Acts of Righteousness, Lesson 5

ASSIGNMENT: Read this lesson and Matthew 6:1-18.

Jesus cautions his disciples against turning three acts of righteousness (charity, prayer and fasting) into hypocrisy by engaging in them with a wrong motive. In this passage, He does not even mention the Pharisees. He is directing his concern directly at us, professed Christians. He is teaching believers that our good deeds and righteous acts of worship can become sinful when we do them for the wrong reasons.

“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. (v.1 | NIV) In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presented a motivational model that results in his followers achieving their full potential by seeking God’s approval rather than man’s. He begins by focusing on three acts of righteousness. Each of them is good, but as with so many human activities, if we fallen humans can mess anything up—turn something that God intended to be good into something harmful to our discipleship walk, we will find it.

Charity

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. (vv.2-4 | NIV)

His concern is that we avoid hypocrisy. In the Greek, hypokrites or hypocrite can mean actor or pretender. In the Greek theater it was not uncommon for an actor to play several parts simply by changing the mask they wore. Motives, not actions, matter most to God. The behaviors Jesus criticized were the Oscar-worthy pretenses or performances designed to gain the approval of others.

Note the use of “when” in verse 3. Jesus assumes that we will be charitable. Caring for the poor was expected of all Jews (Deuteronomy 15:11) There is a reward from God for being charitable. Acts of charity by Jesus’s disciples are not optional. In the first century, the poor were provided for by the synagogue. Almsgiving was considered a religious duty. Christians were early adopters of the practice. Beginning with John the Baptist, those who wanted to live in a relationship with a loving God were expected to share. ¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” (Luke 3:11 | NIV)

Jesus cautions that if we share with others to bring attention to ourselves, that is all the reward that we will receive. That is the hypocrite’s reward. Jesus was telling us not to be concerned with what others see or think. Rather, he is reminding us that it is only what God sees and thinks that matters. (1 Samuel 16:7)

But then, as he has done throughout this sermon, he takes it even further. He says it also matters what we think of ourselves. Are we self-congratulatory when we give or do we simply do it and forget it? Jesus is telling us not to pat ourselves on the back. We should be content with simply knowing that God sees and will one day reward us openly.

Prayer

For the afternoon temple sacrifice and during public fasts, a trumpet was blown to denote prayer time. When a devout man heard the trumpet, he stopped wherever he was, faced the temple, and prayed.

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. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (vv.5-8)

 Jesus was critical of those who timed their daily walk to a busy street corner to coincide with the afternoon trumpet prayer call. That way they could make an obvious show of their religious fervor. Jesus was condemning the desire to be seen doing it simply for the purpose of being seen. Jesus often prayed in public. (Matthew 11, Luke 23, John 11 and 17) It is the wrong motive or intent that concerned him, not meeting with God through public prayer.

A well-known pastor estimated only one percent of Sunday morning prayers are made to God. According to him, the rest are made to the congregation or even to the one doing the praying, including the preacher. Too often we hear a pastor directing his words to his listeners, rather than God while engaged in public prayer. Or he is focusing on the way he says what he is praying and the choice of words he uses instead of praying from his heart as he or she would do in their private prayer closet.

Anyone who has gone to church for any time at all recognizes the trite phrases such as, “build a hedge around your people” or “grant us your traveling mercies,” etc. They often make their way into public prayers. Few of us use that stuff in our private prayers. Our public prayers should reflect and be an overflow from our private prayer practice, not a scripted, prideful, public performance.

Don’t confuse repeated requests with vain repetition. Jesus spoke of a woman who kept asking an uncaring judge for justice. He refused her repeated pleas until, finally, she wore him down and he granted her request. Jesus’s parable may have been drawn from Isaiah 62:6-7 (NIV) I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, ⁷ and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

Through Isaiah God, himself, is ordering people to “pester” him with their pleas for help. Recall, also the wrestling match between Jacob and a theophany (God in human form) in Genesis 32. It cost him a life-long limp, but Jacob refuse to stop fighting until he received God’s blessing.

Once again, we are being told what God wants to see in our praying, if we are truly joined “at the hip” with God–both in confidence and boldness. He wants to see how important our request is to us and whether we are asking from need or greed. It is important to understand that prayer is not about the communication of information.

God knows what we are going to say before the words are formed on our lips. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. (Psalm 139:4 | NLT) Nor is it about providing him a list of things we need him to do for us. It is an intrinsically private conversation between a believing child and a loving father. We need to shut out all distractions, especially concern about how those who hear our public prayers might perceive them.

God is both imminent and transcendent. He is a loving heavenly father, but he is also wholly other, the one who always was and always is. Sometimes contemporary Christians focus on God’s love and immanence, or closeness, and become too casual. The Greek word Abba, which Jesus used has often been translated “daddy,” but a more accurate word choice would be “Dearest Father.”

Prayer is the expression of our trust in a sovereign God who loves us as a good father loves his children. Have you ever been tempted to kneel in prayer and say something like this, “Dearest Father, I love you and know you love me back. I just want to sit here in your presence and enjoy being with you.” If you haven’t, why not? One test of a solid relationship is the ability to sit silently with God and be comfortable.

The 21st century church has lost an opportunity to experience the closeness with God that our 1^st century brothers and sisters knew through the Eucharist, Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion. Regardless of what it may be called, its purpose is to recognize Jesus’s real presence in our midst and to celebrate what he did, is doing and will do.

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-27 | NIV)

It is a sad commentary on evangelicalism that I have toasted deceased army buddies with greater solemnity than many churches exhibit when they celebrate Communion. In fact, on one occasion, the congregation was asked to pick up the elements, gather with friends and family, and “do your own thing.” We have lost the sense of awe and intimacy with Jesus that the sacrament was intended to convey. Communion does not save us, grace through faith in Jesus does that. But not giving it the sacred place in our worship that it deserves detracts from a unity with him that Jesus intended.

A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. The Lord’s Prayer is and always has been the model for a perfect prayer—how to pray, not what to pray. Jesus taught that prayer is something we do in private. It is intimate communication with God, not mindless repetition. (This should not be confused with praying in tongues as Paul described the practice in his letter to the Corinthian Church.) What God genuinely wants is for us to talk with him about what really matters to us; our concerns, fears, hopes, and celebrations.

Prayer must begin with an awareness of who God is and our relationship with him. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones taught, “strange as it may seem to you, you start praying by saying nothing; you recollect what you are about to do.”[1] Imagine sitting at the feet of Jesus. Would you just start by reading your laundry list of needs and wants? For most Jesus followers, I suspect it would be like a line from Bart Millard’s worship song, “I Can Only Imagine.”

Surrounded by Your glory 
What will my heart feel? 
Will I dance for You Jesus 
Or in awe of You be still? 
Will I stand in Your presence 
Or to my knees, will I fall? 
Will I sing hallelujah? 
Will I be able to speak at all? 
I can only imagine

The Lord’s Prayer. ⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

(Matthew 6:6-13 | NIV)

“Hallowed be your name.” The Greek word here means “sanctified” or to be made holy. God is not like anything else in his creation. As such, he should be revered and worshipped for who he is—holy, the Creator. “Our Father in Heaven” and “Hallowed be your name.” are not contradictory. They describe two typical interactions or responses to your father; “dearest Father” as opposed to “yes, sir.”

For example, the first would be our address to dad on a happy, carefree occasion like walking together after you have shared a wonderful experience. The second, might be your response after you tell him you wrecked the family station wagon while texting your friend and he has asked you for the keys. His love for you doesn’t change but there will be a price to pay and what he says goes. Martin Luther said we best hallow God’s name when our life and doctrine are truly Christian.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are synonymous. They do not refer to any specific geographic location, (like heaven), or people. They describe God’s reign in a place and in a people who acknowledge his authority and submit to his sovereign will. Reign implies absolute influence and control. And there is a battle raging for control of every human soul.

This is not the place to focus on spiritual warfare. But, by necessity, I will touch on it. Two kingdoms are in direct opposition and in deadly competition with each other.   Many churches try to avoid the subject altogether. Whether you hear about it or not, you are in the middle of the battle for your soul. Jesus told Peter this about him and the other disciples, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.” (Luke 22:32 | NIV)

And the apostle Paul warned, ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12 | NIV) God has always reigned supreme in heaven. Since his ejection from heaven, Satan, a fallen angel, has ruled the earth. Until Jesus’s reign is completely established, Satan is the ruler of the world we inhabit. Thankfully, our citizenship is not of this world. For those who are not his disciples, however, it is “business as usual.”

Jesus came to destroy both “the devil” and “the works of Satan” (Hebrews 2:14 and 1 John 3:8), and yet Satan is still successfully functioning as “god of this world.” So, what’s up with that? Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 | NLT)

Jesus made a way of escape for those who trust him for their eternal security, His victory is ours. But it doesn’t end there. Our task is only beginning when we take that step of faith. We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.(Ephesians 2:8-10 | NIV)

It is no longer fashionable to believe in a literal Satan. A 2009 Barna Group survey of 1,871 professed Christians disclosed nearly 60% either strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement, “Satan is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.”Whether you believe it or not, the actions of a living being influence life on earth.

You are a citizen of one kingdom or the other. Bob Dylan wrote that, “You gotta serve somebody.” If you are not serving God as a disciple of Jesus, you are serving Satan. And if nothing changes you are destined to spend eternity with him and his angels in the place of punishment reserved for them.

 “Give us this day our daily bread.” Some theologians, especially some early church leaders, could not understand why Jesus would go from such a lofty focus to address a basic human need. They surmised the bread must either refer to the bread of the Eucharist, or perhaps it was a metaphor for eternal life. But mostly, it seems, Jesus was just talking about bread.

God wants to be included in every aspect of our lives. He was teaching his disciples to depend on and thank God for the basics. He will meet our need, not our greed. Remember the manna? God provided just enough for every day but the Sabbath. And he gave a double portion on the day prior so his people could keep his Sabbath by not engaging in work. He knows what we need before we ask (v.8), but like any good parent, he enjoys having us recognize that we need him for even basic life necessities.

 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Jesus was talking about forgiving others for offenses they might have caused. We are told to ask God for forgiveness for the sins we continue to do, despite the fact they were forgiven when we asked Jesus to be both Lord and Savior. If we confess them, God will forgive them and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

We forgive others because we have been forgiven, not to be forgiven. But let this sink in. If we do not forgive, it may be that we have never repented and been forgiven. Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”And what did he say about forgiveness? ¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (vv.14-16) An unforgiving spirit will bar us from the door of heaven.

Jesus cautions us to forgive if we want to be forgiven. It takes time to forgive. What he was talking about is those people who do not even try to forgive—those who clutch their grudges like a teddy bear. When we pray this prayer and hold on to unforgiveness, according to Charles Spurgeon[2], we are reading our death sentence. We are never more like Jesus than when we forgive. Turn loose of the teddy bear and reach out to God. Live with eternity in mind.

 At first blush, it would appear that Jesus has added a work necessary for salvation. We do not do works to be saved. We do works because we are saved. And we forgive because we want to be like Jesus who forgave even as they drove nails into his body. And genuine regeneration—being born again—produces in us a desire to serve and please God by striving to be like our lord.

The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. (Luke 6:40 | NIV) It may be unnecessary, but knowing what Jesus is like is the purpose of this Bible study. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 | NIV) This, his longest recorded sermon, is where we begin to discover what he expects of his disciples.

 “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” Temptation in this context may also be translated “testing” or “trials.” Of the 21 times it appears in the New Testament, it means trials or testing in 20 of them. God does not tempt us, but he does send trials to build perseverance.

Some translations do not include the word “one.” To me, including it makes a little more sense. We do not want to risk succumbing to Satan’s temptations, but there is other evil in ourselves and in the world. When we pray this part, we are asking God for strength to overcome the trials and testing that comes our way, to recognize and change the evil within us and seeking the power to resist Satan’s temptation.

 “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” This phrase does not appear in some Bible translations, although it is in some of the earliest Church writings. It has always been considered a later addition by the Roman Catholic Church. While it is theologically sound and adds a sense of completeness, it may have been an afterthought, so the prayer did not end on a downer. It ends the prayer as it started, by glorifying God. Jesus was all about giving glory to God. Since this was intended to be a model or guideline, rather than a rote prayer, I believe he would be good with it.

Fasting

This passage forms what is called an inclusio. Jesus began by telling his disciples that motives matter and that is also how he is ending it.

 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. (vv.16-18)

 Most of us, according to Donald Whitney, “fear that fasting will make us hollow-eyed fanatics or odd for God.” He continued by asserting, “For some Christians, fasting for spiritual purposes is as unthinkable as walking barefoot across a fire pit or handling poisonous snakes in order to prove their devotion.”[3]

Both Moses and Jesus fasted forty days to draw closer to God. In first century Jerusalem, everyone was required to fast one day a year, but the Pharisees fasted twice a week, allegedly as a demonstration of their piety. Yet many were putting on a show for others. They were not fasting for the intrinsic spiritual benefit or a specific need.

 Fasting should really be considered a privilege. Arthur Wallis in God’s Chosen Fast said this, “In giving us the privilege of fasting as well as praying, God has added a powerful weapon to our spiritual armory. In her folly and ignorance, the Church has largely looked upon it as obsolete. She has thrown it down in some dark corner to rust, and there it has lain for centuries.”[4]

I think it safe to say that, in general, fasting has disappeared from Evangelical Christianity. If it is important to deal with the motivation underlying things that we are doing, it is as important, or perhaps even more important to deal with the motivation underlying the things that we are neglecting to do.

 Discussion

1. What did you discover in the reading that you did not anticipate?
2. Did you agree with anything in the lesson. If so what/why?
3. Has there been a time in your life when you did something good but hoped someone would see it and recognize or commend you for it?
4. How can we avoid doing the right things for the wrong reasons?
5. If you give to charity, how do you keep you left hand from knowing what the right hand is doing?
6. Did you learn anything that might influence your prayer life?
7. When you pray, do you pray silently or out loud? Why?
8. Can you think of anyone you find difficult to forgive? How do you plan to do it anyway?
9. What are your thoughts on “spiritual warfare.”
10. What keeps you from fasting?

[1] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.), Kindle Location 5512.

[2]  Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 24 (Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim Publications, 1969), p. 143. Quoted by Kent R. Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom (Preaching the Word) . Crossway. Kindle Edition, p. 189 (Location 3488).

[3] Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2014), Kindle, p. 191 Location 3562.

[4] Ibid., p. 202, Location 3756.

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Revised: 12/15/2022