YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH INTRODUCTION: Tonight we look at Jesus statement about salt 1.

Matthew 5:13- 13 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. 2. This must have amazed the people who heard it for they were not among the worlds powerful or elite, or in any way in a position to think of themselves as able to impact the world 3. However, Jesus knew something about both the world and them that is not always readily apparent C. Tonight, then we will concentrate on this idea of being the salt of the earth DISCUSSION: A. THE STATEMENT REVEALS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORLD 1. We are tempted to begin immediately talking about the people and the fact that Jesus said they are the salt of the earth a. First, we must understand that whatever the statement means, we must first understand the clear implication about the world b. We must understand what Jesus knew about the world before we can understand about salt 2. Jesus clearly implies that the world is full of decay, full of things that lead to illness and death a. The world has something called sin which is loose and on a rampage b. The tendency of the world is toward that which is evil and bad c. The world is corrupt and offensive, it is polluted, decaying and dying 3. Note a few verses that give us the biblical concept of the world a. Psalm 14:1-3 - 1 The fool says in his heart,
[a]

There is no God. They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
2

b. Jeremiah 17:9 -

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

c. Genesis 6:5-6 - 5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race
had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 TheLORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

4. If you understand the implication about the world in Jesus statement, his intention for us as salt becomes clear a. Salt works because it is fundamentally different from that to which it is applied b. Just as the beatitudes taught us, we are to be different from the world c. Only when we are different, can we really have the effect that Jesus had in mind B. THE STATEMENT REVEALS SOMETHING ABOUT GODS PEOPLE 1. To understand what Jesus reveals about Gods people, now we must understand some things about salt a. Salt is a preservative rubbed into meat, for example, it prevents the meat from decaying, and keeps it good to eat 1) Note that salt doesnt make something good 2) Salt can only keep something from becoming bad b. Salt is an antiseptic dissolved in a glass of water, it helps kill the germs that cause a sore throat 1) You dont gargle with salt-water to stay healthy 2) You gargle to kill the germs c. Salt is a seasoning agent sprinkled on bland food, it helps to enhance the flavor

1) Salt by itself doesnt taste so good 2) Salt applied to food makes it better 2. When we make the application of this image of salt to the people to whom Jesus spoke, it becomes clearer what Jesus wanted his disciples to do a. We are to function as a preservative in the world 1) This applies specifically to the tendency of the world toward the rottenness of sin 2) We do this by being different from the world in which we live 3) I think you see this effect when a godly man or woman makes his or her presence known to the world 4) Often, the fact that a godly person is present, stops the trend toward sin and worse sin b. We are to function as an antiseptic in the world 1) Again, this applies specifically to sin in the world 2) We do this by living faithfully to God 3) I think you see this effect when our involvement in life not only stops the trend toward sin, but turns the trend back toward God 4) We do this when we have opportunity to help set the pace and the agenda by which the world lives c. We are to be a seasoning agent in the world 1) This applies to the fact that without God, life becomes dull and bland and causes people to seek the ever-elusive thrill 2) Without God, man is on a never ending quest for meaning and satisfaction 3) You see the salt-effect in the changed lives, values, meaning and purpose in Gods people 4) We do this by helping people see there is an alternative to the constant downward spiral of despair 3. Consider what these verses say about the Christian and the world a. Ephesians 5:1-4

b. John 17:15-18 c. Philippians 4:4-8 d. Philippians 4:11-12 e. Romans 12:1-2 f. 1 John 2:15-17 C. WHAT IF SALT LOSES ITS SALTINESS 1. Essentially, the question is: a. What happens when salt is no longer different from that to which it is applied? b. What happens when salt no longer functions as salt? 2. We know something has happened to the salt if the saltiness is lost a. Basically, about the only way this can happen is for the salt to become mixed with another element to the extent that it is made ineffective b. This happens when the people who are to be different from the world become just like the world c. It that happens, we can no longer preserve, purify or season the world because we will have the same need of salt as they do 3. Such salt is useless to both God and man CONCLUSION: A. We are called to change the world in which we live 1. We do it by being different from that which is normally found in the world 2. We do it by practicing the life of God in the midst of a sinful world B. Here is where we need to begin making some real examination of ourselves 1. Is there a clear distinction between your life and that of the people who live around you and ? 2. Are you indifferent to the condition of the world and to your responsibility to affect your part of the world for good?

C. Matthew 5:13