Sermon on the Mount - August 7

Today: Intentions and Motivations.
1 Be
careful not to practice your righteousness in
front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you
will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce
it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by
others. Truly I tell you, they have received their
reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do
not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you.
Matthew 6:1-6
5 And
when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and on the street corners to be seen by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in
full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close
the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret,
will reward you.
Matthew 6:1-6
16 When
you fast, do not look somber as the
hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show
others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have
received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put
oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will
not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but
only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father,
who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18
Jesus gives three illustrations
of righteousness:
1. Giving - for others
2. Prayer - for God
3. Fasting - for yourself
"The problem with the hypocrite is his
motivation. He does not want to be holy;
he only wants to seem to be holy."
Augustine
What matters most is not our appearance
and perception before others but our
intention and motivation before God.
It’s not just what you do that matters,
but why and how you do it.
The kind of people who have been so
transformed by their daily walk with
God that good deeds naturally flow from
their character.
Jesus is not saying we should
hide our good deeds.
16 In
the same way, let your light shine before
others, that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
Difference between intention and
attention - What is your intention for
giving?
The issue is not, are we seen being a
generous person, but are we being a
generous person in order to be seen.
The issue is not, being seen praying, but
are we praying in order to be seen.
"Instead of seeking to appear more holy
or spiritual in public than we are in
private, Jesus urges us to become more
holy or spiritual in private than we appear
to be in public."
Brian McLaren
The issue is not, being seen fasting, but
are we fasting in order to be seen.
Behind the performing is a
yearning for validation.
Jesus invites us out of a life of
hypocrisy and into a life of authenticity
and integrity.
Jesus is inviting his followers to a life in
which the inside and outside are congruent.
"He is trying to get them out of the hall of
mirrors, the world of imitation and
spiritual competition which keeps people
shallow and essentially insecure."
Richard Rohr