Monday - 21st January
Topic: The King’s Principals
Read: Matthew Chapter 6
The
true righteousness of the kingdom must be applied in the everyday activities of
life. This is the emphasis in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus
related this principle to our relationship to God in worship (6:1-18), our relationship to material
things (6:19-34), and our
relationship to other people (7:1-20).
Jesus also warned about the danger of
hypocrisy (6:2, 5, 16), the sin of
using religion to cover up sin. A hypocrite is not a person who falls short of
his high ideals, or who occasionally sins, because all of us experience these
failures. A hypocrite deliberately uses religion to cover up his sins and
promote his own gains. The Greek word translated hypocrite originally meant
"an actor who wears a mask."
The righteousness of the Pharisees was
insincere and dishonest. They practiced their religion for the applause of men,
not for the reward of God. But true righteousness must come from within. We
should test ourselves to see whether we are sincere and honest in our Christian
commitment. In this chapter, Christ applied this test to four different areas
of life.
Our
Giving (6:1-4)
Giving alms to the poor, praying, and
fasting were important disciplines in the religion of the Pharisees. Jesus did
not condemn these practices, but He did caution us to make sure that our hearts
are right as we practice them. The Pharisees used almsgiving to gain favor with
God and attention from men, both of which were wrong motives. No amount of
giving can purchase salvation; for salvation is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9) And to live for the praise
of men is a foolish thing because the glory of man does not last (1 Peter 1:24). It is the glory and praise
of God that really counts!
Our sinful nature is so subtle that it
can defile even a good thing like sharing with the poor. If our motive is to
get the praise-of men, then like the Pharisees, we will call attention to what
we are doing. But if our motive is to serve God in love and please Him, then we
will give our gifts without calling attention to them. As a result, we will
grow spiritually; God will be glorified; and others will be helped. But if we
give with the wrong motive, we rob ourselves of blessing and reward and rob God
of glory, even though the money we share might help a needy person.
Does this mean that it is wrong to give
openly? Must all giving be anonymous? Not necessarily, for everyone in the
early church knew that Barnabas had given the income from the sale of his land (Acts 4:34-37). When the church members
laid their money at the Apostles' feet, it was not done in secret. The
difference, of course, was in the motive and manner in which it was done. A
contrast is Ananias and Sapphira (Acts
5:1-1 1), who tried to use their gift to make people think they were more spiritual
than they really were.
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Tuesday – 22nd January
Topic: The King’s Principals
Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 1-15
Our
Praying (6:5-15)
Jesus gave four instructions to guide us in our praying.
We must pray in secret before we pray in
public (6:6)
It is not wrong to pray in public in the assembly (1 Tim. 2:1 ff), or even when blessing food (John 6: I I ) or seeking God's help (John 1 1:41-42; Acts 27:35). But it is wrong to pray in
public if we are not in the habit of praying in private. Observers may think
that we are practicing prayer when we are not, and this is hypocrisy. The word
translated closet means "a private chamber." It could refer to the
store-chamber in a house. Our Lord prayed privately (Mark 1:35); so did Elisha (2
Kings 4:32ff) and Daniel (Dan.
6:10ff).
We must pray sincerely
(6:7-8)
The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a "vain
repetition"; for both Jesus and Paul repeated their
petitions (Matt. 26:36-46; 2 Cor.
12:7-8). A request becomes a "vain repetition" if it is only a
babbling of words without a sincere heart desire to
seek and do God's will. The mere reciting of memorized prayers can be vain
repetition. The Gentiles had such prayers in their pagan ceremonies (see 1 Kings 18:26).
Dr. Robert A. Cook has often said,
"All of us have one routine prayer in our system; and once we get rid of
it, then we can really start to pray!" I have noticed this, not only in my
own praying, but often when I have conducted prayer meetings. With some people,
praying is like putting the needle on a phonograph record and then forgetting
about it. But God does not answer insincere prayers.
We
must pray in God's will (6:9-13)
This prayer is known familiarly as "The Lord's Prayer,"
but "The Disciples' Prayer" would be a more accurate title. Jesus did
not give this prayer to us to be memorized and recited a given number of times.
In fact, He gave this prayer to keep us from using vain repetitions. Jesus did
not say, "Pray in these words." He said, "Pray after this
manner"; that is, "Use this prayer as a pattern not as a
substitute."
The purpose of prayer is to glorify God's name, and to ask for help to
accomplish His will on earth. This prayer begins with God's interests, not
ours: God's name, God's kingdom, and God's will. Robert Law has said,
"Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man's will done in heaven,
but for getting God's will done in earth." We have no right to ask God for
anything that will dishonor His name, delay His kingdom, or disturb His will on
earth.
It is worth noting that there are no
singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural. It begins with "OUR
Father." When we pray, we must remember that we are part of God's
worldwide family of believers. We have no right to ask for ourselves anything
that would harm another member of the family. If we are praying in the will of
God, the answer will be a blessing to all of God's people in one way or
another.
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Wednesday – 23rd January
Topic: The King’s Principals
Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 1-15 again
If we put God's concerns first, then we
can bring our own needs. God is concerned about our needs and knows theca even
before we mention them (v. 8). If
this is the case, then why pray? Because prayer is the God appointed way to
have these needs met (see James 4:1-3).
Prayer prepares us for the proper use of the answer. If we know our need, and
if we voice it to God, trusting Him for His provision, then we will make better
use of the answer than if God forced it on us without our asking.
It is right to pray for daily physical
needs, for forgiveness, and for guidance and protection from evil. "Lead
us not into temptation" does not mean that God tempts His children (James 1:13-17). In this petition we
are asking God to guide us so that we will not get out of His will and get
involved in a situation of temptation (1
John 5:18), or even in a situation of tempting God so that He must
miraculously rescue us (Matt. 4:5-7).
We must pray, having a forgiving spirit
toward others (6:14-15). In this
"appendix" to the prayer, Jesus expanded the last phrase of verse 12, “……..as we forgive our
debtors." He later repeated this lesson to His disciples (Mark 11: 19-26). He was not teaching
that believers earned God's forgiveness by forgiving others; for this would be
contrary to God's free grace hand mercy. However, if we have truly experienced
God's forgiveness, then we will have a readiness to forgive others (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Our Lord
illustrated this principle in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:21-35).
We have seen that true praying is a
"family affair" ("Our Father. . ."). If the members
of the family are not getting along with one another, how can they claim to
have a right relationship with the Father?
The emphasis in 1 John 4 is that we
show our love for God by loving our brothers. When we forgive each other, we
are not earning the right to prayer; for the privilege of prayer is a part of
our sonship
(Rom. 8:15-16). Forgiveness belongs
to the matter of fellowship: If I am not in fellowship with God, I cannot pray
effectively. But fellowship with my brother helps to determine my fellowship
with God; hence, forgiveness is important to prayer.
Since prayer involves glorifying God's
name, hastening the coming of God's kingdom (2 Peter 3:12), and helping to accomplish God's will on earth, the
one praying must not have sin in his heart. If God answered the prayers of a
believer who had an unforgiving spirit, He would dishonor His own name. How
could God work through such a person to get His will done on earth? If God gave
him his requests, He would be encouraging sin! The important thing about prayer
is not simply getting an answer, but being the kind of person whom God can
trust with an answer.
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Thursday – 24th January
Topic: The King’s Principals
Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 16-18
Our
Fasting (6:16-18)
The only fast that God actually required
of the Jewish people was on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:27). The Pharisees fasted each Monday and Thursday (Luke
18:12) and did so in such a way that people knew they were fasting. Their
purpose, of course, was to win the praise of men. As a result, the Pharisees
lost God's blessing.
It is not wrong to fast, if we do it in
the right way and with the right motive. Jesus fasted (Matt. 4:3); so did the members of the early church (Acts 13:2). Fasting helps to
discipline the appetites of the body (Luke
21:34) and keep our spiritual priorities straight. But fasting must never
become an opportunity for temptation (1
Cor. 7:7). Simply to deprive ourselves of a natural benefit (such as food
or sleep) is not of itself fasting. We must devote ourselves to God and worship
Him. Unless there is the devotion of the heart (see Zech. 7) there is no lasting spiritual benefit.
As with giving and praying, true
fasting must be done in secret; it is between the believer and God unless it is
a corporate fast called by the church or nation. To "make unsightly"
our faces (by looking glum and asking for pity and praise) would be to destroy
the very purpose of the fast. Our Lord here laid down a basic principle of
spiritual living: Nothing that is truly spiritual will violate that which God
has given us in nature. God usually does not tear down one good thing in order
to build up another. If we have to look miserable to be considered spiritual, then
there is something wrong with our views of spirituality.
Remember that hypocrisy robs us of
reality in Christian living. We substitute reputation for character, mere words
for true prayer, money for the devotion of the heart. No wonder Jesus compared
the Pharisees to tombs that were whitewashed on the outside, but filthy on the
inside! (Matt. 23:27-28)
But hypocrisy not only robs us of
character, it also robs us of spiritual rewards. Instead of the eternal
approval of God, we receive the shallow praise of men. We pray, but there are
no answers. We fast, but the inner man shows no improvement. The spiritual life
becomes hollow and lifeless. We miss the blessing of God here and now and also
lose the reward of God when Christ returns.
Hypocrisy also robs us of spiritual
influence. The Pharisees were a negative influence; whatever they touched was
defiled and destroyed. The people who admired them and obeyed the Pharisees'
words thought they themselves were being helped, when in reality, they were
being hurt.
The first step toward overcoming
hypocrisy is to be honest with God in our secret life. We must never pray
anything that we do not mean from the heart; otherwise, our prayers are simply
empty words. Our motive must be to please God alone, no matter what men may say
or do. We must cultivate the heart in the secret place. It has well been said,
"The most important part of a Christian's life is the part that only God
sees." When reputation becomes more important than character, we have
become hypocrites.
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Friday – 25th January
Topic: The King’s Principals
Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 19-34
Our
Use of Wealth (6:19-24)
We are accustomed to divide life into the
"spiritual" and the "material"; but Jesus made no such
division. In many of His parables, He made it clear that a right attitude
toward wealth is a mark of true spirituality (see Luke 12:13ff; 16:1-31). The Pharisees were covetous (v. 14) and used religion to make
money. If we have the true righteousness of Christ in our lives, then we will
have a proper attitude toward material wealth.
Nowhere did Jesus magnify poverty or
criticize the legitimate getting of wealth. God made all things, including
food, clothing, and precious metals. God has declared that all things He has
made are good (Gen. 1:31). God knows
that we need certain things in order to live (Matt. 4:32). In fact, He has given us "richly all things to
enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17). It is not
wrong to possess things, but it is wrong for things to possess us. The sin of
idolatry is as dangerous as the sin of hypocrisy! There are many warnings in
the Bible against covetousness (Ex.
20:17; Ps. 119:36; Mark 7:22; Luke 12:15ff; Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5).
Jesus warned against the sin of living
for the things of this life. He pointed out the sad consequences of
covetousness and idolatry.
Enslavement
(6:19-24). Materialism will enslave the heart (vv. 19-21), the mind (vv. 22-23), and the will (v. 24). We can become shackled by the
material things of life, but we ought to be liberated and controlled by the
Spirit of God.
If the heart loves material things, and
puts earthly gain above heavenly investments, then the result can only be a
tragic loss. The treasures of earth may be used for God. But if we gather material
things for ourselves, we will lose them; and we will lose our hearts with them.
Instead of spiritual enrichment, we will experience impoverishment.
What does it mean to lay up treasures in
heaven? It means to use all that we have for the glory of God. It means to
"hang loose" when it comes to the material things of life. It also
means measuring life by the true riches of the kingdom and not by the false
riches of this world. Wealth not only enslaves the heart, but it also enslaves
the mind (vv. 22-23). God's Word
often uses the eye to represent the attitudes of the mind. If the eye is
properly focused on the light, the body can function properly in its movements.
But if the eye is out of focus and seeing double, it results in unsteady
movements. It is most difficult to make progress while trying to look in two
directions at the same time.
If our aim in life is to get material
gain, it will mean darkness within. But if our outlook is to serve and glorify
God, there will be light within. If what should be light is really darkness,
then we are being controlled by darkness; and outlook determines outcome.
Finally, materialism can enslave
the will (v. 24). We cannot serve
two masters simultaneously. Either Jesus Christ is our Lord, or money is our
Lord. It is a matter of the will. "But those who want to get rich fall
into temptation and a snare . . . "
(1 Tim. 6:9). If God grants riches, and we use them for His glory, then
riches are a blessing. But if we will to get rich, and live with that outlook,
we will pay a great price for those riches.
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Saturday – 26th January
Topic: The King’s Principals
Read: Matthew Chapter 6: 25-33
Devaluation
(6:25-30). Covetousness will not only cheapen our
riches, but it will also cheapen us! We will start to become worried and
anxious, and this anxiety is unnatural and unspiritual. The person who pursues
money thinks that riches will solve his problems, when in reality, riches will
create more problems! Material wealth gives a dangerous, false sense of
security, and that feeling ends in tragedy. The birds and lilies do not fret
and worry; yet they have God's wealth in ways that man cannot duplicate. All of
nature depends on God, and God never fails. Only mortal man depends on money,
and money always fails.
Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may
dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to
bear—but the results are still the same. Instead of helping us live longer,
anxiety only makes life shorter (v. 27).
The Greek word translated ‘take no thought’ literally means "to be drawn
in different directions." Worry pulls us apart. Until man interferes,
everything in nature works together, because all of nature trusts God. Man, however,
is pulled apart because he tries to live his own life by depending on material
wealth.
God feeds the birds and clothes the
lilies. He will feed and clothe us. It is our "little faith" that
hinders Him from working as He would. He has great blessings for us if only we
will yield to Him and live for the riches that last forever.
Loss
of testimony (6:31-33). To worry about material
things is to live like the heathen! If we put God 's will and God ‘s
righteousness first in our lives , He will take care of everything else, What a
testimony it is to the world when a Christian dares to practice Matthew 6:33! What a tragedy it is when
so many of us fail to practice it.
Loss
of joy today (6:34). Worrying about tomorrow
does not help either tomorrow or today. If anything, it robs us of our
effectiveness today which means we will be even less effective tomorrow.
Someone has said that the average person is crucifying himself between two
thieves: the regrets of yesterday and the worries about tomorrow. It is right
to plan for the future and even to save for the future (2 Cor, 12:14; I Tim, 5:8). But it is a sin to worry about
the future and permit tomorrow to rob today of its blessings.
Three words in this section point the way
to victory over worry: faith (v. 30),
trusting God to meet our needs; (2) Father (v.
32), knowing He cares for His children; and (3) first (v. 33), putting God‘s will first in our lives so that He might be
glorified. If we have faith in our Father and put Him first, He will
meet our needs.
Hypocrisy and anxiety are sins. If
we practice the true righteousness of the kingdom, we will avoid these sins and
live for God's glory.
