Salt and Light 1

Salt and Light

Week 1: Sermon on the Mount

Bible: Matthew 5:1-12, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:14-16

Bottom Line: Jesus has called you to be the salt and light of your school.

Teach

Before class, swing by the closest fast food restaurant and pick up a few orders of UNSALTED French fries, and by the time you start teaching the lesson, they should be nice and cold and stale! LOL

Have you ever been in the mood for some fresh, hot French fries from McDonalds? What about those awesome waffle fries from Chick Fil A? Of all the restaurants, who do you think makes the best French fries?

Allow a few minutes for discussion.

Nothing goes better with an old fashioned, greasy cheeseburger than fresh, hot French fries, amen? Unless . . . those fries are cold, stale or bland, then YUK! Unsalted fries taste so plain and boring and once they get cold, you might as well throw them bad boys in the trash.

But hey, I’ve got a surprise for you all tonight - FRENCH FRIES!

Pass out a few cold, unsalted fries to each student and watch their response.

Did y’all enjoy those fries? Why or why not?

Not only were they cold and stale but they had no salt on them, which made them flavorless. Salt is a very important ingredient that seasons our food and makes it taste so much better.

This is week one in our study on salt and light, and for the next four weeks we will learn why Jesus said that we are supposed to be like salt and light in the earth, giving flavor and hope to everyone around us.

Let’s look at our first scripture.

Matthew 5:1-12

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them. He said:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus was teaching the people an important life lesson. He was telling them about all the blessings they would receive if they would just live for Him. These blessings are known as the Beatitudes (which mean supreme blessedness).

He continues His teaching in verses thirteen through sixteen.

Matthew 5:13-16

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

SALT

Salt, by definition, is a white crystalline substance that gives seawater its characteristic taste and is used for seasoning or preserving food. Humans also have salt in our bodies.

The human body contains many salts, of which sodium chloride (NaCl) is the major one, making up around 0.4 percent of the body's weight. So a person that weighs around 140 lbs. would contain around 200g of sodium chloride - around 40 teaspoons. Since we lose salt whenever we sweat or use the bathroom, it has to be continually replaced.

Salt, or sodium, plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy body, according to healthyeating.sfgate.com. For example:

Sodium is dissolved in the blood and plays a key role in maintaining blood pressure. Sodium attracts and holds water, so the sodium in the blood helps maintain the liquid portion of the blood.Both muscles and nerves require electrical currents to function properly. Muscle and nerve cells generate these electrical currents by controlling the flow of electrically charged molecules, including sodium.The kidneys are responsible for controlling sodium concentrations and retain sodium when your levels are low and excrete sodium in the urine when levels are high.

Salt maintains balance; it helps our blood flow properly. It helps the electrical currents in our muscles and nerves to operate as they should, and it helps to maintain a good blood pressure. Salt is also a preservative (a protective agent that makes things last longer).

If we look at it this way, we are to the earth (and the people around us) what salt is to our natural bodies. A maintenance component or a protective agent. Christians help keep this world balanced, and we protect those around us from the devil and even the wrath of God through prayer. Christians are pretty powerful when we live according to God’s plan.

LIGHT

And God said, “Let there be light!”

During the time of creation, the Bible says in Genesis 1:2-3 that the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Light is the opposite of darkness and it is the ONLY thing that conquers or defeats the dark. When you walk into a room that is as black as midnight, the only way you will be able to see is by switching on the light switch. The darkness immediately disappears.

Look at this next scripture.

Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Jesus wants you to be a light in this dark world. He wants your lifestyle of love and commitment to Him to shine so bright that all your friends at school who are in darkness (this type of darkness is referring to sin) will see something different in you.

People will see the light of God’s love shining through you by the way you love others, the way you respond to trouble, and by the way you forgive those who hurt you.

Your lifestyle is to this world what a candle or a flashlight is to a dark space. Illumination. Light.