The Beatitudes - Part 4 (Mat. 5:13-16)

by Toms, A. F. | Category: The Sermon On The Mount | May 1984

"You are the salt of the earth"

A group of young people were discussing the text, "You are the salt of the earth" and one suggestion after another was made as to the meaning of salt in this verse. "Salt preserves from decay," said one of them. "Salt imparts a desirable flavour," suggested another. Then a Chinese girl spoke out of her experience. "Salt creates thirst" she said, and there was sudden hush in the room. Everyone was thinking, "Have I ever made anyone thirsty for the Lord Jesus Christ?"

That is the text I want to consider with you now. We have been thinking about the beatitudes and noticing the blessing the Lord Jesus promised to those who display this Christian character which the Holy Spirit produces in us. It is not something we can do ourselves, for it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts. And we have noticed also that it's bound to make us different from those who have never accepted Christ as their Saviour.

In His teaching which followed the Lord Jesus emphasized this difference. We are as different as salt is from the food it preserves. As different as light is from the darkness it dispels. But He doesn't take us out of the world because we are different. Not immediately anyway. One day He will. But meantime He leaves us here to be an influence for good. I believe that is the first thing we learn from our text, "You are the salt of the earth."

The implication is that the world is corrupt, corrupted as a result of sin. The whole world lies in the evil one, the Bible says. Sin has done its corrupting work in the lives of men and women. We see its effects all around us. But God expects us to be an influence for good, and to help prevent the spread of corruption; to have the effect salt has, of preserving the world from going thoroughly bad. If we are living the sort of life the beatitudes speak of, then that's the effect our lives will have. A very small quantity of salt is required to preserve a large amount of meat. And it's amazing how widely the influence of one Christian can be felt, if he or she is really living for Christ. You may be the only Christian in your workshop or office, but if you are not afraid to witness for Christ, the influence of your life will be felt by all. Have you ever noticed how the conversation can change when a Christian walks into a room? I have. His presence acts like salt.

And that was a good point another of the young people made that salt gives food a desirable flavour. Without it some foods can be quite insipid. Yes, if we are living the new life others will be attracted to it. "You've got something I

haven't got," said a young lady to a friend of mine who worked in the same office. She had been watching his life and realized he'd got what she'd been wanting for so long. What a good thing it was, for her sake, that the salt had not lost its savour, or in other words, that my friend was really enjoying Christ and living the new life in front of his colleagues.

Which brings us to the excellent point the Chinese girl made that salt creates thirst. And we ask ourselves the searching question, "How many have become thirsty for the Lord Jesus because they've seen the difference He's made in my life?" May His word come with force to each of our hearts today. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?" Let us pray for one another today, that our love for Christ may grow and that God will use us to influence other lives for Him.

"You are the light of the world"

When I was in Burma, on national holidays a group of us used to go to surrounding towns and villages carrying the gospel message. We would fill the gospel van and sing hymns as we travelled. "There's a call comes ringing o'er the restless wave, send the light, send the light. There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save, send the light, send the light" was 6ne of our favourites. We were four nationalities, Burmese, Chinese, Indian and British, so there weren't many people we could not speak to along the way. Great days they were, bringing the light of the gospel to those who lived in darkness and superstition.

It reminds me of what the Lord Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." He was speaking to His disciples, but His words are true of all who follow Him. "Once you were darkness," wrote the apostle Paul to the Ephesians, "but now you are light in the Lord" (Eph. 5:8).

Have you received light from Christ? He is the light who lights every man, coming into the world. Has He lit your lamp?

Some people profess to show others the way, but they have never made personal contact with Christ themselves. "I am the light of the world," the Lord

Jesus said (John 8:12). He is the only light in this dark world. There's no light apart from Him, and if we are going to light others along the way, we must first of all receive light from Christ.

The world is a dark place, despite the enlightment men claim. It's true our 20th century has brought a vast increase in knowledge, and knowledge brings light, they say. In many ways it does. Increased knowledge throws greater light on many subjects. But that is intellectual. It doesn't bring light in the heart. The spiritual darkness is as deep as ever. Jesus said, "He who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." That is the light we need, light along life's way, light about the future, so that when we come to die we know where we're going. Friend, have you got the light? Then let it shine to others, so that in the dark places of the earth men and women may see the beauty of the Saviour and be helped to put their trust in Him.

The call of human hearts is ringing out today, urgently, desperately. Can you not hear it, Christian? Of course you can. Then send the light; send the light. "Let your light so shine before men." The Lord Jesus was speaking to a group of men who were later described as unlearned and ignorant. I don't think it was said disparagingly. They simply had not the benefit of advanced education, as had some of their contemporaries. But the men who said it noticed they'd been with Jesus, and that very fact had made a tremendous difference to their lives. They had come into contact with the One who is the Light of the World, and He had lit their lamps and now they were shining with the light which Christ gives.

God is light, the Bible says. That is what He is essentially. His whole Being is light. In Him is no darkness at all. And the Lord Jesus is God, equal in every way with His Father. He also is light. When He came into the world He said, "I am the light of the world." He came to shine in its darkness and to show us the way to heaven. The world is a dark place, morally and spiritually dark. It's dark with sin. When the Lord Jesus came as the light of the world, He showed up sin for what it was. And the result? He was unwanted hated because of it and eventually men crucified Him outside their capital city. "This is the judgement," Jesus said, "that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).

But there were some who believed on Him, who were willing to be turned from darkness to light. They followed Christ and He have them the light of life. And to them He said, "You are the light of the world... even so let your light shine before men.

The Lord Jesus used two figures, you'll notice. He spoke about a city set on a hill which cannot be hidden. And He spoke about a lamp on a stand shining to all in the house. One was seen a long distance away, and the other close up.

There is a sense in which each of us answers to both. A small light shining can be seen a long way off when it's dark, like a city on a hill. But someone has said, "The light that shines the farthest shines the brightest nearest home." If we are shining as God intends we should there will be a bright light shining amongst those to whom we are nearest, the folks we live with, the people we work amongst.

But what does it really mean to let our light shine? In practical terms, how do we do it? The apostle Paul spelt it out to the Ephesians when he wrote, "The fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true" (5:9). That's helpful, isn't it? Where these things are seen in our lives, the light shines out for all to see. A missionary in India was teaching a group of children about the Lord Jesus and explaining how good and kind He is, how forgiving and merciful. She noticed a deepening interest on the children's part. And as she went on one little girl became extremely excited and jumping up she said, "I know him, I know him. He lives right near us." Wasn't that lovely! Whoever it was lived near them had been letting his light shine, and even the young children understood that. Even so let your light shine, that men may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Toms, A. F. | May 1984
The Sermon On The Mount