MAY 15, 2011 “CHRISTIAN MANNERS”

MATTHEW 7:1-12                                                                                     MAY 15, 2011

                                                                            

“CHRISTIAN MANNERS”

How many of you remember the newspaper column on manners by Emily Post?  Her name is now synonymous with good manners and etiquette. I am grateful to my parents and to my sister who taught me manners. I was constantly reminded: to say please and thank you, close my mouth while chewing, use my napkin and my handkerchief instead of my shirt sleeve, to show respect to all adults, etc… My sister taught me those manners which as a young teenage male, I was clueless in how to act around the opposite sex. She taught me to open car doors and any other door and to allow the woman to go first. She also taught me to hold the woman’s elbow to assist a woman in high heels to go up stairs. Most importantly she taught me to listen. Unfortunately manners must be taught and learned as they are not a part of our DNA. Another example of this was from a comment by a local kindergarten teacher of many years. She informed me that her task was to civilize young boys and girls so that they might have the tools to begin to learn. Each child at school has to learn: to raise their hand before speaking, to stand in line, listen to the teacher, stay in their seats, etc… Jesus taught the disciples the manners every believer needs to know. This portion of Matthew 7:1-12 I have entitled Christian manners.

Jesus often condemned the spiritual leaders of his day for their hypocrisy and their failure to live by the ethical demands of the scriptures. Jesus warned his own disciples to not follow the pattern set by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) ¹ "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” The verb translated as “judge” has several slightly different meanings. In this context Jesus states that we are not to pronounce someone as guilty or to indicate that they stand condemned by God. James 4:12 (NIV) “¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?” Only God has the authority to send someone to hell. We may think we know where someone is going but that is not our call.

This condemning attitude is the opposite of Jesus teaching us to be merciful in the Beatitudes. Matthew 5:7 (NIV) “⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” And remember that He taught us to pray, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”. When a Christian falls into this type of condemning behavior we are in effect setting ourselves as the standard of how one is to live. This critical condemning attitude is an indication that love is missing from our relationships. This absence of love is a sign that we may not have truly experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Jesus uses an illustration showing a contrast between an insignificant problem in comparison to a major difficulty that the accuser has in their own life. From the Message, “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your won. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you’, when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” This condemning attitude of others usually surfaces when we are being blind, unaware of our own self-righteous pride in ourselves. The primary example of a hypocrite is Judas Iscariot. Judas traveled with Jesus for three years seeing all of the miracles, hearing every lesson, and yet he never truly believed. Pointing out the sins of others should only be done after we have done a self examination, and then only with humility and love.

⁶ "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” This verse some have thought was thrown in as an afterthought. Yet in this verse Jesus addresses a problem if a person goes to the opposite extreme of judging. Instead of hypocritical judgment, is one who is naïve in continuing to present the message of God’s love and acceptance with one who continuously mocks and ridicules the good news of the gospel. In the first century dogs were mostly wild scavengers. I have experimented in talking with intoxicated persons and with those who are high on drugs. I have tired ignoring them and that doesn’t work. I have attempted to reason with them only to be greatly frustrated. I no longer attempt to reason with impaired individuals. I attempt to show love and concern and often that doesn’t work either. Someone who is so single minded like a wild dog or pig makes it unadvisable to attempt to share the precious truths of God’s love and forgiveness. If a pig can knock you down, they will attempt to eat any body part that is near them. I once made the mistake going to feed the hogs barefooted. They tried to eat my toes. I had to throw the slop bucket down and jump over the fence.

Jesus in this passage is finishing the sermon on the Mount providing us with how we are to apply the principles of holy living. It is not easy to be both merciful and forgiving and yet wisely discern when we should guard ourselves from those who make a mockery of the faith. In the same way when one tries to learn a new task, it is advisable to seek out the instruction manual and then ask one who knows what to do, and to not give up. Jesus in the same way tells us what to do and how to approach God: we are to ask, seek, and knock. ⁷ "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Each of these words; ask, seek, knock; are words indicating prayer. These three words indicate a rising scale or ladder approach. When we go to God in prayer we are humbly asking for his assistance. Seeking indicates when we are needing to know God’s will as in what job to take or in seeking out a helpmate (who to marry). Knocking is being persistent and persevering in our prayers. Jesus consistently spent time in prayer with his Father. Jesus is very aware that we need help and so he provides us a framework of how to ask.

My children can still recite the words I told them numerous times. “I never mind you asking for anything as long as you don’t mind being told no.”  God answers every prayer. God does not ignore us. Jesus uses an illustration of earthly fathers and then asks us if God will not then take care of us. From the Message, “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t some cat and mouse, hide and seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? God answers our prayers. Remember how children sometimes react when they receive a reply they don’t know want to hear. They will either ignore your words or go ask the other parent. This doesn’t work with God either. We may not be listening when we receive an answer we don’t want to hear.

Jesus then summarizes his teaching in what we now call the Golden Rule. This rule was a Jewish saying but it was said in the negative. “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.” Jesus turned it around and said it positively. ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Living our faith is not simply following a list of rules and regulations. Being faithful to Christ means daily asking for help and discernment from our Father in knowing how best to respond. May we be wise and ask God for assistance, seek out His will for us, and be patient and persevering in waiting for his reply.

Let us pray.

MAY 8, 2011 “SETTING PRIORITIES”

MATTHEW 6:19-34                                                                                   MAY 8, 2011

                                                                            

“SETTING PRIORITIES”

In my freshman year at Jacksonville State University I was a manager on the football team. I worked with the offensive backs. Our quarterback was Ralph Dieter Brock. He was the first player from our 1a school to play in the senior bowl in Mobile, AL. He went on to play Canadian football for several years before playing for the Los Angeles Rams for two years. Dieter gave me one of his jerseys. I treasured it for years. Every couple of years I would wear it; then carefully wash it and put it away. One day I took out my treasured jersey and was dismayed to discover it had deteriorated and was filled with holes. I kept it for a few more years before I was forced to admit, it needed to be thrown away. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) ¹⁹ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus focuses on what type of person a disciple is to be on the inside. The focus here is not on what we do but on who we are. “Material wealth was important to the people of Israel since it was often seen as a sign of God’s blessings.” (NIV Application Commentary, Michael Wilkins) Yet scripture also taught the Israelites to be careful of greed and coveting. A treasure is what each individual considers to be valuable. A moth is a tiny insect but it can destroy the finest clothing. Rust encompasses anything that destroys, including crops as well as metals. Jesus indicates a contrast between a treasure on earth and a treasure in heaven. “²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus is talking about values. Jesus tells his disciples that it is important to make the right choices if we desire to love and serve God the Father. So how do we make the right choice?

Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV) ²² "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Jesus is not talking about needing glasses or contacts, or even having a diseased eye. From the Message, “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! What is the main focus of our lives? A bad eye is making bad moral choices. This is the real meaning of having an “evil eye”. If our eyes are good we will be filled with the light of God’s treasure. We will be filled with the love of God and our greatest desire will be to return that love for Abba and will love others as Abba loves.

Matthew 6:24 (NIV) ²⁴ "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” It is now time to choose between two masters. The word serve indicates the work of a slave and not of an employee. Each of us can choose to quit our job. However, once we have chosen to follow Christ, it is to be a lifelong commitment. Love and hate are not simply emotional responses. Our good or bad choices reveal either our love for God or our hatred (rejection) of God. We can’t have it both ways.

Did you notice the 2-2-2 choice? There are two types of treasure, two different eyes, and two masters. Every day we make a choice between two treasures, what we choose to see, and who we will serve. We must not have divided loyalties. Divided loyalties will produce neither peace nor joy but only dissatisfaction and turmoil. Joshua told the Israelites to make a choice, either to love and serve the Lord wholeheartedly or choose other gods. He told them there would be consequences if they failed to abide by their sacred vow to love and serve God. Loving God is a choice we make each and every day of our lives. Ignoring God or doing nothing is a rejection of Him, regardless of how we seek to explain it. The main principle we are to live by is found in Matthew 6:33 (NIV) “³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”

Jesus anticipated the next response. If we choose to serve God and put him first, then how will life work itself out on a daily basis? We start worrying about what may happen? When our first child was born I discovered a whole new set of concerns. I began worrying about “what if”? The first disciples for the most part were not wealthy men and lived “hand to mouth”. If they did not work they did not eat? They were concerned about providing for their daily needs. Jesus had taught them to ask God for their daily needs. But this was something out of their experience and they naturally began to wonder and have concerns. Matthew 6:25 (NIV) ²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” We, like the disciples, are supposed to answer the question that Jesus asked with an affirmative reply. Worry indicates a lack of trust. Jesus was talking to country folks, like us, who saw the birds that Jesus pointed out. They knew, and so do we, that birds don’t worry. They go about their daily tasks without being hampered with “what if”. The country folk also saw the beautiful flowers in the fields surrounding Jesus. If God produces the glorious splendor of flowers to grace His creation then surely God will take care of all of our needs. We need to trust Him.

The central issue is whether or not we trust God. Matthew 6:30-32 (NIV) “O you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” When we accept Jesus Christ by faith it is the beginning of a covenant agreement. Remember that there are two sides to every covenant agreement. We tend to focus solely on our side of the covenant vow to follow Christ. The other side of the agreement with God is that God takes care of us. Jesus is saying we are faith deficient. When we worry we are acting as if we do not even have faith!

We must get our priorities in alignment with who we are in Christ. Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV) “³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” As Christians we are to have a totally different set of values. We are not pursuing salvation as Christians that is done. We are to pursue our love for our Father that will naturally produce doing those acts of kindness, our good deeds.

Jesus returns to the topic of worry as he knows our struggles with trusting anyone but our selves. We are to meet the problems we face today with the strength God gives us today. Remember we are to pray for “our daily bread”, not tomorrow’s. He will provide us with the strength we need each day. We are to trust Him. As we learn to trust we will discover the peace and joy that is the fruit that God provides for His children.

Years ago the evangelist George Gardner was holding evangelistic meetings in a community. God was blessing these meeting. Mr. Gardner’s only income came from his speaking engagements. He had several unpaid bills. He was trusting God to take care of his needs. At the final service the leader announced that the entire offering that night would be given to the evangelist as a love offering. The plates were passed and the people gave generously. After the meeting one of the ushers showed Mr. Gardner the total amount from the adding machine tape. When the leader in charge gave the guest preacher a check, it was for one-half of the offering collected that night. That night back at the motel the evangelist could not sleep. He kept thinking about what had occurred. In the early morning hours he finally got up and began reading the bible where it fell open. From Psalm 37:1-2 (NIV) “¹ Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; ² for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” The evangelist put the bible down and prayed, “Lord, what a fool I’ve been! Forgive me. Keep the other fellow awake – I’m going to get some sleep!” In the weeks that followed God provided the finances he needed.

Thanks be to God, our Father, who takes care of his children.

Let us pray.

MAY 1, 2011 “THE DISCIPLES’ PRAYER”

MATTHEW 6:9-13                                                                                     MAY 1, 2011

                                                                            

“THE DISCIPLES’ PRAYER”

In my experience I find that many Christians have difficulty with prayer and spend little time praying, except for emergency prayers just in case God answers. A story is told of two Irishmen, Pat and Mike, who were clinging to some planks in the icy ocean waters after their ship had sunk. Pat was contemplating repenting of his great profanity. His fellow companion in the icy waters, Pat, felt no need to be concerned with his spiritual welfare. Pat began to pray and was about to confess when his friend, Mike spotted a ship coming in their direction. Mike hollered, “Hold it, Pat, don’t commit yourself, here’s a ship!” J.I. Packer, a well known theologian has stated: “The answer is clear. People have a problem about prayer because of the muddle they are in about God. If you are uncertain whether God exists, or whether he is personal, or good, or in control of things, or concerned about ordinary folk like you and me, you are bound to conclude that praying is pretty pointless, not to say trivial, and then you won’t do it.” (“I Want to be a Christian”, p. 171-172) Our prayer life or the lack of it; reveals the depth of our spiritual maturity. If we pray little it is a sign that we are still in the kiddy pool!

When many people pray, their prayers are usually focused only on themselves. Is this correct? In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches the disciples (that means us) how we are to pray. This prayer is called the Lord’s Prayer, yet it should be called the disciples’ prayer. Please notice the words Jesus used, "This, then, is how you should pray”. Jesus did not say this is what you should pray. Jesus said this is how you should pray. Jesus provides a model of how we are to pray. There is nothing wrong in reciting the words as a prayer, yet Jesus teaches us to go deeper than reciting the same words over and over. Remember what Jesus said just before he taught the disciple’s how to pray. Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV) “⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” We need to be careful when we pray each Sunday the Lord’s Prayer that we are not simply “babbling” the words with no meaning behind them.

The disciples’ prayer in Matthew 6 has six petitions: with the first three calling on the disciples to focus on God and then the last three are then concerned with personal requests. Jesus invites his disciples to join him in addressing Yahweh, the Almighty God, as Father. During the time of the Roman Empire the emperor had led the Roman army to victory and was leading the “triumphant march” through the city streets of Rome where the citizens were wildly cheering and celebrating. As the procession approached the royal family the youngest son dashed into the crowd pushing his way through, yelling for his father. A centurion stopped him and rebuked the boy for calling the emperor, father. The young boy told the soldier, “He may be your emperor, but he is my father.”  Jesus is God’s son and he invites us to also call on “our heavenly father”. Jesus spent many hours talking with his Father and he invites us to do the same. As most of you know the word Jesus used (Abba) is the word for Daddy.

Why do you think Jesus tells us to “hallow” the name of God? Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV) “⁹ "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” To hallow God’s name is to hold it in reverence. This weekend millions watched the royal wedding with such awe and wonder. Yet most would not take any notice of using God’s name as a curse. So many people are preoccupied with their own concerns they overlook how they treat their heavenly Father, who created them and brought them to faith in Jesus. We need to tell ourselves often, “It’s not about me!”

The second petition is: “¹⁰ your kingdom come”. On of the Jewish prayers was, “May God rule His kingdom in your lifetime and in your days and in the lifetime of the whole house of Israel, speedily and soon.” This prayer request should come easily as we see the pain and turmoil that is so prevalent in our world and our prayer should be that our Father will speedily bring about his rule over the entire world. The world is lost without Him, and so are we. The early church expressed this in the Greek word “Maranatha”. Maranatha means “Come, O Lord” come quickly.

The third request is: “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This request is linked to the preceding one. We should be asking our Father for His purpose to be brought about.” Paul spoke of this with the Ephesians in Ephesians 1:11-12 (NIV) “¹¹ In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed in Matthew 26:39 (NIV) “³⁹ "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."  Our prayers should center on the same concern as Jesus. None of us enjoys suffering in any form. In John 4:34 (NIV) “³⁴ "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” O Father, may your will be done in all things in which I find myself involved.

As Christians we are children of the King and we are called to be His servants, doing his will. It is only human to be narrowly self focused. Yet God has set us free to love and serve Him. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) “³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Once we have our priorities straight then we are instructed to pray for our needs.

The fourth request is “¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.” The scripture uses the term bread to encompass not only our food but all of our needs, physical and spiritual. Philippians 4:19 (NIV) “¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” We are called to go before our Father on a daily basis. If God cares for us today, then most certainly He will take care of tomorrow. Shortly after World War II a single mother was totally without food for herself and for her children. She went to the local grocer who was not known for helping others. She asked for enough food to feed the children for Christmas. When he asked how much she could afford. She said, “Truthfully, I have nothing to offer, but a little prayer.” The store owner was unmoved and told her sarcastically, “You write out your prayer on a slip of paper and I will give you its weight in groceries.” To his surprise, she said I already wrote out my prayer. She pulled out a small slip of paper from her pocket and laid it down on the old fashioned scales. He was in dismay when he placed a loaf of bread on it and the scales did not move. He watched in horror as the food piled up with milk and several canned goods. He finally said that’s enough for one day. You can pack your own groceries. The woman tearfully thanked him as she bagged her groceries. As the woman left his store he looked at the written prayer. “Please, dear Lord, give us this day our daily bread.”

The fifth request is, “¹² Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Sin creates am obligation or debt to God that we can not repay. Each of us are grateful that God has forgiven us our sins. Our gratefulness is to cause us to then forgive others as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness is at the heart of what following Christ means. Jesus emphasized the importance of forgiveness in Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) “¹⁴ For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” As Christians we are obligated to forgive others. It is our continuing debt that we owe to our Father.

The sixth request is, “¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” God does not tempt his people to do evil that is the work of Satan. We are in a daily spiritual battle and we need the help of our Father. James 1:12-15 (NIV) “¹² Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. ¹³ When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” This petition is similar to the Jewish daily prayer: “Bring me not into the power of sin, and not into the power of guilt, and not into the power of temptation, and not into the power of anything shameful. Some may notice that the Lord’s prayer we recite says to deliver us from evil. Either rendering is appropriate. It is by God’s strength we can have spiritual victory and we need to depend on Him.

The Gospel of Matthew does not include the liturgical ending “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.” This was included by the early church and is a rendering of the prayer in I Chronicles 29:11. My prayer for you this day is that the prayer life of each of us will increase and in so doing we will find a greater joy. Prayer is best learned by doing. The Lord be with you.

Let us pray.

APRIL 24, 2011 “WHEN FAITH IS JUST AN ACT!”

MATTHEW 6:1-18                                                                                     APRIL 24, 2011

                                                                            

“WHEN FAITH IS JUST AN ACT!”

I realize I am showing may age, yet do you remember when Coke used the slogan, “the real thing”? The implication was, no one should accept a substitute. One of the concerns of Jesus was that his followers should have the real thing; a vibrant, real faith. The opposite of a real faith is a public display of being religious. This act is well known as being hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is not a recent invention, but has existed for centuries.

                                                

Jesus is speaking to his followers in Matthew 6 about how one lives out his/her faith. Matthew 6:1 (NIV) ¹ "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” The acts of righteousness are acts that naturally come from someone who has had an inner change of heart. Everyone who has repented of their sins and have accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord will exhibit this inner change with a desire to participate: in giving, prayer, and fasting (acts of humility). The phrase, acts of righteousness, comes from the Jewish tradition. These three activities were a part of everyday Jewish life. Jesus was concerned that his disciples have the right heart and mind attitude. These acts of faith, sometimes called spiritual disciplines, play a vital role in our spiritual maturity.  These signs of faith: giving, prayer, and fasting will normally expand in importance the more we live out our faith.

Proverbs 16:2 (NIV) “² All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” God examines our hearts to see if what we do is sincere or whether we are doing something only to be seen by others. It can be quite difficult to determine when a politician is being sincere or is doing something simply for the publicity. However we can not fool God, as He knows our inner motivation on all things. God does reward us for good behavior. Yet, there will be no pat on the back by God, if our motives are wrong. In order to make clear what He was saying Jesus gave an example. In Matthew 6:2-4, (NIV) ² "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” In the Temple court there were metal receptacles shaped like trumpets in which you placed your offerings. In those days there wasn’t paper currency, checks, or credit cards; as all of the money was coins. So when one dropped your offering in, it could make a large noise. In other words Jesus tells his disciples not to make a show of your giving so people will notice you. If that is your motivation, then God will not be pleased with your gifts. We should not “toot our own horn”! “Hypocrisy is doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.” (NIV Application Commentary) Instead, Jesus encourages us to be quiet in our giving so that we will receive God’s approval.

Charles Spurgeon was a well-known Baptist preacher in London during the late 1800’s. Charles and his wife raised chickens and sold the eggs. Several member of his church complained when they would not give any of the eggs away to those who asked for some. The Spurgeon’s never once explained or gave any reason. After their death, it was discovered that the money earned from the sale of the eggs had gone to support several widows of missionaries who had no source of income. I’m sure their reward in heaven was great.

A second practice of Jewish religious devotion was prayer. Religious Jews prayed publicly at least twice a day: once in the morning around nine and once in the afternoon around three. Jewish tradition was to pray out loud in the Temple. So one can imagine that prayer could become quite a show. Jesus tells his followers to do the opposite. From the CEV Matthew 6:5-6, “When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you.” Jesus is not against praying in public, but again is concerned with the motivation behind the prayer.  We know Jesus was not against praying in public as he would not have taught his disciples to pray, “Our Father”. Jesus wants prayer to be an intimate conversation with our God.

Another of Jesus’ concerns was not to pray in the manner of the other religions. These other religions were noted for long repetitive prayers without saying anything of meaning. In the confrontation Elijah had with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:25-26 (NIV), “Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon, "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered.” The religious followers of Artemis in Acts 19:33-34 (NIV) kept repeating as “they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" God is ready to listen to us, but God can not be manipulated by chanting phrases or slogans. I recently watched a documentary on Buddha. Buddhists are encouraged to devise a sound or phrase that will become a mental trigger to induce a meditative state. They will repeat this for hours on end. Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV) “⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Jesus was not against spending a lot of time praying as he often would spend a whole night praying with his Father. God already knows what we will ask, yet our prayers express our desires, needs, and concerns for which our Father is always willing to commune with us. Jesus then taught his disciples a model of how to pray, which is now called the Lord’s Prayer. Next Sunday I will preach on the prayer itself, so come back again.

Years ago in a small country church one of the dear old saints would always say the same prayer each week at prayer service. This went on year after year. His prayer was, “O Lord, clear out the cobwebs from my life.” Finally, after hearing the same prayer, one of the other members got up and prayed. “Lord, don’t do it. Have him kill the spider.”

The third act of religious devotion was fasting. Fasting is not an activiity for which the modern church promotes. Fasting in the Old Testament was only required once a year for the religious festival for the Day of Atonement. The Jews were to refrain from food and drink, except for water to prepare for the act of national repentance in which all Jews confessed their sins and were ceremonially cleansed. The purpose of fasting is to humble oneself before God, especially during times of great stress and need. The practice had also become used as a public show of devotion, of showing off how good you were. The Pharisees loved to let everyone know by how they disfigured themselves by wearing clothes in disarray and of putting ashes on their heads. Jesus encouraged “When you go without eating, don’t try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward. Instead, comb your hair and wash your face. Then others won’t know that you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.” (CEV)

Jesus understands that we will never be perfect and our motivations may be mixed, where we may have good and bad motivating factors. Yet what Jesus condemns is intentionally acting out of the wrong motives. It is when we know we are showing off in front of people. As Christians we are to be motivated by our love and thankfulness for what God has done for us. This Resurrection morning should motivate us to be truly grateful for what Christ has done for us. Our prayers, giving, and spiritual practices should be a by product of our love and appreciation for God’s blessings.

Christ has risen!

Let us pray.