(To listen to this message click on the title above or on the play button of the player shown.)
This is a sermon based on Matthew 6:1-18, and is part IX in a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.
Written Excerpts:
Introduction:
The famous Robert Redford was walking one day through a hotel lobby. A woman saw him and followed him to the elevator. “Are you the real Robert Redford?” she asked him with great excitement. As the doors of the elevator closed, he replied, “Only when I am alone!” (A Treasury of Bible Illustrations)
When you are building a foundation for your life and are seeking to make it solid enough to weather all the storms you will be facing in life, one ingredient that is extremely vital is authenticity. All pretense and “play acting” that we may do to gain the approval of others will ultimately lead us down a path of hypocrisy and away from the smile and approval of God.
In the brief illustration I shared just a moment ago, the actor essentially acknowledged that his life and career is one that only allows him to be “real” or genuinely himself when he is alone. Whenever he is with other people or out in the eye of the public he feels it is necessary to portray a different picture or image.
Authenticity in one’s life is the quality of character that enables one to be the same alone or in public; in good times and bad; in wealth or in poverty; or in any number of other situations. As I read and studied the scripture lesson for today, I was impressed that the real underlying issue Jesus addresses here is personal character and genuine authenticity in our everyday lives.
Transition: Today’s scripture lesson essentially shows us that it is possible to perform a spiritual activity or duty with a worldly motivation.
Proposition: I would like to speak to you today about three spiritual disciplines and the principles we will need to practice in order to be spiritually authentic in our attitudes and motivations.
I. Three Spiritual Disciplines
There are plenty of spiritual disciplines that are mentioned in the Bible that facilitate spiritual life and vitality. Three of them are mentioned by Jesus here as He emphasizes true piety and authentic devotion to God. It is assumed that true disciples will engage in all three of these disciplines. “When you do alms…;” “When you pray…;” “When you fast…”
A. Charitable Deeds (Alms giving)
In this passage, the word for almsgiving is the same word that is also translated as righteousness.
Various writers (e.g. Barclay, Clarke) attest to the Jewish idea that righteousness and giving of alms were synonymous. In the Jewish mind, the giving of alms did provide merit for salvation.
Charitable giving is one of the ways that we serve God, by helping provide the basic needs of people around us.
Ps. 112:9 describes the man who fears the Lord (v.1) in these words, “He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honor.”
Prov. 3:27 “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”
James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
Almsgiving helps us and the recipient. It helps us remember that our blessings have come from Almighty God and we are stewards of what He has provided. It shows the recipient the grace and compassion of God through the kindness of His children. It is a small demonstration of the kind of giving that Christ has done for us.
See 2 Cor. 8:9 “… though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
B. Prayer
(A. Clarke) Defines the word for prayer as follows: “prayer, is compounded of προς with, and ευχη a vow, because to pray right, a man binds himself to God, as by a vow, to live to his glory, if he will grant him his grace…. A proper idea of prayer is, a pouring out of the soul unto God, as a free-will offering, solemnly and eternally dedicated to him, accompanied with the most earnest desire that it may know, love, and serve him alone. He that comes thus to God will ever be heard and blessed. Prayer is the language of dependence; he who prays not, is endeavoring to live independently of God….”
The discipline of prayer accomplishes several things.
It is communion and communication with God. It is a means of talking to God and expressing our feelings, our hurts and our joys. It is not used to inform God about our lives, because he already knows everything about us. Rather, it give us the opportunity to become intimate with him as we open up our inner thoughts and feelings and acknowledge that he knows them already.
Prayer is an invitation by God for us to participate in spiritual warfare. We “wrestle not against flesh and blood…” “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (fleshly), but are spiritual…” Prayer is an opportunity to engage the spiritual forces of evil and petition Almighty God for the advancement of heavenly forces against demonic activity.
Prayer is recognition of our dependence upon God and seeking his favor and blessing for every area of life. See THE LORD’S PRAYER.
I already did a verse by verse study of The Lord’s Prayer in our Wednesday night Bible studies some time ago, so we will not take the time to go through it again here.
C. FastingThe word for fast literally means not eat. (Clarke)
(Matthew Henry) “It is an act of self-denial, and mortification of the flesh, a holy revenge upon ourselves, and humiliation under the hand of God…. It is a means to curb the flesh and the desires of it, and to make us more lively in religious exercises…”
Fasting is presumed to be a part of every pious believer’s practice. Anna, the prophetess in the time of Jesus’ birth; Cornelius the devout centurion in Acts; and the early believers during the beginning years of the church in Acts all practiced the discipline of fasting along with prayer.
Fasting was often practiced as a way to emphasize the intensity of emotion that was felt by the one fasting. It apparently was viewed by various individuals as a means to verify the sobriety, humility and earnestness of the person praying. It is not a method for obligating God to do what we ask Him to do.
II. Principles for Authentic Piety
As we read down through these verses we find several principles that Jesus has provided for helping us maintain genuine or authentic piety as we practice these disciplines. Some of the principles are presented negatively as practices we should avoid. Others are presented positively as practices we should follow or promote.
A. Avoid hypocrisy
See verses 2, 5, 16
The word that Jesus uses in this text for hypocrites is the same word that means actor. The idea expressed is that some people give, pray and fast as an act that is put on to impress an audience. In other words, the act was not done as a genuine expression of love to God or compassion to others, but for the promotion of self.
So Jesus is telling his disciples, those who truly wish to follow his pattern for living, to do any and all spiritual disciplines out of sincere devotion to God rather than out of a desire for the promotion of self.
B. Avoid seeking public recognition
Also verses 2, 5, 16
In close connection with the first prohibition, Jesus adds that they should not do their deeds in order to be “seen of men.” This is what made men out to be hypocrites. They did not seek the approval of God, but the approval of men. Their motives were not sincere and genuine, but they were ulterior for selfish reasons.
Seeking public opinion and approval of one’s spiritual deeds has its immediate reward – the approval of men. (See vv. 2, 5, 16 “they have their reward.”) However, this reward is fleeting and temporary.
C. Avoid copying the practices of unbelievers (heathen)
v. 7 - In the specific context of prayer, avoid needless repetitions like the heathen practice.
(Barclay) “The eastern peoples had a habit of hypnotizing themselves by the endless repetition of one phrase or even of one word.... Jewish prayers also used repetition in prayer by the piling up of every possible title and adjective in the address of God in their prayers.”
The practices forbidden by Jesus here seems to emphasize the satisfaction of self by some emotional frenzy worked up by endless repetitions or the repetitions of superlative words that were meant to impress themselves and any others who might be listening.
The idea some had was this: the more words I use, the more God will hear and respond.
D. Perform spiritual disciplines secretly
See verses 3, 4, 6, 18
In charitable giving, praying or fasting, Jesus exhorts us to do it all in a private and personal way that does not draw attention to self, but glorifies our Father in heaven.
I don’t believe that Jesus means to imply that there is never an appropriate time for public displays of piety or good works, because he did so himself. He simply emphasizes this principle here to contrast against the practice of seeking self-glory.
The point is that we should do what we do in order to glorify and please our heavenly Father without thinking of ourselves. When we do that, then our Father who knows the secret motives and intentions of our heart will reward us in the appropriate way and the appropriate time. His rewards will be far more satisfying and eternal than the rewards of man’s approval.
E. Perform spiritual disciplines in faith
v. 8 – “Your Father knows what you need before you ask.”
The underlying meaning here seems to be that you can trust God. Since He already knows what your needs are, then trust Him to provide. Although this point is specifically mentioned in reference to prayer, it applies to every spiritual exercise we do. Without faith, everything we do is useless and meaningless.
Conclusion:
In closing, I want to ask a couple of questions.
1. Are you practicing spiritual disciplines in your life of Christian faith?
2. If so, are you doing them for God’s glory or your own?
Are we living out the principles taught in God’s word in a genuine, authentic desire to know God better and to demonstrate His grace to others? Or, are we doing what we do so that others will notice us and think highly of us? Do we seek after the approval of men more than the approval of God?
These are questions that only we can answer for ourselves. No one else except God really knows the motives of our hearts.
We are going to close the service today with a hymn that expresses a desire to be drawn closer to the Lord. Let us sing it as a sincere prayer from our own hearts.
“I Am Thine, O Lord”
No comments:
Post a Comment