Giving to the Needy

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Hymn - THERE’S NO GREATER NAME THAN JESUS (335) - Michael Baughen

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Psalm 67:6–7 ESV

The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!

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Hymn - EVERY PROMISE (1153) - Stuart Townsend and Keith & Kristyn Getty

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Reading

Matthew 6:1–4 ESV

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues 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.

Sermon

Beatitudes

6 x Antithesis

Sincere Devotion of the Heart

Matthew 6:1 ESV

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Does not contradict Matt 5:16, but is mentioned for a different purpose

Matthew 5:16 ESV

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.

Good works that give Glory to God

Now in Matt 6:1 Jesus addresses hypocrits whose works and religious fervor with the heart intention of drawing attention to themselves

They ensured others with have full view of them when engaged in almsgiving, prayer and/or fasting.

Leading others to say “How devout, how remarkably pious are these scribes and Pharaisees!”

Public displays motivated by drawing attention to yourself must be avoided

Why?

“for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven”

When you glorify yourself, you receive your reward from men, a reward of honour, admiration and praise.

Since your innermost being you never meant to please and Glorify God, He will not reward you.

Such religious exercises are fraudulent, and theft

If you engage in them, you are trying to cover up your real motive.

You are putting on an act

Under the guise of giving glory to God you are seeking glory for yourselves

As if you could deceive the Omniscient (all knowing) Father in Heaven!

Jesus reviews three expressions of “righteousness” charitable giving, prayer and fasting ...

Charitable Giving

Matthew 6:2 ESV

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Giving to the poor is demanded by the Laws of God

We must not forget this is not at the cost of your Giving to God (Tithes & Offerings)

Malachi 3:8–11 ESV

Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.

Make provision for the poor...

Leviticus 19:10 ESV

And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.

Jesus said...

Matthew 7:12 ESV

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 6:36 ESV

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Jesus has already established this principal in his sermon

Return..

Matthew 6:2 ESV

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

We cannot be surprised when in Matt 6:2 he takes such a charitable giving for granted

Jesus assumes that giving to the poor is already being done

In Christ’s day “relief” for the under priviledged was provided by the “religious” community

it’s only since 1950’s that have we had a social care system run by the government

they were “taxed” according to there ability

this was supplemented by voluntary gifts

The latter welfare contributions were announced publicly in the synagogues, and apparently announced even to the poor in the streets

It is unlikely that they literally had trumpets, but rather it is used as with the modern phrase “they were blowing their own trumpet”

In combat troops would blow a trumpet to make their prescence known

Ancient Greece, they would blow a trumpet prior to announcements

The Pharasees did everything in their power to advertise what they had done

They were hypocrits and pretended to give, but they really intended to receive (honour from men)

“Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward”

Jesus affirms that no future reward awaits them

Today in all kinds of ways, sometimes bold and othertimes subtle, people still advertise their deeds of benevolence and in so doing are depriving themselves of any real reward

Giving in Secret

Matthew 6:3–4 ESV

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.

Not only is it wrong to seek praise from others, it is also wrong to praise onself

In the vast majority of situations your hands are well aquainted

They do most tasks together - lift, carry, and catch together etc.

They are familiar with what each other are doing

Jesus presents a concept in which even you are seemingly unaware of your own contributions

Not only keep the voluntary contribution a secret to others

But even to yourself

instead of saying “what a good person I am!”

Effectively you should forget about it

Reward in Secret

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you

It is God who keeps account

Hebrews 4:13 ESV

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Rendering of the Greek text .... “and your father, the seeing One, will reward you in secret”

Ecclesiastes 12:14 ESV

For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

The concept of deeds of kindness being done in secret, being kept secret and even the reward bestowed in secret clashed with the prevailing teaching

Sincere Devotion of the Heart

Contentment is found in Righteousness

Three Disciplines of Faith on Secret

Catholic Church highlights Lent - public by its nature

Yet based on Jesus fasting in the wilderness alone

Giving in Secret

The recipient has cause to praise and honour God

Prayer in Secret

Fasting in Secret

Hymn -

Closing Prayer

Doxology