WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:20.000 The highest compliment that my grandfather would pay someone wasn't that they were a good guy or decent person but that they were honest. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:29.000 ! That was the highest compliment he could pay. Not just that they told the truth but that they were the kind of person where there was no pretense in the way they could pay. 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:38.000 In the way they went about their life. When I brought my friends around or when my parents had friends around interestingly I would sometimes ask his opinion. 00:00:39.340 --> 00:00:46.379 Honest, that was good. But the opposite of an honest person however was a hypocrite. 00:00:47.879 --> 00:00:53.679 There were only two types of people in my grandfather's world. Honest ones and hypocrites. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:01:01.579 It's a very simple way of viewing life. This evening it seems that Jesus says that the same is true in the church. 00:01:03.259 --> 00:01:11.099 So he's called his followers to this life of greater righteousness than that that was embodied by the scribes and the Pharisees. 00:01:11.099 --> 00:01:16.339 That is, he was calling them to a whole hearted, whole life, undivided righteousness. 00:01:17.379 --> 00:01:21.640 A heart that was singly focused and not divided. 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:25.719 And Jesus now moves to explain practically what this should look like. 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:28.459 Particularly in terms of personal piety. 00:01:29.899 --> 00:01:34.179 Particularly in terms of spiritual disciplines as we often call them. 00:01:34.180 --> 00:01:36.180 He draws attention to three of those. 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:38.260 Giving to the poor, verse 2. 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:40.120 Prayer, verse 5. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.700 And fasting, verse 16. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:50.640 And in each case, he warns them against doing these things like hypocrites. 00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:52.320 Verse 2. 00:01:52.520 --> 00:01:54.180 Thus, when you give to the needy, 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:56.300 sound no trumpet before you, 00:01:56.640 --> 00:01:58.600 as the hypocrites do in the synagogues. 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:00.219 Verse 5. 00:02:00.299 --> 00:02:01.239 And when you pray, 00:02:01.819 --> 00:02:04.399 you must not be like the hypocrites. 00:02:05.299 --> 00:02:05.780 16. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:06.839 When you fast, 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.780 do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:14.859 You probably know the word hypocrite comes from the world of theater. 00:02:15.359 --> 00:02:19.000 Where the hypocrites was the one who wore a mask. 00:02:19.959 --> 00:02:22.099 In ancient drama, they didn't wear makeup. 00:02:22.859 --> 00:02:25.780 So the hypocrite was the one who wore a mask. 00:02:25.780 --> 00:02:30.060 And also, the role in the drama was to answer to the chorus. 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:32.560 The chorus provided commentary on the play. 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:36.500 And so there was a back and forth between this character who was hidden behind a mask 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:39.939 and who was really kind of engaging with the chorus. 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:43.020 The chorus's opinion was the thing that controlled them. 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:46.840 So this character was both hidden behind a mask 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:50.039 and they did all that they did in response to other people. 00:02:50.259 --> 00:02:51.460 The chorus in this case. 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:52.620 And Jesus says, 00:02:52.620 --> 00:02:55.640 probably with an eye firmly on the Pharisees, 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:57.980 that this is not the way that it should be in his kingdom. 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:03.759 Now we know it is possible to put on a mask in life 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:06.800 and to appear to be someone that you aren't. 00:03:08.180 --> 00:03:12.980 There's a real sense in which we do this a lot in different situations 00:03:12.980 --> 00:03:16.099 at a fairly low level in lots of cases. 00:03:16.099 --> 00:03:23.060 And of course, the whole thing has been ramped up by our good friend social media, hasn't it? 00:03:23.299 --> 00:03:26.900 Social media whispers to us encouragement to do this all the time. 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:30.340 Your life can be falling apart, but the picture on Instagram? 00:03:30.959 --> 00:03:31.319 Perfect. 00:03:32.500 --> 00:03:33.819 Makes it look like you're doing great. 00:03:33.819 --> 00:03:39.219 And of course, the reason that we do this is because we have our eyes fixed on the chorus. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:42.579 We have our eyes fixed on social opinion. 00:03:43.180 --> 00:03:47.180 The opinion of the group that is shaping the way we live our lives. 00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:50.219 And it's not just on social media, is it? 00:03:50.299 --> 00:03:51.819 It's in all kinds of different areas. 00:03:51.939 --> 00:03:56.519 The idea, the fear of man, as it has become known, determines how we live. 00:03:56.519 --> 00:04:01.879 We care deeply about the opinions of others to the degree that it affects the way that we present ourselves. 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:08.039 And Jesus is warning about the dangers of doing this when it comes to the Christian life. 00:04:08.139 --> 00:04:08.560 Verse 1, 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:14.780 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them. 00:04:15.979 --> 00:04:19.199 For then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 00:04:20.120 --> 00:04:24.719 It may have been that as hearers heard Jesus teaching about how the law demanded this righteousness 00:04:24.719 --> 00:04:29.980 that is not external and superficial, but goes to the center of who we are. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:31.079 It goes to our hearts. 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:36.060 It's possible that they heard this and they thought, oh great, an inward righteousness. 00:04:36.439 --> 00:04:39.539 So a righteousness that's hidden and secret. 00:04:40.039 --> 00:04:41.359 Oh, I can do that. 00:04:41.659 --> 00:04:43.120 I can do secret righteousness. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:46.360 But that's not, of course, what Jesus means. 00:04:46.659 --> 00:04:49.719 True righteousness is seen in lived out behavior. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:54.319 How do you know that somebody is following the Lord Jesus Christ consistently? 00:04:54.479 --> 00:04:57.259 Well, the way that they live their life tells that story. 00:04:57.259 --> 00:05:04.420 And so it is with giving to the poor, prayer and fasting. 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:11.759 Jesus says, don't do these activities in a way that is putting on a front or playing to the crowd 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:18.740 or seeking to present yourself as more righteous than you are because that's the way a hypocrite goes. 00:05:20.379 --> 00:05:23.819 Now, he doesn't say, beware of practicing your righteousness before other people. 00:05:23.819 --> 00:05:25.540 You notice that. 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:28.899 There isn't a problem with other people seeing you do these things. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:34.480 It'd be hard not to have other people see or hear you pray at the church prayer meeting, for example. 00:05:35.139 --> 00:05:36.600 He goes after the motive. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:38.839 It's not the doing of it. 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:40.480 It's the why of it. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:42.399 It's why you're doing the thing you're doing. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:47.639 And he's saying, beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them. 00:05:48.979 --> 00:05:52.579 It is possible to do the right things for the wrong reasons. 00:05:52.759 --> 00:05:53.579 That's what he's saying. 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:56.159 And it is this that we need to unpick. 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:00.139 The two things to note at this point. 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:04.120 Firstly, Jesus presumes that these disciplines are present in the lives of his people. 00:06:05.179 --> 00:06:10.459 So in each case, it isn't a case of if you give, pray and fast, but when. 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:11.279 Do you notice that? 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:19.639 Jesus assumes that the sort of sacrifice and self-denial, the sort of self-mastery that these disciplines require will be present in our lives. 00:06:20.479 --> 00:06:21.699 So how are we doing? 00:06:23.359 --> 00:06:29.000 Is any of our giving, any of our serving, directed towards helping people who can't make ends meet? 00:06:30.259 --> 00:06:32.939 Do they even factor in our thinking? 00:06:34.219 --> 00:06:37.239 Do we dedicate time to prayer? 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:43.800 In order to dedicate time to prayer, we have to not dedicate time to other things. 00:06:44.600 --> 00:06:49.360 So are we giving up certain things in order that we can devote ourselves to prayer? 00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:51.740 Fasting. 00:06:51.740 --> 00:06:55.819 When did you last go without something? 00:06:55.819 --> 00:06:58.079 Something that you were free to enjoy. 00:06:58.860 --> 00:07:04.300 God gives us all good things to enjoy, so there's nothing wrong with enjoying the things that he gives us. 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:13.819 But do we go without those things willingly in order to teach ourselves and teach our appetites that they are not in control of us? 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:20.439 Or perhaps as a way of expressing our dependence on the Lord for some breakthrough in prayer. 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:23.019 Giving, prayer, fasting. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:27.540 Jesus does not assume that these instincts to do these things will come naturally, 00:07:27.540 --> 00:07:30.560 but he does expect that they will be present in the lives of his disciples. 00:07:31.260 --> 00:07:31.920 How are we doing? 00:07:34.580 --> 00:07:40.020 The second thing to say is that requiring this kind of discipleship is not legalism. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:49.580 Insisting that certain behaviors are an integral part of the Christian life is not the same as saying that these things are required for salvation. 00:07:50.520 --> 00:07:54.320 Nor is it adding unnecessary burdens to someone's discipleship. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:55.980 That's the definition of legalism. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.279 Adding unnecessary burdens to someone's discipleship. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.719 Rather, calling people to set aside money for the poor, to give time in the day to prayer, 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:10.019 or to go without food or drink, or other things, for that matter, in order to seek the Lord's face, 00:08:10.339 --> 00:08:13.319 is just a part of ordinary Christian living. 00:08:16.339 --> 00:08:19.159 That's the first part of the challenge this evening. 00:08:19.159 --> 00:08:24.079 Some of us will need to start or restart embracing these disciplines in the rhythm of our lives. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:28.019 But we must do it for the right reason. 00:08:29.939 --> 00:08:31.219 With the right motives. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:34.899 That's Jesus' concern in this section. 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:41.919 And he describes the behavior of the religious hypocrite so that we might assess ourselves. 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:44.360 It's as if he's holding up the mirror. 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:47.939 He's saying, have a look at yourself in light of this religious hypocrite 00:08:47.940 --> 00:08:50.900 and see where things need to be fixed. 00:08:53.160 --> 00:08:58.520 But not only does he do that, he exposes the problem, he also shows us the remedy. 00:08:59.400 --> 00:09:00.560 So, two points this evening. 00:09:01.280 --> 00:09:05.340 The first is the religious hypocrite and the praise of the crowd. 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:08.220 The religious hypocrite and the praise of the crowd. 00:09:08.220 --> 00:09:12.519 So, first of all, with regards to giving, verse 2. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.300 Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, 00:09:16.680 --> 00:09:20.600 as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. 00:09:22.660 --> 00:09:28.340 It's often taken that regular tithing or giving to gospel ministry is what's in view here, 00:09:28.420 --> 00:09:29.360 but that's not the case. 00:09:29.700 --> 00:09:32.160 The issue is a more specific kind of giving to the poor 00:09:32.160 --> 00:09:35.040 that was more common in a culture that didn't have a welfare state. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:39.439 And it wasn't just a custom, but the scriptures demanded it. 00:09:39.819 --> 00:09:43.879 So, for example, Deuteronomy 15 talks about this. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:47.939 And in the New Testament, James chapter 1, he says this, verse 27, 00:09:48.059 --> 00:09:50.899 religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this, 00:09:51.219 --> 00:09:56.240 to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 00:09:56.679 --> 00:10:00.000 I don't think he has in mind there that you just go around to their house and visit them. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:04.759 You're there to provide care and to help if you're at all able to do that. 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:09.079 So, it is likely that people are giving to the poor in this way, 00:10:09.459 --> 00:10:12.299 but there are some who adopt a particular approach to this. 00:10:13.219 --> 00:10:17.899 A man plans to give his gift, but he gets someone to announce it with a blast of the trumpet. 00:10:19.179 --> 00:10:24.860 It's important that people see this act of charity, and he doesn't want it to go unnoticed. 00:10:24.860 --> 00:10:30.180 So, you see what happens in that situation? 00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:31.899 He wants to give a gift. 00:10:32.259 --> 00:10:36.080 He wants people to notice that he's giving a gift and think very highly of them as a result. 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:40.039 In that case, he's not really giving the gift to those who need it, 00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:45.220 or even giving the gift to God, because that's what we do when we give a cup of water to someone in Jesus' name. 00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:47.419 Ultimately, we're giving to God. 00:10:47.419 --> 00:10:50.419 And ultimately, here, this man's giving to himself. 00:10:51.860 --> 00:10:55.419 What he's doing is using the poor person to benefit himself. 00:10:57.839 --> 00:11:00.099 This is everywhere in our culture. 00:11:01.459 --> 00:11:06.159 If you don't believe me, look at the number of charitable foundations that exist 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:08.919 that bear the name of the wealthy donor that sets them up. 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:13.279 Philanthropy and charitable giving is great. 00:11:14.039 --> 00:11:17.439 Those that do it, praise God for them, whatever they believe about the world. 00:11:18.699 --> 00:11:22.319 But so much of it in our day comes with name plaques, press conferences, 00:11:22.819 --> 00:11:25.360 names and brochures, and the amount people have given alongside, 00:11:25.959 --> 00:11:28.059 and lots of self-serving fanfare. 00:11:31.079 --> 00:11:33.899 It's all just modern-day versions of the trumpeter out front. 00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:37.159 Oh, look. 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:40.719 Look, sir, such and such has given this amount of money to the school. 00:11:41.819 --> 00:11:43.259 Isn't sir, such and such wonderful? 00:11:44.459 --> 00:11:48.279 Now, I'm not sure that Christians are quite as crass when it comes to charitable giving, 00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:53.039 but you do see a version of the same thing when mercy ministries put their service of the poor 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.519 in brochures and on social media. 00:11:55.899 --> 00:12:00.799 Why do other people need to know this if it isn't to reflect well on the person that's doing the work? 00:12:01.959 --> 00:12:03.919 Jesus says, verse 3, do it in secret. 00:12:05.379 --> 00:12:06.240 Do it in secret. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:08.000 Forget about yourself. 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:09.919 Forget about others. 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:12.340 Do it for the needy person and for the Lord. 00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:14.980 Giving. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:18.340 Jesus turns down, secondly, to praying. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:21.980 And he describes two mistaken approaches. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:25.180 First, verse 5, when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, 00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:30.480 for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:33.440 What is the motivation? 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:35.060 That people see them praying. 00:12:37.980 --> 00:12:39.700 There's no problem with praying out loud. 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:47.120 There's no problem with praying out loud even in public, if that's something that would be appropriate in a particular context. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.740 The problem is praying for show. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:53.700 Praying in order to be seen by others, in order to impress other people. 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:56.419 That's the first problem. 00:12:56.500 --> 00:12:58.899 The second one, verse 7, is praying for attention. 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:05.279 When you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think they'll be heard for their many words. 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:06.959 Do not be like them. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:13.459 Piling up words in prayer as Gentiles, that is, those who do not know God, 00:13:13.460 --> 00:13:18.460 thinking that if they use certain words in a certain way, with a certain level of repetition, 00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:20.180 that they'll get God's attention. 00:13:20.540 --> 00:13:22.500 That's what those who don't know God do. 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:29.440 He's getting again at this lack of heart connection with God that the sermon is pushing for, 00:13:29.500 --> 00:13:30.860 the whole sermon is pushing for. 00:13:32.540 --> 00:13:39.740 So don't do it for show, and don't do it because you think your particular eloquence or your performance is going to get God's attention. 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:45.600 Now there's an obvious gap, isn't there, between the first century context and London today. 00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:51.340 I doubt many people will be impressed if you go to Ealing Broadway and stand outside the tube with your arms aloft, 00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:53.779 heaping up high-sounding phrases to the Lord. 00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:59.820 But it is certainly possible that when you pray around others, 00:14:00.180 --> 00:14:03.500 you pray differently because of what those people will think of you. 00:14:05.560 --> 00:14:08.940 And you use holy-sounding words. 00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:11.879 Because they're the ones that God prefers. 00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:16.600 Those are the ones that people in this prayer meeting will be impressed by, 00:14:16.700 --> 00:14:19.120 and no doubt God will be impressed by them as well. 00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:24.860 Now let me say, please don't let me put you off praying in the prayer meeting. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:31.360 It's wonderful when everybody gets involved, praying short prayers, praying long prayers, praying from the heart. 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:32.139 That's great. 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:36.580 There is all the difference in the world between genuinely calling on the Lord 00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:39.100 and performing for the praise of others. 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:42.680 Jesus says, pray, but forget about yourself. 00:14:43.180 --> 00:14:44.120 Forget about others. 00:14:44.540 --> 00:14:47.740 Do it in the private place, verse 6, and do it for the Lord. 00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:53.620 And 30, the final example, fasting, verse 16. 00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:57.840 And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces, 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:00.480 that their fasting may be seen by others. 00:15:02.539 --> 00:15:06.700 So there's a crowd of really pious people. 00:15:07.100 --> 00:15:08.039 They're very pious. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.320 They fast regularly and with tremendous self-discipline. 00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:12.200 How do we know that? 00:15:12.200 --> 00:15:15.060 It's written all over their gloomy faces. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:21.160 Oh, it's easy to let it be known how demanding it is. 00:15:23.620 --> 00:15:25.480 You look a bit pale today. 00:15:25.560 --> 00:15:27.000 Yes, I'm fasting. 00:15:29.280 --> 00:15:31.360 Just really pursuing the Lord. 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:38.879 It's very easy to talk about how hard it is, how hard we're working, 00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:42.480 how hard we're going after the Lord, the things that we're doing to serve Him. 00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:46.460 But Jesus says this is the demeanor of the religious performer, 00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:52.259 wanting others to see, wanting others to know, wanting others to be impressed. 00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:54.600 Jesus says, yes, fast. 00:15:54.680 --> 00:15:57.200 This sort of discipline is a vital part of your discipleship, 00:15:57.399 --> 00:15:58.600 but no one should notice. 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:01.580 Forget about others. 00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:02.759 Forget about yourself. 00:16:03.220 --> 00:16:04.080 Do it before the Lord. 00:16:06.580 --> 00:16:08.899 Now, in each case, the thing that causes the hypocrisy 00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:10.779 is the desire for the praise of the crowd. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.200 And if you are part of a community of people where these things are valued, 00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.779 you know, like a church, 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:20.519 the desire to have others reward your piety with praise is a powerful drug. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.700 To have people say, you're a very impressive Christian. 00:16:24.700 --> 00:16:31.640 The world sees this kind of behavior and isn't impressed. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:36.940 There is a saying a guy that I used to work for used to say, 00:16:37.040 --> 00:16:38.980 he said, there's no hypocrite like a religious hypocrite. 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:40.900 He's right. 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:43.780 There is nothing attractive. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:47.120 There is nothing that says this person's life is flourishing 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:49.480 about this kind of pretense. 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:52.259 It is repellent, actually, to people outside the church. 00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:55.440 And it pushes people out from within the church, actually, as well. 00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:57.220 I'm sorry to say I've met plenty of people 00:16:57.220 --> 00:16:58.720 who have walked away from the church 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:01.100 and have become cynical about the Christian faith 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:04.700 because they saw so much insincere religious pretense. 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:10.799 If that's not bad enough, here's the real madness of it all. 00:17:10.900 --> 00:17:14.200 The real madness hits us in the phrase Jesus repeats in each case. 00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:14.980 Do you notice? 00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:19.480 He says, truly, truly, I say to you, truly, he says that word as a way of emphasizing. 00:17:19.620 --> 00:17:24.680 He's like, listen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.380 You know that? 00:17:28.579 --> 00:17:30.079 You are so generous. 00:17:31.980 --> 00:17:33.799 You're a very, very godly man. 00:17:34.980 --> 00:17:37.240 You are such a faithful Christian sister. 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:40.079 In the end, that's all it is. 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:46.720 The fleeting well done is the extent of the reward. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:51.400 I have a friend who works at a Cambridge college. 00:17:52.099 --> 00:17:53.519 He's the bursar at a Cambridge college. 00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:55.640 And a few years ago, he invited me to an event 00:17:55.640 --> 00:18:00.079 where they were opening a new facility as part of the college. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:05.899 And we were ushered around, those that were invited. 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:08.359 It was a very fancy thing. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.699 And I got in because I knew him. 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:11.519 It was quite funny. 00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:15.939 But we were all ushered around with the donor who had paid for this new facility. 00:18:16.839 --> 00:18:18.259 And his name was over the door. 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:20.220 It was a gym, actually, that they built. 00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:22.259 And his name was over the door. 00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:28.379 And after a speech from the college master of probably no more than two minutes, 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:31.119 there was a round of applause for this man. 00:18:32.339 --> 00:18:33.519 Maybe 20 people. 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:38.039 20 people don't make a lot of noise when they clap. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:41.279 That's his reward. 00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:42.720 That's it. 00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:46.759 A few nice words, two minutes, a name on a building, 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:49.740 and a few people that he doesn't know clapping. 00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:56.319 He will have paid a fortune for that praise. 00:18:58.180 --> 00:18:59.019 And it's passed. 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:02.799 The praise of the crowd is so fleeting. 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:08.160 No matter how well meant or sincere it is at the time when it's done, it's done. 00:19:08.220 --> 00:19:09.539 And that is Jesus' point. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:12.119 When it comes to our practice of the spiritual disciplines, 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:16.640 he's saying it is absurd to practice the spiritual disciplines for the sake of others, 00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:21.319 motivated by the desire for their praise because it is such a scant reward. 00:19:22.259 --> 00:19:26.680 When they say, well done, we have received our reward in full. 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:29.900 Surely that is to sell ourselves too cheaply. 00:19:29.900 --> 00:19:35.060 There is, however, a better way. 00:19:35.060 --> 00:19:38.120 A better way to give to the poor, to pray, and to fast. 00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:40.200 And that is with sincerity, with honesty. 00:19:40.780 --> 00:19:44.320 Not for the praise of others, but unto God with a wholehearted devotion. 00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:49.680 And the incentive that Jesus provides throughout is that we have God as our Father. 00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:51.840 We have God as our Father. 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:53.000 So here's the second point. 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:57.079 The honest disciple and the love of the Father. 00:19:58.039 --> 00:20:00.079 The honest disciple and the love of the Father. 00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:03.740 It is a lovely refrain full of reassurance. 00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:10.699 And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 00:20:10.700 --> 00:20:14.720 Doesn't that stir your faith? 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:20.460 In these 18 verses, God is called Father no less than 10 times. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:23.140 It is the big point that Jesus wants to get across. 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:29.500 When you have God as your Father, you don't need to seek out the flimsy and fleeting reward of the praise of others. 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:34.900 In fact, the trouble with the heart of the hypocrite is that he doesn't know God as his Heavenly Father. 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:37.279 Sinclair Ferguson puts it well when he says this, 00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:42.880 He is insecure before God, and therefore seeks security in what his fellow men think about him. 00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:48.579 He is unreal in his activities before men, because he has no real relationship with God. 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:51.359 That's the heart of the issue, isn't it? 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.400 He is unreal in his activities before men. 00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:55.519 He's faking it. 00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:59.059 He's putting it on, because he has no real relationship with God. 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:01.140 Now this is really important. 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:04.799 None of us like hypocrisy when we see it in others. 00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:07.799 And it is particularly galling when we see it in the church. 00:21:08.019 --> 00:21:10.279 And we don't want to be associated with that label. 00:21:10.819 --> 00:21:13.599 But while we can identify with it, we don't know how to change. 00:21:16.059 --> 00:21:20.420 We identify with this tension that we feel about this whole issue, and yet we don't know how to change. 00:21:20.700 --> 00:21:22.380 I came across an article recently, 00:21:22.519 --> 00:21:24.440 20 Ways You're Being a Total Hypocrite. 00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:26.700 And the examples were all very familiar. 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:31.559 So, quote, incensed about people using mobile phones in cars while doing it yourself. 00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:34.640 Complaining about the government, but not voting. 00:21:35.360 --> 00:21:36.319 And so on and so on. 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:38.519 But the last line of the article was very telling. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:39.460 It said this, quote, 00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:44.840 Now with all these in mind, go, do better, be better, and live better. 00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:47.640 That's absolutely no help at all. 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:49.920 No help at all. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:52.319 In fact, it is crushing and debilitating. 00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:54.120 We can't. 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:56.639 We can't. 00:21:56.639 --> 00:21:58.099 At least not for any length of time. 00:21:58.179 --> 00:22:01.399 We can't go and do and be or live better in our own strength. 00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:06.339 But the truth is that's all we're left with if we don't know God as our Father. 00:22:07.619 --> 00:22:12.259 And it's because people miss this fact about the fatherhood of God that they misunderstand how He operates. 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.059 People who understand the Christian message is this. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:17.599 Stop being bad and go and be good. 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:22.500 So many people around you in your life think that that's what Christianity is all about. 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:24.839 Stop being bad and go and be good. 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:29.959 If that's how you perceive the Christian faith, if that's how you understand it, 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:32.799 you have completely missed what it means to have God as your Father. 00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:39.039 When Jesus went to the cross, when He poured out His life for the sins of His people, 00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:41.079 His death accomplished something. 00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:44.439 He didn't just make salvation possible. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.559 No, He redeemed a people. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:50.619 He purchased a people from their slavery to sin. 00:22:50.919 --> 00:22:54.179 And He purchased us into the family of God. 00:22:54.919 --> 00:22:57.980 What that means is that now through faith in this Jesus, 00:22:58.279 --> 00:23:03.059 we can come to God 9, verse 9, as our Father in heaven. 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:07.639 We have a relationship with the God of the ages. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:12.359 And when we pray, we pray as members of His family. 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:19.719 We can know His provision, verse 11, His pardon, verse 12, His protection, verse 13, 00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:22.279 because He is our gracious Heavenly Father. 00:23:24.159 --> 00:23:29.219 This is what liberates us to be honest disciples, 00:23:29.719 --> 00:23:35.339 to pursue virtue apart from the need to be praised by others for it. 00:23:35.339 --> 00:23:43.399 This fatherhood of God is where we find the security that enables us to reject the sort of hypocrisy 00:23:43.399 --> 00:23:47.179 that comes from being enslaved to the opinion of others. 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:57.380 When you know God as your Father, the one who went to the lengths that He went to in order to save you, 00:23:57.420 --> 00:24:00.940 the one who sees in secret and knows the truth about your heart, 00:24:01.299 --> 00:24:04.019 you know that His reward is certain. 00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:10.180 And as we'll see in a couple of weeks' time, it is a reward that can't be lost, verse 20. 00:24:11.099 --> 00:24:16.339 When you know that, we can have confidence that sincere, non-self-promoting spirituality 00:24:16.339 --> 00:24:21.740 will receive a reward that far outstrips the fleeting praise of men. 00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:26.279 Hypocrites are seeking a reward, 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:30.339 and they find security in the knowledge that others think highly of them. 00:24:30.339 --> 00:24:32.740 But that's all they get. 00:24:35.139 --> 00:24:38.019 The honest disciple seeks a different reward. 00:24:38.679 --> 00:24:41.559 That is the lasting pleasure of the Father. 00:24:42.980 --> 00:24:45.399 We all do these things imperfectly. 00:24:45.659 --> 00:24:47.779 We're all at different points along the way. 00:24:47.879 --> 00:24:50.659 We all stutter and stammer our way forward, 00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:54.579 but we're in the grip of a Father who loves us. 00:24:56.199 --> 00:24:58.779 So we give to the poor because we love our Father 00:24:58.779 --> 00:25:01.660 who gave everything to rescue us out of spiritual poverty. 00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:05.599 We pray because we trust our Father's power and ability 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:07.980 and His care for our needs. 00:25:08.660 --> 00:25:13.759 And we fast because we long to submit our whole selves to our Father's will. 00:25:15.819 --> 00:25:17.960 He is our Father in heaven. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:21.700 You leave here this evening if you know Jesus Christ 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:24.160 in the grip of a Father who loves you 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:26.180 and will never let you go. 00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:31.039 For my grandfather, there were two kinds of people. 00:25:32.460 --> 00:25:35.220 It seems actually there's only one kind of disciple. 00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:38.000 The one who knows God as his Father 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:42.039 and who practices His righteousness for His glory 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:44.519 and with His reward in mind. 00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.140 That's the way of freedom. 00:25:47.779 --> 00:25:48.860 That's the way of joy. 00:25:48.859 --> 00:25:52.659 Let's pray together. 00:25:52.679 --> 00:25:52.679 00:25:53.120 --> 00:25:53.259 Let's pray together. 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:53.259 00:25:53.259 --> 00:26:23.240 Thank you.