1.26-It is the year 2020 as dated from the date of Jesus’ Birth.

1.26-

Jesus; “You are the salt of the earth.”

Turned out He was right.

It is the year 2020 as dated from the date of Jesus’ Birth.

Our standards of what is vice and what is virtue are set by God, but communicated through Scripture to us.

Jesus is our king.

Early Christians were persecuted for refusing to worship the emperors.

Jesus their example had set this standard for them.  God the Father was over the ruler from Jesus’ point of view.

John 19.

⁸ Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; ⁹ and he entered into the ^[b]Praetorium again and *said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ So Pilate *said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” ¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no authority ^[c]over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” ¹² As a result of this Pilate ^[d]made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king ^[e]opposes Caesar.”

This is why Herod wanted to kill Jesus early on.

Matthew 2.

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, ^[a]magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ² “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled,

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, ^[a]magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ² “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled,

Christians made good and peaceful citizens, but their ultimate allegiance was to God.

Acts 4.

¹³ Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them ^[k]as having been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply. ¹⁵ But when they had ordered them to leave the ^[l]Council, they began to confer with one another, ¹⁶ saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy ^[m]miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” ¹⁸ And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all ^[n]in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; ²⁰ for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ When they had threatened them further, they let them go (finding no basis on which to punish them) on account of the people, because they were all glorifying God for what had happened; ²² for the man was more than forty years old on whom this ^[o]miracle of healing had been performed.
²³ When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O ^[p]Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, ²⁵ who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

‘Why did the ^[q]Gentiles rage,
And the peoples devise futile things?
²⁶ ‘The kings of the earth ^[r]took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His ^[s]Christ.’

²⁷ For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy ^[t]servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the ^[u]Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸ to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. ²⁹ And ^[v]now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, ³⁰ while You extend Your hand to heal, and ^[w]signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy ^[x]servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Sharing among Believers

³² And the ^[y]congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them ^[z]claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. ³³ And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. ³⁴ For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the ^[aa]proceeds of the sales ³⁵ and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.
³⁶ Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of ^[ab]Encouragement), ³⁷ and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Christians have taken care of the poor among themselves, but they have also helped those who were not of the household of faith.  They have started schools and universities.  They have inspired classical art and music.  They have inspired their members to participate in making their own communities and nations a better place to live.

Jesus had told them that they were the salt of the earth and had believed it was their calling under God.  They have set up standards for their communities and nations of what was a virtue and what was a vice.

This has been going on around the world for the last 2020 years.

Matthew 21.

21 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” ⁴ This ^[a]took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold your King is coming to you,
Gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The prayer of Jesus is answered that God’s will on earth be done as it is in heaven.

The value God placed on children was placed on children in communities influenced by Jesus.  Prior to Christianity there were many places where girl babies were killed.  Weak children were drowned at birth.

Humans are more valuable than money.  Humans cannot become a market for churches to take advantage of.  The house of God is a house of prayer, not a market for selling goods and services.

It is not for the churches to arrogantly demand that poor people pay for services.  This is not a virtue, but a vice.  He overturned the tables in the temple to make this clear.