SALT AND LIGHT
Matthew 5:13-16

Introduction:      (Illus: A Peanuts cartoon, showed Peppermint Patty talking to Charlie Brown. She said, "Guess what, Chuck. The first day of school, and I got sent to the principal's office. It was your fault, Chuck." He said, "My fault? How could it be my fault? Why do you say everything is my fault?" She said, "You're my friend, aren't you, Chuck? You should have been a better influence on me.") While Peppermint Patty was seeking to pass the buck, she was in a very real sense right. We should be a good influence on our friends. We certainly do have an influence, for good or for bad. In fact, a lot of people are watching us. (Illus: a minister making a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine was pounding away and noticed that a little boy was watching him. "Well, son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?" "No," he replied. "I'm just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.")

People are watching you! What do they see? What they see has an influence on them. Jesus told us that we would have an influence in this world (Read Text). To what degree do you see this happening in our culture? What disturbs me is that so many of us Christians are no different than the world. (Illus: G. Campbell Morgan, the famous former minister of Westminster Chapel in London , told about a conversation he had after he finished preaching one evening). It was inconceivable to Morgan that two men could be truly saved and work side-by-side for 5 years and not be aware of their kinship as brothers in Christ. George Barna's research has shown that the average Christian in the average evangelical church is almost indistinguishable from the rest of society. A Christian’s life should show a fundamental moral and ethical difference that Christ makes in how we live. When our teens, supposedly saved, get pregnant and do drugs at the same rate as the general teenage population - when our marriages end in divorce at the same rate as the rest of society - when we cheat in business, or lie, steal, and cheat on our spouses at the same statistical level as those who say they are not Christians - something is wrong. Perhaps that is the reason why our influence has not been felt in a way that points people to Jesus. Does your life make a difference? What kind of difference do you make? Jesus is clear that we are to make a difference. Let's look at the explicit implications of what Jesus is saying and apply them to where we live.

I.          A PRESERVING INFLUENCE

In our contemporary society, we may miss the real value of salt. Many ancient societies understood the value of salt far better than we. The Romans believed, for instance, that there was nothing as valuable as salt, except for the sun. Many Roman soldiers received their pay in salt. Some have said that it was from this practice that the phrase "not worth his salt" originated. Those listening to Jesus as He preached would have understood salt of the earth to be a valuable commodity indeed. They may not have understood the fullness of what He meant, but they would have understood clearly that to be the salt of the earth was to be something very special and valuable.

            A.        Something Special And Valuable

There have been many theories offered as to the exact meaning Jesus intended to associate with this symbol. Some have said since

·         Salt is white it represents purity. And Christians certainly ought to be pure. Others have said that since

·         Salt adds flavor, Christians should add flavor to the world. Certainly Christians should not be boring, as so many of them are. Still others have said that since

·         Salt stings in a wound, Christians should prick the conscience of the world and be an irritant to ungodly behavior. Again, some have said that since

·         Salt creates thirst. Christians should create a thirst for God in those who do not know Him. While all these ideas have merit, I believe that the primary idea Jesus intended to communicate was that Christians,

·         Like salt, are to be a preserving influence on society. You see, the issue was the saltiness of salt. When salt losses its saltiness, or its potency, it is good for nothing anymore.

Christians are to be a preserving influence to retard moral and spiritual spoilage in the world. In the book of Revelation, we see that when Christians are taken out of the world, all Hell literally breaks loose. The presence of Christians serves to retard and restrain evil. Like salt had a preserving effect on meat, so Christians have a preserving effect in this world and this brings:

            B.         Brings Revival And Renewal

When Christians get right with God and begin to express their Christianity through their lifestyle, society cannot help but be changed. Contrary to popular opinion, the world is not evolving into a higher moral level. While we have certainly made many technological advances we are still beset by the same moral decay that has characterized humanity since the Fall of Adam and Eve. Yet God has brought revival and renewal to humankind in order to preserve this world until He comes. He will continue to do so until the Day of Christ. He desires to bring it to you so that you can be the salt of the earth.

·         What difference do you make?

·         Have you lost your saltiness?

II.         A VISIBLE INFLUENCE

Salt is a hidden but powerful influence. Light is a visible and revealing influence. Jesus tells us that we are not only to be the salt of the earth but also the light of the world. We are called to make a visible impact on the world around us. How do we do that? Well, Jesus said that we needed to make the light visible to as many as possible by refusing to allow it to be hidden and positioning it so it shines on everyone around.

            A.        Revealed In Our Walk

There are some who claim that a person's religion is to be a personal thing. It is a personal thing in that each person must make a personal decision whether they are going to believe in Jesus. But this is not generally what those making this statement mean. But Jesus teaches that a person's faith is to be openly shared and lived before the watching world. It is to shine forth for all to see, not so we can proclaim how good a person we are, but so that others can know there is a God who loves them and will act on their behalf. We are to influence others for God. (Illus: President Woodrow Wilson told the story of one such encounter. He said: "I was in a very common place, sitting in a barber chair, when I became aware that a powerful personality had entered the room. A man had come quietly in to have his hair cut and sat in the chair next to me. Every word the man uttered showed a personal interest in the man who was serving him. And before I got through with what was being done to me, I was aware that I had attended an evangelistic service, because Mr. D. L. Moody was in that chair. I purposely lingered in the room after he had left and noted the singular effect that his visit had brought upon the barber shop. They talked in undertones. They didn't know his name but they knew something had elevated their thoughts, and I felt that I left that place as I should have left a place of worship.")

Our lives should be lives that reflect something more than the world has, because we have more than they have, we have Jesus. He has saved us, forgiven us, changed our hearts, given us hope, put His love in us, given us joy, set our feet on the rock which cannot be shaken. If He does not make a difference in your life, then you either need to be saved or you need to repent of sin and allow Him to rekindle the fire of your first love.

            B.         Revealed In Our Work

Jesus said that we are to let our lights shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. We must determine to be deliberately evangelistic through good deeds and acts of kindness. When people see that we are people who care because we are people who know Him, they will see more clearly. The light will shine on them. (Illus: A young boy about nine years old went with his parents to Europe one summer. Upon their return, he was asked by his Sunday School teacher what about the great churches of Europe he liked the most. He thought for a moment and said, "I loved the sense of awesomeness and the hugeness of who God must be." His Sunday School teacher then asked what was his definition of a saint. As his mind went back to those massive beautiful stained glass windows, he said, "A saint is a person the light shines through.")

Conclusion:       Is the light of Christ shining through you? Are you allowing His light to be made visible in your life? Or has the light gone out? Has the passion for God become religious ritual and routine? Don't hide the light - hold it high. We were not created to be secret disciples or to have quiet discussions on religious topics. We were created be firebrands for God - torches which are held high to burn for Him. Does your life make a difference? It should. Jesus said we are to be salt and light. Does your life make a difference? It can. If you surrender to Christ. Does your life make a difference? If you live for Him, it will!