Divine Grace For The Soul

This brings us to the heart of today’s sermon: how does one give up trying to control the unknown future to feel the unspeakable joy of serving in His kingdom? There is a battle going in our minds for our allegiance. Through our own efforts we cannot stop loving this world! No matter how many self-help books one reads, Satan will always be more powerful than our best efforts to change. To break the stronghold of fear and coveting of worldly stuff one must rely on the divine power of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 10:3). Since greater is He who is us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), then why aren’t more Christians freed from fear and coveting? The answer is that we have not surrendered our will to the Holy Spirit. We simply love the things of this world more obeying God! In the remainder of this sermon I am going to explain how “salt without measure” is the fountain of this unspeakable joy we so desperately seek (1 Peter 1:8-9).

KNOWING SALT WITHOUT MEASURE IS THE KEY TO HAVING JOY

22 up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. Ezra 7:22

In 538 BC Cyrus the Great of Persia defeated Babylon and allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and Jerusalem. After having lived in exile for approximately 70 years one can only imagine the joy they felt when they were told that they were to return to their homeland! By Cyrus’ own decree upon their return they had his blessing to rebuild the city walls and the temple. To help with the financial costs the king sent Ezra with a letter addressed to the treasury officials of the Trans-Euphrates satrapy to fund their endeavors within limits. They were to be given approximately 7,500 pounds of silver, 22,000 pounds of wheat, 2,000 liters of wine, 2,000 liters of olive oil and salt without limit! While salt was a relatively cheap commodity at that time it was indispensable for the returning exiles for it was used in every offering made by fire unto the Lord. Adding salt to offerings made to God was a symbol of the permanent covenant God had made with His people. Even though Israel broke the covenant and were subsequently exiled, God not only heard their cries of repentance but forgave, returned them to their lands and enabled them to flourish. Salt in this passage truly is an “emblem of also divine grace for the soul.”

It is precisely through remembering the grace of God that fear, and coveting can be driven out of our minds. Jesus emptied Himself of His divine reputation (Philippians 2:7), lived amongst us (John 1:14), atoned for our sins (1 John 2:2) by dying on the cross (Luke 23:44-46) and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4) so that our faith in Him (John 7:38) might grant us adoption (John 1:12) and eternal life (John 3:16)! In counting these blessings how could one possibly be afraid of loosing the necessities of life, after all would Jesus who died for us in turn give us stones when we ask Him for water, food or shelter (Matthew 7:9)? And who amongst us truly believes the hole in our souls can be filled and satisfied with worldly possessions? Since Jesus is our portion and our cup (Psalms 16:5), whom amongst us would trade this pearl and treasure (Matthew 13:44-45) for stuff that will be destroyed or stolen (Matthew 6:19)? In remembering the grace and the glorious riches we have already received is the key to no longer having a mind of fear and coveting but one of surrender to He who is the only source of unspeakable joy!