(To download an mp3 file of this sermon, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown above.)
Written Excerpts:
Matthew 5:13-16
Introduction:
A couple of Sundays ago I spoke to you about the wise man and the foolish man described at the end of Matthew 7. When Jesus gave this analogy, He stated that the wise man was like the one who hears and practices the sayings of Jesus, while the foolish man was like the one who hears Jesus’ sayings, but does not practice them.
When Jesus used the phrase, “these sayings of mine,” He was probably talking about the Sermon on the Mount that He was just finishing. So we have started a series of messages to take a closer look at the Sermon on the Mount and learn what Jesus was referring to when he said we must hear and practice His sayings in order to have a rock solid foundation.
We certainly do not want our lives to come crashing down when we face the storms of life, so let’s purpose to hear and follow the teachings of Jesus.
Last week we looked at the verses that are normally called the Beatitudes. I trust that each of us understands that in order to prepare a firm foundation for life, we must avoid the normal worldly way of looking at life and life’s circumstances and see them as God does. This will require a complete reshaping of our attitudes and outlook.
We can either have attitudes and a frame of mind like Christ, or we can have the attitudes of the world. With His descriptions of blessedness, Jesus shows us that we must not only view life differently than the rest of the world does, but we must live life differently as well.
Today we are going to move on to the next section in chapter five to discuss Jesus’ teaching about being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. As we think about His message, we want to remember that we must not only hear what He says, but we must practice what He says if we are going to have the kind of foundation that will hold up in the storms of life.
Proposition: In these verses of Scripture I find Two Profound Metaphors along with Two Potential Perils but One Prominent Outcome.
Transition: Let us take the next several minutes to examine these words of Jesus to gain insight and motivation for action.
I. Two Profound Metaphors
A. You are the salt of the earth.
Most Bible commentators define at least two characteristics of salt that are relevant to this metaphor Jesus implies.
1. Salt is a preserving agent.
In a literal sense, salt was used a lot before the days of refrigeration to keep meat and other foods from spoiling and help preserve them for future use.
Salt, in a figurative sense, should have a preserving effect on society against moral and spiritual decay and corruption.
2. Salt is a seasoning agent.
Not only was salt used to preserve food from decaying and spoiling, but salt is used to season or flavor food. Seasoning makes many foods more pleasing and palatable.
In that same way, Christians should be representing Jesus Christ and the Gospel in such a way to make people hungry to know Him.
(JFB) "Salt operates internally." In other words, salt cannot do its work and accomplish any good unless it gets mixed into the meat/food it is expected to change. This implies that, in one sense of the word, salt must “lose its identity” in order to effectively accomplish its intended purpose. It must get out of the “salt-shaker” and into the decaying carcass in order to accomplish its preserving and seasoning action. As long as it remains inside the salt-shaker it will have no impact on the food it was intended to preserve and season.
At the same time, it must “retain its identity” in the sense that it must continue to possess the qualities of saltiness. It must be different from the carcass in order to change it.
B. You are the light of the world.
(JFB) "Light operates externally. " The opposite of what we said about salt. While salt must get mixed into the object it is to affect, light stands apart from the darkness.
Light dispels darkness.
Light exposes what is hidden or secret.
Light reveals or illuminates what is real and true.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
Here it seems that He implies we are to be luminaries in the dark world, just the same as He would be if He were here today.
II. Two Potential Perils
A. If salt loses its savor…
(JFB) "The meaning is: If that Christianity on which the health of the world depends, does in any age, region, or individual, exist only in name, or if it contain not those saving elements for want of which the world languishes… "
“Wherewith shall it be salted?” – How shall the salting qualities be restored? (JFB)
If salt loses its ability to flavor or preserve, then it has essentially acquired the qualities of its surroundings and has no changing effect. It has no purpose or no use.
B. If light is hidden…
Although Jesus doesn’t present this point as a hypothetical possibility like He did when He said, “If salt loses its savor," yet the point seems to be the same.
A city that is on a hill, in a prominent place or position, cannot be hidden. People from miles around will be able to see the lights of that city and see the skyline of its buildings. It will be noticeable. He also declares, “You don’t take a light and place it under a basket or a bowl, but you put it up on a lamp stand to give light to everyone in the house.”
However, the implication is that IF someone would put the light under a basket, then the result would be unthinkable or undesirable – there will be no light for those in the house.
III. One Prominent Outcome
Glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus declares that when people purpose to let their lights shine in the dark world, it will result in them doing good works that others will be able to see. When they see these good works, they will glorify our Father in heaven.
The point here I think we need to realize is that when we obey and practice these words of Jesus, it is not for our own benefit or recognition. It is for the glory of God.
An appropriate question one might ask himself would be, “Have my actions caused any others to glorify and honor God?”
Conclusion:
In closing I would like to raise some questions that I think each one of us should be asking ourselves.
Have any of my actions had any impact to slow or reverse the process of moral and spiritual decay in our society?
Have any of my actions had any impact to flavor or season my world and create a desire to know Christ?
Have any of my actions effectively penetrated the darkness and brought the light of truth to those around me?
Finally, I want to bring us back to the original connection with the parable of the wise man and the foolish man. Jesus said if we hear and obey his sayings, then we will be like the man who built his house on a rock solid foundation and was able to withstand the severe storm.
I truly believe there is nothing else that can have the same stabilizing effect on our own spiritual welfare like getting involved and standing up to make a difference in our world. There is nothing else that challenges us to grow more godly and more spiritual than attempting to have a positive influence on others. The more that we get involved in penetrating our darkened world with the light of truth and the salt of righteousness, the stronger we will become in our own spiritual lives.
If we don’t who will?
I want to conclude our service with a song that should be the prayer of our hearts. The title of the song is, "I Do Not Ask to Choose My Path." It may be better known by "make me a blessing today." Let this be our prayer as we sing it together.
