Carmelo Caparros
Mar 14, 2021
INTRODUCTION
A lot of people wear “masks” to create a POSITIVE IMPRESSION on people. Beneath this mask is a CRAVING to be ACCEPTED, APPLAUDED and to be placed on the the HIGH PEDESTAL of ADMIRATION.
The worst of masks however is the MASK OF RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY which cloaks evil intentions and motives and STEALS the GLORY due to GOD ALONE. This is what Jesus was attacking in this passage.
3 illustrations of religious hypocrisy are given using 3 Jewish acts of devotion which were highly esteemed by the Jews, namely: ALMSGIVING, PRAYER and FASTING. These were prominent PRACTICAL REQUIREMENTS for personal piety in mainstream Judaism which became instruments of SELF-GLORIFICATION which Jesus abhors.
BODY SERMON
Today, we will be looking at the hypocrisy in giving and there are three noticeable points here:
I. Warning for Wrong Motive v. 1a
II. Consequence of Wrong Motive v. 1b
III. Prescription for Right Motive vv. 2 – 4
a. Don’t announce it in Public – v. 2
b. Don’t announce it to Yourself – v. 3
c. God will announce it – v. 4
CONCLUSION
God knows the difference between what is FAKE and what is GENUINE.
We might be able to FOOL MEN, but we can never FOOL God. This is why we need to strive to be pure in HEART and in DEED