The Things We Do
Notes
Transcript
Intro; In 1996, an American comedy film written, starring and directed by Tom Hanks was released called “That Thing You Do”. Its a spin on a local Pennsylvania band that scores a one-hit wonder in 1964 and achieve big time success when they release a Beatles-style pop song. They ride the glory until it all starts falling apart.
The reason the band falls apart is their “Motives”.
Motive- the reason we do the things we do
Each one had a different motive for the purpose of the band and eventually it fell apart and they all went their separate ways.
In this next section of the Greatest Sermon Ever Preached [chapter 6] , Jesus challenges our motives of why we do “The Things We Do”.
Text; Mt. 6:1-4
Matthew 6:1–4 (NKJV)
1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
1. Charitable Deeds;
1. Charitable Deeds;
Charitable deeds [almsgiving] is mentioned 4 times in these four verses, so we need to know what it really means.
Alms- giving charity to those who are poor and needy. The word “alms” is defined as “mercy or pity” and is spoken of as a donation to the poor. True almsgiving involves compassion and mercy.
Jesus is not speaking here about offerings for the church or for missionaries. Giving alms is not part of your tithes and offerings for the Lord’s work. An alms is charity for those who are truly poor and needy to prevent human suffering.
Psalm 41:1 (NKJV)
1 Blessed is he who considers the poor;
It should be without question that a christian desires to give our tithes and offerings to the church for kingdom work.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
But it is also expected of the christian to give to the poor and needy above our tithes and offerings. Jesus used the word “when you give alms”, not “if you give” them!
Jesus takes for granted that His followers, who are of Godly character and have risen above the status quo of the world, will naturally give and do good to the needy.
Luke 14:12–13 (NKJV)
12 Then He also said to him who invited Him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.
13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
It is a given then, that christians are known by our giving!
2. Motives in Giving; 1-3
2. Motives in Giving; 1-3
Motive- reason; why we do the things we do
Jesus says there are only two reasons behind our motive of charitable deeds;
To impress men
To serve God
What we do and the motive behind it, matters to God!
To impress men; you can do the right thing for the all the wrong reasons. You may help the poor and needy but you have hurt yourself!
[1-2] It was a custom that the Pharisees would make a big announcement when they were going to give to the poor and needy. The Pharisees would blow a small horn and announce that either in the synagogue or in the town square that they would be giving alms to the poor and needy at this time on this day. In doing so they would make sure they had the biggest crowd around when the distributed their alms. People would be impressed by their giving and began to praise them for what they were doing. Jesus called them hypocrites/actors!
[Tony Evans] The word, hypocrite in the New Testament, was used of a person playing a part. You’ve seen on television where a person has a stick with mask on it, and then they would put the mask in front of their face, that means they were playing that part. Sometimes, they would have three or four masks on a stick, because they were playing three or four parts. And so, they would play this part, and pick up that stick with the mask, and then switch over to this stick with the mask, and then switch over to this stick with the mask, because they were playing a role. Those actors were known as hypocrites, that is, that’s not who they really were, that’s the part that they were playing. So, to be a good hypocrite, is to be a good actor. In other words, that’s not the real you. Some actors are so good at acting, if you see them, you don’t call them by their real name, you call them by the person that they act out, because they’re just so good at it.
The Bible says, you can become a professional Christian, a play actor, where you put a mask in front of your face, because you want everybody to see how holy, and sanctified, you are. But, what you show folks on the outside, is not the same as who you are on the inside, God calls you a hypocrite, a play actor. You’re a good candidate for an Oscar, because you have done a great job of deception.
[Read letter from Alan Shawn Feinstein]
For a hypocrite, reputation is more important than character. Reputation is what other folks think of you. Character is what you really are. When you are more interested in reputation, than your character, things will fall apart just like it did for the band in the movie.
Matthew 23:5–7 (NKJV)
5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
[2b] They have their reward; The language of Jesus here is straightforward. [have/Apecho] is a technical term for commercial transactions and means to “receive a sum in full and give a receipt for it.” Men’s praise is all the reward that hypocrites will receive. There is no heavenly reward!
Matthew 16:26 (NKJV)
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.
[3-4] To serve God; The left hand doesn’t need to know what the right hand is doing. When we give to serve God, no one needs to know because God already does! We don’t need praise from ourself or others because God will reward a servants heart openly.
10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in The Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, “You may have them if you pay for them.” As a result some people labeled the Spurgeons’ as greedy and grasping people. They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves, and only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed. All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows. Because the Spurgeons were willing to let their left hand not know what the right hand was doing and keep their giving secret, they endured their attacks and criticisms in silence. But they recieved their reward from God.
Close;
Why do we do the things we do?
Ask yourself this question, “Would I still do this if no one will ever know what I did?”
Are we looking for the praise of men?
Or are we desiring to serve God in kingdom work, because it’s the right thing to do?