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Matthew 6:1-18 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please take out your copy of God's Word and join me in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6.
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Unless the Lord decides to take me home now, we're actually going to preach the beginning of Matthew chapter 6.
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! This is a good day.
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In today's text, Matthew records Jesus dismantling the hypocrisy of His day.
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Hypocrisy is the act of claiming some moral standard or beliefs and then living in contradiction to your claims.
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Hypocrisy was not new in Jesus' day.
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It has existed since the fall of man.
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In Genesis chapter 4, we can observe the very first hypocrite, Cain, who offered insincere worship to God.
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And when his hypocrisy was exposed, his true character was revealed in the murder of his brother.
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In 2 Samuel chapter 15, Absalom hypocritically vowed allegiance to his father, King David, while all along plotting to overthrow him.
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The prophets spoke against the hypocrisy of the nation of Israel.
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In Isaiah chapter 1, God is grieved over Israel because their religious devotion is not consistent with their actions.
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And in Amos chapter 5, verse 21 through 24, God deals strongly with the hypocrisy of Israel.
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Listen to what he says.
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Take away from me the noise of your songs.
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To the melody of your harps I will not listen.
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But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
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You see the disconnect in the people of Israel's worship in that day and their obedience to God.
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There was such similar hypocrisy in Jesus' day.
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Listen to the very scathing words that Jesus speaks to the scribes and the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 23, verse 27 and 28.
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Jesus says,
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
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For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanliness.
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So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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In fact, much of the Sermon on the Mount, where our text for today is found,
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is concerned with correcting the gross misunderstanding of the law and subsequent hypocrisy in which Jesus lived.
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Recall that one of the major themes of Jesus' sermon is whole person righteousness.
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He says astounding things in this sermon in chapter 5 we've looked at so far, like in verse 20.
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For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,
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you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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And the people in his day would have been absolutely astonished by this.
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If the scribes and Pharisees aren't keeping the law well enough, then who possibly can?
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And in verse 48 of chapter 5, Jesus said,
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You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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You must be holy as God is holy.
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And you have to try to imagine Jesus' listeners going,
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What?
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How is this possible?
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How can we be found more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees?
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How can we be found perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect?
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And so we, with a bigger understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ,
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know that we are not and cannot be perfect under our own volition.
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But that we can have a righteousness that comes from outside of us.
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The perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
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If we are found in Christ, we pursue perfection,
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being found by God to be perfect.
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We are declared righteous in Christ.
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We are positionally moved from unrighteous to righteous,
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from sinner to saint.
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And because of that new identity,
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we now pursue this perfection by the power that God provides.
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The now and not yet of the Christian life
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is a matter for very careful consideration.
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Because hypocrisy was not left behind
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with the false practitioners of Jesus' day.
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There were hypocrites in the early church.
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There were hypocrites in the medieval church.
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There were hypocrites in the Reformation church.
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And there are hypocrites in today's church.
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Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 4, verse 1 and 2,
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that there will be hypocrisy to the end of the age.
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Hypocrisy can be practiced by those who are not in the faith,
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but act as though they are,
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believing that, showing up, doing certain things,
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saying certain things, posting certain things,
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that they will be found right with God.
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Hypocrisy can also be practiced
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by those who are in the faith,
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but act as though they are not.
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So all of us, every one of us,
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needs to be warned today
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as we take a look at what Jesus has to say
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about the hypocrisy of His day and ours.
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So our text for this morning is Matthew 6, verses 1-18.
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Before I read it, beloved,
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let me remind you that this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good,
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so we would all do well to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Begin reading in verse 1.
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Jesus says,
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Beware of practicing your righteousness
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before other people
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in order to be seen by them.
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For then you will have no reward
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from your Father who is in heaven.
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Thus, when you give to the needy,
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sound no trumpet before you
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as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
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and in the streets,
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that they may be praised by others.
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Truly I say to you,
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they have received their reward.
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But when you give to the needy,
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do not let your left hand know
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what your right hand is doing,
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so that your giving may be in secret.
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And your Father who sees in secret
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will reward you.
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And when you pray,
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you must not be like the hypocrites.
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Do they love to stand and pray in the synagogues
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and at the street corners
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that they may be seen by others?
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Truly I say to you,
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they have received their reward.
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But when you pray,
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go into your room and shut the door
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and pray to your Father who is in secret.
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And your Father who sees in secret
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will reward you.
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And when you pray,
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do not heap up empty phrases
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as the Gentiles do,
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for they think that they will be heard
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for their many words.
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Do not be like them,
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for your Father knows what you need
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before you ask Him.
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Pray then like this,
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Our Father in heaven,
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hallowed be Your name.
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Your kingdom come,
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Your will be done on earth
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as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread
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and forgive us our debts
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as we also have forgiven our debtors.
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And lead us not into temptation,
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but deliver us from evil.
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For if you forgive others their trespasses,
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your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
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But if you do not forgive others their trespasses,
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neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
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And when you fast,
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do not look gloomy like the hypocrites,
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for they disfigure their faces,
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that their fasting may be seen by others.
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Truly I say to you,
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they have received their reward.
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But when you fast,
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anoint your head and wash your face,
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that your fasting may not be seen by others,
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but by your Father who is in secret.
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And your Father who sees in secret
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will reward you.
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Now, we don't normally deal with
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this much text at one time.
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There's a lot here.
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And there is much to be unpacked
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in some coming weeks.
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But I want you to see this morning
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that the primary exhortation
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of this entire text
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is found in verse 1.
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The driving thing,
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the ultimate thing
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that Jesus is trying to communicate here
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is this idea
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of not practicing your righteousness
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to be seen by people,
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to be praised by people,
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because if you do,
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then you will have
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no reward in heaven.
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And he calls this activity
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hypocrisy.
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Jesus issues a caution
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that if the point of our good works
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is to be praised by men,
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if we are motivated
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by what others think of us
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rather than what God thinks of us,
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then we do not receive
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heavenly reward
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for our good works.
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There is such danger here
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as hypocrisy can be so deceptive.
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Augustine once wrote,
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the love of honor
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is the deadly bane
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of true piety or holiness.
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The vices bring forth evil works,
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but this,
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this love of honor,
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brings forth good works
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in an evil way.
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So we can be doing
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all the right things,
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even in our own estimation,
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doing them rightly.
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People can be praising us
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for all of our outward appearance
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of holiness,
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but we can be altogether
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unpleasing to God
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in the way we do the things
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that we do.
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Do you notice that in verse 1
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that Jesus is tying obedience
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toward God with reward?
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He's placing the two things together
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side by side.
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He's partnering them up.
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I am so grateful
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to serve a God
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that is ever seeking His own glory
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and is ever working for my good.
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Duty and delight
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are not mutually exclusive,
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but are intrinsic
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for a life well lived.
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We as people
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just seem so apt
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to want to cast off
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all authority,
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any instruction whatsoever.
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We want to be autonomous
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in all ways.
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And this is never good
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for people.
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It's good for us to live
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under the loving instruction
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of our God.
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These two things
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come together,
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duty and delight.
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You want to be filled with joy?
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Set yourself to obedience
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to God.
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The 17 verses that follow,
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verse 1,
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are illustrations
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of what Jesus is trying
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to teach His listeners.
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And with the exception
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of verses 9-15,
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which we know
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is the teaching
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on the Lord's Prayer,
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and we're going to deal
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with that at length
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in some coming weeks,
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these illustrations
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follow a carefully
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crafted pattern
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as follows.
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And I want you to see this,
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and I know that I'm saying it
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and I'm looking at it.
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It's much easier to look at it
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than to hear it.
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So I'm going to repeat it
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a number of times.
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But it follows
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a six-point pattern.
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Okay?
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So just listen.
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Don't try to write
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all this down.
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In each of the three illustrations,
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Jesus brilliantly
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uses the same pattern.
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First, the observance.
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Second, the prohibition.
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Third, the intent.
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Fourth, the reward.
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Fifth, the better observant.
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And sixth, the better reward.
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And each of them neatly walk through
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this pattern of presentation.
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We'll see very particularly momentarily
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how this happens.
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But before we do that,
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I want us to consider
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why Jesus uses
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the three illustrations
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of giving to the needy
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or almsgiving,
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prayer,
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and fasting.
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Why do you think
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He uses these three?
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Do you think
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that these three activities
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are particularly susceptible
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to hypocrisy?
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Or that these three activities
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are of particular value
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in our pursuit
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of righteousness?
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I don't think
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that either
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is true.
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All three of these things
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we'll see
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are things that we should be doing
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as Christian people,
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as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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But I don't think
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they're particular
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for that reason,
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for our instruction,
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as these are more important
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than others.
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But these
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were the most important acts
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of personal piety
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for the falsely religious
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of Jesus' day.
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They elevated these three
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in personal piety.
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So the scribes
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and the Pharisees
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would have talked lots
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about almsgivings
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and prayer
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and fasting.
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You want to be viewed
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as personally pious?
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These are the things
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that you will pick up.
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So Jesus is not so much
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building for us
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what true religion looks like,
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merely these three practices,
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but He's dismantling
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the hypocrisy
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of His day.
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He's very poignantly speaking
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the hypocrisy
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of His day.
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So,
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we may find
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that we are
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given to hypocrisy
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in these activities.
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It's so very possible
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to do
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the very thing
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that people
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in Jesus' day
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were doing,
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but we should not
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limit the teaching here
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to these activities.
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What else
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might you do
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to seek
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the approval
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of others?
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what might you do
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because you want
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others
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to think
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that you are
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particularly
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holy?
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I could list
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a slew of things
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that could fit
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in this
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category.
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How are your
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actions and intentions
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inconsistent
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with your stated
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moral standards
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or beliefs?
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And I pray for this
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for us this morning.
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Well,
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it's been my prayer for us
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across the last couple
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of weeks
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to this morning
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so that we would all
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find ourselves
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carefully examining
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our lives
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in the coming moments
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and beyond
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that God would reveal
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any hypocrisy in us
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so that we would be
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brought
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to repentance.
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So again,
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the exhortation
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for us
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this morning
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from the words
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of Jesus.
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Beware of
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practicing
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your righteousness
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before other people
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in order to be
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seen by them
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for then you will
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have no reward
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from your Father
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who is in heaven.
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So let's
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look at them
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and we'll look at them
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in three points
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following each
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of the examples.
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Number one,
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do not give
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like the hypocrites
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but rather look
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to heavenly reward.
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Let me see this
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in verses 2, 3, and 4.
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Do not give
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like the hypocrites
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but rather look
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to heavenly reward.
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Notice first,
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verse 2,
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the observance.
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Thus,
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when you give
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to the needy,
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thus,
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in your alms
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giving,
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this is practice
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that was going on
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in their day.
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Jesus does not do away
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with the practice.
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We are also meant
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to give to the needy
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in our day
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but in a particular way.
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In Jesus' day,
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the giving of alms
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had been taken
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to extreme measures
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in Second Temple Judaism.
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In rabbinical teaching,
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we can read things
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like this.
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I quote,
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It is better to give
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to charity
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than to lay up gold.
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I think we're on board
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so far.
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However,
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for charity
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will save a man
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from death.
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It will expiate sin
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or atone
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for sin.
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So,
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works.
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Second Temple Judaism,
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the Pharisees were teaching
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that giving
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would cancel out
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sin.
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Does that heresy
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sound familiar?
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As a result,
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many in Jesus' time
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thought that the rich
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were much more likely
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to make it to heaven.
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And they would make
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a big deal,
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a big fanfare
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out of this giving.
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This is why Jesus' statement
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in Matthew 19,
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verse 24,
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was so shocking
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to the disciples.
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He said there,
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I tell you,
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it is easier
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for a camel
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to go through
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the eye of a needle
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than for a rich person
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to enter
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the kingdom of God.
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That's the context
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behind that statement.
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And do you recall
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the response
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of the disciples
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in verse 25?
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They were greatly
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astonished,
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Matthew says,
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and they asked,
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who then can be saved?
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If the rich
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can't do enough
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almsgiving,
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then who can?
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And Jesus is destroying
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this type of thinking,
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this earning favor
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before God,
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thinking apart from
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the perfect life,
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death,
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and resurrection
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of Jesus Christ.
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So,
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that is the observance.
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That's what they're doing
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in this day.
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And second,
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we see the prohibition.
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Jesus says,
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sound no trumpet
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before you,
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as the hypocrites
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do in the synagogues
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and in the streets.
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It would seem
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that they held parades
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when they were coming
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to the temple
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to give their money.
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People would look at them
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and praise them
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for their good doing.
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And Jesus tells us,
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thirdly,
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what their intent is.
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That they may be praised
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by others.
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That they would be
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seeking the approval
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of others.
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The building up
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of others.
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That they would please
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praise men.
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And what is the reward
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for this?
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Fourth,
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Jesus says,
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truly I say to you,
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they have received
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their reward.
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And what is that reward?
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The praise of men.
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what a paltry reward.
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What an insignificant reward.
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And it's such a shame
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in our culture
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that what we seem
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to worship most
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is celebrity.
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Not intelligence.
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Not good doing.
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There are people
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who are famous
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for being famous
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in our culture.
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this is an astonishing
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thing.
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All of the acclaim.
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All of the praise.
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You have people
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on shows,
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talent shows,
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weeping.
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This is the dream
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of my life.
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That what?
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That for a moment
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people would praise me.
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That I would be
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the next
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America's whatever.
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insignificant reward.
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Paltry
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compared to the reward
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of heaven.
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Who cares
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if people like us
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if we're not
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pleasing God?
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So this is a
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declaration
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of
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judgment.
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Truly I say to you,
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they have received
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their reward.
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And we'll see
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some repetition
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of that
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very
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phrase.
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Look then though
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at the beginning
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of verse 3
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at the better
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observance.
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Jesus says,
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but when you give
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to the needy.
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So give,
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and we talked
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some weeks ago
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about giving
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and the necessity
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of giving,
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so we're not going
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to spend a lot
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of time on
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that very topic.
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But we are meant
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to give.
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We are meant
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to recognize
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that all good
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things come
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from God.
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When you begin
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to realize
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that the blessings
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that God
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has given you
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are meant
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for you
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to turn around
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and bless
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others
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and that
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that is good
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for you,
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that that duty
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is married
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with delight,
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this will be
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a turning point
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in your life
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in America.
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When you actually
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begin to wrap
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your brain
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around this fact
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that God
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doesn't give you
23:07
things just
23:07
for you,
23:09
but for others
23:10
which is for
23:11
your good.
23:12
That you might
23:13
gain more
23:14
of Him
23:15
in the process.
23:17
So when you
23:18
give to the
23:19
needy,
23:20
do not let
23:21
your left
23:21
hand know
23:22
what your
23:23
right hand
23:23
is doing.
23:24
And clearly
23:24
this is an
23:25
exaggeration.
23:26
This is not
23:26
a possible
23:27
act to do.
23:29
Jesus is trying
23:30
to help us
23:30
understand
23:31
that this
23:32
should so
23:33
be done
23:34
in a way
23:34
that we're
23:35
not being
23:36
praised
23:36
by men.
23:38
See if you
23:38
can get
23:38
the left
23:39
hand of your
23:40
body to not
23:40
know what's
23:41
happening
23:41
with the
23:41
right hand
23:42
of your
23:43
body.
23:44
Jesus is
23:44
saying do
23:44
it in
23:45
that way.
23:46
Do it
23:46
in a way
23:47
that is
23:47
fully fixed
23:48
on pleasing
23:49
the Lord
23:51
and not
23:52
men.
23:54
So that
23:55
your giving
23:55
may be
23:56
in secret.
23:57
And then
23:58
there's this
23:58
better reward.
24:01
And your
24:01
Father who
24:02
sees in
24:02
secret
24:03
will reward
24:05
you.
24:05
This is the
24:06
reward we
24:07
want.
24:08
This is what
24:09
we're seeking
24:09
after.
24:10
as followers
24:11
of Jesus
24:13
Christ.
24:14
If that is
24:15
an astounding
24:16
thing to
24:16
you,
24:17
but why?
24:18
Why would I
24:19
seek the
24:20
reward of
24:20
heaven and
24:21
not the
24:21
reward of
24:22
earth?
24:23
Then you
24:24
have not
24:24
tasted and
24:26
seen the
24:27
goodness of
24:28
God.
24:29
If you've
24:30
beheld God
24:31
in his
24:31
glory,
24:33
this should
24:33
ignite you.
24:35
You should
24:35
come to
24:36
life at the
24:36
thought of
24:37
heavenly
24:37
reward.
24:39
At putting
24:39
off reward
24:40
for now,
24:41
for reward
24:41
for later,
24:43
ought to
24:43
make you
24:44
go,
24:44
yes.
24:45
I don't
24:46
want to
24:46
be found
24:46
as these
24:47
people.
24:48
I don't
24:48
want Jesus
24:49
to say
24:49
of me,
24:50
of my
24:50
life,
24:51
truly I
24:51
say to
24:52
you,
24:52
you've
24:53
already
24:53
received
24:53
your reward.
24:55
I want
24:55
to lay
24:56
it up
24:56
for later
24:57
because it
24:58
is better
24:59
later.
25:01
He gives
25:02
us another
25:03
example,
25:03
another
25:03
illustration.
25:05
So secondly,
25:06
do not
25:07
pray like
25:08
the
25:09
hypocrites,
25:10
but rather
25:10
look to
25:12
heavenly
25:12
reward.
25:14
Verses
25:15
5 and
25:16
8.
25:17
And there's
25:18
a repetition
25:18
in the
25:19
pattern here.
25:20
So he gives
25:20
a couple of
25:21
instructions,
25:21
but you see
25:22
the pattern
25:22
once again,
25:23
these six
25:24
points.
25:25
Beginning of
25:26
verse 5 and
25:27
the beginning
25:28
of verse 7.
25:29
And when
25:29
you pray.
25:32
So certainly
25:33
not teaching us
25:34
not to pray,
25:34
but he's
25:35
teaching us
25:35
to pray
25:35
in a very
25:36
particular
25:37
way.
25:38
So first
25:39
we see
25:39
this observance
25:40
and when
25:41
you pray.
25:42
And then
25:42
we see
25:43
the prohibition.
25:45
How are we
25:46
to not
25:46
pray then?
25:49
We must
25:49
not be
25:49
like the
25:50
hypocrites,
25:52
for they
25:52
love to
25:53
stand and
25:53
pray in
25:54
the synagogues
25:55
and at
25:55
the street
25:57
corners.
25:57
They love
25:58
to go out
25:59
in the
25:59
public
25:59
places
26:00
seeking
26:01
the praise
26:02
of men.
26:04
This is
26:04
what they're
26:04
hoping for.
26:05
Look at
26:06
how holy
26:07
I am.
26:10
And we're
26:11
also not
26:12
to heap
26:12
up empty
26:13
phrases as
26:15
the Gentiles
26:16
do.
26:17
As those
26:17
outside
26:18
the family
26:21
of God,
26:21
we're not
26:22
to heap
26:22
up empty
26:23
phrases as
26:24
the Gentiles.
26:26
And you
26:27
can see
26:27
the intent
26:27
then,
26:28
thirdly,
26:28
that they
26:29
may be
26:29
seen by
26:30
others,
26:30
and the
26:31
Gentiles
26:31
think that
26:32
they will
26:32
be heard
26:33
for their
26:33
many
26:34
words.
26:38
And the
26:38
reward again,
26:39
truly I
26:40
say to
26:41
you,
26:41
they have
26:43
received
26:44
their
26:45
reward.
26:47
But then
26:48
Jesus,
26:49
once again,
26:49
gives us
26:50
a better
26:51
observance.
26:53
A better
26:54
observance.
26:54
But when
26:56
you
26:57
pray,
26:59
go into
26:59
your room
27:00
and shut
27:00
the door
27:00
and pray
27:01
to your
27:02
Father
27:02
who is
27:03
in secret.
27:05
We have
27:06
been,
27:07
by the
27:07
sacrificial
27:07
work of
27:08
Jesus Christ,
27:09
who intercedes
27:10
for us,
27:11
drawn into
27:12
a relationship
27:13
with God.
27:15
Here Jesus
27:16
calls him
27:17
our
27:18
Father.
27:21
What a
27:21
glorious thing
27:22
this is.
27:23
At the
27:24
almighty of
27:25
heaven and
27:25
earth,
27:26
the one who
27:27
spoke all
27:27
things into
27:28
existence,
27:30
will have
27:30
a conversation
27:31
with us.
27:34
This should
27:34
be massively
27:35
humbling.
27:37
And once
27:37
again,
27:37
if it doesn't
27:38
seem massive
27:39
to you,
27:40
that you
27:40
could go
27:41
into your
27:41
room and
27:42
shut the
27:42
door and
27:43
spend time
27:44
with God
27:44
in prayer,
27:45
then you've
27:46
not tasted
27:47
and seen
27:48
the goodness
27:48
of God.
27:50
You have
27:50
not understood
27:51
the vastness
27:53
of his
27:54
power and
27:55
his might.
27:57
You have
27:58
a small
27:59
view of
28:00
God.
28:01
He's not
28:02
just the
28:02
guy that
28:03
you go
28:03
hang out
28:03
with.
28:05
He's the
28:05
God of
28:06
the universe
28:06
and yet
28:08
he's called
28:10
our Father.
28:11
I love,
28:12
and we'll
28:12
talk about
28:13
next week,
28:14
Lord willing,
28:15
the opening
28:15
of the
28:16
Lord's
28:17
prayer is
28:17
our Father
28:18
in Heaven.
28:20
Wraps
28:21
all that
28:21
up together.
28:23
Our
28:23
Father
28:24
in Heaven.
28:27
And I
28:28
have learned
28:29
things about
28:30
God's loving
28:31
kindness towards
28:32
me as a
28:32
father in
28:33
becoming a
28:35
father.
28:36
And I can't
28:36
help but be
28:37
moved when my
28:38
kids want to
28:38
come and talk
28:39
with me in the
28:39
way that they
28:40
climb up on
28:40
my lap and
28:41
they sit.
28:42
And as an
28:44
imperfect
28:44
father, a
28:45
very imperfect
28:46
father, my
28:47
attention is
28:48
riveted on
28:49
them.
28:51
God does
28:52
this with
28:54
us.
28:55
So we can
28:55
go into our
28:56
room and we
28:57
can shut the
28:58
door and we
28:59
can pray to
29:00
our Father
29:01
who is in
29:02
secret.
29:04
Does this
29:05
mean that we
29:05
cannot pray
29:06
publicly?
29:07
No.
29:08
It does not
29:09
mean that.
29:09
Many have
29:10
made that mean
29:11
that.
29:11
It does not
29:12
mean that.
29:13
It just
29:13
means that we
29:14
should be
29:14
careful about
29:15
the intent
29:16
of our
29:16
public
29:17
prayers.
29:19
It's good
29:19
for us when
29:19
we gather
29:20
together.
29:21
I would
29:22
even suggest
29:22
necessary for
29:23
us as we
29:23
gather together
29:24
that we
29:24
pray together.
29:27
But as
29:27
someone comes
29:28
to lead us
29:28
in public
29:29
prayer, we
29:30
should be so
29:31
careful about
29:32
the intent.
29:34
Am I
29:35
leading us in
29:35
prayer because
29:36
I want us to
29:38
be pleasing to
29:39
God as we
29:39
pray together
29:39
or because I
29:40
am concerned
29:41
about what
29:41
you'll think
29:42
of me in
29:43
my praying?
29:44
We see
29:46
public prayer
29:46
happening in
29:47
the Scripture.
29:48
I just want
29:48
to give you
29:48
one example.
29:49
Acts 1
29:50
verse 14.
29:51
The disciples
29:52
are waiting.
29:53
Jesus has
29:53
said, wait
29:53
for me.
29:54
Wait for my
29:55
power to
29:55
come.
29:56
And what
29:56
do we find
29:57
them doing
29:57
in an
29:59
upper room?
29:59
All these
30:00
with one
30:00
accord were
30:01
devoting
30:01
themselves to
30:02
prayer together
30:05
with the
30:05
women and
30:05
Mary the
30:06
mother of
30:06
Jesus and
30:07
his brothers.
30:08
They were
30:08
together and
30:09
they were
30:09
praying together.
30:11
People were
30:11
praying out
30:12
loud together
30:14
in this
30:15
place and
30:16
we should
30:16
do the
30:17
same.
30:17
But we
30:17
should be
30:18
very careful
30:18
the intent
30:20
of what we
30:21
do when
30:22
we pray
30:23
publicly.
30:25
We also
30:25
see in this
30:26
better observance
30:27
Jesus simply
30:27
says, do not
30:28
be like them.
30:29
And who is
30:29
he referring
30:30
to?
30:30
He's referring
30:31
to these
30:31
Gentiles,
30:32
right, that
30:32
heap up
30:33
empty phrases,
30:35
thinking that
30:36
they'll be
30:36
heard for
30:37
their many
30:37
words.
30:38
And does
30:39
this mean
30:39
that we
30:40
cannot pray
30:41
long?
30:42
prayers?
30:45
Many will
30:45
take the
30:46
Lord's
30:46
prayer and
30:47
recite it.
30:48
And I'm
30:48
okay with
30:49
the recitation
30:49
of the
30:50
Lord's
30:51
prayer.
30:51
I don't
30:51
think that's
30:51
particularly
30:52
sinful.
30:54
However,
30:55
Jesus doesn't
30:55
say pray
30:56
this.
30:56
He says
30:57
pray then
30:57
like this.
30:59
This is a
31:00
model for
31:01
your praying.
31:03
But some
31:04
will advocate
31:05
the recitation
31:06
of this because
31:07
it's brief.
31:08
We should
31:08
keep things
31:09
brief because
31:10
he says don't
31:10
be like the
31:10
Gentiles.
31:11
Heap up
31:12
many words.
31:14
So is that
31:15
what it
31:15
means?
31:16
No.
31:18
But we
31:19
should not
31:19
pray long
31:20
prayers because
31:21
we think that
31:21
lengthy prayers
31:23
are a mark
31:24
of holiness.
31:26
Even when I'm
31:27
by myself,
31:27
right, in that
31:28
time of
31:29
closed-door
31:29
secret prayer,
31:30
I should not
31:31
think of
31:31
myself,
31:32
wow, can I
31:33
pray?
31:34
Look at the
31:35
words I can
31:35
spill out
31:36
before God.
31:37
And certainly
31:37
in our public
31:38
praying together,
31:39
we shouldn't
31:40
heap up
31:40
words and
31:41
words and
31:42
words upon
31:42
words because
31:43
people will
31:44
think we're
31:44
so holy
31:46
for how much
31:47
we have
31:47
to say.
31:50
How can I
31:51
make this
31:51
claim to
31:53
counterpoint
31:53
what some
31:54
would say
31:54
here?
31:55
Jesus
31:56
prayed long
31:57
prayers.
31:59
Luke 6,
32:00
verse 12,
32:01
Luke says,
32:01
in these days
32:02
he went out
32:02
to the mountain
32:03
to pray,
32:03
and all
32:04
night he
32:06
continued in
32:07
prayer to
32:08
God.
32:08
It would be
32:09
very silly to
32:10
think that he
32:10
recited the
32:10
Lord's Prayer
32:11
over and
32:11
over and
32:11
over again.
32:13
Many words
32:14
poured out
32:15
to God in
32:16
those times
32:18
of prayer
32:18
with him.
32:20
And then
32:21
Jesus says
32:21
there will
32:22
be a
32:22
better reward.
32:24
A better
32:25
reward.
32:26
And your
32:26
Father who
32:26
sees in
32:27
secret will
32:29
reward you.
32:31
So we're
32:32
looking to
32:32
the heavenly
32:33
reward to
32:34
the eternal
32:34
reward.
32:36
And Jesus
32:36
also says,
32:37
for your
32:37
Father knows
32:38
what you
32:39
need before
32:40
you ask
32:42
him.
32:43
So it
32:43
means reward
32:44
for now
32:44
as well.
32:45
His presence
32:46
and his
32:47
power in
32:48
our lives.
32:51
And the
32:51
third
32:51
illustration.
32:53
It says,
32:54
do not
32:54
fast like
32:56
the hypocrites,
32:57
but rather
32:58
look to
32:59
heavenly
32:59
reward.
33:01
Do not
33:02
fast like
33:03
the hypocrites.
33:05
And I
33:05
think we
33:05
will spend
33:06
some time
33:06
on fasting
33:07
in some
33:07
coming weeks.
33:08
But briefly
33:09
look again
33:09
the observance.
33:10
And when
33:12
you
33:12
fast.
33:14
Again in
33:14
verse 17,
33:15
but when
33:16
you
33:17
fast.
33:19
I think
33:19
this is a
33:20
practice that
33:20
many in
33:21
this room
33:21
have never
33:23
done and
33:24
probably
33:24
misunderstand.
33:26
But the
33:26
assumption here
33:27
is that we
33:27
will.
33:29
As we'll be
33:29
part of
33:30
our
33:30
following
33:31
of
33:31
Jesus
33:32
Christ
33:32
will be
33:33
times of
33:34
fasting
33:35
in our
33:35
lives.
33:37
But he
33:37
issues a
33:37
prohibition.
33:39
Do not
33:39
look gloomy
33:40
like the
33:41
hypocrites
33:41
for they
33:42
disfigure
33:43
their faces.
33:45
They would
33:45
literally put
33:46
on makeup
33:46
to look
33:47
pitiful.
33:49
And what
33:50
he's saying
33:50
to us here
33:51
is that you're
33:51
not doing
33:52
this to be
33:52
seen by
33:53
others.
33:53
I've had
33:53
people who
33:54
are fasting
33:54
tell me
33:56
they're
33:56
fasting and
33:57
then tell me
33:57
they probably
33:58
shouldn't have
33:58
told me that
33:58
they were
33:59
fasting.
33:59
He's also
34:00
not prohibiting
34:00
that.
34:01
Like, oh, I
34:02
shouldn't have
34:02
said that.
34:03
Like, my
34:03
fasting is
34:04
supposed to be
34:04
so secretive
34:05
that no one
34:05
can possibly
34:05
know that
34:06
I'm fasting.
34:07
No, he's
34:08
getting that
34:08
intent.
34:09
Why are you
34:10
doing the
34:10
thing that
34:11
you're doing?
34:12
Right?
34:13
Is it for the
34:13
praise of
34:14
others or
34:15
is it to
34:15
please God?
34:17
So we're
34:18
prohibited here
34:19
by Jesus to
34:20
not look gloomy
34:20
like the
34:21
hypocrites, for
34:22
they disfigure
34:23
their faces and
34:24
the intent that
34:25
their fasting
34:26
may be seen
34:27
by others.
34:29
And once
34:30
again, this
34:31
repetition, their
34:32
reward, truly I
34:33
say to you, they
34:35
have received
34:37
their reward.
34:40
But then he
34:40
gives to us the
34:41
better observance,
34:42
but when you
34:42
fast, anoint your
34:44
head, wash your
34:46
face, make
34:47
yourself look
34:49
nice, presentable
34:50
to those around
34:52
you, that your
34:52
fasting may not be
34:54
seen by others,
34:54
but by your
34:55
father who is
34:56
in secret.
34:57
And then the
34:59
better reward.
35:00
And your
35:01
father who sees
35:02
in secret will
35:04
reward you.
35:06
So you see how
35:07
all of these,
35:07
these 17 verses
35:08
are aiming us
35:09
back at verse
35:11
1.
35:13
And this
35:13
strong warning,
35:15
this beware of
35:17
practicing your
35:18
righteousness before
35:19
other people in
35:20
order to be seen
35:21
by them.
35:22
for then you
35:23
will have no
35:24
reward from your
35:25
father who is in
35:26
heaven.
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So we ought not
35:29
give or pray or
35:30
fast or do
35:32
anything
35:32
hypocritically,
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seeking the praise
35:36
of man, but
35:36
should rather do
35:37
everything to
35:38
please God and
35:40
the reward that
35:40
is given by him
35:42
and found in
35:43
him.
35:45
I hope that
35:47
you will join
35:48
me in continued
35:49
self-examination
35:50
in our devotion
35:51
to God for
35:52
our good and
35:54
his glory as
35:55
we work in
35:56
this text more
35:57
in the following
35:58
weeks.
35:59
As we look more
36:00
at what is the
36:00
right way to go
36:01
about praying,
36:03
I think we'll
36:03
spend two or
36:04
three weeks there
36:05
and how ought
36:06
we also
36:07
fast.
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Let me close
36:10
this morning
36:11
with a quotation
36:13
from Thomas
36:14
Brooks who was
36:15
a 17th century
36:16
Puritan preacher.
36:18
It was on your
36:18
bulletin the last
36:19
two weeks,
36:19
but I just didn't
36:20
feel like I could
36:20
put it on there
36:21
one more time.
36:22
So if you
36:23
happen to have
36:23
an old bulletin
36:24
you could read
36:25
along.
36:26
If not,
36:27
listen carefully.
36:29
He wrote this,
36:30
which I love.
36:31
Remember this,
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that your life
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is short,
36:35
your duties
36:36
many,
36:37
your assistance
36:38
great,
36:39
and your reward
36:41
sure.
36:42
Therefore,
36:43
faint not,
36:44
hold on and
36:45
hold up in
36:46
ways of well-doing,
36:48
and heaven
36:49
shall make
36:50
amends
36:51
for all.
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Let's pray
36:53
together.
36:53
Thank you.