Salt and Light Living

June 9, 2019                             NOTES NOT EDITED

Salt and Light Living

Matthew 5:13-20

SIS--Real believers make a real difference in the world to the glory of God.

Jesus entrusted His followers with the most important message there ever was or could ever be—the message of eternal life.  Whatever it takes, we must get this message out.  Sometimes, it may take a little creativity, but we must get the message out.

If you know what a “Wine Brick” is, then you probably lived during Prohibition (1920 to 1933).  During Prohibition it was against the law to make or drink alcohol, including wine.  Bootleggers were a clever bunch and figured out a way to get they product in the hands of consumers.  It was against the Law to ferment grapes and make wine.  It wasn’t against the law to press grapes in the form of a brick.  So, bootleggers would make “Wine Bricks,” and on the package had a very strict message:  “Do NOT let this brick sit in a gallon of water for 21 days.  It will ferment and become wine which is against the law.” 

Bootleggers were clever in how they got their “message” out.  As the Lord’s disciples, we need to be just as clever and just as bold as bootleggers in getting the message of salvation to lost people. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus illustrates with three different examples, how He expects His disciples to get the gospel message to the lost world.  Let's begin with OUR TEXT as we learn what Jesus said about pouring out our salt, shining our light, and spreading the seeds of truth (Lk. 5:13-20):

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.  ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp  and puts it under a basket,  but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.  ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine  before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. ¹⁷ “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  ¹⁸ For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter  or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Jesus uses three word pictures to define what it means to be His fully devoted follower and have a meaningful, positive influence on society: shaking out salt, shining light, and spreading truth.  First Jesus said that His true disciples:

1. Pass the salt (v 13)    "You are the salt of the earth."

Jesus used one of the most powerful images He could have used to show the value and power of the Christian -- salt.  Many of us today would be more impressed if Jesus had said, "You are the GOLD of the earth," but in Jesus day, salt was the real gold.

Water and salt are essential for maintaining extra cellular and intracellular concentrations of salt to activate cells in all plant and animal life. The body may endure periods of lack of food, but without salt and water, living cells would quickly perish from dehydration. (Internet).  In many developing cities the problem was not a source of fresh water, but a source of salt.  As the Romans conquered lands, they would concentrate military power around salt reserves.  Some of the most important trade routes in the ancient Roman world were called, "via salaria," the "salt highways."  Our English word, "salary," derives from the word "salarium," or salt, in Latin because Roman soldiers would be paid in salt, according to some scholars.

The outcome of wars were often determined by who had the most salt. During the American Revolutionary War the British tried to cut off the salt supply of the rebels destroy their ability to preserve food.  Throughout history, salt as much as bullets, determined military victories.

So, when Jesus said to His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth" they immediately knew the Lord has said something extremely important.  Salt exemplifies the tremendous influence of Christianity in at least four important ways.

(1)  Salt PRESERVES.  Ancient societies did not have refrigeration.  As communities grew, enough food could not be gathered on a daily basis to sustain the growing families, tribes or cities.  They had to store up for the lean times.  Meat quickly spoils once it is harvested.  Salt allowed societies to store up meat in times of plenty to sustain them in times of famine. In this regard, salt equaled life.

Jesus said that as His disciples we are "the salt of the earth."  Christianity has a preserving affect upon society.  As rotten as our society has become, could you imagine how rotten it would be if there were no Christian influence?  Just look at Sodom and Gomorrah.  Or Cold War Russia, or the Pol Pot regime of Cambodia, or -- name any society that has rejected Christ and it is a society that has sunk into the deepest pit of darkness and immorality you can imagine.  As believers we must be a preserving influence on society as we live as examples of the goodness of God in Christ.

(2) Salt HEALS.  Anybody who has ever had a cut and had the wound come into contact with salt (through sweat or otherwise) knows that it "stings." In fact, one expression that means to take advantage of someone in a bad situation and make it worse is to say, "you are pouring salt into a wound."  Yet, salt has tremendous healing properties.  Salt is an extremely effective antiseptic.  Over 2400 years ago, the Greek physician, Hippocrates, encouraged his pupils and fellow doctors to immerse patients in salt water.  Even today doctors will tell you to "gargle with salt-water" when you have a sore throat.  Salt has healing, soothing, restoring qualities.

Christianity, like salt, has a healing quality.  We are called as followers of Christ to bring about healing and comfort to our communities.  The hospital as we know it today began in the monasteries during the Middle Ages as St. Bernard of Clairvaux and others took seriously the call to be "the salt of the earth," and a healing influence on society.

(3)  Salt FLAVORS  For most of us when we say, "pass the salt" it is not to preserve our meat, or heal our diseases, it is to ADD FLAVOR TO OUR FOOD. Without salt (and I can tell you from experience as someone on a salt restricted diet) stuff just doesn't taste as good.  Remember that around the world the staple food for many people is plain breads or rice -- every meal for every day all throughout life.  Salt makes something as mundane as "meal" more flavorful.

As disciples we are called to add "flavor" to life.  This is my favorite part of being "the salt of the earth." Sports are Big Business.  Sporting events like Major League Baseball or the NFL,  and other such recreational activities add "flavor and pizzazz" to life.  But, I want to tell you that every Sunday is a Super Bowl Sunday for a believer.  Nothing adds more flavor and pizzazz to life than plugging into the Holy Spirit power of God through Jesus Christ.  The church should be the most exciting place anybody ever attends and disciples should be the most "flavorful and colorful" people on the planet.  This leads to my final application:

(4)  Salt creates THIRST 

All of us have experienced the thirst that comes after we eat something salty like peanuts or potato chips.  The more salt we take into our bodies, the thirstier we get.  Salt creates thirst.  As the "salt of the earth" we should create a thirst for Almighty God.  As we pour ourselves out into loving, sacrificial service to others in the name of Jesus Christ, we will have to knock down walls to accommodate all the people that will be getting saved.  When Christians take seriously the call to be "the salt of the earth" we create a thirst in people that can only be quenched by getting saved.

Jesus said, "Real disciples are the salt of the earth."  Salt preserves.  Salt heals.  Salt flavors.  Salt creates thirst.  Then He said, "You are the LIGHT of the world."

LIGHT is another "powerful" element that demonstrates the kind of influence Jesus expects His followers to have on the world.  Without “light,” life is literally impossible.  Light carries the energy of the sun to earth to make life possible.  Now get this very clear in your heads.  Jesus said,  "You are the light of the world," not "light bulbs in a box."  Jesus intends for us to "shine" in at least four ways in order to influence our world for good.

(1) We are to shine CONSPICUOUSLY,  vv 14-15 again,

14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.   15 No one lights a lamp  and puts it under a basket,  but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.   16 In the same way, let your light shine  before men,

Take careful note of the wording of how Jesus expects us to shine:  on a hill, on a lampstand, before men.  We are to shine, "conspicuously"--upfront, in people's faces (in a pleasant sense).

When some people get saved, they think they've joined the "CIA" as secret agents.  God has no secret agents.  God expects us to be upfront and out in the open with our Christianity.  It's dangerous if we try to hide our light under the basket of fear or pride.  The basket may catch fire!  God intends for believers to "shine" conspicuously.  If nobody knows you are a Christian where you work -- you are hiding your light and need to change right now--TODAY!  

If other students at school do not know you are madly in love with Jesus Christ and He is your Lord and Savior -- you're not shining your light conspicuously and need to get started today.  Jesus had some pretty harsh words for people that want to be in the "Secret Service."  Jesus said,

Matt 10  32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.   33 But whoever denies Me before men,  I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.

You don't want to be standing at the door of eternity hoping that Jesus will introduce you to the Heavenly Father, and have Jesus deny that He ever knew you.  Whatever fears you have about sharing your faith, I think the fear of having Jesus deny He knows you ought to put the fear of speaking out of your mind.

(2)  We are to shine INDESCRIMINATELY 

Look at the end of v15: "It gives light for all who are in the house."

Let me say, there is never a bad time to shine the light of Christ in this dark old world.  There is never a bad time to give "good news" and the greatest news anyone can ever hear is the "good news that Christ died for their sins."  Here's a good rule of thumb when you think you might have an opportunity to share a word of truth with somebody--however insignificant it may seem to you--DO IT!  Do it all the time to anyone.  Shine your light indiscriminately. When you turn on a light in your room is there anywhere in that room the light says, "I'm not going?"  No, when we light up a room it fills every corner.

 (3)  We are to shine NATURALLY

There is a very important little word in verse 16 that reminds us to shine naturally.  "let YOUR light shine before men."

You are not called to be "me" -- and let me tell you that you don't want to be me.  Somedays (many days) I don't even want to be me!  God called us to be our selves -- especially when we witness to others.  Some people can witness better with a hammer in their hand than a Bible.  Some people use many words, some use few.  Some people are more animated, some are more subdued.  Some people get to the matter quickly, others need a "bush to beat around."

Don't worry about "how" to shine your light--do it like Frank Sinatra.

And now the end is near // and I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear // I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full // I've travelled each and ev'ry highway
And more, much more than this //I did it my way.

Friend, God made you unique and individually gifted, shine your light naturally, through the personality God has given you.

(4)  We should shine our light SACRIFICIALLY

As my friend Richard Nixon once said, "I want to make one thing perfectly clear."  Well, he did make something clear, but it wasn't what he intended.  I do want to make something perfectly clear:  Salt and Light Living as a fully devoted follower of Christ is going to cost you something -- in fact everything.  Two things I'm pretty convinced of in life:  1)  There's no such thing as "pain-free" dentistry; and 2) there is no such thing as pain-free discipleship.  Salvation is "free," but not "pain free."

Think about the kind of light Jesus was referring to.  It was an oil lamp (a kerosene-type lamp).  A bowl would be filled with oil and a wick of cloth material attached to a spout.  The wick was lit and the lamp would burn the oil -- until the oil was all burnt up.  It is like a CANDLE that melts the longer it is giving light.  My desire when I leave this earth is that there would be nothing left of me but Jesus.

As you shine your life for Christ, you will be used up in service to God.  It will cost you  “EVERYTHING” (Lk. 14:33). Whatever oil represents in this text, it is something you lose as you burn for Christ.  It may represent your time.  It may represent your talents.  It may represent your treasures.  It may represent your job.  It may represent your family.  The oil of the lamp may represent a thousand things, but it most certainly represents sacrifice.  It costs something to shine as a light of Christ in this dark world.  Think of a candle -- the longer it gives light, the shorter it gets.

As the "light of the world" we are to shine conspicuously, indiscriminately, naturally, and sacrificially.

As fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ we are expected to pass the salt and shine the light.  Jesus did not stop there.  He said,

3.  Spread the TRUTH (17-20)

¹⁷“Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  ¹⁸For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.  ¹⁹Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches _⌊these commandments_⌋ will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Being “salt and light” is all about spreading the truth.  It is not about offering our assumptions or declaring the dull dogma of dead orthodoxy.  “Salt and Light Living” is about spreading the Truth.

We can do all the "salting and lighting that a good-deed-doing man or woman can do" and still miss the point of what it means to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ--it means, "spreading the truth."

(1) First, we spread the “truth,” not assumptions.  Verse 17 tells us the message is not about our opinions or assumptions.  This verse begins with a negative command in the Greek, "mē nomisēte"="don't assume."  The words, mē nomisēte, prohibit basing your beliefs upon what was customary to believe, or politically correct, rather than what was firmly established by fact.  The Bible, the gospel, is fact.

For example, many people believed for many years that the world was flat -- the belief was nearly universal.  Yet, the world was not flat, had never been flat, and could not be flattened no matter how many people believed it to be flat.  The world just stayed, "round."

(2) Second, we are to spread truth, not dead dogma.  A message can be “true” but without love and life, it will be ineffective.  “People do not care what you know until they know that you care.”  This is why we are commanded to “Speak the truth WITH LOVE” (Eph. 4:15).  Paul condemns people who have “Scripture knowledge,” but not “spiritual relationship.”  2Tim. 3:5 says many people,

 [hold] to the form of godliness but denying its power.  Avoid these people!

It is quite possible, and even somewhat common, for people to have deep Biblical knowledge but a shallow or non-existent relationship with Jesus Christ.  These people will be saltless and lightless and ineffective in spreading the Truth.

There is a lot of "bad salt and faulty light" coming from religious circles today because churches have lost the "seed of truth."  All the good works in the world will be for naught, if the church does not "spread the seed of truth."  Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the lonely, healing the sick or a thousand other good deeds are only band-aids on gangrenous flesh if there is not seed of truth sown at the same time.

Jesus referred to the Pharisees, experts in Scripture knowledge and extremely religious in their living.  But, there was no saltiness in their  salt and no light in their lamps.  It is not enough to simply "do good deeds," we must do them for the right reasons -- or all is for naught in regard to eternal value.  Even the Pharisees were full of "good deeds," along with pretty bad hearts. Good salt and light living requires spreading the seed of God's truth along with our salt and light.

Jesus puts our Salt in Light Living into the proper context in verse 16:

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and giveGLORY TO YOUR FATHER.

As fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ our number one passion as we live out our lives here on earth is to bring glory to God, our Heavenly Father.  That's why we pass the salt.  That's why we shine the light.  That's why we spread the seed of truth in our world.  It's all about God!

Jesus wants His followers to have a dynamic, eternity changing influence on the world around as we pass our salt, shine our light, and spread the seed of truth.

Become a Salt and Light Christian today.