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Sermons

Christians Practice their Righteousness for an Audience of One and the Glory of One

July 26, 2020 Speaker: Mike McDonald Series: Sermon on the Mount

Topic: Sermon on the Mount Passage: Matthew 6:1–18

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A Recap from Sunday’s Sermon

Preaching Text: Matthew 6:1-18

The Gospel message is not about bad people becoming better, it’s about dead people being made alive in Christ (see Eph. 2:1-5 & Ezekiel 36:26-27). Those who are made alive in Christ have a new heart but old habits. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ teaching implies that his followers will “practice their righteousness” (Matthew 6:1), in acts such as giving, fasting and praying. But, we are to beware of doing these things “in order to be seen by others.” It is hypocrisy to act holy or righteous for the praise of other people. Jesus’ contemporaries behaved well for the wrong audience and the wrong motive. 

Christians practice their righteousness for an audience of One and the glory of One.

It is God’s opinion alone that matters. He wants his followers to develop a “secret” devotional life for his own glory and motived by his rewards. In this passage, Jesus calls God our Father ten times! Like a good earthly father, our Heavenly Father is longing to see us grow and develop well. He has given us a new status as adopted sons and daughters. He longs for us to bring all of the rest of ourselves into alignment with that status. Although we are saved by grace, not works, we have work to do.  We must become in habit what God declares we are in heart. We must practice spiritual disciplines until they become natural and habitual. The way to do this is living for an audience of One.       

Taking It Home: Talk to God privately and candidly about the areas in your life that are still worldly and part of your old nature.  Ask him how to practice the new kind of goodness as habits. Then do it!