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| Order Of Worship (Liturgy) |
MATTHEW 5:13
(Readings: Matthew 5:1-13)
Salt of the Earth
Church of our Lord Jesus Christ…
Our text comes in a well-known part of Scripture. Indeed, the ‘Beatitudes’ above verse 13 have often been quoted throughout history. And the modern age is no different.
I mean, when there is yet another peace conference, you will find the inevitable reference to “Blessed are the peacemakers.” When someone passes away, they might well say, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” And whenever people give generously there is the encouragement, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
Yet these community references to this Scripture miss the point altogether about their meaning. Just as in a similar way many preachers have drawn from these “Beatitudes” the way to be a Christian. Often they’re used as a set of conditions that need to be met, before blessing properly begins.
But that’s actually the opposite to what they’re really about! In fact, a series of conditions to be met takes away altogether the wonderful truth that the condition has been met! These ‘Beatitudes’ are not the cause for our walk with the Lord. Rather, they are the effect of where we are in the Lord! As that great salvation gift of God through Jesus comes into our hearts, we’re shown here the way of thankfulness.
One person described it well. He said of this that we are, “Blessed to be a blessing.” Out of where we now stand with Jesus Christ by faith, we, in turn, are a true blessing to others.
So this cannot apply to unbelievers. Our Lord is addressing his disciples. And, so, he speaks to the Church.
This is where our text is so important. It draws together what we are in Christ. But especially it points how we affect the world we live in. “You are the salt of the earth...”
Ordinarily, this is a nice enough comment to make about someone. When we say, “people like him are the salt of the earth”, there’s an immense admiration for what they are. Yet here that’s heightened to the position of standing with God himself! In the words of our first aspect ... WHEN YOU ARE WHAT HE IS.
We need to grasp this join there is with Christ. As our Lord said in John 15:5, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
This aspect of being apart from Jesus we’ll touch upon later. But here let’s see ... “You are the salt of the earth.” The purifying, preserving, and flavouring of Christ, through the believer, is shown in this picture of salt.
So what is it about these particular attributes of salt? How do we see here what the Lord would have us be?
Well, firstly, salt purifies. For the Jews of Jesus’ day the connection would have been clearly drawn to certain sacrifices prescribed in the books of Leviticus and Numbers. In order to have an acceptable offering the people were instructed in Leviticus 2:13, “Season your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.”
And at the end of the day of sacrifice there was that offering for the Priests and the Levites. In this Numbers 18:19 directs them: “Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD for both you and your offspring.”
There is a guidance from the Lord. In Jesus he has shown perfectly how to live. And so what those Old Testament sacrifices had been anticipating with their salting was fulfilled in Christ. If there was any man who seasoned the earth with purity it was he! He stood out! And so must we!
One of the sad characteristics of the world today is the lowering of standards. We see it vividly in censorship which is non-existent. The moral standard of our Judeo-Christian background is well and truly down the gurgler.
Blasphemy isn’t seen anymore as an offense. Honesty is a forgotten word. And isn’t it selfishly convenient that those asked to tell the whole truth suddenly have bad memories!
That’s not our way! The Christian is the one who holds high the standard of absolute purity in speech, in conduct, and even in thought. And, you know, it stands out!
In a restaurant we knew a certain group of people were Christians. Their whole demeanour, attitude, and speech, was different. And then they said grace before their meal. That’s laying it on the line! For then they’re making absolutely clear the connection between them and Jesus!
WHEN YOU ARE WHAT HE IS. Brother, sister, boys and girls, in the words of James 1:27, “keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” We don’t even dare to be touched by the dirty joke, the suggestive book, the sleazy magazine, and that part of the internet! Today, more than ever before, we as Christians must be self-disciplined. So many can spend hours complaining about what’s wrong in their church, or pick apart the minister’s sermons. And yet we can’t seem to find the “off” switch on our TV remotes! So often we blame others for not taking a stand on issues, but we can’t take a stand in our own living rooms in front of our own families. As salt purifies so too the believer stands apart in Christ.
And, secondly, salt preserves. This would have been even more an obvious use of salt for the followers of Jesus. After all, weren’t there amongst those disciples a number of fishermen? To them salt was vitally indispensable. Without it fish would rot on the way to the market. So salt preserves.
And the believer must be the preservative. In the same way our Lord showed ultimately in himself the price to pay for stopping this world dying to itself so we must keep that which is good.
We all know that there are certain people who when we’re with it’s easy to be good. And vice versa with others whose company drops our standards. Yet we should be the ones who would never have a dirty joke told in our presence! Not that we keep pure by not being tainted, but also being the person, who, by our presence, defeats the decay of sin, and makes it easier for others to be good. That’s keeping to God’s way!
But the greatest and most obvious quality of salt is that it gives flavour. Potatoes are bland without it. Though, add just a dash, and what a difference!
And Jesus calls out this message spiritually. He says, “With the saltiness I give you, you can transform what has become so boring and dull into something delicious and inviting!
Dear believer, your faith adds flavour to life! And that might not be what you have heard from others! Actually, it’s more likely that Christianity has been portrayed as quite the opposite!
One Roman Emperor complained: “Have you looked at these Christians closely? Hollow-eyed, pale-cheeked, weak-chested all; they brood their lives away, unspurred by ambition; the sun shines for them, but they see it not; the earth offers them its fullness, but they desire it not; all their desire is to renounce and suffer that they may come to die.”
I mean, how often haven’t we been tagged with comments like; “You’re so heavenly-minded, you’re of no earthly use!” And, yet, in this worried-filled, depressed, and meaningless world, we can really shine!
Let them see our joy. We know where we’re going! Of all the religions, philosophies, and motivations in this world, ours is the only one not to depend on ourselves! So let that grace show!
How true aren’t those words of 1 John 3:1 here? “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!”
WHEN YOU ARE WHAT HE IS. Because Jesus knew true happiness. In the words of Hebrews 12:2 for the joy set before him he endured the cross. And following him we do become as he is. Then we become Christ’s purifying, preserving, and flavouring. It’s his Spirit in us to do it.
Still, there is a further consideration in our text. For, secondly, YOU COULD BE WHAT HE IS NOT.
You see, without its essence salt loses its purpose. Then, though you might think yourself a Christian, you’re actually not!
Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? How could someone say they are a Christian when they’re not!
Well, continuing with our text, we read, “but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” And we wonder. After all, salt doesn’t lose its flavour, does it?
No, of course it doesn’t. Unless it wasn’t really salt to begin with.
Here the original Greek words shine an interesting light. The words for “lost its taste” and “saltiness be restored” are passive. This means that the salt is like that simply because it has become like that. And there’s no redeeming quality to be found in the flavour-less salt. There’s nothing within that can make it taste.
No wonder our Lord says it cannot be made salty again. Though it might look like the real thing, it’s nothing like it. The substance of what it’s about is totally useless. There’s absolutely no flavour!
YOU COULD BE WHAT HE IS NOT! And that’s quite something to say about a person whose perhaps been a member of a church for all of his life. Yet in John 15:4 Jesus says this very thing. There he declares, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain on the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
Now, all this may be passing right over you. You’ve always thought of yourself as a Christian. So when you heard of the purifying, preserving, and flavouring aspects of faith, you could relate it to yourself. “Oh, yea, that’s what I try to do. Not so easy, is it?” And I’m sure all of us can know these kinds of thoughts to ourselves personally.
But are you joined? Is there that strong sense of a divine love drawing and pulling you – in spite of what you naturally are? No branch can bear fruit by itself! And salt which has lost its substance isn’t salt!
Well, how do you react? Is there that sense in your life of that complete dependence upon the Great Lover of your soul? Is Jesus real in your daily life?
You see, there were people in Jesus’ day who claimed to be children of God. They knew the Law of God and believed they were keeping it all. And didn’t they stand out for the faith! There on the street corner, they would pray if it was the time for prayer. And they were always at every worship service. Their giving was always a tithe. They were so good!
Boys and girls, can you guess whom I’m describing? Those men who were so proud of who they were, and what they did! Why, it’s the Pharisees, isn’t it? But, actually, they were far from what the ‘Beatitudes’ were really about!
Today we have these people also. They are the spiritual imperialists, before whom all must make way. They claim to know, or have experienced, it all. Blessed to be a blessing? Man – they are the blessing!
Yes, we can note where many of them might be found. But it’s this same thought that can be within us too! Who of us hasn’t felt they could do without church for a Sunday? Who of us hasn’t at some time tried to do it on our own?
Then we didn’t ask God, or seek his will. Our way was going to be okay. After all, it was done with the best of intentions!
Dear person in the pew – YOU COULD BE WHAT HE IS NOT. Though your particular way might seem harmless enough, yet it’s not then his way! Unless there is the join in faith you might as well be dead!
Harsh words! And yet that’s the picture from the salt. As our text concludes, “It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”
Pray that this never be! If you don’t know Jesus Christ personally, you are cut from the life-line!
What you see here today isn’t just another optional extra. It’s a matter of where you spend eternity! If you are what Jesus is not – if you aren’t salty – THEN YOU NEVER WERE.
We have come to a third aspect to the text: AND THEN YOU NEVER WERE.
Maybe there is someone amongst us putting off professing Jesus as their own Lord and Saviour. Then you need to think about this: Is he your own? Or are you your own?
And maybe there are those who have professed their faith but who aren’t living out that faith. Are you living life for yourself? Is what you do what matters to you?
Oh, Lord, may that not be! May none amongst us here be consigned to the everlasting rubbish dump! May the Lord never have to say to any of us here: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
To be cursed means there is no blessing. Then that we have spent so many years in a church; even that we have given and done so much; is all to no use! Like the ‘Beatitudes’ the blessing can only come if we are blessed! There’s no flow of grace unless we’re joined to the pipeline of faith.
Please, don’t turn away! Having so much tasted life in the Spirit, don’t deny that Spirit now!
Congregation, Hebrews 4 holds out heaven itself. It calls out, in the verses 6 and 7, “It still remains that some will enter ... and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today ... ‘Today, if you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts!”
Be what you are in Christ! Lay aside all thought outside of him! Because then you are salt.
May we have upon our hearts genuine sorrow. The sorrow shown in a custom some of the early churches had. Then when a Christian who had been excommunicated by discipline from the church repented, he had to lie at the door of the church. And as the people came in, he would say to them: “Trample upon me who am the salt which has lost its savour.”
Perhaps this has struck a chord. Maybe for the first time it makes sense for where you are. Suddenly you are so tasteless. You feel like spitting yourself out! And you want so much to take on the flavour you don’t have.
Tell the Lord about it. Pour out your heart to him. If it helps, speak with a mature believer about it. Pray with him.
It’s looking to the Lord that counts. So which way are you looking?
Amen.
PRAYER:
Let’s pray...
Dear Heavenly Father, as your dearly beloved children may we indeed show we are in your family. So move in us by your Word and Spirit that those around us can’t help but see your dear Son in us.
And if there be those among us who aren’t truly salt, or who have lost their flavour, work in them to repentance and true faith. May it never be said of any among us that we are good for nothing.
In the name of Jesus, who was perfectly pure in all he did, we offer up this our prayer. Amen.
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Sjirk Bajema, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
The source for this sermon was: www.rcnz.org.nz
(c) Copyright 2023, Rev. Sjirk Bajema
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