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Pastor Larry's Message for June 29, 2008
Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren
Pass the Salt
Good morning church! How are you today? Let me ask you a question. What do you taste like? If some taste
buds could get up next to you what would you taste like? Maybe you’re like gum. There might be some
spearmint folks here. Or peppermint. Any fruity flavor people here this morning! Aha! That’s what I thought.
Well, you know what Jesus calls us folks who follow Him? Salt. We are the salt of the earth. We are flavor able
people bringing a taste of God’s kingdom to the world. You know, when I think of flavor, I remember my
Grandma Vidi cooking up some really great Italian food in her kitchen.
My Grandma worked at Sears during the week but on the weekends she could do wonders in a kitchen. As a
kid I would sit in her kitchen and watch her make some Rigatoni or Spaghetti, or Lasagna or whatever. All I
can tell you is that there was a lot of tomato paste, herbs, mushrooms, vinegar, etc. It was great and as she
cooked and baked…she would let me have little samples. When Grandma cooked, the scent and flavor of the
food would fill the house. It was great and most everything she cooked up had to have salt in it. And if word got
out to the rest of the family, then all of a sudden the house would be filled with my uncles and aunts and
cousins. And the adults would gather around the big dining room table in the dining room and all of us kids
would eat Grandma’s cooking in the kitchen. And for a moment, it didn’t matter what our problems were…for
when we dug into Grandma Vidi’s Italian cooking…all was forgotten for moment. I would now like to think that
my grandma was being a person of flavor.
I. A Home of Flavor: But I had another house of flavor in my life…just a different sort of flavor. Some of you met
my Uncle Claude at Tara’s wedding. As a kid, I would go over to my Uncle Claude and Aunt Lorraine’s house.
She was quite a cook also. Made the best mashed potatoes ever. But there was something else about Aunt
Lorraine and that was her spirit. She was so alive in the spirit.
I would visit with my Uncle Claude and Aunt Lorraine and while feasting on her cooking, I was also hear the
Word of God. Not in a pushy way. Just sharing scripture. First time I ever heard Ecclesiastes 3, you know,
“there’s a time for everything”? And I heard the parable of the Prodigal Son. The 23rd Psalm was shared with
me in that home.
They had a home of flavor. And that influenced my life. These were people who were flavor able…full of
seasoning and salt. These were people that started to change my life. They helped to prepare me for all those
people of flavor that were in the first church I attended at Washington Brethren Church.
And more seasoning entered my life through the college and seminary I attended in Virginia at Eastern
Mennonite and then my introduction into the Church of the Brethren. Meeting some great salt-shakers in the
Church of the Brethren added flavor. Anna Mow, M.R. Zieglar. Godly District Executives that instilled within me
the idea that I could now add some seasoning myself into the congregations that I served. And that’s what it’s
all about in our Christian experience and growth…that we experience and appreciate the seasoning…but with
time you become the salt yourself. I mean…listen to the words of Jesus, "You are the salt of the earth." We are
tasty people…bringing the taste of the kingdom of God to the world around us.
II. Low Salt Diet Society: You know…we live in a heath conscious world. We know the effects salt has on our
lives. We live in what I would call a low sodium diet society. And that can be tough for a lot of us who love salt.
For me, I love salt on my food. I like the taste. There’s something about that flavor, that pure, authentic taste of
salt that’s amazing.
But you know, we have communities that live a low salt diet and that’s not healthy. I got a phone call on
Monday from a man who was about to be evicted with his son from public housing because he didn’t
have$45.00 to pay his rent. I called our treasurer, Jerry and asked if we could help this father and son out. And
Jerry of course told me we could. So, I made arrangements to meet him at DMHA but he could only walk and
finally I found him home over where he lived in the DeSoto projects off of Germantown Road. I discovered
myself in one of the roughest section in Dayton. Crime, violence, drug dealing you name it.
Now…here’s the thing. There are churches in that area. And maybe they’re overwhelmed…but nevertheless I
had to ask myself how can this neighborhood turn out this way? I would have thought there would be enough
salt to help out people.
But the fact is…that the church is struggling with this low salt diet. There are people in the church that have no
flavor or taste. People could be in a rough relationship where there is no flavor. Could be with a spouse or the
kids. Or how about people’s occupations. People biding their time in tasteless jobs. Just boring.
You know…when I was a kid…I loved putting sugar in my Kool-Aid. As a matter of fact…try having Kool-Aid
without sugar. Nasty. When I put sugar into my Kool-Aid I noticed how remnants of sugar would sink to the
bottom. To get more sugar, I had to stir up the Kool-Aid more.
It seems like sometimes that the churches have a hard time getting stirred up when helping their
communities. But…where’s the salt? I ask that because the Lord is looking for people who are salty. But in a
low salt diet world, a lot of churches don’t want to be salty. We look for the equivalent of spiritual Mrs. Dash. It
looks like salt but it isn’t salt.
God’s not looking for a spiritual Mrs. Dash. According to today’s passage, God is looking for some salty
Christians and salty churches. But we have to be careful, because we don’t want to be phony salt. We need to
be the real thing. As you’re aware…we’re in an election year. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party
will have platforms that will express Christian values. But be careful…that can turn out to be a salt substitute.
Or how about those clowns on TV who preach and tell us that if we send them a bunch of money they’ll send
us holy water or something to be healed. That’s not salt…that’s a salt substitute. The role of the church today
is to present an authentic, salty, Christian community to our world.
III. Shake Your Salt Shakers: And for that to happen we need to believe that God has called us to shake our
salt shakers. Of course, before we do that we have to make sure our salt shakers are filled up. Can’t shake
salt out if you’re empty. And that’s not helpful to our communities. So before we go into our communities we
need to be filled up with the Spirit of God. It helps to make us salty.
For me personally, my relationship here at Prince of Peace seem just right. It’s got just the right seasoning.
How about you? Can others smell the seasoning of God? At home? At your job? You see…once you get your
spiritual shaker filled, then you need to go out and start shaking the salt onto others. You don’t have to be
pushy…but go into your communities and touch people with the seasoning of God.
If you think about it…last week when we had Vacation Bible School…Prince of Peace became a huge salt
factory Just churning out salt onto those kids. Who knows what might happen with those children. You
see…here at Prince of Peace…in worship, Vacation Bible School, etc. you and I are getting seasoned and
marinated. The Lord’s just shaking stuff onto you. And you leave here and go into a world that lacks taste or
seasoning.
Matthew 5:13:So, remember what Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how
shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under
foot by men.”
Brothers and sisters, you are the salt of the earth. Strive to commit to being people of flavor that will bring the
taste of God’s kingdom to this world. Be salty.
Good morning church! How are you today? Let me ask you a question. What do you taste like? If some taste
buds could get up next to you what would you taste like? Maybe you’re like gum. There might be some
spearmint folks here. Or peppermint. Any fruity flavor people here this morning! Aha! That’s what I thought.
Well, you know what Jesus calls us folks who follow Him? Salt. We are the salt of the earth. We are flavor able
people bringing a taste of God’s kingdom to the world. You know, when I think of flavor, I remember my
Grandma Vidi cooking up some really great Italian food in her kitchen.
My Grandma worked at Sears during the week but on the weekends she could do wonders in a kitchen. As a
kid I would sit in her kitchen and watch her make some Rigatoni or Spaghetti, or Lasagna or whatever. All I
can tell you is that there was a lot of tomato paste, herbs, mushrooms, vinegar, etc. It was great and as she
cooked and baked…she would let me have little samples. When Grandma cooked, the scent and flavor of the
food would fill the house. It was great and most everything she cooked up had to have salt in it. And if word got
out to the rest of the family, then all of a sudden the house would be filled with my uncles and aunts and
cousins. And the adults would gather around the big dining room table in the dining room and all of us kids
would eat Grandma’s cooking in the kitchen. And for a moment, it didn’t matter what our problems were…for
when we dug into Grandma Vidi’s Italian cooking…all was forgotten for moment. I would now like to think that
my grandma was being a person of flavor.
I. A Home of Flavor: But I had another house of flavor in my life…just a different sort of flavor. Some of you met
my Uncle Claude at Tara’s wedding. As a kid, I would go over to my Uncle Claude and Aunt Lorraine’s house.
She was quite a cook also. Made the best mashed potatoes ever. But there was something else about Aunt
Lorraine and that was her spirit. She was so alive in the spirit.
I would visit with my Uncle Claude and Aunt Lorraine and while feasting on her cooking, I was also hear the
Word of God. Not in a pushy way. Just sharing scripture. First time I ever heard Ecclesiastes 3, you know,
“there’s a time for everything”? And I heard the parable of the Prodigal Son. The 23rd Psalm was shared with
me in that home.
They had a home of flavor. And that influenced my life. These were people who were flavor able…full of
seasoning and salt. These were people that started to change my life. They helped to prepare me for all those
people of flavor that were in the first church I attended at Washington Brethren Church.
And more seasoning entered my life through the college and seminary I attended in Virginia at Eastern
Mennonite and then my introduction into the Church of the Brethren. Meeting some great salt-shakers in the
Church of the Brethren added flavor. Anna Mow, M.R. Zieglar. Godly District Executives that instilled within me
the idea that I could now add some seasoning myself into the congregations that I served. And that’s what it’s
all about in our Christian experience and growth…that we experience and appreciate the seasoning…but with
time you become the salt yourself. I mean…listen to the words of Jesus, "You are the salt of the earth." We are
tasty people…bringing the taste of the kingdom of God to the world around us.
II. Low Salt Diet Society: You know…we live in a heath conscious world. We know the effects salt has on our
lives. We live in what I would call a low sodium diet society. And that can be tough for a lot of us who love salt.
For me, I love salt on my food. I like the taste. There’s something about that flavor, that pure, authentic taste of
salt that’s amazing.
But you know, we have communities that live a low salt diet and that’s not healthy. I got a phone call on
Monday from a man who was about to be evicted with his son from public housing because he didn’t
have$45.00 to pay his rent. I called our treasurer, Jerry and asked if we could help this father and son out. And
Jerry of course told me we could. So, I made arrangements to meet him at DMHA but he could only walk and
finally I found him home over where he lived in the DeSoto projects off of Germantown Road. I discovered
myself in one of the roughest section in Dayton. Crime, violence, drug dealing you name it.
Now…here’s the thing. There are churches in that area. And maybe they’re overwhelmed…but nevertheless I
had to ask myself how can this neighborhood turn out this way? I would have thought there would be enough
salt to help out people.
But the fact is…that the church is struggling with this low salt diet. There are people in the church that have no
flavor or taste. People could be in a rough relationship where there is no flavor. Could be with a spouse or the
kids. Or how about people’s occupations. People biding their time in tasteless jobs. Just boring.
You know…when I was a kid…I loved putting sugar in my Kool-Aid. As a matter of fact…try having Kool-Aid
without sugar. Nasty. When I put sugar into my Kool-Aid I noticed how remnants of sugar would sink to the
bottom. To get more sugar, I had to stir up the Kool-Aid more.
It seems like sometimes that the churches have a hard time getting stirred up when helping their
communities. But…where’s the salt? I ask that because the Lord is looking for people who are salty. But in a
low salt diet world, a lot of churches don’t want to be salty. We look for the equivalent of spiritual Mrs. Dash. It
looks like salt but it isn’t salt.
God’s not looking for a spiritual Mrs. Dash. According to today’s passage, God is looking for some salty
Christians and salty churches. But we have to be careful, because we don’t want to be phony salt. We need to
be the real thing. As you’re aware…we’re in an election year. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party
will have platforms that will express Christian values. But be careful…that can turn out to be a salt substitute.
Or how about those clowns on TV who preach and tell us that if we send them a bunch of money they’ll send
us holy water or something to be healed. That’s not salt…that’s a salt substitute. The role of the church today
is to present an authentic, salty, Christian community to our world.
III. Shake Your Salt Shakers: And for that to happen we need to believe that God has called us to shake our
salt shakers. Of course, before we do that we have to make sure our salt shakers are filled up. Can’t shake
salt out if you’re empty. And that’s not helpful to our communities. So before we go into our communities we
need to be filled up with the Spirit of God. It helps to make us salty.
For me personally, my relationship here at Prince of Peace seem just right. It’s got just the right seasoning.
How about you? Can others smell the seasoning of God? At home? At your job? You see…once you get your
spiritual shaker filled, then you need to go out and start shaking the salt onto others. You don’t have to be
pushy…but go into your communities and touch people with the seasoning of God.
If you think about it…last week when we had Vacation Bible School…Prince of Peace became a huge salt
factory Just churning out salt onto those kids. Who knows what might happen with those children. You
see…here at Prince of Peace…in worship, Vacation Bible School, etc. you and I are getting seasoned and
marinated. The Lord’s just shaking stuff onto you. And you leave here and go into a world that lacks taste or
seasoning.
Matthew 5:13:So, remember what Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how
shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under
foot by men.”
Brothers and sisters, you are the salt of the earth. Strive to commit to being people of flavor that will bring the
taste of God’s kingdom to this world. Be salty.