Intro: (Start with Blank)
A lady was getting on a bus for her early morning commute. She had her small baby in her arms. She walks up the steps and the bus driver looked at the baby and said – mam – that is the UGLIGIEST baby I have ever seen. It made her mad. She slowly walked to the back of the bus and the more she sat there the angrier she became. She told someone about rude bus driver. She told this person, I think I am going to go up there and give him a piece of my mind. The person sitting next to her said, if you want to go up there I will hold your monkey.
Dr. Evan Kane was the chief surgeon of Kane Summit Hospital in New York City. He had practiced his specialty for 37 years. Over the course of time he came to question the wisdom of using general anesthesia for every surgery. He believed people would recover quicker if they only had local anesthesia. However, no matter how convinced Dr. Kane was about his theory, he had one problem. No one wanted to go under his knife while they were awake. Everyone he talked to had the same fear. They didn’t want to feel the pain of the scalpel while they were awake during the surgery.
After much searching, Kane finally found a willing subject. It helped that it was a relatively common procedure. According to Dr. Kane’s own records, during his practice he had performed around 4,000 appendectomies, so the procedure was almost second nature to him. The patient was prepped and brought into the operating room. The local anesthesia was carefully administered. As he had always done, he cut into the right side of the abdomen and entered the body cavity. He tied off the blood vessels, found the appendix, removed it, and finished by sewing the incision back up. To his own credit, he proved himself right. Throughout the surgery the patient felt very little discomfort. In fact, he was up and around the next afternoon, which was remarkable since this was back in 1921. Back then when people had appendectomies they were kept in the hospital from 6 to 8 days. It was a milestone in the world of medicine. However what made it particularly noteworthy was that the patient and the doctor were the same person. Dr. Kane operated on himself. (Charles Swindoll, Veritas, Vol 2, No. 1; January, 2002)
Discussion:
Could I ask you to do something this morning? If we were going to make a list of ways to change the world – who would it start with? Maybe the world is too big – what about our country – who would it, start with? Ok, I understand – maybe changing the United States of America is a pretty lofty goal. What about our state? Do we start with the governor? He has power, influence, authority – yeah that would be alright. What about just changing our town. If we were going to make a difference in our town – who would we start with? You might say – “Let’s start with Jesus” – while that’s a good VBS/Church Camp answer – What if Jesus wanted to use someone to change this town? What if Jesus wanted to use this church to change our town?
If you have your Bible with you this morning turn to (advance) Matthew 5:13-16 (Read)
Four short verses – Jesus tells the people on the hill, and specifically the disciples – He tells them. (advance)
I. You Are Salt (13)
In the Old Testament God commanded that sacrificial offerings in Israel were to be given with salt. (advance)
Leviticus 2:13 – Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
In 2nd Chronicles 13:5 – God made a covenant of salt with David.
a. You are important
I believe generation after generation of young people are going through life believing they are unimportant, unneeded, & unwanted. Some how when we get to be adults – those feelings for some people don’t change. Jesus says that you are important to him.
b. You are of High Value
Jesus doesn’t compare us to Salt – he says – You are salt. Salt was highly valued, and is still valuable. They weren’t able to go to the local Wal-mart and by the big bag of salt. During a period of ancient Greek history it was called Theon which means divine. The Romans held that, except for the sun, nothing was more valuable than salt. Often Roman soldiers were paid in salt, and it was from that practice that the expression “Not worth his salt” originated.
c. You are Pure
i. We must be pure in our motives
1. Our actions
2. Our Hopes
3. Our Desires
Jesus Christ is calling his followers to be pure. Jesus mentioned something about the pure in heart – in verse 8 – he says (advance)
Matthew 5:8 – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
I have this big pickle jar filled with water. I want you to see the impact that a Christian can have on the world. Pretend of just a second that the water in this jar is the world, I am going to drop something in it that will affect the world. (Drop red food coloring into the water). In Christ we are important – In Christ we are of High Value – and only through Christ are we pure.
d. The purpose of Salt
i. Flavor food.
I went to the school last week to eat lunch with a few of the young people. The memories of my lunch room in Hydro, Ok. Came back to my head. It was amazing. They served fries and one of the kids ate a few fries with his salt. And that’s what it seemed like too. He looked at me and smiled – “I like my salt.” Maybe there are a few this morning who eat a little food with their salt.
The purpose of salt is to favor the food, not for the food to flavor the salt. A little salt does me just fine. As salt flavors food – we must:
ii. Flavor the World
If we truly have something to get excited about – let’s get excited. If we have been saved from our sins, and redeemed – let’s let our faces show what God has done. The world looks at us and sees a bunch of boring Christians – they won’t be impressed. Just like an ad on the TV – we demonstrate to the world what being a Christian is all about. (advance)
iii. The world looks at us….what do they see? (advance)
1. How we handle conflict
a. Do we become overwhelmed?
b. Do we trust?
c. Do we do anything at all?
d. Do we argue? (advance)
2. How we handle victory
a. Are we bad winners?
b. Are we good sports? (advance)
3. How we handle our money
a. Do we spend every dime we have?
b. Do we trust God to provide for our needs?
c. Do we give to God?
d. Are we making our payments? (advance)
4. How we handle ourselves when no one is watching
a. If someone looked at the history on your internet browser would you have to justify your actions?
b. If they saw the shows you watch on TV – would you get embarrassed?
Interesting questions – you might think that this has nothing to do with salt – oh, church does it ever. Jesus asks a question in verse 13 – let me read it for you. (advance)
But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (advance)
e. We lose our saltiness (advance)
i. When we compromise (advance)
ii. When we don’t stand up for our beliefs (advance)
iii. When we fail to share Jesus (advance)
iv. When we see someone who is hurting and we look the other way
I don’t know about you – but I don’t want to lose my saltiness. I want to be able to stand up in the world, and make an impact on the world. (advance) “We are to change the world we live in.” Imagine dying tomorrow and having your funeral about Wednesday. Everyone says nice things about you at your funeral – but the truth is – you didn’t change the world you lived in. How sad it would be for you to just die a nice person. That’s a troubling thought. It’s especially troubling for a Christian.
Jesus says one more thing. He said we were Salt of the earth. But here in verse 14 he says: (advance)
II. You are Light (14-16)
I know Jesus understood the darkness we live in. Paul describes our battle in terms of war – he tells us in Ephesians that our battle is not against flesh and blood. This battle that you are in – is because of something spiritual.
a. One small candle will impact the darkness.
i. One person standing up
ii. One person inviting another to church
iii. One person being dedicated – completely dedicated
I heard a story of a young boy at the beach. He was standing next to a pile of starfish. One by one he threw them back into the ocean. Someone came along and asked him what he was doing. They talked about it. The person told him he would never make a difference – the pile was just too big. The young boy picked up another starfish and threw it back – and looked up and said – “It made a difference to that one.”
b. The purpose of light
i. Is to Shine
You don’t light a candle or turn on a lamp and then put it under a bowl. – You let it shine. The other night at camp we were walking to camp fire – the flash light was really handy. I used it so that I could see the path to take and to make sure others also could see the way. I didn’t turn on the flash light to put my hand over it. If I had put my hand over the light, the light would become worthless. (advance)
c. We hide our light by (advance)
i. Being quiet when we should speak (advance)
ii. Going along with the crowd (advance)
iii. Denying the truth (advance)
iv. Letting sin dim our witness for Christ (advance)
v. Not explaining the truth to others (advance)
vi. Ignoring the needs of others.
I have to warn you though – if you commit to letting you light shine – the world doesn’t embrace the light. We get excited about Christ, we have our lights ready to shine, thinking that the world is going to instantly embrace --
d. The world sees the light as intrusive
i. Darkness in the Bible is used to describe the world.
ii. Jesus is described as the light of the world.
iii. The Devil doesn’t like the light – He will do anything to keep your light from shining.
1. He will remind you of your past
2. He will remind you of your sin
3. He will bring forth in your mind your failures, your struggles, the times you fail and fall short.
The devil is excellent at being a liar. His victories are always in the past, the victories of Jesus are in the present, and are in the future. The devil will try and talk you into putting your light under a bowl – “It’s just a little sin.” And he says – “Your sin won’t affect others – go ahead.” And so it’s at that moment you make a choice – Will I let my light shine…or will I listen to the lies of the Devil. “We are to change the world we live in.”
If you let your light shine
e. Everyone shares – Jesus says – “It gives light to everyone in the house”
i. So they can get themselves out of the darkness
ii. So they can share in the joy of having the light.
iii. You put the light on a lamp stand – so that everyone can see
f. Everyone sees
i. Your deeds – not just your deeds but your “good deeds”
You might respond and think – If everyone sees my good deeds I will receive the praise. You might think the praise should go to you – but that shouldn’t be the motivation. You don’t do good deeds so that everyone can praise you.
g. The correct direction of praise
i. Is not you –
ii. The light doesn’t shine so people can praise you
1. Doesn’t mean they won’t try – but that shouldn’t be your motivation.
iii. The light shines on you so that people can praise your heavenly father.
1. He deserves the honor and the glory and the praise
a. He alone is worthy
b. He alone is able
Conclusion:
Earlier I asked about changing the town for Christ. I asked the question if Jesus were going to use someone to change the schools, the work places in our community, our homes – who would he use? Jesus never asked that question – He simply told his 12 disciples and the crowds on the hillside that they were salt, and light. The answer is you and me, and the many others devoted to Christ. Jesus is the solution to the sin problem, but how will people know unless you tell them? How will they hear unless they are spoken to? How will they know God cares, unless we lovingly lift them up. Jude tells us to offer mercy to those who doubt. We understand from the witness of Christ that he touched and healed and spent his time and cared for anyone who would listen. The best witness a person in the world can see, is you. Living and participating and enjoying your life in Jesus Christ, and not just watching your life – but you telling them the reason for your joy. It’s about being salt in a world that needs flavor. It’s about being light in a world of darkness, a world without hope. (advance)
Is this speaking to you? Are you being light in a dark world? Are you being salt? Are you a witness for Jesus Christ in your homes and schools and at work? The only way this town is going to change, the only way our country will change the only way our world will change – is when we change. When we actively, and passionately seek his face.
Perhaps you having been the light that you could be. Perhaps in your world, in your home, in your work situation you haven’t been salt. I encourage you in the name of Jesus to come this morning – step out in faith and make a commitment. Make a commitment to lean on him, and his knowledge and his will and his desires for your life. If you have a commitment to make please come as we stand and sing.
