Sermon on the Mount, Part 7–Money & Provisions

Teaching about Money and Possessions

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. 22 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.

• Luke 12:16-21 - "Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
• Proverbs 30:8b-9 - "Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name."

23 But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

• The pursuit of money inevitably leads one away from God.
• 1 Timothy 6:10 - "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

• Matthew 6:7b - "… for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!"

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

• Kingdom priorities: Seek God, live right, and He'll provide.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."

• This verse is sometimes misunderstood to mean that life will be without problems for the believer.
• Today will bring troubles, to be sure, but with each trouble, God provides daily strength to bear up under it. Don't borrow from tomorrow.

Sermon on the Mount, Part 6–Prayer & Fasting

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

• Continuing the contrasting of public and private actions, of actions versus motivations, of the flesh and the heart
• Not "if you pray," but "when you pray"
• Does this mean that we should never engage in corporate prayer? Not at all! It is part of the purpose of the church community -- Acts 2:42 - "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer." Also, 1 Timothy 2:8 - "In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy."

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 

• Not the quantity of your prayer, but the quality of your prayer
• Have you ever felt intimidated by the idea of praying, feeling as though if you don't pray in exactly the right way or with the right words, your prayers will not be accepted by God? Have you ever felt like you are 'bothering' God?
• Matthew 6:32b - "Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs."

9 Pray like this:

• "If you want to get to know someone intimately, eavesdrop on their prayers." - Dave Arch (http://www.askapastor.org/prayers.html )
• There are over 20 prayers of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, each not only revealing His heart and His relationship to the Father, but also serving as an example to us of how we should likewise pray.

Our Father in heaven, 

• Neither "babbling on and on" nor repetition suggest relationship; even the Jews rarely addressed God as "Father," yet Jesus did so in every prayer but one.
• Not only can we approach God as our "Father," but as our "Abba" (no direct English transliteration of this Aramaic term of endearment, yet it connotes an intimate caring relationship) - Jesus uses it in Mark 14:36, and it is also used in Romans 8:15 ("So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”"), and Galatians 4:6 ("And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”")

may your name be kept holy. 

• Intimacy must be balanced with reverence. We must live in such a way as not to bring reproach upon His name.

10 May your Kingdom come soon. 

• This is another example of the "now and not yet" duality inherent in prophecy. The Kingdom of Heaven had come with the arrival of Jesus; yet, it will not be completely fulfilled until His return and reign.

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 

• James 4:1-3 - "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure."
• 1 John 5:14-15 - "And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for."
• Philippians 4:6 - "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."
• Romans 8:26-27 - "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will."
• Matthew 29:39 - “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."
• James 4:13-16 - "Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil."

11 Give us today the food we need,

• Manna (Exodus 16); Jesus is our living bread from heaven (John 6:22-58)

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 

• Mark 11:25 - "But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
• Our attitudes and behaviors toward others can hinder our prayers.
• 1 Peter 3:7 - "In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered."

13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

• James 1:12-15 - "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death."
• 1 Corinthians 7:5b - "Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 - "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
• James 4:7 - "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
• 1 Peter 5:8-9 - "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are." (also see Ephesians 6:10-18)

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

• Forgiveness is an inextricable component of our relationship with God. How can we, after having received such great mercy and kindness from our Heavenly Father, not do likewise in our relationships with others? If it feels like a difficult, costly proposition for us, how much more so for the Father? Yet, we are called to "give as freely as you have received!" (Matthew 10:8b) (also see the parable of the unforgiving debtor, Matthew 18:21-35)

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

• Note: when you fast, not if you fast. Fasting, like prayer, is an important part of the believer's life, but again, we must examine our motives.

Conclusion

When should we pray?

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Never stop praying."
• Ephesians 6:18 - "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere."
• Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."

With the right perspective, the right attitude, the right relationships, prayer is powerful!

• Jude 1:20b - "Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit…"
• James 5:13-18 - "Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops."

Sermon on the Mount, Part 5–Actions & Motives

A "Series within a Series" -- Matthew 6:1-18

• This sermon, and the two to follow, comprise a study of contrasts between the "hypocrite" and the disciple within the contexts of outward religious acts (giving, prayer, fasting), and the hearts and motives behind them.
• Q: What does "hypocrite" mean? (ie: "The church is full of hypocrites!")
• What a hypocrite is not: A person who confesses one thing and falls short of what he confesses to believe; a Christian who tries and fails.
• Strong's #5273:hupokrites (pronounced hoop-ok-ree-tace') from 5271; an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figuratively) a dissembler ("hypocrite":--hypocrite.) NLT Study Bible: "A person who pretends to be something that he or she is not. … The focus is on the sin of simulation and pretext, especially referring to those who presume they are righteous and condemn others."
• John 8:1-11 -- Woman caught in adultery: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." He who would then hurl a stone is a hypocrite; 1 John 1:8-10 says, "If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts."

Matthew 6:1-4

Teaching about Giving to the Needy

1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.

• Compare with Matthew 5:16 - "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Is Jesus contradicting Himself? Of course not.
• What are the motives and outcomes of these two verses? One is to be admired by others, but results in losing the reward from God; the other is to 'shine your light' to bring praise to God by all.

• Stained glass window analogy - Beautiful to look at, but completely fails at its job of letting light in and presenting a clear view of a subject

2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.

• James 2:14-20, 26 - "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? … Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works."

• Our good deeds declare our faith long before our lips ever do; likewise, failing to live out what we profess undermines the message we are trying to convey to others.

3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 

• In other words, just as we don't give or do to earn the admiration of others, so we are not to keep our own mental record of our good deeds. Doing so can lead to pride. Our "good deeds" should become a natural overflow of who we are, and of the faith we have; as James implied, like breathing.
• Remember, our good deeds are an outward manifestation of God working in the lives of others through the gifts, talents, abilities, and resources He has entrusted to us.
• Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."
• Ultimately, these same works which originate with Him end with Him. Matthew 25:31-40 - "...when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"
• If God calls us to put our faith into action in good words and giving to others as part of His divine plan, He will most assuredly provide the means by which we are to do so. Our responsibility, then, is to maintain a proper attitude and perspective.
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 - "Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you."

4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

• We need to be the same people in private as we are in public. This isn't to say that we don't adopt certain social customs when with others; our private actions must be consistent with our public actions. (Worship team story)

Love is the most important component of faith and good deeds.

• Galatians 5:6b - "What is important is faith expressing itself in love." Here we see FAITH expressing itself (ACTION) in LOVE.
• 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 - "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."
• Hebrews 10:24 - "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." (Vision/Planning Meeting)