Salt n Light Commentary

Matthew 5:13 ““You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

BE AN INFLUENCER

How do you move someone into action?

There is always people pursing us to buy something or do something.

I remember at your age I was influenced into playing the game of tennis.

When I met my wife I had to influence her to marry me.

This word has been a big Social Media word.

How do we get people to be influenced and engage to a certain page.

When it comes to Influence here is the question!

Galen Anderson QUOTE:

Would you rather be a tumbleweed or an oaktree in your influence on others?

That’s the question posed by Galen Anderson, who wrote, "A man’s life is like either the tumbleweed or the oak tree. Some people just grow like the weed. They are of no value in their youth, and as the years of life come they break loose and become a blotch on society. They have no useful purpose in life -- just drifters. Their loved ones will mourn their loss, but society will not miss them.

Then there are those whose lives are like the oak. They have turned from the frivolity of this life and have invested in things that have genuine worth. Their influence for good will live on in the lives of others after they are gone. Their death is noticed because their lives were spent bettering the nation and the community. They will be missed.

The next question is what do you want to influence others to become or to do?

Matthew 5:13 ““You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

Jesus is speaking on the Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on Kingdom living, Talking to His disciples in Galilea

Jesus desscribes in the Beatitudes Kingdom Followers of Him.

Matthew 5:3–10 ““Blessed are the poor in spirit,

Matthew 5:3–10 (NKJV)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

Blessed are those who mourn,

Blessed are the meek,

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

Blessed are the merciful,

Blessed are the pure in heart,

Blessed are the peacemakers,

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

Now with these metafores

He shows what these Kingdom builders do.

They are like Salt and They are like Light.

I love how Jesus always taught with these amazing illustrations to get His point across.

Jesus would say feed my sheep not feed my girafs:)

Jesus is saying you are the salt and you are the light.

How would you describe the world and country you live in.

By Jesus saying you are the salt of the earth He is saying that the world is dark and decaying so we need you to step up and be the salt.

Salt was used in ancient times for helping meat not get rotten.

There was no refrigerators or freezors,

We know when meat isn’t refrigeratedor perserved by salt it starts to decay and stink really bad.

STORY: I remember I made the mistake by taken rotten meat out of the refrigerator and throwing it in the trash, it just made everything in that trash smell really bad. My wife makes sure that there is no food on counters no meat in sink sterilizes s the counters and the floors. I usually fall short in this area.

So when we read this verse think of that smell.

Matthew 5:13 ““You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

What does it mean practically to be Salt

We disenfect just like the meat. Salt was also to get rid of bacteria, it cleaned people and babies.

What do people do when salt is put in the wound

2. We Add Flavor to enrich the flavor,

3. We Create Thirst - The salt gives us a thirst for hydration, we need hydration to stay alive.

This world is spiritually dehydraded

Your life can create a thirst by just living a full flavorful life for Jesus. that they get thirsty for Truth.

Are we making the world thirsty?

Jesus is saying the world is dark and very corrupt.

WRITE DOWN: The darker the night the brighter the light.

but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?

Salt was very valuable back then and people got paid by salt.

Salt can be un salty, and loose its saltiness.

Find QUOTE: 1874: The Land and the book by Dr. William Thompson.

He said salt imported from Cypress the salt on the ground over years spoiled and later sent into te streets to be trampled on.

When Jesus gives this warning He is not talking about loosing your salvation …..He is talking about loosing your influence your impact.

WRITE THIS DOWN: If you are influenced by your culture you will no longer be an influence to your culture. ….

.Because you will just blend in

We should not blend in instead we should stand out

the biggest work of our enemy is to make us just like the world.

We as Christians want to be like the popular person in the worlds eyes.

PAUL SAYS: Do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

The Many Uses of Salt

Most people probably think of salt as simply a white granular food seasoning.

In fact, only 6% of all salt manufactured goes into food.

Apparently, we use salt in more than 14,000 different ways from the making of products as varied as plastic, paper, glass, polyester, rubber and fertilizers to household bleach, soaps, detergents and dyes.

Everyone uses salt, directly or indirectly.

Jesus is saying in what seems to be a very simple way, yet has just as many ways to live it out as the 14,000 different ways that salt is used.

He is basically saying: you must be salty.

And only you can know what that looks like for you: 

maybe you need to step up how you stand up for what you know to be right.

Maybe it means that the words you speak need to be filled with things that you know Jesus would want you to say.

And it doesn’t have to be ‘preachy’ but just think about what it would sound like to speak words of love, kindness, mercy, grace, and forgiveness into the hurt and rudeness of this world.

Closing:

Do you ever hear people say the world is a MESS?

Next time you here someone say the world is a MESS, think of Message and Messenger.

All this means is that we need a messenger with a Message in this Mess.

Are you ready to be Gods messenger to add that flavor to this decaying world?

Jesus is saying:  Be salty.  But by HIS definition of the word.

Before you leave, each of you are going to get a salt packet (or salt shaker) and here is your challenge:

Write how you will be ‘salty’ for Christ and this world and put it somewhere where you can see it to remind yourself to be salty.

SALT SHAKERS: We brought everyone a little Salt Container with this verse in there. Put this in your room and everyday look at it and remind yourself how are you going to influence others to knowing more about JESUS.