July 23, 2023
Matthew 6:1-18
Complimentary reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-12

Note: We will cover these verses out of order this morning. The order will be fasting then giving in this part 1 sermon.

We are on the heels of Jesus demanding nothing less than perfection from His hearers (5:48). God the Son, being fully aware “of the human heart’s propensity for self-deception, … issues a strong warning:” (Carson, The Sermon …, 55) “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” (6:1) Carson gave a pithy recap: “Be perfect, but be careful. … The greater the demand for holiness, the greater the opportunity for hypocrisy.” (The Sermon …, 55) The consequence of failing in this command is to have future rewards wiped away from our accounts. So to educate on the topic of “acts of righteousness,” Jesus chose the three core elements of "Jewish piety."² ¶ Fasting, prayer, and giving Therefore today, I have them in the title of the sermon this morning. The title of the sermon is “Kingdom Competency: Fasting, Giving, Praying, pt 1.” I will cover fasting and giving this week and I hope to cover praying over the next couple of weeks.

• Remember from Matthew 5:48, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
• Be perfect is usually not on our radar.
  • It is not something we strive for on a daily basis as we should.
  • We often wonder around aimlessly in our hope to be like Christ due to our lack of knowledge on what God has taught us. The principles we should be holding in our hands and lives right now.
  • To help us Christ gives His audience some specifics of perfection.
• This section of Jesus’ Sermon starts with a warning: Beware! in v 1.

Monte read 6:1 “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.

• Beware = to “bring near;” "to attend to one’s self, so “to give heed to one’s self” (Thayer). So Jesus is instructing us to “bring near” this teaching as you reach for the authentic perfection that I commanded you to live for.
• Jesus’ instruction is : Beware of practicing = “make and do” (LSJ; cf. Thayer)
• That is why we see many translations use “do” or “doing.” So one would read, “Beware of ‘doing’ righteous things before other people to be seen by them”. (See biblehub.com)
• We need to say here that being perfect requires righteous acts in contrast to common / worldy acts.
• That phrase “seen by them” = theaomai (phonic: theh-ah’-my): can mean “view as spectators, especially in the theatre” (LSJ); although not its primary function, this is a form of the Greek word where we get our English word theater. Evans noted that, this may have been Jesus’ intended use of the word since he piles on words that have to do with the theater. (Evans, p 121)
  • APPLICATION
  • We should are not to act out our spiritual lives.
  • We are not look for an audience when we do spiritual things.
  • We are not to pretend a spiritual life.
  • We are to do a spiritual life.
• Look at the consequences if we do not listen to our Lord:
  • 6:1b for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
  • The term “reward” = lit.: #1 def. is “dues paid for work; wages, hire” (Thayer); “pay, allowance” (LSJ)
  • The acts can appear the same but are drastically different.
    • Speaks to motive. COMMENT
    • Motives matter.
  • The caution was directed to Jesus audience, and Jesus was looked to rid the listeners of what Carson called a “pseudo-piety.” (The Sermon …, 56) What I will call “useless religious participation.”
  • If you have been saved for any length of time, you know we have been guilty of pseudo-piety, inauthentic religious actions towards God and others.
  • “I’ll pray for you” and didn’t = pseudo-piety, inauthentic religious participation.
  • Have we ever sang words of songs while we daydream in church? Pseudo-piety, inauthentic religious participation.
  • 1000s of ways to practice inauthentic religious participation.

As was said in the introduction, “righteousness” according to “Pharisaism” … laid stress … on the three great duties of the religious life": giving, fasting, and prayer. (Plumptre; cf. et al.) And “the biblical revelation has always held” to the importance of the giving of offerings to those in need.³

• SOMEONE PLEASE READ vv 16-18 16 “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. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 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.

• Here JESUS ILLUSTRATES AND APPLIES

• Jesus taught on fasting quite a bit. The term “fast” is mentioned 18x in the synoptic accounts of the gospel. John’s account does not mention “fast” or “fasting.”

  • But fasting is mentioned only 2x outside of Jesus’ earthly ministry in the NT: both in the Book of Acts regarding Church leadership choices.
  • Acts 13:2-3 & Acts 14:23

• 16 “And when you fast …

  • Fasting in the Bible for at least 15 reasons:
    To Repent
    For General Humbling
    For Favor
    For the Sick
    For Fellowship with and in devotion to the Lord
  • They were not suppose to fast and look --v 16b-- “gloomy like the [actors],
  • So the pseudo-piety, inauthentic religious participation, acted out the part with gloominess for the show. They disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.
  • What’s wrong brother, “Fasting.”
  • Result? Again, loss of reward: 16b Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
    • Rewarded with attention here instead of reward in heaven. Not a good trade-off.

• 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, - 18 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

  • But acting wasn’t enough, they needed to add the costume department to the religious part as well. I will be unhygienic today too --for the show.
  • But Jesus said that not taking regular care of oneself to show everyone you are fasting will result in loss of reward.
  • Secrecy safeguards reward.
  • Our Father will reward us.

21st Century application

• This is maybe not something we are not very familiar with in America.
• First, we don’t fast much --if ever.
• We are not an openly religious society as the first century Jews were and as many oriental cultures are to this day.
• Instead, in America, we “keep our religion to ourselves” as the world has instructed and demanded.
• Most American Christians, when they rarely fast, would not at all want that to be known at work for instance.
• Now if we were to fast about something and we were at church, then we might disfigure our faces.
  • Don’t do it.
  • Don’t tell people directly either!

JESUS ILLUSTRATES AND APPLIES again. SOMEONE READ vv 2-4 “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."

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.

• "When you “give” not “if you give.” COMMENT
  • Giving to people’s needs and to the poor was a religious duty in first century Judaism. (Cf. France, The Gospel According …, 131)
• But for some, the trumpet blast of announcement came with their meeting the needs of others.
• Jesus “trumpet” illustration might have been metaphorical here. >>
  • This might remind some of the old adage: "So-and-so is “tooting their own horn.”
• But trumpets were used to call people to worship at the Temple. >>
  • Trumpets were also used at the temple of Jerusalem to call citizens to give to an urgent need.>>
  • Imagine someone hastily closing their shop after hearing a need marked by a trumpet blast. The imaging a person running to the temple to give. Carson said, “Everyone knows where I’m going, and the speed at which I’m moving not only draws attention to my direction but attests to my zeal.” (Carson, The Sermon …, 56)
• There is at least one another possibility: Jesus, with His hypocrite (or actor) motif, could have been thinking of the trumpets of the theater. “In theatre of late antiquity trumpets often announced an action or a new scene.” (Evans, p 120 f; spelling retained)
  • If this be true, note in v 2 that the hypocrites theater was --in part-- their synagogues.
  • Church can become theater!
  • Bricks, plaques, and donor levels labeled by precious metals.
  • I’ve been in Baptist churches where I thought the forks at the potluck dinner might have has an individual’s name on the back.
• What is clear is that Jesus denounced showmanship in giving to needed people.
• v 2b Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Look at how we can ensure our reward in v 3.
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.

• “When you give to the needy…”
  • God uses people to give to the needy.
  • The world if filled with needy people.
  • Orphans and widows are crying out to God right now for help.
  • We know this but are we helping?
  • Are we thinking, “Where are the needy I can help?”
  • Are we giving to help the needy?
  • How much did you give last year to help those in need?
  • We should always be looking to help with our resources.
  • James explains well a reason for our reluctance: “You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:2b-3; emphasis added)
  • Most of our money will go to enrich our own lives if we are being honest. We need to change.
• Giving to the needy needs to be done in secret.
• Our left hand should not know what our right hand gave.
• What a metaphor: “we ourselves are scarcely to know what we’ve given: the left hand remains ignorant of what the right hand gives.” (Carson, The Sermon …, 57)
• Such secrecy is not commended alone, but coupled with giving “it ensures that our giving is not prompted, even in part,” by the praise or attention of our peers. (Carson, The Sermon …, 57)
• Reason: 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
  • The same actions can be righteous or hypocritical, but both are rewarded. >>
  • If anyone sees something spiritual we are doing we run the risk of loss.
  • Everyone gets a reward: it’s paid here or there.
  • The rewards of those who do things the way God has prescribed is assured in Scripture.
  • Jesus will, as recorded by the gospels writers, explain in detail --many times-- how to achieve great reward. He never condemns wanting to be rewarded in heaven when asked about the how tos, but He instead will model, demonstrate and teach rewardable actions to His Disciples.
• One may give with an audience nearby … but it greatly increases the loss of reward potential. Flip back to Matthew 5:16, Jesus taught too, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
  • In that verse we see what the intended purpose should be, glory to the Father.
  • We will see dialectic ideas again soon. I will deal with the dual layers of Jesus’ theology next week in pt. 2.

APPLICATION OF NT GIVING

• We already know we should be giving to the needy.
• So what are the NT principles related to giving?
• Many New Testament giving truths are covered in 2 Corinthians 9:6-12.
• Turn there with me. SOMEONE READ

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

• As much as American Christians focus on money, it is amazing to me that so many don’t give even a passing though about what their heavenly bank account may look like.

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

• Reluctant? Don’t give.
• Reject compulsion
• Pastor are know for placing the people under compulsion. They are in sin for doing so.
• We are to tell of the needs. We should explain the whys.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

• When we give, God is going to take care of us.
• He will equip us for “every good work” (this is in a context of giving)

9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

• God gives to the poor.
• God uses people to give to the poor.
• We should give to the poor.

10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

• Again we see that giving is righteousness.

**11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. **

• People are blessed because of our giving.
• God gets glory for our giving.
• In Luke 6 in the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus said, "give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (v 38)

Notes

^{Notes from above may not be in numerical order.}

¹ As quoted by Bloomberg, p 117 in footnote 58.
² Evans, 121; cf. Carson, The Sermon …, 56, Plumptre & France, 130.
³ Plumptre; cf. Carson, The Sermon…, 56; cf. Evans, 121, Carson, The Sermon …, 56, & France, 130.

Works Cited

Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Click here to access the works cited web-page for this document, save those marked as “Notes” or “Other Works Cited”–if any. Most of these cited works correspond to the verses they are outlined with. In the case of general background information and references, one will find cited material with the Bible books the citations are associated with. ¶ Furthermore, there may be numbered notes that are URL linked; these are usually retained numbered notes from Thomas Constable’s, “Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes.” These links are preserved “as is” at the time of this work’s formation and I usually include other citation information from Constable as well (e.g. authors’ names).

Other Works Cited

^{Note: Not all of the resources below were used in this particular sermon outline.}

Augsburger, David. Dissident Discipleship. Brazos Press, 2006.

Blomberg, Craig L. Matthew. New American Commentary, vol. 22, ed. David S. Dockery, et al., Broadman Press, 1992. May be sourced from archive.org.
(https://archive.org/details/matthew0000blom)

________. Preaching the Parables: From Responsible Interpretation to Powerful Proclamation. Baker Academic, 2004. Sourced from archive.org.
(https://archive.org/details/preachingparable0000blom/page/82/mode/1up)

Bruce, Alexander Balmain. The Training of the Twelve. Ed., A.C. Armstrong and Son, reprint 1984, Kregel Publications, 1971 edition.

Carson, D. A. The Sermon on the Mount : an Evangelical of Matthew 5-7 Exposition. 1978, Baker Book House, fifth printing, 1989. Sourced from archive.org.
(https://archive.org/details/sermononmounteva0000cars/page/54/mode/1up)

_______. When Jesus confronts the world : an exposition of Matthew 8-10. Originally published by Inter-Varsity Press in 1988, Paternoster, 1995. Sourced from archive.org.
(https://archive.org/details/whenjesusconfron0000cars/page/n3/mode/1up)

Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest. Our Daily Bread Publishing, Online ver.

Chan, Francis. Crazy Love. David C. Cook, 2008.

Davies, W. D. and Dale C. Allison, Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew. T. & T. Clark, 1988. Sourced from archive.org.
https://archive.org/details/criticalexegetic0001davi/page/n7/mode/1up

Evans, Craig A. The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew-Luke. Victor, 2003. Sourced from archive.org.
(https://archive.org/details/bibleknowledgeba00crai/mode/1up)

France, R. T. The Gospel According to Matthew. W. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1985.

France, R. T. The Gospel of Matthew. W. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2007. Sourced from archive.org.
https://archive.org/details/gospelofmatthew0000fran/page/n6/mode/1up

Harrington, Daniel J . The Gospel of Matthew. Sacra Pagina Series, vol. 1, A Michael Glazier Book, Liturgical Press (publ.), 1991. Sourced from archive.org.
https://archive.org/details/gospelofmatthew0000harr/mode/1up

Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke. Baker Book House, 1984.

Phillips, John. Exploring the Gospels: John. Loizeaux Brothers, 1988.

Platt, David. Follow Me. Tyndale, 2013.

Plumptre, E. H. “Matthew.” Commentary for English Readers, Charles John Ellicott, Compiler/Editor, Lord Bishop of Gloucester Cassell and Company, Limited, 1905. Sourced from BiblePortal.com. Click here for a list of the authors of the CER.

Yancey, Philip. The Jesus I Never Knew. Zondervan, 1995.

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