The Sermon on the Mount

Maintaining Proper Motives

Matthew 6:1-18

In this section, Jesus teaches us about hypocrisy.

What is a hypocrite? Someone who engages in hypocrisy. What is hypocrisy? Hypocrisy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.

• The proper spirit of giving in contrast to hypocrisy (Matthew 6:1-4)
  • Giving
    • Acts of righteousness
    • Charitable deeds
    • Alms or currency
  • The purpose is to meet the needs of the poor
  • The process
    • The wrong way (Matthew 6:2)
      • Drawing attention to the act
        • Alm boxes were often made of metal with an inverted bell-shaped mouth that narrowed like a trumpet bell. When coins were place in the box, the sound of metal on metal could draw attention
      • The reward
        • People saw
        • People heard
        • People observed
    • The right way (Matthew 6:3-4)
      • Quietly, without drawing attention
    • The reward
      • Our Father takes note
• The proper spirit of prayer (Matthew 6:5-15)
  • The wrong way (Matthew 6:5a)
    • The reward (Matthew 6:5b)
  • The right way (Matthew 6:6-15)
    • Without attention (Matthew 6:6)
    • With understanding (Matthew 6:7)
  • The model for prayer
    • Jesus gave us the framework for prayer which should include the following elements
      • Adoration (Matthew 6:9-10)
      • Confession (Matthew 6:12)
      • Thanksgiving (Matthew 6:13)
      • Supplication (Matthew 6:11-13)
    • This prayer (with the exception of forgiving our debtors) is in 19 prayers of Jewish liturgy. The people were familiar with it
    • We should follow the example Jesus gave us
      • We should not follow the example of the Pharisee is Luke 18:11
        • The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
  • The promise (Matthew 6:14-15)
    • The Father forgives as we forgive
• The proper spirit of fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)
  • The wrong way (Matthew 6:16)
    • Seeking attention or sympathy
  • The right way (Matthew 6:17-18)
    • Fast subtly without drawing attention to yourself

Jesus shows us the attitude we carry toward our service to the Lord determines whether or not we will receive blessings from the Lord or accolades of men. The Lord’s blessings are eternal. The accolades of men fade.