Salt & Light

How would someone describe you? If I were to say that a football player is a beast, what does that mean? He is someone who is talented but also very determined to work hard and not to be stopped. If someone were to be called a work horse, a person who works hard. A book worm, someone who is always in a book. A social butterfly someone who likes to be around people. Now let’s say you were not that, but I called you that. It would not make sense. Descriptions have meaning. Yet many of us are not living up to how Jesus described us. As Christians we are described as salt and light. Yet many times we are not either.

Here we are in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has transitioned from the Beatitudes, which are the characteristics that should describe a Christian’s character. And it is with those characteristics in mind, does Jesus call us salt and light. Both salt and light are two things that are positive descriptors. Salt and light have to do with the environment outside of them. So us being salt and light should have an effect on the area aorund us The Beatitudes are the inward character of the believer while the salt and light is the outward goal and comission of the believer. And since Jesus calls us salt and light, we must live as salt and light. Are you living as salt and light?

What does it mean to be salt and light?

Salt

Salt is a preservative

Preserves food by drawing water which does not allow bacteria to spoil the food

A Christian should slow corruption around them. A Christian should be reaching out and praying for people to be saved, and for Christians to live for God.

How does one lose their saltiness

Luke 14:33–34 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?”

Not taking up your cross and following God

Mark 9:50 “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.”

Not living at peace with one another can cause a Christian to be unsalted. He says this because the disciples were engaging in disputes.

So if we don’t take up our cross

Not living according to what God commands will hurt one having salt.

Are you salty? Do you try to reach people? Or are you too busy disputing with people and doing your own way? If that is you, you need to repent.

Light

We are the light because this world is in darkness because of sin

If you were to drive by someone’s house during the day, can you tell if their lights are on…not really. How about at night? Yes! Since there is little light, the light coming from the house is brighter. It is also why you cannot see stars at night in a city, because of the lights in it, cause light pollution so you cannot see the stars, go to a house on a country road… you can see the stars.

Good works that glorify the father, will show Him to a dark world held captive by sin. It will show that God is love, and show people His love.

Yet many times we are scared to tell someone about the Lord, or serve Him. When we do that, we are hiding our light under a bushel.

Are you living as salt and light?