1/8 at The Gathering
Blake Coffee and Tony Diamond each taught from Matthew 6 on Sunday, January 8. The videos and listening guides from both those lessons, followed by the scripture, are below.
Core Lesson (Tony Diamond)
Lord, teach me to pray.
Matthew 6:1-18
Core Listening Guide
Giving
Hypocrites call attention to giving
Christians give in secret
Prayer
Hypocrites pray: publicly and proudly; for man’s approval; with an improper view of God
Christians pray: privately and humbly; for God’s approval; with a proper view of God
Fasting
Hypocrites make their fasting evident
Christians fast with the appearance of preparing for a feast
The Model Prayer
While we may pray this regularly, it is primarily a “model” from which we take our example for praying to “Our Father.” Further, a key element is forgiveness of others so that we may be forgiven…a true sign that we’re focusing where the Lord wants us to focus.
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Venture Lesson (Blake Coffee)
Measuring Acts of Righteousness
Matthew 6:1-18
Venture Listening Guide
“…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father inHeaven.” Matt. 5:16
“Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them.” Matt. 6:1
Jesus’ sermon on the mount was all aimed at seeing the world through “kingdom-colored glasses”. In it, Jesus set out to change the values of the listeners.
Ultimately, we all must choose which is more important to us: the applause of men or the applause of God.
Even corporate prayer, which may well have a component of leading and prompting others, is first and foremost aimed at God.
Fasting is just another form of prayer (one without words), and like all other prayer, is not measured outwardly, but by the heart.
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Scripture
Matthew 6:1-18
Giving
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 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. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘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 today 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 the evil one.’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Fasting
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
