Dr. J. Stuart Houston


      Matthew 5:13-16: 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. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

      Salt that stays on the shelf doesn’t do anyone any good. Salt that stays in the shaker does not preserve or flavor one thing. It must be poured out in order to do what it was created to do! 
      The greatest sermon ever preached is recorded in Matthew 5. This sermon was preached by the greatest Preacher to ever stand and proclaim the Word of God- Jesus Christ. This sermon is known as the Sermon on the Mount. 
      This message and these verses have the potential to revolutionize your life as a Christian, and to totally revitalize the church as the body of Christ. If just one ‘gets it’, that one has the potential to impact this world for Jesus Christ! 
      Helen Keller said, “I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” 
      It is here in this portion of His sermon that Christ challenges us to Obey the Heavenly Vision and realize what we are and what we must obediently carry out as a child of God. 
      If we are going to be influential and obedient Christians, then we will understand and carry out our role as ‘salt and light’ in this world. 
      James Stewart said, “The greatest threat to Christianity is not communism, it’s not atheism, it’s not materialism, it’s not humanism. The greatest threat to Christianity is Christians trying to sneak into heaven incognito without ever sharing their faith, without ever living out the Christian life, without ever becoming involved in the most significant work God is doing on planet earth.”
      Salt and Light – Obeying the heavenly vision to impact our society – Getting it in 2007, better yet, Getting it today. What do I mean? Very simply: understanding why you exist as a believer and why we exist as a church! 
      I. We exist to influence a decaying world. Verse 13 says, Ye are the salt of the earth. Whether we like it or not, if we are Christians, we ARE salt. The question is: are we functioning like we are supposed to as salt? 
      A. The Clarity of the Savior (verse 13): If the Savior has an ANALOGY of what I am as His child, then automatically I know He has an AGENDA for me as His child. Christian, God has a plan for your life. He has a plan for you to fulfill as His salt and His light! Wherever you are each day- your subdivision, your office, your schoolroom- wherever- THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE TO FUNCTION AS SALT. If you do not, that world around you will decay and die in darkness! 
      B. The Conclusion of the Saints (verse 13): These folks knew exactly what Christ was talking about when He told them they were salt. The emphatic statement did not get by them. They got it. When He said, “You are the salt of the earth”, it was an urgent revelation to them as to what their responsibility was as followers of Jesus Christ. 
      In the first century, salt was a basic necessity of life. 
      1. Salt Preserved. It was a preservative that was vital to their culture. The fisherman understood what Jesus was saying. Salt arrested the corruption of their catch. That is why we are here! We are to challenge and arrest and confront the corruption in our society with the truth of the Word of God! 
      2. Salt Purified. In Christ’s culture, salt was used as a cleanser- a purifying agent. Salt was often used to bring healing and cleansing to a wound. Friend, we are here not only to preserve our society, but we are here to purify it as well! Dr. R. V. G. Tasker said, “We are to be a moral disinfectant in a world where moral standards are low, constantly changing or non-existent.” 
      3. Salt was Palatable. That means it enhanced the flavor of something. 
      C. The Consequences of Saltlessness (13). “Preacher, what if I am just satisfied being saved and have no desire to minister, to witness, to share my faith?” You are good for nothing. ...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. It is really a disgrace not to be what God says we are. 
      In the Galilean culture, if salt lost its savor- if it lost its saltiness- it was useless. Savorless salt was good for nothing. They would chunk it on the dirt road so it could be ground up under traffic. Jesus said, “If you’re not careful, salt of the earth, you will lose your edge, your distinctiveness, your power, and your very reason for being.” 
      Romans 1:22: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” ‘Fool’ is the same word Jesus used in speaking of the salt losing its savor. 
      D. Martyn Lloyd Jones said, “If we Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians, we are useless. What a tragic peril for us to go from being saviors of our society to supplying materials for footpaths.” 
      The church is being walked on by the world today! There is no respect for the church in this world anymore. The reason is we are too much like the world! We use the same foul language. We drink the same beer. We see the same movies. We ignore the same Bible. There ought to be a distinct difference in the way a Christian lives and in the way the heathen live! Your speech should be different! Your behavior should be different! Your beverages should be different. 
      II. We exist to illuminate a darkened world (verses 14-16) We exist to influence and to illuminate. We are to confess the truth of God to this dark world. Ye are the light of the world. 
      A. Illuminate Our Homes (15) giveth light unto all that are in the house. The light of the truth of our life is not to begin shining at the Church-house, but at ‘Our-House!’ 
      B. Radiate From the Hill (14-15) “bushel” -better translated - “bucket.” 
      III. We exist to enlighten a dying world (verse 16) 
      D. Martyn Lloyd Jones said, “The glory of the Gospel is that, when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first.” 
      A. Our Heart and Life Should Exemplify Christianity (verse 16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works... Jesus is not speaking here of a works-based salvation. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto good works. 
      Warren Wiersbe said, “No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same any more than he can come into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same.” 
      John Calvin said, “Faith alone justifies; but the faith that justifies is never alone!” 
      I preach and share the Gospel and love my church and seek to please Him and honor Him- not in order to go to heaven, but, bless God, because I am going to heaven! 
      B. Our Heart and Lips Will Amplify Christ (verse 16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Can you honestly say that you serve Jesus with your heart and soul so that others might be pointed toward Jesus Christ?


Dr. J. Stuart Houston is Pastor of Blue Ridge View Baptist Church in Pickens, South Carolina.


      Link: www.blueridgeviewbaptist.com