“You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves.” —Mark 9:50 NLT
“You are the salt of the earth.” —Matthew 5:13 NLT
Salt is used to: Season. Preserve. Cleanse. Create thirst.
“Like a seasoning, disciples are to make Christ attractive to the world.” —Hal M. Haller, Jr.
SALTY AND SWEET
people sometimes refuse
“Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.” —Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
“Now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.” —Colossians 3:9 NLT
“We are Christ’s ambassadors.” —2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT
“We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, Who is the head of His body, the church.” —Ephesians 4:15 NLT
as we live
“Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.” —Matthew 5:16 NLT
“Be careful how you behave among your unsaved neighbors; for then, even if they are suspicious of you and talk against you, they will end up praising God for your good works when Christ returns.” —1 Peter 2:12 TLB
“And they praised God because of me.” —Galatians 1:24 NLT
be
“Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity, treating it as something precious.
Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one who questions you.” —Colossians 4:5-6 AMP
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” —Ephesians 4:29 NLT
people can be drawn to
“God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” —Philippians 2:13 NLT
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What is something you like that other people might consider overrated?
- Sometimes we allow other people’s negative reviews or opinions keep us from something we’d actually enjoy. Has this ever happened to you? Describe.
- In what ways do you think your life serves as a testimony, or “review,” of Jesus to the world? What would people’s opinion of Jesus be, after encountering you, His disciple?
- The Apostle Peter tells us to “Be careful how you behave among your unsaved neighbors; for then, even if they are suspicious of you and talk against you, they will end up praising God for your good works when Christ returns.” (1 Peter 2:12 TLB) What are some characteristics or behaviors that should be present in Jesus’ followers that would cause even unbelievers to praise God?
- What are some ways to can be proactive in being attractive?
- Paul says in Glatians 1:24 that the people praised God because of him. What are soem ways we can strive to live in such a way that people praise God because of us?
- What encouragement do you find in Philippians 2:13, “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him?”