True Righteousness in Everyday Life!
The true righteousness of “Kingdom Living” must be applied in the everyday activities of our lives. This is the focus in the rest of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Today we will see how Jesus relates this principle to our relationship with God in our worship of giving, praying, and fasting. (Matthew 6:1-18)
Jesus gives a clear warning about the dangers of hypocrisy, the sin of using “religion” to cover up sin. In this section of Christ’s sermon, we will see that true righteousness must come from within, and it will be tested in the areas of giving, praying, and fasting.
1. True Righteousness in Our Giving
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4 ESV
No amount of our giving will ever purchase ! (Ephesians 2:8-9)
2. True Righteousness in Our Praying
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6 ESV
Prayer is the way to with God, and it is for a believer to having a healthy spiritual life!
The Lord’s Prayer is really our prayer and the disciples’ prayer.
Jesus said to His disciples: “Then pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. (ESV)
For thine is the kingdom,
And the power
And the glory, forever,
Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
There are six elements of this prayer that have brought incredible encouragement and thankfulness to many lives over many years:
- God’s Person: vs. 9
- b. God’s Purpose:vs. 10
- God’s Provision: vs. 11
- God’s Pardon: vs. 12
- God’s Protection: vs. 13
- God’s Preeminence: vs. 13 KJV
3. True Righteousness in Our Fasting
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18 ESV
Fasting is not in the Bible yet fasting is.
Fasting can give both and !
The Sermon on the Mount shows us that conduct flows from .