Book of Matthew - Lesson 8

Introduction: In today’s lesson Jesus deals with giving alms, praying, fasting and the need to be sure we are NOT acting hypocritically.

1. Giving of alms (doing charitable deeds)--helping others is a commendable thing, when it is done from a sincere heart, -wanting to be helpful. However, when it is done for show, to gain the praise of men, such is not only NOT helpful, it is hurtful. Evidently in the days of Jesus, many were inclined to do it to be seen of men for something they were not. I wonder if all those people lived in the past? Are we not each tempted to so act? (Matt. 6:12-4)

2. Prayer is a wonderful privilege, being able to speak to our heavenly Father, our Creator, the governor of the universe, our provider and protector. Yet, it can be abused too, and Jesus points to the need to do it differently than the hypocrites do. Hypocrites love to make a big display of their prayers. They stand in various places and speak long and loud “to be seen of men.” When one seeks such glory, he’d better get all he can, because that is the extent of his reward (Matt. 6:5). Noting will be coming from the Lord!

Each disciple should be interested in learning how to pray in order to be acceptable in the eyes of Our heavenly Father. To guide us, Jesus gives us a MODEL PRAYER (Matt. 6:6-15), which is often labeled “the Lord’s Prayer.” However, it is NOT a prayer that Jesus prayed, it is a model by which we can measure our prayers, to see if we are doing it right, pleasing the Father! Of course it is a private prayer: “enter into thy closet,..” We can pray to the Father “in secret” and have Him reward us “openly.” (V. 6) We need not use “vain representations,” as the ignorant do, thinking that the volume of words will bring greater blessings (vs. 7-8). God knows our needs, and desires that we ask respectably, in sincerity and purpose of heart. Each of us should consider the contents of our prayers often and meditate on them , so that when we pray, we will be knowledgeable as to the kind of prayer God expects of His people. Speaking to God as our Father,, desiring HIS WILL be done on earth. We request His provision of our daily necessities of life, seeking forgiveness of our sins, seeking to avoid temptation, so that we can overcome them. We recognize that it’s His kingdom and power. We understand that the kingdom has come, and we want to bring others into it. We should all work to that end!

3. Fasting is a matter of abstaining from food, for a spiritual reason, not just to be practiced so that it will be praised or to be seen by men. (Matt. 6:16-18), Again, as with giving of alms, when it is done to attract men or gain their praise, it would be better left undone!

Questions:

1. Name three main topics that are discussed in this lesson.

2. If men do their charitable deed to be seen of men, what’s the extent of their “reward”?

3. What was a basic fault in men in Jesus’s day, relative to giving alms and praying??

4. Is the effectiveness of prayer based on the number of words used?

5. How are we to address God in prayer?

6. Giver four categories of things mentioned in the model prayer (Matt. 6:9-15)

7. What’s the important message of vs 14-15 ?

8. What is the negative side of fasting? Who are we not to imitate? (Vs. 116-18)?

9. What is your view of fasting? Find some other NT passages that speak of fasting.

10. Do you THINK we Christians today usually give, pray, and fast as we should??