Peter Tan-Chi - Be An Influencer For Christ: Be Salt and Light
The idea of going against the tide has the idea of how do we swim against what’s going on today? How do you go against the tide? Two things Jesus tells us. Let’s read together. Matthew 5:13. «You are the salt of the earth». (Matthew 5:13) Matthew 5:14 «You are the light of the world». (Matthew 5:14) If you look at this, I want to emphasize the following: Number one, the emphasis of the grammar. You and you alone are the salt of the earth. You and you alone are the light of the world. He is talking to the disciples. If you read Matthew chapter 5:6-7 is called the greatest sermon ever given by anybody. It’s called the «Sermon on the Mount». And Jesus was giving that sermon to His disciples.
So, this is for His disciples. Are you a disciple of Jesus? All right, so what is God’s solution? Number one, you, you and you alone are the salt. Now, you are to be salt and light. Now, what in the world does it mean to be salt and light? Well, I want to let you know that if you want to know what does it mean to be salt and light, everybody, I want you to see this nice drawing of salt. All right? The salt is used for what? Preservative. Antiseptic. Salt is so important that you have the Latin word «salarium». «Salary» is from the word «salt». So every time you are paid a salary, just remember salt is so precious. That’s why you have that expression «Are you worth your salt»? Why?
Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to imagine 2000 years ago, in the time of Jesus, no refrigeration. So how do you preserve meat? How you preserve fish? No refrigerator. How do you survive? You need salt. Implication: without salt, what happens to the meat? It will decay. It will rot. Yes or no? Without salt, what happens to the fresh fish? It will rot. My wife and I had this experience years ago, something happened to our refrigerator. My goodness! When we discovered it, it was too late. The smell of rotten meat is unbelievable. You know that smell was so bad, it took us days to remove the smell. Don’t blame the meat when it is rotting. You ask, «Where is the salt»?
Don’t blame the world when it is rotting, when the world is decaying, because it is its nature. So, to save the world from decay, to slow down the decaying process, Jesus tells His disciples, «You and you alone are the salt of the earth». (Matthew 5:13) What Jesus is saying is do something about it. You know, Jesus gave a very serious warning. You are to be salt and light. By the way, what’s the message today, everybody, so that you can memorize this, «Be an influencer for Christ». Everybody, «Be an influencer for Christ». So what must you do? Be salt and light. Now, Jesus gave us an amazing warning in Matthew chapter 5:13, I want you to read the whole verse, in Matthew 5:13 «You (and you alone) are the salt of the earth…» And then here’s the warning, «…but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men». (Matthew 5:13)
Now science tells us that salt will remain salty forever, as a rule, but it can lose its saltiness. How? Salt will lose its saltiness when it is contaminated with other stuff. The same thing with Christians. You lose your saltiness when you allow sin, when you compromise, you allow contamination in your life. And the warning is this, don’t do that because you will lose your effectiveness. You know, to remain being salty, you have to act like Christ; You had to model Christlikeness. Okay? Don’t compromise. Act like Christ. If you make a mistake, admit your mistake. Look at 1 Peter 3:1-2. Everybody, let’s read this, «In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word…» Meaning, you have husbands who are not believers.
So, ladies, what is Jesus telling us to do? «…they may be won without a word». (1 Peter 3:1) It’s called evangelism without a word. In other words, your life can give a message without having to say words. Somebody once shared this with me: If possible, share the Gospel without words. But eventually, you need to say something. So, what is this verse saying? Everybody, read together, «…that they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives…» By the behavior of their wives, not by the nagging, not by the sermons of the wives, but «…by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior». (1 Peter 3:1-2)
I realize people are always watching us. You lose your saltiness if you don’t act like Christ. My wife and I were in a party, it’s a wedding party, and we were godparents, and we were seated on a table, and there was a couple who are now followers of Jesus, and they were making fun of this guy. They said, «We heard that you are now attending Bible study». Now, my «kumpare», who is now a follower of Jesus, said something very profound. He said, «I used to persecute my wife because she attended a Bible study, but I saw the changes in her life. I saw the transformation. So, I decided I want to attend Bible study also». «So, to answer your question, I am the recipient of the godliness of my wife».
My friend, that is the meaning of what? Salt and light. You know, to be salt and light, you have to understand the principle of you’ve got to spread out. Okay? You know, you have to act like Christ, but you have to associate with people. So, everybody, what is this? Salt, yes or no? Now for salt to be useful, what must happen? It must spread. You have to take the salt out of the salt shaker and put it on the meat. The problem with Christians, we love the salt shaker. We love to be in this place forever. We are salt sticking with salt. My friend, you need to bring the salt to the world. So from Monday to Saturday, my question to you is are you associating with people who need Jesus? You see, statistically, after four or five years, Christians lose all their friends who are not followers of Jesus.
Look at your own life. My friend, you need to understand. Salt of the earth means what? You have to go out of your comfort zone. Use sports, use lunchtime, whatever you do, but get involved with people who don’t know Jesus because they are hungry, but you don’t know because you don’t spend time with them. One of the best example is Jesus. Look at what the Bible is telling us about Jesus. Everybody, can you read that verse please? Mark 2, together, «and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples». Remember Jesus, always modeled discipleship. How do you reach the world for Jesus? You dine with tax collectors and sinners. «for there were many of them…»
Notice. There were many of them. There were… In other words, Jesus does not mind eating and dining with tax collectors and sinners. Now, why were tax collectors identified? Because to the Jewish people, the worst sinners are tax collectors. Because tax collectors are Jewish people who work for the Roman government, and the only way they will make money is through the quota system. You are supposed to collect, example in this district ten million pesos, so how do you make money? Anything you collect over and above ten million is yours. So they hated tax collectors. But not Jesus. Let’s read the next verse, everybody. «When the scribes of the Pharisees…» The religious people. Remember, the religious people. Holy, Holy. «…saw He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, 'Why is she eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners? '» (Mark 2:15–16)
What do you think is the answer of Jesus? Salt and light. What does that mean? Read the next verse «And hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.'» (Mark 2:16–17) You see, Jesus was very intentional. How are you going to impact people who don’t know Jesus? You have to make friends. You have to associate with them. Remember, Jesus tells us you are in the world, in John 17, but not of the world. What has happened to Christianity? We avoid people. I don’t know why you are avoiding them. Perhaps in your mind, I don’t want to do what they are doing. Fine.
So be intentional, but you’ve got to have relationships No relationship, no influence. That’s why it is very important for you to know why we have a sports ministry; why we have singles ministry. Example there is the biking club, there is basketball group. We have common interests. You can invite your friends. What is the message today? You are to be what? An influencer for Christ. Now, the truth is this. You are an influencer, whether you like it or not, a positive influence or a negative influence. My advice is be a positive influencer for who? For Christ. Remember you have to be authentic, act like Christ. For salt to be effective, you have to spread out.
You know, one of the things that touches my heart, I remember my daughter, my daughter was in the varsity team and they were the first to win the championship game of the UAAP for their school. I don’t need to name the school, but you know the color Now, this is my daughter. What’s happened? She had a Bible study with her teammates, faithful. In her mind, she has a platform. She did her best to study hard. She graduated summa cum laude and a varsity basketball player. And then she went to medicine. Now, in her medicine class, you will notice something. My daughter had to go through three batches. When I say three batches, she is supposed to graduate for example, she is supposed to graduate in 2014. So what she did, she invited me to her class to talk about Jesus. But God, in His amazing plan, allowed her to meet her husband-to-be.
So, she got married. So, she has to postpone her studies. So, she now is part of the graduating class of 2015. When 2015 came, after one year, she got pregnant. So second batch, 2015, so she has now to go to the 2016 batch. That is why for every batch, she would ask me, «Daddy, can you come and share the Bible with my classmates»? Now, as a father, why would I say no? You see, God allowed her to have three batches of medical classmates so that the three batches will hear what? The Gospel. Now, I have good news for you. Many of her classmates are now followers of Jesus. Is God good or not? So, my friend, to be salt and light you have to be intentional. you have to spread out. Without relationship, I want to ask you, how are you going to impact your friends? Think about it. Relationship. You are the salt. Be Christlike, be Christlike, and associate with people.
Now, my friend, the second important principle I want you to learn today to counterflow against the tide, you have to understand your calling. What you’re calling? Salt and light. Let’s read this together. «You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden». (Matthew 5:14) The world is in darkness. You know what Jesus saying? The world cannot see. You are the light. What is the purpose of light? To illuminate, to illumine, to show people. What’s the purpose of light? To guide. What’s the purpose of light? Believe it or not. This is something that I didn’t realize until I saw a lighthouse. Do you know what is a lighthouse? I will show you one of the most famous lighthouses in the world. The Bell Rock lighthouse. The Bell Rock lighthouse is built on the reef of the Bell Rock Reef.
So underneath this is a reef. When it’s low tide. You can see the reef. If it is high tide, you cannot see the reef. So when this was built, you know, why this was built on top of the reef? Because there are over 8000 shipwrecks. The boats were destroyed because they didn’t realize it was a reef. When they built this lighthouse, the shipwrecks disappeared. Why? Warning. My friend, your job, my job, is to help people see the truth. Let’s read this together, why you need to be, why do we need light? Let’s read this together. «Even if our gospel is veiled…» What is the gospel? The good news about Jesus. The word «gospel» means what? Good news about Jesus. «Even if our gospel is veiled…» The word «veiled» is from the word «velum», you are covered, you cannot see, you are blinded. «…it is veiled to those who are perishing…»
Bible tells us, today in this room, you have two kinds of people: those who are perishing and those who are not. What is he talking about? Let’s continue reading. «…in whose case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving». You see, some of you have religion, but you don’t have Jesus. Up to this day, you are not changed; you are not transformed; you go through the motions of religion; but in your heart, you have not been transformed. Why? You don’t understand the gospel. Because the Bible says, «the god of this world». May I ask you who is the god of this world? Satan. The devil. «the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God». (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
My friend, don’t be shocked, don’t be surprised, if people will laugh at you or they don’t appreciate Bible study, and they don’t have a hunger for Bible study. Can I tell you why? They are blinded. See one day, God opened my eyes. Before, I didn’t like Bible studies; before, I made fun of Christians; I was never sure of my own relationship with Jesus; then one day God opened my eyes. When God opened my eyes, I realized I am a sinner. I realized I needed Jesus. I realized I needed forgiveness. When Jesus came into my life and opened my eyes, Boom! Something happened. I see. The way I see things now is different from the way I saw things before. What about you? Do you see things differently today? What’s the lesson? You are the light of the world. Let’s read that together. «A city set on a hill cannot be hidden». (Matthew 5:14)
Now, my friend. What does it mean to be light? You remember what I told you? To illuminate, to introduce people to Jesus. When the Bible says You are the light of the world, that means you. There are people today that will never know Jesus apart from you. Look at me now. There are people today that God has chosen to hear the Gospel through you. You and you alone are the light of the world. Nobody else. You and you alone. At home, in your office, you and you alone. My friend, it’s a great responsibility; you have to accept that calling because according to Jesus, you and you alone are the salt of the earth. And you are the what? The light of the world. Do you remember during our anniversary, I asked people to stand up? Those who are in Dgroups, who are DGroup leaders, stand up and those who are not stay down. A couple obeyed my instruction.
So he looked around and he saw a couple that was seated down in the anniversary service. So he approached them after the anniversary service. Remember, salt and light, he said, «Would you like to join our Dgroup»? The couple said, «yes», without realizing that guy flew all the way from Chicago, from Chicago. Imagine from the US to attend this service, and he’s not yet a follower of Jesus, but the wife invited him to come and he was here. And you know what this couple said, «Since you are in our DGroup, would you like to join the couples retreat 2be1»? So he attended 2be1. Would you believe it? In that retreat, 2be1, a few weeks ago, I personally witnessed the baptism of that couple. Remember, the topic is husband and wife. How in the world did they get to be baptized? When God works and they understand the gospel, they requested, they requested Paul, my son, «Can you baptize us»?
Friends, simply because a couple like you decided to invite somebody and share with them the Bible. Is God amazing? Praise God! The Bible says nobody lights a lamp and put it under the basket. No, no. You put it on the lampstand because you want to give light. What Jesus is saying is «Christians, why are you hiding your light? Why are you ashamed»? You must be light. Now, who is the light of the world? You remember John 8, Let’s read this together, «I am the Light of the world». You see, Jesus is the light. But if you have Jesus, you reflect His light. You are to point people to the light. «I am the Light of the world, he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but we will have the light of life». (John 8:12)
Are you walking in the light? I don’t know. You know. You know your life. What Jesus is telling you today is do not be a hypocrite; do not play games. Salt and light. That’s who you are. God called you to be salt and light, but the problem is this. If you don’t have Jesus, you cannot be salt and light. You have religion. Religion is not salt and light. Only Jesus can make you salt and light. You know, Philippians 2, I wanted you to read this, to be salt and light, it’s not only doing something, it’s who you are. Everybody, read. «Do all things without grumbling or disputing». Everybody, one more time. «Do», louder, «…all things without grumbling or disputing».
How many of you did not grumble this entire week? No complaint, no nothing. For one week, raise your hand. One week? You mean you grumbled? Okay. You did not grumble for three days. Raise your hand. Okay. We like grumbling. Grumbling. «Do all things without grumbling (complaining) or disputing…» Everybody read, «…so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world». (Philippians 2:14–15) To be salt and light, listen to me, not just what you do, but your behavior. So make sure your behavior is Christlike. Amen? Now let’s finish the verse. Matthew 5, everybody, read. «Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven». (Matthew 5:16)
This verse is powerful, it is in the imperative mode. It is a command, permissive command. «Let your light shine…» It’s a command. You’ve got to let your light shine by your life, but more importantly, by your actions. «…before men that they may…» Everybody, read. «…that they may see your good works». (Matthew 5:16) The word «good» in the Greek language has two words. One is «agathos», one is «kalos». How many of you, your name is Abigail, Aga Muhlach. Agathos. All right. Anyway guys, that is one kind of goodness. But this word is not «agathos», this word is «kalos». Meaning, it is not just good, it is winsome, it is beautiful, it is attractive. God wants you to do good works that is attractive, that is winsome that people will say, «I like that». My friend, that is what you are called to do. Be involved in good works, in doing something that people are attracted to Jesus. Notice the purpose, «…that they may glorify your Father».
The purpose is not to bring attention to yourself. It is to Jesus. So as we close, I want you to notice the topic today. You are to be an influencer for Christ. The first people you’ve got to influence is yourself. Next, your family members. And that is what I like you to know, you cannot change your ancestors; you cannot change them. Have you tried changing your ancestors? You try. You cannot. Can you affect your descendants? You can impact the descendants. There’s a guy by the name of Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards was a man of God. He loved Jesus. He loved the Lord. «If there could be one man in the world at one time who was pleasing to God, I would want to be that man». He followed Jesus. His father was a follower of Jesus. His grandfather was a follower of Jesus. They traced his descendants.
Do you want to know what happened to his descendants, which can happen to you today? Look at his descendants. One US vice-president, three U.S. Senators, three governors, three mayors, 13 college presidents, 30 judges, 65 professors, 80 public office holders, 100 lawyers, 100 missionaries, pastors and theologians. Up to today, you have Jonathan Edwards' family, who are godly people. Then they traced another family by the name of- this is a pseudo name but it’s a true story. Jonathan Edwards from New York. Jukes Max. The Max family. Max Jukes is a pseudonym to protect the identity of this family, but these are true stories. Look at Max Jukes. He does not want to go to church. He does not want to follow Jesus. He does not want any religion in his family.
Here is the result. 310 of his descendants were paupers. 300 of his descendants died in infancy. 50 women lived in notorious debauchery life (prostitutes etc.), 400 men and women physically wrecked by their own wickedness. Seven were murderers. 60 were habitual thieves. 130 criminals were convicted. What I am trying to say is this — you are going to influence people. You are going to influence your descendants whether you like it or not. Many years from now, you’ll be amazed. My friend, I challenge you. I’m calling all of you. Be salt and light. What’s the message today? Tell your neighbor. Be an influencer for Christ. Be salt and light.
There was a man who was about to die, he gathered his family, he said, «when I was younger, I thought I can change the world. I discovered it’s too hard. I tried changing my country. I discovered it was hard. I tried changing my city. I discovered it was hard. I tried changing my neighborhood. I discovered it was hard. However, if I only started by changing myself, then I can change my family. By changing my family, perhaps I can change my city. By changing my city, perhaps I can change my country. By changing my country, perhaps I can change the world». What’s the lesson today? Be salt and light. Start with yourself, your family, and others.
Let’s bow our heads and pray. If God has spoken to you and you realize you need to be salt and light, God’s plan for your life, salt and light, And you need to change, you need to do something differently. I want to pray for you. Raise your hand. Praise God. Higher. You want to be salt and light. Bring them down. You want to be salt and light but you don’t have Jesus. You want to change but you don’t have Jesus. You like to have Jesus in your heart. I want to pray for you also. Raise your hand. Praise God. Anybody else? You want to have Jesus in your heart. Higher. With your hands held up. Higher. With your heads bowed down, hands held up. I want you to pray this prayer with me.
Lord Jesus, I need You. I cannot change others until You change me. I invite You, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior, come into my life, help me to be salt and light. And thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, In Jesus' name I pray, Amen and amen.