Matthew 6:1-34
Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, has been thus far giving us a glimpse of what the Kingdom life looks like. In order to enjoy His offer of Kingdom life, we must allow the abundant, eternal life to filter through every area of our life and transform us.
We make the mistake of limiting our Christian walk to only involving the duties of religion (you know...going to church, giving to the needy, praying, fasting). Jesus, in chapter 5 taught us that it's much more than that. It involves, for example, our minds and our relationships. Now, in chapter 6, Jesus talks to us about those regular religious actions that we all are accustomed to.
It seems the problem is that much of the time we confuse these regular religious activities with being righteous. "If I do these things, then I will be this." We've made our own arithmetic: a + b + c = righteous before God. Jesus throws a wrench in our religiosity.
"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."
How do you practice your righteousness? Remember what Jesus has taught us already about the Kingdom life. I think what He is turning to now is the thing we get mixed up in. Chapter 5 was about allowing the Kingdom life to filter through every area of our lives. Chapter 6 is about the things we actually do instead. Chapter 6 is about those things we do on Sunday and then leave behind the rest of the week. Chapter 6 is about those things that, if we're not careful, we'll do before others for some stamp of approval ("No, I don't think that person would do that; I saw him/her at church the other day.") but leave the rest of our lives out of it--compartmentalized and dichotomized.
Here's the point. These things Jesus speaks of in Chapter 6--giving to the needy (2-4), prayer (5-15), fasting (16-18), faith in the reality of Kingdom life (25-34)--are not eternal exercises of the abundant Kingdom life if the rest of your life is separated from the Kingdom life. If all we do is the churchy stuff (Chapter 6) and the rest of our lives (Chapter 5) remain unchanged--we will have no reward in heaven. As a matter of fact, that is the context of the famous verses 19-21.
Rachelle and I were engaged after about 8 months of dating. Those 8 months were ridiculous because I was so consumed with her. I fell in love with her. My whole life was affected by her. She was always on my mind (thanks Willie). All my relationships changed. What she did to me on the inside was evidenced by what I did on the outside: flowers, letters, gifts, dates, a song I wrote, a ring I bought.
What if I did some things on the outside just because I wanted the benefits of female companionship? What if I bought flowers once in a while, wined her and dined her once in a while, but yet my mind was still on other things and my relationships with others never changed to allow room for her? "O.K., I did my part. Now, let me marry you. I need a wife and I have met the requirements. I took you on x number of dates and spent x number of dollars on a ring. Surely that has earned me a woman, right?"
Unless our lives are affected by the Kingdom, our outward religious activities often equated with righteousness are actually meaningless and for show.
That's a strong word for me to meditate on in preparation for worship this Sunday. You pray for me and I'll be praying for you, that together we might live the Kingdom life--the abundant life.
