Matthew - Week 15

Good Deeds 

READ 

Matthew 6:1-2 

1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.” 

Jesus continued to tell what His followers should be like—not doing things for outward show just to gain attention. Few there are who give large sums of money to charity without their names being known. These words of Jesus indicate that those who give to get attention have already received their reward. This especially has to do with the motives for giving. 

REFLECT 

How do these words of Jesus influence how you give to others? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a fellow believer about the matter of giving. Talk about how this passage of Scripture can relate to your giving. 

Gifts and Rewards 

READ 

Matthew 6:3-4 

3 “But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” 

In Matthew 6:1-2 Jesus told about how not to give. In verses 3-4 He tells how to give. Jesus contrasted doing things privately instead of publicly. Those who give for attention already have their reward so none is to be expected from the heavenly Father. Those who give in private will be rewarded by the Father. 

REFLECT 

How do Jesus’ words relate to your giving? 

RESPOND 

Depending on your situation it may not be possible to give to your church or some charity without your name being known for legal purposes, but you should desire it not be spread widely to those who do not need to know your name. 

When You Pray 

READ 

Matthew 6:5-6 

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” 

Jesus told about giving privately; in these verses He told about praying privately. Jesus’ words do not indicate believers should not join in corporate prayer. His emphasis was on praying just so you can make a show before others. If done like that, one already has his reward. If done for the glory of God, such prayers will be rewarded by the Father. Also, there are some matters that are too personal to share with a group and those are best shared alone between you and the heavenly Father. 

REFLECT 

Do you pray with a group of fellow believers as well as in private? Which seems most spiritually satisfying to you? 

RESPOND 

The early church met together for prayer. See Acts 2:42 in this regard. Many believers in the world today have to meet in secret because of the threat of persecution. Meeting with other believers at such a time is not for a show but for the desperate need for spiritual help from God.  

Your Father Knows 

READ 

Matthew 6:7-8 

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” 

New followers of Jesus may have difficulty praying publicly without an unnecessary repetition of certain words. They can be helped by thinking about talking to their heavenly Father as they would talk to a friend or family member. Likely, if you kept saying a word over and over to him in your conversation he would tell you that was not necessary. It can be a “filler word” that is used as you are trying to think of something else to say. Better just to pause, think, and then continue with your prayer. 

REFLECT 

When just learning to pray publicly, do not be too critical of your own speech. God loves you and knows your heart. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a fellow believer about what was learned in the other person’s prayer life in regard to the repetition of some words. Share with that person what you have learned. You may wonder why you should ask God if He already knows what you need. Think how pleased a parent is when a child asks for something the parent knows he needs. 

The Lord's Prayer 

READ 

Matthew 6:9-13 

9 “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” 

This passage of Scripture is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer.” It is not one He prayed, however, as some of the items in the prayer would not apply to Him. (Another prayer, the “High Priestly” prayer is found in John 17.) This prayer in Matthew 6 is a model of how to pray for the person who does not know how to pray. Later, the believer in Jesus will begin to add specific requests for loved ones, and other needs.  

REFLECT 

Have you used this model for prayer as a guide in your prayer time? Have you gone on to make it more specific for your needs and the needs of others? 

RESPOND 

The “food” that should be prayed for is not only for physical needs but also for spiritual needs, as Jesus reminded the devil in Matthew 4:4. The “evil one” in Matthew 6:13 refers to the devil. Read Ephesians 1:15-18 to see what Paul prayed for fellow believers. Consider using his prayer as a guide of what to pray for your friends.