Thursday, September 15, 2011

Daily Devotions for Week 5 of Sermon on the Mount Thur

Week 5 Day 4 Devotions

Practical Ways of the Remaining Salty

"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be
at peace with each other." Mark 9:50

In Marks Gospel, Jesus' teaching on salt is placed in the context of the disciples arguing about who is the greatest. Jesus embraces a little child (isn't it wonderful that there were always children close to Jesus?) and speaks about welcoming children being a way of welcoming Jesus; He speaks about not causing any little ones who believe in Him to sin and about getting rid of whatever causes you to sin and then closes with our text verse saying “have salt in yourselves.” Commenting on this verse Wesley says: “Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another. More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus: - As every burnt offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast into the fire of the altar, so every one who will  not part with his hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to Divine justice, and be cast into hell fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one, who, denying himself and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which like salt will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them savoury, so it is good that ye be seasoned with grace, for the purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of my knowledge, both in your own  souls, and wherever ye go. But as salt if it loses its saltness is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend, Who shall be greatest.”

So here are some ways to remain salty. Stop worrying about greatness. Become a servant of all. Respect and value the least among you, especially the children. Seek to remain pure and grow in holiness, getting rid of sin in your life no matter how painful the process might be. Deny yourself and take up your cross daily. Constantly look at your faith and your love and………. be at peace with one another.

What will it mean today for you to have “salt in yourself?”