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Homilies by Rev. Andrew Collis unless indicated otherwise.

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Epiphany 5, Year A
South Sydney Uniting Church
February 5, 2017

Psalm 112:1,4-7; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20

‘Interesting and interested’

So, we’re listening, sharing and praying together today. The story from Matthew’s Gospel is very well-known and important. The “Sermon on the Mount” sees Jesus with his disciples close by, teaching a large crowd at the foot of a mountain by the Sea of Galilee. God be with you …

Jesus is teaching them new ways to think about loving God, loving one another and loving the world. New ways to live together in the world. Can you picture the scene? Do you have any questions about it? …

This is the longest story we have about the teaching of Jesus. It runs from the beginning of Matthew 5 to the end of Matthew 7. How many chapters is that? …

The teaching (or sermon) begins with the words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit …” And Jesus goes on to speak of eight blessings. Can we remember who Jesus calls blessed? …

What does this mean?

Jesus wants the disciples and the people to imagine God blessing everyone who is poor and sad, gentle and trying to make the world a better place. There are special blessings for people who are kind (merciful), pure-hearted or honest, peacemakers, and for anyone who is hurt or lonely or left out.

Imagine God loving these people, Jesus says, and you will start to see the world differently. That’s the kind of world I pray for and hope for – a place where all the kind and all the hurt people can feel safe and be really happy.

Then Jesus gives the people two ways to think about themselves. You are the salt of the earth, he says. And you are the light of the world. Salt and light. This is Jesus saying that we are precious like salt and light are precious. We are useful like salt and light are useful.

What do you know about salt? …

Anne has brought something in to help us … [pop-corn with and without salt]

All right, what about light? Have you ever used a torch? What were you doing? …

Anne has a few torches to help us … [find some tea-light candles]

We might say that salt is about becoming more interesting – people full-flavoured, different/diverse, just as salt helps to make different/diverse foods taste interesting.

We could say that light is about becoming interested – people who are curious, wondering, exploring, searching, just as light reveals small, colourful and wonderful things in the world.

Is there anything else we might say about being salt and light? …

Next time we meet together for worship we’ll hear some more of what Jesus says in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). There is a lot to read, to think and sing about – and it’s all really amazing.

Let’s pray. God, thank you for giving us your teaching about love. Thank you for the way that Jesus teaches us, making sure we all can hear and understand. Help us to notice those around us who are kind and sad, that we can make safe spaces for playing and learning. We feel blessed that Jesus says we are precious and useful – just like salt and light. Make us interesting and interested. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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