Intro: After finishing chapter 5 we have learned:
1 Characteristics of a believer, (verse 1-12)
2. The behavior of a believer to the world, (verse 13-16)
3. Relationship of the Christian towards law of God (verse,17-48)
Chapter six teaches us about having dependence on God:
V1 starts with a disclaimer: BEWARE: what does this word communicate to us: road closed, danger ahead , i.e beware of dog. In the same way we have to be aware about the way that we portray ourselves as well as being aware about how others portray themselves.
What happens when we ignore sign that say beware, because this means that someone can get hurt or may pay a price by ignoring that sign.
Now Jesus is not saying that we should be not excellent or impressive , what Jesus is saying is that our goal or motif should not be to do everything in order to please people.
What happens when we try to please people?: the focus is on us, we get an earthly reward when we do everything to please people.
What are we suppose to do? Our goal, motif should be to do everything to honor and please God.
Reference to Let your light shine before others: Matthew 5:16, " let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Jesus is encouraging us to shine our light in public, however we must do that without excepting rewards from people.
Christians should be interested in rewards as well as blessings from God not from people.
In next few versus Jesus talks about three things: giving, prayer and fasting.
V2: when you give, Jesus is not saying if you give.... Jesus presupposes that believers will give.
So giving is not optional, we are encouraged to give, however how we give is important.
We are to give secretly to avoid showing off to others. Also Jesus is not saying that we are to give in secret to win a heavenly reward. However we are encouraged to avoid the glamour of honor. Our giving should come out of complete reverence to God.
Jesus is not saying that we should not give in public, but we should not do it like hypocrite . English word "hypocrite " is derived from greek word hypokrinomai or
hypokritēs Pronunciation hü-po-krē-tā's (Key). Which means stage actor.
Giving in public as part of an act of worship is good,but giving in public to please people is wrong.
The Bible provides many examples of public giving:
Acts 2:45 " and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need".
Acts 4: 4:36 Joseph who was called Barnabas sold his field and gave money to the apostles.
Also I Chronicles 29 lists how much leaders gave to build temple.
Numbers 7 lists names of donors at the Tabernacle's consecration
V 16- 18: fasting: personal discipline in one's spiritual life:
Old Testament believers fasted
Jesus fasted forty days
It is assumed in NT that believers will fast, as mentioned here when you fast.
We should fast to come close to God, for spiritual reasons Christians should fast.
Audio:
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