Introduction

Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. As we gather here today, we find ourselves standing on the precipice of a new day, a new opportunity to grow in our faith and to deepen our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are here, not by accident, but by divine appointment. God has called us together, to this place, at this time, for a purpose. And that purpose, my friends, is to become the salt of our church, to become influence makers in our community.

Before we embark on this journey of discovery, let us first turn our hearts and minds to the Word of God. I invite you to open your Bibles with me to the book of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 13. Here, we find Jesus speaking to His disciples, imparting to them a truth that is as relevant today as it was over two thousand years ago. He says, "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 underfoot."

Let us pause for a moment and consider these words. Jesus is not speaking about literal salt, of course. He is using a metaphor, a picture, to illustrate a spiritual truth. Just as salt enhances the flavor of food, so too are we, as followers of Christ, called to enhance the flavor of our church, to bring out the best in our community, to make a positive and lasting impact on those around us.

But what does it mean to be the salt of the earth? How can we, as ordinary individuals, become influence makers in our church? These are the questions we will seek to answer today. But before we do, let us bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hearts and open minds, ready to receive Your Word. We ask that You would guide us as we seek to understand what it means to be the salt of our church. Help us to become influence makers in our community, to bring out the best in those around us, to make a positive and lasting impact for Your kingdom. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now, let's imagine for a moment that we are standing in a kitchen. On the counter in front of us is a bowl of soup. It's a good soup, made with fresh ingredients and cooked with care. But something is missing. It lacks flavor. It's bland. It's uninteresting. So, what do we do? We reach for the salt. With just a pinch, the soup is transformed. It's flavorful. It's delicious. It's satisfying.

This, my friends, is what it means to be the salt of our church. We are called to add flavor to our community, to bring out the best in those around us, to make a positive and lasting impact. We are called to be influence makers. And just as a pinch of salt can transform a bowl of soup, so too can we transform our church.

So, let us embark on this journey together. Let us strive to be the salt of our church, to become influence makers in our community. And as we do, let us remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth." May these words inspire us, guide us, and challenge us, today and every day. Amen.

Embrace Your Identity as Salt

Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:13

"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 underfoot."

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth. He's not talking about a condiment for food, but a metaphor for influence. He's calling us to be influence makers in our church.

Let's unpack this idea.

Firstly, salt enhances flavor. It brings out the best in food. As believers, we're called to bring out the best in our church community. We're called to enhance the spiritual atmosphere. We're called to add value. We're called to make things better. We're called to be positive influencers.

How do we do this? By living out our faith authentically. By loving others genuinely. By serving selflessly. By giving generously. By encouraging consistently. By praying fervently. By speaking truthfully. By acting justly. By walking humbly.

Secondly, salt preserves. It keeps things from going bad. As believers, we're called to preserve the health of our church community. We're called to maintain unity. We're called to promote peace. We're called to prevent division. We're called to protect the truth.

How do we do this? By resolving conflicts biblically. By forgiving freely. By accepting others unconditionally. By correcting lovingly. By submitting willingly. By leading humbly. By following faithfully.

The Greek word for salt used in Matthew 5:13 is "halas". It's a metaphor for wisdom. It's a symbol for grace. It's a picture of influence.

As John Stott, a renowned Christian theologian, once said, "Salt has no business to remain snugly in elegant little ecclesiastical salt cellars; our place is to be rubbed into the secular community, as salt is rubbed into meat, to stop it going bad."

Thirdly, salt creates thirst. It makes people want to drink. As believers, we're called to create spiritual thirst in our church community. We're called to make people thirsty for God. We're called to make people thirsty for truth. We're called to make people thirsty for righteousness.

How do we do this? By living out our faith attractively. By loving others compellingly. By serving selflessly. By giving generously. By encouraging consistently. By praying fervently. By speaking truthfully. By acting justly. By walking humbly.

Lastly, salt heals. It has antiseptic properties. As believers, we're called to bring healing to our church community. We're called to mend broken hearts. We're called to restore broken relationships. We're called to heal broken lives.

How do we do this? By comforting those who mourn. By encouraging those who are discouraged. By helping those who are hurting. By praying for those who are sick. By forgiving those who have wronged us. By asking for forgiveness from those we have wronged. By speaking words of life. By showing acts of kindness. By extending hands of mercy.

In conclusion, being the salt of your church means becoming an influence maker. It means enhancing the spiritual atmosphere. It means preserving the health of the community. It means creating spiritual thirst. It means bringing healing. It means living out your faith authentically, loving others genuinely, serving selflessly, giving generously, encouraging consistently, praying fervently, speaking truthfully, acting justly, and walking humbly.

Let's be the salt of our church. Let's be influence makers. Let's make a difference for God's glory.

Be The Salt Of Your Church

Scripture Reference: Matthew 5:13

"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 underfoot."

Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, calls us to be the salt of the earth. This is a call to influence, to make a difference, to bring flavor and preservation to the world around us. And as believers, this call extends to our church community. We are to be the salt of our church.

So, what does it mean to be the salt of your church? How can we live out this call to influence within our church community?

Firstly, being the salt of your church means bringing flavor to your community. Just as salt enhances the taste of food, we are called to enhance the life of our church. We do this by using our gifts, talents, and abilities to serve others, to build up the body of Christ, and to glorify God. Whether it's through teaching, singing, serving, giving, or encouraging, we can bring flavor to our church by actively participating in the life of the community.

Secondly, being the salt of your church means preserving the truth of the Gospel. Salt, in ancient times, was used as a preservative to keep food from spoiling. In the same way, we are called to preserve the truth of the Gospel within our church. We do this by standing firm in our faith, by holding fast to the teachings of Scripture, and by proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ in all we say and do.

In the book of Acts, we see the early church living out this call to be the salt of the earth. In Acts 2:42-47, we read about the believers devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. They were bringing flavor to their community by actively participating in the life of the church. They were preserving the truth of the Gospel by devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to prayer. And as a result, the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Thirdly, being the salt of your church means promoting unity and love. Salt, when used properly, brings out the best flavors in food. Similarly, we are called to bring out the best in others, to promote unity and love within our church community. We do this by treating others with kindness and respect, by forgiving as we have been forgiven, and by loving others as Christ has loved us.

Finally, being the salt of your church means being an agent of healing. Salt, in the right amounts, has healing properties. As believers, we are called to bring healing to our church community. We do this by caring for those who are hurting, by praying for those who are sick, and by comforting those who are mourning.

In conclusion, being the salt of your church is about being an influence maker. It's about bringing flavor to your community, preserving the truth of the Gospel, promoting unity and love, and being an agent of healing. As we strive to live out this call, may we remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth." May we be the salt of our church, making a difference for the glory of God.

Be The Salt Of Your Church

In the world of culinary arts, salt is a fundamental ingredient. It's not just about adding flavor, but it's about enhancing the existing flavors, bringing out the best in the other ingredients. In the same way, as believers, we are called to be the salt of our church. We are called to enhance, to bring out the best in others, to add value and make a difference. We are called to be influence makers.

The first aspect of being an influence maker in the church is understanding the significance of our role as believers. We are not just passive participants in the church, but active contributors. We are not just consumers, but contributors. We are not just spectators, but participants. We are not just members, but ministers. We are not just attendees, but ambassadors. We are not just churchgoers, but change agents.

In his book, "The Purpose Driven Church," Rick Warren emphasizes this point. He writes, "Every member is a minister. Every task is important. Every member is a missionary. Every job is an opportunity to serve God." This is a fundamental shift in our understanding of our role in the church. We are not just there to receive, but to give. We are not just there to be served, but to serve. We are not just there to be blessed, but to bless. We are not just there to be loved, but to love.

The second aspect of being an influence maker in the church is understanding the power of our words. Our words have the ability to build up or tear down, to encourage or discourage, to heal or hurt, to bless or curse. Our words have the ability to influence others for good or for bad. Our words have the ability to make a difference.

A.W. Tozer, a renowned Christian author and pastor, once said, "What comes out of your mouth is determined by what goes into your mind." This quote reminds us of the importance of filling our minds with God's truth, so that our words will be a reflection of His love and grace. Our words can be a powerful tool for influencing others, but only if they are grounded in God's truth.

The third aspect of being an influence maker in the church is understanding the importance of our actions. Our actions speak louder than our words. Our actions are a reflection of our beliefs. Our actions are a demonstration of our faith. Our actions are a manifestation of our love for God and for others.

In his book, "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren writes, "You were created to serve God. God has a purpose for your life. And your purpose is to serve Him." This means that our actions should be a reflection of our love for God and our desire to serve Him. Our actions should be a reflection of our commitment to His purposes and His plans. Our actions should be a reflection of our desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

In conclusion, being the salt of our church means being an influence maker. It means understanding the significance of our role as believers, the power of our words, and the importance of our actions. It means being a positive influence in the lives of others, making a difference in our church, and ultimately, making a difference in the world.

Conclusion

As we draw to a close on our time together, let's take a moment to reflect on the message we've received today. We've been called to be the salt of our church, to become influence makers within our community. This is not a small task, but it's one that we've been equipped for by our Heavenly Father.

Remember, salt has a unique role in our world. It enhances, it preserves, it adds flavor. And that's exactly what we're called to do within our church community. We're called to enhance the spiritual atmosphere, to preserve the unity and love that binds us together, and to add flavor and impact to our interactions.

This is a high calling, but it's one that we can fulfill if we lean on God's strength and guidance. We're not expected to do this in our own power. No, we're expected to do this in the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and equips us for every good work.

In the coming week, let's strive to be more like Jesus. Let's strive to be the salt of our church. Let's strive to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us.

So, as we go forth from this place, let's remember our calling. Let's remember that we are the salt of the earth, and let's strive to live out that calling in our daily lives. Let's strive to be influence makers in our church, in our community, and in our world.

Let's strive to be more like Jesus, who was the ultimate influence maker. He didn't just talk about love, He showed it. He didn't just talk about grace, He extended it. He didn't just talk about forgiveness, He offered it. And He calls us to do the same.

Let's bow our heads in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank You for the message You've shared with us today. We thank You for calling us to be the salt of our church. We thank You for equipping us to be influence makers.

As we go forth from this place, help us to live out this calling. Help us to be more like Jesus. Help us to enhance the spiritual atmosphere within our church, to preserve the unity and love that binds us together, and to add flavor and impact to our interactions.

We ask all of this in the powerful name of Jesus. Amen.

And now, as we part ways, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forevermore. May we go forth in peace, in love, and in unity, striving to be the salt of our church and the light of our world. Amen.

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