Sermon on the Mount
“Being seen in the right company”
I think most of you would have heard at various times such questions as:
If you had three wishes – what would you wish for?
If you were on a desert island and could only have three things – what would they be?
What about this one:
What three things would a Christian regularly be doing?
[Read Matt 6:1-6,16-18]
Jesus speaks to the three things a devout Jew would regularly be doing:
giving to the poor
praying
fasting
And He is not criticising these and saying they are not important things to do. Far from it. He says “when…” you give, pray and fast. He considered these acts of righteousness would continue. Now – as we consider Jesus’ words this morning, we could look at “giving to the poor”. Then we could change our focus to the discipline of prayer. Then having covered that off, look at the issue of fasting and its benefits. We could do that – and totally miss the point of this passage of scripture.
In speaking about these three practices – Jesus is not focusing on the practices as such as much as the reasons why a person might engage in them.
The reasons and motives were emptying these noble practices of goodness.
In reflecting on Jesus’ words, three questions emerge as the people of God then, and the people of God today, live the life of faith:
1. Who am I trying to impress?
In the matter of giving, praying and fasting - the crux of the matter can be distilled to a question:
Whose attention are they trying to get?
Even more accurate – who are they trying to impress?
Jesus highlights two audiences to which a person can play to. In speaking about giving, praying and fasting – He uses the same phrases to highlight the two audiences:
(while the actual wording of the phrases differ in Bible versions – but they are essentially saying the same thing)
- People - “being seen by others”
- God - “Your Father Who sees in secret”
2. What will be my reward?
If I am trying to impress:
- People – immediate & temporary attention from others
- God – eternal & lasting reward from the Father
3. What does that make me?
If I am trying to impress:
- People – a hypocrite
- God – a disciple
And it is the issue of hypocrisy which is the main headline of this passage.
Hypocrisy can take many forms – but at the heart of hypocrisy is a lack of authenticity. A person who is “unreal.” A hypocrite is in essence an actor. As far as Matt 6 is concerned, the kind of hypocrite being described is not someone who putting up a front and concealing evil. The kind of hypocrite in view is the person who lives for the applause of others. They are the kind of person who is flexing their spiritual muscles and giving, praying and fasting in order to gain the attention and admiration of others. To draw on the three questions – they are trying to impress others, and insofar as they do they have received their reward in full and they are classed by Jesus as a hypocrite. They are engaged in good things for the wrong reasons. They are living a self-conscious and self-centred life of faith. Their concern, in this case, is not the poor or God. It is how they are perceived by others and appearing spiritually impressive. It is a short-sighted, hollow and meaningless existence.
How do you fare? How do we fare? The examples Jesus gave may well be some of the spiritual disciplines that form the key evidences of discipleship today. The examples Jesus gives might not seem to quite fit with our setting. Giving in a flamboyant way; praying in a very public and loud way on street corners; and fasting and going around looking and dressed in a way that makes it obvious. I wonder what forms this kind of hypocrisy finds it way into our lives today?
Almost 10 years ago I conducted a wedding and there was a very prominent Christian leader there that day. After the wedding was completed he came and talked to me. His observation was that I had drawn too much attention to myself. How embarrassing and shameful! At a wedding no less!
We can be engaged in many good pursuits in the name of Christ – but there will be no reward beyond the acclaim people have given us in the here and now. It’s not because people have acclaimed us; it’s because that’s what we were after. And we get our wish – the admiration of others. Jesus suggests here we have missed out on something greater.
There’s nothing wrong with people expressing gratitude, affirmation and encouragement. It’s important to offer that to others and it is good for the soul to receive sincere and warm words. But it’s when the craving for the adulation of the crowd becomes our motivation and reason for serving and loving God. And I think if we are honest – we know when we are doing it.
Now an important distinction need to be made. Earlier Jesus had said:
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:16)
This might appear to contradict what is being said here in Matt 6. However there is a key difference between letting your light shine before others so that they might glorify the Father in heaven; and shining your light so as to impress people with yourself as the centre of attention. With you taking the glory. This passage of scripture calls us to reflect upon our motivations. There is a very telling question to ask yourself when engaging in acts of righteousness. When you “give, pray and fast” and you are unsure as to which audience you’re playing to. Or maybe you are sure which one you’re playing to – but you need to check. Just to be sure. Ask yourself this “Whose needs are being met?” And maybe be sceptical about the first answer which comes to mind.
Three times Jesus counsels us with these words – (paraphrase) “Do your acts of righteousness for your Father Who is in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you.”
I guess the irony is that Jesus is encouraging us to serve in secret. The thing is that invariably the desire for the attention of others – while very public – springs from a very secret desire. So – in one sense – either way secrecy is involved. Only one secret is righteous though.
Let me tell you about some people in this church. There are those who pray in secret in this building – to ask that God would bless His people and His work here. But they do not do it in a way that is noticed. Not by us anyway. But the Father Who is in secret, He knows. And He promises to reward. There are those who do not attend the prayer meetings as such – but at the time when they know prayer is taking place they join with those “on site” and offer their prayers too. And those who intercede and pray. There are those who care for people here. Secretly. Without announcing it. But they care for people even though it is taxing, and inconvenient, and seeminglessly thankless – and yet those words don’t even enter their hearts.
In the last couple of weeks someone has divulged to me the work they have been doing with a couple of people among us. They advised me not so I could applaud them, but because they needed to ensure a possible back up in case they couldn’t be there for the people. And I just sit there amazed at what has been happening without any of us knowing. They do it because of love and their Father in Heaven Who is in secret and sees in secret takes note.
There are those who cannot let this place look unkempt. And so they will tend it during the week when not many are around. They will beaver away and the Father Who is in secret sees their work. There are those who make worship services happen. And they organise things; attend practices; develop themselves; take hits and disappointments – and keep coming back for more. And the Father Who is in secret sees them.
Then there are the crazy people. They give away their hard earned cash. Lots of it. Secretly. Without even the person who receives it knowing who gave it two them.
The left hand not knowing what the right is doing. That being the case on two levels.
One – they don’t let anyone know. Not even the person receiving it.
Two – they don’t calculate. As one commentator describes it – the right hand would normally go into the pocket for the money, and the left hand would count out how much would be given.
But not these people. The right hand goes into the pocket and brings it out and the left hand doesn’t get a look in.
There are those who avail their trade skills; and administrative skills; and their organisational skills; their creative skills – and they don’t play to the crowds. They do it often alone and in secret. Not even doing it with this passage in mind. So that they will be rewarded. They just do it for the love of God, His people and His world. And to them Jesus affirms them and declares that the Father Who is in secret will reward them for their secret work.
Presented By: Rev. Geoff New