v1-4        True devotion is preferred before ritualism; divine approval better than human reward. True Christianity involves a personal relationship with “your Father,” and this phrase appears seven times through to v18; whether giving, or praying, or fasting, we do it for our Father. This loving devotion is to Him and for Him, and not to be seen by men. Yet this is also the divine reward, as in v4, 6, 18; John 14.23; 1 Tim 6.6.

                When Jesus teaches about giving, about prayer, about fasting, He does not command these things, but assumes His followers will do them;

-          this is more powerful than a command;

-          this is what followers of Jesus will do;

-          this is characteristic of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Someone put it this way; ’Help those who aren’t likely to help you in return, and do so even if nobody is watching.’

In contrast, the hypocrites seek human approval and praise; this is all their reward.

v5-15      Prayer; an essential mark of the follower of Jesus; Acts 9.11.

v5-6        Be secret; Jesus discourages attention-seeking, and encourages personal communion with God, Ps 91.1, before whom we can and must be open and honest. There is a rebuke from those who seek glory for themselves, and therefore deny God His rightful glory.

                The word ‘reward’ is better translated as ‘flourish’ or ‘blossom.’ There is an implication of organic growth.

v7            Be specific; Jesus refers to meaningless prayers, vain repetitions, many words; don’t do it!

v8            Be simple; Jesus’ model prayer discourages childish ramblings, and encourages childlike faith. Our Father knows what we need before we ask, and prayer reminds us of our needs, and of our dependence upon Him, and of His power to meet our needs. Yet prayer is not a ‘shopping list’ of our concerns, but rather a communion with the loving Father; our requests flow from that, with a confidence that He already knows, and therefore has heard the cry of our hearts.

                Here is praise (v9-10), provision (v11), pardon (v12), protection and power (v13).

v9            God’s name hallowed, set apart, 1 Pet 3.15; He is holy and He is worthy.

v10          Even when we know something to be God’s will, we are encouraged to ask for it; this helps us to submit to God’s will for us; He is Sovereign. Our confidence is that, ultimately, His will comes to pass.

v11          We trust God for our physical needs; the Jew earned money daily, and bought bread daily, see v34. Here is daily dependence upon God, and daily provision from God; this was clearly seen in that culture. Our scheme of monthly salaries and weekly shopping may disguise these things, but the prayer remains true for us also. He still provides.

v12          The truth that God forgives, and our sins are offences against Him, see Gen 39.9; Luke 15.18.

v13          Since sin is serious, it is important that we are kept from temptation, Rom 13.14; He protects us from evil; we need a holy walk.

v14-15    The Lord’s words are clear; we experience forgiveness only as we forgive others.

v16-18    The need for fasting; the faithful Jew is a fasting Jew, Ezra 8.21-23; Neh 9.1; Esth 4.16. The teaching here, consistent with that for giving and praying, is to hide the obvious appearance of fasting, so that others do not notice. Those who seek to attract attention make a sad face; should not fasting produce joy!

v19-34    True focus; issues of purity.

                There is singleness of purpose, of desire, of devotion; the Lord demands a full and exclusive commitment; we see that the world’s alternatives are quite distinct. Linked with this is the command to trust, and not to worry; having prayed about our “daily bread,” we must leave all things in His hands.

v19                Treasures on earth; human reward, physical gain. “For yourselves,” essentially a selfish attitude. Such things have no lasting value, as moths and rust and thieves take their toll. Such things deteriorate, and have no lasting value, and bring no godly influence.

v20          The command is to store up treasures in Heaven, fixing our hearts and thoughts on things above, Col 3.1-2; and this cannot be taken away.

v21          See Prov 23.7, margin.

v22          John 5.30; the single eye, devotion to the Father, and submission to His will.

v23          Without proper love for God, and rightly-directed spiritual desires, the Lord says we are in darkness; the man who cannot see is in the darkness.

v24          What, or who, do we give our lives to?

v25          “I tell you,” the Lord’s gracious command; but He is also firm, for we do tend to worry. We must honour Christ by obeying His word also.

                The basic necessities of life are not to be a burden to us, and we must not seek security in such things, but to look to the Lord to provide.

v26          The illustration of the birds; we are of more value than they. The birds do not sow nor reap nor store up; this is not a command to do these things, but to have total confidence in our Father who provides.

v27          Our worrying can bring no benefit to us.

v28-30    In the same way, we must trust God to clothe us; again, to worry is to fail to trust.

                Paul teaches that, with food and clothing we can be content, 1 Tim 6.8.

v31                Summarising the preceding teaching; do not worry about food and drink, nor about clothing.

v32          A further lesson; the pagans, or Gentiles, or unbelievers, seek these things; we must be different, and learn to trust our Father.

v33          The key is to set our hearts on the things of Christ, and then all these things will be given to us. As we give proper priority to the Lord, other things will fit into place.

v34          Jesus’ closing thought; do not worry about tomorrow either; we can safely leave that issue with the Father.

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