When You's of Jesus: Giving

I. INTRO

A. Where We’re Going

a. Illust.

B. Main Text

Matthew 6:1–4 ESV

1 “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. 2 “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. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not 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.

C. Prayer

D. Context:

a. The When you’s are practicing righteousness

Matthew 6:1 ESV

1 “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.

1. Righteousness is: right actions as God sees it

2. Notice it doesn’t say “If u”… it says “When u”

i. Jesus expects that His followers will do these things & for the right reason

3. Righteousness doesn’t save, it’s our response to salvation

i. After he tells his disciples to practice righteousness for the right reason, he describes 3 things:

-When u Give

-When u Pray

-When u Fast

b. It’s not about rule following but motivation

1. Religious leaders were doing these things

i. Jesus didn’t say don’t do them…he said do them FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

c. This week’s When you...

II. BODY

A. When You Give

Matt 6:2

Matthew 6:2 ESV

2 “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.

a. When you give do so quietly

1. Don’t make a big show of it

i. Those who make a big show r just drawing attention to themselves

-Why would they do that?

ii. Their trying to impress: “that they may be praised by others”

2. The point here, then is they r acting religious to impress others, not out of compassion

i. What does Jesus call a person who act like something their not?

-Hypocrites: “…as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets”

3. A hypocrite’s action has no eternal value & so their reward is the praise of others…nothing more!

i. moving on...

Matthew 6:3–4 ESV

3 But when you give to the needy, do not 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.

b. When you give do so in secret

1. “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” doesn’t mean don’t tell ur spouse

i. It means don’t tell every1 about it to boast on all the cool things u’ve done

-Who’s the focus here? - self

ii. Jesus expects that we would be humble, not selfish

c. When you give you are rewarded

Matthew 6:4 ESV

4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

1. God, our heavenly father, has an eternal reward for those who give compassionately

2. Your reward in context:

i. The hypocrites reward (vs2) was the praises (& maybe favor) o others…

ii. Perhaps, then, it is the praises & good favor o your heavenly daddy we rec.

3. W/that said, here & other places, there seems to be an un-described tangible reward

i. Long & short o it is…don’t worry about the specifics, its from God, it’s going to be good

-A lot o times we reward acting right…

*we prepare it b4 hand in anticipation o his good behavior

*& we make it a surprise which he will find out what it is when he receives it

~Maybe that’s how it is with God

B. The Challenge

Pray about what it is that God would have u give

b prepared to give along the way

Give $$ in2 the alms fund

accomplish more when we combine efforts

When giving cash is enabling: illust. o person in Seattle bumming $$

Peter & John gave the miraculous

an ex.: when I was driving on “the east side”

bags filled w/water bottle, nonperishables, socks, hygiene items

I prepared several at a time in advance & kept it in my car