The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Monday, 1 August 2016 - "Salt of the earth, light of the world"

The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Monday, 1 August 2016 - "Salt of the earth, light of the world"

Daily Scripture: Matthew 5:13 “You are salt for the Land. But if salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except being thrown out for people to trample on.

14 “You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don’t cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Reflection Questions:
Scholar William Barclay noted that the Greek verb translated “taught” in Matthew 5:2 meant “repeated and habitual action, and the translation should be: ‘This is what he used to teach them.’” Most likely, Jesus frequently taught his followers to be the world’s “salt” and “light.”1These two images show us key qualities we need to be truly good neighbors. Salt enhances food’s flavor, and can also help preserve it. Light destroys the darkness, revealing all the beauty of God’s world and helping those who may have been lost to find their way.

• Jesus told his followers, “You are the salt of the earth…the light of the world.” Rule-based morality too often brings gloom, criticism and fear. But as one preacher put it, Jesus did not say, “You are the vinegar of the world”! Have you known people whose warm-hearted goodness adds flavor and light to life? How can your allegiance to Christ make you “salt and light,” making your life and that of your neighbors brighter and better?
• Have you ever flown over a city at night? Or come out of a long, dark tunnel into the bright light of the sun? Even when astronomers dislike “light pollution,” it is because they want to be able to see the light of distant stars. What are the dark corners of your neighborhood, your city, and your world, which need to experience the light of God? What can you do to help shine God’s light into these dark corners?

Today’s Prayer:
God, as I go about my life today, keep me ever mindful of the people who need to find your light in their world. Fill my heart with love for you so overflowing that I cannot keep it hidden. Amen.
1 William Barclay, Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Matthew (Revised Edition). Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1976, p. 87.
-------Insights from Chris Abel

Chris Abel is the Young Adult Pastor at The Church of the Resurrection’s Leawood location.
Hello! I’m Chris, the new Young Adult Pastor, and this is my first reflection here on the GPS Insights Blog. I’m looking forward to being a semi-regular voice here, so hopefully this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship between writer and reader.
I want to share a little bit of insight I’ve had about life and faith.
Before coming to The Church of the Resurrection, I helped a progressive United Methodist Church in St. Louis launch a new campus. Within a couple of years, we had hundreds of people flourishing in a new community—people who had never known God or had previously given up on church. We didn’t have huge marketing campaigns, earth-shattering worship service, or a super cool kids’ space. In fact, we met in a school and we had video sermons a lot. (Yay kids, back to school for a sixth day!)
What brought people to our church was spark. You see, the people who were there lovedbeing there. They loved being in community. And they loved sharing it with other people.Most of my people lived in a well-to-do suburb of St. Louis with fancy churches all around us. But we grew because this community had spark. They embodied something bigger than themselves.
People who are fully alive are God’s best advertisement.
I know you’ve walked into a church before and felt a sense of flatness. I know I have. But in my experience, Jesus should make people more alive. There is a spark, a hum, a light that comes off of people who let Jesus work in them. There is something contagious about a dedication to growth. You know when you meet someone who is fully alive. It just radiates off of them! You can probably think of someone right now.
And the truth is, we all have this spark. We all have a certain “flavor” we bring to the world. But life tends to choke out our spark, take away our flavoring. Maybe you can remember a time when you felt fully alive. Maybe you’ve drifted into feeling like a dimmer version of yourself. And if this is you, know this: Jesus doesn’t just want to “save” you. He wants you to be fully alive… and when you’re fully alive, other people will want what you have.
I’m so excited to be part of our community, and I can’t wait to see the unique way God shines through you.

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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue

Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States

913.897.0120
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