MATTHEW 6:1-18

1 "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, 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 men. I tell you the truth, 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.

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 men. I tell you the truth, 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 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, 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 men 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.

Connect

We practice spiritual disciplines in order to please God, not impress others.

Jesus cautions us about being self-serving in our spiritual disciplines. It is possible to use spiritual practices to serve myself rather than serving God and others. We can be driven by the quest for human recognition. In fact, we can replace our God-centered focus with an others-centered one. The impact can be immediate recognition but spiritual bankruptcy. Jesus does not want us to discard our spiritual disciplines but to refine our motives.

Recently, I attended an event that included an opening invocation. The person who was about to pray moved to the podium unaware that the microphone was off. In obvious sincerity, he offered his prayer to God. After praying he returned to his seat. The program director sprung to the podium, turned the mike on, and apologized to the audience. He requested the individual to return and pray again because the audience had not heard the original prayer. I found myself asking, "Who is this prayer really directed at, God or us?"

Jesus was concerned about our focus and motives in spiritual disciplines. Why do we do what we do? Acts of mercy, praying, and fasting are important practices within the Christian life. Yet, sometimes, the reason we do what we do can be less than noble. Who is the true audience we aspire to please? The choice of our audience ultimately determines the lasting value of our efforts.

Observe

Jesus teaches that our motives behind spiritual disciplines matter (Matt. 6:1).

Jesus gives us a principle for Christian living. A principle is a foundational truth that doesn't change. It is a teaching with universal application.

In the midst of this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered a word of caution for some and correction for others. At first it may appear that Jesus contradicted himself. Earlier in this sermon He said, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (5:16). He admonished them not to hide their light under a bowl (5:15). Now He was saying to do things in secrecy. Was Jesus confused? Jesus wasn't creating a contradiction. Rather, He was moving from a discussion of being a witness to doing things to impress others. It is not a mere question of what others see but a question of what motivates what they see.

Spiritual disciplines can become polluted by impure motives. Being seen by otherscan become the misguided passion that motivates what we do.The driving force is not our love for God or a heartfelt concern for others, but a desire to impress people. Jesus gives a principle to guide us. If your goal is to impress people, then the impression you make is all the benefit that comes from your effort. If your goal is to please God, then the benefits are eternal.

Relate

1. How do some people in the church show off today? What reward do they get out of that?
2. What are heavenly rewards going to be based on?

Jesus doesn't leave this matter dangling. He underscores the principle with specific illustrations.

Observe

Jesus applies motives to mercy, prayer, and fasting (Matt. 6:2—18).

Jesus focused on three common practices of the Christian life: acts of mercy (v. 2); the practice of prayer(v. 5); and the spiritual discipline of fasting (v. 16). Each is examined by contrasting motives. The question is, what is the underlying objective for the action?

Jesus began with charity and generosity, giving to those in need. He contrasted the desire for public recognition and anonymous giving. One is done in full view of others, in the synagogues and on the streets (v. 2); the other is done in secret (v. 4). Public acclaim accompanies our giving in front of others. Discreet giving is so private and hidden that your left hand does not even know what your right hand is doing (v. 3).

Jesus indicated that our giving can be motivated by counterfeit (hypocritical) desires because we are trying to meet our own needs, not the needs of others. We pursue personal affirmation, not the alleviation of need through faithful stewardship of God-given resources. A self-serving spirit can be stuffed inside acts of mercy.

Jesus then considered our prayer lives. There are those who love to pray in the spotlight: they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners (v. 5). Again, motive is the issue. Their motive is not so much to pray to their Father but to be seen by men (vv. 5—6).God is a secondary concern; impressing people is the primary goal.

Jesus' intent was not to eliminate public praying. Removing all prayers from the church service or placing a time or word limit would not accomplish His goal. Rather, our times of private prayer should always take priority over our public ones. Public prayers are not a replacement for private ones. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father (v. 6). Jesus seemed to be concerned with those whose prayer lives are primarily public and fashioned by the motive of impressing others.

Jesus then brought fasting to center stage. Fasting had apparently become a public art form. It included a certain look: somber; and people would disfigure their faces to show men they were fasting (v. 16). It was important to these people that others recognize their fasting practice.

What a contrast as Jesus said, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting (vv. 17—18). The issue of motive is again clear: to display their spirituality before others. The focus was not on God, but others. The quest was not pleasing or seeking God through spiritual discipline, but gaining the attention of others.

Relate

3. What kinds of secret things are good to do in the name of Jesus?
4. Where is the best place for you to pray?

While Jesus highlighted our earthly practices of spiritual disciplines, He chose to look beyond them in measuring their impact.

Observe

Jesus assesses lasting values (Matt. 6:2, 4, 6, 18).

Jesus lived life with an eternal perspective. His teachings reflect His long-term view. Some things offer immediate gratification but little abiding benefit. Three times Jesus emphasized that if you focus on human recognition and acknowledgement, that will be the sum of your spiritual returns. Such have received their reward in full (v. 2). People can reward what is seen, but God blesses based on the true motives of the heart. People offer temporary benefits. Jesus extends eternal or heavenly rewards.

Human recognition can be intoxicating. Many people will go to endless efforts to be acknowledged, affirmed, and elevated. It feeds their ego. But Jesus cautioned, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (6:19—20). The immediate allure of recognition can overpower the delayed benefits of pure motives in spiritual disciplines.

I am reminded of a contrast I once observed. The office of a person I was visiting had walls covered with every form of recognition the person had received: plaques, certifications, letters of affirmation—the walls were covered with these accolades. The office actually had the appearance of a shrine to the occupant's accomplishments. Then I spoke to a man whose father was world-renowned. His life and influence were of profound impact. Yet the office the father worked in was absent of any indication of his international fame and status. When he died, his son related how he cleaned out the belongings of this great man of God. Several unmarked boxes were hidden away in a closet. The son examined the content of the boxes one by one. There were endless plaques, certificates, and acknowledgements of accomplishment. The man had hidden them away, and the family was not even aware of them. The son saw in his father's death the humility he had observed in his life.

Relate

5. What can be seductive about being in the spotlight?
6. Why does God delight in rewarding work that is done for Him "behind the scenes?"

Jesus placed His emphasis on eternal values, not temporary recognition.

Relate

...to you

The purpose of spiritual disciplines is to please God, not to gain recognition from others. In so doing, we are called not to announce the depth of our spirituality to others. Spiritually speaking, it is best to resemble an iceberg that has more hidden beneath the surface than is ever seen by others.

As you pray, fast, and help others in need, keep some secrets between you and God. Practice your spiritual disciplines for God, not for show.

What spiritual discipline is God asking you to practice as a result of this lesson? Decide when, where, and how you will follow Him in this area.

Bonus Interactive Learning Idea from the Wesley Bible Lesson Commentary

With Your Family: Top Secret Mission!

Perform a top-secret service project as a family. First, read Matthew 6:1—4 together and briefly discuss the idea that we don't give to others in order to show off. Talk about how secret giving is really special because only God knows about it.

Make a big deal about your project being top secret—you can even ham it up by dressing like spies or humming the theme song of a spy movie like Mission Impossible. Begin by going to a grocery store together and spending a set amount of money purchasing nonperishable food items for a local food pantry. For example, you may want to decide together how to spend twenty dollars on food. Or you may invite family members to spend five dollars apiece, each selecting the food items they'd most like to give.

Once you've purchased your items, hop in the getaway car (your family vehicle) and drive to your destination. When you get there, challenge the family to attempt a sneaky drop-off of your donation—without being seen! (It may be wise to call the food pantry ahead of time so they don't become suspicious when a minivan pulls up and children run inside acting like spies!) Remind everyone that you will not be taking credit for doing this good deed, even from each other.

—from the Wesley Bible Lesson Commentary 2009—2010, a year's worth of
studies in Jeremiah-Daniel; Matthew; James; and Samuel/Kings/Chronicles

Go Deeper, Go Broader