Practicing Righteousness

Practicing Righteousness

June 2, 2013 Evening Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: Do good for your love for God and others; not just to be recognized.

Focus Passage: Matthew 6:1-6

Supplemental Passage: "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 NASB)

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 NASB)

Introduction: Recently, Univ of Oklahoma football coach, Bob Stoops was caught volunteering in the tornado cleanup in Moore. He said he made it nearly 30 minutes without being recognized. His goal was to volunteer anonymously and go back home without fanfare.

Pious

a : marked by or showing reverence for deity and devotion to divine worship

b : marked by conspicuous religiosity

Practice

a : carry out, apply

b : to do or perform often, customarily, or habitually

(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/practice)

I. Practice Righteousness

a. There is an assumption of actually practicing righteousness

b. We are called to give and to pray

II. Approval of God

a. We should have an audience of One

b. We should seek God’s approval over our spouse, our children, our country, our neighbor, our parent, etc

c. When we do things to please man, it often comes in direct opposition to pleasing God

III. Eternal vs Temporal Rewards

a. The praise of man is a short lived thing

b. Heavenly rewards last forever

c. “Heavenly Rewards? I’d do it for free!” is the kind of attitude we should work with

Invitation: