Mat 5:13; You Are the Salt of the Earth.

Class Outline:

Tuesday May 14, 2024

 

Idea: Using the image of salt, Jesus creates His heavenly community on earth. 

 

Introduction:

The apprentices of Christ exist and move with a character that can only be described as heavenly. Love, joy, peace, faithfulness, loyalty, goodness, kindness, patience, mercy, peacemaking, righteous, just, gentle, very concerned for others, self-controlled, walking by the power and wisdom of God Himself, the Holy Spirit. Is all of this, this exceedingly abundant life just for him? Is it for his own use?

 

No. It goes without saying that he must enjoy the benefits of it, so much so, that some will very much envy him. But knowing God, such goodness must be used to manifest and give to others. How is the life of the apprentice of Christ to be used for the world around him. It will be used just as his Master has done, the one he is apprenticing under.

 

MAT 5:13

 

Contemplation on the character of the Christian (Bs) now becomes the effect that such people have on the world. 

 

The apprentice is different from the world as salt is different. 

 

What does this say about the condition of the world? Rotting. 

 

The apprentice is like Christ. Though righteous He does good to those who persecute Him. 

 

He reached out, dined with, spoke with, fellowship, laughed and cried with, and offered them what they could never have dreamed and it was real (not a dream). MAT 9:10-13. 

 

Salt applications:

Satisfy taste, symbol of hospitality, preserve, kill, symbol of everlasting covenant in sacrifices. 

 

“You yourselves are the very salt of the earth” means: reaching out and making real connections on the basis of an everlasting covenant of love.

 

Thereby influencing against sin and for the gospel while inviting whosoever into the kingdom of heaven. 

 

Salt is useless alone.

 

Hospitality: ROM 12:13; HEB 13:2; 1PE 4:9; 1TI 5:10. [click in feast picture] (overseers: 1TI 3:2; TIT 1:8). 

 

MAR 9:30-50

 

LUK 14:1-34

 

To be His apprentice you have to pick up your cross. Consider the cost - you must die! (context is complete devotion - Bs).

 

Application:

People are in need of real connections with the life of Christ. The Lord Jesus has designed the age of the church for that connection to come from the church (individually and group). 

 

Christianity is not you and your doctrine alone in your house. 

 

Jesus was emphatic (uses pronoun “You”) - “You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.” 

 

This makes the church the most significant people on the planet.