Monday Feb 4, 2013

Weekly Challenge

Keep a diary this week and jot down the times when and how you have been the salt and the light.

 

Read Matthew 5:13

 

In one sense Jesus could have picked any spice or herb. He could have said, ‘You are the rosemary of the earth’ or ‘You are the cinnamon of the earth’ or you are the red-hot chilli powder of the earth’. But he very carefully and deliberately chose salt. We have to ask “Why?”.

 

Salt, in the ancient world, had very definitive and particular uses.  Salt was used most commonly as a flavouring agent. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, your presence adds a Christian flavour to everything you do and to everything you are involved in. You simply cannot add salt to a soup and have it do nothing. Similarly, your presence can NOT do nothing (sorry about the double negative) because you are the salt of the earth. You bring a Christian flavour to everything. Colossians 4:4-6 tells us specifically to flavour our conversations with salt so that others might receive the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ as well.  As a Christian, you will add the flavour of Christ to everything you do and are involved in.

 

Salt was also used as a preservative. In a similar way, you are a preservative against sin. Your presence and your voice stops people from being as sinful as they possibly could be. I recall reading the comment of a communist military officer of the 1940s and 50s. When Christianity had been virtually wiped out of the country he actually praised God in whom he didn’t believe that he could be as evil as he wanted to be without the slightest tinge of conscience. You are a preservative against evil.

 

Salt was also used in the bible as a sign of judgement. Deuteronomy 29:23, Judges 9:45 picture this well. As a believer you a sign to non believers that they will be judged by the holy and righteous Lord. Unfortunately, when they are convicted (See John 16:8-11) they may turn and persecute you.

 

Numbers 18:19 shows that salt symbolised the eternal covenant between God and man. As a believer in Jesus Christ you carry the New Covenant with you every day. Through your witness, your conduct and your words, the non believer will see that covenant and, God willing, be drawn to it.

 

When Jesus said, ‘You are the salt of the earth’ he wasn’t encouraging you to spice up your life. He was saying that you, the believer in Jesus Christ, have a serious role to play in communicating God’s love to the world and in drawing people to Christ for salvation.

 

Prayer.

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

 

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray for the work of Uni Impact through the Richards as they serve in New Zealand. Pray that God would use them powerfully to communicate the gospel to many students. Ask God to bring growth through more conversions.

¥ Pray for your own church to be growing through conversions. Pray that each believer will be serious about bearing much fruit, 20, 30,60 even 100 fold.

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. How can you be more salty in your daily life?

2. What attitudes make for being salty and what attitudes make for a “saltless” life?