Pass the Salt and Turn on the Light
Matthew 5: 13 – 16
Matthew 5: 13
A: Christ seems to be stating quite clearly that the source of our influence is found in the person we are!!
You ARE Salt not
You HAVE Salt or You DISPENSE Salt
B: Only as Christians are salt in their lives & character can they exercise the influence of salt in their society.
C. None of us exercise influence upon other people by our words if what we say is not backed up by what we are.
D. Centuries ago the Romans contended that salt was the purest of all things because it came from the purest of all elements: The Sun & the Sea
· So if Christians are to be salt of the they must be an example of Purity
· Christians must hold high standards of purity in speech, conduct, thought and action
· Salt can not be ignored
· It has a positive influence
· We can NOT fail to recognize its presence ex: FOOD to much salt
· If it is absent we MISS it
Christian Influence
- People will be aware of it
- Not always welcome but will be recognized
Christians are PURE
II ____________________________________________________
Christ said “ You are the salt of the Earth since we are the Salt”
Since we are the Salt
Where are we to set free our preserving and purifying powers?
The Answer is found in the word Earth
We are to exercise our influence in the here and now
Our Community/ Our Jobs/Where ever we are at
Salt does it most effective work by being brought in direct contact with the substance which it is to work
So we are not to withdraw ourselves from the world but as the Apostle James says we are to stay “unspotted from the world” James 1:27
Salt as a PRESERATIVE
- Ancient times used salt to preserve stuff (Food)
- Jesus is telling is that the world around us is a state of decay, and it needs something to keep it from rotting and stinking
- If something like the meat went bad it was not the meats fault it was the PRESERATIVE that did not do its job
- Can you imagine what the world would be like without Christian Influence?
- World - PRESERATIVE
(Meat) (Salt)
Salt as an Antiseptic
- We do not gargle salt water to stay healthy! We do it for relief and to kill germs
Salt has a Flavoring Influence
- Without salt food has little if any flavor
- Christ is saying that the Christian is to life what salt is to food
- We are to lend Flavor to Life
- Most think that a Christian Life has no flavor – they are WRONG
Oliver Holmes is quoted as saying that he might have entered the ministry if certain clergyman he knew did not act like undertakers
People need to discover the JOY of the Christian Faith
It is NOT BORING……… we should be on Fire for Christ
What Happens if Salt loses is saltiness…”When Jesus referred to his disciples as salt, they were without question highly complimented.
· They did not realize how important they were prior to this statement
· Christ did not call them salt to give them an ego trip or a big head
· He desired to impress them with a solemn warning – they could lose their saltiness That is they could sacrifice their influence
· Salt- Pure sodium as we know can not lose it saltiness
· But in Jesus day they got their salt from the Dead sea which was not pure it was mixed with other minerals that affected the flavor
· In time it could become tasteless
· When this happened it was a good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on
If Christians are not fulfilling their purpose as the salt of the earth they are on their way to disaster.
Matthew 5: 14 –16
It may well be the greatest complement to Christians “You are the Light of the World.”
With that Jesus commanded us to be nothing less that what he himself claimed to be and not only claimed but also DID
John 9:5 As Long as I an in the world I am the Light of the World
Jesus is telling followers to be the Light of the World
He is not asking us to do anything that he did not already do
AN !!!
I have a feeling that Jesus did not say passively “You are the Light of the World” Rather I an convinced that he EXCLAMIED “YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD”
Jesus did not say, “In time you will bring the light it is not by things we say or deeds we do but by the people we are that we can be the Light of the World
ILL of Robert Stevenson
LIGHT IS TO BE SEEN
VS 15
We don’t put a candle under a bussule we put on a candlestick and let it shine
A- A light is to be seen
B- Bible Times there was only 1 window and they did not want the lamp to go out because it was hard to get it going again because they did not have matches
C- Christianity is to be seen in you
D- Christianity should be visible to all
No one should have to ask, “Are you a Christian?”
Your Life should shine a Light from the SON
We should be like reflectors of the SON
LIGHT IS TO GUIDE
An airplane approaches a landing strip, the pilot sees a line if lights that mark the path the plane must take
A Christian life must make a clear to others the way to Christ
Christians must be an example Our world needs guiding lights who’s lights will they see if yours are under a bussle it wont be seen
LIGHT IS TO WARN
Lights at a railroad crossing flashing means a train is coming
Light on a Lighthouse warns us that the coast is near for ships
If our warnings are given not to condemnation but in love, they will be seen and effective
VS 16
A PLEA
1- We should shine naturally
Just a bird sings naturally we Christians should shine before others
2- We are to shine Sacrificially
Light is always costly
As a candle burns it grows shorter as an oil lamp burns oil and a wick is being used
We must consider ourselves as expendable
We must be willing to sacrifice a bit of ourselves each day we live
3- We should shine openly.
We are never to be ashamed of our relationship with Jesus Christ
4- We are to shine right where we are
Shine at work/ grocery store/ect
A PURPOSE
Jesus says we are to shine before others so they will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Never is our shining meant to draw attention to ourselves
The World is bad and needs salt
The world is Dark and needs light
The world needs Jesus
If you look at a saltshaker you will notice that us does not do what it is suppose to do unless you pour it out. Jesus said that you are the salt of the world, He also said your are the light if world
