Where have we been so far? Chapter 5: rely and focus on the Lord, not on ourselves. Make, keep, and fix broken relationships as God fixed the broken relationship with us.
Now in Chapter 6 we move to being an active part in focusing others on God—the source of life.
What’s the use of having something cool if you can’t show it off? If we buy a new car we might like to drive it slowly in front of the neighbors just in case they might happen to come out. Maybe we invite friends over to borrow a cup of sugar and let them notice our new 65” plasma TV sitting in the living room. Maybe when we got our masters we add an MA to our email signature.
Showing off is a natural human trait. I’m sure ancient hunters would parade their kill through the village. I know some ancient cultures displayed the heads of their victims partly to show how great they were.
Showing off isn’t limited to the non-religious parts of our lives, though. Showing off how good you are was a real sport amongst the Pharisees and religious leaders in Jesus day. They wanted everyone to know how good they were, how pious, how generous, how dedicated, and how “in tune” with God they were.
Of course, none of that happens today among ministries, especially not those on Christian TV.
The truth is what’s happening inside of us is pretty amazing. Those that trust and rely on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior are actually being transformed into the character of God. We, after all, have God as our Father and Jesus as friend and brother. We’ve got God’s ear and the power of Jesus’ name. Sometimes we love to just rattle our sword of the Spirit around so the enemy can hear us coming and quake.
In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said “…let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
But too often something creeps into us that adjusts this slightly to read “…let your light shine before others so that they see your good works and give some kudos to us while glorifying God, of course.” When we focus on us rather than God we become God—not a good thing.
In this first section of chapter 6 Jesus shows us not to fall into the trap of self aggrandizement.
We should wear our relationship with God on the outside, but when we do things for God, it should almost be as if we were never there.
As we saw last week, humans are by default self focused. We want what we want and we want praise and reward for what we do. The character of God is other-focused and aimed at what can be done for others, not what benefit we get back.
When we do good things the default position is to expect praise and reward. The best way to avoid falling into that pit is to do things so people don’t know and not to expect a reward at all.
“Acts of righteousness” can simply mean “do the right thing.” Jesus points out three types of “right doing” – giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting—but this is by no means a complete list—only a way of illustrating Jesus’ main point.
The question is: what is your motive for doing something good? If we get our sense of value from the praise we get from others, then that is the only thing we will receive for what we have done.
1 – 4
God commanded his people to give to the poor. The greatest example of all, of course, is Jesus, who gave to us who were poor in spirit. “Hypocrite” is a Greek word for actor—one who puts on a mask. It’s someone who acts one way on the outside but is really another on the inside. You are a hypocrite when you act as a moralist or legalist—pretending to love God on the outside, while having no love for Him on the inside.
The blowing of trumpets was not literal—but it’s a little like our saying “blowing your own horn.” How might we do this? Perhaps we seek recognition from the church for our large donation to be given to the poor of our community. Or we drop into conversation “I was so blessed when I dropped off that food basket that cost me $200 dollars.”
I’m not saying that you will never receive recognition, but to seek it runs counter to what Jesus is saying. He suggests giving in a way that you specifically do not get the credit. Now that’s selfless giving. I’ve seen examples of that in our own church, and it totally blows me away. People who give for a specific person or purpose and ask that no one know.
That way it is a gift from the Father to someone else through you.
Similarly, prayer can be done to beseech the Father or impress others with your spirituality.
5 – 8
Basically the hypocrites were praying for an audience, not to God. There are two aspects of prayer here: to whom you are praying, and understanding the nature of prayer itself. Who benefits from the prayer is a vital question to ask. If people are impressed with the prayer and are not thinking of the need, then you have probably blown it.
Simply put, we overestimate our contribution and underestimate God’s. Prayer at its simplest is telling God the way you think things ought to be. The more you become like Him through that transformation process, the more you will think like Him and then ask things according to His will. What you want will become more and more like the way God would want.
You can go ahead and ask, Jesus will only answer those things that are the Father’s will anyway.
John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
John 15:7-8 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Rom 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We humans fall into show pretty easily. We think that the more ways we say something the better chance we have of guessing the right magic words that will get God to say “yes.”
Jesus says “God already knows what you need”. Then why pray? I don’t know exactly, but God wants us to participate in His plan, and uses our prayers as a vehicle to do His will on this earth. That’s His way so we should be on board with it.
Next Jesus gives us a model of how to pray properly. It isn’t a script, but a guide.
9 – 15
We could go into great detail here but I want to look at the big picture of what Jesus is saying—about focusing your efforts so that the most good is done for the most people with as little spill over to our egos as possible. So the elements of prayer are:
1) Worship – recognition of the source of life and answers
2) Loyalty – wanting God’s ways to happen (by the way, by praying this we are asking for Jesus to return and set up his kingdom)
3) Provision – we do have needs, and God asks us to ask Him for them. The more we know Him, the more we will know the difference between a need and a want.
4) Mercy – our forgiveness is not dependant on whether we forgive someone else, but the person who knows he needs God’s mercy will also show mercy to others. This is a part of being selfless. A selfish person will get a benefit from God but not want others to have it.
5) Protection and Transformation – James 1:3 tells us that God tempts no one, but our desires lead us astray, with a little help from the world and the devil. The word here actually means “trial” or “testing.” Why would Jesus want us to avoid trails? There is an interesting parallel between this and Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed that if possible the cup should pass from Him, never the less, “Thy will be done.” It wasn’t possible to save the world without the cup of crucifixion. So in a way, we are praying that we should undergo only those things that will further God’s purposes.
By the way, God never promised we would have no troubles here on earth.
2 Cor 1:8-12 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
Jesus is not talking about salvation in verses 14 and 15. We can’t earn forgiveness. But an unforgiving heart will not experience the benefits of restoration that comes from a constant state of repentance.
1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But we have a job to do, and it’s all about being equipped with what we need to be of service in His plan.
So finally we come to fasting.
16 – 18
The Pharisees used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. They would look terrible during that time in order to be seen as “sacrificing for the Lord” and impress others. Fasting is really a personal thing, just like our relationship with God.
The point here is to look normal on the outside while big things are happening inside. Fasting is a good spiritual discipline. There are actually many ways to fast—which is essentially going without something you like in order to focus your mind and heart more on God and less on yourself. Doesn’t that sound like what Jesus’ point here in this chapter is anyway?
Conclusions
Does this mean we should donate only cash?
Does this mean we should never pray in public?
Why be good to others? Why pray? Why become more like God…if not to share His story of love, not your story? At the same time, we should appreciate others for what they have done—there’s nothing wrong with that.
The believer becomes invisible so the Savior becomes radiant.
Are we less than then? No—we are loved and appreciated and rewarded, but the focus needs to be on God, and not on us because it will ruin us but not God—who, after all, is the provider of life.
It’s all about giving not getting. We already got salvation and God’s abundant life. Now we need to pay it forward.
The bottom line is that we are stewards and it is required of a steward that he be found faithful. Let us rely on God to help us operate as if nothing is going on on the outside, when on the inside, and in the lives of others around us, a miracle is taking shape.
So …
Give so no one notices
Pray so that God only hears
Work so it looks effortless, even when it isn’t
For more Bible studies, visit our website at: www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org
