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
