HIDDEN HANDS HEAVENLY REWARDS - MATTHEW 6:1-4

MATTHEW 6:1-4 - Giving

This morning, we dive back into the Gospel of Matthew.  Before Easter we ended chapter 5 of Matthew with Jesus’ message of Radical love and the Agape Love that Jesus calls us to requires us to go the extra mile beyond “fairness,” to love the unlovable especially those who seem to be against us, ultimately it allows us to reflect the Father’s Heart – the very Heart of God and we left with the idea of  Kingdom living means rejecting retaliation and embracing radical love, even for our enemies—reflecting the perfect love of our Heavenly Father.

Easter we looked at the Resurrection in terms of Discipleship with the cross and tomb being our starting up and not ending point and the cross reminding us to Surrender our wants, needs and desires to fully follow Jesus, the tomb reminds us that we are required to die to self and the resurrection reminds us to live with hope and purpose in our new identity our born again salvation.

And last week we looked at how we respond to Jesus – are we paralyzed and in need of a breakthrough, empowered to get others to Him, skeptical of how He does things, or sitting at His feet in awe or wonder?

This morning, we start chapter 6 – previous was relation to the law and with each other – now He turns to our relation with God the Father – and teaches on 3 aspects – that were very important to the Jewish culture – giving, praying, and fasting – today we will look at the giving aspect –

let us pray!

Sermon Title: "Hidden Hands, Heavenly Rewards"

Text: 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.”

Big Idea:

God isn’t impressed by visible acts of righteousness—He values the heart that gives quietly and faithfully.  God cares more about why we give than how much we give—authentic generosity is seen and rewarded by Him alone.

Point 1: Guard Against Public Performance

Scripture: “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.” (v. 1)

Illustration: A social media influencer records themselves handing out meals to the homeless. The camera captures the act—but is it for compassion or content?  Imagine a musician who only plays to impress the crowd, never out of love for music. The result is a shallow performance—not true artistry. In the same way, generosity motivated by public applause is performance, not love.

Remember that Jesus stated our Righteousness needs to exceed that of the Pharisees,

Key Point:

Verse 1 ties all three – giving, praying, and fasting together – if you do this before others IN ORDER TO BE SEEN BY THEM – heart issue.

6:1 does not contradict Matthew 5:16 – 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.

5:16 is to encourages us to live out our faith – be the example – the stained-glass window or the moon reflecting the love and light of the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit –

James 2:17 – same thing – faith without works is dead

Matthew 6:1 – is the condition of the heart – are we doing it to get the pat-on-the-back or to honor God – to live for Him and that He may get the glory

Application Questions:

1. When I give, am I seeking God’s approval or attention from others?

2. Would I still give if no one knew or praised me for it?

Giving to be seen by others turns spiritual devotion into empty self-promotion.

Point 2: Giving for Applause is an Empty Reward

Scripture: “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.”(v. 2)

Illustration: A man gave a large donation and had his name engraved on a plaque. He got recognition, but not necessarily a heavenly reward. It's like eating candy when you need real nourishment—sweet for a moment but not sustaining nor healthy.

Sound No Trumpet – don’t toot your own horn

Don’t make a spectacle when you donate/give – Luke 21:1 – Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

Many Theologians believe that the rich made sure to “make noise” – sound the trumpet in the synagogues – when placing their offering in the boxes (some of them trumpet shaped) – called a shofar

Tithing and giving was always an important aspect of Jewish Culture and God’s economy

Malachi 3:10 – 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.

5% of Americans tithe

12% of Born-Again Christians tithe regularly

Give – but Give to honor God and for earthly recognization

Key Point:

Earthly applause is fleeting, but God's reward is eternal.

Application Questions:

1. What “reward” am I really chasing when I give—earthly applause or eternal significance?

2. How can I be more focused in God’s rewards and not for temporary rewards?

Point 3: Secret Giving Reflects a God-Centered Heart

Scripture: “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.” (vv. 3–4)

Illustration: A woman regularly donates to struggling families in her community through anonymous gifts left on doorsteps. No fanfare. But heaven sees. The quiet kind of giving often reflects the truest kind of love.

Key Point:

Quiet giving demonstrates trust in God’s recognition over people’s.

 This is a heart issue – when you give what is the motivation in HOW you give

This is not keeping track of your giving – or getting a giving statement for tax purposes –

Stay financially responsible and not being irresponsible with God’s gifts to us

Application Questions:

1. What does my willingness to give in secret reveal about my spiritual maturity?

2. How do I trust God enough to let Him reward me in His way and timing?

3. What does my private generosity reveal about my relationship with God?

Closing Thought:

God sees what others never will—and He rewards what is done in secret. Let your giving flow from a heart that seeks Him, not the spotlight.  How is God calling you out of your comfort zone to give or serve in way you have not previously?