Sunday, February 25, 2018

Keys to the Kingdom – The Sermon on the Mount - 03 INFLUENCE



Recently, as Tanya and I went to the Keller Town Hall to take part in early voting, we were amazed to see hundreds of political signs on the lawn there. As we walked from our car to the voting place, about a dozen people greeted us and encouraged us to vote for them or the candidates they represented. Why? They wanted to influence us, of course! And they wanted to convince us that their candidates would have greater influence for good than their opponents.
But you probably know who we were really looking for, don’t you? Why, Russians, of course! We’ve been led to believe by the media that Russians may be hacking us and interfering with our elections!
These are sermon notes, not written in a polished or finished manuscript form. To see the video of this and other sermons:
To see thumbnails of all posts on this blog:
Reading: Matt 5:13-16
Influence. How could Jesus’ disciples, who are poor in spirit, meek, peaceful, and persecuted, have any impact at all in this rough, tough world? Feeble and relatively few in number, how could their presence be felt at all? Impossible, you say? Well, Jesus describes just such people as salt which, as long as it is genuine, affects almost everything it touches. He calls us light which, if it is properly placed, can overcome this world’s darkness.
Imagine a small amount of salt affecting the entire earth! That’s a huge impact!
Imagine the church’s light, from a high hill, illuminating the world! Wow!
Jesus moves from the traits of His disciples to their fruits. Outward behavior is the expression of inward character.
Feeble, in the minority … yet impact the earth, the entire world!
Both Salt and Light
Do what they do because they are what they are.
Are the products of God’s design and creation.
Accomplish much, even in small amounts.
Are unmistakably evident when they are present.
Are desperately needed when they are absent.
Are givers, identified by the effect they produce.
Both Salt and Light …
Influence others without being influenced by them.
Must be in contact with something else to work.
Are useless when kept in isolation.
Yet must be distinct from that “something else.”
Are responsible to do what they are created to do.
Can fail in what they are expected to do.
Salt
Idioms: “Worth his salt.” “Take it with a grain of salt.”
Genuine salt was (and is) recognized by its taste.
We often say Christians are tested. Now we add, “Christians are tasted!”
R Lyons: Some think that its glistening whiteness coming from the sun and sea represents purity. If we are to be salt, we must be an example of purity. In the world, efforts to lower standards of honesty, diligence in work, and morality are going on all the time. The Christian must be the person who holds aloft the standard for purity of speech, conduct and thought. Words cannot be effective unless backed up by pure living.
What does salt do?
Preserves.
Salt preserves freshness, saves from moral decay.
R Lyons: Salt has always had the vital purpose of stopping decay. All of Jesus’ disciples were to serve as preservatives, stopping the moral decay in our sin infected world.
Stott: If the world were left to itself and were true to itself, the world would decay like rotten fish or meat, while the church can hinder its decay.
Without salt – tasteless, bland, even putrid.
Stott: In the centuries before refrigeration had been invented, salt was used to keep meat wholesome and to prevent decay. Indeed it still is. H. V. Morton has described the making of ‘biltong’, the dried meat of South Africa: ‘The meat, having been cut and trimmed to the required size, is well rubbed with coarse salt … If properly cured, it will keep indefinitely.’
R Lyons: Those first disciples would have been intimately familiar with this function of salt. Without refrigeration, the fish that they caught would quickly spoil and rot unless they were packed in salt. Once salted, the fish could be safely stored and then used when needed. The spiritual health and strength of the Christian is to counteract the corruption that is in the world. Christians, as salt, are to inhibit sin’s power to destroy lives. This in turn creates opportunity for the gospel to be proclaimed and received.
Purifies.
Salt cleanses and purifies. Salt softens and tenderizes.
Flavors.
Salt seasons the gospel message and makes it tasty.
R Lyons: Others say that salt’s flavoring properties imply that Christians are to add divine flavor to the world. Salt brings out the distinctive flavor of food. The increase of God’s people should likewise increase the flavor of life. By our presence, participation and penetration of society, in our daily contacts in our neighborhood and community, we are to bring the flavor of Christ to an unbelieving world.
Stings.
R Lyons: Some believe that Christians are to sting the world with rebuke and judgment the way salt stings an open wound.
Heals.
Salt awakens and restores. (Smelling salts)
Baker: Salt is potent as an antiseptic, a substance that prevents and retards decay. Salt combats deterioration.
A moral disinfectant.
Creates thirst.
Some believe that Christians, as salt, are to create a thirst for Christ.
Melts ice.
The Reader’s Digest lists 60+ uses for salt!
Salt must be able to contact without becoming contaminated.
Most of the salt available in Palestine was impure.
Believers “salt the earth” by ...
         Adopting the qualities listed in the Beatitudes
         Examples: showing mercy, making peace
         Enduring persecution as did the prophets of old
         Speaking with grace and care (Colossians 4:6)
Salt
Warning:
Tasteless, impure salt is worthless and must be thrown out.
Jesus said that we can lose our saltiness.
It can lose its taste, its saltiness, when mixed and thus impure.
Then it has no effect, no influence.
Result: it is thrown out, becomes part of the road, and is trampled.
It cannot be made salty again. It’s useless.
Lk 14:34 “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 35 “It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Baker: The salt from the marshes and lagoons or from the rocks in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea easily acquires a stale or alkaline taste, because of its mixture with gypsum, etc. It is then literally “good for nothing” but to be thrown away and trampled underfoot (cf. Ezek. 47:11). Jesus, as he walked on earth, saw many Pharisees and scribes, people who advocated a formal, legalistic religion in the place of the true religion proclaimed by the ancient prophets in the name of the Lord. Thus by and large the salt had lost its flavor in the religious life of Israel.
Baker: The implication is clear. Just as salt having lost its flavor cannot be restored, so also those who were trained in the knowledge of the truth but who then resolutely set themselves against the exhortations of the Holy Spirit and become hardened in their opposition are not renewed unto repentance (Heb 6:4-6). Therefore, let that which is named salt be salt indeed! Ever so many people who never read the Bible are constantly reading us! If in our conduct we are untrue to our calling our words will avail very little.
When salt is contaminated it becomes corrosive and poisonous. If we have allowed disobedience, carelessness and indifference to rule our lives, we have become contaminated salt and have lost our saltiness. We need to confess our sin and let the Lord restore us to the purpose for which we were called.
Salt Your Speech!
“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Col 4:5-6
Walk the walk, and talk the talk. Speak always graciously, tastefully, and appropriately. Add salt!
Salt and Fire, Salt and Peace
 “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:49-50
Salt and fire – elements in sacrifice. Lev 2:13
Salt and peace – Oriental sign of covenant-making.
Light
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” John 9:1-6. See also John 1:4; 8:12; 12:46.
Here He says, “YOU are the light of the world.” Being like Jesus is the key to reflecting His light in this world.
Ge 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
2 Co 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Jn 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
1 Jn 2:7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Ro 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Eph 5:11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
1 Th 5:1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
1 Jn 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
Light
Brings life and growth.
Destroys darkness.
Relieves fear.
Exposes dirt.
Guides to safety.
Light guides one to safety. “Let the lower lights be burning.”
Warns of impending danger.
Signals for help.
Light
What we are, whether good or evil, is visible to the world.
Light shines just because that is its nature. It can’t help it!
Light, even in tiny amounts, eliminates darkness and fear.
Light is useless unless it can be easily seen by all.
Light must be set above the darkness, on a higher plane.
Light
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. Phil 2:14-15
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Pet 2:9
“For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’ ”
Acts 13:47
Who is the “you?”
First, it’s Christ. Isa 42:6; 49:6
Later, it’s Paul and Barnabas.
Now, it’s you and I, the church!
Light
A Guarantee:
On a hill: cannot be hidden.
On a stand: fills the whole house.
A Warning:
If hidden: cannot be seen.
Under a basket: useless.
A Command:
Matt 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
The light of a disciple is his good works, which must ...
[1] be seen by others and [2] result in glory to the Father.
Men evaluate Christianity by the light they see in our lives.
What diminishes or extinguishes our light?
Sin, fear, hypocrisy, pride, or silence.
How to Salt and Shine
First, adopt the “be-attitudes” of Matt 5:3-12.
Be deliberate, intentional, purpose-driven.
Be connected with the culture, but be distinct.
Find and fill the place of greatest need.
Get out of that salt shaker! Throw off that basket!
Preserve, purify, and season something decaying.
Brighten a darkening faith, life, or relationship.
Identify and practice good deeds that are visible.
Seek only the glory of God that will result.
Possible hymns:
Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen in Me
Shine, Jesus, Shine
More Like Jesus
To Christ Be True
Take My Life, and Let it Be
Take the Name of Jesus with You


No comments: