Salt & Light
The Four Gospels • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 42:54
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· 12 viewsMorning 21 January 24
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Psalm Reading
Psalm Reading
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
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Reading
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Sermon
Sermon
Salt of the Earth
Salt of the Earth
Poor in Spirit (abandonment of self righteousness, convinced of their spiritual poverty)
Mourn
Meek (Power under Control, Opposite of arrogance, Making a stand against Sin)
Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness
Merciful
Pure in Heart (Sincerity, Integrity and Passionate Intensity)
Peacemakers
Persecuted for Righteouness’ Sake
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
Different from the Scribes and Pharasees
Different from the world
God commanded salt in grain offerings...
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.
Salt makes the unpalitable bearable....
Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the juice of the mallow?
Paul, speaks of “salt” purifying our speach...
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Salt (acts secretly)
Taste (palitable)
Antiseptic (cleanses)
Prevents and Retards Decay
The salt of “Christians” is constantly combating moral and spirirtual decay.
The world would be more morally corrupt without the presence of true Christians
Example:
Our own Church building being absent for 2 years
Friend’s off-colour jokes falling flat
God demonstrates to Abraham His Grace, and teaches him how even a few believers can save an entire city from God’s wrath...
And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
Example of spiritual influence...
And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
Return...
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
Salt loses its saltiness:
when it is impure / exposed
oxydation
damp or hydrated (watered down)
Mixed with other ingredients/chemicals (acids, metal ions)
Salt was sourced from the dead sea and needed to be regularly visited, due to impurities.
losing saltiness was a key problem
Once the saltiness is lost it cannot be restored
Those trained the the knowledge of truth who rosolutely set themselves agains the exhortations of teh Holy Spirit become hardened in their opposityion an are not renewed unto repentance
And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
People who have never read the Bible read us constantly
Is our conduct true to our calling?
If not, then your words will have little impact
Does our Saltiness draw people to the Gospel?
Reflect on Christian Salt:
Poor in Spirit (abandonment of self righteousness, convinced of their spiritual poverty)
Mourn
Meek (Power under Control, Opposite of arrogance, Making a stand against Sin)
Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness
Merciful
Pure in Heart (Sincerity, Integrity and Passionate Intensity)
Peacemakers
Persecuted for Righteouness’ Sake
Light of the World
Light of the World
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
“Light” in scripture indicates:
true knowledge of God
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
goodness, righteousness and truthfulness
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
Joy and gladness, true happiness
Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
Light symbolises the best there is in learning, love and laughter
Contrasted by darkness, the worst there is dullness, depravity and despair
Light is sometimes mentioned for one quality (e.g. revealed knowledge)
or multiple qualities (revealed by the context)
or extend be sufficiently comprehensive to include blessings of salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
return...
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
“You are the light of the world”
the characteristics of those born again, not only provide personal blessing, but are used by God to transmit them to those around them
collectively “the light” - individually “lights”
that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
“a city set on a hill cannot be hidden”
Examples
Jesus is the source of the light
Literally in Genesis
Day 1 - form & light
Day 2 - Waters seperated
Day 3 - Plants
Day 4 - Sun, Stars & moon
Day 5 - Sea & Air Creatures
Day 6 - Land animals & mankind
Jesus reveals the Father and provides access and knowledge
for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
The moon reflects the sun light
Light bulbs require electricity
Christian need to be “plugged in”, in living contact with Jesus the true source
and “reflect” the light of Christ
Jesus said...
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Shine for Jesus
Shine for Jesus
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Church is not a social enterprise - economic, social or political problems
The Church’s main responsibility to is to “shine” - reveal the knowledge of God
Spread the message of salvation
That the lost may be found
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
That those found may be strengthened in the faith
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
That God may be glorified
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
return...
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
What is it to Shine?
Visible & Radient
Golden Lampstand in Temple (tree of life)
a reminder of God giving life
adam and eve through sin were cut off from God, and the tree of life
indictative of the Messiah, who would reconcile His people
Lamps in the home
on lampstand to give light to all the house
homes for average people normally were normally only one room
Let your light shine
Let your light shine
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Jesus in his teaching unifies Loving God, Loving His Word (scriptures), with keeping His commandments
This duality is the light we shine
Jesus later teaches ...
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Some deeds are publically sseen and they are unavoidable
Unbelievers will at times hear the songs of praise sung by God’s children
Wordly people take not of the quiet trust in God manifested by believers in times of trial and distress.
Christians go out of their way, risking danger and even death, in order to entend help to the suck and dying.
Tutullian, AD 200, wrote “but it is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many to put a brand upon us. They say ‘See how they love one another’ for they themselves are animated by mutual hatred; ‘ see how they are ready even to die for one another’ for they themselves will rather put to death.
It is a fine thing that these good works are seen by men
Jesus wants His light to be seen in through us
But we do not do for ourselves but for the “Glory of your Father who is in heaven”
He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.
Hymn - Shine, Jesus Shine (533)
Hymn - Shine, Jesus Shine (533)
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Doxology
Doxology