Week 1 The Covenant of Salt
Quote
“People don’t enjoy salt. They enjoy what is salted. We are the salt of the earth. We do not exist for ourselves.”
John Piper
Passage
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 (KJV)
Background
Quote-John Stephen Piper (born January 11, 1946) is a theologian, pastor, and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Piper taught biblical studies at Bethel University for six years (1974-1980), before serving as pastor for preaching and vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis for 33 years (1980-2013).
Piper is the founder and senior teacher of desiringGod.org, named for his book Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (1986), and has written a number of award-winning books, including ECPA Christian Book Award winners Spectacular Sins, What Jesus Demands from the World, Pierced by the Word, and God's Passion for His Glory, as well as bestsellers Don't Waste Your Life and The Passion of Jesus Christ.
Passage- The personalities of this book include the Messiah Jesus Christ, His parents Mary and Joseph, the Twelve Disciples, the prophet John the Baptist, and other kinds of leaders. These leaders include those in government like Pilate and religious leaders such as the Pharisees (who attempt to hinder the work of Jesus).
The book of Matthew is the first of the synoptic gospels and it was written to reveal the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the King of the Jews, from the line of David. It also was written to convince the Jews that Jesus Christ was indeed their long-awaited Messiah.
Chapters 26-28, contain the death and resurrection of Jesus. These chapters present the truth of the "Good News" and about how Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself. This is the central theme of salvation through faith alone in the complete and finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross.
Opening Statement
Our eyes see much farther than our ears hear. While sound travels, so does light. Someone observing your actions from across a field or parking lot cannot hear the conversation you are having with someone else but they can see what you are doing, see how you are acting, and they take note of what they think those actions mean. Even in our spoken words people often only get a portion of what is said and draw all the meaning they will ever get about you from that single piece of overheard conversation. Our actions and our words should reflect well on Him whom we serve.
Ask: What is salt?
Point: Salt is a seasoning that adds flavor when added to food.
First Reading (Leviticus 2:13 (KJV)
Ask: What does “…the salt of the covenant of thy God…” mean?
Point: God gave us His seasoning, His flavor, His salt in His meat offering through the sacrifice that is His Son, Jesus thus establishing with God’s children His covenant.
Ask: What is the covenant of God with His children?
Point: Second Reading (John 3:14-19 (NASB)
Ask: Why does God use this term “covenant of salt” with His children in this context?
Point: Salt was considered indestructible by fire in ancient times. This statement is establishing God’s covenant with His people as indestructible, indissoluble, and forever.
Third Reading (Numbers 18:19 (NASB)
Ask: This is God speaking to Aaron about the tithe and offerings of Israel in ancient times, but does it have any bearing for us today?
Point: We still have the promise of God, the gifts of those around us, and those things which God has entrusted us with as part of the Priesthood of all Believers.
Fourth Reading (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NASB)
Ask: Does the realization that we are now the “…ambassadors for Christ…” place any obligation or responsibility on us?
Point: This question is answered with another question…
Ask: An ambassador is a representative of the person for whom they follow and is appointed as such to act as if that person were physically there. What actions would Christ take if He were where you are?
Point: Where you are at any time of day or night, any situation, in any place you might be the only “Jesus” or representative of Christ some people see. Represent Him well.
Ask: In the context of an ambassador of Christ under a “covenant of salt” what is a covenant?
Point: See definitions for the Greek word used in the King James Version as well as clarifying definitions.
Ask: As ambassadors of Christ who believe and have faith in Him, what are we tasked with “plan(ing) or bringing about?”
Point: Re-read verse 21 of the Fourth Reading.
Ask: What does it mean to “…become the righteousness of God in Him?”
Point: It means adopting more of His ways and ridding ourselves of more things He says He doesn’t like.
Closing Statement
Ambassadors of Christ is a weighty title. We become physical representatives of God’s only begotten Son to the people we meet. When we are thinking about this responsibility it becomes easier to act like Jesus might act. What about the times we forget? What about times we are stressed, very busy, or it just slips our mind? God understands. God forgives. God is able to work with His children because He knows the heart of everyone. Carry hope in your heart because of what you believe in and that hope turns to faith that drives actions both consciously and unconsciously. The more we study, learn, and practice being an ambassador, the easier it becomes and the more it just happens instinctively when we are preoccupied. But we have to be intentional about building the habit or the seed once planted will be choked out rather than growing to bear fruit.
Questions for the Week
What would Jesus do (WWJD)? If you have a bracelet, sticker, picture, token, or other item already that says WWJD find it and keep it with you to remind you that you are His ambassador to the world. If you do not have one, write WWJD on a sticky or other item such as a 3x5 card and either carry it with you or place it somewhere you can see it.
What does it look like in your life if you “…become the righteousness of God in Him?”
What immediate steps can you take right now, today to move closer to “…the righteousness of God…?”
What long-term steps can you devise, plan to obtain or bring about that builds up the covenant of salt with God? Write these things down to revisit at the end of the year.
Scripture
First Reading
13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
Leviticus 2:13 (KJV)
Second Reading
14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
John 3:14-19 (NASB)
Third Reading
19 "All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD to you and your descendants with you."
Numbers 18:19 (NASB)
Fourth Reading
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NASB)
Definitions
Greek Word: διαθήκη
Transliteration: diathēkē
Phonetic Pronunciation:dee-ath-ay'-kay
Root: from <G1303>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 2:106,157
Part of Speech: n f
Vine's Words: Covenant
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
covenant 20
testament 13
[Total Count: 33]
from <G1303> (diatithemai); properly a disposition, i.e. (special) a contract (especially a devisory will) :- covenant, testament.
James Strong, Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary, (Austin, TX: WORDsearch Corp., 2007), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "1242".
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Luke 1:67-75 (KJV)
Definition of “Devisory” is rooted in the word Devise
devise
de·vise | \ di-ˈvīz \
devised; devising
1a: to form in the mind by new combinations or applications of ideas or principles : INVENTdevise a new strategy
c: to plan to obtain or bring about : PLOT devise one's death
2law : to give (real estate) by will (see WILL entry 2 sense 1)— compare BEQUEATH