You are the salt of the world.
Almighty
God, You know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we
cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all
dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, Your Son,
our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever.
Amen.[1]
Jesus warns
us. “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and
Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). The
Lord Jesus came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets. “But to fulfill
them.” (Matthew 5:17)
Since Jesus
does and teaches all of God’s commandments. He alone is “called great in the
kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19).
Jesus
teaches His disciples that they are to be the salt of the earth. You. And you
alone. You. And none other. You are salt. You are light. This is what you were
meant to be. You give light in the midst of darkness. You can’t help but do
otherwise. You are in Christ.
The word “salary”
comes from the word salt. The Romans would pay their soldiers not in gold but
in salt. A faithful worker was literally “worth his salt.”
Christ says
of you. “You are the salt of the world.” That is. A preservative in this
corrupt and sinful world. God preserves the world. So that Christians may
serve Him here. Christ is the true light. Which enlightens
everyone. (John 1:9), Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun.
Christians reflect the light of the Son of God. Into a world dark with sin.
Wickedness. Ignorance. And unbelief. Your highest form of service
is being a light in this world. Bringing the light of the Gospel of salvation.
Into a sin-darkened world.
You are the
salt of the world.
Salt changes
nearly everything it touches. Think such as food and ice. You are called to be
thermostats. Not thermometers in this world. By yourself. You can do
nothing. But as an instrument. You can be used of God in this world. You
are the instrument that the Father can use to implement change in a wicked
world. When believers touch and influence this world there will be change. You
need not be like the world to win the world. You win the world. When you
present to them Christ.
Salt creates
a thirst for water to those exposed to it. As salt. The Christian has a
wonderful opportunity to promote a thirst for Jesus in this world. You point
men to Jesus. You share with them Christ. The water of life. As a follower of
Jesus. There needs to be a thirst for God in the world around us.
Salt kills
some things. Slugs and salt do not mix. Pour salt on a slug. And it will die.
Salt poured on a lawn. Will kill the grass.
Abimelech
took a city and sowed the city with salt to prevent the ground from being used
to grow crops. He killed the fields with salt. (Judges 9:45)
When Christ
is sown into the lives, homes, and communities of the world some things will
die. Christ is poison to sin. When Christ enters a life. The old nature of sin
is drowned and killed. And a new man comes forth to live before God in
righteousness and purity forever. As St. Paul teaches, “The old
has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:71
Salt brings
out the best. Salt blends. And adds flavor to food. The Christian flavor the
world around him. All that we do. We do to the glory of God. Only let your
manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and
see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one
spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
Philippians 1:27
Salt has a
remarkable cleaning ability. The prophet Elisha cleansed the waters at Jericho
with salt.
The people
of the city said to Elisha, “this town is well situated, as you can see, but
the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” “Bring me a new bowl,” he said,
“and put salt in it.” So, they brought it to him. Then he went out to the
spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have
healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land
unproductive.’” And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the
word Elisha had spoken. -2 Kings 2: 19-22
Often,
newborns were washed in salt. To cleanse their bodies. And give firmness
to the skin. (Ezekiel 16:4) Salt in a wound can cleanse it. Christians have a
purifying effect on the world around them. You are a purifying force in the
world around you.
Every meat
offering in the Old Testament was to be made with salt. “You shall season
all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant
with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you
shall offer salt.” Leviticus 2:13. Likewise, you offer your life as an
offering to the Lord.
You are
worth you salt.
Salt penetrates and infiltrates whatever it touches. It is an aggressive substance. You are an active force in this world. A militant army charging the gates of Hell. “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” - Matthew 16:18
Salt wards
off rot and decay. Rubbed into meat. - To preserve it. The prayers of “salty”
Christians preserve our nation. Community. And neighborhood.
The prayers
of the righteous are effective. Continue to intercede for those around you.
Continue. Continue in what you have been ordered to do. You are salt. You are
light. Reflect the Gospel of Christ in your life. You are worth your salt.
Words
– 1,050
Flesch
Reading Ease – 86.5%
Passive
sentences -6.4%
Flesch
– Kincaid Grade Level – 3.1
No comments:
Post a Comment