Matthew 6
COMMENTARY:
: 1 Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. (1654 “alms” [eleemosune] means charitable giving, a donation to the poor, giving money to a needy person, mercy, compassion, or beneficence.)
DEVOTION: Our Christian life is not to be one that makes us famous. We are not practice our service to the LORD for our own personal benefit. It is supposed to be done mostly in private with very little recognition. The only one we should care about knows what is happening. HE will reward those who act without fanfare.
The Pharisees who were the religious leaders of the time of Christ liked to do things so that others could give them praise. They wanted people to think that they were wonderful. Jesus said that was the only reward they were going to receive. There was nothing in eternity for them but judgment.
Those who did things without the public noticing were going to receive a reward in heaven if they were never looking for it on earth. The LORD does bless those who do things privately. Sometimes even other Christians will see that you are honoring the LORD with your actions if you are doing things behind the scene.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only those who are on the platform each Sunday are the only ones doing service to the LORD. Those who are cleaning the church are going to receive a greater reward if their attitude is right. God sees our motives when we serve HIM.
CHALLENGE: The warning is real. Satan enjoys having people in the church serve with praise in mind rather than pleasing the LORD. Heed the warning.
: 6 But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to yourFather which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly. (4336 “pray” [proseuchomai] means to ask, suplicate, worship, beseech, invocation, to offer prayers, or to make prayer.)
DEVOTION: The LORD continues the sermon on the mountain. HE deals with giving alms in secret so they can be rewarded openly by the LORD. Our giving is to help those who have a need. There are many around us in church who will never express their need unless we get close to them. Sometimes pastors know of the need and we can ask them if there is a family in the church that has a special need.
Secondly, HE deals with proper prayer. These are the ones that the LORD hears and answers. There are many fake prayers offered in churches. They don’t go beyond the ceiling. There are many who pray at home but not properly and that is why they don’t receive an answer. Remember that our prayers deal with forgiveness for our sins and this will not happen unless we forgive others. Is this dealing with our salvation? NO! It is dealing with our fellowship with and blessings from the LORD. We are not to pray so others can see what we are doing. Public prayer should be only magnifying the LORD.
This is communication with our heavenly Father. Only those who have chosen to follow the Lord Jesus Christ can call God their Father. The prayers of those outside of Christ are not heard except the first repentant prayer for salvation. Jesus is instructing HIS disciples on prayer. We are HIS disciples once we follow HIM. Notice that the hypocrites like to pray. The ones who were the hypocrites in Christ’s day were the religious leaders or Pharisees. They wanted the praise of men because they appeared to be so pious. The Lord tells HIS disciples that they have “their reward.” What is their reward? Their reward is the praise of men. Their prayers don’t go any higher than the people around them. Christ wants HIS disciples prayers to reach heaven.
Remember again, first is the following of Christ. Second, is that they are to pray to the Father in secret. Thirdly, the Father will reward their prayers openly. When we pray we need to address the Father through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the Biblical formula.
We are not to use vain repetition or chant to the LORD or pray the same prayer over and over like “now I lay me down to sleep.” The LORD wants honest communication in our prayers. HE wants us to talk with HIM as with a friend. HE knows our needs but HE wants us to depend on HIM for their provision.
The LORD continues with another discipline that is closely related to prayer and that is fasting. We are not to do it so other can see what we are doing. We are not to brag about doing it. Prayer and fasting are necessary for major decisions in our lives and for closeness to the LORD.
Next, HE deals with one of the main problems in prayer: asking for things. HE informs us that we are not to worry about things. The LORD knows what we need and HE has promised to provide all we need. We are to concentrate on storing treasures in heaven. Each day we have a choice regarding who we are going to serve: ourselves or the LORD. Do we have enough faith to trust HIM to provide for all our needs? Do we have enough faith to seek HIM first and foremost in our lives? It needs to start today. Are we serving the LORD today???
CHALLENGE: Communication with the LORD needs to be the first priority of every genuine believer. If the communication is kept up to date our relationship is up to day.
: 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. (2706 “despise” [kataphroneo] means to condemn, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of, look down on, scorn, show contempt, to think slightly of, or to think against someone.)
DEVOTION: There are only two choices in the spiritual world. You are either a follower of the LORD or you are not. There are only two families you can be a member of either the LORD’S family or the devils family. There are only two places to go for eternity after we die, either heaven or the lake of fire. The world is divided. It is not an even divide. More people chose to ignore Christ. More people think that Christianity is not necessary for them.
Here we see that there are two masters with their respective attitudes. One master is called mammon or money or possessions or anything we worship other than the true God of the Bible. The one attitude is hate. The other attitude is love.
Today we are finding out just how much people hate Christmas. Our legal system has given in to those who are minorities and wish to not see Christmas celebrated. One person complaining and they don’t care what the majority want. Hatred for the celebration of anything Christian is something that our enemy wants to see control our world.
Those who love the LORD want to use this occasion to spread the Word of God concerning the coming Savior. They like the idea of using this time to witness to friends and family. They like to invite them to church to hear the Good News of a Savior who came as a baby to die on a cross to offer the ultimate gift of salvation. The world scorns this message.
A choice has to be made by every individual who ever lived concerning a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not part of a family inheritance. It is not a part of a national heritage. It is an individual choice that has to be made.
We need to not teach or assume that everyone is going to heaven. We need to challenge those around us to the difference between serving the LORD and serving money. If they can think the thought of the difference, they can make an intelligent decision that will result in where they spend eternity. Don’t let our enemy, the devil, seduce you into thinking that everyone around you is going to heaven no matter what they believe.
CHALLENGE: Choice is what is involved in where we spend eternity. If you are not giving those around you a distinct choice they will wonder why you have never shared this truth with them when they stand before the LORD in judgment.
: 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. (713 “sufficient” [arketos] means enough, adequate, contentment, or satisfactory.)
DEVOTION: Our walk with the LORD is a daily walk. It is not a weekly or monthly or yearly walk. Each day is a new adventure with the LORD. Each day we need to have a fresh relationship with HIM. Each day we need to ask for fresh oil from HIM. Each day we need to watch HIM provide for our every need. Each day we need to thank HIM for His provision.
Too often we think down the road. I have stated to people that “I have a plan and God has a plan and God always wins.” I like to plan ahead for events in my life. I like to be in control of what is happening in my life. That is a problem with the LORD.
HE always wants control over our life. HE wants us to seek HIS guidance each day. Does that mean that I should never plan for the next day? NO!!! I can make my plans but be very willing to let HIM change those plans and not complain about it.
About a year ago I had planned to attend founder’s week at Moody Bible College. I was in Chicago. I was looking at the schedule to see what speakers I wanted to hear. It was going to be great to have a time of spiritual refreshment.
A number of years ago I received a call of a need in the state of Washington from my son. I could have said no I am in Chicago and want to attend the conference. That would have been selfish. The LORD wanted me in Washington. I went. It was a great time with my grandchildren while my daughter-in-law went to be with a grandfather who was dying to witness one last time for him to receive Christ as his Savior.
Again a few years ago I received a call from my wife who wanted me to join her in Washington to help with the care of our grandchildren. I again had other plans but the LORD provided a person to care for my mother-in-law so that I could go and help during this time period. What we didn’t know was besides the birth of our thirteenth grandchildren a member of our son’s youth group was going to have a serious injury in her gymnastics practice. She is presently paralyzed from her chest down. She was only fifteen years old. My son and his wife were in the hospital most of the night with her. If we had not both been there to care for the other grandchildren it would have been extra hard on my wife. God knows ahead of time where we are to be and when we are to be there. We have to be open to HIS direction in our life.
Tomorrow is another adventure with the LORD. Be open to HIS moving you from one location to another. HE has provided many twists and turn in my life for my growth in HIM.
CHALLENGE: Some I have liked and others well I still have some questions. HE always knew what is best for my spiritual development.
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