Outline The Hand of the Lord Who Freely Gives based on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

I. Amazing hands. Our hands are amazing. When are hands are working good, then all kinds of things can be done. “Recent research has determined that the fastest accelerating part of the human body is not the blink of an eye. The snapping of your finger is actually twenty times faster, taking just seven milliseconds to travel from the thumb to the palm.” Our hands are truly amazing.

II. Hands do a variety of things.

III. Poor in spirit. Jesus, in our sermon text in Matthew 6 for tonight, refers to human hands. Jesus says in Matthew 6:3, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” These words of Jesus are from the chapters of Matthew that are often called, the Sermon on the Mount, because of the place where Jesus spoke these words. At the start of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

IV. Matthew 6:3 on giving. Jesus says in Matthew 6:3, “But when you give to the needy...” Not if you give to the needy, but when you give to the needy. Instead of wanting all kinds of thanks and hands slapping your back, Christian giving is intended to be the kind of giving in which the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. What does that mean? Jesus explains in Matthew 6:4, (Christian giving is to be done in a humble way), “so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Christian giving is not to be showy, but done in such a way that God the Father might be the only One who knows where the gift came from.

V. Comments by a Lutheran pastor. A Lutheran pastor puts things this way, “Jesus’ words grab hold of the heart of the matter. … On the one hand, the moment that we start to dwell on what our hands are doing, we take our focus off our neighbor and his or her needs in order to make our giving all about ourselves. Our neighbor is no longer best served. On the other hand, there is the greater spiritual concern. Our sinful condition has so distorted our lives that we can outwardly appear humble, keeping our giving to ourselves, but inwardly be brimming full of arrogant pride in the work of our own hands.” (Taken from part of a sermon by Pastor Matthew Rosebrock on Matthew 6:1-6).

VI. Heart problem. In other words, the real problem we have is a heart problem. Ash Wednesday is designed to show us our heart problem. Jesus says in Matthew 15:19–20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” This condition of the heart means that we are all sinners and wrongdoers who deserve nothing but God’s anger and punishment. If our lives were left in our hands, even though our hands can do amazing things, we could never be forgiven and saved from the punishment we deserve.

VII. Joel’s words of hope. Still, the Old Testament prophet Joel gives us words of hope this Ash Wednesday in Joel 2:12–13, “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

VIII. King David and Psalm 51:10. King David also knew about this heart problem. He pleads in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” We, like David, need to have the hand of the Lord give us a clean heart and a renewed right spirit. How does that take place? Why does the Lord give and give? Jesus brought this about by the work of His hands. Jesus, in His great love for you and me, allowed His left hand and His right hand to be stretched out on the wooden cross outside Jerusalem. He has taken your sins and wrongs all the way to death on the cross. Your sins and wrongs are taken as far away as the east is from the west. Jesus did everything needed to completely forgive you and fill your empty hands with salvation and gracious favor.

IX. Conclusion. Now as you live out your life by giving to the needy and telling others the Good News about Jesus with a new heart, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing by daily repenting and growing in faith. Remember that the rewards of this life are like nothing compared to the everlasting gifts of God who rewards in secret. As you come to the altar with empty hands, your hands will be filled with the true Body and Blood of Jesus, given and shed for you. Amen.