Eternal Rewards and Inner Focus

1. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:16-18) • Fasting • Matthew 6:16–18 (NASB95) • 16“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. • 17“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face • 18so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. The Life of Christ (24)

2. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:16-18) • Fasting • These verses apply the previous rules against approbation lust (wanting others to be impressed by you, showing off for other people) in prayer and giving to fasting. • The religious leaders made sure their appearance announced to everyone that they were fasting. • Fasting is not commanded but if the believer does fast, it should be so he can engage in prayer in a more intense way; fasting is a way of denying ourselves something to focus more closely on God or to seek His will in some important matter. Acts 13:2, 14:23 The Life of Christ (24)

3. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:16-18) • Fasting • Acts 13:2 (NASB95) • 2While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” • Acts 14:23 (NASB95) • 23When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. The Life of Christ (24)

4. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:16-18) • Fasting • If one does fast, he is not to let others know and he is certainly not to brag about it. • Luke 18:11–12 (NASB95) • 11“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. • 12‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ • One should not think that God listens better if your stomach is empty or if it is full. The Life of Christ (24)

5. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:19-24) • Treasure in Heaven • The importance of obeying God in order to seek eternal rewards (SG3). • Matthew 6:19–24 (NASB95) • 19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. • 20“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; • 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. • 22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. • 23“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! • 24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. The Life of Christ (24)

6. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:19-24) • Treasure in Heaven • The importance of obeying God in order to seek eternal rewards (SG3). • Jesus compares the riches of this life and the riches of Heaven and suggests that believers should focus on the riches of heaven, which are not subject to being lost, stolen, ravaged by insects; the riches of Heaven are safe and last forever. • 1 Peter 1:3–4 (NASB95) • 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, • 4to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, The Life of Christ (24)

7. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:19-24) • Treasure in Heaven • The importance of obeying God in order to seek eternal rewards. • Jesus also says that people set their heart (their love and efforts) on that which is the most important to them. • Matthew 6:21 (NASB95) • 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. • Your eye should be on the light of Bible doctrine rather than the darkness of materialism lust, trying to get rich, acquire things that cannot ultimately make us happy. The Life of Christ (24)

8. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:19-24) • Treasure in Heaven • If a believer is focused on money and all it can bring him, he is not focusing on the important matters of pursing the truth. • Matthew 6:22–23 (NASB95) • 22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. • 23“But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! • You cannot make money and things that it can buy the most important thing in your life and believe that you are really serving God and doing His will. • Matthew 6:24 (NASB95) • 24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. The Life of Christ (24)

9. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:25-34) • Faith-Rest Regarding Living Grace • Jesus continues the discussion of the treasures of this world with an exhortation (encouragement) to trust God for your living grace needs. • He gives reasons for why we should not worry about your food, clothing, or how long we are going to live. • Matthew 6:27 (NASB95) • 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? The Life of Christ (24)

10. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Faith-Rest Regarding Living Grace • Matthew 6:25–34 (NASB95) • 25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? • 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? • 27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? • 28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, • 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. • 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! • 31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ • 32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. • 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. • 34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The Life of Christ (24)

11. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:25-34) • Faith-Rest Regarding Living Grace • Jesus uses a comparison between people and the lower creation, teaching us that if God provides so well for the lower creation (birds, flowers, grass), which he loves less, how much more will he provide for believers who He loves with an eternal love. • Matthew 6:26,30 (NASB95) • 26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? • 30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! The Life of Christ (24)

12. The Life of Christ (24) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 6:25-34) • Faith-Rest Regarding Living Grace • The key, Jesus says, is to first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness; the practical way believers do this is through face to face teaching in the local church. The study of sound doctrine (teaching) focuses us on what is really important to God so we can obey Him, please Him, and do those things that He has promised to reward us for. • Matthew 6:33 (NASB95) • 33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. The Life of Christ (24)

13. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • In these verses it is important to compare scripture with scripture or you will not understand the difference between sinful judging and non-sinful judging. • The Bible makes it plain that believers are to have discernment and to judge between righteous and unrighteous activities, what is right and what is wrong. • 1 Corinthians 5:5 (NASB95) • 5I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. • Galatians 1:8–9 (NASB95) • 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! • 9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! • Philippians 3:2 (NASB95) • 2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; The Life of Christ (25)

14. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • The moral code of the Mosaic Law was given so believers could judge between righteous, which God approves, and unrighteous activity, which He does not approve. • This indicates that some kind of judging is not only right but is also commanded and is necessary if one is to have discernment (distinguishing between what is right and what is wrong). • John 7:24 (NASB95) • 24“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” • The key here is to distinguish between judging in the right way and judging in the wrong way. The Life of Christ (25)

15. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • Even the most positive believer has sin and failing in his life, but it is easy to overlook our own failings and focus on the weakness and failings of others. • James 3:2 (NASB95) • 2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. • Matthew 7:3–4 (NASB95) • 3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? • 4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? • One reason for this is that when we are concentrating on others we are not focusing on our own failures; this is one way people make themselves feel good about themselves. • Jesus is saying that our attitude towards other believers should be one of compassion, forgiveness, and understanding rather than an attitude that is too quick to judge and condemn. The Life of Christ (25)

16. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • Believers should concentrate on their own shortcomings and weaknesses and not focus on those of others; if one concentrates on living in fellowship with God, he will be able to help others when they fail (in a kind and compassionate way • Matthew 7:5 (NASB95) • 5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. • Galatians 6:1 (NASB95) • 1Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass (sin), you who are spiritual (in fellowship), restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. The Life of Christ (25)

17. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • Instead, when you see some failure or weakness in another believer, you should pray for him or her; you certainly should not spread it around to others by gossip or slander. • Leviticus 19:16 (NASB95) • 16‘You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the Lord. • Proverbs 20:19 (NASB95) • 19He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip. • One sign of spiritual growth and becoming a mature believer (the type of believer God wants to be with) is that you avoid saying things that can hurt others; remember, once you say something, you cannot unsay it. • Psalm 15:1–3 (NASB95) • 1O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? • 2He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. • 3He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; The Life of Christ (25)

18. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • Also know that even if God does not discipline you immediately for this type of behavior, He does not like it and He says it is foolish for us to do this. • Psalm 50:20–21 (NASB95) • 20“You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. • 21“These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes. • Proverbs 10:18 (NASB95) • 18He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool. • Jesus states that if we are critical and judgmental toward others that we should expect God and others to be critical and judgmental toward us. • Matthew 7:2 (NASB95) • 2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. The Life of Christ (25)

19. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • When you fail and sin do you want someone to rub your nose in it, keep bringing it up, and keep making you feel bad? If not, when others fail and do wrong toward you, forgive them, forget about it, and keep applying doctrine. • Matthew 7:1 (NASB95) • 1“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. • 1 Corinthians 4:21 (NASB95) • 21What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? The Life of Christ (25)

20. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount Scripture (Matthew 7:1-5) • Judging • The difference between sinful judging and non-sinful judging is found in the mental attitude; if you start to think or say that you know what another believer is thinking that is sinful judging since only God knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart (thinking). • Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95) • 12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. • 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NASB95) • 5Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. • Do not fall into the trap of thinking “I know why that person is doing this or that” when you do not know his thoughts or motives. Sinful judging is charging others with intentions that we cannot know that they have. The Life of Christ (25)

21. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Pearls Before Swine • Matthew 7:6 (NASB95) • 6“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. • In this parable, Jesus is teaching how to react when people display total antagonism or hatred to the truth when you speak it to them. • The negative person is described as a “dog” and a “pig” while the Word of God is described as “that which is holy” and “pearls.” • This does not mean that a believer should call those that reject the truth names of any kind. The Life of Christ (25)

22. The Life of Christ (25) • The Sermon on the Mount • Pearls Before Swine • Matthew 7:6 (NASB95) • 6“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. • You have an obligation to present Divine Viewpoint (God’s view) to all those that ask you anything about the truth of the Bible. • 1 Peter 3:15 (NASB95) • 15but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; • However, if someone is not interested in learning the truth of sound doctrine but only wants to argue, then you should not continue to pressure them. • You have fulfilled your obligation to be witness for the Lord when you present the truth; after that, you have to leave it up to the Holy Spirit to work on that person and leave it up to the volition of that person. The Life of Christ (25)

23. The Life of Christ (26) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:7-11) • Further Teaching on Prayer • Matthew 7:7–11 (NASB95) • 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. • 8“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. • 9“Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? • 10“Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? • 11“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! The Life of Christ (26)

24. The Life of Christ (26) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:7-11) • Further Teaching on Prayer • The words “ask”, “seek”, and “knock” all refer to what believers do when they pray. • Jesus says that all who pray will receive their answer at some point; however, believers should not think that God’s answer is always going to be yes. • In verses 9-11 God, our heavenly Father is compared to an earthly father. • If our human fathers, who have a sin nature and fail, know how to properly answer requests from their sons, how much more so is our perfect heavenly Father able to answer prayer requests. The Life of Christ (26)

25. The Life of Christ (26) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 7:7-11) • Further Teaching on Prayer • We must recognize that our earthly fathers might say no when we ask for something because they know more than we do, they have more experience. • A child might ask for something that is dangerous or could hurt or even kill him; thus, children should be glad that their father loves them and protects them from things that could harm them. • Generally, if the request is appropriate and is good for us, we can normally expect a good father to say yes; when a father says no, we should be grateful that they are looking out for us. • Do you always feel grateful when you are told no? The Life of Christ (26)

26. The Life of Christ (26) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture •  Matthew 7:12 (NASB95) • 12“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. • Do Unto Others • This verse has become known as the Golden Rule. • It is the simplest description of how to apply towards others according to the will of God. • If you treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you, then you can’t go wrong. • The secret to this is trying to put yourself in the other person’s place and not focus on only what you want. The Life of Christ (26)