The Secret Life of the Believer Pt. 1
A Look at the Sermon on the Mount • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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I’ve entitled these next messages “The Secret Life of the Believer”, as a reminder that what we present to the public is often not is truly going on in our hearts.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is teaching on “Kingdom Expectations”. As Christians our live on earth is simply a dress rehearsal for our eternal life in the Kingdom with God. Jesus understood the struggle we have with our old sinful nature against our new spiritual nature. This is the reason He gave these instructions for us.
See every believer has a “secret life”. That is a phrase that often comes with a negative connotation, such as “He was living a secret life behind his wife’s back.” That type of secret life is evil, but the secret life Jesus is teaching us to have here is pure and holy.
There are three areas we are going to look at over the next few Sunday evenings when we are together:
Alms (righteous living/giving)
Prayer
Fasting
Let me clear Jesus is not forbidding the practices of alms giving, prayer (public or private), nor fasting. Rather what He is forbidding is the hypocritical motives for carrying out these practices. See men see only what others want them to see.
“Look at that brother over there. See how he gives to every single special offering we have? I long to be as godly as he is.” Or, “Would you listen to that man pray! I love when pastor calls on him to pray because he is so eloquent. I wish I could pray as well as him.” Or, “Sister so and so, she is so godly. Have you noticed how when she comes to church on the last Sunday of the month and she’s not as energetic and out going as normal? Well I asked her and she told me its because she fasts the last Sunday of the month, beginning on Friday, all day Saturday until after the evening service on Sunday. Isn’t she just the godliest person you know?”
I want to address these three areas in separate sermons beginning tonight with the practice of “alms giving”. There are three observations we should make regarding these three areas:
The Internal Desire v. 1
The Internal Desire v. 1
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Alms = righteous acts
“Take heed” = pay close attention to what is being said.
Jesus is offering a warning about the desires of our heart.
This warning is not simply about the practice of “alms giving”, but applies to all three areas in question here. Do you remember what God said to Samuel when He sent him to anoint the next king of Israel? 1 Sam. 16:7
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
The same is true for you and I today. This is what Jesus is warning about in this section, the Todd Nance translation puts it this way: “Pay attention to your heart motives for what you are doing. Ask, ‘Am I just giving to this food drive, love offering, or benefit so that I can be seen of others?’ If so then you will have no reward from God.”
Listen, you can lie to everyone around you, but God knows what dwells in the secret recesses of your heart! Is there anything wrong with carrying out righteous acts? NO! Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works. It is expected of us to do good works. The warning here is on the internal desire, the “why” of our works that Jesus warns about. What happens if our motives are wrong? Let’s observe...
The External Display v. 2
The External Display v. 2
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
There are several words and phrases repeated in this section, and here we have two:
Hypocrite - the Greek word refers to an actor portraying a role.
In other words, a hypocrite is someone pretending to be something they are not.
In this case Jesus is referring to a believer who publicly gives to every good cause, making a big scene of it to make sure everyone sees him and takes note.
Notice the next repeated phrase...
“They have their reward” - in the Greek this is an accounting term
The meaning is to have an account paid in full. Closed out. Complete
The idea is that the one who gives out of selfish desire, to be seen of men and to receive their praise gets exactly what they want.
Have you ever heard someone brag about how generous they are? How much they give to the church? I hope that is not you, because that is the exact attitude God is condemning in this passage.
Jesus is not condemning generosity or compassionate giving. He is condemning selfishness, self-promotion, and glory seeking. My friend if those are the only things that motivate you to give, then you have your reward, don’t expect anything from God.
Why then should we give? This is our final observation, we see...
The Eternal Devotion v.3-4
The Eternal Devotion v.3-4
There is another collection of repeated phrase seen here for the first time, and I cannot go on without pointing it out. It speaks of “Divine expectation”. Here it is, notice the simple phrases “But thou”, “When thou”, and “Seeth in secret”.
“But thou” speaks of a contrast in behavior and motive.
“When thou” speaks of a holy expectation.
“Seeth in secret” speaks of God taking, not only knowledge, but pleasure in our faithful giving to worthy causes.
God expects us, not only to give, but to give for the right reasons in the right spirit. Church, the truth is right here in red and white: When we give we are to do so secretly, not broadcasting it to the world. When we give we are giving, not to the cause, but to God! When we give we are to it in such a way that no one takes notice of us. When we give in secret, we are to remember that God sees it and is pleased with us for doing it.
Conclusion:
The knowledge that God knows the motives of our hearts is a sobering thought. I’m reminded of a series of events that took place in the book of Acts, beginning in Acts 4:32-37
32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
An important principle, God did not command Barnabas to sell his land. Barnabas chose to sell his land, and he also chose to give the proceeds to the church. His was a public donation, but it was not done with fanfare or to recieve the glory of men. He did so out of love for others and devotion to God. THis, however is not where the story ends, it picks up again in Acts 5:1-11
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
The issue was not the donation, but the motive of their heart. Barnabas gave out of love and obedience. As a result he no doubt recieved public recognition, but that was not his goal.
Ananias and his wife however, sold land, kept back a good portion of it and gave the remainder claiming it was the total price. They gave to be seen and to receive the recognition for it. The result was no pleasant for them.
My point? Check your motives. Check your heart. Make sure you are giving for the right reasons, because, believe me, God knows.
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