. And lasting covenants (contracts in our time),
were sealed by eating bread mixed with salt.
The reason salt was linked with God is that salt cannot become un-salty. It cannot become inactive. It
cannot, not be itself. Salt must always be salt!
Herein lies the heart of the teaching of Jesus. The gospel is as indestructible as salt. The permanence of
God’s gift is not dependent upon people. This gift of the gospel originates from God and therefore
cannot be influenced by people. Regardless of the image people may have of it, it remains the gospel.
Those called to faith by this gospel become what it declares, nothing less. You are the salt of the earth
regardless of how others may see you or regardless of how you may see yourself. In other words, we
are more than what we have become.
Jesus wanted his disciples to see the connection between salt and gospel. As salt cannot be anything
but salt neither can we be anything else that what God calls us to be!
The gospel brings its purifying nature through you and through me. A world becoming spoiled by sin is
restored through the salt of the gospel – through you, through me, through us! Through the salt of the
earth, you and me, we, the gospel is able to preserve, purify, and season life.
It is through the salt of the earth that God restores the world. It is through the salt of the earth that the
spoiling of sin cannot be overcome. And it is through the salt of the earth that the madness we see
everywhere can be reversed. You are the salt of the earth!
To live by our image, and not by the image others have, is to live authentic lives. We become authentic
(real) as we act according to who we are and not by what others think we are. Jesus knew this.
The ministry of Jesus to others, the message of healing and compassion that he brought, and the
restoring of human dignity centers around being who we are in God (being salt).
Because of a few people living as salt of the earth history has changed. I believe that we have forgotten
who we are. In the work place, in the voting booths, in the home, and evening in our community we
are and we remain the salt of the earth. We are more than we have become! We are salt!
AMEN
Pastor Greg Uthus
73 N. Hill Avenue ● Pasadena, CA 91106 ● 626 792-4169 ● www.hillavenuegrace.org