Matthew 6:1-4

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 117
• Hymn — From All That Dwell Below the Skies (#7)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Psalm Reading — Psalm 1 (responsive)
• Hymn — Like a River Glorious (#699)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Sermon
• Hymn — Lord, Thou Lov'st the Cheerful Giver (#434)
• Benediction

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Sermon Title: The Secret Life of Pious Generosity

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-4

I. Introduction: A Warning About Motivation in Piety

A. The new section of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6) shifts from Jesus as lawgiver (ch. 5) to the life of Kingdom people lived before the face of God B. Outline of Matthew 6 (following Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

1. Verses 1–18: The religious life of Kingdom people before God (giving, prayer, fasting)
2. Verses 19–34: The general life of Kingdom people before God C. Verse 1 serves as the introduction to the whole subsection (vv. 1–18), not merely a header for giving
3. The warning against practicing righteousness before people to be seen recurs in vv. 2, 5, and 16
4. The promise of the Father's reward recurs at the close of each illustration: vv. 4, 6, 18

D. Two questions from verse 1

1. What is piety? — The habitual practice of religious devotion before God; the culture and nurture of the soul (Lloyd-Jones); distinct from moral righteousness (ch. 5) — this is religious righteousness in one's direct, vertical relationship with God
2. Why the warning? — Jesus knows the fallen heart's tendency to redirect glory from God to self; the danger ranges from public display to the quiet, subtle self-congratulation of the heart

II. Pious Generosity Is Not for the Gratification of Self (Matthew 6:2)

A. The nature of almsgiving

1. Almsgiving = costly giving of oneself (time, money, material goods) to a person lacking daily necessities; deeds of mercy and pity
2. Rooted in Old Testament duty — Deuteronomy 15 establishes generous provision for the poor as a religious obligation
3. In both Deuteronomy 15 and Matthew 6, the heart's motivation is central — not the act itself, which is assumed

B. The danger of hypocrisy

1. The Greek word for hypocrite originally described a stage actor wearing a mask; the problem is transferring that role-playing into everyday religious life
2. Modern equivalents: posting charitable acts on social media to be seen; the quiet internal self-congratulation ("well done, self") that can subtly fuel future giving
3. Jesus' command — "do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3) — calls for generosity so habitual that self-awareness of the act barely registers; not a prohibition on planned generosity, but a warning against dwelling on and savoring one's own giving

C. The reward of hypocrisy

1. "They have received their reward" — the Greek word used here (misthos) carries the sense of wages, what is naturally due
2. The praise of others and the self-satisfied feeling are the full and final payment — fleeting and ultimately empty
3. The spirit of the age ("obey your thirst") encourages self-gratification, but self-serving generosity yields only a passing feeling

III. Pious Generosity Is for the Glorification of God (Matthew 6:3-4)

A. The right audience for giving

1. The sinful heart is the problem, not the act of giving — Christ's work and the Spirit reorient our motivation
2. Every act of generosity involves a giver and a receiver, but the true intended audience is the Father who sees in secret
3. We give to the needy in the presence of God, before the face of our Redeemer — Jeremiah 17:10: "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind"; Psalm 139: "You have searched me and known me"
4. God is no cold, distant deity — he is intimately and personally invested in his people; his all-seeing knowledge is terror only to those outside his covenant, but comfort and motivation to his children

B. The nature of the reward (Matthew 6:4)

1. A different Greek word for reward is used here than in vv. 1–2 — this word focuses on the action of giving and the source, emphasizing God's personal initiative in rewarding
2. Present dimension: genuine joy in the moment of giving when motivation is pure — an empty stomach filled, a naked back clothed; both giver and receiver experience joy
3. Future dimension (primary emphasis): eternal rewards in the kingdom — parallel language in the sections on prayer and fasting points to eschatological reward; Scripture finds nothing awkward in speaking of rewards for God's people
4. Heavenly rewards will be abundant, without jealousy or a sense of unfairness — overflowing from the hand of a rich and loving Father

C. The glory of God as the goal

1. God is most glorified when his people trust him as their Rich Rewarder and look to please him rather than themselves
2. We step down from the throne of our own hearts and let him reign
3. The believer in Christ has already been given all things in Christ — generosity flows from that reality and returns glory to him

IV. Conclusion: What Is Driving Your Generosity?

A. Three possible engines: self-congratulation, the praise of others, or the God who sees and rewards B. Generosity is assumed for Kingdom people — the question is always the motivation C. Give for His glory; he rewards what is given for his glory; he delights to give good gifts to his children