Hypocrisy

Matthew 6:1–18 NIV

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. 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, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 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. 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.

Introduction

Matthew 6:1 NIV

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.

Be careful

In chapter 6 we see the temptation of fallen humans when confronted with the beauty of righteousness – we pursue righteousness with a wrong heart.

This is a warning of a danger that lies in front of those who act with righteousness.

Not to practice righteousness in front of others to be seen by them

Jesus is not condemning the practice of righteousness which he has just commanded!

He’s not even condemning public righteousness

Matthew 5:16 “16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Instead he is again focused on the heart

What is the purpose of my public righteousness?

To be seen by them (6:1)

That they might glorify your father in heaven (5:16)

You have no reward

The result of this hypocritical righteousness is a lack of reward

The word “reward” appears 7 times in this passage

The reward is presented as a positive – Jesus is not forbidding service for the purpose of receiving a reward (which might be another form of false piety we are tempted towards)

The distinction of rewards is one of timing and significance

Wrong-hearted righteousness has its own reward, but God is a greater rewarder

Jesus is a realist, it does feel good to be well thought of, but God offers something far better.

Jesus illustrates with three righteous acts in which we must resist the temptation of public performance.

“When you give”

“When you pray”

“When you fast”

Giving

Matthew 6:2–4 NIV

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.

Bad Example

Jesus uses an apparently real example of the practice of the time

Trumpets in the streets to gather a crowd for the offering

Getting a hospital wing named after you

Right Practice

Quiet anonymous giving is the practice Jesus commends

This is not giving without reward, but giving with meaningful reward

Praying

Matthew 6:5–15 NIV

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, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 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.

Bad Example

Public self-exalting prayer

Of course, this cannot be a prohibition of all public prayer

Corporate prayer is encouraged

Prayers are recorded

Even the Lord’s prayer is uttered from plural lips “our Father”

As with giving – the emphasis is on the heart that seeks the reward of men instead of God

Right Practice

Prayer is the humble action of a dependent heart – prideful prayer is utterly inconsistent with the purpose of prayer

Jesus gives an example of humble prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus prayer is focused on the glory of God

Our Father in heaven

Hallowed be your name

Your will be done

Jesus prayer is a declaration of our submission to God

The holiness of his name is revealed by the holiness of his people

A request for God’s will to be done is a declaration that I will do his will

Jesus prayer is focused on our dependance on God

Give us our daily bread (physical needs)

Forgive us our debts (spiritual needs)

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one

God does not tempt us so this probably is a prayer for strength in resisting temptation

Fasting

Matthew 6:16–18 NIV

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.

Bad Example

Fasting with misery in your face so everyone knows

Kid pretending to be sick

Right Practice

Fasting is commended as a practice of humble worship

It is a practice on the day of atonement (Lev. 16)

It is a practice of mourning (Jdg 20)

It is associated with prayer and preparation (Esth 4)

It is commended for the disciples after Jesus departs (Mt 9:15)

It accompanies appointing ministers in the church (Ac. 14)

Fasting rightly done is focused on the father and should be actively masked in public

Conclusion

This can be extended to any act of worship or which we do for any reason other than glorifying God

The foundation of faithful obedience is an understanding of who God is – he sees everything and is good.

Righteousness before men betrays a doubt of God’s true character: Either

He does not see

He is not good

So worship with confidence in the goodness and omniscience of God