“The Priority of Simplicity and Sincerity”
Matthew 6:1-8 June 29, 2008 Play
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● When Reality Makes Religiosity Backfire
○ bumper sticker accompanied by
unexpected response
○ people quick to point out
others’ failings (Rom 2:15)
● When You Act ‘Religious’ - What Reward Do You Seek?
○ “When you __ don’t __ like the
hypocrites, to be __ by men; I tell you the truth, they have received
their reward in full. But when you __ __, then your Father, who sees
what’s done in secret, will repay you.” (Mt 6:2-6, 16-18)
○ hypocrites have wrong audience /
goal / idea of God
○ “When you...”: benefits of
giving to needy, praying, fasting
○ easy to ‘sound the trumpet’ in
modern ways to draw attention
● God’s Not Deaf, but He May Be In Our Blind Spot
○ don’t babble on and on -
prophets of Baal / devotees of Diana (7f; 1Kings 18:26ff; Ac 19:34)
○ Father knows our need before we
ask; invites our requests (Php 4:6,19; Jer 33:3; Heb 4:16)
○ put God’s Kingdom / name / will
first (6:32f, 9f)
● When We Ask - He Answers
○ answers to prayer may come
faster than we expect
○ God ‘owns the cattle on a
thousand hills’ - and can sell any needed (Ps 50:10)