SALTY SAINTS
TEXT MATT. 5:13
INTRODUCTION: SODIUM CHLORIDE OR COMMON SALT IS A CHEMICAL COMPOUND THAT IS USED ALL OVER THE WORLD. IT CONTAINS EQUAL NUMBERS OF POSITIVELY CHARGED SODIUM AND NEGATIVELY CHARGED CHLORINE IONS. SALT HAS MANY PURPOSES AND GOES THROUGH A PROCESS IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE USED IN ITS VARIOUS CAPACITIES. THE COLORLESS SUBSTANCE HAS NO ODOR BUT A CHARACTERISTIC TASTE. SALT IS ESSENTIAL IN THE DIETS OF HUMANS AND ANIMALS, AND CAN BE FOUND IN BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS. BUT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE COMPARED TO SALT. WE HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH, ORGASTRATED BY THE HOLY GHOST. JUST AS SALT HEALS, CURES, MELTS, AND PRESERVES, WE ARE TO HEAL THE SIN SICK CONDITIONS OF THIS WORLD. WE ARE TO MELT THE STONY HEARTS OF MAN, HELP TO CURE THEM OF THEIR REBELLION, AND PRESERVE THE GODLINESS OF THIS PRESENT AGE. THANK GOD THAT I AM A SALTY SAINT.
I. TEXT
THIS SETTING TAKES PLACE ON THE MT. OF GALILEE. JESUS’ MESSAGE WAS PRIMARILY TO HIS DISCIPLES, HOWEVER, THE MULTITUDE WAS INCLUDED IN THIS DISCOURSE.
HAVING RECEIVED THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, JESUS INFORMS HIS DISCIPLES THAT THEY ARE SALT, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND THAT WAS TO GO EVERYWHERE PREACHING AND TEACHING THE GOSPEL. ALLOW ME TO MOCK TIME MOMENTARILY AND ASK ARE YOU A SALTY SAINT OR A SITTING SAINT?
AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE BEEN DIVINELY DESIGNED AND COSMICLY CREATED TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THIS WORLD. AS I OBSERVE THE CONDITIONS OF THIS WORLD, THERE ARE STILL SOME AREAS THAT NEED TO HAVE SALT SHAKEN OVER THEM. OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS SALT; OUR HOMES NEED SALT; OUR SCHOOLS NEED SALT; AND EVEN SOME OF OUR CHURCHES NEED SALT. THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS REVEALS THE CONDITIONS OF THE WORLD AFTER THE SALT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.
II. THE PURPOSE OF SALT
AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, SALT HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF USES. IT GIVES FLAVOR TO FOOD THAT IT DID NOT OTHERWISE HAVE. GOD WANTS US TO GIVE A FLAVOR TO THIS WORLD THAT IT DOES NOT POSSESS. HOWEVER, SALT CAN BE BITTER WHEN USED INAPPROPRIATELY. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE BITTER AND OVER SALTY.
THE TEXT TEACHES THAT SALT THAT LOOSES ITS EFFECTIVENESS IS GOOD FOR NOTHING.
A CHRISTIAN IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THAT HAS LOST HIS/HER EFFECTIVENESS IS GOOD FOR NOTHING. AND WHEN GOD DECREES THAT YOU ARE GOOD FOR NOTHING, HE SOMETIMES CALLS YOU FROM LIFE TO REWARD. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU STRIVE TO WALK WORTHY OF THE VOCATION WHEREWITH YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED (EPH. 4:1).
2 COR. 5:17 TEACHES THAT IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST HE IS A NEW CREATURE. IF YOU ARE A NEW CREATURE, YOU ENDEAVOR TO MAKE LIFE MORE FLAVORABLE FOR OTHERS. BUT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH IS NOT A SALTY SAINT, THEY ARE SALT SUBSTITUTES. THEY LOOK LIKE SALT BUT DON’T ACT LIKE SALT. THEY SING AND SHOUT LIKE THEY HAVE SALT, BUT THEY ARE NOT SALT. THEY DON’T FLAVOR THE LIVES OF OTHERS, THEY FRUSTRATES THE LIVES OF OTHERS. BUT IF THE HOLY GHOST HAS WROUGHT A CHANGE IN YOUR HEART YOU OUGHT TO TESTIFY THAT YOU ARE A SALTY SAINT. BEING A SALTY SAINT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU WALK AROUND WITH YOUR JAWS PUFFED UP.
III. CONCLUSION
IF YOU ARE A SALTY SAINT, YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THREE THINGS. FIRST, YOU MUST BE WILLING TO BE USED OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. GEN. 12:1 TEACHES THAT ABRAHAM WAS COMMANDED TO LEAVE HIS LAND AND HIS KINDRED. AS LONG AS SALT STAYS IN THE SHAKER OR ITS CONTAINER IT IS OF NO USE, BUT ONCE IT IS SHAKEN GREAT RESULTS ARE PRODUCED. MANY NATIONS WERE BLESSED AS THE RESULT OF ABRAHAM LEAVING HIS COMFORT ZONE.
SECOND, WE MUST BE PREPARED TO MEET THE ICY CONDITIONS OF THIS WORLD. 1 JOHN 5:19 TEACHES, “AND WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, AND THE WHOLE WORLD LIETH IN WICKEDNESS”. WE MUST MELT HATE, ENVY, STIFE, CONTENTION, JEALOUSY, AND LUST.
THIRD, WE MUST BE PREPARED TO SERVE AND HAVE AN IMPACT ON OTHERS. JESUS SAID IN LUKE 4:18 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS ON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM FREEDOM FOR THE PRISONERS AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT FOR THE BLIND, TO RELEASE THE OPPRESSED”. WE ALL CAN’T PREACH, BUT WE CAN TEACH OTHERS ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD!
AS SALT WE MUST LOVE THOSE THAT DON’T LOVE US; PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DESPITEFULLY USE US; BE STEDFAST AND UNMOVEABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD.
SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF YOU ARE A SALTY SAINT YOU DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM IN TELLING ME THAT JESUS IS AN ANCHOR OF ASSURANCE; A FOUNTAIN OF FORGIVENESS; A ROCK OF REFUGE; A GUARANTEE OF GRACE; THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION; A GATEWAY TO GLORY. WE NEED TO TELL MEN THAT JESUS IS A REMEDY FOR THE RUINED; A CURE FOR THE CURSED; A HEALER FOR THE HURTING; HE HAS A PLAN FOR THE PITIFUL; SIGHT FOR THE BLIND; A WILL FOR THE WRETCHED; A PARDON FOR THE POLLUTED; RELIEF FOR THE REPULSIVE; AND SALVATION FOR THE SINFUL.
