“USEFUL TO GOD”
Matthew 5:13-16 (NASB)
David P. Nolte
It was Christmas and Joe wanted to buy a gift for his wife, June, but Joe had two problems: 1. He was a real tightwad; he could squeeze a penny until Lincoln would holler for help. 2. He hated shopping for anything other than tools at Harbor Freight and his wife hated the jumper cables he got her last year. He thought and thought and came up with what he thought was a genius plan.
He searched and found a perfume bottle that looked expensive. He washed it and filled it with water he had colored pink.
When June opened it on Christmas Day, she sprayed some on her wrist and sniffed it, anticipating a scent come from heaven. Puzzled, she sniffed it again – and sniffed it again. “What is this stuff? It has no smell – no fragrance!”
Joe said, “That’s the best part! You know how many people are allergic to strong scents, so I bought some Odorless Fragrance. It’s the latest fad.”
Not saying anything, June plotted her revenge. She knew that Joe liked a lot of salt on his food. After thinking about it, she got his salt shaker and filled it with harmless salt-like crystals. She put it back on the table and waited.
When he came in for breakfast, he sprinkled the crystals onto his eggs and after one bite, he said, “What is this stuff? It has no flavor!” June smirked and said, “You use too much salt so I substituted some Favorless Seasoning. It’s the latest fad!”
Odorless Fragrance? Flavorless Seasoning? That stuff is as useless as an extra armpit. Everybody likes to feel useful. Being useful is almost the same as being wanted or needed. What we don’t want to be is useless and unproductive.
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 (NASB).
Salt that loses its saltiness is useless. Light that is hidden is useless! So, how can we be sure we are useful to Jesus?
I. WORK WITH JESUS, NOT AGAINST HIM:
A. Jesus said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” Matthew 12:30 (NLT).
B. We works with Jesus
1. When we obey Him.
2. When we help others to know Nim.
3. When we live lives that are consistent with our claim to be Christians.
C. We work against Him when
1. We are rebellious.
2. We are selfish and unsharing.
3. When we live lives that would make people say, “You are a Christian? I’d would not have guessed it in a thousand years!”
D. Let me illustrate how useless it is to work against Jesus. And how useful it is to work with Him.
1. A man was trying to move a heavy crate and dy, I need helpmaking little progress. His neighbor came over to help and each man pt his shoulder to the box and huffed and puffed and snarled and shoved. The box would not budge. Finally the neighbor said, “We need more help! We’ll never get this crate into your garage at th is rate.” The other man said, “Get it IN? Why, you Ninny! I have been trying to get it OUT of the garage!”
2. Work with and not against Jesus. Like a 5 year old who wanted to move a large rock which was in his way where he was riding his bike. He shoved and groaned but the rock didn’t move. So he went to his dad and said, “Daddy, I need help.” And working together they got that rock moved. We can do all things when we work with Jesus.
To be useful, work with Jesus.
II. DON’T LET OTHERS PULL YOU AWAY FROM JESUS:
A. We are to be salt. Salt influences whatever it touches. We are to let our light shine. Light influences its environment.
1. Be an influence for others, be a leader for Christ.
2. Don’t allow others to influence you to get you sidetracked.
B. People may say,
1. “Only weak people follow Jesus!”
2. “Forget Jesus! Have a lot of fun and when you are old you can think about Jesus.”
3. “Jesus is so boring!”
C. Let me tell you – those statements are as real as a $3.00 bill. I know some mighty strong dudes who love Jesus. And none of us has a guarantee of growing old. And Jesus leads us into a life full of exciting things.
D. A girl entered a little country church out of curiosity. There she heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. She later heard God's call on her life to go to China as a missionary.
She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire and was socially prominent. But her parents were not Christians. When she told them of her decision to go to the mission field, they sneered at the very thought.
She was engaged to a prominent businessman—but he was not a Christian either. When she talked with him about giving his life to Christ, he took a negative stand.
Her parents hosted a social event and invited their wealthy friends. They told these friends of their daughter's intentions and enlisted their help to change her mind. During the evening the daughter listened to all their arguments against going to the mission field. Finally, she walked over to the piano and began to play and sing: "Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee, destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be."
Her fiancé was touched by her action. He walked over to her and said, "If He means that much to you, please help me know Him as well." They were married and BOTH went to China. They labored there for many years. She was useful because she would not allow others to pull her away from Jesus.
Never, never, never let go of Jesus!
III. USE WHATEVER ABILITY GOD GAVE YOU:
A. Salt has the ability to flavor food; light has the ability to banish darkness. For you the ability might be music, or art, or athletic or academic or any other ability.
B. God gave it you so use it.
C. Two guys had different abilities. One was a good speaker but could not write good sermons. The other was a good sermon writer but a lousy speaker. They teamed up and at the first time to preach, the sermon writer hid in the pulpit and the good speaker stood to preach. The guy in the pulpit whispered, “Moses was an austere man.” the speaker misunderstood him and said, “Moses was ans oyster man.” from under the pulpit, “He came to make atonement for the sins of his people.” The speaker again misheard and said, “He came to make an ointment for the skins of is people.” From under the pulpit, the guy said, “You big dummy! You’ve spoiled it all!” to which the speaker said, “The big dummy spilled it all!”
D. Use your abilities intelligently. Peter wrote: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NASB).
To be useful to Jesus, be faithful to use your abilities as He intends.
IV. NEVER BE AFRAID TO SPEAK FOR JESUS:
A. Salt is not afraid to flavor your food; light is not afraid to shine. He said, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 (NLT).
B. We speak up for Jesus when by word and action we let it be known we believe in Him.
C. Let me tell a couple of stories about this:
1. When I was youth minister at The Dalles we had a Jr. High Bible study at our house every Wednesday after school. One girl always carried her Bible in a paper bag. One of the girls asked, “Why do you carry your Bible in a sack?” She said, “Well, Duh! You don’t think I want my friends to see me carrying a Bible, do you?”
2. On the other side of the coin there is Michael, a boy in our congregation in Klamath Falls. We only had one youth at first and then Michael’s family came. Michael was dyslexic and though he was in Junior High, he read at a 1st grade level. He lived in a trailer park behind the church and began inviting other kids from the park to come to church. One by one they came, and they, too, invited friends. In a short while, my wife, Marlene had 25 young people in her Sunday School class. Over 20 became Christians and were baptized because Michael spoke up for Jesus and was useful.
D. Never be afraid or ashamed to speak up for Jesus My good friend, Gary, was dying of cancer. Even though confined to bed, he was useful. Some of his friends were not believers. Gary gave a Bible to one of his atheist friends who, to please Gary, began reading it. He is now a believer and has confessed faith in Jesus – because Gary worked with Jesus, influenced others, used what God had given him, and was never afraid to speak up for Jesus. His salt was salty and his light shined – he was useful before he died. I urge you to do the same!
