Salt & Light
October 26, 2008 Evening Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We are called out to be useful to God.
Focus Passage: Matthew 5: 13-16
Introduction: In a cave where they turn out the light completely.
I. Salt
a. Sodium is an extremely active element found naturally only in combined form; it always links itself to another element. Chlorine, on the other hand, is the poisonous gas that gives bleach its offensive odor. When sodium and chlorine are combined, the result is sodium chloride--common table salt--the substance we use to preserve meat and bring out its flavor. Love and truth can be like sodium and chlorine. Love without truth is flighty, sometimes blind, willing to combine with various doctrines. On the other hand, truth by itself can be offensive, sometimes even poisonous. Spoken without love, it can turn people away from the gospel. When truth and love are combined in an individual or a church, however, then we have what Jesus called "the salt of the earth," and we're able to preserve and bring out the beauty of our faith.
b. Salt irritates – salt hurts when rubbed in a wound. Sin is a wound and we shouldn’t be surprised when Christianity rubs people the wrong way because of their sin.
c. Salt seasons/flavors – popcorn, eggs, potatoes, meat, (but not watermelon) The world around us should be better because of us. Do we add Christian “flavor” to our conversation?
d. Salt creates thirst – In John 4, Jesus said He was the “Living Water”. Our job is to make people thirst.
e. Salt cleanses and heals – a “salt laden Gospel” will clean and heal a society. Perhaps we haven’t been doing our job is the reason why American values have deteriorated.
II. Light - When Jesus says that we are the light of the world, it means God has deposited His nature inside of us, and we are to let it out. It’s in there! It just needs to be allowed to shine forth.
a. "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." (John 3:19-21 NASB)
III. Africa example of light.
Invitation: Pass the salt and turn on the light!
