January 14, 2025 | Be God's Family
Jesus Teaches About Giving, Praying, Fasting
Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18(NIV)
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Devotional
After teaching about giving to the poor, fasting, and loving your enemies in His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus gives us a model prayer to use when we pray to God. He reminds us that God is not impressed with vain, repetitive words that are spoken “for the glory of men” (1-4), but rather, He tells us to enter our closets, shut the door, and pray to Him in secret and with sincerity (6).
“Our Father, Hallowed be thy name” begins the prayer, acknowledging He is Holy, and yet we have an intimate relationship with our loving God.
“Thy Kingdom come” reminds us of His second coming and a future in Heaven with Him. Praying for His “will to be done,” we surrender to Him and as C.H. Spurgeon writes, we “align our will with His.”
“Give us this day our daily bread” reminds us of our dependence upon God. When we trust Him day by day, we acknowledge that He is faithful and gracious to give us our needs according to His will.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” may be a challenging part of this prayer for us. We are all sinners. Daily we need to confess our sins, repent of them, and turn from them. But we also need to forgive others “as God has forgiven us.” If we want God to forgive our sins, we need to forgive those who have wronged us.
“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” reminds us of our frailty and weakness. Sometimes God allows temptations to test us. In his Letters to Malcom, C.S. Lewis writes that this petition is to “make straight our paths. Spare us, where possible, from all crises, whether of temptation or affliction.” During good or troublesome times, we need to thank God for his goodness and pray for His help and strength to overcome those tests. Praise God that He loves us enough to forgive us, leads us in the right ways, and delivers us from evil!
“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. Forever” concludes Jesus’ model for us. He is the Great I AM. Hallelujah! Such a thoughtful prayer encourages us to hold fast to God, seek His forgiveness, ask His help to avoid temptation, and gain protection from evil. The Lord’s Prayer models for us how we can converse with God and seek His wisdom and guidance daily.
Why do you think Jesus uses the plural pronouns throughout this prayer model and not the singular? What part of the prayer is challenging for you? Why?
Poem
Integrity
Psalm 37:21-40
It’s said that one is measured
By what in secret’s done
Where no one else can notice--
There is the victory won
A hand which doles out righteously
A generous supply
While other hand is blessing
The stranger passing by
A parent in their closet
A-praying for their child
To be a mighty blessing
Yet secret all the while
The one who turns from evil
When tempting comes their way
This is the one who God preserves
When trials are at bay
God’s kingdom they’ll inherit
As they, God’s glory share
With tongues full laced with righteousness
They’ll flee the Tempter’s snare
Consider well the blameless
Consider the upright
Their treasures are in heaven
Their futures filled with light
It’s said that one is measured
By what in secret’s done
Where no one else can notice--
There is the victory won
