Sunday, March 29, 2015 am
GOING ON TO PERFECTION
2015
What It Means to Be a
Christian (9)
A Christian is…Salt and
Light
As
we examine our theme for 2015, “Let us go on to perfection” these past 2
months we have engaged in a study of what a Christian is.
We have discussed what it means to be a Christian, noted some of
the blessings and responsibilities that accompany being a Christian and
devoted 6 lessons to descriptions of a Christian (a citizen, soldier,
athlete, farmer, priest and various other descriptions).
Today we want to notice one more set of descriptions that are
related in their application – that as Christians we are to be salt and
light. These are qualities
associated with being a proper example to the world.
a.
The importance of being
a proper example is something that cannot be overemphasized.
Our world desperately needs more godly examples.
In many instances, they many not accept them (at least at the
moment), but you never know when and how a good example will affect
someone else. Incidentally,
the same can be said about a bad example.
b.
We ARE being examples.
Whether we like it or not, we are examples and people are
watching.
c.
The Bible in many
passages speaks of being a proper example.
i.
1 Cor. 11:1, Paul said
to imitate him as he imitated Christ.
ii.
1 Tim. 4:12, he
challenged Timothy to be an example in every aspect of his life.
iii.
We are told in Phil.
2:14-15 that we are to be shining as lights in the midst of a crooked
and perverse generation.
iv.
1 Peter 2:12, “having
your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against
you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe,
glorify God in the day of visitation.”
v.
Matthew 5:13-16 – our
text. We are salt and light.
a.
Matt. 5:13 – Jesus in
the Sermon on the Mount. He calls
for us to be the example we ought to be.
b.
Mark 9:49-50 – similar
to previous text, “have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one
another.”
c.
Galatians 4:6 – let your
speech be seasoned with salt.
Our conversations with others ought to be pleasant and make the
situation better.
d.
Qualities of salt – all
of these have to do with our example.
i.
It preserves –
before refrigeration, salt was used generously as a preservative.
Even today, it is a form of preservation.
The idea of preservation is to keep something from spoiling or
ruining.
1.
By our example, we can
save souls from being lost.
We can keep the world from becoming totally depraved and doom.
In the Bible God has often spared nations and people because of
the righteous. Consider
Abraham interceding for Sodom in Genesis 18:20-32 where God offers to
spare the city if only 10 righteous are found in it.
In Israel’s history, Judah was spared from total destruction because of
a remnant.
Righteous King Josiah caused God to put off destruction of Judah during
his life (2 Chron. 34:23-39).
Who knows if our example will preserve some soul from destruction or
maybe keep someone from falling away?
2.
As Christians,
we ought to preserve the word of
God – its purity and its truth.
It can preserve us from falling away – Psa. 119:11, “Your word I have
hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.”
It can keep others from falling away.
Once the word of God is lost, so is the world and so is the
church. Let us do our part
to keep that from happening.
I think of the warning of leaven corrupting the whole lump (1 Cor. 5:6)
and that we purge it out.
ii.
It irritates -
poured on a wound or in the eyes, salt can be very painful.
But I hear that at times it can be helpful as this is done.
1.
Similarly, at times
being a Christian will be an irritant to the world.
As we live and proclaim the word of God, there are going to be
those who don’t like it.
2.
Heb. 4:12 describes the
word of God as living and powerful, sharper than a 2 edged sword, “piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joins and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
3.
Jesus taught His
disciples that the truth would irritate the world – John 15:18-19.
1 John 3:13, “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates
you.”
4.
And He was not alone –
John the Baptist before Herod and Pharisees; Jesus before Jewish
leaders, Stephen, Paul, etc.
5.
Just prior to describing
Christians as salt in our text, we have “the beatitudes”.
The final beatitude deals with being persecuted for righteousness
sake (Matt. 5:10-12) Even in
that we continue to be examples.
iii.
It creates thirst – Salt makes us thirsty. The
more salt there is in a food, the thirstier we get.
1.
As the salt of the
earth, we by our example ought to provoke others to desire the word of
God.
2.
They ought to see
something in us that they want.
How we handle problems, our disposition (positive, pleasant,
kind, etc.), our consistency in practicing what we preach, how we avoid
trouble by living pure lives, how we deal with hateful and ungodly
people, etc. – these are things that people see and they will cause some
to want to know what you are about.
In Acts 16, did the conduct of Paul and Silas in prison have anything to
do with the jailer turning to them? (16:25 – in context this is after
they were persecuted and beaten for preaching Christ).
3.
That is why it is
important that we be a proper example at all times.
Sure there will be many who mock us, but others will see
something worthy of further investigation.
iv.
It flavors (seasons) – the average person enjoys a little seasoning in their foods.
Salt can take a bland piece of meat and give it the right amount
of flavor to make it more palatable and perhaps even “perfect.”
1.
One of the observations
made in Matt. 5:13 is that if salt loses its flavor, how will the world
be seasoned? It is good for
nothing. Perhaps this was the
main point Jesus was emphasizing with our example as salt.
2.
In this we are reminded
that we need to live to make the world a pleasant place.
Just as our godly influence causes others to thirst, it can give
this world a more pleasant outlook.
The ungodly world is an ugly place.
It is filled with hopelessness, bitterness, corruption, pain and
sorrow, etc.
How can we make the world around us a better place?
By simply being “the salt of the earth”.
Make the environment around you as pleasant as possible.
3.
Cause the world to see
your good works and glorify God because of it (Matt. 5:16).
Col. 4:6, let your speech be seasoned with salt.
4.
As I read the Bible I
see a standard that will work if everyone were to apply it.
While we cannot force others into following what we believe to be
the truth, we can make our environment, and to whatever degree we have
the ability, their environment, more pleasant and palatable.
Be a part of what makes the world around you better instead of
worse.
5.
Note: is it possible to
have too much salt?
Physically yes. Too much
salt can ruin food and perhaps make it even inedible.
It can also cause health problems.
What about spiritually? I
think of one who abuses the word of God to get his way.
One who lives a self-righteous life imposing his agenda on others
– especially when it is done in the name of God.
For example: The Westboro Baptist church and its hateful method
of delivering its message.
While I might agree with some of their moral stands, I will NEVER agree
with their tactics.
e.
In this we see how we
are to be like salt in this world.
a.
Matt. 5:14-16, as Jesus
continues to emphasize the importance of example, he turns now to light.
b.
We could spend an entire
lesson addressing the word of God as light, but time will fail us doing
such (and it has been a frequent point of emphasis in various lessons).
c.
In scripture, light is
typically a reference to God and that which comes from Him (1 John 1:5 –
God is light) – including truth (cf. 2 Peter 1:19, etc.)
Jesus brought light into this world (John 1:4-5, John 8:12, “I am
the Light of the world”).
d.
We need the light of the
world, and we need to let it be shining on others.
Phil. 2:14-16, etc.
e.
Qualities of light
include:
i.
It illuminates
– it helps us see. The
word of God is described as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path
(Psa. 119:105).
ii.
It exposes –
Eph. 5:11-13,
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things
which are done by them in secret.
But all things that are exposed
are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.”.”
Jesus in John
3:20-21 spoke of this.
iii.
It drives away darkness – associated with the exposing of darkness, light actually
drives it away. You can
introduce light into a dark room, but you cannot introduce darkness and
drive away light. To get
darkness, you have to remove the source of light.
iv.
It guides us –
the frequent references to light in scripture imply that it gives us
direction.
I think of a light house that warns ships and guides them away from
danger.
I think of car beams – note how they illuminate the path immediately in
front of you. But they get
you where you are going because you keep shining them in that direction.
Eph. 5:8 calls for us to walk as children of light.
So does 1 John 1:7
-walk in the light.
v.
It can attract others – our good light (example) like many other things we have discussed can
attract others to the truth.
That is actually what is emphasized in our text in Matt. 5:14-16.
Don’t hide your light, but put it on a lampstand so all can see.
And as a result, perhaps they will glorify God in heaven.
Vs. 16
vi.
Again, as with the salt, can we have too much light?
I am convinced we can make the same application, as excessive
light can blind one and cause them turn away.
We must shine brightly, but again consider how you shine that
light on others. Don’t shine
the word of God in a harsh
way on others.
And
thus you can see yet more descriptions of the Christian.
This time we have emphasized the importance of example.
Let us strive to be the light and salt that God wants us to be.
How is your influence?