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Journey through Matthew • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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With that all being said let’s jump into todays message.
If you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.
What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.
We are currently walking through the NT book of Matthew.
I feel the need to clarify where I believe God has been taking me as a Pastor and Teacher these last several months.
I believe God has called me to teach and Study the Bible from the context in which it was written. This is not a document that we should read from the stand point of a 2024 American Christian. We have to read it in the context in which it was written. This book of the Bible was written by the Apostle Matthew somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-70 A.D. After the time of the dispersion of Messianic Jews for Jerusalem in around 50 A.D. Matthews Purpose for writing his account of Jesus of Nazareth was from start to finish to Show that Jesus of Nazareth was in fact the Long awaited King Messiah, promised one for Isreal.
As I began to study for the Journey through Matthew my mind and spirit has come alive with new questions that has led me on a journey of discovery. Some of my questions led me to contact the head of of the AGKansas School of Ministry Dr Kent Duncan but he could not answer my questions so he suggested I contact Rabbi Jerry Feldman. For those who do not know Rabbi Feldman is a Jew by birth, a Retired Assembly of God Missionary, and an Ordained Minister within the Assemblies of God. He teaches at our School of Ministry in Wichita. That is where I met him. The greatest thing that has come out of this relationship is that he has not answered any of my questions. Instead he has pointed me towards certain books that would help me find the answers I needed. He has helped me bring into context a letter written by a Messianic Jew to Messianic Jews.
There has been some confusion as to why I would take this route of learning from a Jew. Well folks everytime you open your Bible you are being taught by a Jew. If you are a follower of Jesus the Messiah, you are following a Jew. So who better to help us on this Journey than a Jew.
That Being Said Let’s get back into our Study.
If you have your Bibles please turn with me to the Book of Matthew Chapter 6.
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
As I have studied the Sermon on the Mount we have learned new terms like Mishnah-Oral Law, Torah-Written Law.
It is pretty easy to beat up on the Oral Law. Like I can’t believe those people weren’t reading the Word or written law. Wow.
But We are Just as guilty today of it. So many of us including me have been living on someones else’s interpretation of the Word. My Pastor Taught me this. We have learned cheat codes for presenting the Gospel such as the Roman’s Road and quote verses out of Context without ever really studying what is around it ourselves. Then we go around practicing our Oral instruction and pat ourselves on the back for our acts of righteousness.
Now I am not saying the Romans Road is bad to know. However, I believe we don’t do it Justice when we don’t understand the context around each verse.
I believe this is where Jesus is going with those he was teaching. You see it is Human nature to find loopholes and ways to stoke our identity and sense of purpose.
The Jews of this time were notorious for this as well so Jesus brings them back to the heart.
They were followers of the law by action but not by Heart.
Jesus in every one of these statements brings it back to the Heart of the Law.
So let’s dive into this Passage.
Matthew 6:1 (ESV)
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
What does this mean Practicing your Righteousness?
What does this mean Practicing your Righteousness?
The word Jesus would have Used here is
Tzedakah
Tzedakah
Tzedakah carries a varied meaning that contains — Righteousness, Charity, and Alms for the Needy.
The action of Tzedakah was so important that is is said that “ alms obtain the world to come”.
So the Jewish principle here is that if you expect Charity from God than you ought to sow Charity on Earth.
A key theme these last several weeks has been Bringing Heaven to Earth.
According to one Concordance I am studying.
During the High Holy Days, Jews seek “t’shuvah/repentance, t’fillah/prayer and tzedakah/charity” to avert any judgment. Tzedakah has long been a central value within Judaism, with the rabbis often discussing options for fulfilling this mitzvah. Rambam/Maimonides (1200 AD) compiled a list of ten levels of tzedakah, ranging from helping one’s own family to making an anonymous contribution to a community fund. Every Jew is to fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah, with even the poor donating to a cause (Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor).
Charity is a positive response!
Jesus is not at all coming against this practice but he asks his listeners to examine the Heart.
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“The problem is not acts of righteousness but the attitude behind those acts.”
“The problem is not acts of righteousness but the attitude behind those acts.”
When you Parade it in front of everyone you have your reward.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
There are two concepts thought of here.
1. One is an exaggeration of People tooting their own horns.
2. Could be a reference to the shape of the offering boxes in the Temple.
Jesus is saying don’t be all about the public image.
The Name on the building.
The Bridal Room in Odessa.
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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The reward comes when our hearts are made right before the Father.
This week I would challenge you to check your Hearts as your practice your righteousness.