Introduction
A. A hiker came across another guy lying under a tree, but the shade of the tree was not on the napper’s face. The hiker said to the man under the tree, “why don’t you move so that you’re in the shade?” The man on the ground replied, “if I wait the shade will eventually move to where I am.” The hiker said, “That’s the laziest statement I’ve ever heard, if you can make a statement lazier than that I’ll give you a hundred dollars.” The man under the tree replied, “Well, just roll me over and stuff it in my pocket.”
B. In the next 18 verses Jesus brings up three practices, three religious practices
1. Giving
2. Prayer
3. And fasting
C. But, Christ brings out the proper means of the practice and gives illustration of the improper means of the practice
1. Christ desires that men do these things with the right motive and guard against hypocrisy when doing them
2. Christ also desires that Christians receive their reward from God the Father
D. Once again, Christ is bringing out attitudes, our motives for doing good
1. In our passage we have four verses and we can outline our passage this way
a. Background: alms, doing good Verse 1
b. The wrong motive Verse 2
c. The right motive Verses 3 & 4
d. The reason verse 4
(1) So let us begin by turning to Matthew 6:1
II. Body
A. Background: alms, doing good
Matthew 6:1 (NKJV)
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven
1. The King James uses the word Alms
a. A prime Biblical example is found in Acts 3:2-6
b. Peter and John were going into the temple and they saw a cripple begging alms
Acts 3:2-6 (NKJV)
And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; {3} who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. {4} And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." {5} So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. {6} Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
(1) Alms was charity given to those who could not earn their own way
(2) We see that this man was lame, a cripple
(3) Peter had compassion on the man and gave what he could, Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
(4) It could be said that alms were righteous acts; giving in order to meet the needs of the poor
(5) To the Jew, giving alms and righteousness meant the same thing
(6) Giving alms was the greatest thing a Jew could do; it was the first act of religion
(7) It was considered to be the very embodiment of righteousness, so much so that the two words began to be used synonymously
(8) Giving alms merited and assured one of righteousness and salvation
(9) Christ warned there is great danger in giving and doing alms
(10) Take heed and guard yourself
(11) Do not give for recognition or you will lose your reward
2. There are two important lessons in this verse.
a. We must guard and be alert to the deception of giving and doing good before men
(1) Our heart can be deceived
(2) The sin creeps up on us; it is insidious and subtle
(3) It will keep a us from receiving anything from God
b. We must give alms and do good
(1) It is our duty as Christians
(2) In this passage alone, verses 1- 4, Christ says four times, "Do alms,” that is do charitable deeds
(a) Now we turn to Matthew 6:2
B. Wrong motive
Matthew 6:2 (NKJV)
"Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward
1. There is the wrong motive for doing good
a. Christ seems to take for granted that the Christian give and do good
b. What Christ strikes at is the motive of our heart for giving and doing good
(1) Giving for recognition is the wrong motive for giving
(2) Recognition is said to be sought by blowing our own horn in two places
(a) In the synagogue before religious people, for us that would be the church
(b) And in the streets before the public
2. There are several wrong motives for giving and doing good
a. We might give for recognition and prestige: to be praised by men during life and to be remembered by men in death
(1) We might desire the applause of men: then thanks and appreciation, honor and praise, esteem and glory
b. We might give for self-applause, self-satisfaction, and self-admiration: to feel comfortable with what we have done and to see ourselves at our very best
(1) We may wish to boost our ego and to glory in ourselves
c. We might give out of obligation: to fulfill a sense of duty
d. We might give to secure the recognition from God: to feel that God is pleased and favors us because we have done good
3. It is not always wrong to give alms when men see us
a. This cannot always be helped
b. But, it is wrong to give alms so that men may see us
4. The point is not that we should hold back from doing good, but we should guard against how we give and do good
a. There were two pastors in their own churches one gave during the offering openly, in the sight of the congregation. The other always slipped his offering into the offering plate before the service began. When the one was asked why he slipped the check in the offering plate unseen by the congregation, he quoted Matthew 6:3
Matthew 6:3 (NKJV)
"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
b. When the first pastor was asked why he always made a public show of his offering, he replied, “I am the pastor and I want to be an example to my congregation, and he quoted 2 Corinthians 9:7
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV)
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
(1) Emphasis on cheerful and God’s love
(a) Turn to Luke 20:46
(2) Again it all comes down to motive
Luke 20:46 (NKJV)
"Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts,
(a) And turn to Matthew 23:5
Matthew 23:5 (NKJV)
"But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments
c. Giving for recognition is characteristic of hypocrites
(1) Giving out of the wrong motive is hypocritical
(2) The word "hypocrite" means an actor who puts on a show, who plays a part on stage; a mask, a fake picture; appearing to be something one is not
(a) Turn to Matthew 23:12
(b) It is "sounding a trumpet" before oneself, blowing one's own horn for self praise
(c) It is "sounding a trumpet" in the synagogue: blowing one's own horn in the church and before the religious; it is seeking the praise of religious people
(d) It is "sounding a trumpet" in the streets: blowing one's own horn before the public, seeking the praise of the public
Matthew 23:12 (NKJV)
"And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted
5. Giving for recognition is rewarded on this earth only
a. A person receives the recognition of men only
b. There are two rewards for a wrong motive: the recognition of men and temporary self-satisfaction
(1) Jesus said, they have their reward."
(2) One has received his payment and reward; he has received all he will ever receive
(3) There is to be no reward, no reward whatsoever from God
c. The person who gives out of a wrong motive fails at several points
(1) He fails to give "of himself."
(a) He gives money and he gives things, but calculates exactly what he can give in order to meet the need; but he never becomes personally involved
(b) He never gives of himself
(2) He seldom puts the need or the needy person first
(a) Satisfying his own motive, and having his own need met is put first
(3) He is always hurt, disappointed, unhappy, and sometimes even angry if his giving is not recognized and praised
(4) He is never permanently satisfied with what has been done
(a) Why? Because Christ and the genuine giving of himself is the only permanent satisfaction for the human heart
(5) He has accepted the recognition that lasts only for a moment
(a) The prestige and honor, thanks and praise of men is only temporary
i) Now lets read Matthew 6:3 & 4
C. Right motive
Matthew 6:3-4 (NKJV)
"But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, {4} "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly
1. Thinking about the two preachers I told about earlier, which preacher was correct?
a. On the one hand “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” is a very descriptive way to say it!
(1) This is what Jesus Himself said
(2) But what about all those churches that take up an offering by passing the plate during the service?
(3) I cannot help but see what some one else places in the plate
(4) Give unconsciously
(a) Pay no attention to what you are giving and doing
i) Pay no attention to what anybody else if giving and doing
(b) Do it out of an inner compulsion to give and help, out of intense love, out of genuine concern
(c) Keep your mind on the need, not on what you are doing and the benefits you may receive
(d) Do not harbor such self-centered thoughts
(e) Just love and care and be concerned as you give and do good
b. But does that mean the other preacher was wrong?
(1) Not at all
(2) What was his motive?
(3) To be an example
(a) His motive was not men’s praise
(b) His motive was not self gratification
(c) His motive was centered on Christ and ministry
2. The motive of the Pharisee was to be seen by men
a. Neither preacher gave to be seen by men
b. Both wished to be obedient to God
3. There are three lessons in this point
a. Turn to 2 Timothy 2:4
b. A person is to be immersed in God and in the needs of other people
(1) There is no time for centering attention upon ourself if he wishes his life to be focused on God and to be spent saving his world
c. There is only one way the needs of the world will be met: we must all get out into the world where the needs are
(1) There is no time for the right hand to be explaining and receiving applause from the left hand
d. The servant of God is to be obsessed with his call and ministry to the world
(1) He does not become entangled with the affairs of this world and the applause of men
2 Timothy 2:4 KJV)
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
(2) He quietly and diligently goes about pouring himself into helping others
(a) Lets turn to Matthew 6:4
D. The reason
Matthew 6:4 (NKJV)
"that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly
1. God sees in secret
a. Turn to Jeremiah 17:10
b. God sees everything including that which we want to hide
c. God sees secret giving and secret alms or deeds
d. Nothing passes His attention
e. He knows the motive and the acts of every man, every single motive and every single act
Jeremiah 17:10 (NKJV)
I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
2. God rewards openly
a. Note Jesus’ words, "your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly”
(1) It is God Himself who shall reward a person
(2) It will be a public reward
b. The faithful person will be rewarded as a son, not as a servant
c. His Father, not his Master, will reward him.
