Matthew
Introduction: In the Beatitudes Jesus tells what values God
expects of His people. In our text Jesus
tells how God values His people. The
statement in this text is a great compliment.
The next time you get down in the dumps remember this compliment from
Jesus Christ. Jesus gave it not only to
compliment, but to teach.
I. The teaching of this text. (God’s people are compared to salt).
A. Salt is common.
1.
Salt is found in every nation, island, ocean.
2. One
does not have to be rich to buy it. (It
is in every home and on every table.)
3. The
point is that one does not have to be great from a worldly view in order to be saved.
4. One
does not have to occupy a great position, possess great wealth, have great
talents or
fame in
order to be save. (You can be as common
as salt and be saved).
B. Salt is tasty.
1. It may be common, but it is tasty.
2. A
flat tasteless food can be made delicious by adding just a very little salt.
3.
Without it, food is tasteless.
(Sister Davis: “Doctor, take Harold away, but don’t take my
salt.”)
4. The
point is that it is God’s people make this world a better place in which to
live.
(Law and order, better speech and
dress, better morals, better industry, and economy,
better
education and culture).
C. Salt creates a
thirst.
1.
Eating salt causes one to be thirsty and to drink water which is so
necessary to life.
2.
Even so God’s people are a preservative to the world.
3. You
are no doubt familiar with God’s conversation with Abraham about
(For ten righteous people God
would have spared
4. God
will destroy this world some day, but He would have destroyed it long ago had
it not
been for
the few righteous people there are here.
II. The warning of the text.
A. Almost all salt
in that part of the world came from the
1. It
contained other minerals.
2.
After prolonged exposure to moist air, it would loose its
saltiness.
(Sodium chloride would dissolve).
3. The
white powder would remain, but it had no salt taste.
4. It
was no good for salting food.
5. It
was taken out and thrown on the roadway where it would mix with the topsoil and
harden.
6.
Hence it was trodden under the foot of men.
B. Jesus used this
to warn Christians.
1. A
child of God can loose his distinction as a child of God.
2. He
can live a worldly life like the unsaved.
3.
Thus he becomes of no value to God in this world.
(He does not flavor, does not
create a thirst, does not preserve).
C. He is
henceforth good for nothing but to be trodden under the foot of men.
1.
This does not mean that he looses his salvation, John 5:24; I Peter 1:5.
2. It
does mean that he is no longer accepted by either group of men.
a. Not by the saved because of he is not
Christ-like.
b. Not by the unsaved because of his
ungodliness.
Conclusion: 1. Child of God, you
are important in this world. Remember
that the next time you get
down in
the dumps.
2.
Lost friend, you can be saved. You
do not have to be great in this world.
3. If
you thirst for salvation, turn to Christ and be satisfied.
4.
Child of God, heed the warning and do not loose your close fellowship
with God.
5. But
if you already have, return. (Salt might
not regain its saltiness, but you can regain
your godliness,
and your usefulness to God
Preached at
.