Matthew 6 - Teaching Points From Jesus

Matthew 6  - Teaching Points from Jesus

Text: Read Matthew 6

May 4, 2020

3 Points to Practice in Private that God Rewards Openly – Alms, Prayer & Fasting

Giving Vs. 1-4

Why do we give, and how do we give? To start with, God is a giver. He is the greatest giver of all. As His children, we are to be givers also. One very important thing to remember is that we are not the source of the giving – God is. He is the only one to get the credit and glory for the gift. We, as givers, are just the channel He is using us to bring the gift to the person in need in a given situation as we are led by His Holy Spirit. He alone is the reason we give, and that gift is to be recognized as a gift from God, not man.

When we give to people who are in need, it is very important that we do it privately, not letting others know what we are doing. There are reasons for this. One thing to note is that God is sensitive to a person’s reputation. Others do not need to know that a person is struggling. Others may see the poor, but God alone knows what they need and when they need it – and He always provides. We maintain their honor when we do not tell others.

The most important purpose for giving is to reflect the heart of God. We do it from a right heart. We do it because we care about the person we are giving to and genuinely want to help them when it is in our power to do it. We are not giving to be recognized by others as being so “great” because they see us helping the poor. Also, look at this.

1 John 3:17 AMP

But whoever has the world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him?

Prayer Vs. 5-15

According to Jesus, there are several points to consider on the subject of prayer.

Ø  It is to be done privately. It is never to be a show among others. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray corporately when in a church meeting. That is also a necessary practice because the prayers of many is powerful:

Leviticus 26:8 AMP

Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will put ten thousand to flight; your enemies will fall before you by the sword. 

                  

Ø  It is to be done from the heart. Prayer should not become a daily ritual of trying to say all the right things. Saying the same things over and over as if that were going to do anything. Think about it. We don’t talk with others that we speak with each day, do we? This is dead and carries no weight with God. He is looking for us to talk with Him about what’s on our heart each day. Things do change from day to day, and so do our needs. Prayer is a time of heart connection.

God knows what we need before we ask. He wants to hear it from us so that He sees that we recognize what we need and that we are coming to Him to meet that need.

Matthew 7:7-11

Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will [instead] give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will [instead] give him a snake? If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.

Ø  The Model for Prayer - Jesus Shows Us a Pattern for Prayer – Not to say these specific things every day in a vain repetition. It is meant to be a template for – an outline for prayer.

Start by recognizing who God is. It is good to thank Him and give Him glory, honor and praise for all He has done for us.

Since His kingdom Has already come to the earth, we now pray for His will to be done in our lives and in the lives of others – just like things are done in heaven. That’s a great big subject all it’s own.

Ask Him for what we need each day and thank Him for providing it.

Take time to extend forgiveness to anyone that you have a grudge or anger against. It is vital for God to hear our prayers and answer them according to us not carrying unforgiveness in our hearts. We are told here that if we won’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us. It’s a sowing and reaping concept. Look at verse 15 in the Amplified Bible.

Matthew 6:15

But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

Another very important point as we pray is ask God to keep us from temptation. We need His help to deliver us from the snares of the evil one.

1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP

No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].

When we wrap up our prayers, we should acknowledge that God’s kingdom way is the way to do things – just like we see in a previous verse here where we say to the Lord, “Not my will be yours be done.” Honestly, that’s a hard prayer to pray. May time we can be afraid of what His will in a situation we are facing might be. We may be dealing with fear of the unknown. We may be dealing with flesh screaming to have its own way. We need to learn that He is loving and whatever He is asking of us, He will also give us the grace to do it.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Fasting Vs. 16-18

Here is another way that we do things privately with our Father in heaven where He rewards us openly. Anytime  we seek to draw people’s attention to something we are doing like giving, praying or fasting, which is to be a private thing between us and the Lord, is to draw attention to self. That’s when we can get into making it a show in front of others as if to say, “Look at me, aren’t I holy?”

Fasting is a necessary discipline in the Christian life. It helps us to keep our flesh under control. It helps us to set aside the time we spend on food preparation and consumption to focus on the Lord and have fellowship with Him. Times like this can bring answers and revelation, as well as spiritual breakthroughs.It can us to eliminate sin in our lives. Look at this.

2 Chronicles 7:14

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Fasting is a form of humility. When we set other things aside to seek the Lord. He appreciates it when we repent from sin and turn to Him and seek His face. We need His plan for our lives, and spending time with Him is the only way we will hear what it is. If we are already spending a lot of time with Him, but not getting the answers we need, perhaps we just need to give Him our ear for just a few more minutes. God is not cruel. He is kind. If we seek Him, we will find Him. He assures us of this in His word.

Heavenly Treasure – the Most Valuable Things in Life Vs.19-24

Here we see the Lord calling us to place our main focus on the things that will last for eternity. So many times, we spend our thoughts, time and efforts on things that will on things that will one day perish and be no more. The Lord makes it clear that what we value and spend the most time on is what we really treasure. This is cause for reflection to reexamine what is most important to us.

Matthew 6:24 AMP

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

Jesus tells us in this passage that we can only serve one master – not two. So whatever is mastering us is our master. Is it Jesus , or something else?  When we look at the verses about the eyes being light or dark, this is talking about spiritual perception. Darkness reflects blindness to the things of God. How do we see things of spiritual importance? If we look at the AMP version, we can get a deeper understanding of what is being said here.

Matthew 6:22-23 AMP

 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!

Don’t Worry Vs. 25-32

This leads right into the final passage in this chapter about worry. The previous verses about storing up things that last for eternity feeds right into the worry aspect of daily life. Many are overly concerned about what they will eat, drink and wear, just as a starting point. In fact, the majority of Christians are worrying about many other things in life that we do not need to be concerned about. After all, God loves us so  much that He will always provide for us handsomely. We just need to believe it and trust Him. There is no lack in Father’s house – ever!

If we humans would just take a lesson from the birds as well as other animals outdoors, we would see the perfect example of provision from God. Think about it. Do you ever see a bird sitting outside chewing on it’s claws and freaking out because he doesn’t know where his next bite of food will be? I haven’t. Also, have you ever seen a healthy bird that looked like he was “underweight” because God wasn’t giving him enough to eat? I highly doubt it.

It seems the birds have more faith in God than people. They rest and then get up and go for their food when they need it, and it’s always there. If they sat and worried about it – rolling it over and over in their minds as if to say, “what am I gonna do, oh what am I gonna do?”, would it make any difference in their provisions? Absolutely not. God knows they need food. Additionally, they are beautifully dressed. Our Father knows we need these things too. He says that we carry more value than the birds. When will we wake up to this and let all that worry go?

The famous verse in Matthew 33 says to seek first God’s kingdom and all these things will be added. If we do what God is asking of us for tithing, sowing, praying and fasting, seeking Him and the work He has for us, then He will surely take care of the natural things we need to sustain life and even enjoy it. Of course there will be trials, temptations and difficulties. Jesus never said it would be easy. But God is making it clear that He will provide for His children. God loves us – that’s why He created us. He has everything we need.

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Stay in Today – Tomorrow Isn’t Here Yet Vs. 34

The last verse in this chapter concludes with advice about what tomorrow holds. Jesus said not to be concerned about it. There’s enough to deal with in each present day. Trying to carry tomorrow before it gets here provides a spiritual load too heavy to bear. Look at this.

James 4:13-16

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;  whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”  But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

It is certainly appropriate to make plans, but also to remember that those plans are subject to change. The Lord will direct our steps each day as we trust in Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Psalm 37:23

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.

In conclusion, our days can go this way and that. We all know how plans can change. Being flexible is a good thing. It keeps us from getting all wound up about a day that hasn’t even arrived yet. It seems more than enough to deal with the day we are in.

Reflection

Like Matthew 5, this chapter gives us many points to think about. When we sit down and look at them and mediate on them, we can see ways that we can do things differently. We all can improve on how we do things. Taking the time to study the words of our Lord and then to see what He is highlighting for us is what it means to seek the kingdom of heaven first. Too often, the busyness of life gets in the way and we don’t hear all that we need from God. We can miss out on a lot of wisdom and direction that we desperately need.

How About You?

As you meditate on this chapter, what points stand out to you that seem to require some immediate adjustments?

Take it a step at a time. God will not give us more than we can handle in a day.

Be blessed as you study in Jesus’ Name. Amen.