Go! And Live For An Audience Of One: The Secret Life Of A True Disciple - Matthew 6:1-18 Series

Go! And Live for an Audience of One: The Secret Life of a True Disciple - Matthew 6:1-18

Introduction: Living for the Audience of One

There’s an old story about a young violinist who practised day and night for years. One evening, he gave a recital in a packed concert hall. When he finished, the crowd erupted in applause—everyone stood except one elderly man in the front row. The young musician bowed but then looked straight at that one man and smiled. Later, a friend asked him, “Why did you focus on him? Everyone else was cheering!” The young violinist replied, “That man is my teacher. If he is pleased, that is all that matters.”

In the Christian life, there is only one audience that matters—our Heavenly Father.

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us to live for the Audience of One. He warns us not to perform righteousness before others but to pursue a life that pleases God alone.

Matthew 6:1–18 (NLT):

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

“Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need,

and forgive us our sins,

as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation,

but rescue us from the evil one.

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and dishevelled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

1. The Call to Authentic Devotion (Matthew 6:1)

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1, NLT)

Jesus begins with a warning — “Watch out!”

The Greek phrase prosechete (p??s??ete) means “Be careful!” or “Take heed!” — a flashing red light of spiritual danger. The danger is subtle: doing good things for wrong reasons.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were known for public displays of religion. Their giving, praying, and fasting looked holy—but it was all performance. Jesus calls them hypokrites (?p????t??)—actors wearing masks of holiness while hiding prideful hearts.

In our age of social media, it’s easy to live for likes instead of love. We can post our charity, our worship, our service online. Jesus isn’t condemning public acts but wrong motives. God desires authenticity, not applause.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) — “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Galatians 1:10 (NLT) — “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God.”

Charles Spurgeon once said, “The moment we begin to serve God for the sake of how it looks, we cease to serve God and begin to serve ourselves.”

John Piper writes, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

When our satisfaction is in God alone, we stop craving human applause and start living for His pleasure.

2. Giving in Secret: Generosity that Glorifies God (Matthew 6:2–4)