Hope Unwrapped: Salt of the Earth

Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Salt, a mineral vital to life, is unlike anything else. It has a distinct taste, which is imparted to anything with which it is mixed. It is used as a seasoning and a preservative. Salt makes an impact! Even a little salt sprinkled in a bowl of soup or on a pile of French fries changes the taste of the food! Jesus said to believers, “You are the salt of the earth.” Because of our relationship with Christ, we are different. Our lives should be distinct from the world around us. People should be able to see the difference. The believer is not to fit in but to stand out…for Christ’s sake. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes, “The Christian is a separate, unique, outstanding kind of individual; there is to be in him something which marks him out, and which is to be obvious and clearly recognized.”[1] So here’s the question: Are you fitting in, for your sake, or standing out for Christ’s sake? You are the salt of the earth…and salt makes its presence known. Father, as we end this year, allow us to be…cause us to be… the salt of the earth. Help us change the “taste” of conversations and relationships. Help us impact our family and friends for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  I invite you to join us on January 1 as we start a journey through seven books of the Bible. These books will reveal how God is writing his story in you.  We will study:

• Genesis: God’s Story in You (January/February)
• Job: God’s Story in Our Suffering (March/April)
• Isaiah: God’s Story in Our Renewal (May/June)
• John: God’s Story in Our Savior (July/August)
• Romans: God’s Story in Our Identity (September/October)
• Revelation: God’s Story in Our Eternity (November/December)

I will provide daily teaching through each book and questions to guide you in your personal time with God. After the study of each book, we will consider selected Psalms—the worship book of the Old Testament—to help us learn to talk with God in a personal way. Our desire is to offer an interactive study, so at the end of each day’s teaching there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions. We have a team ready to respond in a timely and personal manner. We will also host periodic zoom calls to discuss each book. We have designed this study to make it available for your season of life. You can sit down with a cup of coffee, your Bible, and a journal, or you can listen to the teaching on your way to work, or even during your workout. One mom told me that she listened to the devos with her children around the breakfast table. Again—the main purpose is this—let’s engage in God’s Word together!  [1] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids, MI: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959-60), 153).