22. An Audience of One

Introduction

“There are no recreational disciples or professional disciples. There are only disciples.”

Matt 5:16 vs Matt 6:1… I like the CSB, “Be careful…” There is a real temptation to practice your faith for the applause of people rather than the reward of your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 “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 in heaven.”

Matthew 6:1 “1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.”

God cares more about who you actually are than who others think you. As disciples of Jesus, we should care more about what God thinks of us than what others think of us.

Big Idea: Kingdom people live for an Audience of One. The only way to let your light shine so that people see and praise God is to live for God’s approval, not man’s applause.

How do we do that? Three applications.

How do we live for an Audience of One? Give when no one’s applauding (Matt 6:1-4).

Matthew 6:1–4 “1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 2 So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 3 But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Exposition

Two words to clarify

Hypocrite — Someone who does the right thing but for the wrong reason… “to be applauded by people” (v. 2).

Reward (v. 4) — Not salvation… Not health, wealth, and prosperity (see John 16:33)… But, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” We live to please God.

We live to please God. Generosity pleases God.

What is Jesus getting at? He doesn’t just want us to give generous gifts (external). He wants us to become generous people (internal). And generosity is an attitude of the heart. It’s not the amount you give but the way you live that is generous.

How do you know if you’re becoming generous in heart? By asking, “Who is my audience?”

Illustration: One of the joys of being a pastor is that I often get to facilitate people’s anonymous generosity… “I want to stock the pantry with all the food they’ll need for a month.”

Application: Venezuela death toll passes 2,600, with 50,000 people still unaccounted for. Convoy of Hope is giving water, food, and supplies to displaced families sheltering in public parks. The cost to feed a family for a week is $100. Let’s give.

How do we live for an Audience of One? Pray when no one’s watching (Matt 6:5-6).

Matthew 6:5–6 “5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Exposition

Notice a pattern? Notice also that Jesus assumes we will pray, “when [not if] you pray” (v. 6).

“The problem is not only their location but also their motive—‘so that they might be seen by others’… there is no true reward because there is no true righteousness.” —Dr. Jonathan Pennington

The purpose of prayer is to connect with God—not to impress people.

Illustration: Praying in a group… God convicted me: “When you pray, are you going to be talking to me or to them?”

Application

God would rather you have a deep and abiding relationship with him—even if no one ever hears you pray, than for you to pray the most eloquent and beautiful prayers in front of others but have no real connection with God yourself.

“The best way to know that your faith is genuine is to look at your private prayer life. It’s one of the only practices of faith that’s not a performance.” —Tim Keller

How do we live for an Audience of One? Fast when no one’s impressed (Matt 6:16-18).

Matthew 6:16–18 “16 “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Exposition

Again, the pattern and the assumption, when—not if—you fast (v. 16).

The hypocrites disfigure their faces (v. 16). They do the right thing—they fast—for the wrong reason—as a performance.

The hypocrites were fasting to get what they wanted: the praise of people. But the purpose of fasting is to remind yourself that there is more to life than getting what you want!

Illustration: Gary fasts every Wednesday, and has for more than 20 years.

Application

Instead of saying, “Look at me and the sacrifices I’m willing to make for God,” fast for an Audience of One.

A great way to start: Fast one meal a week. If you can’t fast a whole meal, fast dessert or drinks that aren’t water.

Conclusion

Matthew 6:19–21 “19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

If you treasure the applause of people, your heart is set on the things of earth that are rusting, dying, decaying, and fading. But if you treasure the praise of God, your heart is set in heaven, where nothing is dying or fading, and nothing can separate you from God’s love in Christ.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” —Jim Elliot // Are you living for an Audience of One?