Commands of Christ-19a

February 9, 2022 WED The Commands of Christ-19 | A Christian's Religion

Not conforming to the world is a familiar New Testament concept. But it is not so well known that Jesus also called us not to conform to the religious establishment. He saw (and foresaw) the worldliness of the nominal church and commanded the Christian community to be truly distinct from it in our life and practice. In this passage Jesus shifts his focus from our moral righteousness to our "religious" righteousness.

Purpose: To consider proper and improper motives for our religious conduct.

Dig:

Read: Matthew 6:1-6

2. In Matthew 6:1 Jesus commands us "not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them." Yet in Matthew 5:16 he said, "Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds." Is there a contradiction here? Explain.

No contradiction. Our motives for what we do need to be pure. This verse points back to:

Question 2. Matthew 6:7-15 will be covered in the next study.

The discrepancy is only verbal, not substantial.

The clue lies in the fact that Jesus is speaking against different sins.

It is our human cowardice which made him say, "Let your light shine before men," and our human vanity which made him tell us to beware of practicing our piety before men.

A. B. Bruce sums it up well when he writes that we are to "show when tempted to hide" and "hide when tempted to show" (Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, The Expositor's Greek Testament, ed. W. Robertson Nicholl [London: Hodder, 1897], p. 116).

Our good works must be public so that our light shines; our religious devotions must be secret lest we boast about them.

3. Jesus illustrates the principle of Matthew 6:1 by focusing on three religious practices: giving, praying and fasting. What images come to mind when you read about the hypocrites in Matthew 6:2?

Question 3. ... Jesus paints a picture of the hypocrite's way of being religious. It is the way of ostentation. Such receive the reward they want, the applause of others. With this he contrasts the Christian way, which is secret, and the only reward which Christians want, the blessing of God who is their heavenly Father and who sees in secret. Taking time to picture the scenes Jesus is painting will help bring home the vividness of his comments to his original hearers—and to us as well.

Who are we here to please?

For whom do we do our deeds?

Galatians 1:10 (NASB95) For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

4. What does Jesus mean when he says, "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3)?

Question 4. The question is not so much what the hand is doing (giving over some cash or writing a check) but what the heart is thinking while the hand is doing it.

Why is this important (Matthew 6:2, 4)?

Matthew 15:15–20 (NASB95) Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 Jesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also? 17 “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20 “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Proverbs 4:23 (NASB95) Watch over (NLT Guard)your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

1 Kings 11:9–10 (NASB95) Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded.

Matthew 5:8 (NASB95) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Our following Jesus is not proven or earned with externals deeds we may do.

But our heart will affect what we do and why we do them.

5. In what ways are we tempted to be hypocritical in our giving?

To show how wonderful and self-sacrificing we are. To gain the applause of others - awards, etc.

How insidious is this?

6. What was wrong with the way hypocrites prayed in Jesus' day (Matthew 6:5)?

Question 6. There was nothing wrong in standing to pray, for this was the usual posture for prayer among the Jews. Nor were they necessarily mistaken to pray on the street corners as well as in the synagogues if their motive was to break down segregated religion and bring their recognition of God out of the holy places into the secular life of every day.

But Jesus uncovered their true motive as they stood in synagogue or street with hands uplifted to heaven in order that they might be seen by men. Behind their piety lurked their pride. What they really wanted was applause. They got it. "They have received their reward in full."

Rather than becoming absorbed in the mechanics of secrecy, we need to remember that the purpose of Jesus' emphasis on "secret" prayer is to purify our motives in praying.

7. In what ways do hypocrites pray today?

In particular, how do Pentecostals seem hypocritical in their prayers?

Like the Corinthian believers, we want to show how “spiritual” we are with our tongues, etc.

1 Corinthians 14:37–40 (NASB95) If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

Small groups:

14:1-5

14:6-12

14:13-19

14:20-25

14:26-33

8. Why and how is our praying to be different (Matthew 6:6)?

Relationship with God flows out of private AND public prayer times — but private needs to come first and most often.

9. How do you think the reward the Father will give us (Matthew 6:6) differs from the reward we receive from others (Matthew 6:5)?

Question 9. R. V. G. Tasker points out that the Greek word for the "room" into which we are to withdraw to pray (tameion) "was used for the storeroom where treasures might be kept." The implication may be, then, that "there are treasures already awaiting" us when we pray (Matthew, p. 73).

Certainly the hidden rewards of prayer are too many to enumerate. In words of the apostle Paul, when we cry, "Abba, Father," the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are indeed God's children, and we are granted a strong assurance of his fatherhood and love (Romans 5:5; Romans 8:16). He lifts the light of his face upon us and gives us his peace (Numbers 6:26). He refreshes our soul, satisfies our hunger, quenches our thirst. We know we are no longer orphans, for the Father has adopted us; no longer prodigals, for we have been forgiven; no longer alienated, for we have come home.

Read: Matthew 6:16-18.

10. In Matthew 6:16 Jesus assumes Christians will fast (although few of us do). Why and how should we fast (Matthew 6:16-18)?

Question 10. Strictly speaking, fasting is a total abstention from food. It can be legitimately extended, however, to mean going without food partially or totally, for shorter or longer periods. There can be no doubt that in Scripture fasting has to do in various ways with self-denial and self-discipline.

First and foremost, to "fast" and to "humble ourselves before God" are virtually equivalent terms (Psalm 35:13; Isaiah 58:3, 5).

Psalm 35:13 (NASB95) But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

Some times this was an expression of penitence for past sins. When people were deeply distressed over their sin and guilt, they would both weep and fast (Neh. 9:1-2; Jonah 3:5; Daniel 9:2-19; Daniel 10:2-3; Acts 9:9). We are not to humble ourselves before God only in penitence for past sin, however, but also in dependence on him for future mercy. For if penitence and fasting go together in Scripture, "prayer and fasting" are even more often coupled (Exodus 24:18; 2 Chron. 20:1-4; Esther 4:16; Ezra 8:21-23; Matthew 4:1-2; Acts 13:1-3; Acts 14:23).

Our fasting can also be a means of self-discipline. A voluntary abstinence from food is one way of increasing our self-control (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Likewise, fasting can be a deliberate doing without in order to share what we might have eaten (or its cost) with the undernourished (Isaiah 58:1-7).

Reflect:

11. In what other areas are we tempted to seek the approval of people rather than of God?

12. How can this passage help to purify our motives?

Psalm 26:2 NASB95

2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

Psalm 139:23–24 NASB95

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

LifeGuide Topical Bible Studies - Sermon on the Mount.