Matthew 6:14-23

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!”

Comments

How you present yourself to others and how you let the world present itself to you, those are the topics of this part of the Great Sermon. Trying to give off a holy, ‘suffering for the Lord’ vibe is not a good idea. You can fast and pray and still act and look normal. So comb your hair and wash your face.

Forgiving, treasure, and having a good eye all go together. What are you looking at? What are you focused on? All the ways someone wronged you? Forgive them and stop focusing on that. Earthly treasures? Those are fleeting you know. What’s more focusing on those things, hurts and worldly success will darken your vision, will darken your whole being. You only have so many waking hours in a day. What you choose to focus on while your eyes are open will determine how much light and how much darkness fills your being. Focus on what brings light in.

Matthew 6:1-13

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Comments

Jesus says ‘when you give…’ twice in this passage and then he says ‘when you pray…’ twice as well. He giving instructions on how his followers are to go about giving to others and praying. He doesn’t command giving or praying here, he begins with the assumption that his followers will do these things and so ought to do them well. So is that a fair assumption? Are we giving? Are we praying? I also really like the statement about babbling being unnecessary. Maybe we would pray more if our religious tendencies didn’t turn it into such a chore. I encourage you to try both today: give something to someone and spend time talking (not babbling) to God and letting God speak to you.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Mike Raburn

God speaks to you. Listen. Act on what you hear.

Month: March 2013

Red Letter Year: 3/21

Matthew 6:14-23

Red Letter Year: 3/20

Matthew 6:1-13