Before The Eyes Of Men To Be Seen (Matthew 6:1-8, Matthew 6:16-18, Malachi 3:8-15)
Rev. William L. Barron, October 22, 2023Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Jesus moves on here in His doctrine of the Kingdom to three themes: giving, prayer and fasting. He focuses not so much on the actions themselves, but on the motives behind the actions. In contrast, he describes the Pharisees' motives as evil and selfish. In their actions, they receive what they seek--the praise of men, which is shallow and empty. Jesus warns us about practicing righteousness before people to be seen. Under this motive, there is no reward from our Father in heaven. We are saved by grace, and good works follow salvation. These works bring heavenly rewards. All of this is from God. We must trust God to work in us. Experiencing His love brings gratitude and results in our good works. Regarding giving, the Pharisees sounded trumpets calling attention to themselves, likewise when they conspicuously clanged heavy coins in the offering containers in the temple. The essence of charity is not the amount of money but the attitude of the heart. Regarding prayer, the Pharisees were known as men of prayer, using complicated terminology, excessive length and usually in public. They sought praise from men for their high spirituality. Again, Jesus says they have already received the praise of men as their reward. Jesus teaches us to pray in private, in communion with God. In congregational prayers, we are to pray along with the person praying. We are not to use personal prayer as an excuse for neglecting our responsibilities. Regarding fasting, one motive could be to skip meals and give the money otherwise spent to missions. Our real motive for fasting should be because we are sinners. We fast because we have lost something and seek to enhance our relationship with God. Fasting can also involve relationships, sleep and certain enjoyable activities. The Pharisees, on the other hand, strove to look gloomy in an effort to demonstrate how pious they were, seeking the adulation of men. We however when we fast should look normal, to the glory of God. Sin is deceptive; we should seek to mortify it (put it to death) by obeying the law of God.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « You Have Heard That It Was Said (Part 2) | None | God Is The Kingdom, The Power, And The Glory » |
Matthew 6:1–8 (Listen)
6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
(ESV)
Matthew 6:16–18 (Listen)
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
(ESV)
Malachi 3:8–15 (Listen)
8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.
13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”
(ESV)