Likened to when Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments
Jesus is upon a mountain
He is expounding the spirit of the moral law
He makes it clear it is about the heart
He challenges their understanding of the Ten Commandments
Jesus was often on mountains
Expounding the word of God
Praying
Even the transfiguration – showing He was greater than Moses and Elijah
He was teaching the disciples about life after death
Jesus is glorious
He brings the truth of God
He is so much greater than Moses – He is the Son of God
He lived in truth and humility
He was so different to the religious leaders – example of prayer and fasting
Chapter 5: dealt with anger, lust, lies and the attitudes of our hearts – even in persecution and need
Very challenging teaching
Love your enemies – bless and pray for them
Be like your Heavenly Father
Explaining the moral law – what it really means
Speaking about moral righteousness and the inner life
Chapter 6: speaking about religious righteousness and the outer life: alms, prayer and fasting
These were very important to the Jews
They are often important for other religions
Example from Burma
Why as humans do we tend to parade ourselves before others, to boast, to be noticed?
Many who are religious believe in a ‘works’ based system
I must do good to get to heaven – Example of Trump
You will want to prove to others (and yourself) that you are good
People become prideful – examples
Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders
It was a like a disease and bad influence
Sometimes we do it as Christians
If we feel inferior to other Christians
If others criticise us – to make us feel better
Do we get carried away?
The attention and glory should be on God, not us
Humans have a love forthemselves more
That is why we boast
Jesus gives 3 examples:
Charitable deeds (v1-4)
Acts of mercy/pity and alms giving
The practice of giving to the poor – a good things to have
Deut 15:11 – "For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land"
Ps 41:1 – "Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble"
Prov 19:7 – check verse/reference
Lev 19:9-10 – to allow gleaning by the poor
The Jewish leaders ‘blew their trumpet’
They made sure people knew they were doing this
They were hypocrites – pretending they were holy, pleasing God and wanting to honour God (they were self-serving)
Example of Rabbinic sayings
Jesus tells people to take heed, to be warned
Do not be like the hypocrites
They have no everlasting reward from God – they have only the praise of men
Jesus did not seek His own honour
Jesus gives an answer
Do not be self-conscious: give freely, joyfully, willingly, gladly
Do it in secret – God will reward you in Spirit/relationship
Example of Spurgeon
Luke 6:38 – "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom."
Many tithe 10% to the Church
We can give beyond this
Prayer (v5-7)
Not if, but when
(The same with fasting and giving)
Not a religious duty
Not specifically in public
Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector
We can pray in public – but what is the attitude of our heart
Praying to God, not to impress people around
Private prayer before public prayer
Public prayer should be an outflow of private prayer
Shut your door
Have no distractions
Private prayer can be in the open air – Example of Jesus
To your heavenly father
Use your own words, not vain repetitions
Not long prayers
But you can spend a long time in prayer
Prayer is not always easy
We may need to labour in prayer
Fasting (v16-18)
Application from FB Meyer
Wash your face – you should not be able to judge when others are fasting
The disciples were criticised for not fasting!
They did fast at times – Acts 13
In the Old Testament there were times of fasting – including one required day on the ‘Day of Atonement’
Examples
There were times and seasons when God’s people fast
The Pharisees had made it routine
You may need to let people know – but it is the motive that counts
Closing Remarks
Let your light shine vs do in secret – no contradiction
Do not hide your faith away
But never do it for show and blow your trumpet
What will be our legacy when we die?
Example of Dorcas/Tabitha
Jesus emphasises 3 aspects:
Do not do it for show
Do it in secret
God will reward you
God will not give His glory to another – do not take glory from God
