Not Them, YOU
Matthew 5:17-26
August 27, 2025 anno Domini
It is always easy to talk about them. You know them. Those politicians in Saint Paul, those people that aren’t from here, those people who don’t come to church – them
.Jesus begins Matthew chapter 5 with those people – them, they.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (vs. 3)
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (vs 4)
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (vs. 10)
On first hearing, you are glad you are not them – poor, saddened by death, persecuted. But right in the midst of those troubles, Jesus proclaims great blessing – they will be comforted, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Then suddenly Jesus’ sermon changes direction – they and them become you.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (vs. 11)
As Jesus’ sermon approaches today’s text from Matthew His aim gets more pinpointed. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.
In the Old Testament salt is connected with sacrifice. God’s people mixed salt in with their grain offerings and then God consumed the offering by fire. Salt made the sacrifices flavorful to the Lord.
Salt also was used to seal covenants in ancient times. When two people made an agreement they would put a little salt on their tongues– because salt preserves. You salted your agreements because you intended them to last.
You, not someone else, you are the salt of the earth. When you do good works, when you confess your sins, don’t seek vengeance, make amends with those you’ve sinned against, when you don’t murder with hatred or name-calling, you salt the earth with God’s Kingdom and your deeds are tasty to the Lord. They are tasty because you trust in Jesus, because You believe God is your Father forever – that His covenant of forgiveness is full and complete and eternal.
You, not someone else, you are the light of the world. In the Old Testament tabernacle there was a lampstand, with seven lamps. Not only did it lighten the darkness, it also pointed to Jesus. As St. John tells us, “in Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The world is in the dark. They don’t know the cause of evil. They don’t have an answer to death. They have no hope for the future. You do. You know the Devil brought sin into the world and all humans including you are by nature only evil all the time. Your eyes however have been enlightened – you know the only answer to evil, to sin, and death. His name is Jesus of Nazareth. He is God in the flesh. He came into the world to die for the sins of the world, to defeat the lies of the Devil by speaking the truth, and to take away Satan’s hold on you by forgiving your sins. You know the answer to death. Christ is risen. He walked out the cemetery three days after His funeral and He’s not going back.
You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Not them. Not those people. When Jesus uses the word you instead of they or them He’s getting personal. He’s telling you that His Kingdom is different than the Kiwanis and that His redemption has far more of an effect on you than the Rotary club. The Church is not just a local congregation, where you pay your dues, and show up for the meetings. Yours is the Kingdom of God and that’s a life changing kingdom.
The Devil is the Prince of this world. When he was cast out of heaven for his rebellion he came to earth. He tempted Adam and Eve to sin and that sin ruined God’s creation and made it the Devil’s domain. He is truly the dark lord. He can never be satisfied. He hates all that is good, right and true. He fills the world with evil and lies, fear and uncertainty, death and chaos. Everyone born of Adam and Eve is subject to him, bound to sin and bound to die. The world’s only hope, your only hope is Someone to take captivity captive.
Two thousand years ago, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, descended from His throne to become a man, for us men, and for our salvation. At the moment of His conception, His reign and rule began, in Mary, in Joseph. John the Baptist did somersaults in Elizabeth’s womb over His arrival. Shepherds left their flocks and Wise men their distant lands to worship Him. A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years touched His robe and her bleeding stopped. Jesus put mud in a blind guy’s eyes and he saw. Demons ran for their deaths at His voice. Sinners and tax collectors were forgiven their sins and welcomed to Jesus’ dinner table. He raised a little girl, a young man, and Lazarus from the dead. As His works declare — He came for one reason – to ransom and redeem you from the Devil’s domain, from the prison house of sin and death. Wherever He went He set people free from their sins, from death, from the Satanic poison of doubt and despair.
Every word and deed of Jesus culminated in the cross. There He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. He accomplished the righteousness of the world. He offered His righteous life as a flavorful sacrifice to the Father, salted with obedience to His Father and love for you. His crown was thorns. His throne was a cross. His death was victory. Your sins are forgiven. Your death has died. Believe that and you’re free from Satan, from sin, from death. You are under the reign of Christ.
That changes you. Which is why Jesus says, “you” in the text so often, “You have heard that it was said … ‘You shall not murder’ …. if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go.” The Kingdom of heaven is not just over you, but it is in you.
You are the salt of the earth and you are the light of the world. Salt seasons. Light lightens. If your brother has something against you because you sinned – it’s up to you, to repent, to seek forgiveness. And if someone has sinned against you, it’s on you, to seek that brother out, not in vengeance, but to be reconciled, even bearing the cost of reconciliation. That’s not the way of the world – that’s the salt and light of the Lord’s Kingdom, that’s how He dwelt with you. You dishonored His name. You sin against Him, but He did not seek vengeance. You ran away, but He sought you and made peace with you, at His own cost.
The Kingdom of God has come to you and now it’s on you, and in you, to salt the earth, to enlighten the world, so that the Kingdom may come to others, to them. In the name of Jesus. Amen.