Friday, 18 May 2012
On Saturday, June 2nd, Cornerstone auto resource in Elk River (formerly Elk River Ford) will be hosting a Feed My Starving Children mobile pack event. Nowthen Alliance church has been allocated 30 spots during the 2:00pm-4:00pm time slot. This is an excellent opportunity to minister to the poor and hungry of our world. You can sign up online, by clicking on this link/sentence. Hope to see you there!
Sunday, 13 May 2012
The Parable of Salt and Light
During the Sermon on the mount Jesus inserts two metaphorical comparisons that meet our criteria of a parable. Since these short illustrations from Jesus are so valuable and relevant I have inserted them early in our study. All three of the synoptic Gospels recorded the parable of the salt while only Matthew included the second one about light (links): Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:50, and Luke 14:34. Below is Matthews record of Jesus' words:
“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. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Salt is a common chemical that we, like those in the first century, use everyday. Salt is comprised of Sodium, a very reactive metal (actually flames up in contact with water), and Chlorine, a very toxic gas (and the active component in household bleach). Yet when combined they form common table salt. We use salt to enhance the flavor of food. In the first century they would have used it to preserve food as well. In fact salt was so valuable in the first century that Roman soldiers were often paid with salt (hence the phrase "worth his salt.") Salt has one more useful property, it lowers the freezing point of water. Because of this we pour salt on our driveways and sidewalks to melt ice and snow.
So why does Jesus make the analogy of Christ-Followers to salt? Most of us will agree that Jesus was referencing the flavor enhancing effect of salt in this parable. As we live our life we ought to enhance the flavor, enhance the lives of those around us. Fellowship with a Christ-follower should be a positive experience for those living in the world. We are to be a blessing to those we come into contact with. Even non-Christians should feel a good sense, a good flavor, when around us. We should not be a burden to non-Christians, or come across as arrogant or prideful. We should leave a good taste in the minds of the unbeliever.
But Jesus says another thing here, "but if salt loses its saltiness it is of no value." Luke and Mark add that if salt loses its flavor enhancing capacity it will be spread on the ground - not even worthy for the dung heap. How can salt lose its saltiness, and if it does, how can it be made salty again? Salt is a relative stable compound, the way it would typically lose its saltiness is by being so diluted that it is no longer flavorful. Jesus is warning us (Believers) that if we so dilute our Faith that we appear no different than anybody else in the world (non-Believers) then we are not useful. In fact we might not even be worthy for the dung heap because we are hypocritical and therefore counter-productive to the Kingdom.
Ok, but how about becoming salty once again? We would want to concentrate the Christ-likeness that is within us. We would want to seek the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), maintain a closer walk with Jesus, and live in a less worldly manner. Soon, the flavor enhancing character of the salt will return and we will again be a blessing to those around us. And once again useful to the Kingdom of God.
Only Matthew records Jesus second parable at the end of the Beatitudes, the parable of being light. I'm only guessing, but I think Mark and Luke assumed that the "light" reference was so similar to the "salt" reference that it wasn't necessary to include both. Never-the-less, I think the light parable warrants a few words. I do think Jesus was making a parallel point here. We are to be salt and we are to be light, meaning we are to possess some characteristic(s) that Non-Believers do not possess (perhaps the Holy Spirit). In the case of the light metaphor, we should not attempt to hide our status as a Christ-Follower to the world. Rather, we should let "enhanced" character shine brightly. People in the world should see a reflection of Jesus in our countenance - we should exude the fruit of the Spirit!
Biblical scholars warn that we humans have a tendency to over analysis an analogy (metaphor), meaning we attempt to read too much into the meaning of a parable. In most cases, some would say all cases, there should be only one primary message within the parable. One should resist the temptation to consider the many other aspects of salt (and light) and attempt to force them into the message. Since Mark and Luke clearly inform us that the issue of the comparison is the flavor aspect of salt, I will only address that aspect. The one message is quite enough for us anyhow, don't you agree?
God, help me to live a life that is "salty" and flavorful to the world. Help to live in the world but not be of the world. I want my light to shine brightly, so allow Your Holy Spirit to work in my mind and spirit so that it is a reflection of Your light. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Take aways:
1) Jesus Himself calls us to salt and light in this world. Our lives should exude (reflect) the flavor and character of You! God has provided us with the Holy Spirit to enable us to do this!
2) We should not allow the cares of this world to dilute our savory flavor. We are called to live in the world but not be of the world.
3) If we find our "saltiness" has lost its flavor or that our "light" has dimmed, we have been given the power, through the Holy Spirit, to "concentrate the salt" and "brighten the light"!
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