Number 409, "The Fight Is On." Let's all stand together for this first song, if you're able.
409, "The Fight Is On." Together, nice and strong on that first verse.
The fight is on, the trumpet sound is ringing out, the cry to arms is heard afar and near.
The Lord of Soldier, and face to face in stern, right and wrong, and is on but wrong.
And in his mind is Benarose, sing the big laugh, fight is on, the trumpet forever will
endure.
Service with the word of prayer.
Lord God, Heavenly Father, we just thank you for giving us another day, that we can
come here to your house, hear the preaching of your word and fellowship with our brothers
and sisters in Christ, and we ask that you please bless our service this morning.
Bless every aspect of it.
Bless the singing, Lord, that it would be pleasing to your ears, and that it would give
us ready ears, prepare our hearts for the message.
Please fill, Pastor, me here with your spirit as he preaches unto us, Lord, and give us
your spirit in the congregation as well, that we may leave here changed.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
You may be seated.
Please turn your songbooks to song number 22.
Song number 22, "Are You Washed in the Blood?"
Song number 22 all together, nice and strong on that first verse.
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb, a-singing in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb, the blood of the Lamb, the blood of the Lamb,
the blood of the Lamb, the blood of the Lamb, the blood of the Lamb.
Great singing, welcome to First Works Baptist Church, just a few announcements here.
Before we sing our next song, which will be song number 248, if you want to get that ready
in your song books, Now I Belong to Jesus, 248 in your song books, if you did not get
a bulletin, go ahead and raise your hand, one of the ushers can get one for you.
Some important information there, of course, we welcome you to come back to our Sunday
evening service at 5 p.m., and then we also have a Thursday night Bible study where we
go verse by verse, expository preaching through the Book of Isaiah, and so we hope to see
you during our midweek service there.
If you're visiting with us this morning, we are a family integrated church, and so infants
and children stay with their parents in the service, but for your convenience, the mother
baby room is located in the back of the building there in the corner.
Should your child need some diversion, changing tables are available there as well as speakers
and screens, so you can still tune into the preaching and come back in at your discretion.
And parents, please make sure you utilize that so as to not be a distraction during
the service.
You see the soul winning times and teams there in the middle, the list of expecting mothers
and then the stats for salvations and baptisms for the month of February there at the bottom
left hand corner.
On the right hand side is the upcoming church events.
We have the TJ missions trip coming up this Saturday, March 29th.
We'll be meeting at the building at 9 15 a.m.
And so if you'd like to participate in the mission trip, just make sure you see brother
Ulysses Hernandez, our evangelist, to coordinate with him.
Make sure you bring your passport.
And then of course all the expenses are paid for and be in prayer that we get a lot of
people saved there.
It's gonna be exciting.
And so we also have the ladies prayer breakfast coming up on Saturday, April 5th, meeting
at the building at 10am.
Ladies want to encourage you to participate in that.
If you have any questions you can talk to Ms. Janelle Gonzalez, she heads that up.
And so you can coordinate with her.
Our big thing going on here is on Sunday, April 20th, we have our Easter service.
So that's gonna be exciting.
We're looking forward to that.
Lord willing, we will break attendance on that day and we would have a lot of new people
come that could potentially get saved.
Maybe some of some of them will be baptized.
Just keep in mind that we have a breakfast on that morning at 945 a.m.
So bring your visitors nice and early to get a breakfast.
And then we're also going to have an Easter egg hunt.
Yes, you heard right.
An Easter egg hunt for the kids.
Sorry, not for the adults, although maybe we could work something out.
I don't know.
We'll see.
That'll be at 940.
Not the Easter egg hunt.
The breakfast is at 945.
The egg hunt will be after the service.
And so there will be a table of invites in the back, the foyer.
And so take some invites for the Easter service when you go out zoning.
Take them throughout the week so you can invite your family, friends, and co-workers.
And last, the attendance, when we broke attendance, was 218 on friend day.
I think we can smash that.
And so bring all your friends and family to that.
We're looking forward to honoring the Lord's resurrection on Easter on the 20th.
So that's going to be good.
Then we have a science meetup on Sunday, April 27th after the evening service.
Of course, that's for the kids who homeschool in our church.
And so bring your kids to the Sunday evening service to participate in that.
A couple of things that are not on the bulletin here that I want to mention, please continue
to pray for John Michael.
He's been in a hospital since his surgery earlier this week, and he's had some sort
of infection.
They can't really tell what it is.
They're still kind of troubleshooting, trying to figure out what's going on with them.
He's running a high fever, but they don't necessarily know where the infection is.
And so today, I believe what they're going to do is they're going to run some numbers
to see what his inflammation numbers are.
If they're too high, they're going to try to extract some fluid from his wound there
and see how that goes.
And so please pray for him.
I saw him yesterday.
He has a great attitude and he's not discouraged, but obviously he's in pain and he's in discomfort.
So if you can pray for him, shoot his parents a text message.
Let him know that you're praying for him.
Let him know that you want to send them a meal or something.
I'm sure they would greatly appreciate that.
And then lastly, I do want to mention that in eight weeks we have our May 11th offering.
And this offering, of course, is to prepare us to save for purchasing a building.
And that of course will be in the next maybe five to seven years approximately.
Let me just briefly go over this prayer sheet here.
If you did not get one, you can get one after the service.
The top 10 prayer requests, of course, pray for our May 11th offering Sunday.
Pray for God's special provision for our members.
Pray for God to increase our faith to give on that day.
Pray for the future building to suit our needs.
Obviously, the building that we purchased, we wanted to suffice the needs that we have
as a church as we continue to grow.
Pray for the weekly, monthly building offering.
We want to set aside some money to save up for the down payment for our building.
Pray for continued growth of our church, and we've seen a lot of growth over the last year
or so, and so that's exciting, but please continue to pray that we'd continue to grow.
Pray for souls to be saved in the new building.
A lot of souls are being saved here, but we want more souls to be saved in the new building
as well.
Pray for the next generation who will serve God in our new building.
Pray for God to give us the next door unit.
Oh, wait a minute.
God already answered that prayer.
Amen.
So we actually just got that next unit there, and that's why I wanted to go over this, you
know, just kind of surprise you guys a little bit.
Now I will say that we're not going to utilize it until the next couple of weeks.
It's going to take a while to get prepared.
Next week I do want to prepare.
There's going to be hole in that wall.
The wall is not coming down, but there is going to be a hole there.
But the door is not going to be installed yet, and so we're going to tape that off.
Please make sure your kids don't go in there, and make sure you don't go in there as well.
But praise God that we got that next door unit, and that will help us for the growth
of our church.
It will be like a new foyer, and we can essentially utilize this as we continue to grow and tear
down this wall here to expand the auditorium that way as we continue to grow as a church.
And lastly, pray that we will continue to glorify God each step of the way, amen?
And so be in prayer over the May 11th "Sow Thy Seed" giving campaign, and we're already
seeing God provide in a great way even now.
Lastly, please make sure you silence your phones during the preaching so as to not be
a distraction during the service.
And that is it.
Let's go ahead and sing our next song, "248, Now I Belong to Jesus."
Song number 248, "Now I Belong to Jesus," altogether nice and strong on that first verse.
Jesus, my Lord, will love me forever now.
Singing at this time, the ushers will come forward to receive the offering.
You can turn your Bibles to Matthew chapter number five.
To chapter number five, Matthew chapter five, the Bible reads, "Seeing the multitudes,
he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him, and he
opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth; blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness, for they shall be filled; blessed are the merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy; blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the children of God; blessed are they which are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say, 'All men are
viewable against you falsely, for my sake.'
Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted
they the prophets which were before you.
Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be
salted?
It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot
of men.
Ye are the light of the world; a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Now there do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and
give it light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father
which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy,
but to fulfill.
For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall no
wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he should be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom
of heaven.
For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes
and Pharisees, you shall no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever
shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angered with his brother without a cause shall be
in danger of the judgment, and whosoever shall say to his brother, Rekah, shall be in danger
of the council.
But whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire.
Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath
aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way.
First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Read with thy adversary quickly, whilst art in the way with him, lest at any time the
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou
be cast into prison.
For early I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid
the uttermost farthing.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery.
But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart.
And if thy right hand offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee, for it is profitable
for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast
into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee, for it is profitable
for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast
into hell.
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.
But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication,
cause her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, commit
with adultery.
Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear
thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thy notes.
But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by
the earth, for it is his footstool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great
king.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh
of evil.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak
also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou
away.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that
hate you.
And pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children
of your father which is in heaven.
For ye make it the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and send it the rain on the
just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?
Do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, will it do ye more than others?
Do not even the publicans also?
Be therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect.
Let's pray to the Lord God, thank you for everything you bless us with, and thank you
for your word.
I just ask that you would be with our pastor now and fill him with the Holy Spirit as he
preaches it.
And in the Jesus name we pray, amen.
Amen.
Okay, the title of my sermon this morning is seasoned and bright Christians.
Seasoned and bright Christians.
Matthew chapter 5, very familiar portion of scripture here that most of us could probably
quote but often is overlooked regarding its principles.
It says in verse 13, "Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost his savor,
wherewith shall it be salted?
It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot
of men."
In verse 14, "Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth
light unto all them that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father,
which is in heaven."
Of course, we know that these here in Matthew chapter 5 are metaphors that Jesus is using
on the Sermon on the Mount to depict how a Christian should essentially conduct themselves
in this world, and I want you to notice that he doesn't give the option to be salt or to
be light.
He's like, "Hey, you know, if you want to be salt, you can be salt.
If you want to be light, you can be light."
No, you're just automatically salt, you're automatically light, because once you believe
on Jesus Christ, once you get saved, once you're a child of God, you automatically become
the salt of the earth.
You automatically become the light of the world.
And really, the only thing that you can determine is the quality of salt that you're going
to be, or the wattage of light that you're going to produce.
You know, because, of course, here we see that it is possible that the salt can lose
its savor, right?
And it's saying here that if a salt loses its savor, wherewith shall it be salted?
It stands forth, good for nothing, but to be cast out, to be trodden under the foot
of men.
What does that refer to?
It means that it's worthless.
So there are instances in the Bible where God refers to a believer as being just a
worthless believer, believe it or not.
That sounds kind of rough.
Well, how about this?
When Jesus Christ said, you know, when you've done everything that was commanded you, say,
we are unprofitable servants.
I mean, that sounds kind of rough, but it's literally what the Bible teaches.
Why?
Because God placed us here.
Obviously, he wants us to be saved.
But after salvation, he wants us to glorify him.
He wants us to serve him.
We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
And so it's our job as Christians that we recognize not only are we salt, but we want
to be good quality salt.
We want to be able to be salted on this earth and actually make a difference, make an impact.
We want our lights to shine.
We don't want to be cast out, to be trotted under the foot of men.
We don't want to be worthless Christians.
We want to be Christians of value.
We want God to use us.
We want to be able to glorify God, to be used of God, to be salty Christians in a like manner.
We want to be bright Christians, not these, you know, black lights, these dim lights,
we're just not shining at all.
We want to be able to be used of God, to shed light on this world of the glorious gospel
of Jesus Christ.
And so this morning, I want to look at the properties of these two commodities and just
draw some parallels when it comes to being a Christian.
Now you're in Matthew chapter five, let me give you the first point here.
Let's go over the salt, the commodity of salt first and foremost.
What are some characteristics or attributes that we can draw from salt?
Well, first and foremost, let me just right away dig into the context here.
And that is that seasoned Christians, salty Christians irritate people.
And some of you who are visiting with us today, you're like, yeah, that's true, you know?
Or maybe before you became a Christian, you're like, yeah, actually, you know, some Christians
are annoying, actually, you know, some Christians actually kind of irritate me a little bit.
And it's absolutely true.
You know, being a Christian can aggravate those around you, you know, the world, you
know, you've heard the phrase, you know, salt in an open wound.
Right.
Well, let me just tell you that the world is filled with open wounds of sin that go
untreated and undiagnosed.
Churches are filled with open wounds of false doctrine, of sin, preconceived ideas that
are left unchallenged.
And the truth of the matter is, is that when salty Christians, seasoned Christians are
poured into those open wounds, you know, it doesn't exasperate it.
It irritates it.
It causes people to become uncomfortable.
It causes major discomfort.
It causes major pain.
Why?
Because salt irritates this world.
Why?
Because of the fact that Christians simply irritate.
Look at, look at the context of Matthew chapter five, skip down to verse 10 or go up to verse
10.
Should I say this is the context?
It says in verse 10, blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of
evil against you falsely, and here's the key, for my sake.
What is this referring to?
It's referring to the fact that the world is going to hate you, the world is going to
persecute you, the world is going to revile you, the world is going to curse you, but
not just because it's you, it's because of Jesus.
So therefore when we preach the words of Jesus, when we live out the words of Jesus,
when we behave as Christians according to the Bible, all these things are going to come
upon us.
And here's the question you've got to ask yourself, you know, if I've never suffered
persecution as a Christian, am I really being a good Christian?
Because the Bible specifically says, "Yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus,"
listen to this, "shall suffer persecution."
And I'm not saying that means that you're going to be beat up or killed, obviously that
entails those things.
Sometimes it just means that your family's going to revile you, your friends are going
to revile you, people closest to you are going to criticize you, people closest to you in
your family, your neighbors, they may not like you, not because there's something inherently
wrong with you, but because of your beliefs, because you're a Christian, because I'm going
to tell you right now, you irritate them.
Obviously, there's Christians out there that are just irritating just because it's not
even because of Jesus.
They're just kind of annoying period, right?
Maybe they're hyper spiritual, maybe they are not necessarily a good testimony, okay?
Maybe because they're lawbreakers, maybe because they're dishonest, maybe because they have
unjust balances, maybe because they don't have integrity, right?
Maybe because they're not people of truth, maybe because they're hypocrites.
I'm going to tell you right now, that's annoying, and that's irritating, but what the Bible
is referring to here is a Christian who's living according to the word of God, is living
according to the principles of the Bible, and is irritating others because of it, okay?
And it's saying here that people will revile you, they'll persecute you for righteousness
sake, for his name's sake.
Look at verse 12, "Be sad and be depressed and be discouraged when these things come
upon you."
Actually, it says, "Rejoice and be exceeding glad."
Now, that's kind of hard to do when you're being persecuted, but according to the Bible,
you should, though, okay?
Leap for joy, right?
Why?
"For great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you."
What is the Bible telling us?
The Bible's telling us that we're in good company if we are being persecuted for righteousness
sake, because that's exactly what they did to Elijah, that's exactly what they did to
Elisha, that's exactly what they did to Isaiah, to Jeremiah, and all the great men of God
in the Bible, they persecuted them because of what they preached, because of what they
believed.
Why?
Because they were also salt that irritated this world and the people around them.
The reason why we're persecuted is because of the fact that we believe the Bible and
we vocalize it.
And I think everyone here, or at least most people here, can attest to the fact that maybe
your family treats you a little differently now that you're a Christian.
Maybe your friends treat you a little differently now because you're a believer.
Maybe those around you who are closest to you in times past, maybe there's some distance
between you and them.
And I'm going to tell you why, because you irritate them.
And it's not because you're a bad Christian, it's because you're a good Christian.
Because salt naturally irritates an open wound.
You remind people of sin.
You remind people of their sin.
Let me say this.
You remind people of the consequences of sin because we believe in hell, right?
We remind people that there is a just God in heaven who will punish sin, will not let
it go unpunished.
He will execute righteousness upon this earth and you remind people of that and that irritates
people, that annoys people, that aggravates them, but that's exactly what we're supposed
to do.
Hold your place there in Matthew chapter 5 and go to John chapter 3 if you would.
John chapter 3.
Now there's this idea out there amongst Christians that says, "Well, you know, we shouldn't
be annoying people.
We shouldn't be irritating people.
You know, everyone should love us.
Everyone, we should be able to get along with everyone."
Now here's the thing is that our default setting is that we do want to be at peace
with people.
Right?
Our default setting is that we want to get along with everyone.
And in fact, the Bible specifically says, "As much as lies within you."
Right?
To be able to get along, to have peace with everyone, as much as lies within you.
But let me just remind you that that's not at the exclusion of compromise.
You can't compromise your convictions in order to get along with everyone.
Okay?
Let me just remind you, we're Christians, not politicians.
Christians, not politicians.
You know, politicians will speak out of both sides of their mouth because they want to
please both sides.
Whereas a Christian, we want to please people, but we want to please God first, and if that
displeases people, then so be it.
And here, let me just be honest with you, you can't please everyone.
So you might as well just side with the Lord.
You might as well just tell people what the Bible says.
You might as well be the salt of the earth, because if not, you're going to be the salt
that lost its savor, and you're going to be good for nothing.
Look what it says in John chapter 3, verse 19, it says, "And this is the condemnation
that light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their
deeds were evil.
For everyone that doeth evil hated the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds
should be reproved."
Now, obviously we're not talking about the light of the world as of yet, but this applies
to the salt as well.
See, people don't like to go to Christians who actually believe the Bible, by the way.
They don't like to go to Christians who actually know what the Bible says.
Why?
Because then their deeds are reproved, right?
They're actually shown that they're wrong.
And you know, when it comes to Christianity, Christianity is the religion that there is
no wiggle room in the sense of, you know, this is what the Bible says.
This is what God says.
And we can't change on that.
We won't change on that.
And so people don't necessarily like to go to Christians because of the fact that, you
know, Christians will tell them, well, no, there is a health, not a separation from God.
It's eternal flames and hell fire and damnation and brimstone.
Well, that doesn't sound very good.
You're going to scare a lot of people away with that.
Well, here's the thing is that no, I've actually scared a lot of people out of hell because
of that.
You see, the opposite is actually true, right?
When you tell people about the reality of what hell is according to the Bible, you actually
pull them out of the fire.
Others save with fear, the Bible says, pulling them out of the fire.
So preaching the biblical hell doesn't push people away from hell.
What it actually does is pushes people out of hell.
But yet there's this idea, no, you're going to offend people.
You're going to displease people.
You're going to be, you know, irritating people.
Well, that's exactly what I do though, we're salt.
Salt irritates those around us.
Salt can irritate your family.
You know, for whatever reason, sometimes your family is okay with you on Friday nights going
out and partying and doing the Lord knows what, getting involved in all kinds of sin.
All of a sudden you're trying to get up on Sunday morning to go to church.
And it's just like, oh, well, you're a church person now, wow, now you can even do the things
that you used to do.
It's just like, does this irritate you?
Living a godly life actually irritates people.
Living a godless life does not irritate people.
You know, living a godly, Christian life of purity and honesty for some reason, makes
people mad.
Why?
Because it reminds them that there is a moral standard called the Bible, and that there's
a human being around them that is actually following that moral standard, and it causes
them to realize, hey, there's an eternal.
The eternal does exist.
The principles of God are true.
And so we see here that everyone that do with evil, they hate coming to the light.
Why?
Because they don't want to be reproved.
They don't want to be told that they're wrong.
They don't want to be reminded of their sin.
They don't want to be reminded of the afterlife.
Go with me if you would to Mark chapter 9.
Mark chapter 9.
Mark chapter number 9.
And here's the thing, you know, what separates us from other religions?
What separates us even from other sects of Christianity?
I'm going to tell you what.
It's the Bible.
Because there's Christians out there that don't have a problem getting along with every
religion.
Every person that's involved in sin.
But I'm going to tell you why.
Because they're not being honest with what they believe.
Or they may not even believe the Bible.
They're just parading as Christians, right?
Let me read to you from John 17.
You're in Mark chapter 9.
I'm going to read to you from John chapter 17, verse 14, it says, "I have given them
thy word."
And listen to this, "And the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world.
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep
them from the evil."
So, you know, God's will is not for us to become Amish, to go on to the middle of nowhere
and just create a compound like Jim Jones.
He says, "I don't want you to take them out of the world, I just want you to keep them
from the evil."
He says in verse 16, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
And I want you to notice this, "Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth."
What does it mean to sanctify?
It means to separate.
So what separates the Christian from all other segments of Christianity and all other religions?
I'll tell you what separates them is the word of God, the Bible itself.
What causes people to hate you?
The sanctification of the word.
What causes people to be irritated by you?
The sanctification of the word.
What causes people to be annoyed by you is the fact that you believe the word.
Now with that being said though, let's not try to be irritating towards one another.
Because according to the Bible, obviously we should have that salt in an open wound
effect on the world, but not necessarily in church.
Look what it says in Mark chapter 9 verse 15.
Salt is good.
Amen.
I mean, I love putting salt on my food.
Every time my wife gives me a plate, I'm like, "Does this have salt?"
And I'm just like, "Salt is good."
Don't believe people when they say salt is bad.
It's going to raise your cholesterol.
Hey, the Bible says salt is good.
But if the salt has lost its saltness, where will you season it?
In other words, what's the point of even using salt if it has no taste?
He says, "Have salt in yourselves," and I want you to notice this, "and have peace
one with another."
So he says, "Be a salty Christian, but don't be so salty that you're irritating one with
another because God wants peace amongst ourselves."
It's called unity in the church, right?
So don't be an annoying member of the church.
Don't be irritating people in our church, annoying people in our church, being the kind
of Christian that can't seem to get along with just anybody at all.
You see, our default setting, again, is that we want to get along with everyone, but at
the end of the day, we know the byproduct of the living of godly life is that that's
not going to happen.
But we shouldn't go forth and endeavor not to get along with people, right?
We should have peace one with another, yet have salt in ourselves.
The bible tells us in Luke 21 verse 17, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's
sake."
That's the opposite of the message of what most churches are saying today.
They're saying, "Oh no, you're giving Jesus a bad name.
You are a bad testimony of Jesus because of how you preach, because of what you believe."
And it's just like, "Okay, well let's look at the example of Jesus.
Let's go ahead and put on that bracelet.
Look at what Jesus did.
Let's ask ourselves that.
And before we look at what Jesus did, let's first look at what happened to him when he
did it.
Now, class, can anybody tell me what happened to Jesus called he was crucified, called he
was scourged, it's called he was beaten, it's called he was called Beelzebub.
And the Bible says if they call the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall
they call the day of his household?
In other words, hey, if they're calling Jesus a devil, don't be surprised that the same
people are going to call you the devil.
Not everyone loved Jesus, as proven by the fact that they crucified him.
He came into his own, his own received him not.
They delivered him up to be crucified, his blood be on us and on our children.
Crucify them, they said over and over again.
You know, it sounds like, you know, what he did irritated people.
So in like manner, if we're going to be Christians and if we're going to walk as Jesus walk
and ask ourselves, what would Jesus do?
Well, then we shouldn't be surprised in what we do or what Jesus did that we also in like
manner irritate others.
And in fact, you know, the Bible says in Romans chapter 8 that we are killed all the day long.
We are counted as sheep for the slaughter, just as Jesus was.
Why?
Because at the end of the day, we will irritate people.
And again, I don't think you should endeavor to try to irritate people.
But don't be surprised when you do because of your beliefs.
Don't hide your beliefs.
Don't remove the saltiness from your salt.
Don't try to, you know, minimize the quality of your salt because you just want to please
everyone.
You need to make sure that you honor the Lord Jesus Christ, you become a salty Christian.
And you know what?
Whoever gets offended at that, that's on them.
And obviously there's a gracious way to approach things, right?
People ask you, what do you believe about this?
It's just like, well, this is what the Bible says.
No, no, no.
You're telling me what the Bible says.
I want to know what you believe.
And you're just like, well, what I believe is what the Bible says.
What are we talking about this morning?
We're talking about seasoned Christians are salty Christians that irritate this world.
We are the salt to the open wound of this world.
Let me tell you something.
Nowadays, it's almost irritating to people just to see a family out and about, just to
see like husband and wives doing this, holding hands in public with their children, walking,
you know, to have obedient children in public is almost just like, you know, to have a wife
stay at home is irritating to people might irritate you.
Some of you right now.
I just think, you know, this is 20, 25.
Yeah.
And you still haven't caught up to what the Bible says about that irritates people.
When we talk about the importance of a wife staying at home, being a keeper of the home,
keeper of the house to raise the children, homeschool the children, Hey, to obey and
love her, to obey and to obey and love her husband.
That irritates people.
Let me say this.
It irritates Christians.
Some Christians are just like, they gnash at me with their teeth.
Why?
Because I'll tell you why.
Because they lost their savor.
That's why that salt has lost its savor.
And you know what?
If you're a Christian, you should be defended of nothing of the Bible.
You know, "Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them."
Everything that the Bible says you should accept as being 100% valid and true.
And if you have a problem with it, then you need to renew your mind.
You need to change what you believe and bring it into alignment with what the Bible says.
Because irritation just shows us, see, the salt in the open wound, there's not a problem
with the salt.
There's a problem that there's a wound.
It's just the salt exposes the fact that there's a wound.
Nothing wrong with the salt.
If I pour salt on my skin right now, nothing's going to happen, unless I have a wound.
It only exposes that there's something wrong there.
And so when the principles of God's word are being put forth, such as the biblical home,
that a man is supposed to love his wife as Christ loved the church, that she's supposed
to love and reverence her husband, that's not a cuss word.
That's not a dirty saying.
That's a Bible.
Hey, that we should raise our children in the nurture and the admonition of the, "Well,
I just think every child should have a choice of, you know, what kind of religion they
should believe."
Uh, not in my house.
Hey, folks, as for me and my house, we should serve the Lord.
We're going to worship the Lord Jesus Christ in my house.
I'm not going to let my kids just in their room like, "Well, you know, if you want to
be a Hindu or something."
Hey, if my kids put some, some, some pagan stuff in their room, I'm Jerubal and I'm going
in there and I'm just tearing everything down.
Why?
Does that irritate you a little bit?
Does that make you mad a little bit?
I'll tell you why, because it's salt in that open wound called tolerance.
Seasoned Christians irritate people by their life.
They irritate people by their beliefs.
They irritate people by their beliefs about the home, by their beliefs in marriage, by
their beliefs in child rearing, by their beliefs in work, by their beliefs in just every moral
issue that exists, they get irritated by those things.
This is why, you know, feminists hate the Bible, because feminism is an open wound.
It's like gangrene.
It's just, I don't even know if it could be healed.
And so, and you know what?
If you're a Christian and you're a feminist, then you definitely need to change that.
That's an oxymoron.
Even feminists don't exist in the Bible.
That please God at least, you know?
There's no such thing as being a feminist and being a Christian.
It doesn't exist in the word of God.
It's just a complete oxymoron.
It doesn't go together.
It flies in the face of every biblical principle in the Bible.
And I know that there's women who maybe, you grew up in this world with the principles
of this world, and this might irritate you a little bit, but I'm just pouring just a,
you know, I'm just pouring a little salt.
I'm just pouring a little bit of salt in that open wound called feminism just to remind
you, hey, you haven't fixed that wound.
Don't blame the salt, blame the wound.
If that bothers you, hey, I'm just, hey, I'm just kind of going like this in the congregation.
If it stings a little bit, you might want to get that taken care of.
See, salt also, when coupled with water, is known as saline, I know, right?
Brother Maury, isn't that true?
Which is actually like a healing agent.
And so when we mix salt with a little bit of the word, you know, the salt kind of irritates
it, but the word heals it.
So that's why you come to church to get a little bit of saline into your system to hydrate
you to the word of God, to wash your, by the water of the word, to wash your mind, hey,
to brainwash you.
Oh, you brainwash your congregants.
Yes, I do.
I've got to scrub all that filth that the world is constantly teaching, all that feminism,
all that anti-bible, feministic, LGBT, whatever, ideologies.
It's contrary to the word of God.
Look, and if you're just like, ah, don't blame the salt shaker.
It's the open wound.
These in Christians irritate the world.
But let me also say this, go to 2 Corinthians chapter 2 if you would, 2 Corinthians chapter
2.
Let me also say this is that salty Christians also enhance flavor and produce thirst.
See, what's the purpose of salt?
It's to enhance the flavor.
Pour some salt on the meat, pour some salt on the rice, it just tastes better.
I'm not for bland tastes and no seasoning.
I want some salt.
Give me some of that Himalayan salt, amen?
That pink salt.
Why?
Because that's the flavor, and you know in like manner, yeah, Christians can often irritate
other people and people who don't believe the Bible because it rubs them the wrong way.
It goes against the grain of what they actually believe.
But in like manner, it actually enhances life.
Christians can enhance the lives around them.
And the Bible tells us in Job 6.6, can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt?
Is there any taste in the white of an egg?
What does it say?
Put some salt on that thing.
Hey, you want to make life exciting?
You know, befriend a Christian who actually believes the Bible.
And they'll make life exciting for you.
You know, we as God's people should enhance people's lives when we come into contact
with them.
Joseph enhanced the life of Potiphar.
Jacob enhanced the house of Laban.
It should be that wherever we go, we just improve the quality of the lives of those
around us.
Right?
Not make it worse.
You know, we should enhance the lives.
We should increase the quality of life of those around us.
Not be these people who just, you know, suck the life out of people's lives.
We're there to give life.
You know, we see that piece of chicken, and when we just throw some salt in it, it's like,
"Wow, this tastes better now that the salt was added."
Hey, this neighborhood is better because that Christian is here.
Hey, this job is better because we have Christians working here now.
Hey, this city is better because there's Christians who are here.
There's a church that's here, therefore this city has become better.
That nation has become better because there's Christians in that nation.
Why?
Because Christians, like salt, enhance the flavor of a society.
We cause people to recognize that when you taste the Lord that he is gracious.
Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14, it says, "Now thanks be unto God, which always
causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us
in every place.
For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish.
To the one we are the savor of death unto death, and to the other the savor of life
unto life, and who is sufficient for these things.
What does it say?
You know, we bring the knowledge of Jesus Christ everywhere we go.
And this is why it's important, and this is going to be one of my other points, to have
a good testimony.
Because automatically people think if you're a Christian, oh, then you should believe the
Bible, be a law-abiding citizen, pay your taxes, you know, be honest, not be some dysonic
derelict who doesn't pay his bills on time, who doesn't work hard, is lazy.
You know, you're not adding any flavor to that area that you're in.
We need to bring Christianity everywhere we go.
And this is why it's important for us not to compartmentalize God.
It's like, well, I'm a Christian when I'm here at church.
I say, brother, when I'm here at church, I talk about the Bible, I'm here at church,
but at my job, no one knows I'm a Christian.
And I'm not saying you need to go around on the clock telling people that you're a Christian,
but you know what, there should be some semblance of Christianity in your life with your work
ethic though.
You know, hey, some of you young people who go to school still, you know, people should
know that you're a Christian there because you can tell people you're a Christian there.
You know, here's one of the best ways to do it.
Why don't you carry a Bible with you?
How about on lunch break, you read your Bible, right?
How about you actually preach the gospel to those who are closest to you, your friends?
You know, how about when your friends tell a dirty joke or take the Lord's name in vain,
you stop them?
You say, hey, don't take the Lord's name in vain in my presence.
I'm a Christian.
I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's my God you're talking about.
And if you want to continue to be friends with me, then don't take the Lord's name
in vain.
Oh, man, you just...
All right, we'll see you.
I'm not going to be around you.
I don't want to hear that.
Oh, why are you so touchy about that?
Because I actually believe the Bible.
And in fact, I love you so much.
Why don't you give me a couple of minutes to show you what the Bible says about heaven
and win them to Christ.
Enhance the people of the lives around you by giving them the gospel.
Hey, instead of going back home, young people, and preaching to your parents and being annoying
to your parents, why don't you actually go home and be a good son, be a good daughter,
be an honest, obedient son or daughter, and enhance the lives of those in your household
so that your parents can say, you know, ever since my child has become a Christian, they
just become a better person.
They're just, they're just, I don't know, something happened to them.
They're just more obedient.
They actually clean up the room.
They actually obey me.
They eat their vegetables.
They take out the trash.
They don't sleep in anymore.
They don't play video games anymore.
They don't stay up until three o'clock in the morning playing video games with headphones
with other people.
They actually are responsible functioning members, not just of society, but even of
my household.
Pastor, they respect me as a parent now.
You see, that's what should be said, that once a young person becomes a Christian, you
enhance your family's life in your household.
Your parents should be able to see that.
And you know, if you want your parents to be saved, you know, obviously they need the
gospel because the gospel is the power of God into salvation, but a little salt of your
life being poured in that household through your life, that kind of helps with that.
Last thing you need is to be a bad testimony with a good message, especially if you live
with them.
You know, a lot of, a lot of the family members are just like, I don't want to hear it because
he never, he doesn't change.
All he does is condemn me for my sin, says all kinds of stuff to me, but you know, he
doesn't pick up after himself.
He doesn't go to work.
He just plays video games all day.
He just does this, that, and the other, you know, why don't you go ahead and enhance the
life of your family by being a good Christian?
Be salt.
While I'm praying for my parents to be safe, well, you know what?
Pray and be a good Testament.
Be salt and enhance your relationship with your parents.
You know, how about you telling your mom and dad that you love them?
How about you say, "Mom, dad, I love you."
What do you want?
Nothing.
I just want to tell you I love you.
I want to see if you want to come to church with me on Sunday.
You know, I'd love to have you come to church with me.
How about dressing a little different?
That'll make an impact in your parents' lives.
For sure.
The point that I'm making here is that Christianity should and can enhance the lives of those
around you, but it really depends on the quality of salt that you are, though.
It enhances every society.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 29 verse 2, "When the righteous are in authority, the
people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."
Psalm 33 verse 12 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord and the people whom
he hath chosen for his own inheritance."
Go with me if you want to 1 Corinthians chapter 7, 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians chapter
7.
You see, salt irritates absolutely.
We can't do anything about that because we're just that salt in the open wound that needs
to be fixed.
And once people allow us to try to help them to fix that, it becomes saline because mixed
with water of the word, it begins to be a healing agent.
But not only that, salt also enhances the flavor of those around us.
It causes people to improve their environment, their atmosphere, their ambiance.
I'm going to say this is the Christianity also enhances a marriage.
You know, if you're in a marriage where one is a Christian and one is not, you can enhance
that marriage still.
And in fact, if you are a parent and you're saved, but your spouse is not and your kids
are not, you can drastically enhance the quality of life in that household by just living out
the Bible and pouring a little salt in your family by your life.
Look at first Corinthians 7 verse 13.
It says the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell
with her, let her not leave him for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband, else were your children unclean, but now are
they holy.
What is this referring to?
It's saying that if you have a saved spouse who is living out the Bible, obeying the
word of God, that husband or that wife is going to love it, even if they're not saved.
So if a spouse is not saved, but they have a saved spouse living there, it's more likely
that the spouse is going to get saved.
This is what the Bible means when it says that they're sanctified by the wife, sanctified
by the husband, it's more possible for that person to be saved because there's salt in
that house.
And not only that, you know, let's just say they don't get saved immediately.
I'm going to tell you something right now.
The life of that spouse who is saved, who has good quality salt, will improve that household
drastically.
And that husband or that wife will love when their husband or wife behaves like a biblical
husband and a biblical wife.
So let me just say this, wives, if you have an unbelieving husband, don't preach to them.
Because you view it as preaching, they view it as nagging.
They can't really tell the difference.
They think I'm nagging them right now, I'm just kidding.
They see it as nagging.
So what am I to do?
Well, according to the Bible, obey, love, reverent to your husband, submit to your husband,
don't be disrespectful to your husband.
Folks, you don't even have to be a Christian to like that.
A lot of people who are unsaved love that stuff.
And you know what that does?
That softens them up to the gospel.
But not only that, we see here that children are sanctified also by the parents.
So if there's a believing spouse in the household with an unbelieving spouse and they have unbelieving
children, it's more likely that those children are going to get saved because they have a
believing parent.
The likelihood of the children getting saved is a lot higher because of it.
So you need to see the glass half full rather than half empty is what I'm saying.
Because you being that salt in that household can provide the gospel, can enhance that household
because that's exactly what Christianity viewing it as salt can do.
And you know what?
This is kind of corny, but it is true, you know, sometimes you are the only Bible that
people will ever read.
I can't believe I just said that, but the Bible says, you know, that we are his epistles
written in our hearts, known and read of all men.
So you know, a good testimony, a salty testimony and enhancing testimony can be a blessing
to others.
And what's the point here?
The point is that salt enhances the flavor, but it also creates thirst.
And it should be that we live such a life that's pleasing unto the Lord that others
look at it and say, man, I want what they have.
That's why it's good.
Let me just say this.
It's good that when you go out as a family, that you're a good testimony out at the restaurant,
you're a good testimony out soul winning, that you don't have unruly children.
You don't have an unruly household out in public because then at that point you are
being a bad testimony.
You understand what I'm saying?
Obviously we can't necessarily, kids aren't perfect.
I got five of them, six on the way, sixth one on the way, not sixth on the way, the
sixth one on the way.
That'd be crazy.
Yeah.
I've got the sixth one on the way.
And you know, obviously kids are not perfect all the time.
They're kids, right?
But that's why they require discipline and training.
Then when you go out to the restaurant, look, this is what I do.
When I go out to a restaurant, my wife and I always have to talk with the kids.
You better behave yourself.
Listen to me.
And you always point to that one though.
Like I'm talking to you all, but I'm talking to you though, specifically.
The one who just, they have that tendency, right, is that we need to behave ourselves.
We're Christians.
People are watching us.
We want to be a good testimony.
Do not misbehave.
And it's not all roses and light.
I'm just like, if you don't, I'm going to spank you.
You're going to get a whooping when you get home.
Do not misbehave yourself.
You say, well, you know, I see you Christians are always like, actually, my mom was not
a Christian and she did that to me.
So what?
And I'll give you the translation.
I would give you the translation when my mom said it to me, but we're in church.
I can't say that.
So my mom would be like, you better not misbehave yourself in public.
And if you do, you're getting the pinch on the shoulder.
That's a warning.
Okay.
And then you're going to get it when we get home.
Hey, I'm all for that.
I'm all for disciplining children.
We can't allow the society to determine how we raise our kids, folks.
I'm not trying to raise gang members and murderers and people who are going to go to prison because
they weren't disciplined as kids.
I want to raise God-fearing, law-abiding citizens.
And it happens by them learning to obey their parents.
And so when you're out there sowning and preaching the gospel, don't allow your children to
be unruly, too.
We're out there doing the work of the Lord.
Teach your kids how to behave in public.
Teach your kids not to interrupt.
Teach your kids not to mess with people's property.
Why?
Because as salt, we are supposed to enhance the flavor of those around us, but also create
thirst.
You know, when you go out in public, and many people have said this in our church, you know,
you go out in public and people are just like, wow, your kids are so well behaved.
Like, this is, you have such a beautiful family.
Like, wow, you just, they're just happy to see that.
It just puts a smile on their face.
You know what that does?
That's glorifying God.
It's causing people to realize.
And then a lot of times they'll say, are you guys Christians?
Why?
Because they know, they understand that this is what a Christian family should look like,
does look like, and it makes them want that.
And so, you know, the world should look at us and say, you know, we want what they have
and not just families, but even young people.
You know, the Bible tells us you don't have to turn there.
And first Timothy chapter four verse 12 says, let no man despise that youth, but be down
example of the believers in word and conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
That's what the Bible says.
What does that tell us?
You know, that young people, some of you guys who are teenagers in your twenties, early
twenties, mid twenties, you need to make sure that you're an example to the believers.
Don't make the older people in our church despise your youth because you're disrespectful,
prideful, and arrogant.
But not just in the house of God everywhere you go, you should be someone who enhances
the flavor of those around you.
You know, you're like, I don't know about all this.
Well, maybe because you thought you were going to get sugar, but this is salt.
I know they look the same, but it's only when you taste it you realize one is sweet and
the other one actually enhances flavor.
You can go to a ton of churches that are offering you sugar.
There's all kinds of churches out there that are offering sugar.
There's just sugar sermons, sugar sermons, just making you feel good, just filling your
belly with sugar.
Oh, everything just tastes sweet and everything.
But you know what?
Every once in a while, we need some actual flavor though.
We need a steak.
We need ribeye.
We need meat with a little bit of salt, some nutrition to actually help you to grow.
And so, salt is better than sugar.
Amen.
Turn with me if you would.
Go to Jude.
The book of Jude if you would.
Go to Jude chapter 5.
Just kidding.
No one caught that.
There is no chapter 5.
By the way, salt also melts ice.
Did you know that?
You know, if you become cold towards the things of God, just get yourself some hard preaching.
Some Bible preaching.
Some salty preaching.
You know what it does?
It'll melt that ice.
That cold-hearted ice.
That apathetic ice.
It'll melt it.
So you can be tender towards the things of God once again.
What are we talking about?
We're talking about seasoned Christians can enhance the flavor and produce thirst.
Not only that, but we also see that salt can prevent decay.
Now we live in the United States, so we have something called refrigerators.
We may not know anything about this.
Some of you, of course, know about this.
I remember years ago, before I was a Christian, I went to go visit family in Guatemala.
And we were in this particular part of the country, where it's kind of by the ocean.
It was a coastal city they were visiting.
And then we went to a marketplace, and there was all types of meat and fish just out there,
right?
They just had it all on tables.
And I was just like, from a distance, I thought to myself, like, how does this not go bad?
Like, it was hot, too, really hot, you know, Guatemala.
But then, you know, upon closer inspection, it was just saturated with salt.
And so obviously, this people did this back in the day, even in the Bible times, but they
still do it now, that when there's no adequate refrigeration, they just pour salt on the
meat, and it will prevent it from decaying.
You know, it has that preservation agent that will cause, prevent something from actually
rotting and decaying.
And you know what?
The parallel there is that as Christians who are salt, we can prevent this world from decaying.
We know how to preserve life.
First and foremost, how?
Through the gospel.
You see, people are perishing.
The Bible says that the preaching of the cross is to then that perish foolishness,
but unto us which are saved is the power of God.
So people are dying and going to hell every single day, and this is why we need to pray
for laborers to go into the harvest, because we can prevent that.
We know how to prevent someone from going to hell.
We can prevent someone from dying and experiencing the second death.
How?
By preaching the gospel.
It reminds me of Joseph that when he went into Egypt, he told his brothers, "What?
God sent me here to what?
Preserve life."
You know why God sent First Works Baptist Church from Omani to Anaheim Hills, California?
I'll tell you why.
To preserve life.
You know why we go to the cities, the highways and hedges, the neighborhoods?
Why?
To preserve life.
You know why God placed you in that home?
You know why God placed you in that unregenerated home?
To preserve life.
You know why you have those friends at your high school?
You know why you're around the people that you know?
It's not by accident.
I'll tell you why.
It's to preserve life through the gospel of Christ.
It's to be a salt in that world to prevent them from dying and going to hell.
Look at Jude, verse 22.
It says, "And if some have compassion, making a difference, others save with fear, pulling
them out of the fire, hating even the garment, spotted by the flesh."
So it sounds to me that when we present the gospel, we're supposed to present something
that strikes fear.
It's not just like a sugary message, it's not just a good message.
You know, it's a bad message first.
It's hey, hell exists, you're a sinner who deserves hell, and hell's forever.
You're going to go to the lake of fire, where the fire's not quenched, the worm died, and
the fire's not quenched.
And the fear of knowing that will motivate someone to flee from the wrath to come to
the foot of the cross to be saved.
And this is what the Bible means, that we pull them out of the fire.
In a spiritual sense, right, the illustration is like we're reaching into the depths of
hell and pulling people out of the fire through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What's the point here?
What it is, is that we as Christians should prevent decay in the lives around us.
Do you have a family member that you stay in contact with regularly that you have not
preached the gospel to?
You're not being sold.
And I praise people in our church who make it their agenda to try to reach their family.
I think it's great that you reach strangers, but I also think it's great when you try
to reach your family.
When I first got saved, that's what I want.
More than anybody else, I wanted my family to be saved.
I want my mom to be saved.
I want my dad to be saved.
I want my brother to be saved.
I want my sister to be saved.
I want those who I know to be saved.
And you know there's countless times where we're just weeping, praying that they would
come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Why?
Because I wanted to be salt in that world.
I know that God placed me in that household for the purpose of leading them to Christ.
Don't become hardened towards your family, my friends.
It's easy to become hardened towards those who we know personally in our family.
People that we grew up with because we see them, we've been around them, and sometimes
they're like, "Well, if they don't want it, they don't want it."
Hold on a second.
Pull them out of the fire.
Be salt.
Preserve that person's life.
Have you tried witnessing to your brother?
Have you tried preaching the gospel to your sister?
Have you tried reaching your mother?
Have you tried reaching your father?
How about your cousin?
What about your uncle?
What about your aunt?
Think about them.
You know, I praise God that we have a church that is filled with zealous soul owners who
reach strangers every single week, but I also pray you would have the heart to reach those
who God placed you in their lives since you were a kid.
And obviously, you know, a prophet is not without honor saving his own country, right?
Amongst his own country, amongst his own kindred.
That's absolutely true.
But you know what?
It shouldn't prevent us from trying.
And you're like, man, but yeah, pastor, I just, I don't know how to preach the gospel
yet though.
Here's the frustrating thing.
I don't know how to preach the gospel.
You know, I want to get my family saved.
My brother.
I want to get him saved.
My cousin.
I want to get them saved.
My nephew.
I want to get them saved.
But I just don't know how to open my mouth boldly to make known the mysteries of the
gospel.
Well, learn.
Learn how to preach the gospel.
Have some urgency about yourself.
Get on a team, learn how to preach the gospel to get them saved.
But you know what?
If you're not there yet, then let me say this.
Bring them to Easter.
Bring them to church.
Bring them to someone who does know the gospel.
Be like the woman at the well who went back home and just brought everyone from the city
to come see Jesus.
Be that salt.
Go back to your family.
Go home to your family and say, "I want you to come with me to church."
But if you already know the gospel, say, "You know what?
I want to share something with you because I love you."
And obviously you know that I'm a Christian, and quite frankly, I'm going to just be honest
with you.
I want to share this with you.
My bad.
This is my fault, but I need to share this with you because I love you.
And I want to show you what the Bible says on how to go to heaven.
You'd be surprised how people respond to that type of humility.
Be salt.
Preserve life.
Preserve the lives of those around you.
Go back to Matthew chapter 5.
Matthew chapter 5, if you would.
What's the title of the sermon?
Seasoned and Bright Christians.
The last couple of minutes, I'm just going to go over what it means to be a bright Christian.
This will not be as extensive as the salt, but a lot of the same principles can be said.
Look at verse 14.
It says, "Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, put it under a bushel, but on the candlestick, and it giveth
light unto all them that are in the house."
So bright Christians, first and foremost we see here, are unashamed Christians.
Why?
Because it says there, "A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel."
What does that mean?
It means you better make sure that you're open about being a Christian.
You better make sure that you are unashamed of the Bible.
And, you know, sometimes Christians are ashamed of the Bible.
Let me just be real honest with you, okay?
Go with me if you want to Mark chapter 8, by the way.
Mark chapter 8.
You see, light is seen by all.
And sometimes Christians are like, "Man, I'm afraid that someone's going to ask me about
something really controversial in the Bible.
I just don't know what I'm going to say about it, you know?
I don't want to, like, I don't want to be ashamed of the Bible, but I don't want to
seem like a weirdo, you know, to them."
Well, here's the thing.
Here's how you can get over that.
You have to understand that they're the weirdo.
I'm over it.
Anytime someone asks me about some so-called radical view of the Bible, I'm 100% just like,
"Yeah, that's what it is.
You don't believe that?
Weird.
Wow."
I'm not going to feel awkward about believing the Bible.
I'm not going to be made feel uncomfortable for believing the Bible.
And you know what?
I'm sick and tired of people trying to make other people feel uncomfortable for believing
the Bible.
Let's make them feel uncomfortable about that.
Oh, you believe it?
That's weird.
Wow.
Yeah, you actually believe that 2,000-year-old book.
But it's actually a lot older than that, but yeah, I do.
Yeah, and you believe every article that's placed within the last five days on the internet.
So yeah, but you know, that is like outdated.
The Bible is not outdated.
It's timeless.
And you know, I'm not the only one who believes this, a ton of thousands, millions of people
believe this.
And you know, this is what you tell them when they try to make you feel stupid and weird
for believing the Bible.
This is what you tell them.
When they come to you with that, you tell them this, you say, "Don't you expect Christians
to believe the Bible?"
Like, "Whoa, wow, Christian believes the Bible."
You should be shocked if I don't believe the controversial verse that you're talking about.
The weird thing is when Christians don't believe the Bible.
That's weird.
So if a Christian comes to you like, "Oh, you actually believe..."
Well, the cultural context, I don't need cultural context.
I need scriptural context.
Scriptural context says that this is what the Bible says, and I stand with it.
So it's just like, "Oh man, you know, you believe the Bible."
Yeah, 'cause I'm a Christian.
Isn't that what you would expect for a Christian to actually believe the word of God?
So that's, you could hide behind that if you want.
Yeah, a Christian believes the Bible Genesis to Revelation 100% and in fact, you know, there's been times when people have have post made posts about me
They're like, oh pastor says this and people who are not Christian go in the comment section and say oh wow a Baptist believes the Bible
I'm just like heart thumbs up. Why is that weird? It's weird when Christians don't uphold the Word of God as being authoritative
It's weird when Christians are ashamed of the Bible. That's weird. It's weird when Christians try to make excuses for the Bible
That's weird. It's weird when Christians try to come up with all kinds of excuses
Oh, well in the original it says it no and the original says exactly what it says here
And I believe it and so do millions of other people believe it as well
I find it weird when people don't believe Leviticus 20 13. I find it weird people don't believe Romans chapter 1. You don't believe that
That's weird. You should you should convert to a different religion then that doesn't believe the Bible because it's just commonly reported
I know this is really crazy that Christians are supposed to believe the Bible all of it
But you know we live in a society where Christians have allowed themselves to be bullied by other Christians and agnostics
And atheists out there to try to cause them to be ashamed of the Bible folks
I'm not bowing down to any of that
I believe the word of God cover to cover and you should be ashamed of the fact that you don't know that
Someone surprised that I believe the Bible. I'm ashamed of them. Oh, I'm ashamed. That's shameful for you to believe that I'm a Christian
You should know for a fact. Yeah, but what about these verses all of it all of it all of it
I think it's all good
I agree with everything that God says in there every single nook and cranny I hold to it to be the word of God and
Don't flinch either two for flinching
Don't flinch you believe the Bible. I mean, yeah, I mean, I mean, it's more like you believe the Bible. Yep
Yeah, but what about Leviticus? I love Leviticus. Yeah, but what about all those verses? Yeah, especially those. Yeah, but this is one verse
That's my life verse. I
Love it all and especially if you're dealing with another Christian put them on the spot
You don't believe that you make excuses for that. Why are you ashamed of the Bible?
Look what look what the Word of God says in Mark chapter Mark chapter 8 and verse 38
It says whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him
Also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with his holy angels
He said oh you're gonna be ashamed of me before all these wicked people
people who are just godless who promote the most wicked
Abominable ideologies known to mankind, but you're ashamed of the purity of God's Word. He says when I come I'm gonna be ashamed of you
This doesn't mean you're not saved. It just means that God's gonna be ashamed of you
This means you know your sins aren't forgiven. It means that he's just gonna be ashamed of you
Why because you're ashamed of his word
One of the greatest motivators for us not to be ashamed of God's Word is that I don't want Jesus to be ashamed of me
When he comes I want him to look for me
I don't want to be like I believed it from cover to cover from the day that I got saved and I didn't make any
Excuses for it. I preached it. I think the Word of God is great. I don't want him to be like, all right, come on
Yeah, you're safe
I say I don't want that
I want him to know that I've never been ashamed of the Word of God and you know
We need to turn this tide around and stop letting Christians be bullied
You know stop allowing Christians to you know, Christians just need to get a backbone
Let me just be honest they need to get a backbone they need to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might and
Have some resolve about themselves, you know and and take some quote-unquote pride about the Bible and say, you know
I don't make excuses for the Word of God. I believe it and so and by the way, not just anybody
I believe in the King James Bible. Oh, you don't use the modern versions what you do. That's weird. That's all I do
I just flip it on them. Why cuz light what does light do it causes us to be bright
It causes us I'm losing my notes here light is seen by all it's unashamed
You're not trying to hide it under a bushel trying to show people that you are a Christian
You know people at your job should know that you're Christian not because you're vocal about it
But because your life shows it but the areas where you can be vocal about it
You should you shouldn't be ashamed to be a Christian. Oh, you shouldn't be ashamed to come to our church either
What church do you go to? Oh, this is Christian churches. Oh, what's it called? Do you know?
Like Baptist something. Okay. I grew up Baptist. Well, which one is it? Um, I don't go to church
I'm kidding
Tom I go to First Works Baptist Church. They wouldn't they Google it. So be it
So be it cuz you never know some of my Google and be like, whoa, this church is based
I've been looking for a church like this
Google it, you know, for example, I put out a video sometime this week and I was just saying hey
You know if you're looking for a good church and you're in these particular areas, I named off some states
I said DM me and I got a ton of DMS
I was able to direct people to my my pastor friends churches and then one of them was just like whoa
I'm in this particular area. Where's that church? I said, oh and I said how far are you from this address?
I don't remember the address and they're like five minutes away
I said perfect go this Sunday and they're like, alright, so I set the website, you know a few moments later
They're like, uh, I was wondering if you can answer some questions
I I googled it and you know some stuff came up and I just want to know is this really true. I said, yeah
You say you wanted to go to church, right? I'm not sending you to like a Mormon Tabernacle or anything like that
Send you to a Baptist church and like oh, okay
Uh, all right. Well, thank you for your time, which basically means like I'm probably not gonna go
But they're asking me about all these controversial things and I was just like, yeah, it's all true
I mean, he's a Baptist preacher. So what do you I mean, that's what the Bible says. They thought I was gonna be like
Oh, yeah, don't listen to you. That's not true. I'm like no, it's he said that cool, huh?
Because there's no use in being ashamed. No use in being ashamed light is unashamed law. Also light exposes darkness
I'm not gonna go over these verses because I'm out of time
But just go over these go to this last passage Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians chapter 5. This is the last verse
What does light also do? I'll tell you what it does is it wakes people up, right?
You know, the darkness is meant to release the melatonin in your body so you can sleep but once the Sun rises
It does something to your body wakes you up
That's what it's at least that's what it's supposed to do
Some of you gamers don't know what I'm talking about because you just you just pull an all-nighter
What light is supposed to do is wake you up
You know what we're supposed to do as God's people is to wake you up
Maybe you got a wake-up call this morning through the message. Don't get mad at me. I'm just I'm being light here being light here
I'm trying to wake you up to what the Bible says
The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 13
But all things that are approved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light
Wherefore he saith awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light the Bible says
Christianity
Enlightens you to the truth Christianity brings the answers
Christianity sheds light on the issues of our day you talk to us as a Christian
We should be able to give you an answer from the word of God
Why because we shed light on that we don't leave people in darkness
We shed light and so, you know if you want to be a bright Christian don't be a dimmer
He's just like little dude. It's a little too bright, you know prank that thing all the way make it as bright as possible
Hey, why cuz let your life so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father
Which is in heaven be unashamed be bright expose the darkness and wake people up to the truth
What's the sermon today be a seasoned and bright Christian season because you're salty bright because you're smart
But also because of the fact that you're letting the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shine unto this world
Let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word
Thank you for the Bible Lord and for the unsearchable riches of Christ that are found in the Word of God
What a blessing it is to be able to have a Bible in our hand
I pray that you'd help us as your people to be a burning and shining light just as John the Baptist was
That we would have our loins gird about with truth
That we would be set aflame Lord in this world to see people saved and turn those who are already saved to a higher standard of righteousness
But also help us to be salt and not be surprised when the people of this world are irritated by our message
That is the byproduct of being a Christian
But also help us this salt to preserve life Lord to enhance the flavor of the atmosphere around us Lord and to create a thirst
In this world for the truth and I pray you bless this as we go on our way Lord
We love you. We thank you pray this things in Jesus name Amen
Please turn to your songbooks it's song number 244
Song number 244 amazing grace 244 all together nice and strong in that first verse
singing "You Are Dismissed"