Matthew 6:1-21 Heavenly Reward

welcome to Palm Vista as we continue our series in the Sermon on the Mount we've entitled the series portrait of a disciple and today's message is entitled heavenly reward so we've been working through Matthew 5 verses 17 all the way through to Matthew 6:21 that's the end of the text that we'll be working through today and we've been doing now for three weeks this is the third week and in them Jesus reveals the heart of the Sermon on the Mount here's the heart of it heart righteousness or we called it whole-person righteousness last week leads to whole living that we are we do what we are we we say who we are we're not playing games we're not putting on a production or a show this is who we really are and that is emblematic or indicative or is the picture of lives that live for God's heavenly reward so two weeks ago heart righteousness last week whole living today we're going to look at God's heavenly reward hence heavenly reward the title of the message so living for God's heavenly reward is the point this morning it's the point Jesus is making on the Sermon on the Mount so let me ask you a question what do you live for now when we answer that question we're going to talk about that thing or those things that we value the most in our texts those things that we treasure it typically talks about the reward that we're going after the very thing that we hope to achieve if you can kind of think in your head of a ladder imagine there's this ladder and in this case there are two ladders and they're in contrast to each other and these ladders represent what you're going to pour yourself into which you're going to be trying to get at the top of this ladder is the reward and so the question is what is the reward you're going for what is the thing you're living for who are you by definition what I value most what I treasure the reward I seek is Who I am it's gonna define me it's gonna define where I pour my resources my money my time my efforts my dreams what you dream about what's that thing rolling around in your head right now beyond lunch that you're hoping for get into college have that special relationship that the kids would grow up and honor God that that business would would succeed what we all live for something the question isn't do we go after rewards God made us to go after rewards the question is what reward will you go after there's another way to say this the question isn't whether you will worship you are a worshiper because God created you to be a worshiper the question is what will you worship this is it's sort of a a similar vein here it's at the core it's at the core of the message of the Bible God made us to be worshippers of him and sin comes in and perverts that so we become worshipers of idols normally starting with self and then other things it's the same thing here think of it in the same way very parallel thinking God made you to go after a reward he put that in you made you to work hard sin comes in and perverts that reward so instead of the reward being God himself we substitute some other thing those ladders that are propped up against the wall or climbing that thing man we all have different ones it could be again a relationship it could be money financial security the approval of a parent the approval of someone in our lives and and so we devote ourselves that's the reward we what we think is this that will give me life and see here's the thing the Bible teaches us this and theologians have taught this to us for years those things typically aren't bad things that we make idols they're good things but what happens is we turn those good things into altom things you understand what I'm saying I can't be happy unless boom and the moment I invest into that thing life then the motive of my heart is to pursue that thing for for life and typically I'm at the center of that conversation and that's when God comes in his love and touches us and says no no life is found in me and me alone so Jesus talks to us about two ladders here and the way he talks to us about those two ladders is this will you practice your righteousness so he's assuming here he's saying yes heart righteousness I've made you into a believer I have saved you I've given you this righteousness and I've talked to you about whole living and now I'm gonna I'm gonna open that picture up a little bit more to say whole living is I'm gonna live for the latter of God's approval that's whole living that's heart righteousness or I'm gonna do all these acts of righteousness for man's approval so if you could just he makes it Jesus makes it very simple for us he just peels it all away all those ladders we have on the wall he kind of bunches them into one thing I'm living for the reputation and the eyes of others I'm living for myself and that I would be accepted and affirmed and praised whatever respected whatever it is that's one ladder and the other ladder is I'm living for God God's my reward the praise of man is my reward that's how it's boiled down here it's not less than that but it can expand into many other ways in your life so it's another way to ask this what's the object of your life what do you live for what will give you life and here's what Jesus says in the text summarized in this statement live for your heavenly father's eternal reward secured in Christ live for your heavenly father's eternal reward secured in Christ pointone live for the right reward live for the right reward turn with me to Matthew 6 1 and let's read that together man - 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 Jesus continues his exposition on what whole-person righteousness looks like last week he gave us six examples that's revealed that what's in the heart is very important and what you do need to come out of your heart who you are this week he gives us three examples of what it looks like to practice the righteousness that has been given us in Christ these three examples are what the church calls spiritual disciplines spiritual disciplines they all begin with the word win and they supply the action we're to do to practice our righteousness verse 2 when you give to the needy verse 5 when you pray verse 16 when you fast what Jesus addresses here in this text is our heart motivation for practicing these righteous acts that he expects his followers to practice he expects us to give he expects us to pray and he expects us to fast but the question is why do we do it see at the root of this text is what reward we live for here's your choice you live for God your Heavenly Father he is our reward or you live for man you live for yourself you live for the praise of others as I mentioned before we all live for a reward that's not the question the question is for what reward in what do you invest the ultimate ability to give you life fulfillment ultimate happiness do we live for the reward of our heavenly father his acceptance and glory assured us in Christ if we do than what we experience is life indeed because our Heavenly Father's acceptance is sure an eternal now in this text there are two key words that I want you to focus in on the first word is reward if you look at verses 1 to 21 in chapter 6 of Matthew you will see the word reward 10 times 10 times this afternoon find the 10 times have your kids go and Circle them in your Bible or digitally on your whatever device you have what what is being spoken of here and reward is God's favor in Christ it's it's all that we long for in eternity it's what's secured for you in heaven that cannot be taken away it's the blessing of being his children God our Heavenly Father is the ultimate reward this second word that you'll find in the text and again you'll find it 10 times in these 21 verses is the word father the word father here is how Jesus refers to God when he's speaking to us he identifies God as your father in heaven or your heavenly Father and what he's doing here is he's reminding us of our new identity instead of being those orphans that are climbing ladders to know we're trying to find ultimate life and fulfillment we are now sons and daughters climbing the one ladder to somewhere that Jesus provides and actually carries us up it's it's this distinction the Heavenly Father that picture of God was radical at that point it really was to call god father was something that was fairly radical and especially something that I could call him my Heavenly Father it was there in the Old Testament but Jesus highlights it here 10 times he uses the word father because he wants us to know in him we have a new identity and he wants us to assure that our Heavenly Father sees us and rewards us as we seek our Heavenly Father sees us and rewards us as we seek him so why do we do what we do we do had it out of our new identity in Christ whole-person righteousness whole living he's my father he sees me he will reward me I do it for you Lord I'm on that ladder that is the ladder of my heavenly father I don't do what I do to get likes I don't do what I do to finally have my parents approve of my career choice I don't do what I do so that my fellow workers will finally think I'm great or respect me I don't even do what I do to get my spouse to love me or respect me oh I want that and I really am going to be suffering if I don't have that in a marriage but I do what I do I love my wife and I respect if as a woman I respect my husband because my father my daddy makes me whole my wholeness doesn't depend on your acceptance my wholeness depends on God's acceptance in Christ and therefore I'm free to love you even when you are being very mean to me in the terms of my grandchildren I'm not fragile my very being and Worth and identity isn't held in your hands it's held in my father's hands in the nail-scarred hands of Christ what does that look like all right here we go it starts with our giving look at verse 2 you can understand when Jesus talked like this do you understand why when he came down from this mountain they people go wow he spoke with authority like even just that little section right there like like I'm trembling inside because I'm preaching that knowing that I don't fully live that far too often my identity my Worth my stability is based on whether you smile at me today or not I hope that doesn't shock you right and then Jesus just says no I've got a I've got something it's a it's a rock that no one can shake not even illness and the people go yes because in their hearts God made him for that and they said oh there's something amazing yeah I resonate with that I don't know what he's talking about I don't thought ever arrived at it but yeah there he goes he's not like the Pharisees were beating me up to do something to be something but he's telling me because you are something I make you something then you can do it that's life so let's look what life looks like verse two thus when you give he's just assuming you're gonna 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 but when you give to the needy do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you Jesus is addressing motivation to sound a trumpet could be likened to posting one's good works on social media to garner likes and the positive comments of others it could be likened to an actor and this is the one I resonate with because I don't understand social media I could be all set sanctimonious I don't use Facebook because I don't understand it's okay it's no virtue there but this one I do get it could be likened to an actor who plays a role for the effect it will have rather than the heart conviction that he or she possesses and I've spent my whole life acting you may have to a couple of times because you're hoping to get that response from the crowd whether it's your spouse your neighbor your friend your boss you're just hoping that this performance will win the day you'll get the applause that's a terrible way to live that is not whole life living that stinks God didn't make you to live that way that's why it stinks so much you know that you still know how to get out of it well here's here's your Jesus is speaking to us here see those Pharisees they gave to the poor for the praise of man and Jesus says and you have your reward I love what one commentator says Leon Morris I don't have it on the screen but just listen he's commenting on this verse here they sought the praise of men they received the praise of men there is nothing more to come they cannot expect a heavenly reward in addition for they have already been quote paid in full a friend look I know it's tempting to get paid today but trust me there's a payday coming that's way better than today do not mortgage eternal payment for the applause of man today and it's a big temptation and I'm telling you I'm one of the biggest offenders on this one see the question addressed here is whether our giving is marked by self-sacrifice or self congratulation but there's another issue here and I want to this is I felt like this issue was the issue for some of you here it's the issue of faith what what I think Jesus is meaning by that is this last part of this section where he says so that verse 4 so that your giving may be in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you that's a big question do I believe my father who sees in secret will reward me keep that question in the back of your mind as we move to prayer look at verse 5 the second spiritual discipline and when you pray he's not a he's just assuming you're gonna be praying you must not be like the hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others truly I say to you they have received their reward notice the contrast but when you pray go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you and when you pray verse 7 do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do for they think that they will be heard for their many words do not be like them for your father knows what you need before you ask pray then like this our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for if you forgive others their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you do not forgive others their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses the Lord's Prayer stands at the pinnacle of the Sermon on the Mount and we will devote next week's sermon in its entirety to just the Lord's Prayer but here's the point if we believe that God sees and hears and rewards those who seek Him we will pray if we believe what he says in verse 6 but when you pray go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you if we believe that he knows what we need before we ask it won't cause us to pray less it will cause us to pray more Church I think we're in a battle for faith I want to say that to you shame is not helpful when we're battling for faith to sit there and think oh don't talk about prayer al don't shame me please don't put another thing on me that's a lie of the enemy because Jesus isn't shaming us here he's calling us to faith I'd love what the author of Hebrews says written many years after Jesus spoke these words in Hebrews 11:6 it helps us see this this fight of faith look at it on the screen and without faith it is impossible to please him for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek Him do you believe that he exists there are some days that I wonder if I could be open with you do you believe that he rewards those who seek Him there are some days I wonder is it worth it we're human folks do you understand this is the primal temptation at the beginning when Adam and Eve were in the garden and everything was good the first temptation was did God say and is God for you or is he trying to keep you from being God this is the fight that we're in friends do I believe God exists see because if I question that if I question that he exists or at least that he exists that he's actively involved in my life and will reward me then I will be much more tempted to live for your praise and what you can give me and I will start playing the game and alpi know the act or act 15 will start again and I'll say what I think you want me to say to get from you what I think is gonna give me life and it's not like I'm an atheist but functionally maybe because I'm living for what you can give me and I think that's gonna be life whatever that is for you whatever it is for me Jesus is saying oh but I love you I want to give you this whole life this whole living this integrity this this sense of God I do believe you're my father and what I need right now God is more faith because I'm even questioning your existence I've prayed and I've prayed and I've prayed and all I see is the wicked prospering it's like it's like that scene in It's a Wonderful Life when old George Bailey is at the bar he says Oh God if you exists you know help me he talks about Zuzu his one of his daughters and the teacher who he had just offended on the phone her husband is at the bar drinking and when he hears Zuzu and he says are you the teacher he punches all George Bailey right in the mouth Shh and he says great I guess God didn't hear me because I prayed and I got punched in the mouth right you pray you get punched in the mouth how are you getting punched in the mouth I can tell you a few ways I feel like I'm getting punched in the mouth but ultimately as in that movie but much greater in the Bible that is something God ordained to bring a blessing to old George Bailey because God sees things differently than we do I see them immediately give me the applause now God has this long-term vision it's called eternity which is secured for us in Christ we have it all now we're fully approved now we're fully blessed now eternity is yours now as much as the day you're gonna see it when Jesus comes back it is you don't have to earn it it's yours but we gotta live in it today so so what I believe that's the word for us as a church that we fight the fight of faith how do we do that well Church all I can tell you is how I do it when when I when I drag my tired body here on Sunday mornings it I don't know what's going on man maybe it's because the Gators are such a great team and I love watching them till late in the evening or maybe it's just I'm 62 and you know I got some miles on me I just wake up oh I think this morning I was like okay I'm a morning guy and I'm like I by the way I feel for you guys that aren't morning people this morning I wasn't a morning person can you imagine that I didn't jump out of a hello let's go fight let's go win I'm easy like that in the morning and at night I'm like this morning I'm just like one oh I get it guys I finally got it it's the first time in a long time I'm so sorry it stinks what's really scary is if I start losing it in the morning and then at night you know how I get at night I think oh man I just got a couple of hours in the middle of the day bummer but but I got here and I started worshiping we're on the fight of faith okay and and you know dear sweet Sonia and by the way others of you have a gift a prophetic gift and stir it up okay she just walks up you know and just you know hey I can't ever hear her because you know the band's going on half deaf and I'm I got one in with my friend and uh but she's just talking about here's this scripture and Psalm 101 I just believe the Lord wants to encourage us he hears our prayers man I need that that's like in a boxing match I'm getting hit with you know right crosses and taking some body blows you know that's like the guy in the corner just you know putting the water on my face giving me whatever you know telling me get in there and you know gathering today thank you for being here and if you're not here today I understand but listen man this is important when we were shouting it to one another yes to God but to one another he is God I need to hear that during the week however you can get to whatever group you can get to or a group that you have that week you know you just you're in the word with somebody you're calling somebody you're texting somebody you said hey I'm thinking of you I need that during the week right and the body blows come fast and hard during the week I don't know I just the Lord wants to do that in our Miss it's called the church right okay last one fasting fasting oh yes no yes no yes well here it is verse 16 it's in the Bible and when you fast hence he's assuming we do fast do not look gloomy like the hypocrites for they disfigure their faces that they're fasting may be seen by others truly I say to you they have received their reward but when you fast anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by others now here's the common theme in all three of these but by your father who is in secret and your father who sees in secret will reward you it's the same despite of faith what is fasting if you're new to Christianity or maybe you're not a Christian just visiting it's simply going without food primarily for the purposes of prayer there are some great resources as we call corporate church wide fast which we will do again here in a couple of months I can't remember exactly when or if you just want to fast on your own for a day or two there's a guy named Donald Whitney Whitney Donald Whitney who is a professor at Southern Seminary he's written a great book on the spiritual disciplines Donald Whitney or John Piper a pastor whose guide that I would highly recommend to listen to his sermons he's John Piper's written a lot about fasting read the Bible just do a study on fasting primarily as I see it it's going without food that I would say Lord I love you I want to grow my hunger for you it has at times heightened my sensitivity to the things of God listen those ladders to nowhere are prevalent in my life they are really really like I see them really clearly I've climbed a bunch of them I've fallen off of most of them or they just kind of you get up to the top and they just tilt back you know this is a wrong ladder again fasting helps me see the one ladder and sharpen my vision of that ladder but more importantly of my Lord and my Savior my my God my Heavenly Father so I commend to you fasting and I think the point is here why would you fast again it's a hard issue all right point to not only do we live for the right reward but we live we treasure the right thing we treasure the right thing so here at the end of this sermon by Jesus at the end of the section of the sermon by Jesus he comes back around to the main point the main point being live for the right reward the reward from God not from man and he says it a little differently in these last three verses verse 19 of chapter 6 do not lay up for yourselves treasure so think of treasures and reward they're synonymous you're the thing the reward that you're going for is typically the treasure that you seek do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven for neither moth nor rust destroys where thieves do not break in and steal and here it is here's the main point for where your treasure is there your heart will be also this is the main point what you treasure the rewards you go for is who you are that's what he's saying here for where your treasure is there your heart is also our heart here is is is describing who we are in all of its and it's everything all right it's not just physically you're harder or your emotions it's who you are mind soul body everything Jesus says love the Lord with all your heart soul mind it's it's it's who it's your being and the question is do we treasure and do we pursue God's reward God or do we treasure do we pursue functionally the the reward of man what the world can offer us God's reward brings life man's reward all can do is eat our life up you see those three things he talks about we're moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal later on he says neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in friends listen to me moths eat it the fabric of our clothing and rust eats at the fabric of the iron and steel and treasuring the wrong thing eats at the fabric of your soul and consumes it and I was just praying about this this morning and I thought of Jesus words in John 10:10 it's an amazing scripture John 10:10 what a contrast the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy I came that they might have life and have it abundantly same thing synonymous here life is in Christ life is in him alone and when we go after those ladders when we climb those ladders that are no ladders at all there are ladders to nowhere it consumes our soul we give our lives to these things and like moth eats up clothing and like Russ eats up iron so these false pursuits these false God's living for the approval of man eats at our soul and Jesus says I've come to make you whole that you might live a life that is eternal in me because in heaven there is no moth there is no rust and there are no thieves the thief is banished it's just the good shepherd Jesus what great news so the question is what do we treasure what do we treasure because as he says in verse 21 where your treasure is there your heart will be also Oh friends what we treasure is God God's reward is God himself our hearts hearts are who we are and Jesus tells us that who we are is revealed by what we treasure so who are we who are we we are new creations in Christ we have been adopted by our Father our heavenly father as his children and we live out of the heart of righteousness that is ours in Christ with wholehearted devotion and delight and our Father it is all by faith in Christ through the grace of God it is in Christ in Christ alone and in his word and his word alone that communicates to us and it is for God's glory and God's glory alone but it manifests itself in my daily living there is a righteousness that his mind positionally what's called forensic ly legally but what Jesus is talking about is now living out that righteousness in everyday life and he gives us the grace to do that that's who we are so that what we treasure will we treasure God himself we a treasure his eternal reward secured in Christ rather than man's temporal reward stolen by fallen man we treasure God's heavenly glory kept for us in Christ over man's earthly praise consumed by the ravages of sin here's the appeal as we bring this to a close live for your heavenly father's eternal reward secured in Christ God's appeal is for you and for me to get off of these ladders to nowhere that we've erected o friend let the Holy Spirit speak to you this morning in the grace of God if you are a believer that you would no longer live for being accepted and praised by others that you would no longer live for being right and respected by others that you would no longer live just to be secure and prosperous in the riches of this world you would no longer live to find that perfect person or that perfect pleasure that you think will make you happy and give you ultimately life live for Jesus who descended the great ladder to connect heaven and earth and redeem you and meet as his people and carry us up that ladder which leads to life and glory for ever and ever amen let us pray worship team would you please join me Lord I pray that you would give us grace to to receive this message Lord that we would be those who would stop play-acting or desperately run up these ladders to know where some of these ladders are religious ladders some of these ladders are just things that we think will make us ultimately happy pleasure ladders some of these ladders or our relational ladders to be right or loved or accepted or vindicated Lord you've given us all good things but you've ordered them under your glory you've given us the command don't have any other gods before you the Lord we are idolaters by our fallen nature our hearts are like little idol factories just pumping out these bad boys good things that we that we invest life into and make our gods what we're so grateful that you've forgiven us in Jesus that you've given us life you've adopted us as your sons and your daughters you've removed the strife and the brokenness Lord for the broken in our midst right now I pray that you would give grace Lord I think of those that are grieving I think those who are lost or would you would you comfort them but I think those who are confused filled with shame they find themselves halfway up that wrong ladder yet again they've invested their time and their money and they've been ripped off they've been defrauded of their purity and of their money and of their hopes and of their dreams and they're they're just hanging at the middle of the ladder or maybe they've just fallen off and they're lying at a heap at the bottom of the ladder and the lot in the ladder itself mocks them Jesus would they feel your arms gently pick them up pouring in the oil of your grace and mercy and even carrying us up the ladder to somewhere Lord build our faith we would see you I pray in Jesus name this is a time where we just do business with God so if you would just stand quietly just worship Him let the Holy Spirit speak to you and I'll come up and conclude us in a moment

Channel: Palm Vista Community Church

Views: 52

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: #matthew 6, Heavenly Reward, Sermon on The Mount, Father's Reward

Id: 2puv3TIbwXs

Length: 36min 26sec (2186 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 08 2018