February 8th 2026. Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.

The readings center on Christ as salt and light and insist that faithful worship requires tangible justice. Isaiah confronts empty religious ritual and demands that prayer change behavior: feeding the hungry, freeing the oppressed, clothing the naked, and defending the poor. The psalm praises those who revere God and act with compassion, showing how righteous fear of the Lord produces visible blessing and social care. Paul reminds readers that true wisdom arrives by the Spirit, not by human eloquence or status, and that Spirit-led discernment prompts immediate, everyday acts of mercy.

Matthew’s image of disciples as salt and light ties these threads together. Salt enriches, preserves, and transforms; unused salt loses its purpose. Light must not hide but shine from a lampstand and from a hilltop city, exposing what is dark and drawing attention to good works so that God receives glory. Epiphany’s theme of revealed light becomes a summons: receiving Christ’s light obliges outward action. Keeping that light private negates its purpose and betrays the very revelation that engages believers.

Practical examples underline the call: children learn to ask “What would Jesus do?” in moments of bullying or exclusion—respond with protection, friendship, and kindness. The congregation receives sacrament as a pledge to embody grace in the world. Concrete parish life likewise models the sermon’s ethics through outreach, study, and communal practices that prepare believers to shine in their neighborhoods.

The sermon frames justice as a measurable fruit of faith: worship without justice remains hollow; Spirit-taught wisdom manifests in humble service rather than social posturing; and disciples must visibly transform their surroundings. The call remains urgent and specific—look for opportunities to feed, welcome, and defend the vulnerable; tune spiritual sensitivity to nudges from the Spirit; and let communal worship channel into consistent acts that illuminate God’s mercy for all people.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Worship demands concrete, just actions Worship that seeks reconciliation must change behavior, not simply posture. True devotion moves people into the world to feed the hungry, free the oppressed, and restore dignity to the marginalized. These acts become the evidence that prayer does not remain self-centered but reorients life toward covenantal justice. [28:29]
• 2. Light must move outward, not hoarded Receiving Christ’s light creates a responsibility to make that light visible and public. A hidden lamp defeats the purpose of illumination; disciples must position themselves where darkness yields to care and truth. Visibility matters because practical compassion points observers toward God, not personal acclaim. [36:06]
• 3. Spirit reveals hidden everyday wisdom Wisdom for Christian living emerges as an inner nudge from the Spirit rather than from social standing or rhetorical skill. That nudging translates into immediate, ordinary responses—prayers offered, calls made, help extended—showing how the Spirit works through small, consistent choices. Such wisdom resists being packaged as doctrine alone and functions as lived discernment. [33:02]
• 4. Justice is the measure of faith Faith becomes credible when it cultivates systems and habits that protect the weak and promote fairness. Justice functions as the tangible metric by which religious devotion proves authentic; without it, piety loses its moral authority. Therefore, spiritual growth and social reform belong together, each testing the reality of the other. [30:25]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [07:20] - Reserved Sacrament & Opening Prayer
• [09:46] - Children: “What Would Jesus Do?”
• [24:00] - Gospel Reading: Matthew 5
• [27:32] - Isaiah: A Call for Justice
• [31:28] - Psalm 112: Blessings of the Upright
• [33:02] - Paul’s Letter: Spirit Revealed Wisdom
• [35:03] - Salt and Light: Practical Meaning
• [44:17] - Confession and Forgiveness
• [52:29] - Communion Invitation and Sharing
• [63:50] - Communion Prayer & Blessing
• [65:05] - Community Announcements
• [75:15] - Ash Wednesday Reminder & Dismissal

Based on the sermon summary and transcript, the primary biblical text for the sermon is Matthew 5:13-16. The other passages read and alluded to support this central text.

Bible Reading
Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
“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.”

Observation questions

1. In the metaphor of salt, what three purposes or functions does salt serve, and what happens when it is not used? [35:23]
2. According to the reading from Isaiah, what specific actions does God say are the true evidence of genuine prayer and fasting, rather than just outward ritual? [28:29]
3. What does Paul say is the true source of wisdom, and how does it contrast with the wisdom valued by the world? [33:02]
4. According to the Psalm, what are the characteristics and the outcomes for those who fear (revere) the Lord? [31:28]

Interpretation questions

1. Why would someone who has received the light of Christ be tempted to hide it or keep it to themselves, and what is the consequence of doing so according to the metaphor Jesus uses? [30:25]
2. The sermon connects the idea of "light" from Matthew to the same concept in Isaiah. How do acts of justice like feeding the hungry and freeing the oppressed actually cause one's light to rise in the darkness? [29:34]
3. Paul says the wisdom from the Spirit is a "hidden and mysterious wisdom" that is hard to explain to non-Christians. Why might the motivation for a life of generous service and justice be confusing or frustrating to those who don't know God? [32:26]
4. If salt that isn't used becomes useless, what might that look like in the life of a person who believes in Jesus but does not let that faith impact their actions in the world?

Application questions

1. The Spirit often gives wisdom through inner nudges, like bringing a person's name to mind. [33:45] Who has been on your heart or mind lately that you could respond to this week with a prayer, a call, or a practical act of help?
2. Worship that is disconnected from tangible acts of justice is described as hollow. [29:00] How can your time in prayer and worship this week directly lead to a change in your behavior towards someone in need?
3. Justice is a measurable fruit of faith that protects the weak and promotes fairness. [30:25] In your family, workplace, or community, where do you see an opportunity to defend the vulnerable or speak up for what is right, even if it doesn't directly affect you?
4. The children were encouraged to ask "What would Jesus do?" in moments of bullying or exclusion. [09:46] Where in your everyday life are you faced with a situation that calls for a choice between going along with the crowd or offering protection, friendship, and kindness?
5. Light must be visible and public to fulfill its purpose. [36:06] What is one "good work" you can do this week that will be seen by others, not for your own acclaim, but so that they might give glory to God?
6. Receiving communion is described as a pledge to embody grace in the world. [52:29] How does partaking in the sacrament strengthen and prepare you to go out and be salt and light in your neighborhood?