Michael Porter - God-Centered Worship: A Sermon on Matthew 6:1-8
/God-Centered Worship: A Sermon on Matthew 6:1-18
March 15, 2020
Pastor Michael Porter
Sermon Text: Matthew 6:1-18
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Main Idea: Righteous worship is God-centered worship, not self-centered.
Sermon Outline:
I. The Principle of God-Centered Worship (6:1)
II. Three Examples of God-Centered Worship (6:2-18)
a) God-Centered Giving
b) God-Centered Prayer
c) God-Centered Fasting
Spiritual Growth Questions for March 15, 2020
1. Read Matthew 6:1-18 as a group and discuss your initial impressions of the text as a
whole.
2. Briefly skim through Matthew 5. There, Jesus spoke about true righteousness with
respect to the way we live and relate to others. In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus turns now to the
righteousness that his disciples are to display in their religious/worship practices. How
does righteous behavior go hand-in-hand with righteous worship?
3. The idea of “reward” comes up several times in this passage. What reward is gained from
people? How does that reward compare to the reward to be gained from God the Father?
Is this promise of a reward from the Father an unworthy or worthy motive for Christian
discipleship?
4. Look at vv. 2-4. What great danger does Jesus alert us to when giving to the needy as a
ministry endeavor? How does Jesus instruct his disciples to avoid this? How does this
apply to you/your group?
5. Look at vv. 5-6. Why does the hypocrite pray? How does Jesus instruct his disciples to
avoid falling into the same trap? How does this apply in your own private prayer life?
6. Look at vv. 7-15. The distinctive thing about Christian prayer is the nature of the God we
address. What does the Lord’s Prayer tell us about God? How are these aspects reflected
in your own prayers and do they have any impact on the way you worship?
7. Look at vv. 16-18. Fasting is not a popular pastime these days. And yet, the fact that
Jesus says “And when you fast” implies that he expects that his disciples will do so.
Discuss reasons for commending the practice.