When did you start to have a picture of yourself? It is not that easy to remember life before you saw yourself. There was a time when we didn’t have an idea of yourself, but then we did. From then on, life seemed to be a process of self-discovery, and at puberty, there seems to be an increased divergence between our sense of ourselves and who we are.
We often call this hypocrisy, and Jesus has a lot to say about this two-faced living and calls us to be like a child — to simply be before God.
What kind of Christian are you? What kind of follower are you? Do you live your Christian life Coram Deo before God, aware of only the blazing white-hot centre of God’s glory? Or do you I’ve with a divergent sense of self?
(A) Kingdom practices: outward grace, upward faith and inward discipline
In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is concerned with three practices and from each one of them, we can learn a few lessons. Firstly, Jesus speaks about outward grace in giving to the needy (Matt 6:1-4). Caring for the poor seems to be important, and God is also interested in our intention and motivation for that. This is a theme that runs throughout the Old Testament too! Isaiah 41:17 show us God’s own heart for the poor and needy. Proverbs 14:31 and Proverbs 19:17 goes even further and tells us that God identifies with them and stands with them. He associates with the needy and presents Himself as one whose interest is aligned with them
Why are the poor the poor? It could be circumstantial. Sometimes, challenging behaviours arise from challenging lifestyle. But regardless of the situation and reason, God is aware of His sovereignty and also their own ethical responsibility. Do you know any other religion where the deity is personally invested and aligned also with the poor? Only Christianity has a God who, though is almighty, guards, protects and sees Himself as defender of the poor.
Giving to the needy therefore, reflects the state of our heart. This is an act of generosity that we perform for a person that cannot do us good. It is an act of true generosity, because it is not a transaction and neither is it an exchange that will benefit us. Giving to the poor is an act of outward grace.
Next, Jesus also speaks of upward faith in prayer. What are we doing when we pray? It seems really useless, and not useful to one who is self-made. It is an act of complete and utter dependence on God. We pray because we have no other means to seek God. Prayer is the act of faith, and the act by which we say, if not for you, we have no other means.
Finally, in this section, Jesus also addresses the inward discipline of fasting. In Matthew 9:14-15, there is a sense of looking forward to the great wedding feast, and in Jesus’ day, there is also an expectation that all followers fast. In fasting, we are refraining from something in discipline (e.g. food, water, sexual relations) in order to devote mind and soul to pursue God. This is done in order to get close to God, but God also sees the heart and in Isaiah 58:3-5, He is not responding to the people’s act because their life is so hypocritical. Fasting with a hypocritical lifestyle will not be accepted by God. If life reflects injustice and oppression, their faith is a sham.
Have you fasted? This is not a bad thing to think about, especially if you are thinking about seeking the Lord for clarity in some issues. But remember that God also sees our heart and actions.
So, how does the correction about these three practices relate to Jesus’ earlier teachings in Matthew 5? The table below shows the breakdown of these chapters, and how they relate to each other.
(B) Kingdom perils: rewarded in sight and sound of man
Jesus’ disciples are told to beware in all three instances, and Jesus highlights what they are tempted to do and pursue. Jesus warns again seeking the recognition and approval of men, because when we seek it, we will get it. The real danger is getting what we seek and want. In doing so, we will not receive the reward from the Father who is in heaven.
From Jesus’ words, we see that it is easy to use religion to build up yourself. Do you see this as truly perilous and a great tragedy — that wanting the praise of man will result only in receiving the praise of man? In doing so, our actions are not done out of faith and is not even done with God in mind. It is atheistic.
Note the 3 warnings here, in Matthew 6:1, 5 and 16. They are not to give, pray or fast to be seen. Even in something good such as giving, we can easily make it not about God. Jesus tells us here that giving done in God’s name should be done silently (Matt 6:2). What’s a real reward to you? Or, why are you a Christian? Why do you go to church? Why do you perform these acts of outward faith? In Matthew 5:20, Jesus warned that if all we have is the religious performance of the law adherents, we will never enter the kingdom. We need something more — to know a greater righteousness than that which comes from a righteousness amassed by our own efforts.
But before we are quick to say that we don’t do any of these things, pause and consider, that this is not the point. What are you doing in front of others? Church attendance? Anything that we do that makes us feel superior is what Jesus is speaking about here. It could be your theology, or leading in church. When you stand in front of people and talk about God, why and how do you do these things? What are you seeking and yearning for? Notice that God is referred to as Father here. Jesus is saying that this tender Father will not reward those who seek the praise and affirmation of the world. The great peril is that others will applaud us and God will not.
Jesus also condemns two groups. Firstly, He mentions the hypocrites and has in mind the Pharisees (Matt 6:2,5,16). This teaching eventually led Him to the cross, for He offended the religious leaders of His day.
Jesus also condemns the Gentiles (Matt 6:7). They are the non-Jews and here, they are condemned for heaping up empty words and do not seem to know the Father (Matt 6:8). No amount of merit-based prayer, can secure God’s ear.
Jesus is saying that citizens of the kingdom should be neither of these! He condemns those who seek to earn the praise of man, and also that of God.
(C) Kingdom piety: seen in secret and rewarded by the Father
In contrast, how does Jesus speak about God as the one who sees all that we do. In Jeremiah 17:10 and Hebrews 4:13, we learn too that this is a God who sees our hearts and even sees through our heart. He knows when we pray and hears us. Thus, we are to do these things in secret.
Now, Jesus is not telling us to live just a private religion. Elsewhere, He tells us to settle our conflicts together, and with the church. We are to have relationships with others for this is how our walk with God is to be expressed. We are to have a public, corporate Christian life.
Rather, Jesus is teaching them, and us, to view God rightly, and therefore, to do these good things rightly. In all that we do and say, God must be foremost! Is this the reason why we come tonight — to come in secret, not to be seen and known by man, but to meet and know God? We give, because He has a heart for the poor, We pray, because He hears. We fast in order to draw near to him. And the goal is to receive His praise.
Is this how you live? Are you mindful of the God who sees and knows?
If this is so, it is ok if all we have on this life is humiliation, anonymity and that our life amounts to nothing. Will this be ok with you?
We follow a Saviour who lived this life without a place to live. He was a blue-collared worker and died single. He died, naked and in shame. Yet, He received the highest praise ever — the praise of the Father. Thus, even if in this life, we receive no praise and recognition ever, if we have the praise of God our Father, that is enough for us. It was enough for Jesus. If we love Him and if we desire to be more like Him, we will learn to see that the Father’s praise is enough. Beware of living for the praise of man, and having that only, without receiving the praise of the Father in heaven.
What is God saying to you about your faith today? How do you live out your Christian life?