Your Purpose In Life

David Jones

Living the Victorious Christian Life • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Matthew 5:13–16

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You Are the Salt Of the Earth

Salt is a preserver.

Salt was put on food to keep it from spoiling. They did not have refrigeration in Christ’s day, so they would pack food in salt. The salt would prevent the bacteria that caused food to spoil not to be able to grow. This would preserve the food until the time that the food was to be eaten.

We live in a world where sin is the contaminate that spoil people’s lives. We must help people keep the contaminates out of their lives. The contaminates that spoil peoples lives are matters of the flesh, eyes, and pride.

15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Lust of the flesh- Typically this refers to matters of sensuality; however is not limited to sensual matters. This refers to any distortion of the truth by the heart to gratify the flesh. For example:

Sensuality - God permits this with in the marriage covenant of a man and a woman. Man perverts this through promiscuity or homosexuality.

Food - God provides enough food for man to be satisfied. Man perverts this by gluttony.

Money - God provides enough money for people to live on. Man perverts it with greed and overspending.

Lust of the eyes - The eyes are a gift of God. They enable us to see his creation and glorify him. Man perverts his eyes by what He chooses to look at.

Creation - God gave us eyes to eyes to behold the splendor of His majesty by nature and the the stars. Man chooses to worship the created rather than the creator. Man also chooses astronomy over His majesty. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and [o]crawling creatures.

Man and Woman - God gave us eyes to cherish the beauty of our spouse. Man become dissatisfied with their spouse and look at others. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’;28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Boastful Pride of Life - God desires that we boast about the things that He has done in our lives. Man boasts about the things he has done in his life. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Salt is a flavor enhancer.

Salt brings out the good flavor of the food we eat. For example: I typically do not like the flavor of unseasoned vegetables. If you put fatback or salt on vegetables, it is much more palatable for me.

As Christ followers, we are to bring out the good in people.

Ways to bring out the best in others.

Encourage- We can encourage people who are going through difficult times.

Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Edify - Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Teach - The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.

Ways to bring out the worst in people

Nonconstructive criticism - 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how [b]can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Gossip - He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

If the salt loses its saltiness it is good for nothing.

Many people can start off strong in their walk with the Lord. However, when they get away from Him, the world will begin to creep in and before they know it they have lost their passion. Don’t pray much, Quiet time with the Lord is scarce, Bible reading is little to nothing, You are not consistent in church, you stop giving. All of these are indicators that you are becoming unsalty.

You Are the Light of the World

Light dispels darkness

Light and dark cannot coexist. Light will always dispel the darkness. It gives people the ability to see. When you walk through a room full of light you can walk with confidence. You can see obstacle that are in the pathway that you need to use to get to your destination. If the light is not on you will walk gingerly because you cannot see the obstacles.

There are many obstacles in peoples lives that will cause them to stumble and fall. As Christ followers we are able to shed the light of Christ, because He dwells in us. He is the light of the world. Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Jesus reveals truth to us so we can reveal truth to others. It is in this truth that light is shed to others.

For example:

All sin - 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

Sin leads to death - 23 For the wages of sin is death

God sent His Son to Atone for our sins - 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

We can Have salvation in Christ - 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Your Good Works Shines Your light

When we do good works, it demonstrates the impact Christ has in our lives. By nature we tend to be selfish. Our works are generally self-promoting. We work long hours so we can have good stuff. We take care of our appearances so others will find us attractive. We will even engage in good works to be noticed by others.

God wants us to engage in good works so that people will glorify the Father in heaven. What is the difference in doing good works for yourself and to bring glory to the Father. It is the motive of the heart.

To grasp an understanding of this we must go back to verses 11 and 12. Jesus says we are blessed when people persecute us and say all kinds of bad things about us. God calls us to engage in good works no matter our circumstance. We are to bless when we are cursed. We are to pray for those who persecute us. We are to go the extra mile when someone oppresses us. We are to turn the other cheek when someone slaps us.

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.Luke 6:28

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

41 Whoever [a]forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

When we do the things that require supernatural strength it ultimately brings glory to God. This is because we cannot do it in our own strength.

Our purpose in life is to bring glory to the Father who is in heaven

We do this by being the salt of the earth and the light to the world.

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