INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Have you ever been around folks who will do good things, but they want to make sure others know they did it? LOOK AT ME!
• For some it is all about looking good.
• In a small college town a tavern frequented by students ran the following ad in the campus paper during the days before Parents Weekend: "Bring Your Parents for Lunch Saturday. We’ll Pretend We Don’t Know You!"
• The ad was soon challenged by the college chaplain, who posted a revised version on the campus bulletin board. It read: "Bring Your Parents to Chapel Sunday. We’ll Pretend We Know You!"
• We have seen some people who will do some nice things, but they want to make sure others see it. It is like the athlete who goes to visit sick children with a camera crew in tow.
• We seen others who do things and they do not seek recognition for what they do, speaking of athletes, there are so many who do so much like visiting children in hospitals who never seek fanfare for it.
• Which person would you respect more?
• In life, people are looking for something real to hold on to. People are looking for people who are genuine to look up to and follow.
• God is the same way. God is looking for people who are truly committed to Him, not people who do things “FOR” God to be recognized for it while their hearts are not with God.
• Are actions alone good enough, or is the heart behind the actions important?
• Today we are going to look at a new section of the Sermon on the Mount.
• This section will deal with three important duties we are called to do along with the kind of heart we are to have when performing them.
• SLIDE #2
• Matthew 6:1 ( ESV ) “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.
• From this verse we see…
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. A WARNING TO HEED
• The landscape has not changed too much over two thousand years. During Jesus day many people were going through the motions of religion so that they would receive accolades from other people.
• Jesus tells us to “beware” or “be on guard against” the heart and motivation that He is going to speak of. Jesus is going to warn us about the attitude and motivation by which we do things for God.
• The use of the term “righteousness” clearly indicates that what follows is still concerned to expand the theme of “greater righteousness” (5:20).
• In this context, “acts of righteousness” are defined as religious acts motivated by one’s devotion and relationship with God. Jesus has no quarrel with the traditional forms of religious holiness, but calls his followers to be truly God-centered in their performance, not oriented toward self-glorification.
• The word for (to be noticed) is related to the term from which we get theater. It has in mind a spectacle to be gazed at.
• In other words, Jesus is warning about practicing a form of righteousness (acts of religious devotion in general) whose purpose is to show off before men.
• Such religion is like a play; it is not real life but acting. It does not demonstrate what is in the minds and hearts of the actors, but is simply a performance designed to make a certain impression on those who are watching.
• Jesus tells us that if we do things to receive attention from people, that we will have received our reward.
• Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:16 to let our light shine in such a way that people see your good works and the key, so that they glorify the Father!
• We are not forbidden to do righteous acts in front of people; we are not to do it with the intention of receiving the glory.
• This is why it is important to let people know why we are doing what we are doing. “I am doing this for you in the name of Jesus.”
• Many of the religious leaders of Jesus day struggled with this issue and many people today struggle with it.
• Jesus tells us that the “Look at Me” way is not what God is looking for. That is not to be our intent.
• In the context of this section of text Jesus is going to encourage us in three areas.
• Jesus picked these areas because they were one that were interwoven into the everyday life of the people of His day and they should be today. From these three areas we will first look at…
• SLIDE #4
II. EXAMPLES TO AVOID
• As we look at the examples to avoid as we doing what God has called us to do, you will see a common word in all three instances, the word hypocrite.
• Jesus used many figures to describe hypocrisy. He compared it to leaven (Luke 12:1), to whitewashed tombs (Matt. 23:27), concealed tombs (Luke 11:44), tares amidst the wheat (Matt. 13:25), and to wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15).
• A hypocrite was an actor in a play. A hypocrite is one who plays something they are not. Jesus is telling us in all three instances how to avoid becoming a person who plays something they are not.
• We must keep our guard up so that we can remain genuine, so that we keep up not only the right actions, but the attitudes and motives that are so important to maintain.
• As we look at these examples, we need to note that Jesus is in no way condemning acts of righteousness.
• Let’s look at verse 2 for the first of the three areas where a bad example is shared.
• SLIDE #5
• Matthew 6:2 ( ESV ) “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.
• SLIDE #6
A. A bad example of giving (v2)
• So WHEN you give to the poor.
• Jesus assumes that His followers will give support to help the poor.
• In some of the older translations, this verse speaks of giving “alms”
• Alms were deeds of kindness or acts of mercy that were directed especially to the poor.
• Jesus says that the hypocrite will give to the poor, but they will do it in such a way that people will notice them and praise them for their generosity.
• Jesus says that when we give in that manner that we are not pleasing God, but that the applause from man is the only reward we will receive.
• The hypocrites gave vast amounts of money to people and they made sure it was done in such a manner that it was known.
• We do the same thing today. When our bible colleges or sometimes our churches raise money for their needs, they offer ways to make sure other people know that you gave the gift.
• IF we are giving so that people will know that we gave, we ought to keep our money are far as God is concerned. The attitude that Jesus speaks of is one of SEEKING recognition for giving.
• Jesus uses the humorous illustration of someone blowing on a trumpet before money is given, this is probably figurative language meant to humorously illustrate His point.
• Men, we never blow the trumpet when we do stuff around the house
• SLIDE#7
• Matthew 6:5 ( ESV ) “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.
• SLIDE 8
B. A bad example of prayer (v5)
• The second area of encouragement that Jesus gives to us is the area of prayer.
• In verse 5 Jesus says, “WHEN” you pray.
• Prayer was an important part of the day for the people of Jesus time and they should be an important part of our day.
• The Jews had set times of prayer to where they would drop what they were doing to offer up prayers to God.
• Jesus says the hypocrites will make sure that during prayer time they are in a place to be seen praying.
• Some folks would make sure they were in a busy area during these prayer times so that people would see them lift their hands toward heaven and marvel at their piety.
• Jesus says that they have received their reward in full.
• Jesus is not prohibiting public prayer, but He is saying that prayer is not a show.
• Prayer is about attitude and motives.
• How is our attitude during prayer? “Hurry up and finish?” When we pray are we trying to impress people or are we speaking to God?
• SLIDE #9
• Matthew 5:16 ( ESV ) In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
• SLIDE #10
C. A bad example of fasting (v16)
• The third expression of Jewish religious practice used to illustrate the principle in 6:1 involved the common practice of fasting. Fasting as an act of religious devotion was highly valued, not only among Jewish groups, but also in popular other religious orders.
• In fasting Jesus tells us that we are not to be noticed for doing it. The popular practice of the day was for people who wanted to be noticed to go unshaven and some would put ashes on themselves and even in their eyes to disfigure their faces so that people would see them.
• When we fast, are we telling people we are to impress them or are we doing it in an effort to better focus on God?
• The hypocrite WANTS everyone to know they are fasting.
• The overall attitude to avoid is that of WANTING to be recognized for what we do.
• Sometimes people will recognize us for what we do, but it is important that recognition by man is not our motive for service. When we are recognized, we need to make sure that we give the glory to God!
• Let us look at Instructions to embrace.
• SLIDE #11
III. INSTRUCTIONS TO EMBRACE
• This section deals with right actions coupled with a right heart!
• Look at verses 3-4.
• SLIDE #12
• Matthew 6:3-4 ( ESV ) But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
• Let’s look at giving once again.
• SLIDE #13
A. Proper instructions for giving.
• In verse three we are told to give in such a manner that it is not a public display. WE are to give because we love Jesus and want to do what He wants us to do.
• Our attitude is one of humility. We are humbled by the fact that God has blessed us in such a manner that we can help other people.
• When we give with this attitude, God will reward it even in no one else knows!
• If you are giving without this kind of heart, you need to pray about it.
• SLIDE #14
• Matthew 6:6 ( ESV ) 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.
• Let us look at prayer.
• SLIDE #15
B. Proper instruction for prayer.
• In verse 6 we are told to go into our prayer closet and pray. Most of the Jewish homes had a place where a person could go to pray without attracting attention.
• We pray to Jesus because we love Him and want to speak with Him.
• In a figurative sense, this could also refer to trying to get the cares of the world out of our minds so that we can focus on God.
• Prayer is not to be a show; it is a sacred communication between you and God!
• Let’s finish with verses 17-18
• SLIDE #16
• Matthew 6:17-18 ( ESV ) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 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.
• Last but not least…
• SLIDE #17
C. Proper instruction for fasting.
• Verse 17 tells us that WHEN we fast, we are to go about our normal business. Fasting is between you and God. It is for you to focus in on God, not to be noticed by man.
• WE are to focus on God, not being hungry, not letting others “know” we are fasting!
• The overall attitude that Jesus tells us to have is one of humility. We are to be humble enough to not to need the recognition of man when we do things for Jesus.
CONCLUSION
• SLIDE #18
• When Jesus spoke of the religious leaders in Mark 7:6 He said, Mark 7:6 ( ESV ) And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
• AS we grow in Christ, it is important for us to realize that not only are actions important but also the motives and attitudes behind the actions.
• There will be times that as we serve the Lord that people will see that and try to give us praise for it.
• One of the ways Satan traps us is by getting us to make sure that we do things to be noticed.
• If all you are looking for is recognition and praise from man, then you have received your reward no matter what you gave.
• We always need to make sure that we are doing what we are doing for the right reason and the right reason is to bring glory to Jesus.
