Go: Be Salt and Light, Change the World

Devotional

Day 1: Go: Change the World One Person at a Time

You don’t change the world by staying in your own world; you change the world by loving the person right in front of you. The lunch server, the coworker, the neighbor, the family member—and yes, the person in the mirror—are all sacred opportunities. “Go” is the first word, not “sit,” so take simple steps: pray, invite, serve, listen, and share the hope you’ve received. Keeping the message of Jesus to yourself was never an option; good news is meant to be passed along. Take the pressure off big gestures and focus on faithful presence, one conversation at a time. Let’s go. [26:30]

Matthew 28:19–20: Go into every place and every people group, helping them become students of Jesus. Mark them with the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Show them how to live out everything I’ve taught, and remember this: I am with you every single day, right to the end.

Reflection: Who is the “person in front of you” this week, and what is one simple, concrete step you can take to share Jesus’ love with them (a text, a prayer, an invite, an act of help)?

Day 2: Be Salt: Season, Preserve, and Reveal Worth

Salt adds flavor to what’s bland, preserves what’s decaying, and in history even spoke of value—so do followers of Jesus. Where the world tastes dull or hopeless, your presence can bring a God-flavor of joy, truth, and grace. In a culture that slides toward decay, you can preserve what’s good by living God’s word rather than trimming it to fit preferences. And when people feel worthless, you point to the cross and say, “You were worth the life of Jesus.” Don’t underestimate small pinches of faithfulness—steady, quiet obedience changes atmospheres. Be salt where you live, work, and play. [38:18]

Matthew 5:13: You are meant to be the earth’s salt. But if salt stops tasting like salt, what good is it? It ends up tossed aside and stepped on because it no longer does what it was made to do.

Reflection: Where do you sense decay or dullness right now—in your home, your workplace, or your circles—and what is one preserving or “seasoning” action you can take this week (sincere encouragement, truth told kindly, a boundary kept, a prayer offered)?

Day 3: Application, Amount, and Attitude Matter

Salt only works when it’s applied, so retreating from people keeps grace in the shaker. At the same time, too much too fast can overwhelm; wisdom listens first, then offers what a heart can receive. Attitude is the aroma of our message—harsh, superior tones (in person or online) can drown out good news. Let your words and presence show hope, patience, and practical help that fit the moment. Apply Jesus faithfully, in the right measure, with a humble heart that aims for God’s glory, not your platform. [46:30]

Matthew 5:16: Let your light be seen through a life of good works done in the open, so that people notice what God is doing and end up honoring your Father in heaven.

Reflection: Think of one relationship where you may need to adjust either your “amount” or your attitude—what is one specific change you will make in your next conversation to better reflect Jesus’ heart?

Day 4: Keep Your Lamp Full—Light Always Defeats Darkness

Jesus is the light of the world, and when you follow Him, His Spirit lights you from the inside. Oil lamps need refilling; so do souls—prayer, Scripture, worship, and community keep the flame alive. Don’t hide what God is doing under a box labeled fear, fatigue, or “I’ll fix this first.” Let your light shine while you work things out, because even a small flame pushes darkness back. When many lights gather, neighborhoods notice—hope grows and shadows shrink. Keep refilling; keep shining. [49:00]

John 8:12: Jesus said, “I am the world’s light. If you walk with Me, you won’t stumble around in the dark; you’ll carry the bright light that brings life.”

Reflection: Where has a “box” covered your light (marriage stress, finances, parenting, work)? What daily practice will you schedule this week to refill your oil so you can shine in that exact place?

Day 5: Submitted Lives That Gather, Give, Invite, and Go

The way forward is simple and strong: know God, gather together, chase purpose, and change the world. Take it personally—fill rooms so heaven fills up, not to count people but to reach people. Opinions don’t change eternity, God’s truth does; so live it, share it, invite others into it, and serve with joy. Everyone is invited, and the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary lives to make an extraordinary impact. Ask God to make you lovingly uncomfortable until your faith moves toward people with prayer, generosity, and bold, gentle invitations. Let’s go be salt and light. [55:58]

Acts 2:42–47: They kept showing up for the apostles’ teaching, shared life around tables, prayed earnestly, and God did wonders among them. They held their stuff with open hands, meeting needs as they came. With glad and sincere hearts, they praised God and had favor in the community. Day after day, the Lord kept adding to their number those being saved.

Reflection: What is one specific action you will take this week to “go” (invite a coworker and sit with them on Sunday, join a life group, start serving, or plan intentional generosity)? Pick one and put it on your calendar today.

Sermon Summary

Radiate’s New Year gathering cast a clear vision: live the gospel in real places, with real people, every day. The pattern is simple and biblical—know God, gather together, chase purpose, change the world. Drawn from Acts, this rhythm fueled the explosive growth of the early church and remains the path forward. “Change the world” sounds big, but it happens one person at a time—the person in front of you in the lobby, in traffic, at lunch, and in the mirror. The Great Commission begins with “Go,” not “sit,” so faith moves toward people, not away from them. Opinions won’t change eternity; God’s truth shared in love will.

Jesus names his disciples “salt and light.” In a world that often tastes bland and trends toward decay, salt brings flavor and preserves what is good. Christians are called to embody heaven’s reality on earth, not twist Scripture to fit preference, but preserve it by faithful practice. Salt only works when it’s applied. Retreat and isolation keep the shaker closed. Presence matters. So do wisdom and tone. Too much “salt” overwhelms; too little leaves things unchanged. Listen first. Match your measure to a person’s readiness. And check the attitude— harshness and digital outrage undermine the witness one hopes to offer.

Light is not a metaphor for spiritual elites; it’s the ordinary life of a believer empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Light, and those who walk with him carry his light. Like an oil lamp, that light needs refilling—daily dependence, daily surrender. Spiritual dryness often signals an empty reservoir, not a broken flame. And Jesus warns against hiding the light under a basket. Don’t wait to shine until life is tidy. Lift the box—over marriage struggles, finances, parenting, and work—and let light do what light does: darkness loses when light shows up.

Every chair holds a soul. Every soul goes somewhere. Fill rooms to empty hell and fill heaven—through generous lives, courageous invitations, and faithful presence. Salt is salt. Light is light. In Christ, identity is settled. Now live it.

Key Takeaways

1. Go, don’t sit and watch. The first word of the Great Commission is “Go.” Movement toward people is baked into obedience. Faith is not a spectator sport; it’s a sent life. The call is not to admire the mission, but to carry it. [30:43]
2. Change the world, one person. World-change starts with proximity—seeing and serving the person in front of you, including the one in the mirror. Big outcomes are built on small, faithful moments. Opinions don’t save; God’s truth, shared humbly, does. [26:30]
3. Be salt—season and preserve. Seasoning makes good things taste like what they were meant to be; preservation pushes back decay. Embody Scripture rather than editing it to fit preference. Most people will “read” a Christian before they read a Bible—let what they read keep goodness from spoiling. [36:28]
4. Application, amount, attitude matter. Salt works when present, not withdrawn. Wisdom decides dosage—listen before you speak, or you’ll over-salt the moment. Gentleness is not weakness; it’s credibility, especially online. The way we carry truth can either create hunger or harden hearts. [40:16]
5. Keep your lamp filled daily. Light fades without oil. Daily dependence on the Spirit keeps the flame steady, and any light—no matter how small—pushes back darkness. Don’t hide the light under life’s “boxes”; shine while you work things out, and let God meet you in the open. [49:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:52] - Four mission methods from Acts
[26:30] - Change the world, one person
[28:47] - Keeping Jesus to ourselves? Never.
[30:43] - The Great Commission says “Go”
[33:18] - Salt and light explained
[36:28] - Salt preserves in decay
[38:18] - Salt’s value and your worth
[40:16] - Application: salt works when present
[44:08] - Amount: wisdom, empathy, timing
[46:30] - Light in us by the Spirit
[49:00] - Refill the oil daily
[51:15] - Don’t hide your light
[53:37] - A charge to be salt and light
[55:58] - Prayer to follow Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Matthew 5:13-16

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Observation questions

In Matthew 5:13, what happens to salt if it loses its taste, and what is it then “good for”?
In Matthew 5:14-16, where does Jesus say a lamp should be placed, and what is the clear result he’s aiming for?
What are the four mission methods laid out as a simple pattern for a church and for everyday life? ([24:52])
What is the very first word of the Great Commission, and what kind of posture does that call for? ([30:43])

Interpretation questions

Considering salt’s ancient role to season and to preserve, what is Jesus asking disciples to do in a world that trends toward decay? How might “preserving” Scripture differ from trying to twist it to fit personal preference?
If salt only works when applied, what barriers usually keep believers from “shaking the salt” in real relationships—fear, comfort, busyness, offense? What would faithful presence look like in those spots? ([40:16])
Jesus is the Light, and disciples are called light too. In what way does the Holy Spirit’s presence make both statements true without making humans equal to God? ([46:30])
If light needs refilling like an oil lamp, what are the signs of running on empty versus the flame going out? What rhythms most reliably refill the “oil”? ([49:00])

Application questions

“Go” not “sit”: Name one person you will move toward this week (by name if you can). What’s the very first step, and when will you take it? ([30:43])
One person at a time: Who is “the person in front of you” right now (neighbor, coworker, barista, family… or the one in the mirror)? What is one small, faithful action you will take in the next 72 hours? ([26:30])
Application matters: Where have you withdrawn and kept the shaker closed—at work, online, with a family member? What is one practical way you will be present and apply grace and truth there this week? ([40:16])
Amount matters: Think of a current conversation that needs Jesus’ seasoning. What would listening first look like? Write one sentence you could say that is gentle, clear, and not “over-salting.” ([44:08])
Attitude matters (online and in person): Do a quick tone audit of your last 10 posts/texts or recent interactions. What patterns do you notice? What needs to change, and what will you do differently this week? ([44:08])
Refill the lamp: What daily practice will you add or renew this week to refill the “oil”—Scripture, prayer, worship, silence, confession? When and where will you do it? ([49:00])
Lift the box: In what area are you tempted to hide your light (marriage, finances, parenting, work)? What is one concrete action you’ll take before next Sunday to lift the box and let the light shine there? ([51:15])

Sermon Clips

They didn't have all that back in those days. And so what they did is, and when you harvested an animal, you would either eat it all at one sitting. And I don't know anybody that would go, hey, I killed a bear today. I'm going to eat it for lunch, right? So you'd either eat it at one sitting, which is very difficult to do, or you would use salt and you would sprinkle salt all over it. And the salt would draw the moisture out of the meat so that bacteria didn't grow in the meat and it preserved the meat for days or even weeks at a time. [00:37:02] (31 seconds) #SaltPreserves

You and I, as Christians and followers of Jesus, are to be preservatives in a world of decay. We are to preserve the word of God, not find a way to get around it. What's the least that I can get by with? How can I twist this to fit what I want to do and how I want to believe and all this? No, we are to be preserving the word of God, the way of God, the world of God, the kingdom of God in a decaying world. And we're not decaying because we're terrible people. We're decaying because we're sinful people. And so we are to be people that go into the earth and we stop the decay of sin through Jesus. [00:37:38] (37 seconds) #PreserveTheWord

But here's some reminders. My staff is going to get me tomorrow. Here's some reminders for us. Here's a thought. Application matters. If we're going to be salt in the world, application matters. Come on. It does no good to the watermelon, to the butter beans, to the whatever is bland in life. If you take the salt shaker, oh, sorry, I didn't realize it was on the Gamecock there. Anyway, it does no good if you take this and you leave the salt in there, right? Because salt only activates when it's applied. [00:40:59] (35 seconds) #FaithInAction

Because salt only activates when it's applied. And so Jesus looks at us, he goes, I want you to be salt in the world. And we go, well, I'm going to retreat from everything. I don't want to be a part of that. I don't want to be in that. I don't agree with them. So I'm just going to cut them off. And here's what I would say. How in the world is the kingdom going to get applied? How can we be salt to someone that we retreat from? How can we love people that we won't be around? Salt is activated by its presence, not its absence. [00:41:29] (36 seconds) #SaltByPresence

Attitude matters. Attitude matters. Well, I can't believe you'd live like that. Bam. Cannot believe you made that decision. How dare you? Did you feel that? Did you feel it? I'm trying to make you more salty. Come here. You know, the Bible says, I have too much fun sometimes. The Bible says, watch this, watch this, that Christians are to judge each other and hold each other accountable. [00:45:21] (35 seconds) #AttitudeMatters

So why are Christians obsessed with people that don't know Jesus and making them live by a standard that we aren't living by? And so our attitude is, how dare you? And then we go, why won't you come to church with me? Because you keep spraying me with salt. And it's the attitude. And can I tell you, it's not just physical attitude. It's technological too. I can't, listen, I can't tell people to their face how good Jesus is and then get on Facebook and talk bad about everybody else. Attitude matters. Application matters. Some of us are good at blasting people in the face, but can we love them gently? [00:45:55] (41 seconds) #LoveGently

Light your lamp. Give your life to Jesus. Keep it full with the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of Jesus in your life. Keep filling it up. Keep filling it up. Keep filling it up. Keep filling it up. Keep that flame lit. And I promise you when your flame connects with their flame and that flame and that flame, and then we get a room full of a thousand plus people joining at Radiate Church on Sunday mornings and everybody's got their lamp lit and we're worshiping and we're praying and we're believing God and our oil is there and we're, the flame's getting bigger and bigger. Here's what happens. Now the community goes, man, there's a lot of light over there. There's a lot of light. [00:49:54] (34 seconds) #KeepYourLampLit

And so in that area, boom. And I would just say, it's not that you have to have it all together, but pick up the box and let it shine while you work it out. My finances are a wreck. Pick up the box, let it shine while you work it out. My kids are a wreck. Pick up the box, let it shine while you work it out. My job is frustrating. Pick up the box, let it shine while you work it out. I need my wife to do that. Pick up the box, let it shine. Why? Because oftentimes we'll keep our light lit just enough to illuminate something that doesn't matter. [00:51:15] (41 seconds) #ShineWhileYouGrow

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