MATTHEW 6

Today’s study has some titles I want to cover. Verses 1-4 About Alms. Verses 5-8 About praying. Verse 9-13 The LORD’s Prayer. Verses 14-15 Forgiveness of others. Verses 16-18 Jesus teachings on fasting. Verses 19-21 treasures in heaven. Verses 22-23 the light of the body. Verses 24-34 trust in one master. Matthew 6 and verse 1 reads.

Mat.6:1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Do not give alms to be seen of others, do them privately because it is between you and the LORD. Let’s look at this word Alms. It is G1654 eleēmosunē pronounced el-eh-ay-mos-oo’-nay. And means; compassionateness that is (as exercised towards the poor) beneficence or (concretely) a benefaction. 1. mercy, pity. as exhibited in giving alms, charity. 2. the benefaction itself, a donation to the poor, alms. Alms-deeds or works. We see that alms is the act of giving to the poor. This is why he says “Otherwise you would have no reward of your Father in heaven.”

Mat.6:2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Said here that it is an evil act to do it for show-men-ship. Let’s go to Romans 12 and verse 8 reads.

Rom.12:8] Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Do it with simplicity and give with cheerfulness. Why? He continues.

Rom.12:9] Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Remember he said not like those hypocrites in the synagogues, they are evil. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 3 reads.

Mat.6:3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Do it privately.

Mat.6:4] That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

We do it for the glory of God, that’s our blessing. Let’s go to Luke 14 and verse 12 reads.

Luke 14:12] Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

The word recompence is what we came here looking for. It means to repay.

Luke 14:13] But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
[14] And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Giving alms in secret justifies you to the LORD and your reward is in heaven. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 5 reads.

Mat.6:5] And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Here is where we go back to that word Recompense. G467; It has two meanings, 1. In a good sense, to repay, requite. 2. In the bad sense, penalty or vengeance.

Mat.6:6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

As Elisha did when the child died, he went in and closed the door. 2Kings 4 and verse 33 reads.

2K.4:33] He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.

The child lived, blessing Elisha openly. When we pray privately, can be in our hearts quietly, the LORD hears and the blessings will be here on earth as well as in heaven. Let’s look at this word Prayer, it means; an intercession for supplication. A seeking, asking, entreaty to God. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 7 reads.

Mat.6:7] But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Don’t let your body get into it, whether by swaying or repeating yourself. Let’s go to Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 2 reads.

Ecc.5:2] Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Back to Matthew 6 and verse 8 reads.

Mat.6:8] Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Let’s go to Psalms 139 and verse 1 reads.

Psa.139:1] O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
[2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
[3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
[4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Now let’s go to Romans 8 and verse 26 reads.

Rom.8:26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
[27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Jesus tells us in John 14 that the Father and the Son dwell within us. Back to Matthew 6, we begin the Lord’s prayer, and verse 9 reads.

Mat.6:9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Holy is the name of the Father. Pray to the Father, but ending in the name of Jesus gives us credentials as being Christians.

Mat.6:10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

People often overlook this verse. The kingdom is the King and his dominion. Saying your kingdom come means; the second advent, the seventh trump, that is his will. Come Lord Jesus, come.

Mat.6:11] Give us this day our daily bread.

The manna from heaven, his Holy Word which is Jesus Christ, give it to us every day. I have done a study titled Our Daily Bread, you can find it in our Topical Teachings. So important, we put it in our Logo. This daily bread is the Word of God, study his Word every day and you will be blessed beyond your imaginations. How important for us to have this heavenly manna we find in Amos 8 and verse 11 reads.

Amos 8:11] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Back to Matthew 6 and verse 12 reads.

Mat.6:12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Debts are said here for our sins. Forgive our sins as we forgive the sins against us by others. Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson here in Matthew 18:23-36, let’s pick it up with the last few verses as the LORD condemns those that do not forgive others. Verse 32 reads.

Mat.18:32] Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
[33] Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
[34] And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
[35] So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Back to Matthew 6 and verse 13 reads.

Mat.6:13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Lord will not put temptations in your way. but know here in the world the tempter reigns. Let’s go to 1Cor.10 and verse 13 reads.

1Cor.10:13] There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

This is a promise from God, he will always show you a way out. Let’s go to 2Peter 2 and verse 9 reads.

2Pet.2:9] The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

And we also learn in 2Thessalonians 3 and verse 2 reads.

2Thes.3:2] And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
[3] But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Jesus will now teach about forgiveness of others. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 14 reads.

Mat.6:14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
[15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Let’s go to James 2 and verse 13 reads.

James 2:13] For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Let’s go to Matthew 18 and verse 21 reads.

Mat.18:21] Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
[22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

That’s 490 times, forgive others and the LORD will forgive your sins. Seems like an easy thing to do for my sins to be forgiven, don’t forget to repent. Now Jesus will teach on fasting. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 16 reads.

Mat.6:16] Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Be bold and not a sissy, we are to be strong in the Father for the Father is our strength. To understand how to fast study Isaiah 58 in its entirety. Here in Mat.6 we are seeing these hypocrites are doing it to be seen. Like with our prayers above, do it secretly.

Mat.6:17] But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

I want you to notice that we are to anoint our heads, with the oil of our people, and wash our faces. Not like the hypocrites who do a washing ceremony. In the book of Ruth, Naomi speaks to Ruth, her daughter in law, and shows her how to approach Boaz. Ruth 3 and verse 1 reads.

Ruth 3:1] Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?
[2] And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.
[3] Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

Anoint and wash, not letting others see your pain of the fast is the point Jesus is making. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 18 reads.

Mat.6:18] That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Same as above with prayers, receive your rewards openly for that that you do privately. Please find time to study Isaiah 58 and see what the Father thinks of fasting. Now Jesus teaches us about our treasures in heaven.

Mat.6:19] Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

It’s not about material things on earth, but of spiritual things we take with us to heaven. These are our works. Let’s go to Revelation 14 and verse 12 reads.

Rev.14:12] Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
[13] And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Our works (good deeds) are the only things we take with us to heaven. Let’s go to James 2 and verse 26 reads.

James 2:26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Without Faith there can be no Salvation, but without Works, your Faith is dead. Back to Matthew 6 and verse 20 reads.

Mat.6:20] But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
[21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Without the Spirit the body is dead. Now we come to the light of the body.

Mat.6:22] The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

If your eye is full of the Spirit, then so is your whole body.

Mat.6:23] But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Let’s go to John 1 and verse 4 reads.

John 1:4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
[5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Jesus is that light within us, it is Jesus that dispels the darkness. Now Jesus teaches us how to trust in one master.

Mat.6:24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mammon is money, let’s go to 1Timothy 6 and verse 10 reads.

1Tim.6:10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Skip down to verse 17 and it reads.

1Tim.6:17] Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
[18] That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
[19] Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

See how our good works follow us. Money is of the world, let’s go to James 4 and verse 4 reads.

James 4:4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Now let’s go to 1John 2 and verse 15 reads.

1John 2:15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Back to Matthew 6 and verse 25 reads.

Mat.6:25] Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

We are to think of our spiritual body not for the flesh.

Mat.6:26] Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

He will feed the manna from heaven to those who search him.

Mat.6:27] Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

You can’t add one inch to your height. It is the LORD that has made you the way you are.

Mat.6:28] And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
[29] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
[30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Think of our gospel armor, even Solomon didn’t have what is set aside for God’s Elect. Read his Word, put on the gospel armor, and do the works that are set for us in these end times.

Mat.6:31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

The LORD will feed and give us to drink in these end times when the famine is in the world. Amos 8:11, and gives us the gospel armor to stand against the fiery darts of the Devil.

Mat.6:32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

In Exodus 3 verse 7-8 while in Egypt the LORD heard his children, and promised them a land full of milk and honey. This was our example in these end times that we also are heard, and he promises us life everlasting.

Mat.6:33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We find even the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, wrote himself that the LORD can humble or abase one in Daniel 4 and verse 37 reads.

Dan.4:37] Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Back to Matthew 6 and verse 34 reads.

Mat.6:34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The LORD will give wisdom and gift you with blessings that all here on earth will see openly. Let’s go to his throne.

Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.

KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible