HOW SALTY ARE YOU?
MARK 9: 38---50
INTRODUCTION: JESUS SAID YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.
THAT TELLS ME THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN OUR LIVES TO MAKE THE LOST WORLD THIRST FOR WHAT WE HAVE.
>>>STORY OF THE FISHERMEN AT LAKE GUNTERSVILLE AND THE SALTY PEANUTS.****** YEARS AGO, A MAN AND HIS BROTHER HAD A VERY LUCRATIVE BUSINESS ON LAKE GUNTERSVILLE ALABAMA. HE WOULD VISIT WITH THOSE FISHING, ENGAGE THEM IN A CONVERSATION AND THEN OFFER THEM SOME OF THE SALTED PEANUTS, FROM THE BAG HE WAS EATING FROM. ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER, HIS BROTHER WOULD ARRIVE, PULLING A WAGON OF ICE COLD SOFT DRINKS, THAT HE SOLD FOR 25 CENTS EACH (THESE WERE THE DAYS OF 5 CENT SOFT DRINKS) THE SALTINESS OF THOSE PEANUTS WAS STILL IN THEIR TASTE BUDS AND IT CREATED A GREAT THIRST. WE AS CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE THAT SALTY.
I BELIEVE CHRISTIANS NEED TO BE AUTHENTIC. I BELIEVE THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE A GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD IN OUR LIVES.
I BELIEVE THE WORLD NEEDS TO PERCEIVE US AS BEING ON THE LEVEL AUTHENTIC CHILDREN OF GOD. PAUL: “ I BEAR THE MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN.
WE NEED TO SHOW FORTH SOME EVIDENCE OF A SPIRITUAL LIFE.
STORY OF THE BARBEQUE COOK. (RICKY AND SCOTT SPARKS ALABAMA)
A MAN WALKED INTO A SOUTHERN BARBEQUE RESTAURANT ONE DAY AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE BARBEQUE COOK.
A RATHER LARGE GENTLEMAN CAME OUT WITH A VERY SMOKEY AROMA ON HIS CLOTHING AND BARBEQUE SAUCE ALL OVER HIS APRON AND SAID: “HELLO, I’M BIG BUBBA, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?” WITH THAT MY FRIENDS STATED: “WE NEED TWO SLABS OF RIBS TO GO”.
(CONTRIBUTORS’ NOTE: YOU HAVE TO BE FROM THE SOUTH TO UNDERSTAND THE ABOVE)
JESUS SAID IF THE SALT HAS LOST IT’S SAVOR (SEASONING) IT IS GOOD FOR NOTHING, THROW IT OUT. (USELESS)
WHAT GOOD WOULD TASTELESS USELESS SALT BE ON YOUR FOOD? NONE!!!
WHAT GOOD CAN A USELESS LIFE OF NO SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE BE? NONE!!!
PAUL SAID: 1 Cor 9:27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1. PAUL SAID I DON’T WANT TO BE THROWN ASIDE LIKE USELESS SALT AND NO GOOD TO ANYONE, ESPECIALLY TO GOD.
2. THE GREATEST DETERMINATION A CHILD OF GOD SHOULD HAVE IS TO BE USEFUL TO GOD AND NOT BE VIEWED AS A CASTAWAY, OR ONE WHO HAS FAILED GOD AND BECOME SPIRITUALLY USELESS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
I. SALTY CHRISTIANS ARE NOT AFRAID TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE IN A GODLESS WORLD.
(A) WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE PEOPLE ARE BOLD ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT BEING A CHRISTIAN.
1. BOLD REPUBLICANS
2. BOLD DEMOCRATS
3. BOLD SPORTS FANS
4. EVERYONE IS FIRED UP ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT SERVING AND LIVING FOR GOD.
(B) WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE MANY ARE FILLED WITH SALT SUBSTITUTE** (A GOOD IMITATION, BUT NOT “REAL SALT”)
1. SUBSTITUTED EDUCATION FOR EDIFICATION*****
YOU CAN EDUCATE THE FLESH UNTIL IT SPEAKS PROPERLY ACTS POLITELY AND LOOKS SOPHISTICATED BUT IT WILL STILL BE LOST UNTIL THAT PERSON GETS SAVED. (REMAINS AN EDUCATED LOST PERSON)
2. SUBSTITUTED GOOD DEEDS FOR GOOD DOCTRINE.
TURNED AND TWISTED THE SCRIPTURES TO MAKE THEM MEET THEIR LIFESTYLE UNTIL THEY HAVE TOTALLY FORGOTTEN WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS.
3. IT’S NOT EDUCATION, IT’S NOT GOOD DEEDS, THE WORD OF GOD SAYS THE PLAN OF SALVATION IS BY AND THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, AND GIVES NO OTHER WAY!
( C ) SUBSTITUTED A SOCIAL GOSPEL FOR THE OLD TIME WAY.
GO TO CHURCH, PUT IN AN APPEARANCE HEAR A SERMONETTE AND GO HOME EMPTY AS YOU CAME.
1. THE OLD TIME SAINTS OF GOD WOULD CHOKE ON TODAY’S AVERAGE SERVICE.
2. SAINTS OF OLD WOULD THINK THEY HAD BEEN BROUGHT BACK AND DETOURED TO HELL.
3. MANY HAVE SIGNED A CARD, MADE A PLEDGE, GOT ON THE CHURCH ROLL AND NEVER HAD AN OLD TIME SALVATION EXPERIENCE.
4. I’VE OFTEN SAID, MANY GOT PRESERVED WHILE SOME JUST GOT CANNED.
II. SALTY CHRISTIANS ARE OF GREAT VALUE
JESUS SAID “(KJV “ YE” ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.
YE IS A GOOD SOUTHERN WORD (MEANS YA’LL) (YOU -ALL)
HE SPOKE TO A HANDFUL OF DISCIPLES (CHRISTIANS HAVE NEVER BEEN A MAJORITY BUT WE ARE IN SOLID WITH THE LORD AND THAT’S WHAT COUNTS.)
(A) IT WAS A GREAT COMPLIMENT.
1. SALT WAS AND IS A GREAT NECESSITY TO OUR LIVES.
2. IN THE ANCIENT TIMES IT EVEN SERVED AS MONEY.
3. OUR WORD SALARY COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD “SOLARIUM”
WHICH REFERRED TO PAYMENT TO THE ROMAN SOLDIERS IN SALT
4. THAT’S WHERE WE GET THE PHRASE: “WORTH HIS SALT”
(B) SALT HAS BEEN USED FOR AGES TO PRESERVE FOOD.
IN THE DAYS OF CHRIST IT WAS THE CHIEF MEANS OF KEEPING FOOD.
1. NOT REAL IMPORTANT IN THE LITTLE SHAKER ON THE TABLE, OFTEN WASTED, YET IF WE DEPENDED UPON IT TO PRESERVE ALL OUR FOOD, IT WOULD INSTANTLY BECOME VERY VALUABLE.
2. THIS IS WHY JESUS SAID YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH,
YOU ARE TO WITNESS OF MY SALVATION, FOR THROUGH SALVATION, THE CHILD OF GOD IS PRESERVED THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.
( C) THE MORE THAT WE WITNESS, THE MORE WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP MORAL DECAY AND MORAL CORRUPTION FROM TAKING OVER.
1. LIKE WISE IF WE FAIL TO DO THAT AS WE ARE GUILTY OF IN THES PRESENT GENERATION, WE SEE MORAL FAILURES AND MORAL CORRUPTION AS NEVER BEFORE.
2. NO WONDER JESUS SAID: “YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH”
3. WE, AS CHRISTIANS NEED MORE THAN EVER TO PRESERVE THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL AND PRESENT IT TO THE LOST WORLD.
III. SALTY CHRISTIANS REPRESENT A MIRACLE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT SALT ITSELF IS A MIRACLE?
1. IT IS COMPOSED OF TWO (2) POISONS: CHLORIDE AND SODIUM, EITHER ONE ALONE WOULD KILL YOU BUT PUT TOGETHER THEY MAKE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR DIET.
LETS LOOK AT SALT AS WE CONCLUDE:
(A) SALT CAN IRRITATE. ( EYES, OPEN CUT ETC.)
1. MANY ARE IRRITATED BY CHRISTIANS WITNESSING.
2.CHRISTIANITY RUBS MANY THE WRONG WAY BECAUSE IT IS IRRITATING TO THEIR WOUNDS OF SIN.
3. WE NEED NOT PURPOSELY IRRITATE PEOPLE WITH OUR WITNESS BUT WE NEED TO BE AWARE THAT MANY WILL FAIL TO SEE THE GOOD INTENT AND LOVING CONCERN OF OUR WITNESS.
(B) SALT SEASONS.
1. CHRISTIANS SHOULD ADD TO THE CONVERSATION AND TO THE CROWD WE ARE WITH. OUR PRESENCE SHOULD COMPLIMENT RATHER THAN IRRITATE.
2. EVERY WHERE JESUS WENT A GOOD SPIRIT FOLLOWED HIM, HE BROUGHT JOY AND PEACE AND WE NEED TO DO THE SAME.
3. THIS IS WHY WE ARE TO BE THE SALT (SEASONING OF THE EARTH)
CONCLUSION: . ARE YOU A SALTY CHRISTIAN?
