What Should – And Should Not – Motivate Us
Matthew 6:1-6
Picture your Christian life like a rocket on a launching pad. If the rocket of your Christian life is going to take-off – you need fuel. Powerful fuel. And in His Word Jesus points us to a fuel which will empower our faith, our love, our compassion, our obedience.
But Satan hates that. So he tries to trick us into using a different fuel. He tries to deceive us into using a fuel which is disastrous – because if we continue to use it – it will cause our rocket ship to blow up.
So what fuel does Satan try to trick us into using? And what fuel does Jesus Christ call us to use? To answer that – let’s turn to Matthew 6:1-6. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Matthew 6 is on page 811 in the Bibles we are passing out.
So let’s read vv.1-6 --
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.
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.
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.
So what fuel is Jesus warning us about? The answer is in v.1 -- “beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.” The fuel He’s warning us about – the motivation Satan tries to get us to use – is being seen – being noticed – being applauded by others.
And he gives two specific examples of how people did that during His day.
The first example is in v.2 – giving money to the needy. Some people in Jesus’ time wanted to have others notice that they were giving to the needy. So they would blow trumpets in the synagogues and in the streets so that everyone would know that they were giving to the needy and would praise them.
The second example is in v.5 – praying. Some people in Jesus’ time wanted to have others notice that they were praying. So they would pray out loud in the synagogue and out on the corner of Almaden and Blossom Hill so that others would notice that they were praying and would praise them.
Now today we don’t blow trumpets or pray on street corners. But that doesn’t mean we are immune to this.
So how could we tell if we are doing spiritual activity in order to be praised by others? I thought of a couple clues –
- If we do some act of service and are hurt that no one notices or thanks us.
- If we do or don’t do something depending on who will be there
- If we are frustrated when someone else is noticed more than we are.
- If we choose not to do something because no one will notice.
Any other ways we could tell?
So Jesus says we should NOT do spiritual activity in order to be seen by people. So what SHOULD we do?
In v.3 he says that those who give money should not have their left hand know what their right hand is doing. And in v.6 he says that when you pray you should go into your room and shut the door so no one else will know.
Now His point can’t be that it’s wrong if others know what we do. After all, right here in the Sermon on the Mount -- in ch.5 v.16 -- he says we should let our lights so shine before men so they SEE our good works. But what’s the difference?
Let’s take a look at the verse –
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
In that verse we want others to see us – not so they glorify US, but so the glorify our Father who is in heaven.
So the point is not that we have to keep everything we do secret. The point is – what’s motivating our hearts? Jesus says that we should not do anything in order to be praised by others.
So think of the things you do in obedience to Christ. Why do you do them?
Why are you part of a home group?
- Why do you pray?
- Why do you read God’s Word?
- Why do you lead your family?
- Why do you love your husband?
- Why do you give to the poor?
- Why do you share the Gospel?
We should not do anything in order to have others praise us. That fuel – the desire to be praised by people – should never fuel our Christian lives.
But what happens if we do? What happens if we do things in order to be praised by others? Look at v.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. No reward from God. None.
And in v.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. [That’s all they are going to get.]
And in v.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. [That’s all they are going to get.]
Think of it – no reward from God. Not a below-average reward. Not a little reward. Not a tiny reward. NO reward. No reward at all. That should send chills up and down our spine.
And notice. In these verses what keeps us from being rewarded by God is not what we do – it’s why we do it. It’s that we do something right for the wrong motivation. And if our motivation is wrong – if we’re using the wrong fuel – we will not be rewarded by God.
So what should our motivation be? What should fuel our Christian lives? What should motivate us to pray, give to the needy, go to home group, lead our families in devotions? What should motivate us to join a DNA group or share the Gospel with our neighbors?
Jesus tells us – what should motivate us is the thought of being rewarded by God.
Look at vv.3-4 --
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.
So what should motivate our giving? The fact that if we give -- God will reward us.
And look at v.6 –
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.
So what should motivate our prayer? The fact that if we pray -- God will reward us.
Jesus wants us to be motivated by rewards. Does that surprise you? Many of us think our main motivation should be gratitude. And gratitude is crucial. But the motivation mentioned most frequently in the Bible is rewards, not gratitude.
But over the years I have seen that many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of being motivated by rewards. And I think most of the discomfort comes from two misunderstandings we have about rewards.
One misunderstanding is to think the reward is health or wealth or comfort. But that’s not at all what Jesus says. Remember back in ch.5 – blessed are the pure in heart – for they shall see God.
The reward is seeing God. Your highest joy is beholding greatness – and the infinitely greatest greatness is God. If you have been saved – then you have tasted this highest of all joys. You know that beholding God in Jesus Christ is the highest joy, the greatest joy, the supreme joy.
And what should motivate our lives here is knowing that the more we trust Christ, the more we obey Christ – the more joy we will have now and forever in seeing God as revealed in Christ.
To see this look at John 14:21 –
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.
So what should motivate my obedience is the thought that when I obey, Jesus will manifest Himself to me. I will feel His love, experience His nearness, be satisfied in His presence.
So what is the reward? God Himself as revealed in Jesus Christ. God is the prize.
Another misunderstanding is to think the reward is something we earn or deserve. But we know that because of our sin we deserve only punishment. And that the only way we can receive anything good from God is by grace and mercy through Jesus’ death on the Cross.
So we think – Jesus Christ is all about mercy – but rewards are all about merit – so we should not be motivated by rewards.
But in this passages Jesus motivates us with rewards. He says – give to the needy -- and God will reward you. Pray -- and God will reward you.
So why does Jesus – who is all about grace and mercy – motivate us with rewards? It’s because in the Bible rewards are not something we earn or deserve. They are something God gives us through His grace and mercy.
Here’s three reasons rewards are grace and mercy.
One is because your obedience did not come ultimately from you – it was given to you by God – purchased for you through Jesus’ death on the Cross. So God rewards you for the obedience He freely gives you – that’s mercy.
Another reason even our best moments of obedience in this life are tainted by indwelling sin – so in themselves none of our obedience deserves a reward. But God rewards our tainted obedience – that’s mercy.
Another reason is because our obedience is tiny compared to the massive reward God gives us. Imagine that you are living on the street with no money. And a wealthy person sees you, feels compassion for you, and goes to the Bank of America down the street and deposits a billion dollars in an account for you. Then he comes to you and says – if you will trust me, and walk down to the Bank of America – you’ll be rewarded with a billion dollars.
So as you are walking down the street – what’s motivating you? The reward of a billion dollars. But does your walking down the street earn that billion dollars? No way. The billion dollars is infinitely greater than your walking. In the same way – the reward of knowing Jesus Christ – worshiping Jesus Christ – beholding Jesus Christ is infinitely greater than our obedience. Which makes the reward grace and mercy.
In the Bible rewards are not merit – they are mercy. Pure mercy.
Think of it like this. We are dead in sin, with hearts that are stubborn and rebellious against God. But in pure mercy God cares about us. In pure mercy God punishes Jesus on the Cross for our sin. In pure mercy He subdues our rebellious hearts and gives us faith and repentance.
And the moment we trust Jesus and repent – He forgives us for all of our sins, He satisfies us with outpourings of His love, and He starts to change us – causing us to pray so we will receive more of Jesus – causing us to give so we will receive more of Jesus. Amazing mercy!
So picture this. God saves us, forgives us, changes us, produces obedience in us – and then HE rewards US – and pours even more of His love upon us, fills us even more with His presence, gives us even more all-satisfying joy in Him! That’s pure mercy.
So don’t misunderstand the reward. It’s not health and wealth – it’s more of God.
And it’s not something we earn or deserve – it’s the grace and mercy of God.
Jesus wants our obedience to be motivated by reward – the reward of knowing God in the person of Jesus Christ.
Questions?
So what will this look like? Let’s get specific.
Take prayer, for example. God wants you to take time this week to pray – pray for yourself, your family, your home group, your neighborhood. And He wants you to be motivated – not by the desire to impress people – but to have more of Jesus.
So the reason you pray is to get more of Jesus.
And if that’s what motivates your prayer – then God will reward you and pour out more of the Spirit of Jesus upon you.
Or take giving. God wants you to give of your money to advance the Gospel – not to get people’s praise – but to get more of Jesus.
So the reason you give is to get more of Jesus.
And if that’s what motivates your giving – then God will reward you and pour more of Jesus upon you.
Or take Sunday worship. God wants you to be part of a worship gathering – not to get people’s praise – but to get more of Jesus.
So the reason you come to Sunday worship is because you long for more of Jesus.
And if that’s what motivates your Sunday involvement – then God will reward you and pour more of Jesus upon you.
Do you see how that works?
So don’t let Satan trick you into fueling your Christian life with impressing others. That fuel will blow up and destroy your Christian life. Fuel your Christian life with the reward of seeing Jesus, feeling Jesus, knowing Jesus more and more -- and your Christian life will take-off.