The Fifth Sunday of Epiphany
Light of Christ Anglican Church
The Reverend Michael J. Moffitt
February 8, 2026
Taking On A New Identity
Text: Matthew 5:13–20
When I was growing up my father worked as a salesman for a wholesale food distributor. He called on hospitals, schools, restaurants, and any other place that served food to the public. On Saturday’s sometimes he would take me to their warehouse to hand in his orders from the end of the week. Most everyone called me “little Bob” because it was clear that I had a strong resemblance to my father.
Over the years that stopped happening as his hair moved away and mine grew really long and there were quite a few other changes as well. But about 15 years ago one of my great uncles on my mothers side passed away. I went to the funeral home to pay my respects. As I walked into the funeral parlor one of my great aunts called out, “Bob Moffitt, I thought you were dead!” As I had grown older, and my hair also excused itself, I really did resemble my father in appearance. I assured her that my father had indeed gone to be with the Lord and I was his son, Michael. The fact is that there was ample evidence that I was my father’s son, and there still is.
Today is the fifth Sunday in the season of Epiphany. It started on January 6 and ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which this year is on February 18th. This season’s focus is on the revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, revealed in the Magi’s visit, Jesus’ baptism, and the Transfiguration. Also, it’s the time between the joy of Christmas and the solemness of the penitential season of Lent. It’s a time to focus on the teachings of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh.
Last week we took a brief look at Matthew 5:1–12, the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount which includes the “Beatitudes.” They’re called Beatitudes because the name comes from the Latin word beatus, meaning “blessed,” “happy,” or “fortunate” as each saying in this passage on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount begins with “Blessed are.”
Last week we looked at the overall purpose of each of these sayings. These teaching presented a radically different agenda than what Israel would have expected from the Messiah. It does not focus on political or material blessings that were at that time associated with the reign of Messiah but instead it reveals the Holy Spirit’s effect on the life submitted to the rule of Jesus as king. This teaching shows us how we will live when Jesus is the Lord of our lives.
The first part of the teaching called the “Beatitudes” were to be seen as the characteristics of the presence of God’s kingdom and were to be revealed through the lives of Jesus’ followers both then and now.
Jesus was promising blessings to his disciples, and the word is often translated “happy” but it means much more than that. It includes spiritual well-being, living in the approval of God and isn’t affected by situations or changes in life. To be blessed of God is seen as the highest goal and indicates the state where those who are living according to the heart of God should find this to be their greatest delight.
The promise is to reign with him in his kingdom forever. This kingdom is not given on the basis of importance, or earthly merit but is offered by Jesus to the poor, the despised, the prostitutes and all those who know that they have nothing to offer. Instead they cry out for mercy, and they alone are heard.
I pointed out that the first words out of Jesus’ mouth were not commands. Theywere blessings. Even the tense of the blessings didn’t seem to make sense.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
“Blessed are those who mourn.”
“Blessed are the meek.”
Not will be blessed. Are blessed.
Jesus was bringing the Kingdom of God to earth and if they would follow Jesus as Messiah the Kingdom would be their inheritance. Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Present tense.
The Kingdom of God was not waiting to see some spiritual improvement taking place. It had already arrived.
Those who first heard these words from Jesus were certainly surprised at the promises being made to “those who were poor in spirit”- “those who are weak and those who mourn”- “ those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” – “those who are merciful”- “those who are pure in heart”- “those who are peacemakers”- “those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.”
Jesus wasn’t listing the qualifications for those who would be a part of His kingdom. How could they have possibly lived up to that standard?
The blessings of the kingdom of God was inaugurated in the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It was He that moved towards us making a way for men and women to return to the relationship that God first offered Adam and Eve before sin make it impossible for them to be in His presence.
The really extraordinary thing about what Jesus Christ came to accomplish was that God made a way for us to not only know Him intimately but to be in His presence again and live in the presence and glory of God forever and ever. Praise God!
So Jesus was teaching those who were hearing His sermon on the mountain that those who follow Him will receive the blessings listed in the Beatitudes. Because they invited Jesus to be the Lord of their lives these blessings would be a part of their DNA.
It’s the last blessings that are to be seen in light of the first seven. Listen to Matthew 5:11–12,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The character traits described in the Beatitudes are not valued by our modern culture. We don’t recognize or give awards to the “Most Pure in Heart” or “Most Poor in Spirit.” Though our culture doesn’t think much of these character traits, they do describe the character of the citizens of God’s kingdom.
English Puritan John Trapp names some men who did in fact rejoice and were exceedingly glad when persecuted.
George Roper came to the stake leaping for joy and hugged the stake he was to be burned at like a friend. Doctor Taylor leapt and danced a little as he came to his execution, saying when asked how he was, “Well, God be praised, good Master Sheriff, never better; for now I am almost home…I am even at my Father’s house.” Lawrence Saunders, who with a smiling face embraced the stake of his execution and kissed it saying, “Welcome the cross of Christ, welcome everlasting life.”
David Guzik in his commentary on Matthew writes,
Yet the world persecutes these good people because the values and character expressed in these Beatitudes are so opposite to the world’s manner of thinking. Our persecution may not be much compared to others, but if no one speaks evil of you, are these Beatitudes traits of your life?
So let’s continue on to our Gospel reading this morning from Matthew 5:13–20. Listen again to verses 13 to 16.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
For many this may seem a paradox. How do we live as a disciple of Jesus Christ without either retreating and living as a monk or just becoming indistinguishable from the world?
Many have chosen to water down the Gospel to make it more palatable to the unbeliever or present Jesus as impossible to follow and an impossible burden. So many rules and demands that life becomes unbearable. But think about the way Matthew begins chapter 5 with Jesus offering blessings to those who come to Him and become His disciples. Then He speaks about salt and light. The order of this is important.
As I mentioned last week the Beatitudes are not a probationary period or a list of traits that you work your way into. They are the announcement of who Christ’ true followers are in Him. They reveal what life looks like when you belong to His kingdom in a world still ruled by others: poor in spirit, mourning, hungry for justice only God can give.
But then: “You are the salt of the earth.” Not will be. Not who you should try to become but are. Salt doesn’t become salt by effort. Light doesn’t generate itself.
Salt preserves. It slows down decay, and makes things taste like what they are meant to taste like. The beautiful thing about God’s grace and mercy is that even in a world that believes in randomness, God’s people have a conserving presence. Not by force or capacity but simply being and living in the way of Jesus.
And light? Light reveals by making visible what had previously been hidden. A city on a hill can’t be hidden, and a lamp doesn’t argue or reason for itself, it shines. It can’t help that’s what it does.
There is a warning here. Salt can lose its usefulness, and a light can be covered.
A people can become so indistinguishable from the world that nothing is revealed anymore. Nothing is preserved. What was meant to give life is quietly wasted. I like the term “Holy Huddle” because it describes a real problem in many churches. They gather together with those who they are familiar with but have little to no influence for Christ in the world, where many of the unbelieving world are. To be honest there are many well-meaning people who claim to be Christians but have no real understanding of what it means to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
“Let your light shine. Let people see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.” (v.16).
Why were they to do this? Not so people would admire them but would recognize Jesus in them which would bring glory their heavenly Father. Jesus placed Himself in the midst of the world, especially among those who were broken, hopeless and beat up by life. It was in those times that Jesus was able to reveal His divinity to those around him by performing miracles and teaching with power and authority.
Most of the religious leaders, who claimed to be the ones who understood the law and the prophets were actually so caught up in their pride that they couldn’t see with eyes of faith or hear Jesus with ears that were longing for the Messiah. Their hearts were hardened to Jesus because He wasn’t the type of Messiah they were expecting and in truth their hearts were hardened to God because of their arrogance. Then in verse 17 Jesus continues to declare who He really was.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”
Why would this have offended them? Because the Beatitudes don’t sound like Moses. They sound like something new, disruptive and dangerous. Jesus is not discarding the Law. He is bringing it where it was always headed. Moses climbed the mountain to receive God’s word and now Jesus climbs one to speak it. He was there to show them the intention of the law as it was seen through the eyes of faith in Jesus Christ. The law rightly understood revealed what it looks like when God’s people are faithful to His word. It changes them and brings them to the place where God’s glory is more important than anything the world has to offer.
Then He says to the people in verse 20.
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven”
They were experts in righteousness that could be seen, but Jesus said even that is not enough.
You need more, not more effort or discipline but more than you can produce. This is the impossibility Jesus places before us.
You cannot exceed them by trying harder. You cannot fulfill the Law by willpower.
If you’re like me you’ve tried and it didn’t work. I couldn’t sustain it. The more I read the more I realized that the law of God was impossible for me to keep unless my heart was changed so I ran to Jesus Christ. Which is exactly the point that Jesus was making.
You are poor in spirit. You mourn. You hunger and thirst for the justice only God can give.
And Jesus says: blessed, not because you climbed your way into the kingdom. But because he brought it to you. He fulfills the Law. He lives the righteousness He does what you and I cannot do and then shares that life with us.
Salt and light aren’t goals to reach. They are what happens when his life takes root in ours. If you have come to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, his call is not to become something else, but to live into who you are in Christ. This is where real life begins and real joy is found.
I want to close with a prayer from The Valley of Vision which is a collection of prayers from the Puritans entitled “The Life Look.”
©2026 The Rev. Michael J. Moffitt
