Status or Substance?
(Matt. 6:1-15)
Note: here is my bulletin insert I wrote up along with the sermon. Sermon follows.
Giving, Prayer, and Fasting
(notes for Matt. 6:1-15)
Since modern Judaism no longer has the Temple (in the Biblical sense) many Rabbis teach that charity, prayer, and fasting atone for sin in the absence of animal sacrifice. At the time of Christ, matters were understood differently: sacrifices were being offered and Jews firmly embraced the concept that "without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin." Still, these three practices were held in high esteem and dubbed, in Hebrew, "righteousness."
Dr. Ron Moseley writes, "Ancient Jews believed that the three virtues of prayer, charity, and repentance were the evidences of a heart which had truly turned from sin." Regarding charity or "sounding the trumpets," Moseley comments:
...In the women’s court of the Temple, during the first century, there were thirteen collection boxes for alms. They were wide at the bottom and narrow at the top and resembled trumpets. These boxes made a very recognizable sound as the coins were dropped into them. Often those Pharisees who wished to boast would drop a large number of coins in at once. This was called "sounding the trumpet." It was this practice of letting everyone know how much they were giving that Jesus opposed.
Regarding the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’ model was not very different from other Jewish prayers. It was concise, began with reverence for God, and was balanced between worship, expression of submission to God, requests about advancing His Kingdom, requests for personal needs, and relational concerns. First century Jews often prayed memorized prayers in addition to spontaneous ones. For example, in Acts 1:14 while the disciples were waiting for Pentecost, it literally says in the Greek that they were giving themselves to THE prayers (the article is used), which probably refers to a combination of recited Jewish prayers, Psalms, and spontaneous petitions. In the modern evangelical world, it seems prayer has degenerated into mere lists of personal requests.
Ann Punton writes, "Of the numerous blessings known today, at least a hundred were used in Jesus day.... When you see a rainbow, you praise God for the sign of His covenant. If you experience a natural phenomenon or freak of nature, you proclaim God’s wonders. After a safe journey or deliverance from danger, you thank God for His mercies. For every occasion there is an appropriate response. Was it with this background in mind, though not necessarily in this manner, that Paul ordered Christians to ’Pray without ceasing!’?"
Fasting means to abstain from (usually) food for a certain period as a way to intensify prayer or, more often, to express brokenness and repentance. Jews were required to fast annually on the Day of Atonement. We also read of fasting during times of disaster and misery. Fasting is also associated with humbling ourselves before God. Although the New Testament only mentions fasting in a few places, Scripture does endorse fasting as a Christian discipline as long as it does not degrade into the sorts of abuse mentioned in Colossians 2:20-23. Like prayer and giving, fasting needs to be embraced with the heart, not mere ritual, if it is to be pleasing to God. Fasting should be a quiet and personal matter.
********SERMON PROPER****
Intro
1. In our world, status is a driving force:
(1) Museum visits
(2) Brand labels
2. The problem is complicated by the fact that most people will not admit to others OR TO THEMSELVES that they are status driven....purchases are justified, etc..
3. The problem is caused by our deceitful hearts
(1) Freud and the Id
(2) Jeremiah 17:9
4. In the American evangelical church today, things have deteriorated to the degree that both believers and society find status in the same way....
5. But in our past, in some of our churches today, and in much of the world, believers still often seek status, but in differing ways....
6. All status seeking has this in common: trying to impress others
MAIN IDEA: We cannot go far in the Kingdom of God until we get the lust for status under control. This is true in the material realm, as we shall see in a message planned for next week, and it is true in the religious realm as well, as we shall see this week.
TS----> Christ highlights three spiritual disciplines that can either deepen our relationship with God or be exploited to earn status in the eyes of others.
I. Giving Alms (1-4)
1. Note how this contrasts with 5:16
I Cor. 4:6, 11:1
2. Issue is all these areas---motive
(1)Not who sees, but WHY you do it...
(2)Christ’s instructions here are remedial and overkill....
(3) The nature of Rabbinic Narrative...
3. People are generous and charitable for several possible reasons:
(1) status (the "Trumpet")----see notes
(2) control (you owe me)
(3) the joy of giving (serotonin building)--GIVERS ARE HAPPY PEOPLE
(4) belief that it will come back to you (the "pool of society")
(5) love of others/compassion
(6) love of God
II. Prayer (5-15)
1. Not in vain repetition
2. Reasons for prayer
(1) status---oh, how spiritual....
(2) peace/serotonin and the Peace of God
(3) relief/change of circumstances
(4) to socialize (commune) with God
3. The model prayer
(1) not unlike many Jewish prayers
(2) shows the elements of a good prayer
#1---Worship
#2---Furthering God’s work
#3---Provision/needs—physical
#4---Provision (spiritual)---forgiveness
#5---Strength (lead us not)
#6---Spiritual warfare
4. Prayer and forgiveness
III. Fasting (16-18)
1. Purposes
(1) status: look how spiritual I am
---can deteriorate into Colossians 2:20-23
(2) or to deepen relationship with God
2. Read sermon notes on fasting
CONCLUSION
1. God accepts us if we have trusted Christ: we do not need to earn his acceptance.
2. God loves us despite our failings....we cannot impress Him!
3. Although we should not be out to impress others, we want to give a true picture of ourselves and of our Savior to others...so there is a fine line...the real issue is MOTIVE.
4. Do I find my identity in the car I drive or the brand name of jeans I ear? Do I find my identity in religious discipline? Or do I find my identity in Christ, being an imperfect but teachable me?
5. Am I in the pretending business?
6. That’s a summary of today’s message: stop pretending to be who you are not. Relax and focus on substance, not status.
