Charitable Deeds, Prayer & Fasting
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Charitable Deeds
Charitable Deeds
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Why should we do our charitable deeds in private?
To answer that, we have to ask another question, why are you doing charitable deeds?
Because it’s what people expect?
Then what does it matter if other people know about it?
Because it’s what people expect?
Are we trying t
Because God said so?
Because it’s the right thing to do?
In other words, are we trying to impress God, impress man, or none of the above?
If we are trying to impress man, then why should we expect a reward in heaven?
If you impress man, from man will you get your reward.
We ahve
If we are trying to impress God, He is not impressed.
We seem to forget that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills,
He’s not impressed by the little things we do.
If we are just trying to do the right thing, isn’t that reason enough?
We may say we’re just trying to do the right thing.
But if we are expecting rewards, we are not.
Our heart betrays our intentions.
If we are truly just trying to do the right thing, who cares if others know?
mt 6 2
Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
I think about those press events where some person or group hands over an oversized check.
Shouting to the world: See how good we are. See how much we care.
Or the press release announcing some policy or initiative to show how “good” people are.
Or the “church” organization that makes a big deal about their “good works”.
These are all the modern equivalent of sounding a trumpet to announce how good the are.
We want the glory of men.
It’s something we can readily see.
It’s something we can point to.
It’s proof of how “good” we are.
And as Jesus said, that is all the reward they will receive for it.
mt 6
But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Why should we do our charitable deeds in secret?
Why shouldn’t we let our left hand know what our right hand is doing?
Just imagine your left hand going “Hey, what are you doing?”
So why should we do it, if we don’t get credit for it?
For the same reason we shouldn’t trumpet our charity.
It’s one thing to trumpet our charity, to stand up and shout what you have done,
But your deeds can still attract attention.
But
Someone hears about what you’ve done and congratulates you for it.
Of course, no one has ever just “left evidence” around for someone to find, right?
The focus is on you and what you have done.
By doing your charity in secret, you don’t bring the focus on you.
Your secret deeds will be rewarded though,
But rather than being rewarded by man, it will be rewarded by God.
It may be in this life or eternity, but it will be rewarded.
In fact, you may not even recognize the link between the reward and the charity.
Prayer
Prayer
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
mt 6 5
Just as with our charitable deeds, our relationship with God is not something to be paraded around.
Especially to garner man’s accolades.
Those who make a point of being seen praying.
Or of how long their prayer is.
Or how many high sounding words they can use.
Those who make a big deal of their prayers or prayer time are drawing attention to themselves.
Don’t get me wrong, prayer and time with God are important.
But are you doing it to be with God or to show off to others?
If you show off to man, from man will be your reward.
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
If God is everywhere, then we can pray to Him anywhere.
Sure, I have my quiet place where I frequently pray.
But I have spent countless hours praying in hotel rooms, while driving my car or sitting in an airplane.
And not just when the ride gets bumpy!
And I’m not saying we shouldn’t pray in public,
I pray aloud almost every week here in this church.
But am I drawing attention to myself?
Or am I sharing a discussion I am having with my Lord,
to share my joys and pains with my congregational family?
and to encourage you to have a conversation as well?
I believe the point Jesus is making is ultimately, who is the audience for your “prayer”?
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
If there is one thing that makes my spirit cringe when I hear it, is repetitive prayers.
Father, Father, Father, Father....
How would you feel if your children talked to you like that?
Even if you are doing it to honor God, is that the relationship you want to have with Him?
God doesn’t need you to tell Him what is going on, He already knows.
God doesn’t answer your prayer because you use a lot of fancy words.
God doesn’t move your prayer to the top of the list based on how many words you use.
Or how often you repeat it.
It is not the quantity of words that matters to God,
But the quality of the heart behind the prayer.
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
We call the “The Lord’s Prayer”.
But based on the description in , we should call it the disciples prayer.
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
Yes, this is an example prayer,
But it’s also a framework for our prayers.
Our Father, not some impersonal deity, but our Father.
Like a child coming to his earthly father with a request.
His name should be hallowed, sanctified.
Not used as a tag line to show your piety.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
We shouldn’t be looking for God to fulfill our will, but for His will to be fulfilled.
On earth, through His people, of which I should be one.
Just as in heaven, where we wish to be one day.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Why just bread for today? Why not abundance?
Because, we have a nasty habit of forgetting who gave us that abundance.
“So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full—then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
de 6 10-
Can I be content with God and enough for today?
Do I need treasures to put my trust in?
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
But more on that next time.
There are two types of people who want more
The man who has plenty of things, always wants more.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
m6 6 12
We tend to minimize and excuse our sins,
Forgetting that each and every one is a debt owed to God.
We want God to forgive the debts we owe Him,
But if He only forgave us as we forgive others, where would we stand?
Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Would we be like the wicked servant?
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
mt 6 13
Our Lord was tempted in the wilderness.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
I don’t know about you, but I would prefer not to be led into temptation.
The testing of my will and spirit.
Jesus was able to stand up to the devil’s temptations,
We will need God to help us to do the same.
All belongs to God,
He owns the kingdom of heaven,
He has the power and the glory.
So shouldn’t our prayers reflect that as our understanding?
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Jesus returns to this idea of forgiveness.
If you are unforgiving, why should you expect God to forgive you?
We remember the story of the unforgiving servant?
Although forgiven a huge debt, would not forgive the much smaller debt of another.
What did his master do?
Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
mt 18
If we are unforgiving, why should we expect God to be forgiving to us?
Fasting
Fasting
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
We love to show off just how much we are suffering for Jesus.
We share when things go wrong, seemingly much more than when things go right.
I know people whose conversations seem to focus on how bad things are.
And isn’t fasting a perfect time to show off?
Look at me, I’m sacrificing for Jesus.
See how much I am suffering for God.
See how holy and righteous I am?
Their reward is the admiration of men.
And the derision
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
mt 6 17-
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
Jesus says, not only should we not make ourselves look like we’re fasting, we should look like life is good when we are.
Wash your face, look dapper,
Whatever you do, don’t look like you’re suffering.
If you want God to reward what you are doing, you should do it for Him, not for man’s notice.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So what do Charity, Prayer and Fasting have in common?
They are all things our nature wants to show off.
We want men to notice, and to receive the accolades for being so pious.
But if we are showing off for man’s notice, we should expect no more reward than what we get from man.
If we want a reward from God, He should be the only one who knows what we are doing.
So be generous, anonymously.
Be prayerful, to God and not to man.
Sacrifice, but only let God know.
And maybe use what you have saved to be the secret donor to someone who needs it.
So they will have no one to thank except God.
Charity, prayer and fasting are to be about God, not about you.