Sermon Archives
Giving That God Rewards
Matthew 6:2-4The Way of the Kingdom Part 3
Rickey Primrose
September 8, 2013
Description:
Jesus’ primary concern in Matthew 6:1 is to demonstrate how we are supposed to practice the righteousness we receive from God. Jesus explains this by drawing His disciples’ attention to three specific acts of righteousness: giving, praying, and fasting.
We look at the first of these three acts—giving. First, we will see that all Christians must give—no exceptions. Rather than commanding His disciples to give, Jesus assumes that we will be giving. The significance of this assumption cannot be overstated. Wise, regular, and sacrificial giving to one’s local church is not something only the super-spiritual and wealthy do—every single Christian must
give.
The second thing Jesus does in this passage is to warn His disciples to give with the right motive. The central message of this passage can be stated as, “We give for God’s praise rather than paying for man’s applause.” If our primary motive in
giving is to be seen as spiritual in the eyes of others or even to make ourselves feel good, then we will receive no reward in heaven. It is as if we are simply paying for man’s applause. But if we give in secret, God will notice, and we will receive a reward from Him.
Keywords:
Faithfulness, Giving, Tithing