WHAT ARE MY MOTIVES? MATTHEW 6:1-8

 Why do I do what I do? Do I really see everything that I do as a gift for God or do I act the way I do to be seen of men and to get their praise? Who Am I really living for?

Matthew 6:1 ( ESV )

¹“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

·         Practicing- They did these things as a matter of Habit before all.

·         Righteousness-These were acts that apparently could be seen by our fellow man. Three main acts of righteousness, giving, prayer and fasting which will be dealt with in verse 15 and following.

·         To be seem by them-Their religion was not real but it was all for show. (A performance before all to be seen and praised.)

·         No reward-Why? As another passage puts it for they have already received their reward now. What would I rather have the glory of men or the glory of God?

·         Father who is in heaven-This is where we want our rewards from and whom we want them from. What good is it if I profit the whole world and lose my own soul?

Matthew 6:2 ( ESV )

²“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

·         Thus-Because of the above truth. I should not act as the hypocrite does.

·         Give to the needy-Part of the O.T. law to give to those who are in need. (Dt. 15:11)

·         Sound no trumpet-A custom that they had among themselves when giving trumpets were blown in order to be noticed. (Remember the story of the Poor Widow and her mite?) Like a trumpet blast which will always grab a person’s attention.  We get the idea of to, "toot our own horn."

·         Hypocrites-Men who give in this way are known as those who have masked faces or fake. Denotes one who either pretends to be what he is not (as here), or dissembles what he really is (as in Luke 12:1, 2). JFB

·         Note they did these things both in the synagogues as well as in the streets to be seen of men. They do receive a reward but it is only the praises of man not the praises of God. The idea of in the streets carries with it a crowded area. To be seen of all men.

Matthew 6:3 ( ESV )

³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

·         But-In contrast to the above who want to be seen by men and get their praises.

·         Give to the needy-We should still be those who give.

·         Do not-Not the picture of ignorance but in contrast to the above people, do not let your giving be based on being noticed but rather of a generous heart towards others and for their own well-being.  Don't dwell on it. JFB

·         Right hand-The giver readily forgets what he has given. (Thus giving becomes something I just do for God and not for any other reason.) 

Matthew 6:4 ( ESV )

⁴so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

·         Secret-Let our giving be between us and our God alone. We do not need the praise of men

           for the way that we give to the Lord and to the needy.

·         Romans 2:16 ^“on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”  This is a private audience thing between our God and us alone. (Like being called before a king for a command performance.)

·         Father who sees-He should really be the only one who knows what we give. We pray to the one who is invisible.   (I Tim. 1:17) and we are seen by Him.

·         Reward you-I believe that this will be openly before all men when we appear before

Him.

Matthew 6:5 ( ESV )

⁵“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

§  Now prayer becomes the issue in our acts of righteousness. (The first one is more towards mankind while this one is towards our God.)

§  This is how the hypocrites pray. Out in the synagogues and in the streets. (Note: Not against public prayer as this was done by Jesus Himself but these men only prayed in public in order to be seen and praised.) … That they might be seen. Many pious Jews would pray at set times throughout the day. I Peter 1:24 The glory of man does not last.

§  Truly-This is a truth to be stated loudly. Like the above they have received their reward.

Matthew 6:6 ( ESV )

⁶But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

·         But-In contrast to the above type who want to be seen of men and the hypocrites that live out in this world.

·         Go into your room-Once again Jesus is not against public prayer but when we pray we need to realize who we are really talking to. We have entered into the very presence of our Heavenly Father. It makes me wonder if these men prayed privately or only when they could be seen by others.

·         Once again like in verse 6 the phrase, “Who sees in secret will reward you." Is used again.  Our giving and our prayer life or acts of righteousness of any kind should only be for the Lord and Him alone. Big Daddy Weaves, “An Audience of One.”

Matthew 6:7 ( ESV )

⁷“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

·         When you pray-He does still want them to pray.

·         Empty phrases-Repetition or "magic words or phrases" to get their gods attention. This is done on and on by Hindus and followers of Mohammed. Reminded of the Baal prophets of I Kings 18:26, "O Baal, hear us." Prayer that is not coming from a sincere heart. W.Wiersbe, "Some people just repeat the same old phrase over and over again, they are like a phonograph player that has its needle stuck. You already know what they are going to pray before they even begin.”

·         Gentiles-This is how the unsaved pray.

·         Many words-Be careful in the area of maybe God will hear me more if I speak to Him more eloquently. Prayers that are just merely recited or like a formula to grab God's attention. Remember these words are tied in with them being empty phrases.  Just continuing on or to babel on.

Matthew 6:8 ( ESV )

⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

·         Father knows-Then why should I pray? If He already knows. What is the purpose of it all? Our Father loves to hear His children talk to Him and ask Him for things. (Example of a Father here on earth with his children.)

·         Like them-The Gentiles in this case or the unbelieving people.

·         Father-Remember who we are praying to He is our Father.