Salt~N~Light Witnessing
Pastor Glenn Newton July 7, 2002
"You are the salt of the earth. 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. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do
people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives
light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that
they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
(NIV) Matt 5:13-16
This week I heard someone ask this question about the church, it asked, “If your church
was removed tomorrow from your neighborhood, from the community, would anybody
notice?” I know you would notice, but what about the people in our community?
I thought about it, and realized that we would have some Parents who would
notice when they tried to drop off their kids at Next Generation and we were gone, that’s
an important need in our community that we as a church are trying to meet.
Then I asked myself, and I ask you this morning. “If you were removed from your
neighborhood, from the community, would anybody notice?” What would people miss the
most about you? What would they miss the least?
This week our Nation lost one of our best Baseball players of all time; Ted William’s was
said to be the best hitter of all time, and most people agree that he was. Ted William’s left
a mark because he could hit a little white ball with a stick better than anyone else, and he
also served his country in two wars, and he raised millions of dollars for children with
cancer. It was said of Ted William’s that he never stopped talking about hitting the
baseball, he had a passion for the game that was unmatched, and the current superstars
would love to just sit down and listen to what he had to say about baseball.
As I thought about the amount of Influence that Ted William’s had throughout baseball, I
thought wouldn’t it be great to have that kind of influence for Jesus Christ. I believe Jesus
Christ has called us to a life of being a witness, being an influence for the Kingdom.
Jesus gives us two examples. We are to be Salt & Light to our world. Salt and Light.
One is hardly seen. Yet too little of it you can taste the difference and too much of it can
ruin your food.
The other is visible it is needed during the night or when it is dark. Yet too much of it in
the morning well make you say, “Turn it off” yet too little of it can make you feel unsafe.
What is it? It is salt and light. One works as it comes into contact with the food and the
other one as turned on.
Jesus said you are the Salt and the light. Today I want to share with you an ancient
formula that can turn this world upside down.
First, Let’s talk about our Christian Influence, as being a Salty Witness.
"You are the salt of the earth.”
You know that Jesus was a master Teacher, he used illustrations that the people would be
able to relate too, and be able to understand. Salt was a very important element in Jesus
day, just as it is today. Do any of you use Salt?
In many societies it was so highly valued that it was used for money. The English word
salary is derived from the Latin word Salarium which refers to the payments made to a
Roman soldier with salt.
3. Herod’s temple had a chamber of salt for ceremonial use of salt. (Mish. Midodoth, v.3)
4. Whenever a city was defeated the custom was to throw salt through out the city. This
mean that the city had been separated from its past. Elisha used salt to purify the water of
Jericho (2 Kings 2:20)
5. The normal procedures when a child was born was to be rubbed with salt (Ez. 16:4)
Salt Makes A Difference.
B. The use of Salt
Salt was gathered in Palestine from along the seashore or inland lakes.
1. SALT MAKES YOU THIRSTY.
2. SEASONING: In Bible times and till today salt is used for seasoning our food. Who
likes to eat food without salt? Even though salt is so small and yet hardly noticeable it
makes a difference when applied to the substance.
b) In order for our lives to be a living sacrifice for God they must be preserved and
seasoned with righteousness of Christ.
3. Preservative: But it was also used to preserve food. They did not have the refrigeration
systems that we have today.
4. Friendship: Salt was seen as a covenant relationship “It is a covenant of salt forever
before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” (Numbers 18:19) So salt also
represented a relationship. “It represented hospitality that cemented on friendship” Arab
Saying “There is salt between us”
Jesus as He spoke and He preached this message, His people understood the importance
of Salt, and also knew it’s uses and how important it was in life.
Our Witness as Christians is even more important! Our Witness, like salt doesn’t always
have to be big and bold, but it should always add value, it should bring a quality that
people are attracted too.
Salty Christians, there mere presence lifts us up, because we know they will encourage us
just being around them. Do you know Christians like that? Are you one? Christ Living in
you, Reigning in your life will transform you into a salty Christian, one who adds flavor
wherever you go.
This last week I was called into one of the Tyson sites, because four men who had
been cleaning up a spill from one of the trucks witnessed a little boy being run over by a
car in Lamar. What do you say? What do you do?
Sometimes our Witness isn’t in what we say, it’s in just being there, being present.
I shared very little, but I let them know I was there, and I told them I would be there in the
weeks to follow if they needed to talk about what happened, and I wrote each one a note
of encouragement.
It is the influence that you have over other people’s lives to season, and preserve
for eternal life. Christ is saying let your influence season people’s life for the kingdom. Salt
changes things; a little salt can flavor a big pot of beans. It only takes a little salt to flavor
a whole community a whole neighborhood a whole workplace.
Friends, if the salt never gets poured out of the shaker, then it’s no good. Salt that
never leaves the shaker is just a decoration on the table. As Christians we are called to
season, to influence the people we come in contact with. We need to make it a conscious
decision to get involved with the unsaved.
How can you pour yourself out this coming week? Is your life making people
thirsty for Jesus? That’s one thing salt does, it will make you thirsty.
2. The Second idea that Jesus shares with us says; "You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the
same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Father in heaven.”
Salt is our Christian Witness
Light is our Christian Testimony.
Light is described as a form of energy it is always moving. “When light energy ceases to
move, because it has been absorbed by matter, it is no longer light” Light has been a
symbol of divine presence. Jesus said that He was the light of the world.
Who is the true source of light? “Then Jesus spoke to them again saying I am the light of
the world.” He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
(John 8:12) “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)
We know today that Jesus is the Light of the world, we are to reflect His Light in our
world. We are to share what Jesus has done for us to others, verbally.
Functions of Light
1. Expose darkness: Darkness is expelled as soon as you hit the lights. People are not
aware of the darkness they live in if they don’t see the light. “The people who were sitting
in darkness saw a great light.” (Matthew 4:16) The question is does my life help people
see more clearly?
2. Light serves a guide: Airport runways helps planes see their runway by the lights.
When we try to drive in the dark or land in the dark without lights it is dangerous. We are
guides to people who are in darkness.
3. Light is to be seen: There is no such thing as a secret Christian. We need to be a light
at all times. Light shines not so much that people may see the light as that they may see
other things because of the light. Our light shines not that people will be attracted to us
but to the light Jesus Christ.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand,
and it gives light to everyone in the house.
1. Palestinian homes were generally dark. Having one small window. They did not have
electricity and light bulbs like we have. Their light consisted of a lamp which was a bowl
filled with oil that had a wick. When they needed light the lamp was placed on a lamp
stand. The most difficult thing of having this light in the house was in lighting the lamp.
Remember they didn’t have matches or lighters.
2. As a result, no one wanted to let their light go out because It took to much work to get
the wick lid again. But when people went out of the house it was dangerous to leave the
light on so for safety reasons when they left their homes the lamp would be taken from its
lamp stand and placed under an earthen vessel where it could burn risk free. As soon as
someone returned they would put the lamp on the stand.
3. No one lights a light only to put it under a basket or earthen vessel we are to let our
light shine to the maximum.
ILL. The story is told of a man whose job was to be on the railroad tracks and warn with
his light the upcoming training of the bridge that had been damaged. That night as the train
came the man showed his lamp but the train went right into the ditch. The man was taken
to court because they wanted to know why the train did not pay attention to this man who
was to warn the train of the danger ahead. The man was asked, “Where you on duty on
the night that the train had the accident” the judge asked. The man replied, “Yes sir” the
judge once again asked did you have your lamp with you? The man replied, “Yes sir,” the
judge asked the last question did you wave your lamp to the train? The man replied, “Yes
sir” so the man was not held responsible. Later as the man went home he told his friend, “I
am glad that the judge did not ask me if my lamp was on”
I ask you this morning, Is your light on?
Remember, the light does not come from within you, you cannot generate your own light.
Your Light comes through Jesus Christ, you reflect His Light into the world. When
people are around you do they see the Light of Jesus in your life?
Has Jesus Saved you from your sins? If he has, then you have a testimony to share.
Has Jesus Made a Difference in your Life? If he has, then you have a testimony to share.
Has God answered prayer for you? If he has, you have a testimony to share.
Friends, we have a world of people right here in Clarksville who are on a train headed for
destruction, we have a Light in Jesus Christ that is bright enough to save them from
eternal destruction, the question is will we share the light, Is our Lamp on?
How can you Respond today?
1. Know that God’s Word is Truth.
2. Obey what the Holy Spirit has talked to you about today.
3. Move into to action this week, Be Salty, Be Light to your World.
Close with Prayer
