The Book of Matthew • Matthew 6:1-8; 16-18

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Amen.

You guys can be seated.

If you have your Bible, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us in Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

If you do not have a copy of God's Word, we have some black Bibles right back here at the

connection table.

They will be there for the entirety of the service.

They'll be back there after the service is over with.

So if you do not have a copy of God's Word and you want one, please go back there, take

one of these.

This is our gift to you.

We want to make sure everyone has a copy of the Bible.

Now, last Sunday was great.

It was great for a lot of reasons, right?

Wonderful being able to come together for Easter Sunday and worship together.

Last week, if you weren't able to be here, we did have baptisms, and the baptistry is still

out.

And so I would like to share for us to be in prayer and praise our Spanish-speaking service,

which happens 1230.

They will be baptizing today, and I believe eight people will be getting baptized.

So we celebrate and we praise God, absolutely, for all that He is doing.

Would you pause with me for just one moment as we go to the Lord in prayer?

God, we thank you for today.

Lord, we thank you for this time that we could gather together, Lord, and open your Word.

Lord, may I be faithful to you and to what you have for us.

Father, if any of this is not of me, Lord, remove it so that you will be glorified.

Listen, Jesus, let me pray.

Amen.

Amen.

We are continuing on in studying of the book of the Gospel of Matthew, and specifically

over the last several weeks, we have been working through the Sermon on the Mount.

And when we get here to Matthew chapter 6, there's a little break in the flow of how Jesus has

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

been teaching for what Jesus will teach.

Before we get there, I would like to share a common criticism of the church, a common criticism

from the outside world, people who are not Christians, about the church.

I've heard this criticism more times than I can think of.

You know, the church is full of hypocrites.

The church is full of hypocrites.

Well, my question for us this morning is, is this a fair or unfair assessment of the church?

I know oftentimes, right, when we feel like someone is attacking those or something that

we love, we tend to want to defend.

We tend to want to be biased in our assessment.

And so if you were like me, when you hear someone say that the church is full of hypocrites,

it can cause within us a defense mechanism to well up inside of us to say, oh, no, we aren't.

But when we are honest about ourselves, myself included in this with you, right?

Praise God, the church is full of sinners saved by the grace of God.

None of us in here are deserving or worthy of God's grace, but praise God that he gives it to us.

So we are saints, but sinners saved by grace, not through our work, but through his.

And if the church is full of sinners, and sinners are defined sinners because we sin, and hypocrisy is a sin,

then it would be fair to come to the assessment that churches can be full of hypocrites.

In Matthew's gospel, Jesus is going to address this in the Sermon on the Mount.

And I believe 11 different times in Matthew's gospel, Jesus addresses hypocrisy from those who would think of themselves or see themselves as spiritual.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is going to call those who long for and desire to be a part of the kingdom.

Remember, Jesus came, repent for the kingdom of heaven is here.

He's called us to follow him through repentance and faith, and now he's going to call to reflect the kingdom ethic.

To be the people of God that he's called us to be.

Not out of sense of self-righteous religious practice, but out of a true heart for God.

God who saves us, God who transforms us, and God who sanctifies us.

I praise God that he has saved me.

I praise God that in salvation he has transformed me.

The old is gone, the new has come.

But folks, I, like you, we are a work in progress.

And it is not through our own religious might that we are changed,

but it's through the working of the Holy Spirit in us.

So we begin this in Matthew 6, verse 1, with a warning against hypocrisy.

Matthew 6:1

Now Jesus will not mention hypocrisy in verse 1, but he will mention it several times throughout the passage that we are going to look at this morning.

So let's see what his warning specifically is.

Jesus says in Matthew 6, verse 1,

Matthew 6:1

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.

Now this morning we are going to look at three different religious behaviors that Jesus addresses.

Three religious behaviors that were commonly practiced.

Sorry, the pollens get to me a little bit this morning.

There we go.

Commonly practiced and commonly practiced in public by the religious elites of Jesus' day.

Jesus talks about the practice of giving to the poor, of prayer.

And then we're going to jump down and read verses 16, 17, and 18 and talk about one of our favorite things, fasting.

All right?

Now, a couple of things about these when we look at these.

Number one, number one, these are not sinful practices.

Don't look at this as an opportunity this morning to stop giving.

Don't look at this as an opportunity to stop praying.

And don't look at this as an opportunity to continue to no longer fast, right?

Jesus is, in fact, assuming that these practices are happening in the lives.

He will say, when you give to those in need, when you pray, and when you fast.

Jesus is not releasing them from being obedient to God.

Instead, what he's working on, what we will see, is the heart condition.

So we'll get there.

We'll get there.

Number two, we are called to display our faith.

We are called to display our faith.

My faith should be something that I believe in, and then there should be evidence of my faith coming from me in my life.

That's why in Matthew 5, 16, Jesus says, in the same way,

let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

You see, Jesus isn't saying that our faith is this personal practice away from everyone else.

That Jesus is calling us, both within a context of body of believers and also within the context of the lost world,

to live out our faith in real, tangible ways.

So this isn't, spiritually speaking, to become a hermit.

It's not what Jesus is challenging.

The challenge Jesus is giving is not if you should do them, but why do you do them?

Not if you should give, if you should fast, if you should pray, but why are you doing these things?

Is your obedience to God from a heart of obedience or from a heart of hypocrisy?

So a hypocrite.

What is a hypocrite?

Sometimes I feel like we throw out words, I throw out words,

and we don't have a clear understanding of the word that is being used.

So Jesus will say, don't be a hypocrite.

And I think when we understand this word, especially in the context that Jesus uses,

it'll help us understand.

You see, a hypocrite is a theatrical term.

A hypocrite refers to the process by which an actor,

and oftentimes within the time of Jesus and moving much forward all throughout the Roman Empire,

there would not be enough actors or actresses, largely actors,

to play all of the roles that were going to happen.

There wasn't the makeup.

There wasn't film.

Everything had to happen in front of them.

So what the actors would do is they would practice a form of hypocrisy.

They would take masks and put them on so that you could see who they are

or the character they are playing by the mask that they wear.

So if you're playing one part, or if you're playing two different parts,

you may have two masks.

You put this mask on, and then you put this mask on,

and then you put this mask on.

So a person is determined by who they are

and the theatrical performance they are playing by the mask they wear.

One of my favorite actors of all time is Morgan Freeman.

If you don't like Morgan Freeman and Morgan Freeman movies, I don't understand.

I love Morgan Freeman because specifically of his ability

to display many different masks as he performs.

Let me throw out some of my favorites to you.

Now I'm going to say the name of the character

and see if you can come with me on these, all right?

Hoke Cloburn.

That's from Driving Miss Daisy.

Sergeant Major John Rollins from the movie Glory.

One I threw out to Josh Nix this morning,

and he didn't get it.

But if you were a teenager in the late 80s, early 90s,

like I think you should know this movie.

He played the character Azeem.

You might know.

He's the sidekick of Kevin Costner.

Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.

Thank you, sir.

Alex Cross and Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider.

But my favorite, my favorite Morgan Freeman character,

of all time, hands down, greatest movie that's ever been made.

Ellis Boyd Redding.

Shawshank Redemption, otherwise known as Red.

I didn't know we'd get into a dialogue about this,

but I love it, right?

I love it.

I love it.

Right.

Here's what makes Morgan Freeman a great actor.

I'm sorry.

What did he play in Lean on Me?

Who is this character's name?

Principal Joe Clark, right?

Right.

How did I leave that one off?

Right?

Phenomenal work.

What makes Morgan Freeman a great actor?

Is he's not a principal?

He's not a chauffeur.

He's not a sergeant major.

He's not a warrior.

He's not a detective.

He is not a prison inmate.

But he can convince you in a movie that this is who he is.

I'm going to let this question resonate with you.

Are your acts of obedience,

are the religious workings that is displayed in your life,

are they done with a motive to convince others

that this is who you truly are?

Are they done with the motive of this is who you are in Christ?

And your obedience is reflective of the one who has saved you,

the one who has transformed you,

and the one who has sanctified you.

Jesus says,

beware of practicing righteousness

before other people

in order to be seen by them.

Jesus is addressing

the motivation

of the heart.

Is it a heart

of flesh

or a heart of God?

So the first that he speaks to

is the heart

the heart of giving.

Would you join me in reading verses 2-4?

Thus, when you give to the needy,

sound no trumpet before you

as the hypocrites do in the synagogue

and in the streets,

that they may be praised by others.

Truly, I say to you,

they have received their reward.

But when you give to the needy,

do not let your left hand know

what your right hand is doing

so that your giving may be in secret

and your Father who sees in secret

will reward you.

Here's what Jesus is saying.

Don't be the person

whose goal and generosity

is to draw attention to yourself.

Don't be a person

in manners of generosity

to be followed with

with a heart

and a posturing

and a mindset

of look at me.

And if you do,

your reward

is found

in the moment

in the praise of man

and not in the glory of God.

The religious hypocrites

of the day

enjoyed

flaunting

both what they gave

in the synagogue

and on the streets.

Their means of sacrifice,

their means of giving

was not out of obedience

to the Lord

but off their own praise.

We give to God

because we trust Him.

We give to God

because we love Him.

We give to God

because we understand

that all that I,

not just all that I am,

but all that I have

is His.

And God,

I trust You.

I don't trust You

just with my salvation,

but I trust You

with my right now.

I trust You

with every part of me.

I trust You

with my bank account.

I trust You

with my wife.

I trust You

with my kids.

Lord,

I trust You

with it all.

And God,

I am not giving back

to You

a portion that is Yours

and keeping for the rest

the part that is Mine,

but I'm giving it all

to You

as You've called me to.

Every dollar

that is spent

is Yours.

Every dollar

that's given

is Yours.

But also,

we give to others

so that we can show

the compassion

and love

that was bestowed

upon us.

So I give

and I'm generous

because I'm compassionate

to You

and where You are

and it's not that

I pity You,

it's that I love You.

Not because You've

earned it

or You've deserved it

because it's desperate

what you need

in the same way

that God

gives to us.

And so if the warning,

it is the warning

of the heart

that seeks

self-glory.

and this

when we seek

our self-glory

is the reward

instead of

the glory

for God

that He's called us to.

The second

is the heart

of prayer.

We'll read

verses 5 through 8

next week.

We will look at

specifically

how Jesus instructs us

to pray

starting in verse 9

but let's look at

the heart of prayer.

Jesus says,

when you pray

you must not be

like the hypocrites.

Again,

here we go.

Must not be like

the hypocrites

for they love

to stand

and pray

in the synagogue

and at street corners

that they may be

seen by others.

Truly,

I say to you,

they have received

their reward.

But when you pray,

go into your room

and shut the door

and pray to your Father

who is in secret

and your Father

who sees

in secret

will reward you.

And when you pray,

do not heap up

empty phrases

as the Gentiles do

for they think

that they will be heard

for their many words.

Do not be like them

for your Father

knows what you need

before you ask Him.

This week,

I read prayer

defined as this.

A child of God

talking to His heavenly Father,

and listening to His Father

by His Word

illuminated by the Spirit.

I love,

I think oftentimes

that you and I

approach prayer

like a job interview.

I'm here to impress.

I've got to use long words.

I've got to give

complicated thoughts.

I've got to impress God

with who I am

in my prayers

or in a religious sense

like what we see here.

I don't want to impress

those who are around me

instead of the beautiful picture

of what we see,

of what is defined here,

of the simplicity

of a child

talking to their father.

A child crawling up

in the lap.

A child whispering

in the ear.

A child sharing

the affirmations

and the adoration

of their heart

to their father.

You see,

the prayer

for the hypocrite

is not a sincere

conversation with God,

but instead

is an opportunity

for them

to try to prove

and try to show

how spiritual

they truly are.

Who they are

in their public prayer life

is not who they are

in their private prayer life.

The issue

is not just that

their prayers

are too eloquent

or too long

or too spiritual.

The issue

is that

their prayer

is a public

performance.

Their prayer

comes from a heart

that seeks

spiritual prominence

before others.

Let me prove

how much more

spiritual

I am

than you.

I think

when we

take on

attitudes like this

that what we do

instead of impressing

is that we

discourage

those

who were

desperately

and earnestly

trying to grow

in their faith

and in their obedience.

And as a result

they feel like

their prayer

is less than

because it can't

meet the standard

of the Oscar

winning performance

that they just saw.

Jesus said

don't be

in this

performative mode.

Don't be

like the Gentiles

who babble

empty phrases

over and over

and over

again

to gods

who do not

even exist.

But let

your public

prayer life

reflect

your daily

private life.

Number three

number three

the heart

of fasting.

Drop down

with me

to verse

16 through

18.

And when

you fast

do not

look gloomy

like the

hypocrites

for they

disfigure

their faces

that their

fasting

may be

seen by

others.

Truly

I say

to you

they have

received

their reward

but when

you fast

anoint

your head

and wash

your face

that your

fasting may

not be

seen by

others

but by

your

father

who is

in secret

and your

father

who sees

in secret

will

reward

you.

Praise

God for

you and

me

there's

probably

enough

conviction

in the

first

four words

and when

you

fast.

so let

me

confess

here

right

right

right

this

I don't

know if

you can

tell

this is a

practice

that I

need to

have more

for many

many reasons

in my

life.

But what

is fasting?

What is

biblical fasting

and why

do we do

it?

Simple

for needs

for this

morning

fasting

consists

of

abstaining

from

eating

drinking

or another

activity

for a

dedicated

set period

of time

for

purposes

of

prayer

devotion

mourning

repentance

and

obedience.

It's

setting this

aside

saying

Jesus

you are

enough

and so

I'm going

to give

up this

meal

I'm going

to give

up this

time

I'm going

to give

up this

activity

find my

satisfaction

my purpose

to set

my mind

and my

heart

on you.

Now

one thing

to note

about

fasting

it's

hard

when

fasting

is done

well

it

should

be

difficult

you see

the call

is to

fast

from

things

that

you

feel

like

you

need

or

that

you

do

need

or

that

you

desire

and

that

are

a

consistent

part

of

your

life

so

an

example

for

me

right

a

proper

fasting

would

be

for

me

to

fast

from

food

I

love

food

I

love

a lot

of

food

I

love

all

the

food

I'm

thinking

about

lunch

right now

right

I

love

food

now

an

improper

fast

for me

I may

do this

this Christmas

would be

to fast

from

lifetime

Christmas

movies

improper

fast

why

not a

fan

not a

fan

I can

watch the

first five

minutes

in the

last five

minutes

and

know

everything

that

happened

in

between

right

if

you

love

them

great

for

you

they're

not

my

deal

okay

fasting

is

intended

to be

hard

fasting

is

intended

to be

difficult

fasting

is

intended

to

challenge

the

physically

of

who

we

are

within

this

as

we

spiritually

lean

in

and

trust

him

more

and

people

fasted

then

and

maybe

even

now

they

loved

to

make

a

big

deal

about

it

the

picture

that

I

think

of

and

the

picture

that

I

see

would

be

like

seventh

grade

Bo

waking

up

on a

weekday

morning

remembering

he has

a science

test

and

the

only

way

out

is

to

convince

mom

and

dad

that

I'm

sick

so

what

do

you

think

seventh

grade

Bo

would

walk

in

there

with

a

smile

on

his

face

hey

guess

what

I

feel

terrible

today

no

I

wanted

to

convince

them

that

there

was

something

wrong

with

me

that

I

would

struggle

so

I

would

walk

in

usually

having

pressed

a

light

bulb

on

my

forehead

so

I

could

right

go

in

the

bathroom

for

a

few

minutes

make

some

noises

to

think

that

I'm

getting

sick

in

there

right

people

would

fast

they

would

come

out

and

they

would

mess

up

their

hair

they

would

dirty

themselves

up

they

would

walk

and

look

miserable

within

their

countenance

what's

wrong

with

you

brother

and

sister

I'm

just

fasting

for

the

Lord

today

isn't

he

so

good

put

the

mask

of

hypocrisy

on

they're

doing

this

for

the

approval

of

others

Jesus

says

when

you

fast

don't

be like

the

hypocrites

clean

up

clean

up

your

face

anoint

your

like

look

good

is

what

he's

describing

look

like

you're

ready

for

the

day

and

as

you

walk

in

the

confidence

of

who

God

is

the

reflection

is

not

for

them

to

see

what

you're

doing

so

that

they

can

praise

you

but

the

reflection

is

because

I'm

dependent

on

God

for

all

that

he

is

you

see

it's

the

heart

that

seeks

spiritual

superiority

and

not

the

heart

that

seeks

God

right

Jesus

challenges

us

in

her

hypocrisy

of

why

we

do

what

we

do

even

if

it's

perceived

obedience

you

see

the

questions

that

Jesus

raised

is

not

a

question

of

should

you

or

shouldn't

you

yes

you

should

God's

word

commands

generosity

God's

word

commands

prayer

God's

word

commands

fasting

the

question

is

why

do

you

and

who

do

you

do

it

for

maybe

for

you

giving

prayer

fasting

aren't

the

concerns

when

I

think

of

the

modern

day

church

I

think

of

the

struggles

of

what

Jesus

may

have

said

if

we

were

the

ones

gathered

around

the

sermon

of

the

mount

would

he

challenge

the

reasons

why

we

serve

would

he

challenge

the

reasons

why

we

attend

would

he

challenge

the

motivation

of

fellowship

would

he

challenge

our

pursuit

of

discipleship

would

he

challenge

our

acts

of

worship

this

week

I

wrestled

with

these

two

questions

in

my

own

heart

sharing

with

you

folks

who are

you

here

for

who

are

you

here

for

are

you

here

for

him

are

you

here

for

other

reasons

and

when

we

go

from

here

folks

who

are

you

living

for

who

are

you

living

for

whose

name

is

on the

heartbeat

of your

life

whose

glory

are

you

seeking

whose

story

are

you

telling

I'm

going to

ask the

worship

team

if they'll

make their

way up

onto the

stage

ask our

prayer

encouragers

if they'll

move to

the side

of the

auditorium

are

your

acts

of

obedience

done

to

convince

others

that you

are

someone

that you

are

truly

not

or

are

your

acts

of

obedience

reflective

of

the

one

who

has

saved

you

the

one

who

has

transformed

you

and

the

one

who

is

sanctifying

you

would

you

join

me

in

prayer

God

we

come

to

you

we're

thanking

you

for

all

of

who

you

are

or

for

all

of

what

you've

done

help

us

remove

the

masks

that

we

place

help

us

remove

the

evil

pursuits

of

our

hearts

that

seek

our

glory

above

yours

it's

in

Jesus

name

we

pray

amen

that's

it

for

this

week's

message

be

sure

to

check

back

next

week

for

a

new

episode

and

in

the

meantime

you

can

visit

us

online

at

willowridgechurch.org

or by

searching for

Willow Ridge Church

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thanks again

for listening

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