Day #7: January 7, 2009 - Matthew 5:43- 6:15

The Pharisees taught that one should love those near and dear to him (Lev. 19:18), but that Israel’s enemies should be hated. The Pharisees thus implied that their hatred was God’s means of judging their enemies. But Jesus stated that Israel should demonstrate God’s love even to her enemies—a practice not even commanded in the Old Testament! God loves them; He causes His sun to rise on them and He sends rain to produce their crops. Since His love extends to everyone, Israel too should be a channel of His love by loving all. Such love demonstrates that they are God’s sons (Matt. 5:16).

Loving only those who love you and greeting only your brothers is no more than the tax collectors and pagans do—a cutting remark for Pharisees! His message demonstrated God’s righteous standard, for God Himself truly is the “standard” of righteousness. If these individuals are to be righteous, they must be as God is, “perfect,” that is, mature (teleaous) or holy. Murder, lust, hate, deception, and retaliation obviously do not characterize God. He did not lower His standard to accommodate humans; instead He set forth His absolute holiness as the standard. Though this standard can never be perfectly met by man himself, a person who by faith trusts in God enjoys His righteousness being reproduced in his life.

Jesus first spoke of the Pharisees’ almsgiving. Righteousness is not primarily a matter between a person and others, but between a person and God. So one’s acts should not be demonstrated before others for then his reward should come from them (v. 1-2). The Pharisees made a great show of their giving to the needy... in the synagogues and on the streets, thinking they were thus proving how righteous they were. But the Lord said that in giving one should not even let his left hand know what his right hand is doing, that is, it should be so secret that the giver readily forgets what he gave. In this way he demonstrates true righteousness before God and not before people, so God in turn will reward him. One cannot be rewarded, as the Pharisees expected, by both man and God.

Jesus then spoke about the practice of prayer, which the Pharisees loved to perform publicly. Rather than making prayer a matter between an individual and God, the Pharisees had turned it into an act to be seen by men—again, to demonstrate their supposed righteousness. Their prayers were directed not to God but to other men, and consisted of long, repetitive phrases (Matt. 6:7).

Jesus condemned such practices. Prayer should be addressed to your Father, who is unseen and who knows what you need (Matt. 6:8); it is not “to be seen by men.” But Jesus also presented a model prayer for His disciples to follow. This prayer is commonly called “the Lord’s Prayer,” but it is actually “the disciples’ prayer.” This prayer, which is repeated by many Christians, contains elements that are important for all praying:

(1) Prayer is to begin with worship. God is addressed as Our Father in heaven. Worship is the essence of all prayer. (2) Reverence is a second element of prayer, for God’s name is to be hallowed, that is, revered. (3) The desire for God’s kingdom —Your kingdom come—is based on the assurance that God will fulfill all His covenant promises to His people. (4) Prayer is to include the request that His will be accomplished today on earth as it is being accomplished in heaven, that is, fully and willingly. (5) Petition for personal needs such as daily food is also to be a part of prayer. (6) Requests regarding spiritual needs, such as forgiveness, are included too. This implies that the petitioner has already forgiven those who had offended him. (7) Believers recognize their spiritual weakness as they pray for deliverance from temptation to evil ( James 1:13-14).

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:14-15 explain His statement about forgiveness in verse 12. Though God’s forgiveness of sin is not based on one’s forgiving others, a Christian’s forgiveness is based on realizing he has been forgiven (Ephesians 4:32). Personal fellowship with God is in view in these verses (not salvation from sin). One cannot walk in fellowship with God if he refuses to forgive others.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read?)

The word "hypocrisy" cries out to me in this passage. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were filled with hypocrisy. It seems everything they did was for the wrong reason and with the wrong motive. Lord, strip me of any hypocrisy, that you see. Rid it out of my life. Lord, I want everything I do and everything I say to be honest and sincere. I want my motives to be pure - in everything. No guile, no angling, no manipulation - none of it Lord. Bring people into my life that will come alongside of me and in love share with me and show me where I fall short.

Lord, I am so weak. I need your power and help everywhere I turn. Give me your help and your love to reach out to those who have burned me and to love those who hate me. Protect me from developing a martyrs complex at the same time and not wear my feelings on my sleeve.

Then father, make me a prayer warrior. You know how hard prayer is for me at times. You know how full my plate is. The first thing I ought to be doing is pray, yet Lord, it seems to be the last thing I do many days/ Keep reminding me - If I don't pray for Sharon and Kelsey and Matt and Drew and Katie and Emily - who will? If I'm not praying for the COV staff and Elders and leaders, who will? Lord. teach me, teach my family, teach our leaders and teach our people how to pray.

Lord, I am so grateful and thankful for the prayer team that you are pulling together at COV. Draw many more people to this team. Build a church at COV that will be a lighthouse. Build a church where people begin to grow like never before. Build a church where people serve and use their gifts. Build a church where people have a burden for the lost. Build a church where children and students flock to because life is here. Build a church where every new person that steps foot on this campus is loved and greeted and followed up. Build a church where young families can come and learn how to build their family. Build a church where our seasoned citizens our respected and honored and make this a place where they can serve out the rest of their lives. Build a church where young couples and single people can come and find fellowship and companionship.

PRAYER

I am humbled Lord by the pattern of prayer you teach us about. You are awesome and I worship you today. Build Your Kingdom by using Church of the Valley to be the church You created it to be. May Your will be done in my life and the lives of the people of COV today and everyday this week. Lord, I don't need to remind you that this Your church. Forgive me for getting uptight about the finances, but Lord would you speak to the hearts of Your people about giving and tithing? Rule in my life today. Protect Sharon and bless her. Lord heal her body. Help me Lord to get physically fit. Give me Your words and Your thoughts for the message this Sunday. I love you Lord.