OUT OF THE SALT SHAKER & INTO THE WORLD/SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND

A Peanuts cartoon showed Peppermint Patty talking to Charlie Brown in which she said, "Guess what, Chuck? The first day of school, and I got sent to the principal’s office. It was your fault, Chuck."

Charlie Brown responds, "My fault? How could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?"

To which she declares, "You’re my friend, aren’t you, Chuck? Then you should have been a better influence on me."

What kind of influence do we have? Because all of us have an influence. When we are talking about influence we are talking the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways. Everyone here has influence. Everyone from the smallest child to the oldest amongst us. From the poorest of us to the richest of us. from the least educated of us to the most educated of us. We all have influence. From the day we are born and for many years after we are born we continue to influence others. Most of us in our lifetimes will influence 100’s, 1000’s of people.

Each one of us will influence others for good or bad. When Jesus tells the crowds that had gathered at the sermon on the mount that, “you are the salt of the earth” & “you are the light of the world” He is saying to them and to us that we have influence.

Matthew 5:13–16 NASB95

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Romans 14:7 (NASB95)

For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;

We all have influence!

By Jesus calling His followers salt and light he is saying that we/you are valuable, we/you are important, your life has purpose and meaning.

AS SALT YOU HAVE VALUE

In ancient times salt was often used as currency. “he is worth his salt”

SALT GIVES FLAVOR

Salt brings flavor to food & Job understands this Job 6:6-7

Job 6:6–7 NASB95

“Can something tasteless be eaten without salt, Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? “My soul refuses to touch them; They are like loathsome food to me.

Are we bringing Christian flavor to someones life?WE LOVE OTHERS

John 13:34–35 NASB95

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

WE SEASON OUR SPEECH WITH GRACE

Colossians 4:6 NASB95

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

WE DO GOOD DEEDS

Titus 2:7 NASB95

in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,

SALT MAKES YOU THIRSTY

Salt creates thirst. Have you ever heard the statement you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink it? That statement probably needs an amendment because you can feed him salt and that will make him thirsty. I remember during stock show time if we had an animal that was looking a little lean and gaunt we would put salt in his feed and that would make him drink more water and fill him out a little better.

The same can be true with us as followers of Christ. WE CAN CREATE A THIRST FOR THE WATER OF LIFE (Jesus) BY THE LIVES WE LIVE!

What in our lives is drawing people to Christ?

Be Content

Daryl how is that going to make people thirsty? This world is all bout the pursuit of more. There is never enough money, time, or energy. Most people these days think they need the latest and the greatest and they break their backs to keep up with the Jones’s. When we live a life of contentment in whatever circumstance we are in. That is very different from the world

Philippians 4:11–13 NASB95

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Be Joyous

Philippians 4:4 NASB95

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Christians have more reasons to rejoice than anyone else on this planet. We have been forgiven, we’ve been saved, we have all spiritual blessing, we have a home prepared in heaven for us, and we look forward to being in God’s presence for all eternity. That’s why it drives me mad when Christians act like a stick in the mud. When we walk around with grumpy faces. You don’t have to look very hard in the world to see that things are broken. Many today feel uneasy about the state of the economy, the direction of our nation, war all over the world. When the world see us even with all this stuff going on around us and we we can be joyous, we can smile and be happy and pair that with contentment. Wow, we can really have an influence on others.

Be Steadfast

1 Corinthians 15:58 NASB95

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Ephesians 4:14 NASB95

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Revelation 2:10 NASB95

‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

The #1 reason I hear why people don’t go to church is because we are all hypocrites. I know a lot of that time its just an excuse. Yes none of us are perfect. But what happens when we really live out the christian faith, faithfully? When we live it out when things are going wrong. When life is tough? In a world where everyone pretends to have it all together (Facebook version of our lives). What a difference we can make in the world if they see us being real and authentic but faithful.

SALT IS A PRESERVATIVE

In bible times they would rub salt on meat to preserve it. Let’s face it the world is decaying, putrefying, rotting, dying…

Christ and His Church (Christians) are the preserving power of the earth.

Sodom of Gomorrah (Gen. 18)… if there would have been as few as ten in the city it would have been preserved. Imagine someone going to the chamber of commerce or the city council of Sodom and Gomorrah and saying much of what you have accomplished is impressive but if you want these cities to see another day you better move in ten people like Abraham

As Christians we preserve and make the world better around us. Just by living out Christian love like we talked about Wed. night we preserve, make the world a better place to live.

SALT HAS A DISTINCTIVE QUALITY

I accidently got the slat and sugar mixed up one time

We need to be different

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, NASB95)

“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4, NASB95)

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, NASB95)

If salt had the same composition as meat, it could not preserve the meat. If we are like the world we loose our preserving ability. If we are the same as the world then why would anyone be thirsty for Christianity. If Christianity is seen as not useful or valuable then no-one will want to be a part of it.

Can people look at us and see that we are Christians – by what we do,the way we talk, the topics we discuss, the way we dress, the way we meet difficulties?

Wherever you go , wherever you are..BE SALT

If we have lost our flavor, our preserving power, our flavoring ability, our saltiness…the bible says we are no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” (Matthew 5:13, NASB95) we have lost our value

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Song: this little light of mine

We let our light shine by living the right kind of life. By having the right attitude as seen in the Beatitudes. By hearing Jesus Words and Living Jesus word. By teaching Gods Word.

Its real easy to look at the darkness of the world and get depressed, but think about this way, light has no purpose without darkness. The darker the world the more valuable the light that we shine is.

Philippians 2:14–16 NASB95

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

The blacker the darkness the more brilliant the light appears. (ex. Blue light of charger)

We are light because of our connection with the source of light

God and Jesus!

I think Christians are comparable to the moon as it reflects the light of the sun. Jesus has honored us with these words. To call us the light of the world!

City on a hill CANNOT be hidden

You cannot hide the light. We cannot simply blend in to the background and not influence the world around us and think that that’s OK. We can’t be silent with our voices or our lives.

We were made to change the world. To influence the world, to shine God’s light into the world!!!

DON’T HIDE YOUR LIGHT

it’s our job to influence the world

on a hill - seen from all sides

eventually you will extinguish the light (lack of oxygen)

Why would you light a lamp just cover it up

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN

Why? so that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.

HOW? Be involved in good works. Loving others, sharing, helping, make visits, cook meals, help the poor, shine your light.

HOW DO WE BECOME SALT & LIGHT

We live righteous lives (right living)

Scribes and Pharisees were not being a good influence. They laid weighty burdens on the people, they taught the precepts of men as doctrine, established their own righteousness (rom. 10). Rabbi’s counted 613 commandments (written and verbal) and they considered some more weightier than others

so they were not being the salt of the earth, they were not being the light of the world

Matthew 5:20 ““For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

What is righteous living (according to GOD)

living the beautitudes

Blessed = right w/God = approved of God

Psalm 1:1–3 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”

Deuteronomy 33:29 ““Blessed are you, O Israel; Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, Who is the shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! So your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread upon their high places.””

In order for the mission to be possible we must Be salt and Light. We must exert our influence in the world. We must be a positive driving force for good in the world. We need to be a shining reflection of Jesus and that only happens when we head over heals in love with Jesus. When we have fully given our lives to Him. When He His first in our lives.

May God help all of us to be the salt of the earth and light of the world.

Psalm 32:1 “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!”

POOR IN SPIRIT —> KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

lacking spiritually - not all figured out

I am in desperate need for God

MOURN —> COMFORTED

mourn sin - we fall short, I fail, I sin.

mourn evil in the world

comforted with forgiveness thru the blood and thru prayer for forgiveness

1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

GENTLE = HUMBLE - subject to the will of another *INHERIT THE EARTH

takes strength to subdue your self and subject yourself to the control of God

strength under control

HUNGER & THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS - SHALL BE SATISFIED

Matthew 6:33 ““But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

without food and water you become sick

spiritually without the water and bread of life you become sick

MERCIFUL - MERCY

gives or does something for another at no cost to the one who recieved it

Matthew 6:2 ““So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

Matthew 6:12 “‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

PURE IN HEART - THEY SHALL SEE GOD

Pure in heart = clean, holy. The heart in the Bible is often the mind, the thinking

apparatus. Doing the will of God must go deeper than actions. It has to be in the heart

(sincere, genuine) and not just for show. The Pharisees were called “white washed

walls” in Matthew 23:25,27. Jesus wants His children to be more than that. Hebrews

12:14 is another reference to this.

For they shall see God. See Hebrews 12:14 .”..the sanctification without which no one

will see the Lord.” In 1 John 3:2, being able to see God is going to be based on one’s

being pure. 1 Peter 1:14ff - “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” God calls us to be holy

and if we are going to stand in His presence we must be pure!

PEACE MAKERS - SONS OF GOD

Mt. 5:21-26. Relationships

Zealots???

takes effort

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Isaiah 9:6 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

John 14:27 ““Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - REWARD IS GREAT

1 Peter 2:20 “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.”