Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 The Hypocrisy Test
Sermon on the Mount • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
Intro:
Jesse Spencer Report
Ukraine
I usually don’t make comments about world events but I feel I need to comment on what’s going on in the Ukraine
My comments are in respects to end times prophecy
In Ezek 38 Gog and Magog are mentioned
Those are names for nation to the north of Israel and its king
Scripture says it will make a treaty with surrounding nations Persia, Cush, and Put
Persia is what we know as modern day Iran
Just recently Russia signed a treaty with Turkey, and Iran and has also signed deals with China
It’s easy to see how these events are lining up
Turkey and Iran hate Israel and want to wipe it off the earth
Russia is envious of it’s natural gas resources
They will form this alliance to attack Israel, especially without the backing of an increasingly cowardly USA
God will give Israel a miraculous victory, but it will set in motion the tribulation
We could be on the precipice of an incredible opportunity as a church
All the pieces are in place for the Antichrist to come and the Rapture to happen
People will be distraught and full of fear
The Gospel will shine brighter through the light in our hearts
We need to do some house cleaning and polishing that glass so that the light will shine brighter
Jesus addresses three areas this morning
Read Matthew 6:1-6
Read Matthew 6:1-6
Transition:
After looking at the attitudes a Christian should possess and further clarifying the commandments, Jesus turns to our motives
Three times Jesus says “Truly, I say to you, they have received your reward.”
He gives us options
Pine away for the applause and adoration of people or do things in secret and let God reward you
The three areas, giving, prayer and fasting provide a hypocrisy test for all disciples
It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeking approval
Jesus wants our motives to be pure when we do godly deeds
I. Choose Your Reward vs. 1
I. Choose Your Reward vs. 1
Jesus gives his disciples a choice
Choose the applause of man or the reward in heaven
In Jesus’ day the Pharisee’s did everything for people to see
They loved the applause of the people
Jesus says there is an alternative
Do your deeds in secret and God will see them and reward you when you get to heaven
Which one do you think will be more valuable?
It’s not that applause is bad
If someone encourages you by giving you a compliment then receive it
Simply say thank you
But make sure you aren’t doing it for the attention, likes, and adoration of people
Jesus is telling us to check our motives
Are they backed by trying to please God or by impressing others?
II. Trumpet or Stealthy? vs. 2-4
II. Trumpet or Stealthy? vs. 2-4
The first area we need to test our hypocrisy is in our giving
Giving to the poor was an important part of Jewish life
At the feasts people would line up to give at the treasury
At the front of the room were these large brass receptacles
You would take your offering and dump it in there
The wealthy would bring in an offering with as many coins as possible so that it would make as much noise as possible
People would stand in awe at the noise and the wealthy would walk out puffed up
One time Jesus was standing there watching when a widow came up with two mites, all she had
She went to a corner unnoticed and dropped them in
Jesus declared that she gave more than all the wealthy people
Jesus is not telling us to stop giving but to make sure our motives are pure
He wants us to do it so that our left hand doesn’t know what our right hand is doing
Stealth fighters built in AV
Growing up in the Antelope Valley I was surrounded by all of the latest developments in space and military aircraft
All of the Space Shuttles were built there
They also built and flew some of the new generation of fighters and bombers
The greatest had to be the stealth fighter
It is shaped like a wing and is able to evade all radars
Enemies don’t know it’s there until too late
The interesting thing about the plane is that is the loudest and slowest plane
Sometimes you will see anonymous gifts given for causes
But you can also be unassuming
You follow the Lord’s leading and don’t look for any props
III. Seen or Shut In? vs. 5-8
III. Seen or Shut In? vs. 5-8
The second area Jesus asks us to test ourselves and choose our reward is in our prayer life
There were two main places where a Jew in Jesus’ day might pray in a hypocritical manner.
They might pray at the synagogue at the time of public prayer, or on the street at the appointed times of prayer (9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m.)
“Prayer was not normally practiced at the street corners, but…one who strictly observed the afternoon hour of prayer could deliberately time his movements to bring him to the most public place at the appropriate time.”
The hypocrites (Think Pharisees) love to pray to be heard
They wanted to impress others with their vocabulary
Show others how spiritual they were
Their reward was the applause of the people
We should meet with God in our room (or “closet”).
The idea is of a private place where we can impress no one except God.
The specific ancient Greek word “room” was used for a storeroom where treasures were kept.
This reminds us that there are treasures waiting for us in our prayer closet.
Jesus certainly did not prohibit public prayer, but our prayers should always be directed to God and not towards man.
IV. Gloomy or Anointed? 16-18
IV. Gloomy or Anointed? 16-18
The final area Jesus challenges us to test ourselves and choose our reward is in fasting