Jesus Teaches The Meaning Of Salt And Light

Bible Study Lesson from Matthew 5:13-16

In this Bible study we learn what Jesus says about the "salt of the earth". In modern times the phrase "salt and light" is used frequently by Christians and is quoted during baptism services in many instances but what does it really mean to be the salt of the earth and a light to the world? Let's take a look ..

5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

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 Salt Of The Earth - The Light Of The World

"This Little Light of Mine - I'm Gonna' Let It Shine .."

Remember this song from childhood? This is the subject of today's Bible study lesson as Jesus proclaims his followers as the "salt of the earth". But what exactly does this mean to us?

A Quick Cooking Lesson

If you've ever made a mistake and put too much salt on your meal you know the meaning of the first verses here. A little bit of salt goes a long way just as a little bit of Christian behavior goes a long way to those observing it.

Not Enough Salt?

But what about outdated salt which has lost all flavor? That seasoning is pretty much worthless and of no use to anyone. Good salt, like good Christians, bring the food to life and add a flavor which the meal would have never known otherwise.

Worthless Meal - Worthless to God

A saltless dish is bland and tasteless. A Christian who makes no effort to spread the good news about Jesus Christ - pretty much worthless to God.

We need to be careful not to blend too much into the world and worldly things. Others shouldn't see us as just one more in the crowd but as a seasoning who brings joy and helps others to see the benefits of knowing Jesus.

The Light Of The World

Following the same example as above, we should let our little lights shine (just as the song goes) and not hide or dim it.

There are ways of living in our everyday life that we, as Christians, dim or even put out our light to keep others from seeing it. These include;

• Not speaking out when we should
• going along with the rest of the world or dimming the light by actually participating in the sin around us.

But, most importantly and probably the worst of all, we shut off our light with apathy -- not caring about other people, ignoring their needs or not telling them about the light of Jesus Christ when they reach out to us.

I'm not here today to beat you up about this (I'm too busy beating myself up) but to make you aware of these four little sentences given to us by our Lord which has made a huge impact on the world.

Let's try to make it a point to seize the next opportunity to show other people our light by showing the way to Jesus Christ - either by our words or our actions. Remember, a little salt and a little light goes a long way!

Love in Christ

- Bob

Matthew - 5:1-12 - The 8 Beatitudes from Sermon on the Mount. You've probably heard of the the famous sermon on the mount where Jesus gave the eight beatitudes including blessed are the meek for daily living. But, have you read what Christ has to say lately? This guide for living deserves repeated readings.