Sunday Recap On A Tuesday...

On Tuesday's I hope to post some thoughts from the lesson that was previously taught at Merge the Sunday before...

Series: You Say You Want A Revolution
Lesson: The Hypocrite (part one)
Text: Matthew 6:1-8

Some Thoughts:
---We are traveling through Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount.  Last week Jesus spoke truth into our lives as He went after many areas that plague our hearts.  This morning Jesus will continue to refine our hearts when it comes to our spirituality which is on display for all to see.  


---There is a very real danger of a spirituality that is one thing externally and another internally.


---It is entirely possible for do good things for the wrong reasons.


v.1
---Jesus is saying that there is a line where our acts go from being God-glorifying to being self-promoting.  There are a lot of things we do under the guise of "IN THE NAME OF GOD" that are really desperate attempts to seek the approval of men.  To this unfortunate truth Jesus gives us all a great warning.  


Big Thought:
If your 'acts' are done for the applause of men, don't be surprised when that is the only applause you receive.  


v.2 
---Before we cast judgment on the hypocrites let us ask ourselves: 
Have you ever given a gift to someone only to remind them that you are the one who gave it?  Have you ever tried to bring attention to your 'selfless' act of giving?  Have you ever tooted your own horn when it comes to giving?  This is the problem Jesus is talking about.


---A hypocrite was originally a Greek actor who wore different masks to play various roles.  Jesus criticize the religious leaders for a particular form of hypocrisy: doing the right things for the wrong reasons.  


---"To stand with a penny in one hand and a trumpet in the other is the posture of hypocrisy."


v.3
---A great question you can ask to test your motives in giving is:  "Would I still do this if no one ever knew it was me?"


Three quick thoughts on giving:
1.  True giving comes from a hearts that has first been surrendered to God.
---We will not be able to give "God's Way" if we are not committed to live "God's Way".


2.  When we are giving "God's Way" we are promised a reward by God. 
3.  The credit for giving "God's Way" should point to God...not us.


v.5
---The essence of prayer is not public style but private communication with God.
---The best way to be seen as living a Holy life is by striving to live a Holy life.


v.6
---Make no mistake here, Jesus was certainly not discouraging prayer any more than He was discouraging giving earlier.  What He spoke against was playing the role of a hypocrite when going though the motions of prayer.


v.7-8
---The greatest prayer ever uttered are those prayed from a pure heart in the moment of great desperation.  "SAVE ME JESUS" carries more weight theologically as some of the Thanksgiving prayers we will hear in the coming weeks.


---Our hearts make the difference in prayer, not our words.


3 Quick Thoughts On Prayer:
1.  Be careful with your prayers are dictated by the size of the crowd.
2.  When you don't know what to pray about, sit in the silence and listen.
3.  The aim of prayer is not to tune God's ear to ours; rather prayer is aimed to tune our hearts to His.


---"Show when you are tempted to hide and hide when you are tempted to show." A.B. Bruce


Heart and Soul,
BAG
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