We Are The Church; Are You A Salty Saint

WE ARE THE CHURCH: "Are You a Salty Saint?"

Matthew 5:13

INTRODUCTION:

How valuable is salt? 40 million tons are required each year to fill our needs in the U.S.

?Homer called it divine

? Plato called it a "substance dear to the gods."

? Shakespeare mentioned salt 17 times in his plays

? Perhaps Leonard da Vinci wanted to send a message about purity lost when he painted "The last Supper." In that painting an overturned salt cellar is conspicuously placed before Judas.

?In ancient Greece a trade involving the exchange of salt for slaves gave rise to the expression, "not worth his salt."

? Roman soldiers were paid with salt known as "Solarium Argentums" this is where we get the English word "salary."

? Thousands of Napoleon's troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal--their bodies lacked salt.

?The human body contains about 4oz. of salt. Without enough of it, muscles won't contract, blood won't circulate, food won't digest and the heart won't beat a beat. Without a doubt, salt is the essence of life. And Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth."

Mark 12:37

"And the common people heard him gladly."

This was said by Jesus, and was a great compliment. It was said, partly, because He used illustrations, which help us understand.

Following the beatitudes, Jesus gives us a couple of illustrations to help us see how we should affect the world around us, these are called the Similitudes - if Christ is truly in you in the 8 ways decribed in vs. 1-12 you can and will be blessed

The Similitudes say. We are to be like salt that penetrates, and light that radiates.

We are to be separate and different from the world.

2 Cor. 6:17

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…

Separation is not isolation [like a monk], but rather insulation. Jesus said we are in the world, but not of it.

So, don’t be conformed to the world, but rather ‘confront’ the world. We do this by being salt and light.

This morning, I would like to zero in on the idea of our being called "salty Saints.” In this one verse, Jesus makes several statements that need to be considered and understood by every child of God this morning. Let's take the time to look at them together as we consider the thought "Are you a salty saint?."

*** STAND *** READ *** PRAY ***

?Did you know that salt is a miracle? It’s composed of 2 poisons: chloride and sodium. If you ingest either by itself, you’ll die. But put them together and you have common, ordinary salt, and that which used to bring death somehow comes together to bring life, and that’s a miracle!

?So it is w/ the Christian life, poisoned by sin, w/ death looming in the shadows, but it’s confronted by the grace of God in His death, and those 2 negatives merge to form a positive redemption and salvation! Thats Grace!

Salt in the Bible is said to be:

1.) A symbol of a binding covenant (Lev. 2:13)

2.) A healing and cleansing aid (2 Ki. 2:20-21)

3.) A stimulant to the appetite (Job 6:6)

4.) A preventive of decay (Luke 14:34-35)

5.) A promoter of peace (Mark 9:50)

6.) A stimulant to our testimony (Mt. 5:13)

7.) An evidence of grace Colossians 4:6 (NKJV)

6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

?“It took a miracle to put the stars in place / It took a miracle to hang the world in space. / But when He saved my soul / Cleansed and made me whole / It took a miracle of love and grace!”

So, what does Jesus mean by calling us salt in His illustration? ? We are called salt because of:

• 1.) Salt irritates. [in a wound]

And Christianity rubs many the wrong way, because it’s irritating to their wounds of sin. We shouldn’t purposefully try to be irritating, but also not surprised when it happens.( Example; ILL; drinking, sex, drugs, language)

• 2.) Salt seasons.

My good friend Al loves salt so much, that he may or may not decide to add some food under it sometimes when he’s eating! but my she is the opposite. It’s all what you get used to.

But we as Christians we ought to add zest and tang and some good flavor wherever they go. Your workplace should be better because you’re present (Ill Shawn H.) / You may be the only Christian in your house, but you should be having a positive effect. / Teachers, our public school needs some salt, and you can be the one! You may not be able to share Jesus but you can add some zest!