WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.000 As we turn to God's word together, let's pray for a moment. 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:11.000 Father, we're so thankful that we can have your word open before us just now. 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:16.000 And we pray that as we study your word that we will be open before you, 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.000 that by your spirit working in us, you will teach us your word, 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:25.000 that you'd lead us in your ways and make us more and more into the people you want us to be. 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:31.000 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:35.000 This morning we're going to continue our study in the Gospel of Matthew. 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:39.000 For any of you who haven't been coming along to St. Columbus over the past couple of months, 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:42.000 we've been working our way through this Gospel. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:44.000 And today we're continuing on that study. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:47.000 But don't worry if you've missed any of the previous sermons, 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:51.000 you should be able to follow everything that we're hoping to say. 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:55.000 Today we've come to the passage that Ali read for us. 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.000 We can read again verse one of Matthew chapter six. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:00.000 Jesus said, 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:05.000 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:12.000 for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:18.000 In so many ways in our lives, we can be worried about what other people see and think. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:22.000 I remember about four years ago, I was back home in the Isle of Lewis, 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:24.000 and I went to watch a football match. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:27.000 The football pitch was just a few hundred yards from our house, 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:32.000 and as many people in the village did, we would go up and watch the football of a summer's evening. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:38.000 And I took a football with me because the kids often liked to play at the side of the pitch. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:40.000 After the match I was going home, 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:45.000 and I was just dribbling the football along the pavement as I made my way back to the house. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:48.000 I was very home, and for some reason I don't know how, 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:52.000 I put my foot on the ball and in a moment I was flat on the ground. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:59.000 I don't know what I did, but I went from standing up to on the ground in a split second. 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:01.000 I actually hurt my shoulder quite badly, 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:04.000 and four years later my shoulder is still a little bit sore. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.000 But at that moment, when that happened, 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:10.000 my first thought wasn't, 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.000 what have I done to my shoulder? 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:17.000 My first thought wasn't, have I broken any bones in my body? 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:22.000 My first thought was, did anyone see me? 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.000 And that kind of thing applies in so many areas of life, 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:30.000 at work, at school, in our community, 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:34.000 and it applies in our lives as disciples. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:39.000 And that's what Jesus is wanting us to think about in this passage. 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:43.000 In the previous chapter, chapter 5, Jesus has already given us some brilliant teaching 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:46.000 about how we are to live our lives as His disciples. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:48.000 He's spoken about our character, 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:51.000 He's spoken about how we should bear witness to the world around us, 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:55.000 He's spoken to us about how we should view God's law, 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:58.000 and He's taught us about how we should react to situations, 00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:01.000 especially when people treat us badly. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:03.000 In all these areas, we must always remember that 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:08.000 in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus isn't telling us how to become disciples, 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.000 He's telling us how we should live as disciples. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:17.000 And the great theme that He emphasises again and again is that as disciples, 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:20.000 we are to be different. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.000 Jesus wants us to live in a way that stands out 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:29.000 from all the brokenness and selfishness and hostility in the world around us. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:35.000 We are to be different in a really good way. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:39.000 Coming into chapter 6, Jesus continues this teaching for us, 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:43.000 and he moves on to another key aspect of our lives as Christians, 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.000 our devotional life. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:51.000 He mentions three areas, giving, praying and fasting. 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:53.000 And all three of these are immensely important. 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.000 Giving is at the heart of discipleship. 00:03:55.000 --> 00:04:02.000 The whole reason that we're disciples is because of everything that God gives to us in His grace. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:06.000 And every day from the air we breathe to the clothes we wear to the food we eat, 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:10.000 we are constantly dependent on God's generosity. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:17.000 So as disciples, we too gladly, willingly give in order to support the work of God's kingdom 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:21.000 and to help people around us in need. 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:23.000 Prayer is also absolutely vital. 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:29.000 It's the key means by which we grow in our relationship with God alongside reading our Bibles. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:33.000 Prayer is that wonderful privilege where we can talk to God, we can praise Him, 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:35.000 and we can pour our hearts out to Him. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:39.000 It's an absolutely amazing thing for us to be able to do. 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:41.000 And thirdly, fasting. 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:43.000 And that is also brilliant. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:45.000 It's maybe something that we don't do that often, 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:48.000 but it's actually an incredibly good thing to do, 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:53.000 and it's actually a very big part of the church tradition in Scotland. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:57.000 It's a wonderful way of focusing our minds on a particular issue, 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:04.000 it's a very powerful expression of the fact that we're taking our devotional life seriously. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:09.000 As disciples, we should all be giving, praying and fasting, 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:16.000 and these verses give us brilliant teaching for all of these areas. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:18.000 If we had time, I'd love to look at these in more detail, 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.000 but today what I want us to do is focus a wee bit more broadly on this whole passage 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:29.000 and to think about the fact that for all of these areas of devotion, 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:36.000 Jesus is reminding us that it's very easy to do things in the wrong way 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.000 and for the wrong reasons. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:42.000 As he says, beware of practicing your righteousness before others 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.000 in order to be seen by them, 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.000 for then you'll have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:53.000 Jesus is saying, don't do this stuff just to be seen by other people. 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:59.000 And he gives examples of how easy it is to do that in each of these three areas. 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:01.000 So that's what I want us to think about today. 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:03.000 We're going to do so under two headings. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.000 Heading number one is hypocrites, 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:08.000 heading number two is disciples, 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:12.000 and under each of these we're going to pick out some key words. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.000 So starting off, we'll ask the question, 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.000 what's the opposite of a disciple? 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:21.000 And our instinctive answer might well be, 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:23.000 well, an unbeliever. 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:25.000 And in many ways that's true. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:29.000 That's ultimately the key distinction, 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:32.000 the only distinction that really matters to humanity, 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:35.000 whether you're united to Jesus by faith or not, 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:38.000 whether you're with Him or against Him, 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:40.000 whether you're on the path to eternal life 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:43.000 or on a path to eternal death. 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:46.000 But for us as Christians, 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.000 for us in our lives as disciples, 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:49.000 in terms of how we live, 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:52.000 the focus of this passage is a little bit more narrow. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:55.000 And what's been said before us here is that 00:06:55.000 --> 00:07:02.000 the opposite of being a disciple is being a hypocrite. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:05.000 Jesus makes that very clear for each of these areas of devotion, 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:07.000 he repeatedly says, 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.000 do not be like the hypocrites. 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:15.000 You can see it set out before you in the verses highlighted there. 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:17.000 As you may know, the word for hypocrite 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:19.000 is literally the word for an actor, 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:23.000 somebody who pretends to be someone else. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:26.000 Way back in the Greco-Roman world, 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.000 this actually involved wearing a mask, 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:33.000 so people would go on stage wearing some kind of mask 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:35.000 over their face as they performed their role. 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:40.000 And that's really a very vivid image of what hypocrisy is. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:46.000 We kind of put on this outward show that conceals who we really are, 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:50.000 and it gives the impression that you're something else. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:53.000 It's very easy to actually Google Greco-Roman stage masks, 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:57.000 and you can see what they look like. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:00.000 In terms of our relationship with God, 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:07.000 to be a hypocrite is to put on a kind of mask of devotion and piety 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:11.000 so that you make a good outward impression. 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:14.000 Jesus gives us three examples. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:19.000 The first is sounding a trumpet when you give to help those in need. 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:24.000 The second is standing in a synagogue or on a street corner to pray. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.000 The third is to disfigure your face while you fast. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.000 All these are done to draw attention to yourself 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.000 so that other people will be impressed. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:38.000 And Jesus is making it absolutely clear 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:43.000 that that is not the kind of devotion that he is looking for. 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:47.000 And if you read all the way through to chapter 23 of Matthew, 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:52.000 in that chapter Jesus gives an even more scathing rebuke of this kind of hypocrisy. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:57.000 And the important thing to remember is that that would have been absolutely astonishing 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.000 for the people who were listening to Jesus 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:02.000 because the people who were sounding trumpets when they gave 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:04.000 and who were standing on the street corners to pray 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:08.000 and who disfigured their faces while they were fasting, 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:13.000 they looked like the most devoted of all the religious people. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:16.000 And if you were to ask just a normal person in the street, 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:20.000 who's the most devoted religious person you know, 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.000 you'd say, well, it's that guy who's sounding the trumpet 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.000 or that guy on the street corner 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.000 or that person who's clearly fasting all the time. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:33.000 They looked so impressive and yet Jesus says 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:39.000 their hypocrites do not be like them. 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:45.000 That kind of outward show is not the way Jesus wants to express our devotion. 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:48.000 Now, whenever we talk about this, 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:54.000 I think for all of us this is something that we've probably seen in other people 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:59.000 and hypocrisy is a very easy thing to spot in others. 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:04.000 But when I read this, I have to acknowledge that this is a trap 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:07.000 that I often fall into as well. 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:11.000 And maybe that's the hypocrisy that's a bit harder to see, 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:17.000 but I look at my life and I have to acknowledge it's there. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:23.000 Behind this hypocrisy, there are two key words that I want us just to think about 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:26.000 which help explain why Jesus is so concerned 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.000 that this is something that we don't do. 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:32.000 The first key word is inconsistency. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.000 You can see it there. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:36.000 That's really what hypocrisy is. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:40.000 It's an inconsistency whereby we say one thing, we do another. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:44.000 We act one way in certain situations and then completely differently in others. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:50.000 We put on an outward show that's not really consistent with who we really are. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:55.000 And the crucial point I want to recognize is that inconsistency 00:10:55.000 --> 00:11:01.000 is the absolute opposite of all that God is. 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:06.000 If you were to ask the question, how do we define God? 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:10.000 We're probably asking the most profound question that we could ever consider. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:14.000 To define God is just a mind-blowing topic. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.000 But one of the amazing things about the Bible is that 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:22.000 even though this is possibly the most complicated question we could ever ask, 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:26.000 how do you define God? The Bible actually answers that 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:33.000 with an incredibly simple and beautiful statement. 00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:41.000 The Bible sums up the definition of God with two tiny words. 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:44.000 I am. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:49.000 And the foundation of all of our theology 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:53.000 is grounded on the fact that God is who he is. 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:56.000 In fact, that's actually the foundation of all reality. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:02.000 It speaks to the fact that God is there, that he is eternal, that he is true, 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:07.000 and that he is absolutely consistent. 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:11.000 At every moment in eternity, at every moment in history, 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:16.000 at every moment in dealing with humanity, God is who he is. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.000 He's utterly consistent. He's unchanging. 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:22.000 He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:25.000 He never lies. He never deceives. 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:27.000 Never says one thing and does another. 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:30.000 He never pretends. He's never inconsistent. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:36.000 In other words, God is never a hypocrite. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:40.000 And that's why it's no wonder Jesus says, don't do that, 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:44.000 because to be an inconsistent hypocrite is to be the very opposite 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.000 of what God is like. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:51.000 And the whole goal of being a disciple in Jesus' kingdom 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:57.000 is to be part of a new humanity that's being restored to bear the image of God. 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:02.000 As Jesus says at the end of chapter 5, we're to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:07.000 And so God is the ultimate non-hypocrite. 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:10.000 He's never inconsistent. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:19.000 And as disciples, we are to be like Him. 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:25.000 The second keyword is insecurity. 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:31.000 If we ask the question, why are these people outwardly displaying their religious devotion? 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:34.000 We might say, well, they're arrogant. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.000 They're show-offs. They're proud. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.000 They love their own status. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:42.000 And that's probably true. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:51.000 But I think that ultimately the reason why these religious leaders were putting on this kind of outward show 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:54.000 was because they were insecure. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.000 And exactly the same as true in all areas of life. 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:00.000 People show off. People try to put on a good impression. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:03.000 People put a huge effort into their outward appearance, 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:09.000 whether it's by talking about their job and their salary, or whether it's making sure that we have the right kind of clothes 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:14.000 or the right car, or making sure that our Facebook or Instagram page is really impressive. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.000 Why do we do all these things? 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:24.000 Is it because we're confident, strong, and self-assured? 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.000 No. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:32.000 I think it's almost always because we're insecure. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:41.000 It's a great reminder that the mask of hypocrisy, ultimately, it's not a public display. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:44.000 It's a public hiding. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:49.000 And of course, the Bible tells us why that's the case. 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:56.000 The insecurity that makes us want to publicly hide is a direct symptom of the effect that sin has had on the world. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:06.000 If you go back to Genesis 3, you'll see that the first action of humanity after the fall was an act of insecurity. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:11.000 Adam and Eve covered themselves and hid. 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:19.000 And for so many of us today, we feel a huge pressure to put on a kind of public face that will give a good impression. 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:24.000 And the result is that we end up living a kind of double life. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:29.000 We have the double life of who we are at work compared with who we really are. 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:34.000 We have the double life of who we are on social media compared with who we really are. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:42.000 And we can even have the double life of who we are at church compared with who we really are. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:49.000 We feel a massive pressure to have this outward mask that will make other people think that we're okay. 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:54.000 And the whole thing is utterly exhausting. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:16:00.000 And the whole thing is utterly unnecessary. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:09.000 Because if inconsistency is un-Godlike and if insecurity is a result of the fall, 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:16.000 then that tells us that what God wants for you is the exact opposite of both of these things. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:23.000 In other words, Jesus does not want us to be inconsistent and Jesus does not want us to be insecure. 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:29.000 He wants something different and better for his disciples. 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:34.000 And so that's our second heading. We're going to think about what Jesus wants for disciples. 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:42.000 Again, there's two key words I want us to highlight here to kind of match the first tree that we've looked at. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:46.000 Early we asked the question, what's the opposite of a disciple? 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:50.000 And we said that in many ways in this passage, the answer is a hypocrite. 00:16:50.000 --> 00:17:01.000 So if we ask the question, what's the opposite of inconsistent hypocrisy, the answer is integrity. 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:11.000 And that's reminding us that at the very heart of being disciples is the fact that Jesus wants us all to be men and women of integrity. 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:19.000 In other words, we're to be consistent. We are to be integrated in the sense that what we are in private, we are in public. 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:27.000 What we are to one person, we are to all. What we are before people, we are before God. 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:36.000 And Jesus brings this out very clearly by drawing a contrast between the public place and the secret place. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:46.000 In all of these acts of hypocritical devotion, the action is being undertaken in a public way. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:56.000 They're done in order to be seen by others. You can see that phrase appears again and again through this passage. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:06.000 Jesus is saying that really these acts of devotion are not meant to be public displays. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:12.000 Generally they're meant to be done in secret. He says, don't broadcast what you give. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:20.000 Don't make a show of prayer. Don't tell the world that you're fasting. Instead, keep it secret. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:28.000 That doesn't mean that it's wrong to pray in front of other people. There are many other examples in the Bible of people praying together. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:35.000 The key point that Jesus is making is that these acts of devotion should never ever be done as a public spectacle. 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:42.000 That makes perfect sense because really none of these acts of devotion have got anything to do with other people. 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:51.000 Many aspects of Christian living are directed towards others, acts of mercy, of encouragement, of teaching, of love. They're all towards others. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:19:00.000 But giving, praying, and fasting are all acts of devotion that are ultimately directed towards God. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:06.000 That's why in terms of our devotional life, our concern should never be, what do other people think? 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:12.000 It should always be, what does God think? 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:18.000 And one of the key things that God is looking for is consistent integrity. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:23.000 A relationship with God should be consistent. Of course, that's true of any relationship. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:32.000 As a husband, a father, a colleague, a friend, it should never be the case that I'm one thing in public and another thing in private. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:37.000 If that's true of a relationship with others, it's most definitely true of our relationship with God, 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:46.000 whether it's in public or whether it's in the secret place, God is looking for our consistent devotion. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:55.000 And again, that makes perfect sense because whether we are in public or in secret, it makes absolutely no difference to God. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:20:04.000 One of the great truths that's been emphasized here is that God sees not just when we're in private, but when we are in secret. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:09.000 He's able to see all the different things that we're doing. 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:16.000 One of the great truths, one of the big theological terms that have been set before us here is the fact that God is omniscient, 00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:19.000 the fact that he sees all things. 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:26.000 And that means that wherever we are, he's watching us. It's a bit like this live stream just now, you can see me, 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:29.000 but if I was to walk across to the side, you wouldn't see me. 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:32.000 If I was to go home, thankfully you still wouldn't see me. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:38.000 But God's live stream is always on. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:47.000 And that's not to say he's spying on us. It's saying that we can't pretend to be something that we're not before him. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:59.000 And all of that means that as disciples, who we are when no one is watching is who we really are. 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:06.000 And that's why it's complete theological nonsense to think that I could come to church and be all nice and friendly and holy 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:10.000 and then go home or go to work and be horrible. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:17.000 We must never forget that being a disciple of Jesus is ultimately not something we do. 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:20.000 It's something we are. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:28.000 And we are what we are, whether we're being watched by others or whether we're all alone. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:34.000 It's all a great reminder that we've got to be very careful about kind of religious showing off. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:38.000 It's something that can happen easily. It can happen in churches. It can happen online. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.000 It can happen in books. It can happen in Bible studies. 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:48.000 It can be so tempting to say and do things that we think will impress other people. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:57.000 Jesus is reminding us that the one person who isn't impressed by that is God. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:04.000 I look at myself and so often I am far more concerned about what other people see in me. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:10.000 I pray that my biggest concern would always be for what God sees. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:18.000 As disciples, we are to be men and women of integrity. 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:24.000 But in saying all that, it's really easy to instantly feel very guilty. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:28.000 And we hear what Jesus is teaching and we think, 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:34.000 I really need to sort myself out and I need to try and get to the level that Jesus requires. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:38.000 It's very easy to come to a passage like Matthew 6 and think, Jesus is saying, 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:42.000 stop doing this and start doing that. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:47.000 And I suppose at one level that's true because Jesus is directing us in very practical terms. 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:56.000 But the key point is that this practical instruction is grounded on an incredibly profound reason. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:01.000 Jesus isn't just saying, get up to standard and stop being hypocrites. 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:09.000 He's actually saying, you don't need to be hypocrites because I have something far better for you. 00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:16.000 That brings us to our final key word, security. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:22.000 If the reason that we are inconsistent hypocrites is because we are insecure, 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:29.000 the reason we are to have integrity as disciples is because with our faith in Jesus, 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:34.000 we are absolutely secure. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:40.000 And that security is taught to us again and again and again in this passage 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:46.000 through two amazing words that Jesus repeatedly says. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:54.000 Which two words? Your Father. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:59.000 The God who sees in secret, the God to whom our devotion is given, 00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:09.000 the God who is utterly consistent is your Father if you are trusting in Jesus. 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:13.000 And if you look at the passage, you can see that Jesus repeatedly says, 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:17.000 your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:20.000 You can see it for giving, praying and fasting. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:25.000 Jesus repeats the same statement. 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:29.000 Now when Jesus says that, I don't think he's giving an ultimatum which says, 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:32.000 if you do this, then God will reward you. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:35.000 I think Jesus is giving a promise. 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:41.000 Just do it and God will see you and will reward you. 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:48.000 And you absolutely do not need to try and impress him. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:54.000 All of the inconsistency of hypocrisy arises from the feeling of being insecure, 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:56.000 of feeling that we need to make a good impression, 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.000 of feeling that we need to prove ourselves. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:03.000 Jesus is teaching us that if you are his disciple, then theologically, 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:09.000 you are never, ever insecure. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:12.000 Emotionally, we can often feel insecure. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:17.000 God himself knows that and Jesus can even relate to that himself. 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:20.000 But no matter how insecure we may feel emotionally, 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:25.000 Jesus is reminding us that spiritually and theologically, 00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:30.000 we are never, ever insecure. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:33.000 If we go back to think about God, again, 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:38.000 we said that the foundational definition of God in the Bible is two words. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:42.000 I am. God is who he is. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:46.000 That's like the definitive statement about the nature of God. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:48.000 It's repeated in several places in the Bible. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Exodus 3, for example, is a big passage which speaks about that. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:57.000 But the Bible gives more details as to what that looks like. 00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:00.000 It speaks about when we say God is who he is. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:04.000 There's lots of different attributes which God displays. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:10.000 He is powerful, holy, wise, just, true, merciful, loving. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:13.000 In all of these things, God is utterly consistent. 00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:15.000 I put it all in that diagram for you. 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:16.000 You can see it there. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:17.000 It's like God is who he is. 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:20.000 He's all of these things. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:26.000 He's holy and powerful and wise, loving, true, merciful, just. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:33.000 In all of these areas, God is utterly consistent. 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:39.000 But the key question is where do you fit into that diagram? 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:43.000 And it's easy to think that we're kind of down here. 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:47.000 We're looking up at God and he's all of these incredible things 00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:49.000 and we are so far from that. 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:52.000 And you think, you know, God is way up there 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.000 and we need to tie and work our way up to him 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:58.000 and somehow impress him with our devotion 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:02.000 and somehow reach his standards. 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:05.000 Is that true? 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:07.000 Is that where you are in this picture? 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:10.000 Are you way down there and God is way up there? 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:13.000 Where do you fit into this picture? 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:19.000 Well, the answer is that you're not down there. 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:25.000 You are right here in your father's arms, 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:32.000 held close by him as his precious, beloved child. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:36.000 That means that all of this I am awesomeness of God 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:40.000 is not the unachievable standard that you need to try and work your way up to. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:48.000 The I am awesomeness of God is the uncompromising, unbreakable, untouchable defense 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:53.000 that keeps you safe in his arms forever. 00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:57.000 That's why as disciples, we don't really actually stand 00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:04.000 kind of before God at a distance, trembling before his awesomeness. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:08.000 We actually hide behind all of his awesomeness 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:15.000 in perfect peace, safety and security. 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:23.000 And what we are saying here in many ways is summing up the whole message of the Bible. 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:32.000 We've been saying that in the Old Testament, God is revealed by these two profound words, 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:33.000 I am. 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:38.000 That's really kind of the definitive Old Testament revelation of God. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:42.000 The New Testament brings something slightly different, 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:45.000 something that's hinted at in the Old Testament, 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.000 but that's brought out much more clearly in the New Testament. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:52.000 In the Old Testament, the definitive revelation of God is in terms of I am. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:29:00.000 The New Testament, the definitive revelation of God is in terms of God as Father. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:05.000 And so in the Old, I am in the New, Father. 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:08.000 That's how God is revealed. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:15.000 The astonishing truth of the Gospel is that both of these are brought together. 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:23.000 And at the centre of that is the cross of Jesus Christ where he died and rose again. 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:34.000 And the whole purpose of that cross is so that God can put a year in the middle. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:42.000 God is saying, I am your Father. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:50.000 And these four words should obliterate all of our insecurities. 00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:58.000 These four words mean that the idea you have to put on an outward show to impress God or others is just crazy. 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:02.000 These four words mean that you don't have to put on a performance. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:10.000 You can close the door of your bedroom and offer your devotion to God because your Father sees you and he knows you 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:14.000 and he will pour out his loving reward upon you in abundance. 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:24.000 These four words mean that you are accepted, secure, safe and utterly loved forever. 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:31.000 And that's the difference that it makes if you put your trust in Jesus. 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:39.000 But the reality of that security should also have a massive effect on how we function as a community of disciples. 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:44.000 As we've been saying, hypocrisy comes from insecurity. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:49.000 And that insecurity comes from the fact that we feel surrounded by people who are going to judge us 00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:55.000 or look down on us or shun us if they knew what we were like without our mask on. 00:30:55.000 --> 00:31:03.000 The pressure to be a hypocrite comes from being in a community of fear and judgment. 00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:07.000 That's why we're scared about how we look or about what our salary is or about what car we drive 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:13.000 because we fear that we're going to be judged. 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:20.000 The kingdom that Jesus is calling us into is not a community of fear and judgment. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:23.000 It's a community of grace. 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:30.000 That's why if you look in verse 14, you see that Jesus gives an incredibly clear commandment 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:33.000 that we are to forgive one another. 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:37.000 And that's one of the many reasons why following what Jesus teaches is so good for us. 00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:43.000 The hypocrite puts on a mask, terrified of judgment, of the judgment he's going to face from the community around him 00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:45.000 if they saw his failings. 00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:48.000 The disciple doesn't need a mask 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:55.000 because even when our weaknesses and mistakes are seen, 00:31:55.000 --> 00:32:02.000 the only thing that the community around us should give us is forgiveness. 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:05.000 That means that as disciples we have security with God. 00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:08.000 He is our Father. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:16.000 And we have security with one another because we're a community of forgiveness and grace. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:26.000 This is again where we see the incredible transformation that Jesus brings into our lives. 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:33.000 And I guess all of that leaves us with the question, 00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:37.000 where is your security? 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:45.000 We are probably in the middle of some of the most uncertain, insecure days that any of us have ever known. 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:49.000 It is such a strange time for us all to live through. 00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:57.000 And in all of that, it's a huge instinct to hide. 00:32:57.000 --> 00:33:00.000 We want to hide from the coronavirus. 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:03.000 We want to hide from everything that's going on. 00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:08.000 In many ways, in so many aspects of life, we just want to hide 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:13.000 because we're scared of what's going on around us. 00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:21.000 The amazing thing about God is that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die and rise again 00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:26.000 so that God can hold out His arms to you and say, 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:34.000 just come and hide here and I'll keep you safe forever. 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:42.000 Amen. Let's pray. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:49.000 Father, we are so thankful for all that Your Word teaches us. 00:33:49.000 --> 00:34:02.000 And we pray that You forgive us for all the times we hide behind our achievements or our possessions or whatever it may be. 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:06.000 Instead of all that, we just want to hide with You, 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:11.000 knowing that with You is where we're safe and secure forever. 00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:15.000 Thank You so much for all that You've done for us 00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:22.000 and for the amazing truth that You are our Father. 00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:43.000 Amen.