Secret Rewards

Introduction

Last week we started a new section of Matthew call the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has become famous in this region. He has escaped up in the mountain to rest for a bit. His disciples come and sit at his feet as he tries to cut through the hype of his fame and get back to the real meaning and message of his ministry. Today we are in Matthew chapter six.

One of the major hits the Church-world has to endure is the claim that the church is full of hypocrites. People have even agreed and said we are all hypocritical to some extent. The hypocrite was used when discribing an actor or a pretender. Someone trying to be something they’re not.

Say: Hypocrite

Say: Actor

Say: Pretender

Hypocrites are sometimes falsely accused of being liers, deceivers, and manipulators. But that’s not a really a Hypocrite.

The attitude of a hypocrite is to “Fake it until you make it.”

Paul discribes his own hypocrisy in

Romans 7:15–16 ESV

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.

Romans 7:14–15 ESV

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.

Romans

Today, as we sit at the feet of Jesus on the mountain. I want you to picture yourself sitting Indian style on the rocky ground with Jesus sitting on a rock.

Jesus sees right through the religion of the Pharisees. He sees straight to the heart, the motives, the reasons why thy perform the religious acts.

As Jesus

He sees the hypocrisy of his day. The Pretenders. The Actors. Those that are doing all the righteous acts of religion but their heart is far from God.

Matthew 5:20 ESV

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Hebrews 4:12-13

He

Hebrews 4:12–13 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

As

What if today we could strip away all the religious activity of coming to church this morning. No serving coffee, No social interaction, no worry about who’s singing or who’s giving. Did this person shake my hand? Did I just get a dirty look? Take all that stuff away and just sit on the mount with Jesus as he piers into the depths of your soul.

What does he see?

Jesus begins to dissect the reasons behind the religion. The heart behind the hypocrisy and says to the crowd in .

Matthew 5:20 ESV

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Through the rest of chapter 5 Jesus challenges the heart issues of:

Anger, Lust, Marriage and Divorce, promises, revenge, hatred.

God is not OK with our “Fake it til you make it” mentality.

“Hypocrisy is the overcompensation of a sinful heart through good deeds”

“Righteousness is the people of God taking on the heart of God to accomplish the will of God.”

Our focus should not be to conform our actions to a religious behavior, but to conform our hearts to the heart of God.

If we are going to build the kingdom of God we must exceed the righteousness of the religious.

Bible Passage

Through the rest of chapter 5 Jesus challenges the heart issues of:

Anger, Lust, Marriage and Divorce, promises, revenge, hatred.

Secret Generosity

Then he moves on to the practices of righteousness with a warning in chapter six.

Matthew 6:1 ESV

“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.

There are 4 hidden motives Jesus uncovers in chapter 6 and we will discuss 3 of them today and one next week.

In each of these acts of righteousness we find:

An outward observation and reward.

A secret observation and reward.

Secret Generosity

Generosity is the heart of God. God’s desire to give

Matthew 6:2 ESV

“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.

Matthew 6:

God’s Heart of Generosity

James 1:17 ESV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God is the original giver.

His nature is to give to others and to supply every need.

Sacrificial giving is the language of love.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:10 ESV

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:

Hypocritical Generosity

The motive is to be seen by others not to help the needy.

The reward is the praise of others and the position with others.

Righteous Generosity

Matthew 6:3–4 NKJV

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.

Matt 6:3

Taking on the heart of God and helping those in need.

This is not corporate giving to the church but to individuals in need.

Your first fruits to God is not charitable giving it’s your responsibility as a child of God.

If you can give you should give because it reveals the nature of God.

What God sees in secret will be rewarded opening.

God’s reward will be much greater than the reward of men.

God will exalt a humble and righteous heart.

Secret Prayer

Matthew 6:5 ESV

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Matt 6:

God’s Heart on Prayer

Prayer is the intimate relationship between God and his people.

There is power in the unity of God’s heart and the heart of his people in prayer.

James 5:16 NKJV

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:15 ESV

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Hypocritical Prayer

Open Prayer gives the impressions of Spiritual unity with God.

The motive is attention to you instead of God.

The reward is the admiration from others of your spiritualness.

Righteous Prayer

Matthew 6:6 ESV

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matt 6:6

Secret prayer removes the need to impress someone with your words.

Secret prayer reveals a heart of faith that God exists and rewards.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Secret prayer are rewarded with open answers.

Secret Fasting

Matthew 6:16 ESV

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Matt

God’s Heart on Fasting

Matt 4:4

Matthew 4:4 ESV

But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

God wants his children to trust in Him more than they trust in themselves.

All provisions for God’s children come by God’s hand.

Fasting is a willful acknowledgement that we are sustained by God and not ourselves.

Deuteronomy 8:3 ESV

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Hypocritical Fasting

The Suffering for Jesus Syndrome.

When I see someone glorying in their suffering it makes me question their faith.

If God has led you into the suffering trust him through it.

The reward is pity from others.

Righteous Fasting

Matthew 6:17–18 ESV

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:

The motive of fasting is focusing on the Spiritual more than physical.

Let it be between you and God alone.

It becomes more intimate when it is just you and God that are sharing the experience.

The reward is spiritual sustenance from the Spirit.

Sustenance from God’s Word.

Sustenance from God’s provision.

Sustenance from God’s direction.

Transformational Steps from Hypocrisy to Righteousness.

1. Check the condition and love of your heart toward God.

Matthew 22:37 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Luke 10:27 ESV

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22:37 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 15:8 ESV

“ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

Am I taking on the heart of God through my relationship with God?

How is my love for God being expressed through my sacrifice for Him?

2. Seek the approval of God more than the approval of men.

If no one is around, will I still worship you?

Why am I doing these religious acts? Is it to get closer to God or closer to people?

3. Build an intimate relationship with God from your heart and not your religious acts.

Do I want the rewards of men more than I want the rewards of God?

Find fulfilment and joy in the secret rewards of your relationship with God.

Find fulfilment and joy in the secret rewards of your relationship with God.

Let your genorosity draw people to God.

Let God be glorified through your righteous prayers.

Have faith in God and let me meet your every need.