Are You Worth your Salt?

Series: Things Jesus Wants Us To Know

Part 15 - Are You Worth your Salt? -

I know today we are going to honor our graduates.. I want to commend all of them here today. May God bless you very much in your walk. May you walk for Him every day of your life.

INTRO: I have been doing a series entitled "Things Jesus Wants Us To Know." We have been working through the Gospel of Luke. We have learned many things. Today I want to look into Luke 14. Do you ever take a Red-lettered Bible and marvel at the words of Christ? Have you ever wondered if the red-lettered edition Bible is heavier because of the Blood of Christ? Does His wisdom contained therein reach you like none other? Well, this is what I am trying to do with this series, let us see what He wants us to know from His Word. So, do you think it would be neat to sit down with God and ask Him questions? Well we do have His Word for us.

Today I want to use for a thought, Are You Worth your Salt? The word "salt" is where our word "salary" comes from. Back in the Roman Rule, the Roman soldier often got paid in salt, as salt, before refrigeration, was a very valuable commodity. Hence, the old saying, "he is not worth his salt". He is not worth his salary that is his wages. He's good for nothing.

I want for us to look at what Jesus tells us in chapter 14. I am going to look at four keys to life that we can find there.

First I want to set the stage if you would, and read from Luke 14:1- 6

Luke 14:1 - 6 ¹And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

^{2And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
^{3And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
^{4And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
^{5And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
^{6And they could not answer him again to these things.}}}}}

This brings me to our first key…

Live to help others live

I know that may seem low on your top ten list, but this is the principle Jesus gave those around Him. We need to live to help others.

We can see that like Christ we must have an awareness of those in need.

Many are so self-centered, occupied, oblivious or not trying to see they ignore others' needs.

We should be agreeable to the opportunity presented.

Many just do not really care enough to help even when they see or know a need.

And we can be assistance to God's work

One thing we need to remember, we are helping God when we help others.

So as we read this we see Christ was aware of this man's need and He helped him. He taught us much through His actions and His Word.

The scripture here infers a few things for us to notice…. It shows us that the things that move or cause us to lend a helping hand…

It is NOT those who are only watching - 1

Jesus was not helping this man to impress anyone around

1And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

NOR is it the time of day or the day of the week - 3

Jesus did not let the Sabbath prevent Him from helping this man, nor should it be the deciding factor

^{3And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

It IS the need that exists that calls for you to help - vs. 2,5
^{2And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
^{5And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?}

So, Jesus' driving force was His desire to help this man

This brings me back to our first key…
Live to help others live - it is right and it makes a difference when it counts

Let's read from verses 7-15
Luke 14:7 - 15 ⁷And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
^{8When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
^{9And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
^{10But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
^{11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.}}}}^{12Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.
^{13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
^{14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
^{15And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.}}}
Next Jesus shared some stories or parables. We see key 2…
Live in humbleness of person - 7-11

No matter the success you have in life, the glory you receive, fame, etc.
BE HUMBLE!

Humbleness will…

Bring its own honor - 10
Bring a lasting happiness - 10
Develop a special heritage to pass on
Helps us declares homage to the Living God
Builds harmony in our relationships
Helps grow and a healthiness in our spiritual life

When we have a lack of humbleness, we see…

Haughtiness
Hardness of heart
Hateful attitudes
Hesitancy to serve the Lord
Hostility towards God
Hypocrisy galore

So, we see key 1 & 2…
Live to help others live
Live in humbleness of person

Jesus then continued with yet another parable
Luke 14:16 - 24 ¹⁶Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
^{17And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
^{18And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
^{19And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
^{20And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
^{21So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
^{22And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
^{23And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
^{24For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.}}}}}}}}
The third key is…
Live in the hope of His provision

We have been invited to live within His provision - 16-17
We can make excuses - 18-

Who buys land unseen? (I'll sell you some)
Who does not look over their oxen before buying?
Married had some exclusion privileges, but not for a supper party

We can look to Him and taste of the Great Supper

Next let us read verses 25-33
Luke 14:25 - 35 ²⁵And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
^{26If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
^{27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
^{28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
^{29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
^{30Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
^{31Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
^{32Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
^{33So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
^{34Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
^{35It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.}}}}}}}}}}

Last we find the fourth key…
Live in the honesty of your purpose - 25-35

We need to…

Come to Him - 26
Value Him more or most - 26

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Bear our cross - do your job! - 27
Count the cost - 28-32
Choose to follow all the way -33
Be worth your salt - stay salty! - 34-35

So today as we talk to all of you and especially those who are recent graduates, remember these four keys for life…

Live to help others live
Live in humbleness of person
Live in the hope of His provision
Live in the honesty of your purpose

And don't forget His parting shot - Stay Salty - Keep your saltiness - Be worth your salt!

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 062407am}}}