Salt
Lakewood COG | Pastor Jonathan | 3-12-2017
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.
Introduction:
Look at the last beatitude…
Matthew 5:10-12
10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
¥ The encouragement to be “Salt & Light” comes on the heels of the beatitude that teaches us about being persecuted through peoples words…
I. Salt can describeD AS Kingdom Influence in a difficult world:
A. Albert Barnes' comment on this passage is informative and enlightening:
The salt used in this country is a chemical compound—and if the saltiness were lost, or it were to lose its savor, there would be nothing remaining. In eastern countries, however, the salt used was impure, mingled with vegetable and earthly substances; so that it might lose the whole of its saltiness, and a considerable quantity [of salt without flavor] remain. This was good for nothing except that it was used, as it is said, to place in paths, or walks, as we use gravel.
1. If we fail fails to represent Jesus Christ well… men will tread our testimony under their feet and possibly turn away from Jesus forever.
2. The world can spot a fake right away.
B. The Salt Covenant (A Covenant of Purification and Preservation)
1. Referred to three times in the Bible
¥ 2 Chronicles 13:5 Ought you not to know that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the kingship over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
¥ Leviticus 2:13 And every oblation (something that is brought to the altar) of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
¥ Numbers 18:19 AMP All the heave offerings [the lifted-out and kept portions] of the holy things which the Israelites give to the Lord I give to you and to your sons and your daughters with you, as a continual debt forever. It is a covenant of salt [that cannot be dissolved or violated] forever before the Lord for you [Aaron] and for your posterity with you.
C. As disciples of Jesus Christ we are to be the salt of the earth.
1. We do this by living out the terms of discipleship taught by Jesus in Matthew 5,6 & 7.
II. Salt Flavors and preserves
A. Salt has the ability to give flavor to that which is otherwise bland
Job 6:6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
B. God uses His disciples to bring flavor to an otherwise bland world!
1. Jesus says that He is the Way, Truth & Life… John14:6.
2. We never really start living until we are in a relationship with God!
III. Salt hinders the spread of disease
A. As a Christian we immerse ourselves in the Word. That means it gets down inside of us an influences every fiber of our being.
1. Our heart is changed, Our mind is changed, Our feelings are changed, Our conduct is changed, etc…
B. The Word that is in us will fight the corruption that is around us. God’s desire is to present to Himself a Glorious Church…
Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
IV. Salt creates thirst
A. Water is a type of Holy Spirit.
1. As a Christian Disciple our presence (saltiness) should create a thirst for a move of God in the earth.
2. If we are not thirsty for the move of God then we are not salty enough!
Isaiah 44:3-4
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
B. God’s prophetic promise for this generation is Global Revival!
Joel 2:28-32
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.
1. The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of this outpouring. (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 2:16-21)
C. The purpose of this outpouring was to “form the Church”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1. God is a God of unity… THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT THAT FILLED THE DISCIPLES ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST IS THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT THAT FILLS BELIEVERS TODAY!
2. We are connected across the expanse of time as one body in Christ because of our thirst!!!
Closing:
Our prayer should be… God make me salty!
God send revival (The answer to the millennial challenge)
