Chapter 6
From the contrasts between letter and intent in Chapter 5, Jesus begins to lay out concrete examples of ungodly behavior that is being passed off as honorable. The contrast is that anything done seeking the praise of men is wrong, and we should instead seek the approval of our God. He starts by condemning those who make an outward show of their generosity to the poor.
Then those who make a show of their awesome praying. These pray to impress men. But God knows what you need before you ask, and God hears where ever we are when we pray. God knows our hearts, and He treats us as we treat others. If we are forgiving, God forgives us.
Third, God says that when we fast, it shouldn't show in order to impress others with our piety. It should be for God to know, and since He knows without it showing outwardly, He will reward in the same way.
The point of all these (three of them, interestingly) is about our devotion to God being something that is only between ourselves and our God. Our devotion, the generosity in our hearts, the depth of our faith, the eloquence of our petitions, is for God to see and to hear, and not for men. Hypocrisy is universally bad.
2021 - Vs 1 says "in order to be seen". So praying in church, with the right attitude, is ok. It is all about the heart, about who we are doing it for.
2024 - Vss 1-18 are all about avoiding hypocrisy. The "villains" in each of the three sections - giving, praying, and fasting - are the hypocrites who do these things in order to be seen. They seek the glory and praise of men. And what they get - a little or a lot - is all they'll ever get if this is their aim. But if we keep it quiet, if we do it for God only, God will reward us and not men. God's reward will be better.
2020-As he did in Chapter 5, Jesus is internalizing sin, he is saying that our minds are what matter. It is our motivation for doing good that matters, as in who we are doing it for. If for our "own benefit", it is wrong.
Three things here. These are about our interaction with God.
vss 19-24 are about daily living. We should have our eyes on heaven, work for things valued in heaven, not on earth. Jesus says that just as our eyes perceive the light - if our eyes are working properly, then if we have light on the inside, we will function in accordance with His will. But if we are dark inside...
2021 - These verses:
22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! [Mat 6:22-23 ESV]
It is not about what we see, but how we see it. If we see as God sees, and we consider as He considers, then the world is a good place, with more than enough to do, and doing for those that we love because He loves will give us purpose and fulfillment. But if we see only the bad, if we let the horror that is in the world color our perception of life and purpose, then the world is a truly dark place.
Possible FB post.
vss 25-34 are about worry...or about faith. About assurance. Jesus gives several examples of God looking after birds, flowers, and grass, all of which He values less than those made in His own image. Why would we worry about the basic essentials of life - food, water, clothing - when God so readily provides these to creatures less than us. God values us. We are valuable to God. We are worth looking after in His estimation. So find the way to focus first on what He would require. Focus on glorifying God in what we do. Worry about pleasing God, not about what's for supper. Let God show you His To Do list for you today, rather than your own.
2021 - This verse, the theme for 2020. I wish I had noticed it a year ago!
27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [Mat 6:27 ESV] How many of us - myself included - worried too much about Covid? I think you have to balance this verse with the one from Rummage's sermon on Sunday: 12 And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" [Luk 4:12 ESV]. Such a difficult balance. Don't live in fear of death, but don't court death and expect God to coat you with Teflon. It was such a difficult year. And the real question is, what would I go back and change? Where was the line between "cautious enough" and "reckless". I just really do not know. All I know for sure is that 2020 fell somewhere in between these.
Possible FB post.