Esse Quam Videri
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Review:
Review:
Lesson 1 - “Tudes” Matthew 5:1-16
Lesson 2 - Jesus The Law & Prophets: Matthew 5:17-48
Lesson 3 - Disciples Devotion: Prayer Matthew 6:5-15
Introduction:
Introduction:
The Latin phrase I have named this lesson, Esse quam videri (ˈe-sā-ˌkwäm-wi-ˈdā-rē) means to be rather than to seem. This phrase was first recorded by Cicero in an essay on Friendship but is also the motto of the State of North Carolina.
Our passage of scripture today, Jesus is teaching his disciples and also us, to be real and not just seem to be real.
Lets dive into the great truths found in our lesson today.
We talked earlier this week about integrity - “Blessed are the pure in heart”
this is a part of being and not seeming -
This is also a part of that “telios” track of righteousness - holiness - perfect
Remember Matthew 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
But back to the idea of integrity and oneness of soul...
Socrates says, “The first key to greatness, is to be in reality what we appear to be.” John Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You p. 35-36, Thomas Nelson, 1993
You know Jesus teaches in another place that what is inside the heart is going to come out. It’s going to find an outlet somewhere.
You can only subdue and restrain self-centeredness for so long it’s going to crop up if its there.
This is the warning that Jesus is giving in our passage this morning - if there was a cleansing of the inside first and filled with good and sweet things of heaven thats waht is going to come out.
But if you just clean up the outside and leave the rot and decay and filth on the inside its going to regurgitate at some point all over your nice clean outside - and sometimes cause irreparable damage.
Jesus is going to use a phrase several times in our study today that address this - “hypocrite” what is a hypocrite?
As our slogan says it is to seem instead of to be
Illustrate this with lightswitch at Wichita sermon of hypocrisy.
In our passage today Jesus address the hypocrites which is most likely the Scribes and Pharisees although Jesus never makes that clear - He gives us three ways to avoid being like the Pharisees by talking about popular forms of piety or means of grace
Giving
Praying
Fasting
In each act we will see the same logical structure
A. A warning not to do the act to be praised by men
B. A guarantee that those who ignore this warning will get what they want but no more
C - Instructions on how to performthe act of piety secretly
D. The assurance that the Father who sees in secret will reward
I don’t want to major on this - but I’m afraid many holiness people struggle with this idea many of them with good hearts - but Christianity, Kingdom Dwelling is not performance-based religion. True Christianity is about the heart -
Read: Matthew 6:1-4
Read: Matthew 6:1-4
(We will read the first section and then comment as we go)
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
First off what is doing alms? Some translate this word “alms” as righteousness - “do not your righteousness before men to be seen of them” but in the context here in this passage we will stick with the traditional definition of giving for charitable or benevolent reasons.
1.) Giving & Charitable Deeds (Matthew 6:1-4)
1.) Giving & Charitable Deeds (Matthew 6:1-4)
One thing to note - Jesus does not say “do not give alms”
Another thing to note - Jesus does not put a monetary value here - whatever you give…
Give to be seen of God
Give to be seen of God
He does say be careful how you give alms - Here Jesus is making a statement and he going to make it again and again in this chapter to drive home the point - ITS ALL ABOUT THE HEART
Jesus goes so far to say that “if you give to be seen of men - you get no reward from God”
I don’t know about you but Jesus makes this concept of rewards from God of great importance - of being of much greater value - I want to talk about in the end of our lesson today on this subject of rewards. but for now I want you to notice the importance Jesus places on it.
Give unannounced (Quietly)
Give unannounced (Quietly)
IN Matthew 6:2 he talks about how you shouldn’t sound a trumpet as you are doing your alms.
There is controversy over whethor or not this was a literal problem in Jesus’ time. Many scholars say it was doubtful but that Jesus was making an exagerated metaphor about their clamor and hunt for attention of men.
It also could mean and there is some evidence that supports it - the boxes were made of metal with opening that resembled the tube like structure of a trumpet and as coins were dropped in it would make a loud sound and the greater the noise the greater the attention .
Today I cringe when I see social media posts of people going around and giving money to the homeless, or some act of charity videos or text we are sounding trumpets before us
Jesus put it this way -
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Now this can’t be taken literally without a lobotomy - that was an old form of physchosurgery where the frontal lobe of the brain was probed and poked till connections were severed
but I believe what Jesus is saying is give and forget it as quick as you can. Don’t keep a running total of what you gave for attention, or pleasure, or to tell others.
He says “Let your alms be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward or recompense thee
Now if you have another translation other than the KJV it is most ikely that is all it says. Most that I read, simply say, “He will reward you.”
In the earliest manuscripts we have available that the Bible has been translated from the word “openly” is not found, the KJV writers either for what they felt was to bring clarity or the idea to the front added the word “openly”
This takes away nothing of the reward as we will see later.
Jesus doesn’t only talk about how to give but....
2.) How To Pray (Matthew 6:5-15)
2.) How To Pray (Matthew 6:5-15)
This was discussed at greater length yesterday and so I won’t go into it much - but I ran out of time on a couple of points I wanted to bring to our attention today:
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Alan Redpath said, “Before we can pray “Thy Kingdom Come,” we must be willing to pray “my kingdom go.”
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
I love this art of the prayer - We will be tempted, tested, and tried - but I want you to know Jesus will never tempt you to sin - He’s going to do the opposite - He’s going to give you grace to resist temptation. He’s going to be making an emergency exit for you a way of escape
But I think it was so important to Jesus that Kingdom dwellers pray this
I personally believe Jesus is saying pray that you won’t give in to the temptations that come your way- -and I’m so thankful God gives grace and help.
3.) Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)
3.) Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Jesus addresses a third form of piety or means of grace or act of righteousness - that of fasting.
Fasting is doing without typically food or water either as a form of desperate repentance, or a means to draw closer to God.
Fasting should never be done to try and manipulate God. I heard someone make the claim when I was young that if you fast and pray for something for three days you will get it - I’m sorry that is superstition and hogwash
Under the law of Moses fasting was commanded on the Day of Atonement. During the Exile there were other feasts instituted :
To foster self-humiliation before God (repentance)
To lay a special petition before the Lord - at times in anguish, danger, or desperation
In the New Testament Fasting is acceptable and even suggested as something Kingdom dwellers would do - but probabbly no one should know about it.
Even in the Old Testament though Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zecharia preach at their hypocritical fasting.
If we go around moan and groaning of how we are fasting and we are so hungry or to be seen of men as the hypocrites in this passage - they would mark their faces, sometimes with ashes or even paint and make them look miserable, they wouldn’t bathe so they would stink and smell bad to let everyone know I am so spiritual I am fasting -
Jesus says, Kingdom dwellers will fast - but it will be a secret and that secrest will be rewarded!!!
Now I want to bring out a what seems to be a contradiction - Jesus - the same Jesus who is speaking in these verses says
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
That doesn’t sound very secret does it. Now the Almsgiving, Praying, Fasting, those are good works but he says do in secret
What does this mean?
Well I think the key is found in the idea of who is getting the glory - if people see your good works do you get the glory and let that be your reward or does God get the glory????
4.) Wealth, Treasures, & Anxiety (Matthew 6:19-34)
4.) Wealth, Treasures, & Anxiety (Matthew 6:19-34)
This group of teaching is not as connected as some of the other teachings - but a clear theme does unite these verses I think it is about treasures and a contrasting earthly and spiritual treasure
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. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
How do we lay up treasures? I think by that secret giving, that secret praying, that secret fasting.
But treasures and hearts go together don’t they. Some people live their entire lives in the pursuit of more money. more political power, more toys more whatever -
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
What is your treasure? I think that what Jesus was really asking His disciples.
Then he brings in the analagoy of light and darkness and depending on where your treasure is seems to indicate whether you are in light or darkness.
Then He goes back to the loyalty or integretiy concept
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Because of this...
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Someone has said, “Worry is practical atheism and an affront to God.”
The key verse of this passage is Matthew 6:33
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
We are told in this verse to seek after to pursue, to understand the Kingdom of Heaven. Not only to seek it but to seek it first. Make it a priority to apprehend the Kingdom. I hope with the Lord’s help to give us a greater understanding of the Kingdom of God, what it is, how to obtain it, and what to do with it. The Bible talks a lot about the Kingdom of God but only recently has some of its aspects and authority been made clear to me. I hope again by God’s help to share this information with you, as we together seek the Kingdom First. Romans 14:17for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
The Kingdom Belongs To – A kingdom has to have a king. In this instance the Kingdom of God, or Heaven (they are the same thing, you find Matthew is almost the exclusive user of the term Kingdom of Heaven, while the other writers use the term ‘Kingdom of God’.) Has a sovereign ruler, a monarch who rules the kingdom from His throne in Heaven, hence the name Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven also refers to a system or government that is not earthly or governed by earthly rules, regulation, or red tape.
The Father – Monarch
i. Jesus in his pattern for prayer prays in Matthew 6 , “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, THY KINGDOM COME….Jesus is acknowledging in His prayer that the Kingdom belonged to His Father.
ii. He ends this prayer with the words, “Thine is the Kingdom…
The Son – Heir
i. It is also the Kingdom of Jesusbecause He is the heir of all things. We find reference to this in various scriptures here are two for example,
1. Eph. 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
2. Col 1:12-13 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
ii. Luke 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
iii. JOHN 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world:
iv. Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
v. 1 Corinthians 15:24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
The Holy Spirit – Births/Brings Us Into The Kingdom
i. John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The Flock – Given to as joint-heirs
i. Literally
1. Luke 12:32 Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
a. It is our by right of inheritance
b. Matt. 25:34 It tells us that in the last day Jesus will say to His own, “Come, O blessed of my Father, inheritthe Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
c. Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
d. It is given to us, not sold or traded to us but given!!!
i. Given because we receive it.
1. Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
2. Luke 18:17 Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
ii. Spiritually
1. Luke 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God:
a. Matthew 13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
What does it mean to be given the kingdom? John Piper gave this answer, “It means simply and staggeringly and unspeakably that the omnipotent rule and authority of the King of the universe will be engaged forever and ever on behalf of the little flock of God. What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). And it is the Father's good pleasure to give it to his little flock. [1]
What a marvelous thought to contemplate Luke 22:29-30 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
He goes on in Matthew 6:34
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Dr. Adrian Rogers says “there is a high cost of borrowed trouble”
Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive Introduction
When you go into the future and bring the problems of the future into the present, all you do is mortgage the present to the future; all you are doing is borrowing trouble. And, worry is the interest you pay. Worry is the interest paid on borrowed trouble. And, so many people today want to borrow trouble. They want to go into the future and begin to take thought for the morrow.
Now this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan for tomorrow but we don’t wast our time worrying about tomorow we belong to the Kingdom
Conclusion: The Kingdom Dwellers Reward
Conclusion: The Kingdom Dwellers Reward
The hypocrites received exactly what they wanted - to be seen by others. To me that is so sad I talked a little yesterday about htat the fleeting aproval and applause of men is nothing to compare to the rewards from Our Father.
Now I want look a little at the phrase, “they have their reward” this is found three times in each setting in this chapter -
The idea Jesus is trying to convey is that they have all they are going to get. They wanted human praise that is what they get that is all they get.
Jesus gets pretty rough with the Pharisees in Luke 16:15
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
This idea of only having the praise of men as a reward “that is an abomination in the sight of God”
But what does it mean “your Father which sees in secret will reward you?” We are never told what this reward is.
But the Bible mentions rewards many times
I love the story of Abraham we have a moving and touching verse
1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
It was said of Moses:
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
I think one of the problems of our seekers is grasping the reality and necessity of faith - do you know you can’t be sorry enough to get saved - you can be sorry and lose your soul - if you never trust God if you never place your faith in Christ
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Or earlier it says to the saints,
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
Paul tells us a little of that recompence of reward
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.
Reward is a gift, earning, repayment, or retribution offered to an individual or a people as a response to a particular action—good or bad. A reward can be a positive or negative result of a given action.
There may be more but it seems there are at least two types of Kingdom Rewards:
Earthly
Eternal
Earthly Rewards -
This can include blessings like houses, vehichles, property, etc but I think we have made rewards too materialistic.
Earthly rewards can also be something more spiritual Dr. Bill Mounce used the idea of parenting. What is the reward of parenting? I don’t really think it was intended to be to have someone take care of you when you are old. But there is great reward in parenting a child for God and seeing that Child grow up to serve God. “The end of the process is itself, the reward.” as C. S. Lewis puts it.
You might put it this way “Holiness is its own reward.” I’ve heard many testimonies of people who say, in certain situations I would have responded this way but God has changed my attitude or my heart and my actions.
Eternal Rewards:
1 Corinthians 3 talks about this - He says that all of our works will be manifest one day everything you’ve done and will be tested by fire the wood hay and stubble will burn up but works of gold and silver will last
That is the type of reward I want to strive for, I want to earn - God help us to avoid doing things for the praise of men and do things for the glory of God There is great reward in that.