God’s Saving Word: Wisdom

Introduction

Matthew 6:1-15: In today’s reading, Jesus teaches his followers about giving to the needy and about prayer. With each teaching, Jesus warns his followers to “not be like the hypocrites” who do things publicly so that others will be impressed by their piety. The reading concludes with Jesus offering a model for prayer, known in many Christian faith traditions as “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Scripture Reading

Teaching about Charity

“Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.

“So when you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

Teaching about Prayer

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.

“When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven:
    May your holy name be honored;
10 may your Kingdom come;
    may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need.
12 Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
    as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.
13 Do not bring us to hard testing,
    but keep us safe from the Evil One.’

14 “If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done.

Today’s Key Verse: Matthew 6:6

[Jesus said:] “When you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.”

Reflect

For what sorts of things does Jesus want his followers to pray? What lessons on prayer do you learn from the prayer that Jesus taught (verses 9-13)? What is the relationship between prayer and forgiveness? What will you pray about today?

Pray

Our Father in heaven: may your holy name be honored; may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us. Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Matthew 6:16-34:  Jesus teaches about fasting and warns against the false security of trusting in wealth.