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20250921 - Matthew 5:13 "If We Don't Fulfill the Role of Salt That Reveals Jesus, We Become Lives That Are Cast Away”
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Date
2025-09-25 07:59
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20250921 - Matthew 5:13 "If We Don't Fulfill the Role of Salt That Reveals Jesus, We Become Lives That Are Cast Away”
"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." (NIV)
(This has been restructured by the senior pastor based on last week's message text.)
Introduction
Salt appears small and insignificant, but it is an absolutely essential element that cannot be done without. While Jesus declared us to be "the salt of the earth," He simultaneously warned that if salt loses its taste, it can only be thrown away.
1. "You are the salt of the earth" - An identity already given
Jesus did not say, "You should become the salt of the earth." He definitively stated, "You are the salt of the earth." This means we are not beings who must strive to become salt, but beings who have already been made as salt. Although Jesus was born not in a splendid palace but in a manger, from that moment He never lost His identity as the Son of God. Many people live their lives trying to become "good people." However, God doesn't tell us to "become good people," but rather says, "You are already My child." Knowing who we are before God is the beginning of our faith life.
2. "But if the salt loses its saltiness" - The danger of losing flavor
The Greek word "moraino" corresponding to "loses its saltiness" means "to become foolish" or "to become senseless." This doesn't simply mean salt losing its salty taste, but losing its original function and value. Today, many churches and Christians focus only on looking stylish while losing their original flavor. Jesus rode on a donkey during His triumphal entry, yet still maintained the flavor of being God's Son. There's a pointed observation that many churches have "started focusing on style rather than substance at some point." Restaurants compete on taste, not on style. We need to examine whether we are emanating the fragrance of Jesus in our homes, workplaces, and neighborly relationships.
3. "How can it be made salty again?" - The impossibility of recovery
Once salt loses its taste, it cannot be restored by anything else. Jesus never lost His identity as God's Son even during His suffering on the cross. Restoring broken trust is extremely difficult. Even in human relationships, once trust is lost, it requires a long time and great effort to restore it. We must pursue inner beauty rather than external decoration and live lives that reveal Jesus.
4. "It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot" - The consequence of being discarded
The Greek word "ballo" corresponding to "thrown out" has the strong meaning of "to cast" or "to drive out." The expression "trampled underfoot" represents complete worthlessness and contempt. Salt that has lost its taste becomes completely worthless and is thrown away. When Christians lose their Christian flavor, they can only be trampled by worldly people. Unfortunately, this is what we're seeing now. The reality that both Japanese and Korean churches are experiencing negative growth may be because churches have lost their original flavor. Churches must regain their center. They must be restored as New Testament churches. Churches must become places that offer substance, not just style.
Conclusion
Today, many Christians are living lives that have lost their flavor while only putting on airs. We must live lives that offer the flavor of Jesus, not just putting on a show. Because Jesus lived this way, He desires us to live lives that offer substance rather than lives focused on appearance. We must become people who offer substance over style, becoming lives where Jesus is revealed. Let us not become lives that lose their flavor and are cast away, but rather become family mokjang (small groups where families gather to share God's Word) and churches that show Jesus' flavor to the world and fulfill the role of salt that transforms the world.
"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." (NIV)
(This has been restructured by the senior pastor based on last week's message text.)
Introduction
Salt appears small and insignificant, but it is an absolutely essential element that cannot be done without. While Jesus declared us to be "the salt of the earth," He simultaneously warned that if salt loses its taste, it can only be thrown away.
1. "You are the salt of the earth" - An identity already given
Jesus did not say, "You should become the salt of the earth." He definitively stated, "You are the salt of the earth." This means we are not beings who must strive to become salt, but beings who have already been made as salt. Although Jesus was born not in a splendid palace but in a manger, from that moment He never lost His identity as the Son of God. Many people live their lives trying to become "good people." However, God doesn't tell us to "become good people," but rather says, "You are already My child." Knowing who we are before God is the beginning of our faith life.
2. "But if the salt loses its saltiness" - The danger of losing flavor
The Greek word "moraino" corresponding to "loses its saltiness" means "to become foolish" or "to become senseless." This doesn't simply mean salt losing its salty taste, but losing its original function and value. Today, many churches and Christians focus only on looking stylish while losing their original flavor. Jesus rode on a donkey during His triumphal entry, yet still maintained the flavor of being God's Son. There's a pointed observation that many churches have "started focusing on style rather than substance at some point." Restaurants compete on taste, not on style. We need to examine whether we are emanating the fragrance of Jesus in our homes, workplaces, and neighborly relationships.
3. "How can it be made salty again?" - The impossibility of recovery
Once salt loses its taste, it cannot be restored by anything else. Jesus never lost His identity as God's Son even during His suffering on the cross. Restoring broken trust is extremely difficult. Even in human relationships, once trust is lost, it requires a long time and great effort to restore it. We must pursue inner beauty rather than external decoration and live lives that reveal Jesus.
4. "It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot" - The consequence of being discarded
The Greek word "ballo" corresponding to "thrown out" has the strong meaning of "to cast" or "to drive out." The expression "trampled underfoot" represents complete worthlessness and contempt. Salt that has lost its taste becomes completely worthless and is thrown away. When Christians lose their Christian flavor, they can only be trampled by worldly people. Unfortunately, this is what we're seeing now. The reality that both Japanese and Korean churches are experiencing negative growth may be because churches have lost their original flavor. Churches must regain their center. They must be restored as New Testament churches. Churches must become places that offer substance, not just style.
Conclusion
Today, many Christians are living lives that have lost their flavor while only putting on airs. We must live lives that offer the flavor of Jesus, not just putting on a show. Because Jesus lived this way, He desires us to live lives that offer substance rather than lives focused on appearance. We must become people who offer substance over style, becoming lives where Jesus is revealed. Let us not become lives that lose their flavor and are cast away, but rather become family mokjang (small groups where families gather to share God's Word) and churches that show Jesus' flavor to the world and fulfill the role of salt that transforms the world.
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