공동체와 양육

Spiritual Blind Spots (Matt 6:1-6)

2008.11.16Rev. 에디 변

Jesus warns us that our acts of righteousness can become spiritual blind spots when we do them to be seen by people. Our actions matter, but God looks at the heart and motive behind them, and calls us to live for the audience of one.

Our actions matter, but the heart behind them matters more (vv. 1-2)

Jesus assumes that his followers will give, pray, and fast, so our actions are important. Yet the danger is that we hear God's Word, agree with it, and stop there. James 1:22 warns us not to merely listen and so deceive ourselves, but to do what it says. God also looks at how we do these things. He calls us to love him with all our heart, soul, and strength, and to seek him with all our heart. Actions speak louder than words, but to God the heart speaks loudest.

Examine the motives behind what we do

Motives matter a great deal in spiritual maturity. It is easy to go through the motions, attending meetings only to be seen checking in before the pastor. So we need to ask ourselves honestly why we are here and what our deepest motive is. Is it to worship God, or to be seen and associated with a community? Jesus warns us because our motives can easily be distorted, and because we can start living for the empty and fleeting praise of people.

Your audience matters most (vv. 2, 5, 16)

Jesus says that the hypocrites do their giving and praying to be honored by men, and they have received their reward in full. The question is whether we are living for the audience of many or the audience of one. Young believers often have a pure, raw love for God, but as we grow older, we can slowly begin to want to please people. Even leaders can fall into this, as they try to make everyone happy. Such people will praise us today and forget us tomorrow, but God's reward lasts forever.

Being faithful when no one is watching (vv. 3-4, 6, 17-18)

Jesus teaches us to give, pray, and fast in secret, so that our Father who sees in secret will reward us. Integrity is who we are when no one is looking. Our private faithfulness, devotion, and kindness should match our public ones. Even picking up a piece of litter in the sanctuary can be done as an offering to God. Secret prayer is especially important, because that is where we are truly honest before God and where he sees who we really are.

Living coram Deo, in the presence of God

The Reformers cried out coram Deo, in the presence of God, and this is the way God's people live. 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. When our eyes are fixed on God rather than on people, we experience freedom from fear of what others think. Whatever we do, we can do it with all our heart as working for the Lord.

Apply to Life

  • Let us examine our motives and ask why we give, pray, serve, and come to worship.
  • Let us give, pray, and fast in secret, seeking the reward of our Father who sees in secret rather than the praise of people.
  • Let us be the same person in private as we are in public, in what we say online, and in our daily lives.
  • Let us live for the Lord alone and do all our work as working for him, not for men.
  • Let us lift our eyes to Jesus today and pray, Jesus, I want to live for you alone.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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