Scripture Passage

John 3:1-17
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

⁴ “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. ¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Sermon Script

Life is not what we calculate. Life is not what we figure out with our head. Life is not an equation to be solved. Life is what we discover.

We must live with this sense of discovery. It is exciting. It means there is still a lot we don’t know yet, waiting to be discovered. Once we think we know it all, this will all stop. Our life will become stagnant. We will shrink and die.

I realize that we stop discovering when we become too fixated on results. What we think something will be like. We become too fixed in our own thinking. If we think what we do won’t be worth our effort, we won’t try. If we think what we do won’t be good and perfect, we won’t do it at all. We won’t allow any room for discovery.

I watched a documentary on Netflix this week. It was about this famous jazz musician named Miles Davis. Miles Davis was known for his originality. He was one of a kind. He couldn’t be imitated. What made him particularly special was that he refused to think that he knew all there was to know about music. He lived with the attitude that there is always something new to learn. He said, “Fear no mistakes. There are none.” Every performance was an opportunity for discovery. He wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries and try new things. He even refused to keep his old albums at home.

In today’s passage, we see a man named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the ruling council. He was not only smart and well-educated, but he also held a high social position. He had everything one could wish for.

Yet he came to Jesus at night. What does that mean? He was drawn to Jesus. He didn’t want to be see by others and risk his reputation, so he decided to go at night.

Nicodemus was a man who thought he knew all there was to know. He was knowledgeable of the Torah. He thought he knew how to live a good and moral life. He thought as long as he did that, that was enough. Jesus then came and rocked his world completely. This was what Jesus said to Nicodemus—

Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

John 3:3

Born again?? This was hard for Nicodemus to understand. It is even hard for us to understand. But Jesus made it clear that this was what Nicodemus needed.

If we can’t be born again physically, what does it mean then? Start over. Be like a newborn. See everything like you are seeing them for the first time. Then you will discover what life is. That’s what Jesus is saying.

Being born again is being transformed in the way we see, think, and live our life. It is hard to let go of our old ways and habits. But it is only when we let go of our fixed ways that we begin to be led by God into a bigger world of discovery. The world of God’s wisdom (LOGOS). Jesus told Nicodemus—

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:7, 8

We all need to be born again. We need to be freed from our small world of fears and worries. We need to enter into the bigger world of mystery and surprises. Our little wisdom makes us closed and narrow-minded. God’s wisdom expands our world and our thinking. God doesn’t reveal his wisdom to those who think they know it all. God reveals it to those who are humble and pure.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becasue you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Matthew 11:25

God wants us to live a full and wonderful life. God wants us to live an eternal life. Eternal life is not just a life that continues after we die. Eternal life also means the quality of life we live now. When we live each day by God’s Spirit, we live the eternal life. Eternal life is a life of never-ending discovery and growth. Today’s passage ends with a very famous verse—

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

This Lent, I encourage you to practice openness. Learn to let go of your own thoughts. Don’t dwell too much on them or get stuck in them. Learn to trust in God’s ways. Be open to surprises and unexpected discoveries. You will see better and greater things along the way. We have our long-awaited retreat next week. Come with an open mind.

Nicodemus experienced being born again because of Jesus. He saw and lived his life in a new way. He no longer went around hiding. He appears two more times in the Gospel of John. He fights for a fair hearing for Jesus. Even after Jesus’ death, he helps prepare for his burial. Nicodemus was not just one of the Pharisees. He was a different Pharisee. He lived an eternal life.

Scripture Passage

Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’.”

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'”

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’.”

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you.” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'”

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Sermon Script

Our IDENTITY is the root of our life. How we see ourselves shapes what we say, what we think, and what we do. Even how we dress is based on how we see ourselves. In high school, there was a drummer I looked up to. I tried to dress like him. We cannot function without an identity, whatever it might be. All of us have an identity that guides us in our choices.

Jesus had his identity. He received his identity from God at his baptism.

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3: 16, 17

Jesus saw himself as a beloved child of God. What God said about him became the root of his life. He did not define himself by anything else. It gave him the confidence to begin his ministry.

God also gave us this precious identity. Each of you are the beloved child of God. God knew us before we were born, even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. God’s love for us is not based on our achievements. God’s love was already there to begin with. God wants us to know this and live by this.

What God says about us comforts us. It makes us more confident about ourselves. But we don’t always feel this way. Negative thoughts and feelings creep in. We feel inclined to see ourselves as something else.

That is what temptation is. Temptations make us question our identity as God’s beloved child. Temptations tell you what God says about you isn’t enough. Temptations strike you when you are most weak, insecure, and vulnerable.

When did Jesus experience his temptation? It wasn’t at his baptism. It was in the wilderness, right after his baptism.

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Matthew 4:2

Jesus was tempted when he was at his weakest. In today’s passage, the devil tempts him three times. Here, the devil is also called ‘Satan’ and ‘the Accuser’. The devil is not the horned, evil creature we think about.

First, Jesus is told to turn stones into bread. Second, Jesus is told to throw himself from the top of the city. Third, Jesus is told to worship the devil in exchange for the whole world.

The temptations all seem different on the surface. But they all have to do with his identity as the son of God. How does the devil tempt Jesus? He uses a very subtle but powerful tactic. Look at what he says⁠—

IF you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.

Matthew 4:3

IF you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written…

Matthew 4:6

Are you REALLY the son of God? That’s how Satan gets Jesus to question his identity. IF you are, then prove it to me. Show me your ability. Show me that God really loves you and cares for you. Satan even quotes a psalm to make it more convincing. What his first two attempts don’t work, he resorts to the ultimatum⁠—Give me your identity for something even better.

Temptations are not as obvious as you think they are. They are powerful because they are subtle and deceiving. They have many different faces. They divide and hijack your attention. They make you think you will find peace and satisfaction in something else.

Isn’t that why we run to others for approval when we are feeling most insecure and unsure of ourselves? We don’t do that when we are feeling confident. We will do anything and everything to hear a word of affirmation, even if it isn’t necessarily true. We think that will get rid of all the negative feelings in us. That’s only momentary.

Jesus did not give into the most tempting offer he was made. But he didn’t do it by arguing with Satan. He didn’t resort to his own willpower and reason. Instead, he relied on God’s word. How does he respond each time?

Jesus answered, “It is written…

Matthew 4:4

Jesus answered him, “It is also written…

Matthew 4:7

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written…

Matthew 4:10

All of Jesus’ responses come from the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus kept God’s word close to his heart. Jesus listened to God’s word instead of Satan’s.

God’s word is not just words. God’s word is what God says to us and about us. God’s word has power that is greater than our willpower.

If our identity is the root of our life, then God’s word is the good soil that we must build our roots in. The writer of psalm described such a person in this way⁠—

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither⁠—
whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:3

I pray that you will be like this tree. Build your identity on God’s word. When you are tempted, you have one of two choices. You can listen to God’s voice. Or you can listen to the other voices that distract you. Listen to God. Remember what God said about you. No one can take away that from you. Don’t trade it away, but keep it close to your heart.

Jesus’ temptations did not last forever. The devil eventually went away. Matthew tells us that the angels then came to be with Jesus. Jesus came out of the wilderness stronger. His understanding of himself became clearer. This helped him face more temptations that came later on.

On this first Sunday of Lent, we reflect on Jesus who struggled with temptations just like us. Jesus fully knows what we go through. Jesus empathizes with our struggles.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are⁠—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:15

Scripture Passage

Matthew 17:1-9
¹ After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. ³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

⁴ Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” ⁸ When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Sermon Script

In order to go where we need to go, we need to be able to see and hear clearly. If our sight and hearing are weak, it will be difficult to carry on. We need guidance and direction to do well in life.

In order for me to write my message each week, I need to be able to see and hear clearly. It is often a struggle to have that kind of clarity. I struggled quite a bit this week to write this sermon. I couldn’t see or hear the message clearly.

That is often the reality of our journey. We don’t see what we need to see. We don’t hear what we need to hear. We lose our way because of that.

The disciples were like that too. They spent every single day with Jesus. Yet they couldn’t understand him very well. They had a hard time seeing who he was. As I said at our Bible study, Peter rightly said that Jesus was the ‘Messiah’. But he didn’t fully know what that meant.

In today’s passage, Jesus takes them up a mountain to pray. He doesn’t bring all twelve. He only takes Peter, James and John—his closest disciples. All of a sudden, Jesus’ appearance changes dramatically. God reveals Jesus in his glory—

There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

Matthew 17:2

In Scripture, mountains are shown as a place where we encounter God. Moses went up a mountain to speak with God and receive the commandments. Elijah met God on a mountain while he was on the run from Jezebel. The disciples also had a spiritual experience. They saw who Jesus really was. Even Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus. Peter was so taken by the experience that he didn’t want it to end. He offered to build Jesus, Moses and Elijah shelters.

Spiritual highs are rare. They are wonderful but we don’t experience them frequently. That’s why we love retreats. We experience God in a way that we don’t in our daily life. We want it to last forever. But sometimes, we get so caught up in our feelings that we forget to hear what we need to hear. What happened to Peter while he was saying that to Jesus?

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Matthew 17:5

Peter and the disciples heard God speaking to them. Not only did God reveal Jesus’ identity, God directed Peter and the disciples’ attention back to Jesus. God told them to LISTEN to Jesus.

What Peter wanted to do wasn’t wrong at all. What Peter wanted to do wasn’t what was needed at that moment.

Seeing something extraordinary and spectacular isn’t everything. Seeing goes with hearing. If we just rely on what we see, we can be easily led astray. We can just go along with whatever happens. In any situation, it’s important to also discern what we need to hear in what’s happening.

All of this was too much for the disciples to bear. They fell to the ground because they were ‘terrified’. It was then that they felt Jesus’ gentle touch and heard his voice.

“Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

Matthew 7:7, 8

The disciples couldn’t stay on the mountain forever. They had to go back down. They had their lives to go back to. Jesus assured them. He came back down with them. They continued on their journey once they saw what they needed to see and heard what they needed to hear.

It is God’s nature to reveal himself to us. God doesn’t keep us in the dark. God revealed himself to us in Jesus. God revealed himself to us through his word. God reveals himself to us through the Spirit. God does so out of his love. When God reveals himself, we experience his power and glory. God’s presence encourages us and strengthens us in our walk.

God is not only present in our spiritual highs. God is present even in our mundane, everyday life. Remember what God has shown you in those special moments as you face the challenges of your everyday life.

Many years later, Peter still remembered this moment. He never forgot what he had experienced. He even wrote it down to encourage others who were also going through a difficult time.

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

2 Peter 1:16, 18

Next week, we are entering into a season of Lent. Lenten journey is one of difficulties and suffering. We will be reflecting on Jesus’ journey to the cross.

Remember who God is. God will help you see what you need to see. God will help you hear what you need to hear. God will help you walk faithfully and courageously. God’s presence and power will manifest in your daily life.

Scripture Passage

Matthew 5:33-37
³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ ³⁴ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷ All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Sermon Script

When I was a teenager, I used to say this a lot. “I swear”, or “I swear to God…”. I didn’t give it much thought. I thought it was just an expression you used in a conversation, especially to make your point. Everyone around me said it.

Then one day at church, my pastor heard me say it. And she said, “Don’t swear to God.” I asked her why. She replied, “Because you’re using God’s name in vain.” I didn’t understand what the big deal was, but for some reason, what she said stuck with me. And I never said it again.

My pastor wasn’t wrong. You find this throughout Scripture. When Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of Israel, he said—

When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

Numbers 30:2

In wisdom literature, the writer of Ecclesiastes said a similar thing. Again, it is about what it means to keep your word.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.

Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5

Even in the New Testament, we find James talking about it. Like my scary pastor, he says, “Do not swear by anything”.

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No”. Otherwise you will be condemned.

James 5:12

But before James, there was Jesus. James’ words were taken directly from Jesus’ teaching. Jesus said this in today’s passage.

But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it’s God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

Matthew 5:34-36

Jesus goes further than what was said in the Old Testament. Don’t swear by anything at all. But what’s the big deal? It’s hard to tell what he’s trying to get at.

It’s not the act that’s the issue. That’s not what Jesus is concerned about here. It’s the INTENT that’s the issue. In other words, WHY we do such a thing to begin with. More so than the words, Jesus is concerned with our heart.

Why do we swear by something, even when we are not aware of it? Think about it. We don’t swear by God only. We swear by our life, our mom or dad, and all kinds of things. Why do we feel the need to do that?

We want to PROVE ourselves. We don’t want to be misunderstood. We want to explain and justify ourselves. We want to be believed and proven right. So whoever or whatever we swear by, we use their name as a means for our own gain.

In Jewish culture, names are considered very important. It is not a label for a person. The name is deeply connected to WHO the person is. In the Bible, we see people receiving a ‘new’ name when they change as a person. Jacob became ISRAEL (wrestles with God) Simon became PETER (rock). Names are just as precious and important as the person who bear that name. That’s why God’s name (YHWH) was considered as most holy and precious, not to be taken or used lightly.

In that sense, Jesus’ teaching is not just about swearing an oath. It is more than that. That’s why he puts a complete stop to it. Jesus is teaching us to use our words more thoughtfully. To speak SIMPLY and SINCERELY.

All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 5:37

Speaking simply and sincerely is an art. It is very difficult to do. We tend to speak in a very complicated way. We don’t know when to stop. We tend to exaggerate and say more than what needs to be said. We use our words to manipulate and get others to do what we want. We even use our words to hide ourselves. We have a hard time saying simply what we mean.

We’ve tried to control what we say. Sometimes it works. But we experience that it doesn’t always work. We often slip and stumble.

Speaking simply and sincerely is not about controlling how we speak. We think that because we see words as ‘tools’ that we can pick up and throw away whenever we want. But words don’t just come from our lips. Words come directly from our heart. They are the expressions of our heart. What we say and how we say them reflect what is going on in our hearts. Many times, our hearts are full of selfish, dark, and negative thoughts. Jesus saw that clearly.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Matthew 15:19

Speaking simply and sincerely begins with cultivating a pure and honest heart. Heart that is completely transparent. It’s not something we can just do by our will alone. We don’t even understand what is going on in our heart all that well. We feel lost as to how to sort our conflicted heart. It is God who changes and transforms our hearts. It is God who cleanses and purifies our hearts. Our desire to be made pure and honest is enough.

Jesus once told a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector. Both went up to the temple to pray.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

Luke 18:11-13

The tax collector prayed simply and sincerely. He was totally honest about what was in his heart. He expressed his desperate need for God. The Pharisee, on the other hand, went on and on about how great he was. His prayer became a means of proving himself. Jesus said it was the tax collector who went home justified.

When you are pure and honest with yourself, you can be simple and sincere with those around you. You are not burdened by the desire to prove yourself. You don’t feel compelled to use your words carelessly, for your own selfish desires. Instead, you uplift those around you with your words. In that sense, speaking simply is not about being blunt, dry or cold. You glorify God with your words. You know when to speak and when to be silent.

Scripture Passage

Matthew 5:13-20
¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Sermon Script

You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. Not you ‘were’. Not you ‘will be’. You are. That’s what Jesus said. Do you believe that?

How encouraging are those words! They empower us, despite our insecurities. They help us see ourselves differently. They tell us how important we are in God’s sight.

We tend to live with a very distorted image of ourselves. We have a hard time seeing ourselves clearly. We either think too much or too little of ourselves. We are rarely happy with who we are. The image that we have of ourselves isn’t very attractive. It is very different from the image that we show to the outside world.

Yet Jesus gives us the image of the salt and the light. Like last week, he shatters our assumptions about who we think we are. He says to us – that is who you are!

What’s so amazing about salt? On its own, it doesn’t seem all that special. It’s just salty. Yet when it’s used in a dish, it elevates the taste. Can you imagine having 설렁탕 without adding any salt? It’s often used as a preservative, keeping things fresh. When we have sore throat, we mix it in warm water and gargle with it to soothe the pain. During winter, we sprinkle it on our driveways and sidewalks to melt the ice. Salt edifies and enriches our life.

What’s so amazing about light? Do we think about how much light we get each day? We take it for granted. We don’t even notice it. Even with our electricity, we are so used to having light that we choose to sit in the dark during the day – especially in our Hi-C room. Yet when we experience total darkness, even a small ray of light can change everything. It can help us see what is around us and get our bearings. We can even see each other clearly. Light brightens our life.

That’s why Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and light of the world. They were both very important in Jesus’ time. People considered them precious. Even though we may not see ourselves as special or feel like we are invisible, our presence can make a great difference in people’s lives.

We don’t need to try to ‘be’ like salt or light. We simply are. We only stop being salty or bright when we hide ourselves from others.

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

Matthew 5:13

A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

Matthew 5:14

When we constantly hide from others out of fear, we become no good. When we let others see us for who we are, we become truly effective.

I know – it is easier said than done. We all have the desire to be seen for who we are. We all want to be the salt and the light, as Jesus said. But our fears often paralyze us and hold us back. So what are we supposed to do?

Hear again what Jesus said. “You are the salt of the earth.” “You are the light of the world.”

You are enough. I believe that is Jesus’ heart behind those words. You don’t need to be anything else. You are enough. You are precious. You are loved. Have faith and live boldly. I am for you, so who can be against you?

When our sense of self is firmly rooted and built on Jesus’ love and acceptance, we can overcome our fears and live confidently. We can be the salt and the light for others. We can share the same love with those around us. Our presence can be a source of empowerment and encouragement.

That is how Jesus lived. His confidence wasn’t rooted in what others said about him. His confidence was built on God’s love for him. At his baptism, he heard that he was God’s precious child. He never forgot that. He was able to live boldly because of it. He enriched and brightened people’s lives. He empowered them to live confidently as well.

Let others see you for who you are. So what if you are a little weird? So what if you are a little awkward? You are unique and precious. Let your presence be a blessing to others. Through you, people will experience glimpses of God’s love. They will see who God is. I shared this verse with you last week.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

There is a popular song called ‘This Little Light of Mine’. It’s a gospel song and it’s often sung during Christmas. The first verse goes like this—

This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, oh let it shine!

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law didn’t let their light shine. They didn’t know what it meant to let themselves shine. They thought they had to be ‘perfect’ before God and others in order to be accepted. They measured their worth by how well they kept the Law (the Torah). By doing that, they ended up presenting a false self on the outside and hid their true self from others. They couldn’t accept that they already were the salt of the earth and light of the world.

You, however, are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. Not you ‘were’. Not you ‘will be’. You are. Do you believe that?