You are Salt & Light – STUDY GUIDE

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Icebreaker: If you could shine your “light” in one area of this community, where would it be and why?

Sermon Title: Life in the Red Letters – “You are Salt & Light” – Matthew 5:13-16

Group Discussion:

Read Matthew 5:13a – Identity before Activity: “You are the salt of the earth.” What does it mean for believers to be “salt” in a spiritual sense? Discuss how embracing Jesus’ truth that “you are” rather than “you should be” might shape our awareness of identity, purpose, and mission as disciples.

In his sermon, Justin shared these points: Salt preserves; Salt makes you thirsty; Salt makes everything taste better. Explore how these truths apply to our journey and when discipling others.

Read Matthew 5:13b & Luke 6:49 – Saltless salt is useless: “But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again…?” Why do you think Jesus used such intense language about how it is “no longer good for anything?” Compare this warning to Jesus’ warning in Luke 6:49 “its destruction was complete.” And what can this teach us about the consequences of a faith that becomes complacent? Discuss practical ways we can guard against becoming spiritually decayed.

Read John 8:12 & Matthew 5:14-16 – Light overcomes darkness: “I am the light of the world” and “You are the light of the world.” Discuss how Jesus being “the light of the world” can empower us and define what it means for us to be “the light of the world.” In our culture, what does it look like for a believer to reflect Jesus’ light daily (e.g., share examples; and how we can implement such light)?

Read Galatians 1:10 & Philippians 2:14-15 – Things to avoid: Pride, fear, & distraction. How can we prevent pride from shifting our focus so that we can maintain a Jesus-centered mentality rather than a self-centered mentality? How can we overcome fear of rejection, criticism, or failure that may hinder our witness? How can we limit distractions that interfere with our focus on Jesus’ mission?

Spiritual Disciplines & Action Steps: Review resources for this series on our Church Center app: Church Center / Home / Sermon Resources, such as the one titled Salt & Light: Living with Purpose.

In addition, (1) Execute one visible, loving act each day that points others to Jesus (e.g., be generous, serve selflessly, invite someone to church, or share a brief testimony), and (2) Identify one prideful trait, one fear, and one distraction in your life this week, share with an accountability partner, and implement strategies to remove them while establishing boundaries to prevent future obstacles.