Salt is Good

MARK 9:38-50

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us; and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for our part. 

For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in m e, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, ;than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it: Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.

One of the great debates is preaching trivia is what did Jesus mean by salt? The need for salt is ancient knowledge. In common terms, salt is a seasoning, a preservative, a medicine, a cleanser, and an essential element in most living organisms. It’s as fundamental to life as water, breath and bread.

The body is bread. Add salt, and it’s better. It becomes inviting, something you might even crave, like a cracker or a potato chip. Eat too much, and you’re going to need a deep drought of that living water. Salt makes food more appetizing. Salt makes you thirsty.

I was convicted by a radio preacher the other day. He said that God has no use for our worldly displays. He probably would not appreciate my propensity for music and theatrics. But I remember that bread, water, air, and salt are very worldly elements. Jesus used real food on two occasions to feed the multitudes real, worldly food. Jesus preached about the Spirit, but he illustrated that through common, worldly things.

Salt. I can sprinkle it on so-so food and make it worth eating. I can add a lot and make a small dish go further as a garnish or a condiment. It has value all by itself, but especially in combination with food. 

“For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.” So everyone will have trials and troubles. What about the sacrifice? Jesus was the last a sacrifice. He was salted with a little bit of worldly goodness. He had a sense of humor. He had compassion for the less fortunate. Everyone is salted with fire, but the sacrifice is salted with something else. The sacrifice is salted with the best of life.

I tend to think of salt as a sprinkling of compassion, forgiveness, and hospitality. Maybe it’s just a touch of whatever we’re missing to be more inviting. 

They will know we are Christians by our love. How do we win souls into the Kingdom of God? Well, everybody needs a little salt, even if they don’t need too much. Some need more than others.

Salt is good — but can you taste it? Has it lost its saltiness? How are you going to season salt? We know it still has saltiness if it still satisfies hunger and encourages thirst, like salt.

“Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” In the end, I truly don’t know what salt is. Symbolically, Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt because she turned her eyes away from salvation and back toward her dying world. She wanted more physical, and got it all.

We need just a little, but it’s a vital ingredient. Exactly what it is eludes me. You figure it out. What makes the Body of Christ more savory? What makes people thirsty for the Word, or for Christian Fellowship? Find that, and you’ve found salt.

Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.