The Salt and the Light

Matthew 5:13-16

Introduction.

  1. Both salt and light have some very interesting properties.

  2. Jesus compares His followers to both of these things.

  3. What does He mean?

Body.

  1. The Salt of the Earth (vs. 13).

    1. We use this phrase to describe people of great worth and reliability.

    2. Salt today is one of the cheapest spices one could buy at the grocery store.

      1. But it used to be a very valuable and prized resource—wars were fought over it.

      2. If you recall your physical science/chemistry, salt is an ionic compound, combining 1 part sodium and 1 part chlorine.

      3. It is used today as a spice, to “bring out the flavor” (Job 6:6).

      4. It can also be used as a preservative, drying out meats to save them.

      5. At the end of the Third Punic War (146 b.c.), Rome salted the soil in and around Carthage to keep them from growing crops as punishment for continually attacking the Roman Empire – Abimelech also did this to Shechem (Judges 9:45).

      6. In Palestine at the time of Jesus, salt was also used as fertilizer.

        1. The difference in a fertilizer and a punishment is the amount that’s used.

        2. Salt, when used properly, can kill weeds while preserving the more deeply rooted crops—too much and it kills crops, too. This is one reason why some places use CaCl2 to de-ice the roads in the winter.

        3. Salt can also make barren soil easier to till.

        4. And it helps crops absorb other vital nutrients.

    3. Jesus is talking about salt’s use as a fertilizer.

      1. Another way to read this: “You are the salt of the soil; but if the salt becomes useless (foolish), how shall it be made useful (become salt) again? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

      2. Salt can lose its usefulness when it comes into contact with water.

      3. This is why you might see rice in your salt shakers to absorb water in the air, so as to keep it loose.

      4. Instead of being useful in the earth (or soil), might as well drop it on the road where nothing will ever grow.

    4. Where is our usefulness? Have we lost our saltiness?

      1. Our saltiness could be determined by how we grow.

      2. We plant the seed, we water, but we can also be the fertilizer.

      3. Fertilizers don’t directly affect the crop, but they do help them receive proper nourishment—don’t alter the message of the gospel!

      4. What do we do that might hinder the gospel so that we are now useless?

      5. Paul said that our speech always ought to be with grace, seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6).

      6. It should not just taste nice, but it should also facilitate the growth of the gospel.

      7. It can be too much, however, which could lead to barren soil.

      8. When it comes to the gospel, don’t be a bull in a china shop—it will turn people off to the gospel.

  2. The Light of the World (vs. 14-16).

    1. Light is also very valuable.

      1. God created it on the first day (Gen. 1:3-5).

      2. On day four, He created the greater light (sun) to rule the day and the lesser light (moon) to rule the night (Gen. 1:14-19).

      3. Light is often used as a figure for illuminating the proper path spiritually.

      4. God’s Word does this (Psalm 119:105).

      5. John, throughout his writings, often refers to Jesus as the Light (John 8:12).

    2. If Christ and His Word are the light, how are we also the light of the world?

      1. As with the salt being the fertilizer, we carry Christ and His Word with us.

      2. The Source of the light is Christ, as the Sun.

      3. The lesser light reflects the light of the greater light.

      4. We reflect the light of the Son, as the Moon.

    3. Light permeates.

      1. It is very difficult in this world to be somewhere that is pitch black, no photons whatsoever.

      2. Light somehow finds its way into many places.

      3. It is absent in caves, so much so that animals become blind there.

      4. It is absent in the depths of the sea (1000 m – 3280 ft) – yet even in these dark depths, some fish produce their own light.

      5. Even when it’s dark, some invisible forms of light exist, like UV and IR.

      6. We need to permeate this world in all forms and not let it be hidden like the city set on a hill.

    4. Light illuminates.

      1. Anyone that you can see is light reflecting off of that object.

      2. It helps us to see and navigate the path.

      3. Without headlights, it would be very difficult to drive at night.

      4. We must let our light shine before men, the light that reflects the Son.

      5. This can be done by doing good works because Christ did good works.

      6. This glorifies our heavenly Father, it points to Him!

      7. It illuminates the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

Conclusion.

  1. Our Lord calls us to be salt and light.

    1. Our salt helps the seed of the Word grow in people’s hearts.

    2. Our light reflected from the Son is manifest in good works that glorify God.

    3. Both lead people to Christ!

  2. Let us be more evangelistic in our every day lives.

  3. Let us do good to all men (Gal 6:10).

  4. Have you seen God glorified this morning? Are you being led to Christ? Obey Him today!