Good Morning!
The next segment of Christ’s teaching talks about how His disciples are to practice their faith. The backdrop, I believe, for this segment is the way that the religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) acted in front of people. Now I am sure there were some in these groups who were humble – but I am also certain that the majority wanted people to know that they were “righteous”. This prideful display was their downfall. Anyway, let’s take a quick look:
Matthew 6:1-5 (New International Version)
Giving to the Needy
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Years ago in the Baptist church, you would get a pin if you had perfect attendance in Sunday school for a full year. And I don’t see anything wrong with being recognized for faithfulness … until it becomes a badge of pride. (To be certain, attending a Sunday school class I teach for a full year without missing deserves some kind of reward for endurance and long-suffering.) I think Jesus is teaching that our relationship with God is just that: with God. When we start trumpeting that special relationship for purpose of gaining personal glory, we cheapen the relationship. On the other hand, when we enjoy our relationship with God, we really don’t have to tell anybody. Like Moses, our countenance gives us away. I mean it!
Matthew 6:6-14
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Most of my Catholic friends will recognize these verses as they are the “Our Father” handed down by the priest in confession. Some of my Catholic friends (Joe?, Mike?) MIGHT have had to recite these verses quite often. I know I would have if I had been Catholic. But us Presbyterians got away with “murder”.
Again, Jesus is cautioning us to value the special relationship we have with our Father, God.
And He is telling us to “keep it simple”.
Verse 9 honors God.
Verse 10 asks for His glory.
Verse 11 asks for His provision.
Verse 12 asks for His forgiveness.
Verse 13 asks for His guidance. And I am sure you note that it seems to be missing the ending – just look at the footnote below.
I can honestly report that since I was nine, verse 14 has been a focal point for me. Forgiving others is real hard to do – especially when they have hurt you. But how are we going to be able to understand or accept God’s forgiveness if we haven’t experienced it from both angles – both as one who has been forgiven and as one who has forgave another? I don’t take this verse as a threat but rather as a teaching so I can learn the value of forgiving.
Matthew 6:15-18
Fasting
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 6:13 The Greek for temptation can also mean testing.
b. Matthew 6:13 Or from evil; some late manuscripts one, / for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Jesus finishes this segment by returning to admonish us to honor our special personal relationship with God. I think of it like the relationships I have with each of my children. Each relationship is different – but all are precious to me as their father. Each of my children is unique - I wouldn’t have it any other way. And each of us is unique – God built us just the way we are. We don’t need to trumpet our uniqueness – God has already done that. We just have to revel in the joy of His presence in our lives.
Well, I wonder what Jesus said next….
Have a good day!
Agape’
Mr. Jim
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