The Good Life: Practice Your Righteousness (Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18)

He was well aware of good-for-nothing religious practice. He lived when the love of many grew cold toward the Lord. Their religion was cold. Their hearts did not burn with a passion for Christ and his kingdom. That is until God used Edwards to spark a revival and what is known as the Second Great Awakening.

One may not have recognized their hearts were cold. They practiced religion. They were pious people. They gave to the poor, prayed often, and even fasted. But as the scriptures remind us, your lips can worship the lord while your heart is far from him. That is the danger of religion. We can practice a kind of righteousness that God does not approve. Jesus is confronting that very idea in Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18.

The religious elite were diligent in practicing almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. But they did so in such a way that was more about them than it was about honoring God. Jesus corrects this practice in our text. He moves from teaching us the moral demands of the kingdom in chapter 5 to the religious demands in chapter 6. This morning, Jesus wants you to practice righteousness. But he wants you to do it in a way that not only honors God but also empowers you to live a more meaningful life. In other words, Jesus commands you to…

Practice kingdom righteousness by giving without boasting, praying without impressing, and fasting without showing off while resting in the Lord’s reward.

Jesus assumes you will be practicing righteousness (Matthew 6:1)

Matthew 6:1 ESV

1 “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.

The word “practice” in verse 1, is a present active infinitive of the word poiew, which means “to do.” It is a complimentary infinitive, which, as my Greek Professor, Dr. Robert Plummer at SBTS would often say, “It’s just wanting, needing, a compliment.” A compliment to an infinitive answers the question, “To do what?” Jesus answers, “practice righteousness,” or to “perform righteous deeds.” Jesus assumes his disciples will practice acts of righteousness because obedience is the mark of a true disciple. Jesus says, “If you love me, you will obey me.”

We see Jesus’ assumption of obedience best when using the temporal “when” throughout the entire section. Jesus says, “When you give,” “When you pray,” and “When you fast.” Practicing your righteousness is not a matter of if you will do it. Genuine believers living in the kingdom of God now practice almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.

Jesus offers a warning, however, to how you practice your righteousness. He says, “Beware,” or “Take heed,” “Be careful,” or “Pay attention” to why you are practicing your righteousness. Jesus says there is a wrong way to do it and a right way to do it. Once again, Jesus is concerned about your heart. What is motivating you to practice your righteousness? Is it for the approval of God or the praise of men?

One of the ancient fathers of the church, Thomas a Kempis, wisely said,

If you take heed what you are within, you shall not reckon what men say of you. Man looks on the visage and God on the heart. Man considers the deeds and God praises the thoughts.

Thomas à Kempis (Ascetical Writer)

Practice Almsgiving, Payer, and Fasting

Almsgiving (giving to the poor), prayer, and fasting have been the marks of piety for as long as we have worshiped God. Tobit is an Apocrypha book that was well read in Jesus’ day by the Jews. It reads,

Tobit 12:8 LES

8 Prayer is good with fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness. Better little with righteousness than much with unrighteousness. It is better to practice almsgiving than to store up gold.

To be a pious person in antiquity was to fast, pray, and give to those in need. Jesus mentions the same three practices in Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18. Jesus expects these practices to mark your life in a way that proves you belong to his kingdom and is approved by God. In verse 2, Jesus begins with almsgiving.

Practice Kingdom Righteousness by Giving to the Poor Without Boasting in Yourself (Matthew 6:2-4)

As I said before, giving to the poor is the mark of true piety. In the Old Testament, the Moses said,

Deuteronomy 15:7–8 ESV

7 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.

Jesus says to his disciples,

Luke 12:33 ESV

33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

The true piety behind giving to the poor is a commitment to God’s kingdom to make all of your possessions available for his purpose, to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home, with the heartfelt acceptance that all of your possessions are His anyways.

The problem with our possessions, says John Barry, is an unhealthy attachment to our material things, which hinders our faith. That was the problem of the rich young ruler. He could not let go of his wealth, which told Jesus the rich young ruler was too attached to the kingdom of the world. So Jesus says, ‘Sell all you have and give it to the poor.” Get rid of the stumbling block keeping you from heaven.

For those of us who love Jesus, giving to the poor regularly helps rid ourselves of a hindrance that keeps us from a total commitment to the kingdom of heaven. So, Jesus says give alms to the poor, but watch how you do it.

Jesus says, “Do not give to the needy by sounding the trumpet before you.” Jesus could refer to a sizeable horn-shaped box resembling a trumpet on one end. They were called shofar chests. It was in the temple, so people could throw coins into it as an alms offering. It would make a sound like throwing quarters into a toll box. If a person throws a lot of money into the almsgiving box, it would draw much attention, which is Jesus’ point. You tell others that you are giving your wealth to the poor. Why do you do you do it? You want the praise of others. You want the glory. The giver gets the glory.

It is a known principle in our world that if someone gives a large amount of money to philanthropy like a hospital, you name a wing of the new building after them. If someone pays for a school to have a new gymnasium or an athletic field, it is proper to name it after the largest donor. Why? Because the giver gets the glory. The glory is the praise of men, the reward the hypocrites get who sound the trumpet when they give. God disapproves of this kind of almsgiving.

God disapproves of this giving because your giving is connected to your acts of righteousness. Your gift is supposed to come from an overflow of love for God, not for yourself. Your giving should come from an attitude that does not boast about what you have but acknowledges that what you have is a gift from God. Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for not having this attitude regarding their spiritual gifts.He says

1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

7 …What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

God is the giver of gifts. Why should you boast? Everything you have is a gift from the Lord. You have not right to draw that kind of attention to yourself or to receive that kind of glory. That is God’s glory, and you are robbing him of it.

James says

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

All the wealth you have is a gift from the Lord. He’s given you the means and opportunity to gain wealth. He’s given you the mechanisms to save and invest your wealth. Jesus demands that you give a portion of your wealth away with the kind of heart that praises God, who gave it, and for the opportunity to provide it. The Giver gets the glory.

When we offer up our wealth as love offerings and free will offerings to build our buildings, our gymnasiums, our new classrooms, and even a new building for our church, we can stop the cycles of poverty, break the chains of addiction, unite broken families together, receive the least of these children that nobody wants, and provide a church home for those whom God is drawing to himself, and we will give God the glory as the supreme Giver. The Giver gets the glory.

When it comes time to give, the posture your giving should take is humility. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. This is hyperbole, which involves exaggeration for effect. Jesus uses this metaphor to suggest that when we give, it should be done so discreetly that we hardly realize what we have given. Giving should be a natural part of your daily Christian life. It’s part of your DNA as a believer. It is so part of your DNA, that you desire no need to make much of it. It’s like breathing. You do it. You don’t go around telling everyone you are breathing. We assume you are breathing. We would be alarmed if you were not breathing. And so it should be with your giving to the poor.

Someone who comes to mind when I think of having the right heart attitude for practicing the righteousness of giving to the poor is the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite pass him, giving no thought to his need. These were God’s men. The Samaritan, however, sees a man, possibly his enemy, badly hurt by the world's evil. The Good Samaritan not only bandaged up his wounds, but he

Luke 10:34–35 (HCSB)

34 …he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’

I also think about the Macedonians who were being persecuted and heard that their fellow believers were suffering in Jerusalem. Paul says that out of their extreme poverty, they joyfully gave beyond their means (2 Co 8:2-3). What about the widow in the temple? Jesus saw her in light of the rich, who gave a little. Out of her poverty, she gave all she had to the Lord (Luke 21:1-4). The Good Samaritan, the Macedonians, and the widow all have the same heart attitude toward giving. All of their possessions were available for God’s service to joyfully advance His kingdom by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home, with the understanding that God gave all of their possessions as gifts to be used for God’s purposes.

God approves this kind of giving. We know this for two reasons. First, the Bible says God loves a generous heart and a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7-10). God loves a generous heart because it’s a heart like his own heart. Second, he rewards you for your humble giving. Jesus says your father, who sees you secretly, will reward you. Part of the reward is the inheritance of the kingdom of God—all of your acts of kindness by faith store up treasures in heaven. There is also an earthly reward. Solomon encouraged his sons,

Proverbs 3:9–10 ESV

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; 10 then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

I am not advocating a health, wealth, and prosperity gospel. I abhor that gospel. I am saying that when you hold on loosely with your possessions for the Lord’s sake, he will make sure you are taken care of. Paul rejoiced that the Philippian church gave toward his ministry out of their poverty. He saw them as instruments of God’s grace for his kingdom work. So, Paul encouraged them

Philippians 4:18–19 ESV

18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Paul is confident that God will meet their needs because they were so giving toward the Kingdom. Practice the righteousness of your giving in the same way, by giving to the poor without boasting.

Practice Kingdom Righteousness by Praying to the Lord Without Trying to Impress People (Matthew 6:5–8)

Jesus moves on from alms giving to another key mark of a true believer, which is prayer. In verse 5

Matthew 6:5 ESV

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Who are the hypocrites? The word Jesus used for hypocrite means actor. A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something they are not, just like an actor does. Actors often immerse themselves in their characters, sometimes even convincing themselves that they are the characters they are playing. For example, when Jim Carrey filmed "Man on the Moon," the story of Andy Kaufman, he reportedly stayed in character the entire time while filming, both on and off set, and insisted that the crew members refer to him as Andy. Similarly, those who pray in public places to be seen by others are like actors staying in character even when the audience is not watching.‌

The devout Jews during Jesus’ time enjoyed praying in public gatherings. They used flowery language to impress those who listened to them. These individuals prayed in public places, similar to street performers so that others would notice them. In Jerusalem, a trumpet would sound at the time of daily sacrifice. The hypocrites would seize this opportunity to kneel and pray loudly, regardless of their location in the community. The whole act was intended to attract attention and applause from onlookers. That was their only reward.

It's not wrong to pray publicly. Moses and the Prophets prayed out loud. Ezra prayed over God's people when they found the law. The early church frequently came together for communal prayer. They prayed for courage in sharing the gospel and for God to advance His kingdom (Acts 4:23-31; 13:3; 14:23; 20:36). When disciples pray, they do so without concern for whether others are watching. They are not concerned with being seen by man but with being heard and approved by God.

God approves of prayer, which is meant only for God to answer. Find a quiet space where it is just you and God. How often did Jesus move away from his disciples, from the crowds that demanded his attention, from the world's noise, towards a quiet and lonely place to pray to his Father in heaven? Take the same kind of posture with your own prayers. Go into a quiet place, close the door, and pray to the Lord.

It helps to understand the nature of God-approved prayer and why it should be quiet and discrete.

Prayer is an expression of your weakness.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes it abundantly clear to all his disciples.

John 15:5 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

We are powerless apart from Christ. We can do nothing for God’s kingdom on our own accord. The upside down of believing I can do all thing through Christi who strengthens me is I can do nothing on my own strength. Right after Jesus says apart from me you can do nothing, he follows that up with prayer. He says

John 15:7 ESV

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Prayer is an expression of our weakness to God that requires a level of intimacy for us to acknowledge our weakness and receive his mercy. Jesus, who sympathizes with our weakness says to us,

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The prayer closet is the best place for you to express your weakness before God. God sees your weakness and promises to provide the mercy and grace in your time of need.

Prayer is an expression of our humility.

The prayer that Jesus lifted up to his disciples was not the Pharisees prayer who stood and spoke long and hard about how he gave up tithes and offerings to the Lord. No. It was the tax collector prayer who dropped to his knees and cried out, “Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned.” The prayer closet is the place for confession and repentance. God hears our confession and promises to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Prayer is an expression of our faith in a soverign good God.

A few verses later, Jesus commends his disciples to not be anxious about what they will eat or what they will wear. God already knows what you need for food and clothing (Matthew 6:25-34). God is a good Father who gives good gifts to his children who ask him. That is what it means for him to reward you. He hears your prayers and answers them for your good. Jesus says,

Matthew 7:7 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

He continues,

Matthew 7:9–11 ESV

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Pray to the Lord without trying to impress others with your lofty religious words. Instead, Go to your prayer closet and seek the Lord. Express your weakness and need for mercy and grace. Express your humility by confessing your sins and seeking forgiveness. Express your belief in a Good and soverign God who hears your prayers and answers them for your good. Your Father who hears you in secret with reward you.

Practice Kingdom Righteousness by Fasting from the World Without Filling Your ego by Showing Off (Matthew 6:16–18)

Jesus assumes you will practice the righteousness of fasting from the world in a regular basis. My spiritual disciplines professor at Southern Seminary wrote a book called Spiritual Disciplines. He defines fasting in its literal biblical sense as,

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Fasting Explained

Christian fasting is a believer’s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes

Water would also be included with food. Otherwise, the bible does not speak to other kinds of fasting in Jewish tradition. That is not to say that the principle of fasting cannot be expanded in our context. I think Martin Lloyd Jones is helpful. In his, Studies in the Sermon of the Mount, he says

“To make the matter complete, we would add that fasting, if we conceive of it truly, must not only be confined to the question of food and drink; fasting should really be made to include abstinence from anything which is legitimate in and of itself for the sake of some special spiritual purpose.” Martin Lloyd Jones (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1960), vol. 1, 38.)

For our context this morning, we will focus on food because Jesus warns not to

Matthew 6:16 ESV

16 “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.

The religious actors would put ashes on their faces to look pale and walk around with a grim look on their faces to gain sympathy and adoration for their false piety. Just like an actor would put on a mask to play a character, the hypocrites would put on their false piety mask when they fasted in order to show off. Look at me! Look at me! Look how I deny myself the appetite of my stomach. Surely, I am one of God’s people. Yes, this person denies the world’s food only to feed his ego with the lust of the flesh and the pride of his eyes. Once again, the reward they received was the praise of men. In God’s eyes, their fast was empty and worthless.

What is a fast that is approved by God?

You have to ask yourself, “What is at the heart of fasting from food?” What is it about eating that gives us life and joy? Well, at one level, we die if we don’t eat. It takes about forty days or so of going without nutrition before the body shuts down. For some, it is even less. There is also another level to food for us. We get joy when we eat. Think about some of the happiest times of your life. I would argue many of them have food involved. We even eat food for comfort, say at a funeral or when we grieve. Eating is a staple of life for us, and to deny ourselves food is to deny a degree of joy and necessity for living. Food satisfies our physical, spiritual, and emotional hunger.

The Lord, however, has made it clear that food is not the only essential satisfier on the block. When Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, Satan tempted him to feed himself by turning stones into bread. But Jesus, in his wisdom, knew that true nourishment comes from the Word of God, not just bread. This spiritual nourishment is what truly satisfies our hunger and brings us closer to the divine. Jesus quotes Deut 8:3 in Matthew 4:4

Matthew 4:4 ESV

4 But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

We have a spiritual hunger, a heart hunger, that cannot be satisfied by food alone. God has written eternity in our hearts. What is mortal fails to even come close to filling that void. Fasting arouses our hunger for God by denying our appetite for earthly food. It’s a way to worship God so that our heart hunger can feast on the eternal Bread of Life and the Living Water. Fasting helps us experience what Paul prayed for the Ephesian church, that they would

Ephesians 3:19 (ESV)

19 …know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

So, Jesus calls you to a better fast that is meaningful and spiritually fruitful. He says,

Matthew 6:17–18 ESV

17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 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.

Do not announce to the world what is between you and the Lord. Your Father sees your fast and will reward you accordingly.

What does God reward you for your fast?

He gives you the desires of your heart and answers the prayer that Jesus discusses in Matthew 6:9-13. Those who are currently living the good life and practicing righteousness through fasting want to bring honor to God's name in their church, community, and home. They long to see God's sovereign kingship and authority respected and submitted to, and they desire to joyfully obey Christ on earth as it is in heaven. They prayerfully ask God to provide the resources needed to have a strong Biblical New Testament church, an educational school that promotes the Great Commission, and an effective Biblical Counseling center that can break the cycles of poverty, addiction, and family breakdown with the gospel. They aim to be forgiving Christians who love their enemies and protect the unity of the church, and they pray for God's protection until his return. Ultimately, God fulfills your spiritual hunger with more of himself and rewards your prayers that align with his desires, developed during fasting and prayer. Remember, your prayers are not in vain, and the result of fasting is the joyful advancement of God's kingdom by exalting Jesus in the church, community, and home.

So, wash your face. Make your skin look good. Do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Pray to the Father for strength and joy as you deny yourself a bit of comfort in the world, and practice your fasting in a way that is approved by your father.

Let’s not practice good for nothing, but righteousness for our good

Jesus did not call us to “do good for nothing religious practices.” He called us to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus in the church, community, and home. We make much of Jesus when we practice our righteousness from a heart that loves him and loves our neighbor. Jesus said we will always have the poor. Therefore, give generously to the poor from an abundance of gratitude for your Father’s generosity toward you in Christ. Remember, Jesus had to shed his blood on the cross to atone for your sin so you can confidently enter the presence of God in prayer to receive mercy and grace. So pray toward your Father and only for your Father’s approval. He sees you and hears you and will answer you. Finally, enjoy your Father by fasting for more of his presence and power in your life. Deny yourself the trifles of this world so you can enjoy the Bread of Life. Pray while you fast that the Living water you drink from will pour over onto your ministry in this church and your lost neighbor. Let’s not practice good for nothing. Let’s practice righteousness for the praise and honor of our King and for the Lord’s good in our lives.

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