Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction:
AG: A popular song a couple of years ago had a chorus which I think the religious people of the 1st century would have embraced.
Its moving lyrics go,
Now watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh watch me, watch me
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
TS: Jesus has concluded the section of His sermon in which he contrasted their oral traditions with God’s righteousness.
Now He challenges them about their motivations.
Evidently, the religious people of Jesus’ day were used to living to be noticed.
They did all they could to get attention.
Their faith was a “watch me” faith.
They lived piously in an effort to be noticed to be living piously.
Jesus addresses 3 specific areas in which we should practice our righteousness privately and/or anonymously.
The contrast was the current religions emphasis to practice their faith to be noticed by others.
Righteousness to be seen
Jesus warned against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties.
What we do, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men.
‘Verse 1 of chapter 6 sets the stage for this section:
Notice, Jesus didn’t say keep your faith private.
Some overreact to this issue by saying faith is private and should never be seen.
That would violate: Mt 5:16
What does Jesus say to us here?
Don’t
“practice your righteousness in front of others TO BE SEEN BY THEM”
He also warns that they will have no reward
This is counterintuitive to human reasoning
Most religions operate the exact opposite way
It usually goes like this:
God is angry
Work really hard to undo the bad you have done
God accepts your hard work and rewards you
Eternal life, material blessings, etc.
That is NOT the faith of the Bible!
In fact, what does Jesus say, look again
If you work to be seen by others, you get NO reward.
Motives matter!
Later, He will say, “they have their reward.”
Essentially, if you work to be seen living righteously, the fact that someone notices is the only reward you get.
It is of NO true spiritual value.
Later, Jesus will expand on this idea:
After warning us about practicing our righteousness to be noticed by others, He goes on to give some specific and practical examples of ….
Righteousness for the glory of God
Christ discusses 3 specific examples here:
helping the poor
prayer
fasting
All of these are to be worship rendered to God, never displays of self-righteousness to impress others.
Judiasim had grown to be a performance-oriented “works righteousness.”
Jesus called God Father.
He is driving home the point that we are in a relationship not a performance.
Meeting Needs
Jesus addresses the act of mercifully giving to the needy.
It was above and beyond the required tithes of the law
It was a good deed, BUT they messed it up!
They called attention to themselves and did it to be seen.
Jesus warns:
DO NOT announce your giving
When about to give to the needy, don’t make a big fuss, talk loudly and call attention to the act.
DO: give secretly
Don’t let your right hand know what your left is doing.
Give to meet a need and for the glory of God
If that is our motive, it doesn’t matter if ANYONE knows we are giving
Chris Hogan, a Ramsey personality, recently wrote a book called Everyday Millionaires.
His researched noticed that this room may very well have millionaires in it.
If the value of what you own minus what you owe = 1 mil, you are a millionaire.
Most millionaires walk among us without sounding trumpets and showing off.
They are that way in their giving as well.
Approximately 91% of high net worth households (millionaires) give to charity.
On average, high net worth donors gave $25,509 to charity in 2015.
By comparison, general population households gave $2,520 on average.
Give to bless others and for God’s glory, not for fame or acclaim.
Praying
DO NOT:
Pray openly to be seen by others.
If noticed, there is your reward.
DO:
Go into your room
Shut the door
Pray
In secret
To be heard by God
Payer should not be limited to only when someone else can hear you.
God hears, and that is the only one who counts
Prayer is so important, Paul will later advise the church in Thessalonica to pray with out ceasing.
Jesus’ point is to pray to God, for Him alone to hear.
Pray for His glory, not to be noticed by others.
This does not outlaw corporate prayer.
It prohibits praying in public to be heard and noticed by others.
Acts 1:14, Acts 12:12-17
Fasting
DO NOT.
Look gloomy
Don’t disfigure your face.
Don’t hold your poor hurting and hollow stomach
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