North Anderson Baptist Church
Matthew 5:13-16 NIV
Salt
First, what is salt? “Table salt or common salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl)... Salt is essential for life in general, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. Salt is one of the oldest and most ubiquitous food seasonings, and salting is an important method of food preservation.
Salt has been the best-known food preservative, especially for meat, for many thousands of years.” Wikipedia
Why would Jesus compare the Christian to salt? We have just heard that “Salt is essential for life in general…” Christians are so essential to humanity.
Your body needs sodium chloride to survive…” Just like the body needs salt, the world, mankind, is lying in ignorance and wickedness and really needing Christians who understand the grace and mercy of God to share with all who will hear because we have experienced it first hand.
“Jesus was explaining there is salt that is useful with great effectiveness, and there is salt that is useless and thrown away. And we as Christ’s disciples, need to be salt that is useful, that is effective and makes an impact and impression upon those around us.” What Did Jesus Mean When He Said…? When Salt Becomes Unsalty, By Dr. Gary R. Glanville, August 4, 2013
Our presence in the community can be a great blessing. The presence of Christ showing through the lives of believers is essential for this world. Jesus said to be “salt of the earth.” Once people were called the “salt of the earth,” which was a compliment to the behavior and beliefs of a man or a woman who was “a solid citizen and valuable to the community, a backbone kind of person, someone you could count on, respectful, useful, possessing great integrity and worth.” I wonder, are you like that now? “We are to be the salt of the earth, to make others thirst after the kingdom of heaven, so they are wanting more of the things of God.”
Salt, when rubbed on, is a preservative to meat; we who are “the salt of the earth” should become the preservative that will help stay the corruption and decay of this society and particularly to those right around us, loved ones and friends. “As a preservative, we become sort of a moral disinfectant. We help to keep things fresh and alive. We help to defeat corruption and poisonous decay. We add purity where behavior is questionable. And one of the things we can do as Christians to accomplish this is to retain the kingdom virtues, that is, hold on to what we know is true according to the Scripture, and cling to what is right. This is especially important when all about us we see the decline of morals, and values, and integrity. When we are challenged, we do the right thing when we stand on principles that are timeless. What Did Jesus Mean When He Said…? When Salt Becomes Unsalty, By Dr. Gary R. Glanville, August 4, 2013
Do most people do the right thing when challenged in life? Christians are called to respond differently than the world. If you are given too much change at the grocery store or Walmart, would you let them know and make sure that the cashier doesn’t get in trouble or do you think that you got a good deal and just walk away? That may be a small example but it will test you and your principles. Am I saying that there are those who aren’t Christians that have the same principles that we do? Yes there are, but we are to proclaim that we believe and follow Jesus and should exhibit those principles daily and declare that we will be different than the world.
I know a young lady who has loved and served and befriended special needs children and adults for years. She spent time with them, had parties for them, invited them to her parties and spent time with them on Special Olympic days. She has brought more joy and love to the hearts of many who would not have regularly had the care and love they deserved. She shared her life with her friends and even those she did not know personally.
“As Christians, we offer encouragement, hope, cheerfulness, kindness, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, patience, love, going the extra mile, giving a helping hand and so much more. And just like salt adds flavor, it enhances with seasoning whatever it touches, we as believers bring flavor to life. We sprinkle life with the seasoning of Christ’s presence radiating in us and through us by the Holy Spirit.”
Can salt lose it flavor?
Even though salt itself, sodium chloride, is extremely stable and cannot lose its flavour there are times it is mixed with other ingredients and the salt is not its purest form. Being very soluble, salt when watered down can find itself not as salty and sense the taste buds tell whether or not something is salty, it can taste less salty and not valuable for what it once was used for.
Jesus always had a point to everything He said. So when He said if the salt loses its saltiness then it would not be good for its original purpose. Was He talking about salt? No, not really, He was talking about you and me. So, what does it mean that it is no longer good and will be thrown out and trampled on by men? First, let’s look at the real salt and what happens if it loses its flavor.
The people of Jesus’ day had an advantage over us when it came to understanding the times, customs and events of 1st Century Judea and Galilee. Why? Because they lived it and grew up with it. It was natural to them.
1. In the ancient world, salt was not always derived from evaporating sea water to a pure white form, but came from the salt marshes containing many impurities. When the salt from this salty concoction leached out from dampness, it left behind a diluted residue which was worthless, so the residue was thrown out on the street to be trampled under foot.
2. Sometimes this diluted residue, this savorless salt was scattered on the dirt rooftops to help harden the soil and prevent leakage. We need to remember the roof to some homes was a place to meet or use or store things. We read about Peter, in the book of Acts (10:9) praying on a flat rooftop. So, if you used your rooftop regularly, this salty residue was literally trampled underfoot.
3. And then number three, I, (Dr. Gary R. Glanville,) read that in Palestine, it was rather normal to have the cooking ovens outside. The ovens were made of stone with a layer of tile underneath. To help retain heat, a thick bed of salt was placed below the tiles. After a length of time, the salt lost its ability to help retain heat, so it was removed from underneath the tiles and thrown out onto the road, again to be trampled underfoot. What Did Jesus Mean When He Said…? When Salt Becomes Unsalty
By Dr. Gary R. Glanville, August 4, 2013
Remember Jesus really wasn’t talking about salt but believers, His followers. If they lost their saltiness or purpose then they would be good for nothing to the Kingdom of God. Being useless isn’t a pretty picture. Most people want to be useful in what they do. Salt was used to make a difference in food. We too need to be useful for God’s Kingdom. A tiny amount of salt has a big effect. A little pinch of salt can make a large amount of water salty. Salt makes the difference. Salt can be effective. One thing that salt does is it causes a person to thirst for water. The “Springs of the Living Water” is what the world needs and so if we can salt the circle where we live, others will be thirsty for the Lord Himself, the Living Water of Life.
We are to purify, preserve and to add flavor to the society in which we live and to the people around us. As His disciple, you are to make a difference to those around you; let them see Jesus in you by the way you live and talk. Jesus told His disciples that if they wanted to make a difference in the world, they would have to be different from the world. God would hold them accountable to maintain their “saltiness” (their usefulness). We must be different if we want to make a difference.
How different is your life from the world around you? Is Jesus being honored in and through your life? What can you do different if you are not the salt God has called you to be?
One thing that I have learned is that you don’t have to act or talk like the world for them to accept the truth of Jesus in your life. In fact I think the words you speak will have more impact in others lives if you are truly different than the world.
Today, declare that things will change if you are not salty. Seek to live for the Lord Jesus daily and give Him your life through prayer at the first part of the day, calling for the power of God to live through you this day.
If you are here today and do not know this Jesus we are speaking about, hear the Gospel, Jesus loves you and died for your sins on the cross and when He was buried He arose on the third day and lives forever more and you too can live forever in heaven by confessing your sin and repenting from them giving your life and heart to God this very moment. Come during this invitation and talk with me and we will walk with you through the steps to peace with God.