August 10, 2024
Dear Friends
I think we need to get one thing straight. In Matthew chapter 5:13-16 Jesus does not persuade, invite, urge or even encourage his disciples to be salt and light. That is already settled. You are salt. You are light. All that remains is what kind of salt you are and where does your light shine.
Salt we know is important for many things. Preserving food. Giving flavour, melting the snow….and yes perhaps causing your car to rust. One way or another salt does something. It exists for something beyond itself. Again take light. We have those handy dandy lights on our cell phones. We use light to find our way in the dark. We use light so that others can find us and see us. Shining a light can illuminate an otherwise dark room. Light exists for something beyond itself.
Simple analogies but profound. As Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” It’s not just what you are but what you are for in the earth? Do you exist for something beyond yourself and if so what or who? As Jesus says salt is useless if it just sits on a shelf. Light is pointless if it hides under the kitchen sink. So what does your life look like? What or who do your exist for? Perhaps it remains for us to shake and shine for the glory of God.
Please join me on Sunday as we take a look at this great topic and this good news in a message called “Shake and Shine”.
We want to extend our congratulations to Craig Sturridge and Emilie McCauley who will be married next Saturday at Glenbrook.
This Wednesday the pastors and representative elders of the Presbyterian Churches of Mississauga will be meeting at Glenbrook. We have been meeting once a month since May to seek God’s direction as congregations navigating through difficult times. Like many of our congregations, we are diverse in our theological composition, we are trying to listen to each other and the one thing that is in common, is that we are joined together in our love of Christ and his call to share the good news. So pray for us as we seek the best way God would have us work together for the common good. (Ephesians 4: 1-6)
Thank you to those who have joined Christianity Explored. I am enjoying our study. Just note that next week it will be held on Thursday night August 15th at 7 pm.
Blessings
Pastor Ian
