four things you should never reveal to anyone one boasting about charitable acts or kindness or righteousness Matthew 6: 1-4 take heed that you do not do your charitable Deeds before men to be seen by them otherwise you have no reward from your father in Heaven therefore when you do a charitable deed do not sound a trumpet before you as the Hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have Glory from men assuredly I say to you they have their reward but when you do a charitable deed do not let your left
hand know what your right hand is doing that your charitable deed may be in secret and your father who sees in secret will himself reward you openly The Sermon on the Mount from which this passage is drawn presents us with the radical and countercultural teachings of Jesus in a world that often celebrates the external display of piety and philanthropy Jesus turns our attention inward to the motives that drive our actions Matthew 6:1 serves as a Cornerstone in this teaching warning against the performance of charitable Deeds for the sake of being seen and acknowledged by others
here Jesus is not just giving a directive he is reshaping our understanding of what it means to do good when Jesus speaks of not doing righteous Deeds for public display the original Greek word used for righteous Deeds is dios which can also be translated as Justice or righteousness this broadens the scope of his teaching encompassing not just acts of Charity but all forms of righteous living the warning is clear these Deeds these acts of Justice kindness and Mercy are not to be used as tools for crafting an image of ourselves in the eyes of others
they are instead expressions of our relationship with God manifestations of his love and mercy through us this teaching is particularly poignant in our contemporary context in a world where social media often serves as a stage for showcasing our best selves the temptation to perform our acts of charity for likes shares or retweets is ever present Jesus anticipated this human tendency to seek approval and recognition he understood that it is almost impossible to perform spiritual acts in public without being conscious of the opinions of others and how these acts might Elevate our status in their eyes
verses 2 and three of Matthew 6 further elucidate this point through vivid imagery and metaphor Jesus speaks of those who s sound a trumpet before giving to the needy a hyperbolic but poignant picture of how some people make a show of their generosity he labels such Behavior as hypocritical indicating a disconnect between outward actions and true intentions the idiom of not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing then beautifully encapsulates the essence of true charity it suggests a level of selflessness in giving that is so profound and natural that The Giver
themselves is barely conscious of the ACT this is the epitome of humility and genuine kindness giving that is so ingrained in our nature that it becomes an unremarkable part of who we are Jesus teaching in these verses is not just a call to discretion in Acts of Charity it is a radical redefinition of what it means to be charitable it challenges us to examine the why behind our what are we giving to alleviate suffering and to express God's love or are we giving to cultivate an image to be seen as generous kind or righteous in
the eyes of others the idea of rewards also plays a crucial role In this passage Jesus assures us that when we do things the right way not for attention or Applause but for the glor glory of God there is a reward far greater than any human Accolade this reward is from our father in Heaven who sees not just the act of giving but the heart behind it he sees the secret sacrifices the quiet acts of kindness and the anonymous donations that seek no reward other than the joy of giving these are the acts that are
truly blessed the acts that store up Treasures in Heaven in conclusion as we navigate through our journey of Faith let us hold fast to this first principle refrain from boasting about charity or kindness let our giving be as natural as breathing as unnoticed as the beating of our hearts and as sincere as our prayers in the secret place for in doing so we align ourselves not just with the teachings of Jesus but with the very Heart Of God two telling your sins to the wrong person the second point on this enlightening Journey addresses a sensitive
yet fundamental aspect of Christian Life personal confessions or sins to untrusted people this section delves into the wisdom of sharing personal shortcomings and sins underscoring the importance of doing so with discernment within a trustworthy and spiritually mature context James 5:16 serves as our guiding scripture therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective this verse illuminates the Dual principles of confession and intercessory prayer binding them together in a way that promotes healing and spiritual growth it emphasizes
not just the act of confession but also the quality and character of the person to whom we confess confessing one's sins or personal struggles is an act of vulnerability a sacred moment where one opens up the deepest parts of the self to another it's a practice embedded with the potential for healing growth and transformation however this act's efficacy and safety depend significantly on the recipient of such confessions the person to whom we confess should be someone mature in the Lord marked by honor integrity and spiritual maturity this individual is not just a passive listener but
an active participant in the healing process through prayer guidance and support unfortunately many have experienced the pain and disillusionment that comes when such sensitive confessions are met with betrayal instead of support the all too common scenario of sharing a personal struggle with someone who turns out to be untrustworthy can have devastating consequences it can lead to gossip which not only damages reputations but also deeply wounds the spirit often driving individuals away from the church and hindering their spiritual [Music] journey such experiences underscore the necessity of choosing wisely those to whom we reveal our innermost struggles
when someone comes forward with an admission of weakness or sin it is a profound responsibility to respond with Grace understanding and confidentiality as Christians our response should be one of maturity a maturity that leads us to pray for them rather than gossip about them this approach is not just about keeping a secret it's about honoring the trust placed in us and fulfilling the biblical mandate to Bear one another's burdens in a way that Fosters healing and restoration the role of Prayer in this process cannot be overstated the latter part of James 5 reminds us that
the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective when we are in entrusted with someone's confession our Primary Response should be to take their struggle before God In Prayer this act of intercession is a powerful tool in the spiritual arsenal of every believer capable of bringing about change healing and breakthrough in the lives of others prayer in this context is not a passive or Last Resort action it is an active engagement in spiritual warfare on behalf of another in a world where the Airing of personal issues is often just a social media post away
this teaching of discretion in confession becomes even more pertinent we live in an age that increasingly blurs the lines between public and private where the temptation to share everything with everyone is constantly at our fingertips however as followers of Christ we are called to a different standard one that values the sanctity of personal struggles and addresses them within the safety and confidentiality of trusted spiritual relationships three prematurely announcing your dreams the Bible warns us against talking too much or being overly talkative Ecclesiastes 5:3 States for a dream comes through much activity and a Fool's voice
is known by his many words ecclesiast ases 10:14 adds a fool also multiplies words no man knows what is to be who can tell him what will be after him the early life of Joseph offers a great lesson in wisdom and how to interact with people Israel loved Joseph more than all his children and for this reason his brothers hated him in the passage of scripture we just read we see that Joseph had two dreams the first of which he told his brothers which clearly was not the most intelligent decision he then had a second
dream if Joseph was unwise to tell the first dream knowing how irritating it was to his brothers then it was even worse to share the second dream the second dream was likely to cause even more resentment because it set him not only above his brothers but also above his father and mother the immediate result of Joseph sharing his dream was that his brothers hated him even more and also envied him in their hearts he was his father's favorite chosen to receive the blessing of the firstborn wearing a special garment and now the recipient of strange
dreams from God there is no way for us to know how different Joseph's Journey would have been to the Fulfillment of the those dreams if he had not talked too much but what we do know is that the Bible advises us to be wise and wisdom is not in talking too much talking too much will get you into trouble the whole world does not need to know what you are doing and where you are going and the truth is not everyone is rooting for you we live in a fallen world and unfortunately the truth is
not everyone wants the best for you not everyone will be happy when God blesses you human beings are complicated creatures nothing is quite as complicated as a human being take for instance a dog a dog is incapable of hiding its nature if a dog doesn't like you believe me you will know about it the dog will growl at you bark at you and so on however if a dog does like you you will know about that also the dog will lick you be happy around you sniff you whereas human beings are more complicated than this
a human being can hate you for years and pretend they are actually your friend or a loved one for years in a perfect world there would be no jealousy in a perfect world there would be no Envy I have even discovered that you do not necessarily have to offend someone before they become your enemies the mere fact that you are being blessed is an offense to them that's just life it's not fair but life is not fair people won't always be happy when God blesses you people will be angry people will hate you for the
blessing of the Lord on your life you don't need to be rude to them you don't even need to know their names but people will simply hate you because God has blessed you do you know what this tells me this tells me the true extent of human nature this was his brother the people who could be your biggest haters could be those who even share your last name you didn't talk about them you didn't steal their opportunity you didn't steal their shine you didn't steal their Thunder you didn't steal their position they simply had a
problem with you because of the simple reality that God has blessed you but the wonderful thing about God is that God will bless you even more because of the simple reason that they hate you because God is blessing you Psalm 23:5 says he prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies four judging others the fourth critical point focuses on judgments or criticisms of others rooted in the biblical verse Matthew 7:1 do not judge or you too will be judged this segment of the sermon delves into the spiritual and moral implications of speaking
ill of others judgment and criticism often spoken in haste or harbored in the heart can significantly Mar our character and relationships this biblical admonition reminds us that the act of judging others is not only a reflection of our inner state but also a direct contravention of Christ teachings every individual is complex and Carries their own story often hidden beneath the surface when we judge or criticize we reduce them to a mere fragment of who they truly are overlooking the grace and understanding that we too [Music] seek in a world Rife with quick judgments and harsh
words this teaching calls us to a higher standard of conduct it encourages us to look Inward and examine our motives to replace snap judgments with empathy and Hasty words with thoughtful consideration speaking ill of others can break the bonds of trust and Community fostering an environment of Discord and resentment conversely practicing restraint in our judgments can cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding moreover this verse is a poignant reminder of our own fallibility just as we are quick to judge others we too stand under the scrutiny of our peers and ultimately God by refraining
from judgment we acknowledge our own imperfections and need for God's grace aligning our actions with the merciful and compassionate nature of Christ in conclusion this part of the sermon implores us to think before we speak to weigh our words with wisdom and Grace in doing so we not only uphold the teachings of Christ but also contribute to a more loving and forgiving world the power of our words can either build or destroy and as followers of Christ we are called to use this power to build a community of love understanding and Grace
