Pass the Salt

Context
Suffering people, waiting for the Kingdom of God. Enter Jesus; the one who sees, the one who heals, the one who brought hope and restoration. Could he save them?
Text Matthew 5:13
“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 under foot.”
These people were there hoping to hear how Jesus was going to save them but Jesus flipped the script and called them into an identity that would help see the Kingdom of God come to earth, bringing salvation and freedom to all who were in need.
But what did Jesus mean by salt?
● Seasoning (Colossians 4:6, Matthew 5:3-12)
● Preserving (Matthew 5:17)
● Healing (2 Kings 2:19-22, Matthew 10:8)
● A covenant (Leviticus 2:13, 2 Chronicles 13:5)
Understanding this metaphor as a reflection of the new and lasting covenant through Jesus (Isaiah 42:6-7) gives meaning to all other interpretations.
The Problem
A broken hurting world, asking for someone to pass the salt – who will pass it?
Salt being “trampled under foot” recalls imagery the prophets used to describe Israel who failed to commit to their covenant with God. Let’s not follow the patterns of the Israelites, blending into culture and forgetting God’s covenant, but instead grow into this identity and share Jesus with the world.
Reflective Questions
If I am to be ‘salt of the earth’…
– Have I got perspective of my role?
– Have I got vision?
– Have I decided when I will start?