You Are The Salt of the Earth

In the time of Jesus, people would heat their homes with small, bee-hive type fireplaces in their living spaces. Often they would use olive pressings (pits, skins) from the olive press, which was great fuel, but limited in supply. More often they would use dung from their animals - which was in 'plentiful' supply. This was a good source of fuel because oft-times animals were in the homes, especially at night when it was cold.

One thing that these people learned was that mixing salt into the dung would allow it to burn hotter, longer. After a few fires, however, this mixture would no longer do its job and the fireplace would have to be cleaned out and a new fuel 'mixture' put in. Now, listen to what Jesus said:

Mat 5:13 MKJV
(13) You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.

Yes, we are salt. Yes, salt adds flavor and serves to preserve. But Jesus was telling us that in a world full of 'dung' we can make the fire burn hotter, longer.

Who are you, and why are you here?

Who Was That Guy?

It was the first recorded miracle that Jesus did. He turned water into wine at a wedding. His mother was there. Most-likely, His entire family was there. After all, feasts were celebrations that didn't occur every day. People didn't just pass on feast invitations - normally.

Being a wedding, there was much wine to be served, only on this occasion the host ran out. Here is what John wrote:

John 2:3-8
(3) And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
(4) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
(5) His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
(6) And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
(7) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
(8) And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

Jesus created the wine, and the servants took it away. What many do not know is that an ancient prayer would have been said before the wine was consumed. The Jewish people still cite this prayer today before wine is tasted. It goes something like this:

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha‑olam, bo're p'ri ha‑gafen.

Translation: "Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine."

But what the servants did not know was that the man in the next room was the Lord God, King of the Universe, who had just created the fruit of the vine.