Print

MATTHEW 5:13

"THE SALT OF THE EARTH"

Intro: Jesus has just declared the characteristics of the true believer, and how he will be
       accepted by this world, then speaking of the believer in the world. He said, "Ye are
       the salt of the earth,"  and again, "Ye are the light of the world."

I. WHAT DID HE MEAN, "YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH?"
        A. It is important to go back into the culture to learn the uses of salt.
                1. Today we think of it almost exclusively as a spice.
                        a. It brings out flavor and gives zest to food. 
                        b. Oatmeal cereal is so flat without salt.
                2. In those days, its primary - usage was as a preservative.
                        a. Today, with refrigeration and vacuum seal canning  techniques, we
                           don't think of the preserving qualities of salt.
                        b. They preserved their foods by drying them; figs, dates, raisins,
                           beans, grains.
                        c. When meat was butchered, it was subject to rapid spoilage. 
                           Overnight it could spoil. 
                                1. Remember the quail in the wilderness?
                        d. The portion of the meat they could not immediately eat they would
                           salt.
                                1. The heavy salting would retard the growth of bacteria, thus
                                   preserve the meat while it was dried.
                        e. Their salt did not come in fine little crystals neatly packaged in
                           a tubular carton with added iodine.
                        f. Big chunks of rock salt.
        B. When Jesus said to His disciples, "Ye are the salt of the earth."
                1. He no doubt had the preserving qualities in mind.
                        a. Society has a way of spoiling so rapidly.
                        b. The debasing influences are always present, ready to corrupt and
                           spoil the whole mass.
                2. The Christian influence is the only saving influence.
                3. A pure and just society speaks of a strong Christian influence.
                        a. It is a healthy environment for bringing up your family
                        b. It is a safe and happy place to live.
                4. A corrupt society speaks of a weak Christian influence.
                        a. As we look at our society, which direction would you say we are
                           moving?

II. THE WARNING OF JESUS.
        A. If the salt is not doing its job, good for nothing.
                1. When the chunks of salt would seem to lose. Their effectiveness, they were
                   strewn on the paths so as they dissolved by the rains, they killed the
                   vegetation.
                2. Thus it was literally trodden under man's feet. 
        B. What is Jesus saying to us?
                1. We are to be the preserving influence in the world, if we fail, we will be
                   trodden on by the rotten society.
                        a. We're in trouble.
                        b. The liberal church, rather than preserving Christian morality, is
                           supporting evil. It has become one of the corrupting agents.
                        c. The moral sickness of this age bears witness to our failure.
                        d. While we were sleeping, the enemy was sowing the tares, and we are
                           beginning to reap the harvest.
                                1.           ography, drug abuse, crime, violence, teen and
                                   pre-teen pregnancies, as children are made sex symbols.
        C. For a time, as long as he kept his vow to God, Samson was saving salt to Israel.
        D. Esther was saving salt,  but she made a commitment.