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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

BEING A SALTY CHRISTIAN

Introduction

Have you ever heard someone described as "salt of the earth?"

They may say, "That guy’s just the ‘salt of the earth.’"

The basic gist of that phrase is that the person is respected as someone people like and can count on.

So let me ask you another question: would or could someone describe you that way?

Would they call you "the salt of the earth?"

Don’t we all hope that someday we might be described that way by people. Whether they like us or not, we hope that people will consider us as someone who is worthy of respect and someone who can be counted on.

Our Scripture passage discusses our need to be "salty" to the world around us, and I hope that by the end of our time together you will be motivated to become a salty person.

This is near the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. He had just finished giving the Beatitudes, then He launches into this matter of being salt followed by the matter of being light.

I think Jesus used these analogies together for a reason. Jesus was the Master of using word pictures to communicate truth. Everyone listening understood what Jesus was trying to communicate. They all knew about salt and light, so Jesus’ use of these common elements of life only served to help them understand what Jesus wanted here.

I hope that you will leave here today understanding as well, and more than that, I hope that you will leave here determined to be a person who is "salty" to the world around us.

I.         THREE FUNCTIONS OF SALT.

Did you know that according to The Salt Institute, there are over 14,000 known uses for salt. And we are going to look at every single one of them.

            I figure that we should be done with this series by about April 2015. No, not really.

            Actually, I just want us to look at just three uses.

But before we get into the basics of the message, let me share with you some of the uses I found at website for The Salt Institute.

            Listen to this:

Removing pinfeathers from chickens; removing perspiration and blood stains; treating mosquito and chigger bites; invigorating goldfish; deodorizing shoes; making mini-volcanoes; and removing tattoos. Important safety tip: do not try this at home!

            Some of you may have thought of other uses, like melting slugs or something.

            Well, let’s get to the functions we are looking at today.

            A.        Salt Enhances Taste.

I’m willing to guess that most of us here today put salt on our food at one time or another.

I like salt on my food. They say its not good for your blood pressure so I try not to overdo it, but I like salt.

But I’ve seen people who add salt like they think it’s one of the four basic food groups, right behind pizza and chocolate.

But why do we add salt? Is it out of religious conviction? I’m not aware of anything in the Bible or in Baptist Doctrine that requires it.

                        No – we add salt because it helps our food taste better, right?

Well, in terms of the Christian life, one of our functions is to enhance the taste of Christ and His church in our society.

Christians and the Church live in the midst of a lot of distrust toward religion in general, and the Christian Church in particular.

If people know you attend church, and that Jesus means more to you than a word someone says when they hit their thumb with a hammer, then let them see how wonderful a relationship with Jesus Christ tastes.

The Bible says we should taste and see that the Lord is good. And we should be the salt that enhances that taste.

                        Be a positive example of a relationship with Christ.

            B.        Salt Aids In Preservation.

You remember hearing that before their was refrigeration, salt was added to meat to keep it from spoiling? Some folks still do that.

Salt preserves. I mentioned the website for the Salt Institute, and they say that it prevents browning of apples and molding of cheese.

And the point here is that we Christians are to aid in preserving the gospel of Christ, and we do that by living lives that reflect a love for the Savior, and by spreading the message of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus.

We also do that by passing on that love for God and His Word to others, especially our children.

                        Salt Enhances Taste.   Salt Preserves.

            C.        Salt Creates Thirst.

You know that’s true, don’t you? Just eat a handful of potato chips or salty popcorn or salty peanuts, and you’re reaching for the water or soft drink.

Can you imagine eating a hamburger and fries and not having something to drink with it? Some of you want a drink right now, just thinking of it, don’t you?

You’ve probably heard the saying that "You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink." Put some salt in his oats and that’ll make him drink.

                        So, how do we create a thirst for the things of God in this world?

By being someone who refuses to live up to the negative stereotypes of Christians and the Church.

Shake up people’s impressions of empty-headed Christians who don’t know how to think for themselves.

Learn to ask questions that help people re-think their preconceived notions, and guide them to resources for the answers.

Rather than just telling folks what they ought to think or believe, we should ask them questions about what they believe.

Dr. Jeffery Meyers has something he calls the "Four Deadly Questions" he asks people who don’t follow Christ:

                        "What do you mean (or "mean by that)?"

                        "How do you know that’s true?"

                        "Where do you get your information?"

                        "What if you’re wrong?"

I love those questions. But don’t ask them unless you’re willing to listen and develop a response to them.

The idea is to challenge popular notions of belief, to challenge them to consider their sources, and to challenge them to consider the truth of Scripture.

We need to be well-read so we can have a knowledgeable conversation on issues that go beneath the surface.

Show people that a faith in Jesus is a reasonable faith, that doesn’t require someone to check their brain at the door in order to believe in.

Be a person other people like to be around, and then when you are asked what makes you tick, you can give them a reason for the hope you have, as 1 Peter tells us to do.

Salt enhances taste, aids in preservation, and it creates thirst. We should do and can do the same thing as we look to bring the gospel to our society.

Well, it’s obvious that Jesus wants us to be salty. But Jesus also talks about becoming unsalty. In fact, He talks about being "unsalty" more than He does about being salty here.

II.       THREE DANGERS OF BECOMING “UNSALTY.”

            You will probably be able to think of examples of all these.

            A.        We Become Ineffective In Ministry.

It’s hard to reach people who have no respect for you, both individually and as a church.

Sometimes a group of people who used to be a Church just become cliquish, not bringing in new people, and just waiting for everybody else to die off or just leave so they can have their “us four and no more” little group.

I hope that’s not what you want for this church. I can tell you God doesn’t want that!

            B.        We Gain A Damaged Reputation.

                        Proverbs 22:1–“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.”

A damaged reputation reaches far and wide, probably even farther and wider than a good reputation.

If you have a reputation for cheating on your taxes, then few if any people will listen to you on issues of integrity.

If you treat your wife or husband badly, especially in public, you will have a hard time convincing anyone you are a good family person.

And if you talk a good talk about loving Jesus, but you’re mean to your co-workers or employees, or you live a lifestyle that is clearly forbidden by God, then you get a reputation that is not very nice.

When you damage your reputation, people will not listen to you about anything on a spiritual level, because they see that it makes no difference for you in your own personal life.

We all know the stories of different televangelists who fell into sin, and have lost their reputations and ministries because of it.

Let me ask you an important question: If a person has become "unsalty," can they become "salty" again? With God all things are possible!

Jesus gave the salt is savor the first time, and only he can give it again.

But folks, it’s a lot easier to keep a ministry salty than it is to make it salty once it becomes unsalty.

            C.        We Tarnish The Image Of The Church.

The televangelist scandals brought a lot of mistrust toward ministers in general. Many people thought that all ministers were just in it for the money.

So when they tried to minister, the response a lot of times was, "and what’s the catch? What are you getting out of this preacher? How much will this ‘ministry’ cost me?"

                        You know of things in the past of this Church that have tarnished its image.

                        If you don’t, go out visiting with me sometime and you’ll hear it too.

                        Now understand, people are looking for excuses to not come as it is.

It doesn’t make it right because something in the past has tarnished the image of the Church, but we should work on not tarnishing the image any more.

If a Church hopes to get past all the trouble it’s brought on itself, then that church needs to be filled with "salty" people.

III.      HOW TO BE “SALTY.”

            A.        Commit To Becoming A Person God Can Use.

                        Notice I didn’t say "decide" to become a person God can use. Commit to it.

                        Make a conscious submission to God and His purposes.

                        Tell God that you are His completely and without reservation.

And let His Word dwell in you richly, so you can deepen your love for Him, and learn His will for you.

Romans 12:1-2–“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

                        This comes by saturating your mind with the Word of God.

And if you do that, asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand and make it real in your life, then you will be someone God will have no problem keeping busy in touching the lives of other people, not matter where you are.

            B.        Live A Life Of Integrity.

This pretty much goes without saying, considering what we just discussed about becoming unsalty.

Lives filled with integrity attract people like a magnet. They wonder what makes you tick, and many times it causes them to want what you have.

                        And this shines loudest in times of temptation and trial.

                        How you handle temptation and trial shout louder than all the words you can say.

Do you flee from temptation? Or do you just rush into it because you are so convinced of God’s forgiveness that you forget that it grieves the heart of God?

When trials come, do you fret and worry excessively, or do you take your concerns to God, asking for wisdom and His intervention, especially if the circumstances are outside of your control?

                        Believe me, people are watching, and closer than you think. 

As you become committed to being a person God can use and start living a life of integrity, then…

            C.        Ask God For Opportunities To Minister.

Ask God to put people in your life who need a touch from God, whether it’s a need to know how to get to heaven, or maybe just a hand on the shoulder that tells someone you’re praying for them.

Find a need and ask God to help you meet it in His name. When people ask you why you’re doing it, simply say that you believe Jesus would do the same thing.

But let me give you a quick word of warning here. If you are going to ask God for opportunities to minister, you’d better mean it.

Because I’ll guarantee that God will bring people into your life, and you will be expected to be salty.

Don’t flippantly ask. Ask expecting it to happen, asking God to shine through you to touch that life in His wonderful way.

There are thousands of people in our area that need a touch from God. Allow yourself to be part of that touch, okay?

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!