Playing for Whose Applause?
Text- Matthew 6: 1-8, 16-18
Everybody loves applause! Recognition is a good thing. Last Sunday, you encouraged Pastor Steve and me tremendously by expressing your appreciation for our work in ministry. I guess I am hopelessly sentimental, but as I read your comments at the dinner table - I was choking back tears, much to the amusement of my daughter and son-in-law!
In today’s message, Jesus speaks to the issue of applause and appreciation. I don’t want you to hear the wrong message and conclude that it is wrong to give thanks or to receive it! I labor under that misconception to this day, having a very hard time receiving praise. Praise for a job well done, for faithfulness, or for achievement is a good gift. But, as we will see in our text, if we become focused on gaining awards, if we crave praise - our service will become corrupt.
Whose applause do you seek?
Don’t tell me you don’t need any! You would only be kidding yourself.
• Husbands want their wives to think they are good men.
• Wives want their husbands to desire them, to believe that they are good spouses and mothers.
• Employees are motivated by the possibility of being named Best Production person of the Month.
• Students work to be included on the Honor Roll.
• Teens crave the approval and/or admiration of their peers.
We all like to hear words of approval from our friends. Behind it all is the question that most of us ask ourselves in one way or another.... Am I a worthy person? What makes me valuable?
Tony Campolo, sociologist, writer, and Christian speaker, writes-
"There is a drivenness about the American people....each is trying to establish his or her own place in society through personal achievement. People are supposed to earn their own place on the ladder of success. Somehow we Christians believe that being caught up in the drive to gain recognition and to obtain the symbols of success is something we left behind when we committed ourselves to Christ. But few beliefs are further from the truth....
The symbols of success may change, but Christians are even more plagued than others by anxieties about their performance in life. For Christians the stakes are even higher than for the secularist. We are constantly judging ourselves in negative ways because we fall short of expectations. We think our prayer life is not good enough; or our Bible study is not deep enough; or we aren’t witnessing enough; or we are not loving enough."
1 The Performance Illusion, Chap Clark, Navpress, 1994; Foreword
Close
This anxiety about our personal worth, about our sense of achievement, and God’s approval can easily misdirect our Christianity into a life of performance of good deeds designed to earn the applause of others.
What does Jesus say about that?
TEXT- Matthew 6: 1-8, 16-18 {Pew Bible page 1503}
READ
What is central truth in this whole passage? Keep your focus on the One whose approval matters most!
Jesus sets His teaching in the context of three spiritual acts - giving, praying, and fasting!
GIVING
The first issue Jesus addresses is ‘acts of righteousness.’ In the KJV the word used is ‘alms.’ It specifically refers to charitable work, especially giving to the poor. In the time of Jesus, those who were sick or disabled, blind, or otherwise unable to provide for themselves, depended on begging to provide their daily bread! There were no social programs, no government money, nothing comparable to organizations like Red Cross, Salvation Army, and the like. It was generally accepted that an expression of piety and goodness was shown by giving to those who were begging. The giving was made all the more important by a common idea that those who were suffering, were in that state because of some sin they or their family had committed. So, when you gave to them, not only were you helping to meet their need for food, you were also showing them compassion by ‘overlooking’ the fact that they were in the state they were in because they ‘deserved’ it!
We broaden Jesus’ words about ‘acts of righteousness’ to include all of our giving - to the poor and to the church.
There was in that time, and right down to our time, a temptation to make a show out of giving with the hope that our generosity will impress others!
Imagine this scene.....
*ill.-
As the ushers pass down the aisle with the offering plates, they reach the row near the center of the church. One man takes the plate and stands up. Clearing his throat, he reaches deep into his pocket and pulls out a check, announcing in a loud voice;
"This is my yearly tithe of $10,000 and because I have given this amount I expect to that you will pay attention to my needs, do what I think needs to be done around here. I expect immediate access to the Pastor, a preferred parking spot, and special attention!"
With a glance around to see that he has everyone’s attention, he drops his check into the plate and sits down.
Can you imagine the shock you would feel? I can hear the whispers, see the pointing fingers, and feel the anger that would come over this place. Such a display would be totally out of place and beyond any stretch of good taste. Yet, let me ask you, have you ever given a gift and craved some level of recognition? Perhaps you did not stand up and announce your gift, but did you expect a note of appreciation from the church leaders or, in the case, of an extraordinarily generous gift, did you hope for a plaque in your honor to be affixed to the wall of the church?
If you were walking along the street and were asked by a homeless person for help, you would probably give them a dollar or two, right? How about if you were walking with a person you wanted to impress? Would you be more likely to give a $10 bill? Most of us who find my story about the person announcing his tithe so unthinkable know in our hearts that we are not so pure of motive.
Jesus says that our giving should be motivated by our love for God who is always looking on and who smiles at generosity that is stimulated by love of others. Generosity is not just with money. We can be generous with time, with love, with encouragement, and with service.
{note: This is no reason to stop using checks or envelopes in the offering plate. The government requires every church to issue you a written receipt and good principles of stewardship teach us that we ought to use that deduction that the government provides for us for our giving.}
PRAYING
Have you ever been around somebody who liked to preach with their eyes closed? You know what I mean. When they are supposed to be praying they go on and on to God but you know they are really talking to you.
For example: "Lord, thank you for Pastor Jerry and his ministry. Give him time to visit the elderly people more. Lord, you know how lonely they get at home with no visits for months on end."
No, that really hasn’t happened to me but I have had other prayers prayed over me that were meant for my ears much more than for God. I must admit that occasionally when I pray public prayers, I fall into the trap of speaking to the people in the room instead of God! I misuse my prayers in ways that are not related to actually communicating with the Lord. In that, I sin! May God forgive me. Such ’prayer’ is not prayer at all, because it is addressed to people in the disguise of speaking to God. Honest prayers care nothing for the opinion of those who may hear them, for they are conversation with the One, not the many.
Some people change their whole manner of speaking when they pray. Some change the tone of their voice. Others string together every religious phrase that they have ever heard. Every now and then they throw in a “Glory,” or a “Hallelujah,” and a “Thank you, Jesus.” Sometimes they revert to the language of the King James Bible with liberal sprinklings of thee’s and thou’s tossed in for good measure.
What are they trying to do? To sound holy!
Jesus said, "Stop that foolishness!" Prayer is not a performance of how well you can speak in public. Prayer is talking to God. He points out that to avoid the temptation to address prayers to the wrong audience or to shape our prayers to impress instead around authentic communication with God, that our primary praying should be.....
1. Done in private- “go into your room.”
2. Direct and sincere. “Do not keep on babbling... with many words!”
3. Confident in God’s love, not your worthiness. “Father knows what you need before you ask. “
Jesus does not mean that we should never pray in church, or at work, or any other public place. But when we do pray in those places, we must keep in mind we are petitioning an Audience of One not the people who are listening and we must be very careful of parading our piety in order to impress someone or to cause them to believe that we are spiritual, holy, or have ‘connections’ to God they do not enjoy!
This whole concept became very, very clear to me all the way back in 1973! I was just 18, very much a kid of the church as it was pretty much my whole life. Then, God saved a hippie named Eddie. He was intelligent but he didn’t know any church language and did not have any of the cultural baggage wrapped around his conversion. When Eddie prayed in our Bible studies, he talked with Lord like he talked to us. He told God about things were really “cool” (his expression of praise) and about things were a “bummer” (not good at all). If he felt humble before God, he was quite likely to get down on the floor in church right on his face. He wasn’t showing off. In fact, when he prayed he forgot that anyone but God was listening. I’ve never forgotten that lesson!
When you pray, may that be your frame of mind. Speak to God and God alone for He is your Audience of One.
FASTING [SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES]
Fasting was a discipline much practiced by Jews. There were various kinds of fasts and fasts that were part of the religious calendar. By the way, we should not forget that they also practiced numerous Feasts!
There were fasts in which the person abstained from all food. Jesus entered into a fast of 40 days duration at the very beginning of His public earthly ministry. There were partial fasts, in which a person did not eat specific kinds of foods, often richer foods or more things like meat.
In Jesus’ time, some of the religious leaders who entered into a fast made certain that other people knew that they were depriving themselves of food. It looked so holy, so admirable to "suffer" such a religious discipline. So these men went out around town looking frightful. They didn’t watch the night goop out of their eyes or comb their hair. [that is what v. 17 is referring to] Sometimes they went so far as to smear ashes on their faces to show the depth of their devotion.
Once again, do not come to the wrong conclusion. Jesus is not condemning fasting or any other rigorous spiritual discipline! He is reminding us that the purpose of spiritual disciplines is not to impress others with our holiness or our courage or our devotion. Fasting is to sharpen our focus on God, to help us listen more attentively to the voice of the Holy Spirit!
Spiritual disciplines done to impress people produces exactly the result desired - admiration! But, does it make the one doing it truly holy? No! Jesus says, MAT 6:16 "....I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." Their hearts were not changed at all. They got what they wanted; the admiring glances of other people.
The contemporary equivalent of these fasting hypocrites is the Christian who is always ready to remind those who listen to him about how much it has cost him to follow Jesus. Each one of us is tempted to put our spiritual disciplines on display from time to time. Even the Apostle Paul let the church in the city of Corinth get to him. They be-littled his ministry and he stooped to some unspiritual boasting about the cost of his discipleship. (2Corinthians 11:23-28)
(23) Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. (24) Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. (25) Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, (26) I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. (27) I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (28) Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
When you are tempted to remind someone what your decision to follow Jesus has "cost" you quickly remind yourself what you have been given: eternal life, peace, hope, the love and acceptance of Almighty God. If you are feeling unappreciated, resist the urge to boast or to put your piety on parade. Instead, go the Lord and thank Him for the privilege of being His servant.
In closing, I want to point out a phrase that Jesus repeats several times in this short passage. [MAT 6:4] ...."Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." God never forgets, never slips up, and never fails to notice your faithful giving, praying, or practice of spiritual disciplines.
Is Jesus telling us to become secretive, obsessed with privacy?
Not for a moment. Some people have completely missed the point of the passage. Jesus is simply telling us to perform for the proper audience: our Father in Heaven. The applause of your family, your friends, and even your church can be earned by hard work and putting out the right press releases! But it is temporary applause, feeding only your own ego. Jesus reminds us that if we seek only earthly applause, we are likely to become hypocrites: that is, those who put up a great front and who look holy but who are without a genuine spiritual experience.
Here’s the paradox in all of this.
Our good works will attract attention. In this same sermon, Jesus says, "Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven!" The goodness and love that comes from the life of the Spirit in us will make us stand out in a sin-filled world in stark contrast. But, never should our intent be to attract attention! We simply love God, giving our best to Him, seeking His will in all things, and living a life that is shaped to win His approval. The by-product of that kind of life is an undeniable reality that brings attention, not so much to me or you, but to the One we love.
Believer are you trying to look good or are you seeking to serve God well? On the surface the difference is so slight it is seldom noticed, but over time religion that used to enhance our reputation or our standing in the church shows the corrupt core, rotting from the inside out. That kind of pride shows itself in envy and jealous, in craving of recognition, in striving for positions of power and/or influence and James say that
"Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced." (James 3:16-17, The Message)
Rotten motives among those who ’serve’ lead to many a church fight and much bickering among Believers whose lives should be the epitome of love, according to the Savior’s wisdom.
Pastor Bill Hybels wrote a book with this simple title- Who You Are When No One’s Looking. That is, I believe, a great test for the authenticity of our desire to serve God.
Are you prayers as loud and fervent in your bedroom as they are in the sanctuary?
Are your secret thoughts as pure as your carefully screened words?
Do you give of your self and your time to those who cannot repay as generously as you do to those who have the ability to repay you with thanks and/or kindness?
Applause and praise is a good thing. Just make sure that you are performing for the right audience - the audience of One so that the praise that comes your way is the best praise and that your performance is pure.
Amen
Jerry D. Scott, copyright 2007
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