Matthew 5: 13 – 16
Pass The Salt Please
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
If we check the other Gospels we find that Luke and Mark cover this teaching of our Lord in two different listings.
Luke 14:34-35, “34 “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Luke 1: 16 – 18, “16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
Mark 9:50, “50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
Mark 4: 21 – 25, “21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
Let me ask you a question. Well, actually its two questions and they are these, “Have you ever lead any person to Christ’, and two, ‘are you involved in any ministry in serving the Lord?’
I am not trying to make you feel bad or convicted. No, wait a minute, yes I am. If you haven’t done either one of the two that I mentioned, my next question is ‘what makes you so special?’ We are all, who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, adopted sons and daughters. We are all part of the body of Christ. Please send your exclusion letter from God that says that you are exempted from sharing the Gospel and from serving the rest of the body?
We have today in our bodies some elements that work apart from the rest of our physical bodies and do you know what that is? It is called ‘Cancer’.
As a minister I am called to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. In which category do you fall into?
Anyway, let me tell you about our lives after you ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and rule your life for now through all eternity.
I have witnessed too many ‘cool guys’. Oh, they are gifted in looks and appeal. They come up and flatter you with all types of strokes. Then, they sell you Jesus. If you respond, they chalk you up as a victory. I do not believe that this is how we are to share the ‘Good News’
What did our Lord Jesus Christ instruct the disciples before He returned to Heaven? We read this in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24,“16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are to be His Witnesses making disciples. To ‘Witness’ we need to be ‘With’ people and be willing to ‘disciple’ them or help them ‘walk’ in their new life. Not just to a sales job and then leave thinking we are doing God some type of favor.
Our Lord says to His disciples and His words are still applicable as ever today if you claim you are one of His - 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.’
Salt is a preservative. We, as believers, need to preserve the ‘Good News’ of the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Remember the four types of seeds the Lord taught about. The first three represented;
1. Hard Hearts
2. Stone ground
3. Thorns
The first group heard the ‘Good News’ and it says the enemy came and swept this message away before it could take root. The second group heard the word and received it but when troubles came their way they forsook their Christianity. The third group was so overwhelmed with the cares and worries of this world that they did not grow or mature.
You know why?, because there was no one to care for them. There is a responsibility to any brother or sister that leads a person to Christ to be there to help this person.
If you share the Good News and the person rejects the message, like the example of the hard ground, then do not just give up, keep praying and reaching out to this individual.
If you actually prayed with a person then keep closely in touch with this new believer. When troubles come their way, and it will, be there to help support them through the ordeal. Can you see now why the three types of soils never produced growth?
We, need to remember that when you become a Christian you will be subjected to persecution as we read about in the Gospel of Luke chapter 9, “ 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
I like this statement that someone told me and it is this, ‘If you want to be Christ like, then do not be surprised if people come running up to you and try to crucify you.’ Our Lord Jesus informed us and was recorded by the apostle John in chapter 15, “17 These things I command you, that you love one another. 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
When you are trying your best to follow the Lord you will not be a secret Christian. As our Lord had said, ‘you do not put a light in a basket, but you put it on a table for the light to reach as much darkness as possible.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
As Matthew tells us in chapter 5 of his book,”15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
And let me advise you of this, if you are faithful you will be attacked.
John reminds us of this in chapter 15 verse 20, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
You will get it from the people you work for and with, your neighbors, the government – everywhere you turn. So, cheer up.
Remember it is not you, the hatred comes against the One Who Is living in you – our Precious Holy Spirit.
We can rejoice that our sins are forgiven. That we will have an awesome eternity with our Precious Holy Jehovah Elyon – The Lord Most High. But from now on we get to realize the words of our Lord Jesus – ‘pick up your cross and follow Me’. Oh, it isn’t a nice gold or silver ornament that we wear around our necks. No it is a death sentence just like the one our Holy Adoni Yeshua endured. Are you willing to hang in there?
