Lesson #2 - Salt of the Earth

Main Point: God has placed us on this earth to know, love, worship, and serve Him. We should, by our “saltiness”, point others to Jesus, the Living Water.

Matthew 5:13-16

13"You are the salt of the earth. But suppose the salt loses its saltiness. How can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything. It will be thrown out. People will walk all over it.

14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill can't be hidden. 15Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand. Then it gives light to everyone in the house.

16"In the same way, let your light shine in front of others. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father who is in heaven.

Say This: All throughout history, salt has been very valuable to mankind. Salt has been used for many things! In early Chinese history, coins were made from salt. Other cultures used cakes of salt as money. Even our word “salary” comes from the word “salt”. Did you know that there were even WARS over salt???

PowerPoint:

Say This: Salt was necessary to survive. Have you ever smelled or tasted spoiled meat?

Before there were refrigerators, meats had to be salted so that they wouldn’t spoil.

PowerPoint:

Say This: Of course, we all know that salt adds flavor. Think about all the foods you enjoy more because of salt.

(Potato chips; popcorn; crackers)

Say This: Salt was valuable and necessary because it preserved food and added flavor. Salt was found in marsh areas and also in the Dead Sea. Sometimes when it was brought forth from the earth, the salt would be mixed with other substances. If there were too many other things mixed in with the salt, it would no longer have its “saltiness”. Also, the salt had to be kept away from direct sunlight and heat, or again, it would lose its flavor and ability to preserve.

Say This: When Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth”, He was thinking of all the ways that His followers should be like salt.

He also was reminding us what this world would be like without any salt. Without Jesus, we cannot be “preserved”. There are scientists and politicians who try to convince us that the world is getting better. The truth is, this world is rotten without God. If you watch the news for just 5 minutes, you can see that people without God are in desperate need!

Without the “saltiness” of true believers, the world will continue to get worse and worse. Those of us who have lived awhile can testify that this is true. Television is a great example of this. It is nearly impossible to find TV shows that are suitable to watch; nearly everything is corrupt!

Just as bacteria in meat causes it to spoil and smell, so sin in our world causes much ruin and despair.

The world is getting worse and worse. We cannot “save the earth”.

PowerPoint: I John 2:17 The world and its evil longings are passing away. But those who do what God wants them to do live forever.

Say This: Jesus used the word “salt” to compare the true believer’s life with Christ-like living.

Salty foods make you thirsty. When you eat French fries or potato chips, you want something to drink. Our bodies need water.

In the same way, Jesus is telling us to live in such a godly way that when people see us, they actually become thirsty for God. People need Jesus, the Living Water.

Ask: Have you ever noticed a truly godly person and longed for their loving relationship with God?

Personal Illustration: I remember meeting a person many years ago. There was something different about her. Being a Christian to me meant keeping a lot of rules. The problem was, that while I knew the rules and tried to keep them, I just couldn’t. I noticed that this woman didn’t seem to even think about the rules. She just lived her life in such a godly way and with incredible joy. I kept watching her to see how she did it. Then I realized that she was keenly aware of God and that she looked for Him and followed His way in every area of her life. She made me “thirsty” for more of God. Because of her life, I dived into the Bible and asked God to fill me up with Himself. She is a perfect example of being a “salty” believer!

Say This: “Salt creates thirst which, when satisfied, sustains life. But it is the water itself or fluids which actually sustain life. The principle is that believers, by Christ-like living, by their walk and their words, help to create a thirst in the lives of those around them for the reality of God. This is a thirst which can only be satisfied, however, by drinking of the waters of life received through faith in Christ (cf. John 4:10-15; 7:37-39). When Christ comes into a person’s life, He gives them new life and the spiritual capacity for the kind of change that can have a spiritual and moral impact on the world around them. Are our lives as believers in Jesus Christ thirst-creating agents? “ Quote by J. HamptonKeathley, III, Th.M.

Say This: As a true follower of Jesus Christ, you can have flavor in your life that draws other people into a loving relationship with God.

“If you’re following Jesus, putting his words into practice in your life, then you will become like Jesus—basically a really nice person, mostly pleasant to be around, helpful, compassionate, truthful, honest, kind and loving. Your life will be characterized by two things: the presence of good deeds and the absence of vices. You will be the kind of person that others are attracted to just because you are such a good person.

Please be careful here. Jesus is not saying that if you work hard at becoming a really good person then you will earn a place in the Kingdom. He is saying that if you have a place in the Kingdom (which comes only through God’s grace), then you will become a really good person as you allow Christ’s character to be formed in you. Christ’s followers will be good people. “

ChipBellTh.M.

PowerPoint: Colossians 4:5-6 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity. Let the words you speak always be full of grace. Season them with salt. Then you will know how to answer everyone.

PowerPoint: Grace – getting something good that you don’t deserve

Say This: The Bible tells us that our words should be filled with grace. This means that we should speak with kindness – building up people rather than tearing them down.

Our words should also be seasoned with salt. Godliness should be a part of our conversations. We should know God’s Word and use it. This will help to create a thirst for Jesus in others.

PowerPoint: We are in the world, but the world should not be in us.

Say This: Because we live in this world and are surrounded by the world, it’s easy to become a part of the world by accepting its values and conduct of life. The problem is that while we are IN this world, the world should not be in us!

Ask: What are some ways that the world is in us? (Our attitude; way of thinking; wrong music; TV; bad movies; etc)

Say This: We can’t isolate ourselves, because if we do that, we are no longer effective in creating a “thirst for God”. As long as salt stays in the salt shaker, it’s useless. It is only when it’s sprinkled onto food that it is used for its purpose. We must be willing to be in the world but not of the world.

The world craves money, things, power, and fame. The world tries to live life apart from God. The world’s way is opposite of God’s way. God wants us to trust in Him, to depend on Him. Satan wants us to believe in ourselves, to try harder, to gain more things. But NONE of these things can truly satisfy; only Jesus can do that. Our lives should create a “thirst” for Jesus so that He can fill them up with Himself. When others see the “flavor” of Jesus in your life, they will desire a loving relationship with Him.

PowerPoint: Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But suppose the salt loses its saltiness. How can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything. It will be thrown out. People will walk all over it.

Say This: Jesus tells us to be salt, but He also warns us that salt can indeed lose its saltiness. Salt can become tasteless and when it does, it also becomes worthless, good for nothing.

PowerPoint: Picture of the Dead Sea

Say This: Remember that salt was sometimes removed from the Dead Sea. When it was mined, it was sometimes mixed with other substances from the earth. If there was too many other substances mixed in with the salt, it was considered worthless because it did not add flavor nor could it preserve food.

In the same way, since we are to be the salt of the earth, we need to be sure that we’re not contaminated with things that detract from our saltiness. We need to ask God to remove the impure things from our thoughts and our lives.

PowerPoint: How can salt that has lost its flavor be made salty again?

Say This: This is a really hard question. It is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to separate salt from other substances from the earth. As long as it’s contaminated, it is not salty. In the same way, it is nearly impossible for us to be separated from the world and its beliefs. ONLY GOD can fill us up so full of Himself that impurities are forced out. Just as light dispels darkness, so God’s pure ways dispel the wickedness of the world.

“We cannot produce salt nor can we separate the gypsum of the world from our lives by our own abilities or processes, but we can have fellowship with the Savior by living in His Word. We can feed on the Word, and learn to abide in Him and rest in His control and provision no matter what comes. If we will learn to count on His love and grace, learn His Word, and pray for His purposes, then He will produce His life in ours and cleanse us from the attitudes and values of the world.

Salt or the character of saltiness is produced and maintained through fellowship with Christ—through a Word-filled, Spirit-filled life. By fellowship with the Savior, by dying to self, by learning to live by faith, by making fellowship with God our goal, rather than self, we can make our lives salty again. “

Quote by J. HamptonKeathley, III, Th.M.

Main Point: God has placed us on this earth to know, love, worship, and serve Him. We should, by our “saltiness”, point others to Jesus, the Living Water.

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