Title: Salt and Light Coming out of the Saltshaker
Theme:
Text: Matthew 5:14-16
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, (Matthew 5:1-2 AV)
Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 ¶ "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Introduction
Jesus goes from what is called the beatitudes into the reason of why we are to obey these and other commands he gives us in the sermon on the mount. It is important that we become a Christian that we don’t think of ourselves but we think of the Lord and of others in our daily life.
He tells of the importance of representing God in a positive way and he uses two common things that everyone would understand. Salt and light.
Salt and light represent what a Christian should be-a penetrating and illuminating influence, something both to be seen and felt, a power to attract and transform.
I. Place
The “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world”. There is no limitation or area in which we go that we are to let down our guard. There is no culture that we engage in which we don’t have to let our light shine or to be a preserving and savoring agent. We are agents of God and we are to let the whole world know this.
II. Purpose
A. Salt
Salt basically three main purposes 1) to add flavor to food and 2) (although not used much in the Middle East) to preserve food 3) penetrates. I have heard of another purpose and that is to sanitize a wound. Although this would fit well in this illustration I am going to stick mainly to these two.
1. adds flavor to food
Salt adds flavor to food. There are not many restaurants that you will go into that will not have salt placed on the tables. It seems to be an important commodity in peoples lives. So important that we have been warned many times about our intake of salt.
This is the same purpose it was used in the time of Jesus. To salt food. The salt was a little different but served the same purpose.
The Christian has the same responsibility we are to add the flavor of God to this world. Letting them desire to see God. Making their mouth water at what the Lord is doing.
2. Preserves Hinders corruption,
The second major purpose is that of a preserving agent. It is used to place meat in so that the meat will not deteriorate as fast. It will preserve it. This was important before the invention of iceboxes and modern day refrigerators. It would also explain how food was traded at such long distances.
The Christian is as a preserving agent in this society and this world. Some question what has happened in history and yes many times we are to blame for allowing things to happen but what if there were no Christians would men like Hitler considered to be a great leader. Yes we have failed in areas but just think if we were not here.
3. Penetrates
4. Salt is Distinctive
It is totally different from the food or object upon which it is put.
B. Light
The other illustration that he uses is that one of light. We are the “light of the world”. Light again has two major purposes. To illuminate a room or home and to lead and guide us in the dark. These do overlap in some ways yet they are distinctively different.
1. illuminate a room or home
It may not be today but in the times of Jesus many of the house were built windowless. So the only way to see would be by the candle or what is known then as the lamp. A lamp was placed in a strategic place so as the light would be projected all other the room. This was very hard work considering to be able to see a light had to always be lit.
Our light should be in the same manner. A light that is shown in a room . A light that shows Christ even in the darkest of rooms. Again there is no place that we can go to vacation from the Lord. We are his sheep.
a. it penetrates
b. it reveals
c. it enlightens
d. strips away darkness
2. to lead and guide
As we learn from Psalms 119:105 ¶ NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. The lamp was used as guiding. Showing the way so that one would not stumble.
If people are doubting the word, doubting the church and doubting everything that is moral how will they see, by us.
3. to warn people
Construction signs, warning lights, police, fireman, ambulance.
III. Power of perfect use
A. To salt the earth
In other words we are to let people see Christ in us. They are to want to desire to “taste and see that the Lord is good” by our works that we see.
This world is 1) bland and tasteless (needs flavor) 2) decaying and rotting (needs preserving) 3) corrupting and foul (need penetrating and changed)
B. To glorify God
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10 AV)
C. To light the world
This world is unclear, stumbling, groping, falling, unaware, in darkness, in danger.
IV. Prevention
A. savorless salt
Jesus speaks in the passage of savorless salt. This is salt that has no flavor. “It is interesting to note that salt was not manufactured from boiling clean salt water, nor quarried from mines, but obtained from marshes along the seashore, as in Cyprus, or from salt lakes in the interior, which dry up in summer”.
So this was not as the common table salt we see today. It could easily loose it flavor. Only by the simple task of dropping on the ground or exposing it to sun light or even to rain. Then when it was no good no one would allow it to be placed on the land because it caused the land to become infertile. So the only purpose was to cast it on the streets.
This is what Jesus was saying. This is why it is important that we keep our flavor. Doing the works and commands of Christ. Showing the good works of the Lord.
What can make us loose our flavor. A bad reputation. Not paying our bills. Not telling the whole truth. How hard it is to gain back a good reputation that has been lost.
B. Hidden Light
As in the same with light. If a light was hidden then it would have no purpose.
What can hide our lives? Sin. Not acting as a Christian.
Conclusion
Are you making a difference in this world? Are you penetrating, and preserving and flavoring those around you. Are you illuminating the way and warning people?
