Jesus explains that those are the people who need his help. He doesn't need to spend his time teaching God's rules to people who already know them. That would be like someone helping me to tie my shoes! He's taking his help right to where it's needed most.
Most of us like having the lights on instead of off. We feel more secure when we can see what's going on around us. We like it better when we can see where we are going. We might like to sleep in a dark room, but most of us would like to have a night light to give us at least a little bit of light. An interesting thing about darkness and light is that light drives away the darkness.
Lighthouses must be built with a strong foundation to weather severe storms; high winds and waves that may crash ashore. Many lighthouses are built upon rocks. What do you think would happen if a lighthouse was built on sand? Yes, it might topple over or even be washed away by the winds and waves of a storm. Jesus teaches us that we need to build our lives on a firm foundation.
In the Bible we learn that Jesus spoke about clothing. He said, "… Don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear." This lesson reminds us to be more carefree. We can have a lot of fun with clothes, but Jesus teaches us that we should not spend time worrying about what we will wear.
Let's look at the flags in our sanctuary. What causes the pole to remain upright? Yes, there is a heavy base that keeps the flagpole from tipping over. Could it stand on its own? No, it needs a good foundation. In the Bible we find that Jesus talks about foundations. He says, "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock" (7:24-25). The house had a strong foundation.
So now we know that salt was used for flavor, for money and for keeping things. What does that have to do with us––Jesus’ modern disciples. Well, we do add flavor to the world. We celebrate God, we help people who are hurt or sad and we make them feel better. We don’t walk around feeling bad about ourselves. We know that God loves us because God is good––that’s tasty! Christians do a lot of helping and a lot of celebrating; that adds flavor to life.
Wanting things is okay. Everyone has things they want - and some of those things make our lives much nicer. We might not actually need toys - or even a bed to sleep in - but they sure are nice to have! In today's Gospel, Jesus helps us to think about the difference between wanting and needing. He warns us that it's possible to spend so much time worrying about all the things we want that we can lose track of the important work that God wants us to do - like taking care of the needs of others.
Salt is inexpensive and is something we don't think much about, but it is very important and is something everyone must have. Years ago,in certain parts of the world, where salt was scarce, it was as valuable as gold. Now think about this: Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth."How exciting to think that we can bring out the flavors of life.
How many of you know the story of The Three Little Pigs? Do you remember the different ways the pigs built their houses? In today's Gospel story, Jesus tells us about two different kinds of people. The first group has a chance to hear God's words, but they doesn't really listen. The other group not only listens, but uses them to help them lead good lives following God's commandments. Which group do you think Jesus tells us is stronger?
One day, Jesus saw rich people making a big deal out of giving money to the poor and needy. They made a big show of giving their money. They were not giving money because they loved God. They just wanted people to see how good they were, how generous they were. They were showing off.