Salt & Light in the 21st Century

This week’s passage: Matthew 7:1-6 Doesn’t the Bible Say We Should Not Judge Others? Just like the generations before us, we can see things happening which were once seen as immoral in our society that are quickly becoming acceptable. Parents are losing the right to choose how their children are raised, sexual promiscuity, including child pornography, are being extoled as “rights” and there is a push for laws to be removed or softened. Christians and other religious groups are beginning to speak up (as they should), spurring those pushing the agenda to proclaim that there is supposed to be a “separation of church and state” or accusing Christians of going against the Bible by “judging” them or their behavior as wrong. Without going too far down that rabbit hole (separation of church and state was intended to keep the government out of the churches, not the churches out of the government) let’s focus on what Jesus really meant when He said, “Jud...

This week’s passage: Matthew 6:1-8, 16-34 What is Your Motivation? Matthew Chapter 6 provides clear guidance about our motives when we give, pray, and fast, our words when we pray, what we consider treasure, and why we need not worry about how we will make it through life on earth. Let’s take a look at the chapter, setting aside verses 9-15 for next week. In verses 6:1-18 Matthew records the words of Jesus as He addressed our motives for giving, prayer and fasting. “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:1-2 ESV) Are you volunteering at the soup kitchen so that others might see and think t...