Having Salt in Yourselves

 Mark 9:38-41, 49-50; James 5:13-20

 The disciples are concerned. Someone who is not one of them is casting out demons in Christ’s name. Jesus here doesn’t agree with their exclusivity telling them to welcome those who are not against us since they are for us. This makes me think of the different denominations who serve the risen Christ. We are not to be against them since they are outside our group. Their goal is the same to serve Christ. Whoever welcomes you or gives you a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ will not lose their reward.

Then Christ uses the metaphor of salt. If it’s good it does good, but if it loses its saltiness it isn’t effective anymore. So, Christ tells them to have salt in yourselves – concentrate on your own spiritual life versus condemning those who are not in your group. Be at peace with one another. This is counter to those who argue and are dogmatic about their point of view versus being peaceable.

James tells us how to keep the salt in ourselves. If we are suffering – pray. When we are cheerful, sing songs of praise. Then when we are sick we are to call upon the elders of the church for anointing with oil. This prayer of faith for the sick will save the sick – the Lord will raise them up. Those who confess their sins will be forgiven. Spiritual healing comes from confessing your sins to one another and praying for one another.

Those who are righteous are those that have salt in themselves. Their prayers are powerful and effective. An example of one so righteous is Elijah who prayed fervently in faith for the rain to stop and then after 3 ½ years prayed it would continue again. Another attribute of having salt in yourselves is the ability to bring back someone who has wandered from the truth. In this way they will save the sinner from death.

May we strive to keep the faith in the techniques given by James to be righteous. In this way being salt that will flavor the world around us for Christ, being peaceable toward everyone – even those in different denominations than ours. Amen

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Join Me on a Lenten Journey

For those of you not familiar with Lent, it is a season of forty days, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others. Easter comes early this year. Many of us not brought up in this tradition can still embrace its emphasis of focusing on the gifts Christ has brought into your lives and finding ways to share the love of Christ to others. This emphasis of love goes along well with the beginning of Lent this year, Ash Wednesday, falling on all days – Valentine’s Day. So whether or not you plan
Read more

Reverent Submission

Hebrews 5:5-10; Jeremiah 31:31-34 The book of Hebrews talks about Jesus being appointed a high priest. In order to do so was because of his reverent submission to God and the plan for salvation which was to bring great suffering to him. It is said he learned obedience through what he suffered. Being made perfect in this way, he became the source of salvation for all who obey him. This being made perfect through persevering in obedience in the face of suffering is a theme the disciples will take up in following the example of Christ. Due to Christ’s reverent submission to his work on the cross, a new covenant has been brought in. This was predicted in Jeremiah 31 that tells how the law will be put within them and written on their hearts. They will know God due to Christ’s sacrifice. Because of it God will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more. The term submission indicates obeying someone and their wishes. It is defined as accepting or yielding to the will or autho
Read more

Do What they Teach, Not What they Do

  Matthew 23: 1-12; I Thessalonians 2:9-13   Jesus when he talks about the scribes and the Pharisees in Matthew 23 basically says: “Do what they teach but not what they do.” What he questions most is their motivation. They do what they do to be seen by others. They wear fancy robes and love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues. They love to be greeted with respect. All this Jesus sums up in the word pride or not being humble. He states then that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Years later Paul writes to the Thessalonians telling how he did what Christ had instructed. That he was humble leading a life worthy of God, his motivation being for God’s glory not his own. He tells that not only are the Thessalonians his witnesses of this but God also. They have seen how pure, upright, and blameless his conduct has been. He encourages the Thessalonians to do the same. To live a life worthy of
Read more