Guarding Against Misguided Motives - Part 1 - The Secret of Supplication
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning Church! I want to begin this morning by saying, wasn’t last week, Youth Sunday, such a blessing!
Just seeing all our kiddos participate and take part and just simply praise God!
That’s what it’s all about Church!
Teaching these little ones how to worship and more importantly WHO it is we’re worshiping!
That’s the most important part!
Let’s begin this morning by giving our youth another big round of applause for being courageous and getting up here and taking part in last Sunday!
Alright…today we are going to be making our way back to the Book of Matthew and we will be in a new chapter finally!
We have literally spent the last three months in Chapter 5 of Matthew and I’m sure some of you were beginning to wonder if we were ever going to get out of it but we finally made it!
Now, we’re going to move on to Chapter 6 and we’ll be continuing on in our study of what?
That’s right…the greatest sermon ever preached…Jesus’ sermon on the mount.
Isn’t it funny to think that Jesus probably preached this sermon in an hour or so and here we are and we’re 3 months in and have barely scratched the surface!
But you know, I believe as Jesus preached this message to the multitudes of people, everything we have covered over the last 3 months now, somehow, some way, resonated in the listener’s hearts!
I believe God just placed a deeper understanding of Jesus teachings in every heart that was present there that day and when they left, we can see at the end of the sermon, in Matthew 7:28 how the crowd felt about it...
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
They were astonished at the sermon they had just heard for He had taught them as one having authority!
The reason it seemed this way is because He was the authority, Amen!
The Word of God in the flesh taught the multitudes the word that was written by and about Him!
Listen, it doesn’t get any better than first hand knowledge, Amen!
Straight from the lips of the one the Book was written about came power from on high and it shook the hearts and souls of all who listened!
To some it brought conviction, while to others it brought about anger and malice!
To some it was life altering, while to others it was blasphemy!
To some it was life giving, while to others it was heart hardening.
Something for everyone but to everyone astonishment came because of the words that fell from the lips of our Savior that blessed day!
Wouldn’t you just have loved to have been able to hear that all encompassing, soul searching message that day?
I know I would have!
As we begin looking here in Chapter 6 of Matthew’s gospel, we are going to break about half of this chapter down into a three-part series entitled…Guarding Against Misguided Motives and today we are going to look at Part 1 of this series which I have titled “The Secret of Supplication.”
Now, don’t get the wrong message from the title here and think that it’s ok not to let your light shine for Jesus because that’s right the opposite of what we’ve just finished learning in Chapter 5.
But, what Jesus is saying here, is that there are certain parts of our personal ministry and worship that ought to be reserved exclusively between ourselves and God and not for the world’s viewing.
So, if you have your copy of God’s word with you this morning and you have it turned to Matthew Chapter 6 and Verse 1, would you say, Amen.
The Caution in Supplication — (Vs. 1)
The Caution in Supplication — (Vs. 1)
The first thing I want us to look at this morning is the Caution in Jesus statement.
He begins by saying, “Take heed.”
The word “heed” used here is the Greek word (prosechō) and it means to be alert, to be on guard, to beware or consider carefully.
The NLT actually translates it as “Watch out!”
But what exactly is Jesus telling His listeners to watch out for?
Look what He says next...
“That you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”
What exactly are alms?
The word “alms” is the Greek word (eleēmosynē) and it speaks of acts of charity or acts of mercy towards the poor. It can mean donations or good deeds.
Some have said that the word alms used here in Vs. 1 isn’t the same as the word alms in Vs. 2 and they have translated alms here in Vs. 1 from a Greek word which means “righteousness.”
I don’t think either way you translate it, it changes the point that Jesus is trying to get across here.
What Jesus is trying to say here is simply, don’t be doing good deeds, acts of charity for the poor, don’t be practicing righteousness to be seen of men!
Why? Because then it becomes self-righteousness, Amen!
And notice the caution of supplication with the wrong motives…if you practice self-righteousness, if you do good deeds and help the poor to be seen of men and not God, then you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven!
Listen, there’s something I don’t want you to miss here...
Giving to the poor, helping the needy, providing for those who couldn’t provide for themselves or those who had fallen on hard times was such a given in this day and time that Jesus didn’t have to address the fact that people weren’t doing it, no, He was addressing the fact that they were doing it with misguided motives in mind!
Do you see that?
He didn’t say, “if you do alms” did He?
No, He said, “when you do them, take heed that you don’t do them before men to be seen of men!”
Listen, all throughout the Bible the thread of generosity stands out for all to see.
In the Old Testament, it was commanded to help the poor and needy.
35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: But he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
Listen, when farmers gleaned their fields they were to leave certain portions for those who needed help. Those who couldn’t provide for themselves.
Now, I’m not saying this morning that we are to keep up the dead beats who are too lazy too get out and work, too lazy for their own good as the old saying goes.
The Bible says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, if a man’s too lazy to work then he doesn’t even deserve to eat.
But dear friend, there are those who get up and go to work every single day and they work hard but something unfortunate has happened to them and they have fallen on hard times and they may need some help. That’s who I’m talking about this morning.
Or those who have a physical problem and simply can’t work themselves. Or those in foreign countries…they’re the ones that tug on my heart strings the most…the ones who work their hands to the bone in these 3rd world countries just to have a meal at the end of the day.
That’s who we are to be taking care of.
We sit here in the greatest country in the world, with probably more millionaires per capita than any other country in the world and we hoard our millions when these poor little children in some of these poor countries don’t even have shoes for their feet, clothes for their backs or food for their tables.
They are the ones that need help.
I feel no shame, no sorrow, whatsoever for those who live in this country begging for handouts because their too lazy to get up and get a job.
Listen friend, if we’d let a some of these lazy folks start starving for a little while like the Bible says to do, you know what would happen?
We’d see that unemployment # start dropping, Amen!
I’ve gotten off on a tangent here and I’ve got to get back on track!
Almsgiving…good deeds, charitable work, donations to the poor and truly needy, is a given but Jesus cautions them here not to do it to be seen of men.
He doesn’t say not to do it but not to do it to be seen of men.
Why?
Because if you do it to be seen of men, you will have no reward from our Father in heaven.
Why is that though?
Well that leads us to our next section...
The Cause of Supplication — (Vs. 2-4a)
The Cause of Supplication — (Vs. 2-4a)
Hypocrite — insincere person, pretender
Spurgeon said it best...
It is important that we have a right aim; for if we obtain the result of a wrong aim, our success will be a failure. If we give to be seen, we shall be seen, and there will be an end of it: “Ye have no reward of your father which is in heaven ”: we lose the only reward worth having. But if we give to please our Father, we shall find our reward at his hands.
Spurgeon also said…
You cannot expect to be paid twice, if therefore you take your reward in the applause of men, who give you a high character for generosity, you cannot expect to have any reward from God. We ought to have a single eye to God’s accepting what we give, and to have little or no thought of what man may say concerning our charitable gifts.
The motive which leads a man to give, will form the true estimate of what he does. If he gives to be seen of men then when he is seen of men he has the reward he sought for, and he will never have any other. Let us never do our alms before men, to be seen of them.
If the action is not done in the Lord's service, but with a view to our own honour, we cannot expect a reward from above. — Precept Austin
John G Butler said...
They do not lose all rewards, for "They have their reward" (Matthew 6:2) indicates there is reward in this pretentious almsgiving. This reward is all they will get, however. The word "have" means "receipt in full" (Vincent). Whatever praise they get from men will be their only reward—not much of a reward to be sure.
Listen, we are to have good works, we are to be charitable and help those in need.
We just learned in the last chapter, one of J.C.’s favorite scriptures...
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Remember that?
We are to have good works but with the right motive in mind.
Paul said it like this in...
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Paul says we ought to do, and whatsoever we do, we ought to do with all our might but just make sure we’re doing it with the right motive in mind and that motive is what?
To bring honor and glory to God and not to ourselves.
“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Jesus says here, “when you do your alms, your good deeds, let not your left hand know what your hand hand is doing so that your good deeds may be in secret.”
I came across a story this week that I felt was a great illustration of this.
A man by the name of Thomas La Mance wrote: “Several years back … I was lounging around in the living room listening to the radio when my dad came in from shoveling snow. He looked at me and said, ‘In 24 hours you won’t even remember what you are listening to now. How about doing something for the next 20 minutes that you’ll remember the next 20 years? I promise that you’ll enjoy it every time you think of it.’
“‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘Well, Son, there are several inches of snow on Mrs. Brown’s walks,’ he replied. ‘Why don’t you go see if you can shovel it off and get back home without her knowing you did it?’
“I did the walk in about 15 minutes. She never knew who did the job, and my dad was right. It’s been a lot more than 20 years, and I’ve enjoyed the memory every time I’ve thought about it.”
This is exactly what Jesus is talking about here. God ultimately got the glory but this young man carried the joy of doing that good deed with him for the rest of his life.
When our motives are right, blessings are sure to follow which leads us to our last point here this morning.
The Compensation for Sincere Supplication — (Vs. 4b)
The Compensation for Sincere Supplication — (Vs. 4b)
When we give charitably, when we do good deeds, when we supply others needs with the right motives in mind, to glorify God and not to seek the praise of men, the Bible tells us here that God will see those good deeds and He will reward us openly for them.
The word “reward” here, literally means to “repay” or “pay back.”
When we move and act with right motives in mind, when we lend a helping hand wanting nothing in return and not to be recognized of man, God will in turn honor that good deed or that charitable act and will reward us openly.
There is a story told of a man by the name of August H. Francke and he was a well-known German preacher of the 17th century, who founded an orphanage to take care of the homeless children who roamed the streets of Halle.
One day when he desperately needed funds to carry on his work, a destitute Christian widow came to his door begging for one gold ducat. Because of his financial situation, he politely but regretfully refused.
Disheartened, the woman sat down and began to weep. Moved by her tears, Francke asked her to wait while he went to his room to pray about the matter. Seeking God's guidance, he felt that the Holy Spirit wanted him to grant the request. Trusting the Lord to meet his own pressing needs, he gave her the money.
Two mornings later he received a warm letter of thanks from the widow saying that because of his generosity she had asked the Lord to shower the orphanage with gifts.
That same day he received 12 ducats from a rich lady and two from a friend in Sweden. He thought he had been amply rewarded, but shortly afterward he was informed that Prince Lodewyk Van Wurtenburg had died, and in his will, had directed that 500 gold pieces be given to the orphanage!
Francke wept in gratitude. In sacrificially providing for that needy saint, he had not been impoverished, but enriched. He sowed bountifully, and reaped bountifully. — Mattoon’s Treasures
Listen friend, the Bible says in...
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
And then in...
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
When we supply the needs of others with right motives in mind, God will supply our every need and reward us in return.
For the child of God here today, one day when we draw our last breath, we will stand at the judgment seat of Christ and the Bible says we will be judged by what we’ve done and then we will be rewarded for what we have done.
In...
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
As we come to a close, I want you to look down with me if you will at Verses 19-21 because this is the summation of Jesus’ teaching on each of these three topics about misguided motives.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Many times, our misguided motives are because we have misplaced our ambition.
Listen friend, the Bible says in...
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
And that’s the goal, that’s the mission, that’s the ambition!
Paul said...
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Let’s make sure this morning we are focused on what really matters and the mission at hand.
Let’s make sure our motives are pure and not misguided.
Let’s make sure we are laying up our treasures in heaven and not here on earth.
Let’s make sure our hearts are set on the one who’s very heart was set on us!
