We welcome you to Stone's Hill today!

A typical Stone's Hill service has:

* music (so feel free to sing out);

* some announcements (things that are upcoming that you can be a part of);

* a message out of the Bible (God speaks to us through his Word);

* and an opportunity for you to respond to the message (either immediately in the case of a decision that needs to be made OR in the future as you live out the message in your daily life.)

So relax and enjoy your morning! We're so glad you are here!

Message Text: Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus explains what our relationship to the world should look like. Jesus used two common metaphors here. Jesus uses the metaphor of salt because its properties and usefulness provide an excellent analogy to the believer - the believer who slows down the process of cultural decay. Second, Jesus uses the metaphor of light because the world is filled with darkness and believers are a light that shines into the darkness.
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Salt
My remarks on salt will include:
First, Christians Like Salt Are Of Infinite Value.
Second, Christians Like Salt Act As A Preservative.
Third, Christians Like Salt Are to Promote Thirst.
Fourth, Christians Like Salt Can Lose Their Usefulness.
Fifth, Christians Like Salt Must Have Contact To Have An Influence.
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Light
My remarks on light will include:
Christians Like Light Will be Noticed
Christians Like Light Illuminate the Way for Others
Christians Like Light Help to Discern What’s Really There
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"This Must Be Stronger Than That"
Diedrich Bonhoeffer, who was executed by the Germans, built this alternative seminary for pastors in Nazi Germany that would not be held captive by the hate and deception of the National Church that had gone over to the Nazi’s. Bonhoeffer came from money and privilege and education and so he was expected to become a well-respected teacher and influencer. His family sent a family friend out to talk him out of this alternative seminary and church movement. “What are you giving your life to? This underground seminary on the outskirts of Poland? Come back to national Germany and give your life to something big and important.” Bonhoeffer got in a row boat with this family friend and rowed across the lake, hiked to the top of the hill on the other side of the lake and apparently on the other side was a Nazi base of operations and a Hitler Youth Camp there. Bonhoeffer pointed in the direction of his new seminary and said “This must be stronger than that” – while turning his attention back to the Hitler Youth Camp. “This – our biblical worldview church, our discipleship plans – must be stronger than the secular university, than social media, than woke corporations, than liberal politics, the progressive Christianity’s, the social extremism, the materialism, and hedonism of the world.” Our community has to be stronger. Build a worldview that is stronger than all this.
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Salt hinders the process of decay and light dispels the darkness. Two concerns Jesus has: the salt being contaminated, and the light being hidden. And when that happens, not only is the believer useless but the world gets darker. You are salt. You are light. This is your identity.