SALT
MATTHEW 5:13
SEPTEMBER 29, 2002
Parkersburg Baptist Church
WHAT IS SALT? IT IS A PRESERVATIVE, IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO PURIFY. IT IS AN ANTISEPTIC THAT MAKES THINGS CLEAN.
SALT IS VALUABLE. SO VALUABLE AT ONE POINT THAT IT WAS USED TO PAY A PORTION OF A ROMAN SOLDIERS SALARY.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE GOTTEN A CUT ON YOUR FINGERS OR HANDS, OR PERHAPS A PAPER CUT ON YOUR LIP. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SALT HITS THAT WOUND. IT BURNS, IT IS HELPING TO CLEAN THE WOUND. IT IS PURIFYING IT.
SALT ALSO GIVES FLAVOR TO THINGS?CHIPS, FRENCH FRIES, HAM, FAT BACK. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EAT A LOT OF THESE THINGS? YOU GET THIRSTY. SALT MAKES PEOPLE THIRSTY.
? Illus. Killing Hogs on the Eller?s farms. Salt down fat back and hams. (THE SALT HAD TO COVER EVERY INCH; KEEP THE FLIES FROM RUINING THE MEAT.)
FOLKS, JESUS CHRIST SAID THAT YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. THEREFORE WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE A PRESERVATIVE, WE ARE A PURIFYING AGENT, THAT SHOULD BE HELPING TO MAKE THINGS CLEANER.
CHRISTIANS ALSO ADD FLAVOR TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
BUT MOST OF ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD MAKE THOSE AROUND THEM THIRSTY FOR THE THINGS OF CHRIST, AND THIRSTY FOR SALVATION.
HOWEVER IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE FIND MORE AND MORE THAT THE SALT OF THE EARTH HAS LOST IS SAVOR.
CHRISTIANS HAVE LOST THEIR BACK BONE. THEY HAVE LOST THEIR SAVOR. THEY ARE TOO TOLERANT OF EVIL ACTIVITY AND SIN AROUND THEM. AND IN SO DOING THEY DESTROY THE WITNESS OF THEMSELVES AND OF THE CHURCH.
IN JESUS? DAY SALT WAS NOT AS PURE AS IT IS NOW A DAYS. WHEN IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH SOMETHING THAT CONTAMINATED IT, IT LOST ITS SAVOR AND WAS GOOD FOR NOTHING SO IT WAS LITERALLY THROWN INTO THE STREETS.
TODAY, CHRISTIANS ALLOW CONTAMINATES TO COME INTO THEIR LIVES, AND IN THE SAME WAY THEY LOSE SALTINESS, THEY LOSE THEIR SAVOR; AND THEY ALSO LOOSE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS FOR CHRIST.
WITH THE FAT BACK, ONE POCKET ON THE MEAT WITHOUT SALT, COULD RUIN THE ENTIRE SIDE OF MEAT. AMERICA IS IN THE SAME BOAT TODAY.
POCKETS OF INFECTION, POCKETS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE CHRISTIANS HAVE LOST THEIR SAVOR HAVE CREATED INFLUENCES IN OUR SOCIETY THAT ARE CAUSING THE WHOLE COUNTRY TO GO DOWN THE DRAIN.
IF IT CONTINUES, OUR COUNTRY WILL BE THROWN OUT IN THE STREET OF THE WORLD TO BE TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT OF ALL MEN.
NOW LET?S TALK ABOUT OUR OWN LITTLE PIECE OF THE COUNTRY.
HOW MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM HAVE LOST OR HAVE STARTED TO LOSE OUR SAVOR? HOW MANY OF US HAVE LOST OR HAVE STARTED TO LOSE OUR EFFECTIVENESS AS A WITNESS FOR CHRIST?
HOW MANY OF US MAKE PEOPLE THIRSTY ANY MORE?
HOW MANY OF US JUST DON?T CARE ANYMORE? OR AS RHETT BUTLER, IN GONE WITH THE WIND PUT IT, FRANKLY I JUST DON?T GIVE A _________.
NOW, HOLD ON A MINUTE, THE PREACHER ALMOST SAID A CUSS WORD.
WELL LET ME TELL YOU I DID THAT ON PURPOSE. YOU SEE, MANY OF YOU MAY BE MORE CONCERNED OVER WHAT I ALMOST SAID, THAN YOU ARE OVER THE LOST SOULS AROUND US THAT ARE DYING AND GOING TO HELL WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST.
PREACHER I DON?T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS.
I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST TESTIMONIES OF YOUR WITNESS FOR CHRIST IS NOT WHEN YOU TELL SOMEONE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN.
THE GREATEST TESTIMONY IS WHEN THEY APPROACH YOU AND ASK IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU ACT AND LIVE IN FRONT OF THEM. FOLKS THAT IS FLAVOR! THAT IS BEING SALTY! THAT IS MAKING SOMEONE THIRSTY.
THAT CAN ALSO BE THE BEGINNING OF A DEEP INNER THIRST, IF THAT PERSON IS LOST OR OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
WHY IS THE CHURCH TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT TODAY? WHY ARE THE GAY AND LESBIAN GROUPS, THE ACLU AND COUNTLESS OTHERS GAINING GROUND FOR THE CAUSE OF SATAN, AS THE CHURCH SEEMS TO LOSE GROUND FOR CHRIST?
IT IS BECAUSE WE CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN SO INFLUENCED BY THE WORLD INSTEAD OF ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BE INFLUENCED BY CHRIST THAT WE HAVE LOST OUR SALTINESS, WE HAVE LOST OUR SAVOR, WE HAVE LOST OUR EFFECTIVENESS FOR CHRIST.
WE DON?T MAKE PEOPLE THIRSTY FOR CHRIST ANYMORE.
IN ORDER FOR SALT TO FLAVOR SOMETHING WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN? IT HAS TO GET OUT OF THE SHAKER RIGHT? IT HAS TO COME IN CONTACT WITH IT TO SHARE IT?S FLAVOR.
LET?S LOOK AT THE CHURCH AS A BIG SALT SHAKER FOR A MOMENT. THE SALT IS IN THERE BUT IT DOESN?T GET SHAKEN OUT MUCH. IT DOESN?T MAKE CONTACT WITH ANYTHING BUT EACH OTHER, SO IT CAN?T SPREAD IT?S SAVOR.
NOW IF SALT STAYS IN A SHAKER LONG ENOUGH, AND IS EXPOSED TO TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY DIFFERENCES, IT CLUMPS AND LOSES FLAVOR.
WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO TO PREVENT THEIR SALT FROM CLUMPING SO THAT IT WILL STAY FRESH AND FLAVORFUL?
THEY PUT RICE IN THE SHAKER TO ABSORB THE MOISTURE, TO HELP THE SALT KEEP IT FLAVOR AND TO STAY FRESH.
NOW I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS FOR JUST A MOMENT AND LOOK AT THE RICE. THE RICE CANNOT GET OUT OF THE SHAKER. NOW IF THE SHAKER HAS TOO MUCH RICE IN IT THE SALT GETS TO WHERE IT CAN?T GET OUT.
NOW ALL OF US CHRISTIANS CAN?T DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE RICE. YOU SEE THE RICE REPRESENTS THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO GET OUT, BUT THEY CAN STAY IN AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO CAN.
AIN?T GOD WONDERFUL. NO MATTER WHAT SHAPE OR HOW OLD, YOU CAN ALWAYS HAVE A MINISTRY.
THE RICE HELPS THE SALT KEEP ITS SAVOR.
FOLKS I SEE Parkersburg Baptist Church AS A SALT SHAKER THAT IS GETTING TOO MUCH RICE IN IT. I SEE Parkersburg Baptist Church IN A COMFORT ZONE, THAT IF LEFT UNSHAKEN TOO MUCH LONGER, IT IS GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR HEALTH AS A BODY OF CHRIST.
THOSE OF US WHO ARE ABLE NEED TO GET OUT AND MAKE OTHERS THIRSTY FOR WHAT THEY DON?T HAVE. THAT INCLUDES THE LOST AND THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO DON?T COME ANY MORE.
IF THEY DON?T COME, THEY CANNOT HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST THAT THEY OUGHT TO AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SHOW THEM THAT THEY CAN REGAIN WHAT THEY ONCE HAD.
WHY HAVE SO MANY FORSAKEN THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BELIEVER? WHY HAVE THEY JUST QUIT CHURCH? MAYBE IT?S BECAUSE THEY FAILED TO SEE THE SALT IN OTHER CHRISTIANS LIVES.
MAYBE IT?S BECAUSE SOME CHRISTIANS ACT TOO SALTY. THEY PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE NOT AND THOSE FOLKS KNEW IT AND JUST STOP GOING TO CHURCH.
I AM NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT Parkersburg Baptist Church, I AM TALKING ABOUT THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE.
WHY IS Parkersburg Baptist Church NOT GROWING AS IT COULD? BECAUSE THE SALT IS STAYING IN THE SHAKER.
WHY ARE CHRISTIANS NOT BLESSED AS THEY COULD BE? BECAUSE THEY ARE LOSING THEIR SAVOR.
WHY IS GOD?S CHURCH BEING TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT? BECAUSE THE CHURCH HAS LOST IT?S SAVOR.
LOOK AROUND YOU THIS MORNING. WHOSE FACE IS MISSING YET AGAIN? HAVE YOU CALLED TO CHECK ON THEM, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE MISSED? HAVE YOU PRAYED FOR THEM?
HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO FIND OUT IF THEY ARE OK? HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO SPREAD YOUR FLAVOR? TRYING TO MAKE THEM THIRSTY ONCE AGAIN?
YOU MIGHT BE SITTING THERE SAYING TO YOURSELF, WELL THAT?S HIS JOB. WHERE DOES HE GET OFF TELLING ME THAT IT?S MY JOB.
WELL I?M GLAD YOU ASKED. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE YOUR POLICY MANUALS WITH YOU THIS MORNING? IF YOU WILL READ YOUR MANUAL CLOSELY, YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT IS EVERYONE?S RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS LIKE TEAM WORK. IF 4 PEOPLE ARE CARRYING A LOAD OF 400 POUNDS AND ONE QUITS, THE OTHER THREE HAVE TO PICK UP THE SLACK AND THE JOB GETS HARDER.
NOW IF ANOTHER QUITS, THE OTHER TWO MAY MOVE THE OBJECT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY AND LOT?S OF STRAINING, BUT IF A THIRD QUITS, THE LAST ONE HAS A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TASK.
HE CANNOT GET NEAR TO ACCOMPLISHING WHAT ALL FOUR COULD HAVE DONE TOGETHER.
IT IS THE SAME THING IN WINNING A COMMUNITY FOR CHRIST. ONE (THE PASTOR) CANNOT DO NEAR AS MUCH AS THE ENTIRE TEAM OF CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH CAN.
FOLKS WE HAVE GOT TO GET SHAKEN UP, AND WE?VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE SHAKER. THE RICE NEED TO PRAY AS IT NEVER HAS BEFORE.
WE NEED TO STOP GIVING LIP SERVICE TO GETTING PEOPLE INTO CHURCH, AND START PUTTING A LITTLE EFFORT INTO IT. AND IN ORDER FOR THE EFFORT TO GET THERE, WE HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE SHAKER.
HOW CAN WE REGAIN OUR FLAVOR?
IT IS SO SIMPLE, IT IS SO EASY, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF SETTING YOUR MIND TO IT, AND NOT LET ANYTHING HINDER YOU FROM IT.
BIBLE STUDY.
CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
PRAYER TIME.
FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS.
FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
LIVING WHAT YOU BELIEVE.
WE HAVE A REVIVAL STARTING HERE IN 28 DAYS. LET?S BEGIN NOW PRAYING FOR A HOLY GHOST REVIVAL. LET?S FOCUS THIS REVIVAL ON OURSELVES.
WE NEED REVIVAL IN THIS CHURCH. IF WE ARE GOING TO WIN THIS COMMUNITY FOR CHRIST, THE CHRISTIANS IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE GOT TO GET REVIVED AND THEY HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE SHAKER.
REVIVAL IS FOR THE CHRISTIAN. LET ME CHALLENGE YOU TO BE IN EACH AND EVERY SERVICE. LET ME CHALLENGE YOU TO REGAIN YOUR SALTINESS, SO YOU CAN MAKE PEOPLE THIRSTY FOR CHRIST.
REVIVAL IS IN 28 DAYS, WHY WAIT. COME THIS MORNING TO GOD?S ALTAR AND ASK HIM TO REVIVE YOU TODAY. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE THIRSTY FOR CHRIST? COME TO GOD?S ALTAR AND START DOING SO TODAY!
