Salt of the Earth
Matt 5:13-16
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The Living Bible not the translation, but another form of translation.
His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes
in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire
four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, bright.
He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well dressed,
very conservative church. They want to develop a
ministry to the students, but are not sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes,
jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and
so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely
packed and
he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable,
but no one says anything.
Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when
he realizes there are no seats, he just squats
down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior
at a college fellowship, trust me, this had
never happened in this church before!)
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the
air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes
that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making
his way toward Bill.
Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and
a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly.
He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone
is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to
do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand
some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church
is utterly silent except for the clicking of the
man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone
breathing. The minister can't even
preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do.
And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor.
With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and
worships with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion.
When the minister gains control, he says, "What I'm about to
preach, you will never remember.
What you have just seen, you will never forget."
Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people
will ever read.
We asked the Lord to bless you as we prayed for you today.
To guide you and protect you as you go along your way......
His love is always with you, His promises are true, And when
we give Him all our cares, You know He will
see us through.
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King James Version (Matthew 5:13)
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour,
wherewith shall it be
salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out,
and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot
be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[Webster's Revised King James Version] (Matthew 5:13)
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt hath lost its savour, how
shall it be salted?
it is then good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot by men.
[Bible in Basic English] (Matthew 5:13)
You are the salt of the earth; but if its taste goes from the salt, how
will you make it salt again?
it is then good for nothing but to be put out and crushed under foot by
men.
Matt 5:13-16 NIV
13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see
your
good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995,
1996 SoftKey
Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
The use of difference Translation is to better understand
the verses in this study.
Mat 5:13
Salt is used for many things.
1. Salt is use
to save ( preserve ).
In the early part of my life my mother and dad and I lived in Fulton, KY.
There
was a barn for storage of hay and corn in a crib. In the early daysof farming,
farmers
milked their cows and put animals inside in bad weather.
Another building For storage like a utility building today. One half was
were they
kept their meats. The meats were salted and stored in a box. My parents
rented the
house for over 12 years. When we move there I found a ham that was salted
cured
and when we moved out twelve years later the ham was still in the wooden
box (chest) box.
In good shape. Even the box was hairy but in sturdy shape. They use arsenic
and salt to treat
wood to protect from insects and water damage.
2. Salt attracts
water.
3. Salt Changes
the taste, Savor ( makes one like the taste better.)
4. To eat food
without salt is a thing that one has to learn.
The body seems to have a natural desire for food to be salted.
Look at all of the foods that are sold with Salt added.
5. Salt makes the
Roads safer by melting the ice.
6. One can always
see where the Salt has been.
7. Salt has to
be used in its pure state or it loses its savour .
8. Salt makes one
want more.
9. Salt, its value
was so well known that the Romans soldiers as part of their wages
were given a ration of Salt.
10. Salt was a important part
of Worship under the law of Moses
Lev 2:13; Ezra 6:9; Ezek. 43:24; Mark 9:49.
Lev 2:13 KJV And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season
with salt;
neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God
to be lacking from thy meat offering:
with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
Lev 2:13 NIV
13 Season all your grain offerings with salt.
Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your
God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your
offerings.
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright
(c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey
Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[Bible in Basic English] (Leviticus 2:13)
And every meal offering is to be salted with salt;
your meal offering is not to be without the salt of the agreement of your
God:
with all your offerings give salt.
11 Heals wounds
12 The believer is the condition
(salt) to meet the world's needs and
he has a mission (light) to the world.
Jerry Falwell, executive editor; Edward E. Hinson and Michael Kroll Woodrow,
general editors,
KJV Bible commentary computer file, electronic ed., Logos Library System,
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1994.
13 Was of such importance that it was included
in Gifts between kings and other people
that were of importants or favor was wanted from.
Mark 9:49 CEB
49 Everyone must be salted with fire.
50 Salt is good. But if it no longer tastes like salt,
how can it be made salty again?
Have salt among you and live at peace with each other.
The Contemporary English computer file, electronic ed., Logos Library System,
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1995 by the American Bible Society.
14 Used in ratifying covenants, Num.
18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5
15 Elisha casts, into the pool of
Jericho, to purify it, 2 Kings. 2:20,21.
Most of the salt in Israel came from the Dead Sea. If impurities
got in the salt It would become unusable.
The significant of the unusable Salt, is it becomes the footstool.
This is what happens to the believer that lets sin corrupt their
witness.
James 2:3 KJV And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him,
Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there,
or sit here under my footstool:
James 2:3 NIV
3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say,
"Here's a good seat for you,"
but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"
4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil
thoughts?
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright
(c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[Bible in Basic English] (James 2:3)
And you do honour to the man in fair clothing and say, Come here and take
this good place;
and you say to the poor man, Take up your position there, or be seated
at my feet;
The Footstool is the lowest place a person on earth can be. And to
be trodden to the Jews was even lower.
It was really worthless. It is where the enemies of the Lord will
be.
Mat 5:35; Mat 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:43;
Acts 2:35; Acts 7:49; Heb 1:13; Heb 10:13.
Our witness is our life. A believers witness is not so much asking
and telling people about Jesus,
that is part of the Commission that was given to each believer.
Yes the Believer is to pass the Gospel on.
The Gospel 1 Cor 15:1-11;
The Great commission. Mat 28:17-20.
Most believers are not taught by their churches
how to win soul to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The witness here that is talked about is the believers service and
manner of life.
1 Tim 4:12; Gal 1:13; Eph 2:3; Eph 4:22; Philip
1:27; Philip 3:20; Heb 13:5-7; James 3:13; 1 Peter 1:15-18;
1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:1-2; 1 Peter 3:16;
2 Peter 2:7; 2 Peter 3:11
1 Tim 4:12 KJV Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of
the believers,
in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Tim 4:12-14 NIV
12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith
and in purity.
13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to
preaching and
to teaching.
14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message
when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright
(c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey
Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
[Bible in Basic English] (1 Timothy 4:12)
Let no one make little of you because you are young, but be an example
to the church in word, in behaviour,
in love, in faith, in holy living.
The manner of life the believer lives is the way people
see Jesus. The time has come that a man's word is not
as Great as it should be. Anyone that works, teaches, preaches,
or does any thing that the world can perceive as
work for Christ needs to watch their conversation of their
life. The Greater the position the greater the burden.
Pastors and teachers and deacon that don't visit
the Flock can not know what is Happening to the Flock.
A member of the Flock could be sick. Some new people visit
The Church leave an address the are telling
you to come visit. A true Believer has Questions to ask before
they join the local visible church.
People need to be made to feel at home. If a pastors
or church worker wants the Lord to be behind their
ministry, needs a regular visitation program. If it is not
on a regular basic it will not last.
Church members need to visit in each others houses.
Some Pastors and teachers have trouble defending their message.
If they are going to teach and preach
the Gospel, they better be ready to defend it.
The more they visit the Greater Fire there will be in their message.
Some pastors use the excuse that they are not going
to baby anyone.
Especial people that goes from church to church. I personally would
take a building Full of that type of people.
Most of these people are better believers that most pew warmers.
They are worshiping the true God not the Church. The pastor is to
shepherd the Flock.
You can not teach them if they leave the church. John
Chapter 10;
Heb 13:10; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4;
Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 3:1-2; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 2:25
Mat 9:36 NIV
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,
because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,
to send out workers into his harvest field."
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright
(c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey
Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
If they are saved by the blood of Christ they need a
shepherd or they need a flock to Shepherd.
Acts 20:28 KJV Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church
of God,
which he hath purchased with his own blood.
[Bible in Basic English] (Acts 20:28)
Give attention to yourselves, and to all the flock which the Holy Spirit
has given into your care,
to give food to the church of God, for which he gave his blood.
Acts 20:28 NIV
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit
has made you overseers.
Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright
(c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey
Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
A pastor doesn't visit anyone but the ones they want to. If the pastor
doesn't Visit there needs to be a Group
that visits. It is the pastor and deacons Job to visit or
appoint and train people for the ministry.
Acts 2:46; Acts 6:1-8 ; Acts 6:1.
If a believers witness is polluted it will become of no use.
God will Do one or more of the same
things you would do to a disobedient Child and reward the obedient.
This Has nothing to do with
the state of their souls Salvation by God.
Matt 16:27; Matt 25:14-23; John 1:12; Heb
12:5-11; 2 John 8; Rev 22:12.
John 15:2 NIV
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,
while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even
more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit
by itself;
it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain
in me.
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia
Inc. All Rights Reserved
Many in theses verse believe that they make reference to
God would end the physical life of the saved soul.
John 15:2; 1 Cor 11:29-32;
1 John 5:16.
God sometime moves believers to places that they can be used more
effectively.
Then there are times that God moves person or persons out of the
way when they are in the way of God's work.
Pastors begin to think that the church belongs to them God
moves them.
I extreme cases God will take them home to Heaven early.
Christ in the Similitudes as in many of His other teaching repeated
them by telling the story a second way.
Christ used the thing His listeners understood. The listeners knew
the value Salt had on the world.
The believers with the help of the Holy Spirit is what is holding
the world together. The end of times can not
come untill the believers and the Holy Spirit are taken out
of this world.
Christ repeats the illustrations in verses 14 with the use
of the light.
Light travels in a straight line best.
It is many times reflected to give more light.
Much like light houses along dangerous Sea coast.
City lights could guide a traveler to the city he was traveling
to reach. All airports have a beacon to guide airplane
to safety. These light usually have one thing in common.
Yes they are put in a position to be seen.
The Lord of the Salvation of our soul intends
for the world to see Jesus through the born again believer.
The believer, Church member, Sunday school teacher,
Song leader, Church bus driver, Janitor, Preacher,
and Pastor are all to live in such a way as to not make their
brother to stumble.
Romans 14:21 KJV It is good neither
to eat flesh, nor to drink wine,
nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth,
or is offended, or is made weak.
Some students of the bible try to use these verses Mat
5:13-16 to have them say that they show that a soul
could be lost. Upon carefully looking Christ is using the common
know objects that people understood.
If a person is saved they have a testimony, Christ through
the Holy Ghost is indwelling in them giving the
power of God to tell what God has done for you.
If you have trouble telling how and what lead to your Salvation
and who Saved your soul, you are in trouble.
Romans 10:11 NIV
11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to
shame."
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV. Copyright (c) 1994, 1995,
1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
For one to be the salt of the world one has to be saved.
For ones Light to shine one must be saved.
For a saved person’s ( by the blood of Christ) Salt to add savour
to the world
That believer must spread the salt around.
For a saved secure person’s light to shine it must be on and the
light must be held high.
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To Be The Light of The World
The story is told of a lighthouse keeper
who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline and who received
his new supply of oil once a month to keep the light burning.
Not being far from shore, he had frequent guests.
One night a woman from the village begged for some oil to keep her
family warm.
Another time a father asked for some to use in
his lamp.
Another needed some to lubricate a wheel.
Since all the requests seemed legitimate, the lighthouse
keeper tried to please everyone and granted them all.
Toward the end of the month he noticed that the
supply of oil was very low. Soon, it was gone, and the
beacon light went out. That night several ships were wrecked
and lives were lost.
When the authorities investigated, the man was
very repentant. To his excuses and pleading their reply was:
"You were given the oil for one purpose
-- to keep that light burning!"
See: Prov 4:25-27; Matt 5:14-16;
2 Cor 4:6; 2 Cor 11:3
Illustration
taken from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0, Copyright 1990-1994
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