A Pinch of Salt

Introduction

As many of you know, I serve as a fire service chaplain and in that capacity I minister in a secular environment. I Authored a book some years ago in which I attempted to explain both the need and the mission of chaplaincy. Truth be told, its really not any different than what all Christians are called to.

Its often said that Chaplaincy is a “Ministry of Presence.” And that is exactly the mission of every follower of Jesus Christ.

The Sermon on the Mount is the first and longest section in Matthew’s Gospel, in which the author attempts to bring together a synopsis of Jesus’ teaching.

In this setting you see, Jesus is surrounded by his disciples and he begins to lay out their mission.

Its important to point out that they didn’t have books or paper and pen in the 1st century as they were not even invented until the middle of the 15th century so needless to say, no one was taking notes.

In fact the Gospels were all written based on the memory of the witnesses.

And that you see is what made Jesus’ teaching so amazing and unique as compared to the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Jesus always spoke in the vernacular and used illustrations that were familiar to his hearers.

He often presented Parables and sometime the meaning of those lessons were somewhat hidden until they were pondered and discussed, and then the revelation of those stories unfolded into profound truths.

Other times He would use word pictures that as they were reflected upon, more and more understanding was revealed.

This methodology not only helped to explain His message, it helped His hearers to retain what was taught.

That you see is why expository preaching is so important to us today, because as language and culture changes, the historical context and familiarity with the examples looses its significance and while the basic message is simple enough the richness of the content originally taught comes alive through the study of the expositor.

One such word picture is found here in Matthew 5:13

Its right after the description of the heart of a believer in what has come to be know as the Beatitudes. Here Jesus lays out in a simple statement on what we are to be until His return.

He simply says in verse 13 “You are the Salt of the Earth”

Historical Background

The salt in Jesus’ day was different from the pure sodium chloride that we mine today. Their salt you see came from the Salt Sea. You and I know it as the Dead Sea.

If you can picture a map of Israel in you mind, to the west is the Mediterranean Sea, to the far East is the Sea of Galilee. The River Jordan runs south from the Sea of Galilee into the Salt or Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea is 423 meters below sea level making it the lowest point on earth. So while the River Jordan runs into the Dead Sea, nothing runs out of it. Its high in mineral content. Its about 35% salt which is 10 times more concentration than other salt water bodies. So its not conducive to any form of life.

Along the banks you can see these large mounds of what appears to be salt, but after being exposed to the winds, the waves, and the weather the sodium chloride leaches out and what remains behind looks like salt, but it no longer has the characteristics of salt. Its basically worthless.

Thats why the Lord goes on to say in Matthew 5:13

Matthew 5:13 ESV

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

Salt was harvested by dumping the water from the Dead Sea into pits and allowing it to evaporate.

It was extremely valuable to the people of Jesus’ day because of all its uses and they would have clearly grasped the word picture.

In fact it was so valuable the Roman soldiers were often paid with salt, which is where we get our saying “Is he worth his salt” In fact the word “Salary” actually comes from the a word that means “Salt Money.”

The Characteristics of Salt

Now there are a number of characteristics of salt that I would like use to point out the depth of our Lord’s illustration as he sums up our role in the world.

Of course the most common characteristic of salt is that it makes things taste better. The disciples would have been very cognizant of this.

In fact if we look back in the book of Leviticus 2:12-13

Leviticus 2:12–13 ESV

As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the Lord, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

You wouldn’t think of inviting an honored guest to dinner without seasoning the food you serve. Well the Lord doesn’t want it served that way either.

We see here also something called “the Salt of the Covenant.” Salt was , and still is some cultures, given as a sign of keeping a promise.

Its interesting to me that before Jesus ascended He made a couple of promises.

He promised he would never leave us or forsake us.

He promised to prepare a place for us.

And he promise to return and to judge the world

And He left behind, a gift of Salt.

You are that gift.

Its through your relationship with those around you, you see, that flavor is added to their lives.

Salt doesn’t only enhance flavor of the things that taste good, it improves the flavor of things that don’t taste good.

“I don’t like cooked peas. I actually gag when I eat cooked peas. I’m no even fond of people who like cooked peas. But on the rare occasion that I have had to eat cooked peas, I just smother the peas in salt. I still have trouble getting past the consistency of peas, but with enough salt I can tolerate it.”

We can not remove suffering and hardship. But our presence can make those times more tolerable for those going through them.

Another characteristic of salt is that it makes us thirsty.

You know, to the vast majority of the people in the world, this is just a bunch of words in a book. They don’t understand why they’re different than the words in any other book.

Why on earth would we expect that those people would accept that these words are life changing, if they don’t first see in us a changed life.

That’s what the salt of the Earth is suppose to do. Its to create that thirst in others.

It’s why Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:15

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

“To always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you”

I became interested in Christianity because of a couple that lived their life out before me in such a profound way that I just wanted to know what made them so different. They were for me, the salt of the earth.

Another characteristic of salt is that it not only makes us thirsty but it actually gives us the ability to retain water

Some of you might remember this, Before they realized that it can mess up your electrolytes, they would pass out salt tablets to employees that worked in very hot environments to keep the hydrated.

Maybe some of you know some one who has been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure where there heart has trouble pumping and fluid begins to back up in their lungs or perhaps you know some one who suffers from swelling where the water in the body pools in their extremities.

They are often prescribed a medication called Lasix. Lasix is often referred to as a “water pill” Its interesting that Lasix has no effect on water. Its effect is on salt.

The medication works on the loop of Henley inside the the kidney and it causes the kidneys to spend off the salt in your body.

And that reduces the fluid because its a scientific fact that “where salt goes, water follows.”

Its interesting how Jesus’ metaphors build on one another. If we look at John 4:13-14

John 4:13–14 ESV

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

See, we provide the salt, and He provides the water.

Its through our lives and good works that he provided for us to do, that we create the thirst and His spirit provides the living water.

Pastor Mike Preaches twice every Sunday, he teaches every Wednesday and if he has a funeral or special event he might get in a few more sermons in a week, but you life preaches everyday. Paul tells us that we are to be living epistles, living letters

Because you are the salt of the earth.

And what is discipleship all about? Once that living water is taken in it takes the body of Christ to come along side them and nurture them so that water is retained.

Salt also acts as a preservative

It was the only real food preservative that the people of the first century had available to them.

Folks, This should be a great encouragement to us.

We too often become discouraged because of the state of our world. Its disappointing to be sure to watch a nation so blessed turn form the precepts and principles of God to the degree that we are seeing today.

But do you think it was any different in Corinth, in Ephesus, in Rome?

And with all of the attempts to wipe out Christianity, the Church still stands!

The puritans used make a point of reminding their congregations that the Armor of God was never meant for fighting, God will do the fighting. The Armor of God was meant for standing. He fights our battles, we just hold our ground.

Look at Matthew 5:45 (ESV)

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

We will aways be a preservative in the world and it will never get as bad as it would if the elect were removed!

Remember what God told Abraham? for the sake of 10 righteous people He would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah .

10 people, whats that here at Shelby, two families?

The Church WILL always have an affect on the world as long as we are the Salt of the Earth.

Salt not only acts as a preservative, it also has a healing effect.

Thats why we are told to gargle with salt water when we have a sore throat.

But lets always remember the example of pouring salt into a wound.

It can hurt like the dickens when you do it.

And thats something we should always remember

Lets look at Galatians 6:1

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.”

When we come along side one another and we correct and restore with gentleness, that when we’re acting as the salt of the earth.

We also need to remember that we can unknowingly offend someone who is in sin simply with our presence. When we speak of the cross offending, its not the Christian being abrasive.

The world’s hatred is sometimes a sign that we are being faithful to Scripture, provided the world detests us due to the message we preach, not because we are obnoxious. If we meet no worldly opposition, it may mean we are not being true to the offense of the cross.

Thats why in the words that precede this metaphor we read:

Matthew 5:11–12 ESV

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

FOR YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH

We can rejoice when suffering for Christ because it means we are having a healing effect.

How can it have this healing effect? by reflecting Christ!

The Sa - LAR day uni in South America is the Worlds Largest Salt Flat and The Worlds Largest Natural Mirror

WHEN IT RAINS IT REFLECTS BACK THE SKY ....... Nasa uses it to position satellites.

There is another propriety of Salt that I don’t think the people of Isreal new much about. But here in Michigan we certainly do.

Salt you see, melts ice. It can take a cold heart, and thaw it to warmth.

If that were not true, you and I would have never had the opportunity to become friends.

You see there is

No case so hard,

No heart so cold

No sin so great

That it can not be overcome by the power of Him who is at work within us.

I’ll close with the words of Paul

Colossians 4:5–6 ESV

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.