INTRODUCTION
ILLUSTRATION: A Peanuts cartoon showed Peppermint Patty talking to Charlie Brown in which she said, “Guess what, Chuck? The first day of school, and I got sent to the principal’s office. It was your fault, Chuck.” Charlie Brown responds, “My fault? How could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?” P/Patty responds, “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.”
APPLICATION:
1. P/P trying to pass the buck – yet there was some truth.
2. We are always some type of influence
ILLUSTRATION: Like the preach who was building the wooden trellis
… to support a climbing vine. As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him. The youngster didn’t say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would leave. But he didn’t. Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, “Are you trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?” “No,” he replied. “I’m just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”
APPLICATION
We are always influencing others – either positively or negatively.
A. SERMON TODAY
1. Part 1 – “Understanding Real Happiness” – the Beatitudes – 5:1-12
a. Surrounding One’s Inner Character –Humility
2. Part 2 – That Inner Character should Influence Others – Mt. 5:13-16
a. Uses 2 Illustrations of “Salt” & “Light”
b. “Salt” is no good when it is visible and “Light” is no good when it is invisible!
3 THEME: “We are the ‘SALT’ – the silent work of influence AND the ‘LIGHT’ – the visible manifestation of God in people’s lives”.
4. Key Thought = “INFLUENCE” - the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others.
I. “SALT” - A HIDDEN INFLUENCE – VERSE 13
Richard Halverson said "As long as salt retains its identity, it is useless. It must penetrate to benefit, and when it does, it disappears Salt is doing its work only when it is invisible."
A. THE ‘HIDDEN’ INFLUENCES OF ‘SALT’
1. Salt Gives Taste
Just like us, the disciples understood the meaning behind adding just the right amount of salt to one’s food. They were to the world what salt is to everyday life.
2. Salt is a Preservative
It doesn’t make the meat good, but keeps it from going bad.
a. Rev. Ray Pritchard says “we who follow Christ are to be a ‘moral disinfectant’ stopping the spread of evil. We are to be the conscience of the community, speaking out for what is true and right.”
b. Whether our society, church, workplace, or our home, our hidden influence should offer a Positive Influence on those we come into contact
3. Salt Creates Thirst
The reason popcorn is advertised so hard in a movie theatre is because it makes you thirsty. A restaurant serves p-nuts, chips, and other salty appetizers is because it makes you thirsty. If they can get you to drink a lot you will be full before your food arrives!
*** Are We salty-enough to make another thirsty for Jesus?
READ Colossians 4:6 “Colossians 4:6 (NIV)
B. SALT Must Be In CONTACT To be Effective
1. Salt is a seasoning, a preservative, and it makes people thirsty but unless it is BROUGHT INTO CONTACT with another OBJECT its influence is wasted! It becomes as salt that has lost its saltiness!
2. Jesus told his disciples that if they wanted to make a difference in the world, they would have to be different from the world. God would hold them accountable to maintain their “saltiness” (that is, their usefulness).
C. SALT Becomes Invisible to have a Visible Effect
1. Salt by itself is white, clean, little fine particles – but in that state it is worthless – like losing its saltiness. BUT when it is rubbed onto meat, or added to food it becomes INVISIBLE and THEN becomes what it was intended for – FLAVOR!
2. Salt that just sits in the shaker does no good for anyone. It might just as well be thrown out. It’s like believers who a) stay home b) refuse to take a stand c) refuse to grow God’s kingdom for all the wrong reasons. Sitting in a shaker!,
II. “LIGHT” – A VISIBLE INFLUENCE
SALT is a hidden yet powerful influence. LIGHT on the other hand, is a visible and revealing influence.
"J.C. Penny” said “Christ declared that He was the light of the world. Religion must scatter that Light or fail in the accomplishment of its supreme mission.”
a. Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” HE WAS THE LIGHT.
b. READ VERSE 14 - “YOU are the light…”. Now He calls us to be the reflection of that light - We are to be the visible influence!
READ 14b-15
A. JESUS DESCRIBES 2 SOURCES OF “LIGHT”
1. A “city on the hill”
The Christian is like a city on a hill: it is elevated above its surroundings and it shines in the midst of darkness. Regardless of our surroundings, we are to exhibit Christ and his light!
2. A “light from an oil lamp”
- Homes back then generally had just one room.
- Large Chest containing pots and baskets and bowls.
- The chest as a table for supper
- A candle or oil lamp would be lit and placed on the top to light the entire room.
- You would not put out that light!
- Our surroundings MUST NOT cover up the light we possess!
B. THE VISIBLE INFLUENCES OF “LIGHT”
1. Light Dispels Darkness
John 1:4-5 “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in darkness but the darkness has not understood it.”
DO YOU MIS-UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT?
- the reality of Eternal Life?
- the promise that there will be No More Trials, Pain, Suffering?
- the joy that heaven can be experienced on earth
- Gift of H.S. (if we understand what that means)
- that He will show up in the most unexpected places!
DO YOU MIS-UNDERSTAND THE LIGHT?
2. Light Reveals what is there & gives Guidance
Psalms 119:130 (NIV)
130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
Jesus is the source of light; Christians are the reflection of that light! Our function is to shine for Him just as the moon reflects the glory of the sun!
C. ILLUSTRATION on LIGHT: Charles Swindoll states:
When you live in darkness, you not only have no ray of light, you don’t even know where home is. That is the way it is for the majority in the world. Some folks are born, raised, and die in cultures that have never seen their first flashlight of hope.
When the truth of that hits me, I find myself a little impatient with Christians who do nothing to help spread the light but for some of the most childish reasons shine their light only for themselves.
They have “flashlight parties” where they just shine the light on each other.
READ 1 THESS. 5:4-11
Jesus says to shine for the world. Shine your light into the darkness; that’s where it is really needed.
Spend less time in your own little well-lighted all Christian world and more time there in the darkness !
III. SUMMARY - WHAT IS YOUR INFLUENCE?
1. Are you the “SALT of the Earth”
- the flavor to life
- the preservative to offer a “positive influence”
- the cause of another thirsting for Christ (or turning from)
(parents when you kids get up and out of the home, will they be
- drawn TO church
- work in HIS work through the church (ONLY if EVERYTHING IS WELL)
- BE DRAWN AWAY FROM CHURCH
WHAT (contact) INFLUENCE ARE YOU GIVING TO THEM?
2. LIGHT of the World
- the reflection of the source to life - the example that never gives in
In the WORLD, what (visible) Influence are you SHOWING ANOTHER?
Ron McClung is a former pastor of 33 years and wrote these words:
“God sees the dream in our hearts. People all around us have dreams of being better than they are, of doing better and climbing higher. Yet, sometimes we don’t recognize the dreams because we don’t see them clearly as God does.
Because he had just called his disciples, Jesus probably surprised them when He said, “You are the salt of the earth . . . you are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13, 14). Yet that is exactly what they became.
Later, under the power of the Holy Spirit, they rose to greater heights than they or we would have predicted.
You have a dream in your heart too. You really want to pursue God with a hunger and a thirst; To be the Salt and Light that Jesus is describing. God sees it and in His power you can fulfill it.”
But we must Trust His Hand and Allow Him to Help You LIVE ABOVE YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND NOT GIVE SATAN A FOOTHOLD!
DO IT TODAY – LET GO RIGHT NOW!
