June 4, 2017 Morning Service

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MANCHESTER for it would not reflect his character. • ALSO, because of the ravaging effect that sin has THE SERMON THAT JESUS PREACHED on US, and when we minimize it we are devising a MATTHEW 6:1-4 trap in which we ensnare ourselves in it’s deadly effects. RELIGION – JESUS STYLE For a Christian, sin is an act of “self” over God. We think it will make us happier, better, less pain, PART 1 – GIVING TO OTHERS more successful than following God will, but it only PASTOR DAVID SAYLOR DATE leads to greater pain and brokenness. Read Matthew 6:1-4 Sin is a like a poison apple that tastes sweet when first ingested but it’s effects are actually deadly to us. Today we move into a new chapter of Matthew and It leads us to Brokenness.. ahead in this great sermon. o Ex. Adultery, but it really begins in the mind with As I said before, Jesus in this great sermon is laying improper thoughts toward another person (lust). down the true standards of righteousness, which are In our mind we begin to see something in another more than the externals and greater than that of the person that we should be seeing in our Scribes and Pharisees. spouse….and that desire/list pulls us away from In Matthew 6 Jesus is still talking about the the one we have made a vow before God to love standards of righteousness, only now He is only – and that is what leads to the outward act. emphasizing the righteousness practiced by in the “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, RELIGION of the Pharisees. reap a habit; In chapter 5 Jesus said, "This is what you teach And the damage from what we perceive as (your theology), but this is what God teaches." Now in happiness is catastrophic! To us, to our spouse, chapter 6 He says, "This is how you worship, but God's children. It will affect every relationship we have. standard is beyond that too." o So Jesus lovingly warns us with the truth. That’s And in vv. 1-18, he focuses on three examples of another reason why he defines sin. Sin always their religion - almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (Mt. 6:2, leads to Brokenness…. When we say “I know it’s 5, 16) and so we will look at “Religion, Jesus Style”. wrong but I need this to be happy” we are AND after this there is one more section (Matthew walking into a minefield of brokenness… 6:19-34 )– where righteousness is lived out in everyday So this is a divine standard that on our own is life. There Jesus talks about what you eat, what you unattainable, but by virtue of faith in Jesus Christ and drink, and what you wear, and about money in regard by the power of the Holy Spirit is within our grasp to to how you think of it and treat it. reach. So, Jesus is saying that the theology, religion, and I. BEWARE OF HYPOCRISY the everyday approach to life of the Pharisees and scribes is inadequate. Now Matthew 6 contains tremendous truths from our Lord Jesus Christ. The first major truth is found in Jesus is setting a standard that nobody has set in the verse 1 of Matthew 6. Jesus says, Matthew 6:1 (CSB)1 history of the world aside from God. It exceeds every “Be careful (beware) not to practice your system invented by man. It is impossible to perfectly righteousness (not alms) in front of others to be seen achieve, which is why we must lean on the perfect by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your righteousness of Christ alone for our salvation – yet it Father in heaven. cannot be lowered as our “target” because it reflects the holiness and character of God. This simple statement opens up an incredible panorama of truth. It introduces for us the principle of SIN hypocrisy. Why does Jesus take such pains to “define sin” so 1. THE REARRANGEMENT OF HOLINESS carefully? The story is told of an eastern ascetic, a pious holy • So we know the standard is too high to reach on our man who used to sit at a prominent corner of the city, own – and we need a Savior. covered with dust and ashes. A passing tourist asked • Because God is a holy God and He can do no less permission to take his photograph, to which he replied, "Just a moment, please. First let me rearrange my about his life. He is not genuine. ashes." Notice that Matthew 6:la says, “Be careful There is a lot of rearranging of ashes taking place in (beware) not to practice your righteousness (not alms) religion. We fix up our piosity so it will look better for in front of others to be seen by them. In other words, the photograph. do not be an actor on a stage before an audience as if In all of our lives a little of this rearranging of ashes you were in the theater putting on an exhibition. You occurs. We want to make a good impression; we want are really a spiritual phony. to appear holy and pious to others. But if it’s superficial Our dear Lord confronted much sin in His time, but and phony, we play the game of hypocrisy. never did He rebuke a sinner like He did religious 2. THE REALITY OF HOLINESS hypocrites (see Matthew 23:13-36). God hates As we have seen throughout this sermon, you know hypocrisy. that the Lord seeks real, genuine, authentic devotion of IN THE NEW TESTAMENT the heart. He is not interested in rearranging ashes. He So, there were hypocrites in Israel. There were is not interested in whether you look humble, holy and hypocrites in the time of Jesus. pious. The Pharisees of Jesus' time were the all-time JUDAS - He repeatedly kissed Jesus on the cheek artists of rearranging their ashes. They made sure they even while the foul deed which he had plotted was put on a show. This is the issue that Jesus addresses in already in motion, ultimately bringing Jesus to a cross Matthew 6:1-18. Note v.2, 5 & 16. of death (Mt. 26:48-49). In Chapter 5, Jesus condemned righteousness when The first hypocrites in the church were Ananias and it was only something external. When RELIGION is Sapphira. Their story is in Acts 5:1-11. They played a only about the EXTERNAL it is called Hypocracy. big, phony game saying they gave all they possessed to B. The Condemnation of Hypocrisy the Lord, while in reality they held back a portion. God Hypocrisy is dealt with in Scripture from start to struck them dead in front of the entire church. finish. There are hypocrites in Genesis and in SIMON MAGUS -In Acts 8:9-24 he feigned Revelation. There are hypocrites in every form of embracing Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. religion, including Christianity. It is part of the The true fact was that all he wanted was the magic so sinfulness of humankind to play the game of religion. he could use it as a better way to make money. Peter 1. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT tore his mask off. a. Amos 5:21-24 — God dealt with this problem in This is hypocrisy — the facade of caring when you Israel through His prophet Amos. He wrote, Amos don't care, of being righteous on the outside but 5:21–24 (NIV) “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; unrighteous on the inside . rearranging your ashes for I cannot stand your assemblies. 22 Even though you the effect it has on others. bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not The hypocrite can be one who is pretending to be a accept them. … 24 But let justice roll on like a river, Christian. He may also be a Christian who is operating righteousness like a never-failing stream! hypocritically within the framework of his In other words, God is saying, "Look, all of those Christianity. Both of these groups are covered in the items which I Myself introduced, invented, and principles Jesus gives. commanded, I despise." Why? "Because you have RELIGION – A PRIVATE MATTER? twisted, perverted, and falsified their purpose. You 1 have maintained the external but the internal is vacant Matthew 6:1 (NIV) “Be careful not to do your — empty." That is hypocrisy — an outward show ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, (in order to -ESV) without an inward reality. to be seen by them. …. Some say this suggests this passage tells us “we The Actor and His Role should keep our religion to our self so it won’t be seen The Greek word for "hypocrite," which appears in by others. It’s a private matter.” That’s not what this verses 2, 5, and 16, - in classical Greek it was used to is saying. It’s talking about WHO we are doing it for, refer to an actor on a stage who masks his real identity not who may see what we do. and assumes a role. He plays a part that isn't the truth Matthew 5:16 (NIV)16 In the same way, let your Page 2 of 5 light shine before men, that they may see your good yourself within the framework of God's blessing" (Phil. deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 4:14-49). Giving is all about who/what you trust and • When we do it in order to be seen by others – it’s whether you will be blessed by God (or seek it from hypocrisy, and that is all the reward we get (men). money or others). God tells you to release it so He • When we do it in order to be seen by and to glorify might multiply it to your account. There is a cycle of God, it’s rewarded by God. blessedness. For example: Proverbs 11:24-25 —One man gives freely, yet So we have looked at the general context. gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who He gives three illustrations: giving, praying, fasting. refreshes others will himself be refreshed. There is the • Giving has to do with our religion as it relates principle: The more you give, the more you get. toward others. In verse 26 he applies it to farming and sowing seed. • Praying has to do with our religion as it relates (Do you realize a farmer takes everything he has and toward God. throws it into the dirt!) If a farmer withholds the seed • Fasting has to do with our religion as it relates to from being sown in the ground or never sells the grain ourselves. to get the money to buy the seed to plant again, he will These three illustrations beautifully sum up all the starve to death. There is a cycle - You grow the grain, elements of our spiritual life of worship. sell it, get the money, buy the seed, plant it, grow the Notice that verses 2, 5, and 16 say, "When you give grain, sell it, get the money, buy the seed, plant it, and alms, pray, and fast .. . ." It doesn't say if, it says on and on. The whole cycle depends on your "when:' Why? Because they are assumed to be a part of faithfulness to sow the seed — scattering all your worship and spiritual service. resources. The farmer operates on faith that God will give him the return. II. GIVING IN GENERAL The point is made in verse 24: One man gives freely, Matthew 6:2–3 (NIV)2 “So when you give to the yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but needy, (alms giving) …. comes to poverty. In other words, as you give, God b. Two Kinds of OF CHRISTIAN GIVING: blesses. When God blesses you out of your giving, out of His blessing you give again. If you step out of a. To the Church – Kingdom center this cycle of blessing and don't give, there is nothing This is to be systematic, structured, regular giving, for God to bless. As a result there is no return and based on what God has entrusted to usIt is not just now you will keep tending toward poverty, eventually and then, periodically, semiannually, or whenever. running out of resources. Every time we are paid or receive money we are to face The principle, and I’m not just talking about the reality of the stewardship of our lives and our monetary blessing – there’s all kinds of blessing that money to God. But that is not our subject here. God returns. The principle is of giving is this: You b. To the Needy need to give because it puts you in a circle of This is unstructured, unspecified, and spontaneous; blessing — you keep giving out of the blessings God over and above our giving to the church. Throughout returns to you. the Old and New Testaments there exists this kind of NOT, “If I had more like so and so, then I’d give.” giving. When the needy person crosses your path you That’s not it. It’s not “when my ship comes in I’ll give.” are to reach out your heart to that individual. When your ship comes in, you’ll get on the ship and b. The Cycle of Blessing in Giving leave! The thing we must realize is that God doesn’t III. GIVING ALMS (TO THE NEEDY) need our money, but it is WE who need to give. It The text is concerned with giving to the needy. puts us in the Cycle of God’s Blessing. The Old Testament made it abundantly clear that the Paul said essentially the same thing to the people of God were to give to the poor and those in Philippians: "I thank you for your offering. I didn't need. In Leviticus 25:35 the people are told to give to need it but you needed to give it because you put the poor whether they are a foreigner or somebody who Page 3 of 5 belongs in the land. In Deuteronomy 15:7-11, if a the heart of God. person came across a poor person he was to be sure to 2. THE PERVERSION OF ALMSGIVING meet his needs. If he needed a place to stay or a supply Unfortunately, God’s design to give humbly had of food, they were to be supplied as were all of his become twisted and perverted it, so Jesus speaks. necessities, because that is how people are to act when they name the name of God (Ps. 41:1; Prov. don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be 19:17; 21:13; 29:7). When you give to the poor you 1 give to the Lord – it’s a way you invest with God. applauded by people. IL THE PERIL OF RELIGION (v. 2a) c. The Exaggeration So the Lord approaches this matter of giving There is a lot of dialogue regarding the trumpets because obviously the scribes and the Pharisees and the blown by the Pharisees here. Some say that nothing in people following them were not living according to history reveals this kind of incident. They say Jesus is these principles. They were not giving selflessly, and using a metaphor to create a caricature of the guy who magnanimously out of a pure heart. They were giving blows a fanfare so everyone will see him give his to put on a show of piosity. money. That’s what we see in Matthew 6:2 (CSB)2 So Some people think they actually did use a little whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet silver trumpet. Either way, Jesus still makes His point. before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and * Don't Blow Your Horn when you give. on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell I have witnessed so many wonderful acts of giving you, they have their reward. to help those in need by people in this church. Gifts, The peril of religion is that we would play the done without fanfare, that only God would know, few hypocrite. One thing that Satan loves to do is shove other as possible. Wonderful. new Christians into the category of hypocrisy in order But certainly, it’s possible to all have our own little to negate the validity of our witness. silver trumpets, isn’t it? When we do something for b. An Assumed Fact someone in need we may not say anything because we Again we note that Jesus uses the word "when." not don't want to seem hypocritical - but on-the inside the “if”. Giving to people in need is an assumed fact. temptation is there… perhaps we can't wait until How could we possibly say we are Christians and someone brings up the subject so we can say, "Well, not give? For example: the other day I had an opportunity to help so and so…." We constantly fight that kind of hypocrisy. 1) 1 John 3:17 (NIV)17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity And organizations (even good ones) who want your on him, how can the love of God be in him? In other money seize on this temptation too, don’t they? words, your testimony is suspect and your claim is “When you give X amount we will send you a questionable. certificate suitable for framing.” That’s not a little trumpet, it’s a trombone! Or a plaque – that’s a tuba! 2) James 2:15–17 (NIV)15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you There is a peril to watch out for in the area of giving says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well - we can be hypocrites just like the Pharisees. fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what But when we do it Jesus’ Way there is: good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. — ". THE PROMISE OF REWARD (vv. 4) 3 4 It is assumed that one with the heart of God dwelling Matthew 6:4 (CSB) so that your giving may be within him is going to reach out to one in need since in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will the heart of God is toward the poor and needy. reward you. According to John 13:29, Jesus and the disciples People get hung up on rewards, thinking that it is a carried a money bag in order that they might give to crass motive. But God has established rewards, and He the poor. That was the heart of Jesus because that was must have a holy reason for it since He is absolutely 1 Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017), Mt 6:2. Page 4 of 5 holy. According to the Bible, any reward we receive we will want to cast at His feet in adoration and praise (Rev. 4:10). I should seek to have a reward so that I might show Him my love in giving Him all that I have. A. The Hypocrite's Reward (vv. l, 2b) They have their reward." – from men You get an earthly reward, not a heavenly one. If you are an actor on stage you are performing for the applause of men. That is exactly and all that you receive. You forfeit the reward from God. Some people give to the needy and then wait to see if they are grateful. If they aren't grateful then they don't give again. If you give and someone's ingratitude bothers you, then you gave for the wrong reason — for gratitude from men. The greatest blessing and biggest joy to me is to just give — and just respond to the need. You just give and forget. • If you give it and forget it, God will remember it and reward it. • If you give it and remember it, God will forget it and there will be no reward. Do you want the blessing of God or the applause of men? Don't keep mental books on your giving. Page 5 of 5