Good morning,
This week we will learn more from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6 speaks of the hypocrisy of Israel’s religious leaders in giving, prayer, and fasting. Then Jesus teaches us about investing in the future. Finally, Jesus reminds us that He will meet all our needs.
Matthew 6
Sermon on the Mount
Jesus’ teaching on almsgiving (1-4)
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
“Your giving is between you and God, and you should not give in order to be noticed by people. The minute you get a third party involved, then you don’t get any credit for it at all. The Lord describes a scene in a crowded synagogue where a hypocrite drops his gift to the poor in the offering and then blows a trumpet to announce their gift. “They have their reward,” Jesus said (6:2). They were after the applause of men, and they got it. Their generosity wasn’t between them and God and is worth nothing before God. Instead, Jesus said, do your giving in secret. The Father sees it and will reward openly.” (Through the Bible, Matthew Bible Companion, pgs. 36-37)
Another term for alms or almsgiving is charitable works. If our motive is to be seen by man, we lose our reward from God. Our motive should always be to glorify God.
Is that our goal? This week try to be a blessing to others. Without them knowing. It will be a double blessing. The person will receive a blessing and we will receive God’s blessing.
Jesus’ teaching on prayer (5-15)
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
“Some of the same principles apply when you pray. Don’t do it so others will see and praise you. Jesus called those who prayed in public hypocrites. In Jesus’ day, the men wore prayer shawls when they prayed. Some men wore them all the time. Jesus says if they boast like that, they have their reward. They may get other’s praise, but their own prayers aren’t answered. Their fancy words never get above the rafters.
Look closely at Jesus’ sermon and you’ll see something revolutionary. He uses the term “Father.” (See John 1:12 to learn how to be a child of God.) In the Old Testament, people never called God, “Father.” No one had a personal relationship with God like a son and a father. Jesus describes a brand-new relationship people can have with God.
The mark of genuine prayer is sincerity. You go in and close the door; it’s between you and the Lord. Then simplicity: You don’t need to keep repeating. Just get right down to the point. Tell the Lord what’s on your mind. Ask Him for help. He hears you. In fact, before you even ask, He already knows what you need, but we’re to ask Him anyway.
Then Jesus gives us a sample of how to pray. It’s called “the Lord’s prayer.” Now this is not our Lord’s own prayer, you can read that in John 17. His relationship to God is different from ours. We can call Him “Father” when we come to Him through faith in Christ; Jesus called Him “Father” because of His place in the Godhead. Jesus carefully used the terms “My Father” and “your Father,” never “our Father.” Also, Luke records, “Forgive us our sins” (Luke 11:4). The Lord Jesus had no sins to confess. He was the sinless One (John 8:46). So strictly speaking, this example Jesus gives us should be called, “The Disciples’ Prayer,” and it is a wonderful model prayer.
• Jesus instructs us to pray so God’s kingdom can come.
• He tells us to be dependent on God for our daily needs.
• He prompts us to ask forgiveness for our sins.
• He guides us in asking for help when we’re tempted to sin; “Don’t leave us in the testing.” This is a marvelous prayer for us to learn how to pray. We can begin with these words until we learn to pray with our own words.” (Through the Bible, Matthew Bible Companion, pgs. 36-37)
Jesus’ teaching on fasting (16-18)
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
“Some of the same principles we’ve learned about giving and praying now apply to fasting. If you’re going to fast, don’t tell anybody about it, but do it on your own. There’s value in fasting when you do it between you and God.” (Through the Bible, Matthew Bible Companion, pgs. 36-37)
Jesus instructs us to give, pray, and fast. Not to be seen by men, but to be in fellowship with God. When we obey God’s commands, we honor Him. When we honor Him, we draw closer to Him. When we draw closer to Him, we become more like Him. When we become more like him, we are blessed!
Seeking God’s blessing? Obey, honor, draw closer to and become more like Jesus.
Treasures in heaven (19-21)
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
“Some people doubt money is a spiritual topic, but Jesus talks a lot about it. He says your “treasure” can be gathered up in heaven. You can do that by putting it in the Lord’s work. Don’t just give to anything—investigate how your treasure will be used. Make sure you’re giving to something that’s going with you to heaven. You’ll think more about heaven that way, too.” (Through the Bible, Matthew Bible Companion, pgs. 36-37)
The light of the body (22-23)
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
The ultimate financial planner is God. His plan is to invest in heavenly things. What might that entail? Pastors, lay people, missionaries, who are leading others to Christ. What else goes to heaven? Nothing!
Second Peter 3:10-12, states, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?”
None of our things go to heaven. The only things that go to heaven are those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Those who are saved.
So the best investment we can make is in the lives of people.
Trusting one master (24-34)
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
“If I give to God, who will take care of me? God will. Jesus points our attention to the birds. The little birds trust God to take care of them, and we ought to do that, too. Sure, we should exercise judgment, but Jesus said don’t live in such a way that provisions like food and dress and housing are a burden on us. Our Lord said, “Just look at the flower. Look what God does for it” (6:28-29). As God takes care of the flowers and the birds, He takes care of you. Just as He did yesterday, He’ll do today and tomorrow. Put Him first and let Him care for you.” (Through the Bible, Matthew Bible Companion, pgs. 36-37)
When we came to Christ for salvation, we came to Him broken and in need of a Savior. When He redeemed us, He pledged to meet all our needs. ”But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Do we believe this? If so, we need to live by faith, trusting that our God will take care of us.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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