Matthew - Week 16

Forgiveness 

READ 

Matthew 6:14-15 

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

Some are thankful for God’s forgiveness of them but are unforgiving of others. This does not please God. The more believers in Jesus are sensitive to how much they have been forgiven, the more forgiving they will be of others. These statements from the Lord Jesus should be sobering to any believer with an unforgiving heart. 

REFLECT 

Do you have a hard time of forgiving others? At such times do you think of how much God has forgiven you? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a Christian friend about the matter of forgiving others. Read Ephesians 4:25-32 and especially focus on verse 32. Pray that you can be characterized by what this passage says. 

When You Fast 

READ 

Matthew 6:16-18 

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” 

Jesus continued to contrast what is done privately and publicly. He also emphasized the attitude more than the action because actions result from attitudes. He saw fasting as something private between a believer and God, not something to impress others with. It should also be realized that fasting has nothing to do with one’s salvation because that is received only by believing in Jesus. Fasting has to do with devotion to Him. 

REFLECT 

Have you occasionally fasted? Did you keep it private or tell others what you were doing? 

RESPOND 

Sometimes one’s concern is so great he does not feel like eating. Read John 4:27-32 to see what Jesus said about eating after His conversation with the woman at the well. Talk with a friend if you have ever experienced something like this. Also, be reminded of Matthew 4:4 in Jesus’ answer to the devil when He was being tested. 

Treasure Storage 

READ 

Matthew 6:19-21 

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” 

The mind can become so focused on one’s material needs that he loses his perspective about eternal realities. Rather than thinking about how much one needs to give, such as a tithe, a believer needs to remember that 100 percent of what he possesses has been provided by God. A person focuses on what he considers to be his real treasure, and Jesus’ words indicate one’s desires are fixed on what he really values. 

REFLECT 

How do you keep in balance thinking about the material means you need on earth and your real treasure in heaven? 

RESPOND 

Physical limitations can detract from thinking about eternal values. In this regard read, think about, and discuss 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. As one Christ-follower puts it, “Instead of staring at our circumstances and glancing at God; we need to stare at God and glance at our circumstances.” 

Spiritual Eyes 

READ 

Matthew 6:22-23 

22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” 

Jesus contrasted spiritual eyes with physical ones. The spiritual eyes of the godly provide light, but the spiritual eyes of the ungodly provide only darkness. Jesus seems to be referring to the Pharisees as those whose eyes were unhealthy and provided only darkness. In their darkness, the Pharisees thought they had light but instead they were in deep darkness.  

REFLECT 

Hopefully you have good physical eyes. How are your spiritual eyes? 

RESPOND 

Jesus came as a light to the world. Read John 1:1-9 about the true light that came into the world and all that He did. Read John 1:14 to see who the “Word” of verse 1 is. 

Two Masters 

READ 

Matthew 6:24 

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” 

This one verse has been used of God to turn lives around. One person was in a membership that taught truths contrary to God. On reading and applying this verse to his life, he canceled his membership in the group. The word translated “money” comes from an Aramaic word to which the word “mammon” is similar. It refers to money and material wealth. One cannot serve material wealth as a master and also Jesus as master at the same time. 

REFLECT 

Does this verse help you to see the important choice every believer needs to make? Have you made the choice about which master you will be devoted to? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a Christian friend about the importance of making Jesus the master of your life. He is God and this is what is meant by “openly declaring that Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). Because He is God He should be the master of each believer’s life. Regrettably, this is not always true and Paul dealt with that problem in the Corinthian church (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-4). They were believers acting like the world instead of being spiritually mature.