Matthew 6:1-8

Matthew 6:1-8

1. Observe that our Lord takes it for granted, that all who call themselves His disciples will GIVE ALMS.
2. Observe again that our Lord takes it for granted, that all who call themselves His disciples will PRAY.
3. In GIVING, everything pretentiousness is to be abhorred and avoided.
4. In PRAYING, the principal object to be sought, is to be alone with God.
5. In all our duties, whether giving, or praying, the great thing to be kept in mind is, that we have to do with a heart-searching and all-knowing God.

"A giving Savior should have giving disciples."

"It teaches plainly that prayerless people are not genuine Christians. It is not enough to join in the prayers of the congregation on Sundays, or attend the prayer of a family on week-days. There must be private prayer also. Without this we may be outward members of Christ's church, but we are not living members of Christ."

"They flatter themselves that all must be right with their souls, if they only perform a certain amount of "religious duties." They forget that God does not regard the quantity, but the quality of our service. His favor is not to be bought, as many seem to suppose, by the formal repetition of a number of words, or the self-righteous payment of a sum of money to a charitable institution."

Questions:

1. In these verses Jesus tells us of two actions he assumes true believers will do, giving and prayer, and speaks to how they are to be done. God takes no account of how much money we give or how many words we use in prayer, but the nature of our motives. The question we need to ask ourselves then is simple: as it pertains to giving, is there a desire in my heart to be generous with what God has given me? In my giving, do I desire for others to see? As Ryle says, "a giving Savior should have giving disciples."
2. It is also assumed in this passage that God's people will pray. So, as it pertains to prayer, do we have a desire to pray? When we pray, do we have a heart that God is the one we are talking to?
3. Now, questions like this tend to produce in most feelings of inadequacy. The truth is that these are important things to consider. Where we fall short - and we all fall short of what we should - the question is: will this produce in us a desire to grow or to give up? Will you simply try harder or look again to Christ and all he has done on your behalf?