Matthew Chapter 6:1

The key verse of the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew 5:20, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Most believers want to serve God, but only in a advisory capacity. Jesus addresses this and other problems in Matthew chapter 6. Each chapter in the Sermon on the Mount can be broadly outlined under three topics. They are listed below. Chapter 6 emphasizes spiritual service and instructs about giving, prayer, fasting (the time set aside for intense spiritual thought and prayer), money, and worry. All of these are activities that we regularly must consider. Our motivation and attitude become fundamental tests for us. How and why we give; what kind of a prayer life do we have; do we ever take serious time to think and pray; where does money fit into our lives and does it rule us; and then of course, worry is the little gremlin that chases all of us. Jesus knew that his disciples would face these same attitude and motivation tests, and so He instructed them in the biblical viewpoint.

Very Broad topic outline of Matthew 5-7

Matthew 5 instructs the disciples about moral questions and answers.

Matthew 6 instructs the disciples about attitude and motivation questions and answers.

Matthew 7 instructs the disciples about people questions and answers.

The key verse of Matthew 6 is Matthew 6:33-34, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

1. Chapter 6 teaches about the practice of righteousness and spiritual service (1) and this refers to the application of Bible doctrine in life, and especially in the areas of giving (2-4), prayer (5-15), fasting (16-18), details of life (19-24), and worry about needs for living (25-34). Is our service self-righteous service and focused on ourselves and praise for ourselves, or is our service to please God instead of men? Self righteous and self focused service is not divine service.

2. Outline of Matthew 6 Characteristics of The practice of kingdom of heaven life

Matthew 6:1, The principle for the practice of righteousness in life: motivation, spiritual service, and rewards.

1. Motivation for spiritual service or divine good service: Jesus warns his disciples. Beware (Prosecw). (Present active imperative) that you do not attempt to serve God like the Pharisees try to serve him. The word means to have something and comes to mean to hold the mind or ear to something. As a shipping term, it means to keep the ship on course, and therefore means to pay close attention.

a. “Practicing righteous,” Critical text reads righteousness, δικαιοσύνη; “do your charitable deeds,” Majority text reads ἐλεημοσύνη, exercise of benevolent goodwill, alms, charitable giving 1. w. focus on attitude and action as such 2. that which is benevolently given to meet a need, alms w. focus on material as such. (BAGD3). With the critical text if forms a heading. With Maj T it is part of the first area. Sense would favor the critical text.

b. This tells us that believers and especially those in public service have to be on guard against the temptation to show off our spiritual abilities, accomplishments, and production.

c. The disciples were to face many temptations and the Pharisees were the illustration of how not to live.

d. The desire for praise and honor resides in all of us. When we live for the Lord, we are not to do so to bring attention to ourselves, but instead to the Lord. God causes many beautiful flowers to bloom where no one every sees them. They are under his eye; he sees them; he blesses them for the beauty of earth and for the unseen life of birds and animals. We are often blessed and used in the same way.

2. Spiritual service is practicing righteousness day to day. It is doing the activities of life so that God is served and receives honor. So we can see some principles for spiritual or divine good service.

a. Spiritual service, or religious service if you prefer, that is done with a motive for public notice and credit does not count before God or heavenly father; He will not reward you for that kind of service.

b. Conversely, God the father will only reward service done to please Him and serve Him.

3. Reward for service: notice the warning. God the Father will not reward those who parade their service before people so they will gain notice and praise. We learn some things about our life from this verse.

c. He withholds reward from those who serve in order to impress people. The service done under that motive is lost on God. He is not impressed.

4. Other Scripture that speaks to spiritual service and rewards are Colossians 3:17 and 24-25; 1:9-10; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 also speak to this point for church age believes.

Chapter 6, Sermon on the Mount: alms; prayer; fasting; money; worry