Salty Words!

 

Introduction:

 

Let me share some interesting facts about salt from Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia.

 

A.      Salt - Chemical name is Sodium Chloride NaCl.

 

B.      Most widely used as a food and seasoning, as such is an essential part of the human diet (although we don't need as much as we as American's usually consume).

 

C.      Widely used as a preservative for meats.

 

     D.   Is used in some refrigeration processes, in dyeing,              and in the manufacture of soaps and glass.

 

     Trans.    Today we will look at it as a preservative.

 

                            Prayer

                          Col. 4:2-6

 

For the purposes of this message, I want to concentrate on vs. 6.

 

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.”

 

I.   Let's look at some ways our speech is not seasoned with salt.

 

     A.   Gossiping - telling something bad on someone!

          1.   It could be true, but if it isn't necessary, it

is still gossip.

          2.   Gossip tears down another's reputation!  Just the                opposite of preserving!

 

     B.   Have you ever saw people that liked to use their

Speech to ag people on?

          1.   Someone tells them about something that happened!

          2.   They respond with, "Boy, I wouldn't let them push

me around that way; I'd give them a piece of my mind! They think they know it all!  They think they are better than you!" etc.

          3.   Before you know it, unless the first person is                   really disciplined, he/she will get worked up to

the point of doing something, but it might be the

wrong thing to do!

          4.   Again speech has been used to destroy and not                    preserve!

 

     C.   The negative tongue!

          1.   "You can't do anything right!"

          2.   "You can't do that; you'll mess it up!"

          3.   "Your stupid!"

          4.   Children's ability to learn and confidence in                    themselves to achieve are greatly reduced if they                have parents that are negative toward them!

          5.   Adults are affected also!

              a)   If we have a boss that is an encourager, we                     will try hard to please, but if our boss is                      negative we will figure what's the use;

he/she won't be happy anyway!

 

              b)   One goal of marriage should be to help our                      partner to become the best he/she can be for                     God and for themselves.  We can't do that if

we are negative!

          6.   If we are negative about people, again, our

speech has been used to destroy and not preserve!

 

II.    Let's look at some ways our speech can be seasoned with salt!

 

     A.   By trying to always find something good to say about             someone or not say anything about them at all!

          1.   Unless it is to someone that can help the

situation and with the intent of helping.  90% of the tmei it is not!

          2.   This way our speech has been used to preserve                    someone's reputation and not to destroy!

          3.   I'm talking about idle talk, not when someone

asks for a reference, etc.

 

     B.   By being a peacemaker!

          1.   Matt. 5:9

              "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be                  called the children of God."

2.   Instead of trying to ag someone on, we try to bring peace and help them to put themselves in the other persons shoes, so they can understand why the other person acted the way they did!

          3.   This way our speech has been used to preserve a                  friendship!

 

     C.   By being positive.

          1.   By helping people realize they can do things! By                 being an encourager!

          2.   Remember and remind others of Phil. 4:13.  "I can

do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"

 

     D.   Be ready to preserve people's souls by pointing them

To Christ!

          I Peter 3:15b  "... be ready always to give an answer

to every [person] that asks you a

reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

 

III. Our speech seasoned with salt can be the best witness we

can have! 

A.   It can help our personal ministry!

     1.   What we say. Like I’ve said before, we may be the

Only Bible some people read.  What are they

reading about God or God’s love because of our

speech?  Is God wanting to bring peace? Is God

loving?  Is God hateful?  Is God Judgmental?  Is

God positive or just wanting to get them for

whatever they have done?  Does God want

to have a relationship with them and include

them?  

     2.   Another way we speak today is online.  What does

What we post say about God?

          3.   Does our speech draw people to God or push them

away?

 

B.   It can help the ministry of our church and our witness in the community, because our church is not a building.  It is us, and the church is reflected through each of us!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   Is your speech usually seasoned with salt?

 

B.   Is it used to preserve or destroy?

 

     C.   As we encounter Christ at the table this morning, do

you need to ask Christ to help you with this one?

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

Changed Through Christ!

 

Introduction:

 

A.      It won’t be long until the season change? Some leaves are falling

already.  The leaves will soon be turning all kinds of fall colors!

 

B.      It=s getting colder; before we know it there will be snow and ice!

 

C.      The changes in seasons unveil to us a real fact about life.

 

D.      Things change!  Situations Change!  People Change!

 

Trans:

If there is anybody who knows about change, it is Paul.  His life was a complete turn-around after he met Christ on the road to Damascus.  Paul's teachings seem to tell us that if Christians are what they should be, they too will be Constantly changing!

 

                    Prayer

                 Rom. 12: 1&2

text v. 2a.

"Do not be conformed to this world, c  but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, . . . ."

 

I.   This change is made possible by the "mercies of God" and expressed through Christ!

 

A.   Vines Dictionary    Mercy - Greek

OIKTIRMOS pity, compassion for the ills of others.

 

B.   Mercy expressed!

Rom 3:23  All have sinned.

    6:23  wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal

life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son . . .

 

II.  This change is instructed by Paul!

 

A.   I appeal - ask that you present your bodies a living  sacrifice!  Not Dead but Living.

 

B.   Paul  the chiefest of sinners, but he'd found a better way!

 

III. This change is acceptable unto God!

 

A.   Accept Christ - Present your bodies a living sacrifice!

 

B.   Not - accept Christ and forget it!

Another Biblical writer agrees: James 2:17 - 20. 

Change!

 

“Faith without works is Dead!”

 

IV.  The opposite of this change is conformity to the world! Doing what the world does so we will fit in!

     A.   Laughing at jokes that make Christians look like idiots!

     B.   Cursing like a sailor!

     C.   Being judgmental, unloving, and prejudice!  

 

V.   This change isn't a one time thing, but it is a lifetime of changing into what God wants us to be through God’s Sanctifying Grace!

 

A.   Vines Dictionary - Greek word for transformed is Metamorphoo.

 

B.   English word Metamorphosis Process of Change.

Example: Caterpillar – Butterfly

 

VI.  This change is accomplished by the renewing of our mind!

 

Vines Dictionary - in Greek renewing is to make new.

 

We might say: Take out the old clutter and take on the mind of God!  How do we do that?

 

A.   Read & study the Bible!

II Tim. 2:15   "Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman

that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

(KJV)

 

B.   Attend Church   Heb. 10:25

Anot neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.¹A (NRSV)

 

C.   Fellowship with Christian people.

Heb. 10:25b (above) & I John 1:7

Abut if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.¹A

I John 1:7(NRSV)        

 

D.   Strive to live a Holy Life!

II Cor. 6:17,18 also 7:1

A 17  Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean;  then I will welcome you, 18  and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters,

            says the Lord Almighty.@

7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and  of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.¹A

 

E.   Prayer - Go to the source of a renewed mind!

 

Conclusion:

A.   That ye may discern (demonstrate) God's perfect will in our lives!  We are to demonstrate God's perfect will for humanity!  Change!!!

 

B.   Are our lives different than they were

5 yrs. ago?

3 yrs. ago?

1 yr. ago?     (Are we more loving?  Growing in Love? This is always a good litmus test!) John Wesley talked about being perfected in Love!

 

read Rom. 12: 1&2 again

 

C.   Have we really presented our Bodies to God for God's service?

 

D.   Maybe you need to come this morning and present yourself to God

     for the first time?  Maybe you need to come this morning and present

     yourself to God for renewal because you really haven=t presented

     yourself a living sacrifice?

 

E.      You can do that as we encounter Christ at the table this morning!

 

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of communion

---

    Gk age

¹The Holy Bible  : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

¹The Holy Bible  : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

¹The Holy Bible  : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

Seven Churches of Rev. Series. Sermon 7: Laodicea. "The Lukewarm Church"

 

Introduction: 

 

A.   How many of you like lukewarm coffee?

 

B.   It is distasteful & bitter isn't it?  Makes you just

want to spit it out!

 

C.   I believe Jesus had this sensation in regard to the

church in our letter for today!

 

Trans.

Let's look at this last letter in our series this morning to the church at Laodicea and learn its lessons.

 

                            Prayer

                          Rev. 3:14-22

 

I.   Laodicea:  The City and its Background.

 

A.   Thriving, rich city; its main industry was wool cloth.

1.   There were sheep growers.

2.   There were clothing makers.

3.   Laodicea was famous for a black garment made out

of black wool!

 

B.   Politically, they were cool to Rome.

1.   They had turned down Rome's help to rebuild after

the earthquake of A.D. 60.

2.   They had the wealth and ability to rebuild

themselves.

          3.   They didn’t need Rome!

 

C.   Religiously

1.   There were many religions in Laodicea.

2.   But Emperor worship was no great threat to

Christians!

 

II.  Laodicea, The Church.

 

A.   Commendation:  they received none!

 

B.   Reprimand.

1.   Christ reprimands them for their false security

in their wealth.

a.   They say, "I am rich, and increased with

goods, and have need of nothing."

              b.   Not only as a city did they feel they had no

need of Rome, but as a church, they really

didn’t need God too much either.  They were

satisfied they were making it on their own.

c.   But Christ says Spiritually they are really

wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked!

2.   It is all summed up by his charge of

lukewarmness!

a.   They were so falsely secure in their things

that they became indifferent Spiritually!

b.   They were neither for Christ nor against

Christ.  THEY JUST DID NOT CARE!

 

C.   Exhortation: 

1.   They were challenged to buy real riches!

 

a.   "gold tried in the fire" - a faith that had

 been tested and proven would be better than

 their earthly wealth!

 

b.   "White garments." - symbol of those who

 overcome life's temptations.  This would be

 better than a sinful life with all the

 expensive clothing their money could buy!

 

c.   "Eye Salve." - to open up their spiritually

 blinded eyes!  They would understand this

 because "a medical school was located in

 Laodicea at the temple of Asclepius, which

                    offered a special salve to heal common eye

 troubles in the Middle East."  (BKC)

 

2.   To remember he loves them, or he would not try to

correct them.

 

a.   (vs. 20)  Even in their sad condition, he

still stands and knocks ready to come in and

help them.

b.   But like the famous painting of Christ

                   knocking on the door, there is no latch on

the outside!

 

 D.   Promise:

1.   (vs. 20)  To those who open, he will come in and

commune with them.

2.   Those who overcome will sit with him in heaven!

 

III. Laodicea's message to Forsyth UMC.

 

A.   Material possessions can be dangerous.

1.   Not necessarily good or bad.

2.   They often make us feel like we have really

attained something.

3.   They can cause us to treat people poorly who have

less!

4.   We must learn that all we have gained is a

blessing of God.  Like an old song says,

 

"The things that I own and hold dear to my heart

 are just borrowed they're not mine at all."

 

          5.   We must never let our wealth, status, or

possessions make us feel that we do not need God!

Instead, we should be grateful to God for God’s

blessings on us!

 

B.   Christ cannot use lukewarm Christians or Churches.

1.   Lukewarm individuals must get hot! 

a.   If we are indifferent, we are not far from

giving up Christ completely!

b.   We must realize the danger and come back to

God!

              c.   We do not want God to spew us out!

              d.   We need a realization that we are nothing

without God! 

1)   When we start feeling self-sufficient

because of our goods, we are becoming

like this church!

                   2)   There is a strong pull to feel this way

in our society!  We must constantly

remind ourselves of our need of God! 

 

2.   Lukewarm Churches must get hot!

a.   Churches get unconcerned about communities and die!

b.   Churches get satisfied with past

accomplishments!

c.   We must get enthused and reach out!

d.   We must not forget who we are and whose we

are!

              e.   We must never forget our mission “to make

disciples of Jesus Christ for the

transformation of our community and the

world.”

              f.   We must never forget that we can best do

that by allowing Christ to Love through us!

We can’t do it without Christ, but we need

to be fired up about what Christ can do

through us and the difference Christ can

make through us!

              g.   Then we will continue to see Christ work

miracles in people’s lives and among us as a

Church!

 

C.   We need to be investing in "heavenly riches."

1.   People in general:

a.   teaching,

b.   helping,

c.   ministering to,

d.   Caring and loving.

2.   These are the things which make for a full life

here and hereafter!

 

Conclusion.

A.   Are we lukewarm?

 

B.   If we are lukewarm and fear we are growing farther and

farther from God, we need to come to Christ and let

Christ rekindle the enthusiasm we once had.

 

C.   We can do that today as we encounter Christ at the

table!

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion