Matthew 6: Children of our Father

​“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Lord's Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 Pray then like this:

“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 this day 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 evil.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Meditation
Christian discipleship is lived from a secure identity, children of God who have received righteousness from the Son of God to  live righteously to glorify our Father.

Children of the Father are not to practice righteousness “as the hypocrites” (2, 5, 18) or unbelieving peoples (7) who perform for acceptance and approval. True righteousness is not for empty public display but from deep personal relationship with our Heavenly Father (1). When disciples give (2-4), pray (5-15), or fast (16-18) we do so in secret, in closets, and with joyful dispositions. Disciples do not practice righteousness for the approval of other people. Real righteousness lives for the reward of rich relationship with God.
 
Disciples focus on our Father and seek first His kingdom (10, 33). Disciple’s trust our Father for our daily bread (11), so we need not store up treasures on earth (19) or worry about our life (25). Our hearts are in our Father’s hands so we serve Him rather than money (24), trusting Him to provide (30), rather than toil and be troubled over unanswered questions and an uncertain future. Our Father promises to protect and provide for His children.
 
People outside our Father’s family are consumed with other people’s opinions of them, their positions in society, serving money as a master, and pursuing the provisions of the world. Disciples are free in our Father’s love and we know our Father will deliver us from all evil (13).
 
Righteous living is a result of a right standing with our Father, a secure identity as His children.

Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the contrast Jesus draws in His teaching between disciples living as secure children of the Father and the hypocrites and Gentiles?
 
-How does a secure identity as a child of God free you from worldly anxiety and the slavery of seeking prosperity of this world? Are you embracing this gift of security? Why or why not?
 
-Where do you need to live more distinct from people outside our Father’s family, especially in regards to where your treasure is and how you traverse the troubles of the world? Be specific.
 
Key verses
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.