Being The Salt Series

The Great Commission

Part 2 – Sermon on the Mount – Salt & Light

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith – www.PS127.org

WELCOME

INTRODUCTION TO SERMON

† Jesus cleanses the Temple at the beginning of His ministry

† Jesus explains the Holy Spirit to Nicodemus

† Jesus explains Salvation to the Samaritan Woman at the well

† The People in Jesus’ hometown try to kill Him

† 1 ½ - 2 years of ministering around the land with the Apostles

† The Sermon on the Mount – The Beatitudes

† Today – We are the Salt & the Light

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 5:13-16

13 "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 by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

I. INTRODUCTION

Jesus first gives us the beatitudes in this Sermon on the Mount, telling us the moral characteristics of the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Humility, hurting for those imprisoned by sin, being compassionate for them, having a great desire within us for righteousness, not just in our lives, but in the world, showing mercy, being pure in heart and being peacemakers.

Jesus also continues His sermon, telling us what will happen to us here on earth because we are citizens of the Kingdom of heaven.

Persecuted for righteousness, loathed by men, those who do not belong to the Kingdom of heaven will gossip and slander you, and as the scripture says in Matthew 5:11 “and they shall say all manner of evil against you falsely…”

Jesus tells us what to do when this happens as well…

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.

But we are to behave in accordance to the characteristics of the citizenship of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus first described.

II. SALT OF THE EARTH

Now Jesus tells us (the citizens) that believers are the salt of the earth.

a. Dead Sea Salt

Jesus used this comparison because the people would understand what He was talking about.

Salt is used for flavoring and preserving.

Salt here represents the Word of God.

The Word of God gives flavor to our lives. It makes our lives full of wonders, by giving us insight to the heart of God, teaching us about His law and love, and helping us to grow in relationship to Him.

His Word also preserves us. Keeping us until His coming.

b. Impurities

Most of the salt used in Israel comes from the Dead Sea and was full of impurities.

This caused it to lose some of its flavor.

We too, can lose our flavor.

The professing believer, who no longer holds to the Word, is of no use to God or man.

c. Staying Pure

We need to stay pure. But how?

If the Word is salt, the salt that gives us flavor and preserves us, then to stay pure, we must stay as close to the Word as possible.

We must not turn the Relationship that God wants from us into a religion.

We must NOT create in our own minds ways of pleasing God, serving God, or receiving from God.

1 Corinthians 3:18

“Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise.”

Science does not have the answers, new age philosophy does not have the answers, new age religions do not have the answers, the education system does not have the answers.

If you think you have understanding because of the age we live in, you deceive yourselves.

How do we stay pure salt?

The Word of God tells us how…

James 1:21 & 22

“21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Too many times, well meaning people have deceived themselves.

They do not rid their lives of the moral filth and evil that is so prevalent in this world today!

They don’t accept the Word of God in humility.

They think they have an understanding others don’t.

They listen to the Word…and that’s it.