WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.360 All right, would you take the Word of God with me and turn to Matthew chapter 5. We're starting a 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:12.140 new series this Sunday, so you're here for the first one. You haven't missed anything, Matthew 00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:22.500 chapter 5. As you're turning there, I'd like to talk to you for a moment about this concept that 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:33.200 we find in this passage about salt and light. Salt and light. What do y'all think of when we talk about 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:42.079 salt? First thing that comes to mind, somebody yell it out. Food? Pepper. Somebody said pepper. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:51.260 Iced roads, there you go. That's real after the weekend we just had. What else? 00:00:52.500 --> 00:01:04.400 Sodium chloride. Yeah. What's that? Preservation. I like it. Your personality? A little salty? All right. 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:12.060 Everybody avoid David this morning. Just kidding. Just kidding. All right, we're going to look at 00:01:12.060 --> 00:01:17.180 Matthew chapter 5 and see what the Bible has to say about this. In honor of God's Word, if you're able 00:01:17.180 --> 00:01:21.799 to, would you mind joining us in standing? If not, that's totally fine. But I want to invite you to 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:29.140 stand. In Matthew chapter 5, verse 13, I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible. Verse 13 says, 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:36.679 Jesus is speaking. This is his most famous sermon, arguably, the Sermon on the, what is it? Mount. 00:01:36.859 --> 00:01:44.640 The Sermon on the Mount. We get so much of our theology from Jesus' teaching in this sermon. Let's 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:50.599 see what he has to say about salt. You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should lose its taste, 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:57.159 how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:05.039 people's feet. Pretty extreme there. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot 00:02:05.039 --> 00:02:11.419 be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives 00:02:11.419 --> 00:02:18.060 light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so they may see 00:02:18.060 --> 00:02:24.020 your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Let's pray together. God, we ask you for 00:02:24.020 --> 00:02:29.640 your elimination to the teaching of this passage. I pray that you would get across the point that you 00:02:29.640 --> 00:02:35.860 wanted to make and help us to have understanding, wisdom to apply it to our lives. It's in Jesus' name 00:02:35.860 --> 00:02:42.539 we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Thanks for standing. So I want to talk to you for a minute about salt. 00:02:42.539 --> 00:02:49.340 Did you know that for a long time in the history of our world, salt was known as white gold? 00:02:50.579 --> 00:02:56.079 Anybody know that? I didn't know that until I did research on this. Now you might be more educated 00:02:56.079 --> 00:03:09.180 than I am in that way, and you might be already familiar with that, but salt was so rare in the 00:03:09.180 --> 00:03:19.060 ancient world that it became a valuable currency. They used it like money. It was essential for 00:03:19.060 --> 00:03:25.340 preserving meat. Somebody said preservative a little bit ago. And for general health, you need sodium 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:37.420 chloride. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt. How would y'all like that? Payday comes and you're 00:03:37.419 --> 00:03:42.099 expecting a check to hit the bank. And instead your boss calls you in and said, hold out your little 00:03:42.099 --> 00:03:53.439 paw there, buddy. Takes a salt shaker. How great would that be? Roman soldiers were often paid in salt. 00:03:53.639 --> 00:04:03.619 We actually get our English word salary from the Latin word salarium, meaning salt money. 00:04:03.620 --> 00:04:13.860 See how it all works together. So did you know that this is actually where we get our expression, 00:04:14.860 --> 00:04:21.280 you're worth your salt? That was an aha moment for me. I hope it is for you this morning. I hope 00:04:21.280 --> 00:04:30.660 you're enjoying that as much as I did. But the whole idea here is that salt was incredibly valuable. 00:04:30.660 --> 00:04:44.900 Salt was right up there with gold. Salt was desirable. We think of salt as something that flavors our food. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:52.220 It enhances our food. It contains nutrients that we need. Back then they certainly used it that way, 00:04:52.220 --> 00:05:01.960 but it meant so much more to them. So when Jesus is saying that you are the salt of the earth, 00:05:02.580 --> 00:05:11.680 wow, that means something. That carries some weight, some impact. So we look back at verse 13 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:18.540 and in this series on salt and light today, we're just going to be focusing on salt and we'll get to 00:05:18.540 --> 00:05:27.080 the light part in future weeks. But right now, I really want us to lock into this idea that Jesus 00:05:27.080 --> 00:05:36.180 sees us as the salt of the earth to provide flavor, to provide preservation, 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:47.040 as highly valuable and essential to what God wants to do on this earth. John Stott was one of the 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:52.520 greatest the greatest theologians of the 20th century. And he wrote a famous book on Jesus's 00:05:52.520 --> 00:05:58.680 sermon on the mount. And in this book, he wrote this. It's way too small for you to see, but I have 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:07.759 it here. I'm going to read it to you. God intends us to penetrate the world. Christian salt has no 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:14.520 business to remain snugly in elegant little ecclesiastical. That means has to do with church, 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:24.500 elegant little church salt cellars. Our place is to be rubbed into the secular community as salt is 00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:33.639 rubbed into meat to stop it from going bad. When society does go bad, what do we do? We Christians 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:40.959 tend to throw up our hands in pious horror and reproach the non-Christian world. How could you do such a 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:49.959 thing? But should we not rather reproach ourselves? One can hardly blame unsalted meat for going bad. 00:06:50.500 --> 00:06:59.139 It's what it does. It cannot do anything else. The real question to ask is, where is the salt? 00:07:00.479 --> 00:07:07.019 That really stood out to me. As we see this world get worse and worse in a lot of ways, 00:07:07.019 --> 00:07:15.659 the question we should probably be asking all of us is, where's the salt? Why isn't the salt 00:07:15.659 --> 00:07:24.659 doing its job? I want to take you now to Colossians chapter 4 and verse 2. Colossians chapter 4 and verse 00:07:24.659 --> 00:07:32.219 2. Paul writes this to the church at Colossae and he says, he's challenging them, says, devote yourself to 00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:39.680 prayer. Stay alert in prayer with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray for us so God can open a door to 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:47.100 us for the word, preaching the word of God, to speak the mystery of Christ. The mystery of Christ, 00:07:47.200 --> 00:07:52.460 man, let's not skip over that. What's he talking about when he says, we want to speak the mystery of 00:07:52.460 --> 00:07:58.620 Christ. You guys pray for God to open doors for us so we can go speak the mystery of Christ. The mystery 00:07:58.620 --> 00:08:05.699 of Christ is the gospel. It's so mysterious. It's so hard to wrap our heads around that we are fallen 00:08:05.699 --> 00:08:12.600 people. We are all sinful people. And God, the creator of us and everything else in this world, 00:08:12.980 --> 00:08:21.259 loved and cared and was so devoted to our well-being that he sent his only son, God himself, Jesus, 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:28.120 down to this world to become one of us, to walk this world with us, to walk through this life with us, 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:34.720 to show us how it can be done, and then willingly lay down his life as a death sacrifice 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:42.720 to pay the punishment for all this sin that we have committed. But then he didn't stay dead because 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:48.320 he is God. God raised him up from the dead. He is still alive today, hears us when we pray, 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:54.539 loves it when we sing these songs of worship to him, and wants to have a relationship with us. 00:08:54.539 --> 00:09:02.299 That's this gospel. That's this mystery of God. See, that's crazy. Who would do that? That's what's 00:09:02.299 --> 00:09:08.419 so weird about it. That's what's so mysterious about it. It doesn't make any sense in our mind 00:09:08.419 --> 00:09:16.219 that someone would make such a sacrifice for people who were so far removed from them and even hated 00:09:16.220 --> 00:09:24.980 him. So he said, this is the message we want to preach. Pray that God opens doors for us 00:09:24.980 --> 00:09:31.940 to preach, then speak the mystery of Christ. And it's because of this gospel, this mystery, 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:37.800 that I'm even in chains right now. Paul's writing this from prison. 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:46.279 He'd been locked up for preaching this message. Man, thankfully, we don't live in a country today 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:52.779 where it's illegal to do that. But throughout much of the world, for much of human history, 00:09:53.279 --> 00:10:01.699 it's been illegal to preach this mystery, this gospel of Christ. So he says, pray that I would 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:09.860 have a door open to do this so that I may make it known as I should. Isn't that interesting? 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:20.860 Paul says, I should do this. Why? Because he was something special? He was something better than 00:10:20.860 --> 00:10:35.159 we are. No. Because he was a born again, hard to understand that concept, regenerate, remade, reborn, 00:10:35.899 --> 00:10:46.560 new life, child of God. So because God had initiated such a radical transformation in Paul's life, 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:56.399 he believed, as I think most of us should get to this place, that we should make this mystery known, 00:10:56.839 --> 00:11:05.199 that we should speak this gospel. And Paul got there, and then he continues on in verse 5 of Colossians 4. 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:12.659 So he said, I want you to pray for me that I can speak this message as I should. Now I've got 00:11:12.659 --> 00:11:21.000 something to say to you. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. What does he mean by 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:30.159 that? Could it be that people, even back then, were suspicious of outsiders? Could it be that they 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:37.319 had kind of circled the wagons and put up their walls? And understandably, because back then, I mean, 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:47.100 it was illegal to be a Christian, right? But could it be that Paul was challenging them 00:11:47.100 --> 00:11:57.140 to not just be Christians for their little bunch, but that they were challenged to be the salt of the 00:11:57.140 --> 00:12:03.500 earth? That they were challenged to speak that same message that Paul had given his life to speaking 00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:11.120 so that others could hear it. So he said, act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:22.639 Don't lose the time you have on this earth, wasting it on yourself. And as you interact and engage 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:29.440 with outsiders, so to speak, those who maybe don't believe the same way you do, those who don't feel the 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:36.040 same way about God, those who haven't given their lives to him and accepted his grace, he goes on and 00:12:36.040 --> 00:12:44.480 says, let your speech be always gracious. Because he understands the temptation to argue. He understands 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:49.880 the temptation to stand up for what you believe, and everybody else is wrong, and I'm right. 00:12:49.879 --> 00:13:01.139 Now, our society never does that, right? You can log on social media or political discussions, and 00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:07.059 nobody ever has strong opinions and kind of gets a little bit rude in those engagements, do they? 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:15.440 Of course they do. But apparently, that's human nature. It's what we do. So if the divine nature, 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:21.600 if God's nature is going to replace human nature, our nature, then we're going to start acting a 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:28.540 little bit differently. And he says, let your speech, let your interactions with those outsiders 00:13:28.540 --> 00:13:41.080 always be full of grace, gracious, seasoned with salt. So in context here, we understand what he's saying 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:52.740 when he says seasoned with salt. He's not talking about being salty, okay? He's just saying, 00:13:53.240 --> 00:14:04.680 let it be a preservative. Let it be incredibly valuable. Let it be essential as you interact 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:14.399 with those outside of your faith. Let it be gracious, and let it be valuable, healing, preserving 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:23.000 as you interact with these people. So then you will know how you should answer each person. Why? 00:14:23.239 --> 00:14:30.359 Because if we don't engage people this way, then we're going to lose our opportunity. We're also not 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:36.440 going to listen to them. We're not going to hear them. They could have all kinds of reasons why they 00:14:36.440 --> 00:14:42.740 struggle with church, why they struggle with God. And let me tell you, there's some valid reasons out 00:14:42.740 --> 00:14:51.600 there. You know why? Because God's people have not always behaved godly. 00:14:51.600 --> 00:15:03.840 And a lot of people have been hurt in the name of Jesus. You go back to the Spanish Inquisition, 00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:10.139 you look at what the Catholic Church did back then. That's just one example. You could go 00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:17.920 throughout history and see how many wars, how much hurt has been caused in the name of God. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:25.819 So just because you claim to be a follower of God, that doesn't instantly tell the world around you 00:15:25.819 --> 00:15:32.339 that you're a nice person, that you're going to be nice to them, that you're worth listening to. 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:41.839 So sometimes you have to figure out how you should answer each person. You have to learn their hangups. 00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:46.620 You have to learn their experiences. You have to learn sometimes the hurt they may have gone through. 00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:54.720 But Paul is encouraging them, listen, as you engage people, do it with grace. Do it with compassion. 00:15:55.440 --> 00:16:00.360 Do it in such a way that what you lend to this conversation is incredibly valuable. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:12.620 It's incredibly preserving and healing and doesn't just stir the pot. So number one, salt preserves. 00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:21.799 What does salt do? Salt preserves. As we are encouraged to be salty, so to speak, out there, 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:32.019 what does that mean? What are we doing? We are preserving. Salt preserves. How does it preserve? Well, 00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:44.720 most commonly it preserves meat. You can coat meat in salt and it will last so much longer than if it were left to its own. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:55.460 Back in the book of Acts, where we read about the beginning of Paul, we read about the beginning of the New Testament church, 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:57.720 as we read about it, as we experience it today. 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:09.279 Paul preached in Acts 13 a powerful, bold gospel message to both the Jews and the Gentiles. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:17.879 He was calling out the Jews. He was calling out the Jews unbelief and he was calling them to repentance. 00:17:21.879 --> 00:17:29.779 He was trying, doing his best to spread this gospel message so it would be a preservative 00:17:29.779 --> 00:17:38.000 to the people around him. He was born into a world that was far from God. 00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:41.940 He was born into a world that was anti-God. 00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:49.460 Well, you can look around today in the world that we live in and you can see a lot of similarities there, can't you? 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:54.779 We can see a world that is often positions itself as anti-God. 00:17:54.779 --> 00:18:00.779 We can see a world which is certainly far away removed from God. 00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:06.700 So Paul was seasoning his speech with salt. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:15.440 He recognized that he was salt of the earth and he had a role to preserve the world around him, 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:19.920 not by fighting every political battle he could fight, 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:25.980 not by going and lobbying against Rome and lobbying against the Pharisees 00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:29.980 and trying to change everything around him in his own strength and power. 00:18:30.840 --> 00:18:35.120 Instead, he used the gospel message as the preservative. 00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:41.779 And he preached this powerful message in Acts 13 in Antioch. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:45.720 What does preserving do? 00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:47.879 Seems very simple. 00:18:48.619 --> 00:18:51.019 But preserving keeps something from going bad. 00:18:52.879 --> 00:18:55.559 So my challenge to you today is, 00:18:56.059 --> 00:19:01.759 if you're not happy with how bad things are out there, 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:06.899 what are you doing to keep it from going bad? 00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:11.480 And you might say, some of you, 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:12.940 I'm not doing anything. 00:19:13.280 --> 00:19:15.380 Truth is, I'm all talk and no action. 00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:18.960 Some of you might say, well, I'm doing this. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:21.700 I'm talking to the people I know. 00:19:21.800 --> 00:19:23.220 I'm telling them how they need to vote. 00:19:23.360 --> 00:19:25.560 I'm telling them what they need to do on the school boards. 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:28.259 I'm telling them how they need to change society. 00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:32.560 And I'll say, wow, that's a new concept with you. 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:34.280 No one's ever figured that out before. 00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:36.039 No, of course not. 00:19:36.180 --> 00:19:37.839 And I apologize for the sarcasm. 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:42.180 But the truth is, people have been doing that for centuries. 00:19:43.099 --> 00:19:45.139 And they come to blows over it. 00:19:45.879 --> 00:19:48.839 And usually very little actually gets changed. 00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:53.720 Has anyone's mind ever been changed by an argument, 00:19:53.940 --> 00:19:55.180 losing an argument on the internet? 00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:59.940 Oh, wow, you have converted me from the error of my ways. 00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:01.940 And through your gracious speech, 00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:04.019 you have brought me over to your side. 00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:06.379 I don't think that's very common. 00:20:06.619 --> 00:20:06.960 Do you? 00:20:08.119 --> 00:20:10.139 So you say, I'm fighting the good fight. 00:20:10.299 --> 00:20:14.379 Well, if your goal is to change other people, 00:20:14.619 --> 00:20:16.160 you're fighting a losing battle. 00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:18.920 So what do we do then? 00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:21.039 Well, we can throw up our hands, 00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:23.059 kind of like John Stott said earlier, 00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:25.740 and just say, can't believe how bad it is. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.460 World's going to hell in a handbasket. 00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:33.100 Or we can actually take the power that was given to us by God 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:35.000 and speak the mystery of Jesus. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:41.600 And he says that can keep this world from going bad. 00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:44.440 Now, ultimately, this world's going to go bad, 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:45.360 and God's going to end it, 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:46.480 and he's going to begin a new world. 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:48.180 And we see that played out in the scriptures. 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:50.220 So then why are we here? 00:20:50.299 --> 00:20:52.019 Why doesn't he just bring us all home to heaven, 00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:53.340 and he can start it right now? 00:20:53.339 --> 00:20:54.939 Because it's not time yet. 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:59.720 And you actually have power to fight back darkness enough 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:02.939 so that all of God's children can come home. 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:06.720 All of God's people can be brought into his kingdom. 00:21:07.899 --> 00:21:10.179 And that is the job that we have. 00:21:11.399 --> 00:21:16.179 So preserving something keeps it from going bad. 00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:19.579 And that's one of our roles as salt. 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:21.699 I want to share this quote from you. 00:21:21.700 --> 00:21:24.799 I'm not sure who said it first, 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:27.720 but I read it, and I'll just call it Author Unknown. 00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:29.860 But it says, 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.640 The church cannot be the salt of the earth 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:37.519 if it keeps sugarcoating the gospel. 00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:42.319 The church cannot be the salt of the earth 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:45.279 if it keeps sugarcoating the gospel. 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:48.400 Do salt and sugar look similar? 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:49.819 Yeah. 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:53.799 Has anybody ever substituted salt for sugar 00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:56.960 or sugar for salt, maybe even worse, in a recipe? 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:57.879 Yeah? 00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.740 Maybe you're baking a cake, 00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:01.480 and you put salt in instead of sugar. 00:22:01.899 --> 00:22:03.079 How'd that cake taste? 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:03.980 Yummy? 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:05.960 As Austin says, 00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:07.000 Scrum Diddlyumptious. 00:22:07.659 --> 00:22:09.240 That's Austin's highest compliment. 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:12.159 So if Austin ever tastes something that y'all have, 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:13.700 and he said it's Scrum Diddlyumptious, 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.899 that's like peak deliciousness in his mind. 00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:23.820 Yeah, it is hard to swallow something that has salt in it 00:22:23.820 --> 00:22:27.600 instead of sugar if that's what it needed. 00:22:29.300 --> 00:22:33.060 Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. 00:22:34.540 --> 00:22:40.300 We are meant to be salt in this earth and not sugar. 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:42.839 What do you mean by that? 00:22:43.159 --> 00:22:46.119 Well, God didn't call us the sugar of the world. 00:22:46.659 --> 00:22:48.159 He called us the salt. 00:22:49.899 --> 00:22:53.639 So if we substitute that for something else, 00:22:54.279 --> 00:23:00.339 we're doing not only disobeying what our master commanded us to do, 00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:05.299 but we're also doing a disservice to the world that needs salt. 00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:08.639 You can pack a piece of meat in sugar 00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:12.399 and expect it to act like salt 00:23:12.399 --> 00:23:14.680 and preserve that meat, 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:16.240 and it's not going to work, is it? 00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:18.539 It's just going to go bad. 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:23.960 So here's my challenge. 00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:28.279 Let's go to 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 5. 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.859 When we say, 00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:32.879 don't sugarcoat the gospel, 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:34.720 be the salt of the earth, 00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:38.019 I think this is the best explanation of that. 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:41.819 What we proclaim is not ourselves. 00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:43.680 Paul is writing this to the church in Corinth. 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:45.960 It's his second letter to them that we know of, 00:23:46.019 --> 00:23:46.660 and he says, 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.480 what we proclaim is not us. 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:51.339 It's Jesus. 00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:53.480 Jesus as Lord. 00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:55.799 And we, ourselves, 00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:59.180 we are your servants for Jesus' sake. 00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:01.319 Because of Jesus, 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:03.079 who made himself a servant, 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:04.660 who humbled himself, 00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:06.579 was obedient to God, 00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:10.799 laid down his life for the good of all of us, 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:13.039 to be our rescuer, 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:16.620 he was the example. 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:19.140 So because he did that for his sake, 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:21.720 we are your servants too. 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:25.380 And we're your servants of bringing you the gospel, 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:29.180 the salt that will preserve you. 00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:32.799 It will keep you from all the crazy out there. 00:24:33.140 --> 00:24:34.799 It will keep you from the darkness. 00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:39.759 And it will deliver you home safely to God someday. 00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:45.440 So that is not sugarcoating the gospel. 00:24:45.600 --> 00:24:47.380 You know how we sugarcoat the gospel? 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:49.220 We make it about us. 00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:53.160 People without God 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:55.839 look at the people 00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:58.039 who call themselves God's followers, 00:24:58.579 --> 00:25:02.799 and they judge God based on us. 00:25:03.539 --> 00:25:05.019 Isn't that a scary thing? 00:25:05.740 --> 00:25:06.720 But it's true. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:09.400 See, that's not fair. 00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:10.740 I'm not God. 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:13.259 How are you going to judge God based on me? 00:25:13.420 --> 00:25:15.559 Because you call yourself his children. 00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:18.480 Because you say you're his followers. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:21.859 We call this his house. 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.899 You say we're the temple of God 00:25:24.899 --> 00:25:26.179 as we walk around everywhere. 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:28.079 We say God lives inside of us. 00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:30.419 We say we take him with us everywhere we go. 00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:31.220 Okay. 00:25:31.579 --> 00:25:33.559 Well then God should have made a profound impact 00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:35.279 on each of us, right? 00:25:35.639 --> 00:25:36.659 Changed us. 00:25:36.660 --> 00:25:39.940 But instead, 00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:42.620 we go through this life so often 00:25:42.620 --> 00:25:44.220 making it all about us. 00:25:45.360 --> 00:25:45.880 Oftentimes, 00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:48.840 Christians can be some of the least generous, 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.720 least kind, 00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:53.040 most stingy, 00:25:53.820 --> 00:25:54.900 cold-hearted people 00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:55.920 out there. 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:58.600 I'm not trying to make you feel bad about yourself. 00:25:59.240 --> 00:25:59.460 Okay? 00:25:59.460 --> 00:25:59.560 Okay? 00:26:01.360 --> 00:26:02.620 How many of you ever worked 00:26:02.620 --> 00:26:03.820 in the restaurant industry, 00:26:03.940 --> 00:26:05.120 maybe as a server, 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.459 who depended on tips? 00:26:07.159 --> 00:26:08.479 How many of you know 00:26:08.479 --> 00:26:09.459 that Sunday 00:26:09.459 --> 00:26:11.859 is often one of the worst days 00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:12.539 for tips? 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:15.039 Because Christians be stingy. 00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:19.619 It's a real thing. 00:26:20.500 --> 00:26:21.619 And that's sad, right? 00:26:22.479 --> 00:26:24.000 Should be leading the way in that. 00:26:26.219 --> 00:26:27.759 Should be setting the standard. 00:26:29.399 --> 00:26:30.439 Jesus should have made 00:26:30.439 --> 00:26:32.099 such a transformation in our lives. 00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:35.439 But we proclaim with our actions, 00:26:36.139 --> 00:26:38.159 with our talk, 00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:40.879 with our emotions, 00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:42.379 with how we interact, 00:26:42.859 --> 00:26:45.079 we proclaim ourselves. 00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:51.939 And that is sugarcoating the gospel. 00:26:52.939 --> 00:26:55.459 It's substituting something else 00:26:55.459 --> 00:26:58.279 for the salt that it's supposed to be. 00:26:58.279 --> 00:27:02.240 And the meat doesn't get preserved. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:05.279 And the salt doesn't do its job. 00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:07.319 And the world gets worse 00:27:07.319 --> 00:27:08.519 and worse and worse. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:11.119 And here we are, 00:27:11.859 --> 00:27:12.599 centuries, 00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:14.299 after Jesus died, 00:27:14.379 --> 00:27:15.920 after Jesus left us this command, 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:17.700 after Paul wrote these letters. 00:27:19.399 --> 00:27:21.019 And how much better are we? 00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:22.799 How much closer are we 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:25.099 to what Jesus intended? 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:28.279 Or how often do we make it 00:27:28.279 --> 00:27:29.000 about ourselves? 00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.759 Sometimes we water down 00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.659 the truth of the gospel. 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:33.579 Sometimes we change it and say, 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:35.440 oh, whatever you want to believe is fine. 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.659 That's sugarcoating the gospel. 00:27:38.619 --> 00:27:39.740 Sometimes we say, 00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:41.759 man, everybody's just trying 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.899 to find their own path. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:45.539 Everybody's just trying to get to God. 00:27:45.619 --> 00:27:46.399 Whatever you believe, 00:27:46.519 --> 00:27:47.559 that's a little different 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.240 than what I believe, 00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:48.919 but it's okay. 00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:50.539 Guys, there is truth. 00:27:50.539 --> 00:27:52.639 And everything else is false. 00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:54.460 There is light. 00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:56.379 And everything else is darkness. 00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:59.279 Jesus is the light. 00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.680 He is the truth. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.899 He is the way. 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:03.980 So if we don't point people to him 00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:05.139 instead of us, 00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:06.099 instead of themselves, 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:08.500 instead of everything else out there 00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:09.940 that's trying to pull them 00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:10.819 back into the darkness, 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:12.779 pull them away from the truth, 00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:14.599 then we are not being the salt. 00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:15.659 We're sugarcoating 00:28:15.659 --> 00:28:18.279 that gospel message. 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:19.200 So, 00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:22.240 we don't proclaim ourselves. 00:28:22.660 --> 00:28:24.259 We proclaim Jesus. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:26.500 Question is, 00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:27.920 do you dilute the salt 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:29.019 with sugar? 00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:33.500 Whatever that sugar is for you 00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.619 might be different for you 00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:35.160 than for me, 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.059 for somebody else, 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:37.139 but I promise you, 00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:37.960 we all do it. 00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:40.740 We all do it to a certain extent. 00:28:42.139 --> 00:28:43.740 Some of us probably more than others. 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:46.400 But we all water down 00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:47.920 that gospel message 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:51.259 with us, 00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:54.200 with our fears, 00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:56.460 with our inconsistencies. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:58.039 I'm not telling you 00:28:58.039 --> 00:28:58.880 you've got to be perfect, 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:00.519 but I'm telling you 00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:02.180 you've got to point people to Jesus 00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:05.059 and let them see the grace of God 00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:05.920 in your life, 00:29:06.579 --> 00:29:09.180 not how impressive 00:29:09.180 --> 00:29:10.380 of a person you are. 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:11.279 Right? 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:13.420 That points people to us, 00:29:13.619 --> 00:29:15.279 not to Jesus. 00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.759 Let's go to Acts 13. 00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:17.940 I was talking about earlier, 00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:18.960 Paul was preaching 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:20.799 that bold and powerful message. 00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:22.980 We'll be done in just a moment. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:23.740 Paul was preaching 00:29:23.740 --> 00:29:25.139 that bold and powerful message 00:29:25.139 --> 00:29:25.859 to Antioch. 00:29:26.059 --> 00:29:27.420 He was declaring the gospel. 00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:27.740 Man, 00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:28.579 you can read it, 00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:29.920 but let's pick it up 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:30.839 at the end here. 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:33.059 Acts chapter 13. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:36.399 The end of the chapter. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:40.440 Let's look at verse 48. 00:29:47.240 --> 00:29:48.420 This guy preached 00:29:48.420 --> 00:29:49.960 a powerful gospel message. 00:29:50.080 --> 00:29:51.360 We get to see it in action. 00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:51.960 He's saying, 00:29:52.340 --> 00:29:53.500 I'm declaring the mystery 00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.100 of the gospel. 00:29:54.300 --> 00:29:55.060 Here he's doing it. 00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:56.140 He's doing it right here 00:29:56.140 --> 00:29:57.500 in Acts 13. 00:29:58.180 --> 00:29:59.800 You can read this whole thing later. 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:00.500 What happened? 00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.519 What was the result? 00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:04.220 He called out their unbelief, 00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:06.019 the unbelief of the Jews. 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:08.180 God's people, right? 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:09.160 The religious people. 00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:10.619 The people who were supposed 00:30:10.619 --> 00:30:12.200 to be carrying on 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:14.379 the truth of the gospel of Jesus. 00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.680 God's chosen people. 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:19.119 He's calling them out. 00:30:19.220 --> 00:30:20.059 He's calling them out 00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:21.859 for their unbelief in Jesus. 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:24.879 And he's calling them 00:30:24.879 --> 00:30:25.539 to repentance. 00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.400 And you know what 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:28.740 the crazy part of it is? 00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:30.500 That just threw them for a loop. 00:30:30.879 --> 00:30:32.440 He's also preaching 00:30:32.440 --> 00:30:33.740 to the Gentiles. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:35.559 And that means the people 00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:36.460 that were not Jews. 00:30:36.599 --> 00:30:37.740 Basically everybody else. 00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:39.059 If you're Jewish in here, 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:40.079 then that would be 00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:41.500 the rest of us who are not. 00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:41.859 Okay? 00:30:41.879 --> 00:30:43.079 We're considered Gentiles. 00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:44.379 And back then, man, 00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.419 you would not think 00:30:45.419 --> 00:30:47.659 of God bringing in the Gentiles 00:30:47.659 --> 00:30:49.240 to be his people as well. 00:30:49.899 --> 00:30:52.000 That was just unheard of for them. 00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:53.579 They would have resisted that 00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:54.119 like crazy. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.519 And that's what Paul was doing. 00:30:55.879 --> 00:30:56.579 He was saying, 00:30:56.659 --> 00:30:57.819 God has opened this up 00:30:57.819 --> 00:30:58.899 for the Gentiles 00:30:58.899 --> 00:31:00.919 to also be his people. 00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:03.519 He died for them too. 00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:05.019 He loves them too. 00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:06.800 And I thank God for that 00:31:06.800 --> 00:31:07.940 because I is one of them. 00:31:09.539 --> 00:31:10.060 So, 00:31:10.300 --> 00:31:12.140 he's calling the Gentiles 00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:12.680 to repentance. 00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:13.920 What's the response? 00:31:14.060 --> 00:31:15.580 We read it in verse 48. 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:17.320 When the Gentiles heard this, 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:19.320 not the Jews, 00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:20.980 they rejoiced 00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:21.820 and honored 00:31:21.820 --> 00:31:23.140 the word of the Lord. 00:31:23.700 --> 00:31:25.519 And all who had been appointed 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:26.700 to eternal life 00:31:26.700 --> 00:31:27.800 believed. 00:31:27.799 --> 00:31:29.639 The word of the Lord 00:31:29.639 --> 00:31:31.059 spread through the whole region. 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.379 But the Jews, 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.419 what did they do? 00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:35.619 Incited the prominent 00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:37.180 God-fearing women 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:39.559 and the leading men 00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:40.599 of the city. 00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:43.220 And they stirred up 00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:44.059 persecution 00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:45.399 against Paul 00:31:45.399 --> 00:31:46.460 and Barnabas 00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:48.039 and expelled them 00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:49.059 from their district. 00:31:51.139 --> 00:31:52.440 That's what they did. 00:31:53.940 --> 00:31:55.919 The Jews resisted it. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:58.140 And they got 00:31:58.140 --> 00:31:59.300 all the religious 00:31:59.300 --> 00:32:01.680 ladies and men, 00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:02.519 the leaders 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:03.340 of the community 00:32:03.340 --> 00:32:05.759 to get together 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:07.660 and kick Paul out. 00:32:08.620 --> 00:32:09.240 Said, 00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:09.759 uh-uh. 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:11.060 You're not preaching 00:32:11.060 --> 00:32:11.820 that kind of stuff 00:32:11.820 --> 00:32:12.320 around here. 00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:14.740 We've got God 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.440 figured out. 00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:17.560 We've got this religious 00:32:17.560 --> 00:32:18.700 stuff figured out. 00:32:19.460 --> 00:32:20.980 We've got God's word 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:21.680 figured out. 00:32:21.779 --> 00:32:22.740 They did not honor 00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.440 God's word. 00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:24.440 The Gentiles 00:32:24.440 --> 00:32:25.680 honored the word 00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:26.400 of the Lord 00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:27.840 that was preached 00:32:27.840 --> 00:32:28.220 to them 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:29.180 by his servant Paul. 00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:32.299 The religious Jews, 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:33.259 God's people, 00:32:34.120 --> 00:32:34.779 rejected it. 00:32:35.779 --> 00:32:37.019 And they didn't get 00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:37.680 the mob 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:38.779 to kick Paul out. 00:32:39.100 --> 00:32:39.900 They got the 00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:40.980 well-respected, 00:32:41.700 --> 00:32:42.519 church-attending, 00:32:42.860 --> 00:32:43.880 religious people 00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:45.259 to band together 00:32:45.259 --> 00:32:46.240 and kick 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:47.860 Paul out. 00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:49.820 How many times 00:32:49.819 --> 00:32:51.379 has that story 00:32:51.379 --> 00:32:52.720 repeated itself 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:54.439 across America, 00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:55.859 across this world, 00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.220 in small towns 00:32:57.220 --> 00:32:58.179 just like ours? 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:00.439 You've got somebody 00:33:00.439 --> 00:33:01.059 preaching 00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:02.700 God's message 00:33:02.700 --> 00:33:03.500 of love 00:33:03.500 --> 00:33:04.079 and hope 00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:04.740 and forgiveness 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:06.279 and redemption, 00:33:07.439 --> 00:33:08.619 saving from sin, 00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:11.200 beginning a new life 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:12.019 with Jesus, 00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:13.720 available to all, 00:33:14.059 --> 00:33:15.079 not just the 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:16.000 important people, 00:33:16.119 --> 00:33:17.419 not just the wealthy people, 00:33:17.679 --> 00:33:18.539 not just the people 00:33:18.539 --> 00:33:19.519 who look like me, 00:33:19.639 --> 00:33:20.379 that kind of thing. 00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:21.599 God's mystery 00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:22.899 of the gospel. 00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:23.819 You've got somebody 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.680 preaching that 00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:26.119 and what happens? 00:33:27.319 --> 00:33:28.200 Feathers get ruffled. 00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.819 People get upset. 00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:33.980 And God's preacher 00:33:33.980 --> 00:33:35.139 gets pushed out 00:33:35.139 --> 00:33:37.200 by the leading 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:37.539 community, 00:33:37.539 --> 00:33:38.440 community, 00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:39.319 people, 00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:40.440 the leaders 00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:40.980 of the community, 00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:42.099 the leading church people. 00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:42.139 people. 00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.819 Why? 00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:46.179 Because the gospel 00:33:46.179 --> 00:33:46.699 of Jesus 00:33:46.699 --> 00:33:47.559 is not meant 00:33:47.559 --> 00:33:48.579 to be sugar-coated. 00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:50.000 It's the salt 00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:51.519 that this dying world 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:52.599 desperately needs 00:33:52.599 --> 00:33:53.199 to preserve 00:33:53.199 --> 00:33:53.939 and build 00:33:53.939 --> 00:33:54.899 the kingdom of God 00:33:54.899 --> 00:33:56.539 until he comes again. 00:33:56.939 --> 00:33:58.240 That's what the salt is. 00:33:58.599 --> 00:34:00.059 That's what the gospel is. 00:34:02.279 --> 00:34:03.199 It's going to look 00:34:03.199 --> 00:34:03.699 real good 00:34:03.699 --> 00:34:04.339 to those 00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:06.079 who are hopeless. 00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:07.240 It's going to look 00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:07.719 real good 00:34:07.719 --> 00:34:08.319 to those 00:34:08.319 --> 00:34:10.619 who don't think 00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.239 they're all that. 00:34:11.239 --> 00:34:13.739 who those 00:34:13.739 --> 00:34:14.199 don't think 00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:14.979 higher of themselves 00:34:14.979 --> 00:34:15.619 than they should. 00:34:17.179 --> 00:34:18.099 It's going to be 00:34:18.099 --> 00:34:21.639 a lifeline, 00:34:22.859 --> 00:34:23.959 a life preserver 00:34:23.959 --> 00:34:26.079 to the people 00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:26.719 who need it. 00:34:29.299 --> 00:34:30.099 But to those 00:34:30.099 --> 00:34:30.879 who think we're fine, 00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:33.359 they'd rather have sugar. 00:34:36.479 --> 00:34:36.699 So, 00:34:37.699 --> 00:34:40.979 the question is, 00:34:41.239 --> 00:34:43.139 are you worth 00:34:43.139 --> 00:34:43.879 your salt? 00:34:46.419 --> 00:34:47.319 Talked about it 00:34:47.319 --> 00:34:48.000 at the very beginning. 00:34:53.759 --> 00:34:55.019 The Roman soldiers 00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:56.059 used to be paid in salt. 00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:58.139 It was so valuable. 00:34:59.839 --> 00:35:01.239 And in the context 00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:03.359 of that world, 00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:05.359 Jesus called 00:35:05.359 --> 00:35:06.000 his followers 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:06.639 salt. 00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:06.699 salt. 00:35:08.799 --> 00:35:09.400 So, 00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:11.000 he has made you 00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:12.839 the salt, 00:35:13.379 --> 00:35:15.179 this valuable, 00:35:15.460 --> 00:35:15.940 precious, 00:35:16.420 --> 00:35:17.799 important, 00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:19.699 essential substance 00:35:19.699 --> 00:35:21.579 on this earth. 00:35:22.579 --> 00:35:23.779 Are you worth that? 00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:26.000 Are you being salt? 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:28.259 Are you preserving? 00:35:28.259 --> 00:35:31.099 Or are you diluting it? 00:35:31.099 --> 00:35:31.159 salt? 00:35:32.779 --> 00:35:33.539 You know, 00:35:33.619 --> 00:35:34.579 salt doesn't go bad. 00:35:36.059 --> 00:35:37.179 Pure salt 00:35:37.179 --> 00:35:39.619 never expires. 00:35:40.179 --> 00:35:41.299 Never goes bad. 00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:43.559 Now, 00:35:43.619 --> 00:35:44.279 if you look at your 00:35:44.279 --> 00:35:44.940 table salt, 00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.000 you might 00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:48.420 see eventually 00:35:48.420 --> 00:35:49.159 that there's an 00:35:49.159 --> 00:35:50.380 expiration date on it. 00:35:50.420 --> 00:35:51.019 You might see it 00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:51.920 eventually go bad. 00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:53.259 You know why? 00:35:54.180 --> 00:35:55.060 Because it's been 00:35:55.060 --> 00:35:55.600 diluted 00:35:55.600 --> 00:35:57.420 with iodine, 00:35:57.520 --> 00:35:58.900 with other minerals, 00:35:59.080 --> 00:36:00.220 with other substances 00:36:00.220 --> 00:36:01.460 that have a shelf life. 00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:03.480 They can go bad. 00:36:05.720 --> 00:36:07.240 When we dilute 00:36:07.240 --> 00:36:10.300 the gospel message, 00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:11.940 when we dilute 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:13.680 what God called us 00:36:13.680 --> 00:36:14.900 to do on this earth 00:36:14.900 --> 00:36:17.940 with our own agenda, 00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:20.660 with our own feelings, 00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:23.239 we get in the way 00:36:23.239 --> 00:36:23.659 of it 00:36:23.659 --> 00:36:25.359 and we make it 00:36:25.359 --> 00:36:25.879 ineffective. 00:36:26.659 --> 00:36:28.000 We make it go bad. 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:30.139 It's not bad. 00:36:31.099 --> 00:36:31.599 The gospel 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:32.420 isn't the problem. 00:36:33.359 --> 00:36:34.500 Jesus wasn't the problem. 00:36:35.500 --> 00:36:36.559 We get in the way. 00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:39.019 So are we worth 00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:39.420 our salt? 00:36:40.139 --> 00:36:41.139 Or have we begun 00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:41.739 to dilute 00:36:41.739 --> 00:36:43.139 the gospel message? 00:36:43.500 --> 00:36:44.359 I want you to know 00:36:44.359 --> 00:36:45.940 that God considers 00:36:45.940 --> 00:36:46.719 every one of us 00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:47.199 worth it. 00:36:47.879 --> 00:36:48.599 God considers 00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:49.399 every one of us 00:36:49.399 --> 00:36:49.940 worth 00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:51.260 his blood, 00:36:51.700 --> 00:36:52.820 worth his pain, 00:36:53.340 --> 00:36:54.380 worth his suffering, 00:36:54.940 --> 00:36:56.000 worth his time, 00:36:56.460 --> 00:36:57.460 worth his energy. 00:37:00.200 --> 00:37:01.240 But we may not 00:37:01.240 --> 00:37:01.800 be fulfilling 00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.400 our mission 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:03.920 as salt of the earth 00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:05.159 and he's calling us 00:37:05.159 --> 00:37:05.780 to come back 00:37:05.780 --> 00:37:06.440 and say, 00:37:06.599 --> 00:37:07.920 be the salt. 00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:09.340 This world needs preserving. 00:37:09.760 --> 00:37:10.740 You've got relationships 00:37:10.740 --> 00:37:11.740 that need preserving. 00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:12.840 They need the salt 00:37:12.840 --> 00:37:13.400 of Jesus. 00:37:14.119 --> 00:37:15.300 You've got people 00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:16.380 that in your circle, 00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:17.619 people in your life 00:37:17.619 --> 00:37:18.679 that need you 00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:19.519 to be salt, 00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:20.799 be salt for them. 00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:21.679 Would you bow your heads 00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:22.219 with me in prayer? 00:37:22.899 --> 00:37:23.940 God, I pray right now 00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:24.579 that you would speak 00:37:24.579 --> 00:37:25.500 to us from your word, 00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:26.759 that you would convince us 00:37:26.759 --> 00:37:27.779 of the need 00:37:27.779 --> 00:37:29.279 to be preservatives 00:37:29.279 --> 00:37:30.179 in this world, 00:37:30.579 --> 00:37:32.739 to bring healing 00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:33.579 to this world. 00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:35.819 You chose that word 00:37:35.819 --> 00:37:36.679 salt carefully. 00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:37.899 You knew 00:37:37.899 --> 00:37:39.599 the impact 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:40.779 that it would have 00:37:40.779 --> 00:37:42.259 on those who heard you speak. 00:37:42.619 --> 00:37:43.779 You knew the importance 00:37:43.780 --> 00:37:44.800 of what it is. 00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:46.560 It's almost like saying 00:37:46.560 --> 00:37:47.840 you are the white gold 00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:48.820 of this world, 00:37:49.040 --> 00:37:50.380 but in some ways 00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:51.460 you're even more valuable 00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.080 than gold 00:37:52.080 --> 00:37:53.800 because you can preserve. 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:56.740 And that's what 00:37:56.740 --> 00:37:57.560 this world needs. 00:37:58.320 --> 00:37:59.560 It needs the gospel 00:37:59.560 --> 00:38:00.500 to preserve. 00:38:02.680 --> 00:38:03.900 Until you come again, 00:38:05.080 --> 00:38:05.880 let your people 00:38:05.880 --> 00:38:07.380 be the preservatives 00:38:07.380 --> 00:38:08.580 in this world. 00:38:08.680 --> 00:38:09.420 It's in Jesus' name 00:38:09.420 --> 00:38:09.800 we pray. 00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:09.900 Amen. 00:38:09.900 --> 00:38:09.960 Amen. 00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:10.000 Amen. 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:10.019 Amen. 00:38:10.019 --> 00:38:10.060 Amen.