Jesus is Calling: A World Without Jesus

Jesus Called. He Wants His Church Back.

Rediscovering Our Purpose as Salt and Light in a Tasteless World

Matthew 5:13-16

The phone rang at 3 AM. You know that feeling when your heart stops for a moment, wondering what emergency awaits on the other end? But this wasn't that kind of call. This was Jesus calling His church, and the message was simple: "I want My church back."

Maybe you've felt it too—that growing disconnect between what you see in many churches today and what Jesus actually taught. You're not alone. While 66% of Americans say they have a personal commitment to Jesus—a 12-point increase since 2021—something remarkable is happening: about 40 million Americans have stopped attending church in the last 25 years. People love Jesus but are walking away from His church. Why?

The answer might be simpler than we think. We've lost our saltiness.

When Salt Loses Its Savor: The Foundation Problem

Jesus didn't mince words in Matthew 5:13: "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."

When salt loses its essence, it becomes worthless. When the church loses its Christ-like character, it becomes just another social club with better coffee and worse parking.

Look at what we've lost over the decades, and you'll see why Jesus is calling for His church back:

• 1950s - We lost innocence. The world became more complex, but instead of offering hope, we often provided judgment.

• 1960s - We lost respect for authority. Rather than modeling Christ's servant leadership, we grasped for power.

• 1970s - We lost true love. We replaced sacrificial love with conditional acceptance.

• 1980s - We lost values. We began accommodating culture instead of transforming it.

• 1990s - We lost faith. We traded God's truth for feel-good messages.

• 2000s - We lost security. We became anxious and fearful instead of peaceful and confident.

• 2010s - We lost hope. We focused on what's wrong instead of proclaiming what's possible.

  
  

When 44% of Christians say they practice their faith in other ways rather than attending church, and when people leave because there are "too many judgmental people" and they've "been hurt at church," we know something is desperately wrong.

The problem? We've been building on shifting sand instead of solid rock.

Building on the Rock: What Jesus Really Wants

Jesus told a story in Matthew 7:24-27 about two builders. One built his house on rock—it stood firm when storms came. The other was built on sand—when trouble hit, "it collapsed with a great crash."

Your worldview is your foundation. And friend, the foundation determines everything. Jesus offers us solid bedrock, but we've been seduced by sandy alternatives:

Hedonism says, "If it feels good, do it." But Psalm 1:1 warns us not to be "the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked." True joy comes from those whose "delight is in the LORD's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night" (Psalm 1:2).

Materialism whispers, "You are what you own." But Jesus calls us to "seek first his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you" (Luke 12:31). When the church chases wealth and status, we miss the point entirely.

Individualism declares, "It's all about me." Yet John 1:1-5 reminds us that Jesus, the Word made flesh, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... In him was life, and that life was the light of men," seeking relationship and community. We were never meant to go it alone.

Pragmatism argues, "Whatever works is right." But Proverbs 23:23 commands us to "Buy—and do not sell—truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding." Truth isn't negotiable, even when it's inconvenient.

Humanism proclaims, "Humanity is the measure of all things." But 1 John 4:1 warns us to "test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." Jesus, not human wisdom, is our standard.

Fatalism sighs, "Nothing really matters anyway." But the Jesus who spoke light into darkness (John 1:4-5) - "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it" - calls us to be people of purpose and hope.

The Jesus Difference: Light in the Darkness

Here's what's fascinating: 84% of Americans believe Jesus is an important spiritual figure, and 92% believe Jesus was a real person who actually lived. Even 77% of American teens are motivated to learn more about Jesus. The hunger is there!

But here's the heartbreaking part: 52% of Americans don't believe Jesus is God. They love the teacher but miss the Lord. They want His wisdom but not His lordship.

Jesus didn't call us to be nice people with good advice. He called us to be "the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). Light doesn't argue with darkness—it simply shines and darkness flees.

When Jesus says He wants His church back, He's calling us back to our essential purpose: to be salt that preserves and flavors, light that illuminates and guides.

What This Looks Like Today

Imagine a church where:

• People aren't afraid to be vulnerable because they know they won't be judged (salt preserves, it doesn't condemn)

• Broken marriages are healed instead of gossiped about (light brings healing)

• The poor are served with dignity, not pity (salt enhances, it doesn't diminish)

• Truth is spoken with love, not anger (light reveals gently)

• Young families find support, not criticism (salt makes life better)

• Doubt is met with patient answers, not harsh rebuke (light guides the way)

  
  

Like the words in Psalm 1:3, such a church would be "like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

Your Plan of Action: Becoming Salt and Light Again

You might be thinking, "This sounds wonderful, but how do I actually live this out?" Here's your practical roadmap:

Week 1: Foundation Check

Read through Matthew 5:13-16 daily. Ask yourself: "What worldview am I really operating from?" Be honest. Where have you been building on sand?

Week 2: Salt Test

Practice being a preserver instead of a critic. When you hear gossip, redirect to prayer. When someone shares a struggle, offer support instead of solutions. Salt preserves; it doesn't fix.

Week 3: Light Practice

Look for one person each day who needs encouragement. A text, a call, a genuine compliment. Light doesn't announce itself; it simply shines.

Week 4: Community Investment

Find one way to serve your church community that costs you something—time, comfort, or convenience. Salt and light are sacrificial by nature.

Remember Proverbs 23:23: "Buy—and do not sell—truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding." Truth costs something, but it's worth everything.

The Call to Action: Jesus Is Still Calling

The phone is still ringing. Jesus is still calling His church back to its first love, its original purpose, its authentic mission.

With nearly 30 million more Americans expressing commitment to Jesus since 2021, this is our moment. People are hungry for the real thing. They're tired of substitutes and counterfeits.

But they need to see it in us first.

Will you answer the call? Will you be part of the generation that gives Jesus back His church? Will you commit to being salt that actually seasons and light that truly shines?

The world is watching. Your community is waiting. And Jesus... Jesus is still calling.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden... In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).

The question isn't whether the church can be restored. The question is: will you be part of its restoration?

Jesus called. He wants His church back.

Will you help Him get it?

Take time this week to pray about which action step God is calling you to take. Don't let this be just another sermon you heard. Let it be the moment you decided to answer the call.

Blessings,

Donna