A City On A Hill Series

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:13-16

NOW – for our second statement…

II. You Are Salt/Light…

AND NOTICE – Jesus He does not say, “You will be” or “You can be.” INSTEAD – He says that you are salt and light today, right now.

OKAY – so what does it actually mean to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? NOW – I thought long and hard on this very question this week.

LIKE – what good does it do us or the world that God so loves… for us to know that we are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world… if we don’t really know what it means or how to become more effective with both.

AND SO – here is what I came up with…

• Being the salt of the earth is about the life that we live, and

• Being the light of the world is about the truth that we share and the Savior that we point to.

SALT – ‘The life that we live’

UNDERSTAND – this is about…

• Living out our faith as consistently as we can.

• Living out as best we can the Fruit of The Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22,23

QUESTION – do you think that a life lived consistently more and more with this fruit would have a positive impact and make a difference?

One of the commentators I read this week wrote…

The impact of salty Christians has effected entire countries. Consider impact of the First Great Awakening (revival) on England at a time when the rest of Europe was embroiled in political upheavals.

Even secular writers acknowledge that it was because of the impact of salty Christians like John Wesley and George Whitefield that England was spared the effects of the horribly bloody revolution that swept through France in the late 1700's.

Salty believers really do prevent from corruption and decay!

NOW – he went on to say that more frequently it will happen on a smaller scale. LIKE…

We all know there are certain people in whose presence a filthy story is naturally told, and there are others before whom no one would think of telling such a story.

The salty Christian is not self-righteous or condemning,

Nevertheless his or her life makes ungodly conversations seem inappropriate.

I believe such Christians exert an incalculable influence on society! Their mere presence reduces crime, restrains ethical corruption, promotes honesty, quickens the conscience, and elevates the general moral atmosphere.

The presence of such people in the military, in business, in education, in a fraternity or sorority will amazingly elevate the level of living.

And their absence will allow unbelievable depths of depravity. Believers, salty believers, are the world's preservative. The question we must ask ourselves is, what happens when we get to know people without Christ? Does it make a difference in their lives? Are we salt?

President Woodrow Wilson (28th) told the story of being in a barbershop one time.

"I was sitting in a barber chair when I became aware that a powerful personality had entered the room. A man had come quietly in upon the same errand as myself to have his hair cut and sat in the chair next to me.