in the show, HEROES, we find these ordinary people who are actually extraordinary. Of those there are 2 that are very extraordinary - Sylar and Peter Petrellie.
Both of them can absorb the extraord. abilities of others.
Sylar takes this to an extremely negative level.
Peter puts a positive spin on his.
Our lives are very much the same way.
We too have this ability - and just as Sylar and Peter have the choice, as to how they are influenced and choose to influence others - so do we.
Key Question for us to ask regarding everything we do and are in life:
what is your motive/purpose?
some sub-questions to help answer that are:
is it for me?
who do you spend time with?
where do you spend your time?
what do toy do with your time?
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:21
Sylar’s motivation was self and b/c of that he was never satisfied. He was intent on getting more and more, feeding on others to make him stronger. He would try whatever he could to get and do what he wanted, mostly manipulation.- selfish motivation
This same type scenario can occur w/ us if we too have these selfish motivations. repeat ?’s Gal. speaks to this:
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Galatians 5:16-17
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14
Godly Influence
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-5:16
Sermon on Mount
In the SOM, Jesus’ aim was to create a lifestyle in his followers that would make people think about the value of God, or to glorify God. Jesus talks about being salt and light that is being an influence in the world around us, even a hostile world.
He tells us how influence in a godly way
1. My life is an influence (v. 13a).
The text tells us that we are salt and that we are light. The personal pronoun is emphatic – you are. It is what we are – salt and light. You are an influence. God by nature influences and as followers of Christ we partake of the divine nature so that we influence also. For example, the love we have is Gods love in us; the joy we have is Gods joy in us; the passion we have is Gods passion inside of us; the mercy we have is God’s mercy in us.
Reflect on your life this morning. What was your influence this morning on your house, what about yesterday. What was your influence down at the restaurant, at the store, your work. How did you treat your family, your coworkers, the person standing next to you in line? Was it Sylar or was it Peter? Would they have any idea that you are a christian? Did you laugh at their off colored jokes? Did you participate in a conversation degraded another person? Did you stand up for what was right?
• Salt is a preservative
Salt is a preservative. The ancients used it to preserve food in the days when there were no refrigerators. So as salt we preserve our culture or society around us with our influence. That is, the poor in spirit influence, the meek influence, the merciful influence, the pure in heart influence, the peacemakers influence. But to preserve salt must come into contact with that which it seeks to preserve. No contact no preservative. We cannot blame society for its evils when we idly stand by and just let it be. No contact; no impact!
God says we’re salt so make an impact - to touch the lives of those around you - some take opposite approach ‘bubleman’
Salt does not just preserve, it also produces.
• Salt is used to season
Salt is also used to season, to make something taste better. By our contact with our culture we season it, make it better. We Influence it. But again no contact; no impact.
Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer
everyone.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Do you fit this description? know anyone that fits this description?
v.13 there is a promise but also a warning here – if the salt loses it saltiness it will be thrown away and trampled. context of J.C day - Some salt had impurities so that the outer layer was lacking flavor so was discarded as worthless. Salt would be thrown into the street to be trampled. He is trying to shake us up – wake up. True followers are salty, have flavor. Don’t think you can slide in this life. Do not insulate and isolate. Jesus is warning us not to pull back and be people who are caught up in themselves or just follow the pattern of everyone else.
Salt is useless without contact!
No contact; no impact!
2. My life makes a difference (v. 14a).
Jesus tells us we are not only salt but we are also light of the world. His point is that the world is shrouded in darkness because it does not see Jesus and we are to light the way or be a light.
Our lives can point to Jesus (v. 16).”In the same way, let your light shine before men” In the same way that a light beacon in the ocean lights up the dark skies - so to do the lives of followers of Christ light up a world shrouded in darkness. Your words and your life makes a difference. You may not see it or you may not hear about it, but it does. We are light because Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12 )
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
ESV Ephesians 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
• Light exposes darkness(v. 14b) “you the are light of the world”
Jewish tradition considered Israel or Jerusalem the light of the world. A city on a hill exposes the darkness around it. In modern times in so many cities the skys are lit up by the lights that you do not realize how dark it is without lights.
we must remain distinct; the danger in American church is that we are not distinct. There is not a big difference. Too often Christ followers just blend in rather than stand out for J.C.
what happens? we end up influenced by world, rather than
influencing the world.
• Light must not be hidden(v. 15)
“Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone”
The danger of the Christian community is to withdraw, to have no contact with unchurched around us so we become insulated and isolated.
It’s like we’re all in this spiritual jacuzzi - you know?
I’m comfortable with these people -
Think about it - Hotel jac. - people in it - you don’t want to join in with strangers - your family of 4 waits for it to empty out - but as soon as it does another group of people jump in, b/c they’re thinking the same thing - you never get in by yourself and say, ‘I want 7 strangers to jump in with me” - don’t do that!
I think what happens alot of times is we live our lives in the jac. of relationships. We have a group of people we enjoy, they enjoy us, were comfortable - so we don’t have room in the jac. for other people.
For us to be the salt and light, to really influence and impact -
it begins when you have a life compelling enough that other people want to be around you.
How - we are only alive in Christ - it’s only when we focus on developing a relationship w/ Christ that we can fully enjoy life.
and see His love impact those around us.
THE GOAL is to Glorify God (v. 16)
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
I have a vision for us to be so radically distinct and different in our values and our lifestyles that people want Jesus.
wouldn't it be cool if your friends or family members said to you - "im not sure about the whole God, Jesus thing, but i cant explain you"
that’s when we are being the salt and light to the world.
What path are you taking?
Sylar or Peter?
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