The Source of our Saltiness

I want to put these words to page this morning in a spirit of love for you...love for God...love for the Kingdom.

You and I are made in Christ for great purpose!  We are called to be the salt of the earth!

Now I could spend all of my time this morning teaching on what that means...but the truth is you've probably already heard a sermon or ten on it.

Instead, I want to look at the verse with you this morning from a different angle.  So, here it is:

“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 underfoot." (Matt. 5:13-14)

Focus on the end of that verse with me, will you?  If salt loses its saltiness...it is no longer good for anything.

So, here's the love...we are meant to be men and women of great influence in this world. Not because of our personalities, our great looks, or our bank accounts.  We are meant to be men and women of great influence because of the person and the power that lives inside of us.

The great marker for the first deacons in the Bible was that fact that they were men "full of the Holy Spirit."  In truth, that is the great marker for all servants of the King!  You can keep your theologians, your politicians, your bank rollers...give me seven men full of the Holy Spirit of God and get out of the way!

When we abide, walk, keep in step with...the Holy Spirit our lives our full of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self control.  

That's what salty folks look like.  That's how they taste.  Good!  People want to be around folks like that.  They turn to folks like that when they face struggles and trials in life.  They ask folks like that to pray for them.  They ask folks like that why they are different.  They ask folks like that how they can experience the same joy and peace that they see in their lives.

These are the kinds of people that Jesus intends us to be.  So, how do we do it?

The answer is simple: We hang out with the Source of our Saltiness - Jesus.

Jesus is the one who stops the bleeding in this life!  Jesus is the one who fills the empty stomach!  Jesus is the one that makes the lame walk and the blind see!

Maybe it sounds too easy!  But I promise you it's true.  The key to being useful in the Kingdom is spending time with the King!  

I heard it put this way last week: At the feeding of the 5,000, we know that there were probably more like 15-20,0000 people.  How did Jesus feed them?  Well, He had them sit down...into sections no doubt.  And He broke the bread and the fish and gave it to the disciples to hand out?  How much food could Peter carry to his section of over 1,000 people?  Only as much as his hands could hold.  Maybe enough for 60?  A 100?  What did he do when he ran out?  He had to go back to Jesus for more!

Friends.  Jesus is our bread!  He is the bread of life!  He is the source!  The more often we go back to Him, the more effective we will be!