Of the many lessons that occur in the lesson text for today, the one drawn to your attention is Jesus concept of God. Many problems existed in the Jewish religious mindset. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus pointed to many of those problems: their failure to grasp that the focus of righteousness began with an internal emphasis; their failure to understand why they followed God; their failure to understand the focus of divine law; their failure to focus law correctly; their failure to do righteous acts for correct motives; their failure to find eternal security in the correct focus; and their failure to understand the purpose of godliness. The foundation of all their incorrect understandings of righteousness was an incorrect view of God.
An incorrect view of God warps every act of obedience, every effort of spiritual service, and every attempt to praise God. Consider todays text. The basic thrust in the text is this: in righteous acts, ones motives are extremely important to God. Or, stated in another way, why a person does a righteous act is as important to God as the act itself. Thus, if the primary motive for doing a righteous act is a selfish, self-serving motive, the actno matter what it isis not considered by God to be a godly act. For example, if you did what you did to receive human attention, when you received such attention you achieved your objective. You received what you sought in your deed. Since you did not do it for God, God will not respond to the act. In effect, you received what you wanted, and God owes you nothing. When you received what you sought, you were paid in full. You are not entitled to a divine dividend.
To illustrate his point, Jesus used three common religious acts expected of every godly Jew. These three acts were in the foundation of a first-century godly person in Judaism: almsgiving (benevolence), prayers, and fasting. These three were so fundamental to godliness that NO ONE could be considered godly if he (she) did not do these things. Yet, Jesus said in all three things ones view of God was fundamental to these being accepted by God.
Ones view of God? In what way? (1) The person understood that God saw acts even when no human saw the act. (2) God was neither deceived nor manipulated by human deeds. (3) Gods character determined human acts.
The world of the first century did not believe in one God. Idolatry, with rare exceptions, believed in many gods. Idolatry in general did not care how many gods a person worshippedpeople generally were expected to worship more than one god. In fact the worship of multiple gods was not strange, but worshipping only one God was strange. Thus, tiny Judaism was strange, and later, growing Christianity was strange for the same reason. At times, worshipping one God to the exclusion of others gods was looked upon as an expression of atheism!
In this view of gods, the more showy the deed the more likely people were to attract favorable attention from the god or goddess. Gods were not naturally interested in human affairs. Gods could be manipulated. Gods were more likely to hurt than help people.
Jesus said human deeds do not gain Gods attention through showy acts. God is naturally interested not just in human affairs but in human individuals. The purpose of prayer is not to inform God. Human motives cannot be hidden from Godeven if the human wished to hide motives.
Do you realize that if Christians today understood these things about God that these understandings would radically transform congregations now? God knows good that occurs in secret. God does not need flattery or information (there is an enormous need to grasp the difference between flattery and praise). God cannot be manipulated. Gods character determines our actions.
Consider all the changes that would occur IF Christians understood (1) God knows human needs before human requests are made. (2) Gods interest in us is natural. (3) Humans never manipulate God. (4) There does not have to be human knowledge before there is divine knowledge. (5) Christians do what they do because they know and appreciate Gods character.
What if there were no more attempts to bargain with God that said, God, if You will just do Y I promise I will do X. Or, no more attempts to get God to behave in certain ways because we do certain acts. Or, feeling the necessity to inform God because He does not know. What if we forgave others, showed compassion, and had mercy because we valued Gods forgiveness, compassion, and mercy?
Among the many things that would abound would be this: Christian leadership on every level would abound. Why? Christians would do things for God in the confidence that God saw all that occurred. There would be no big Is and little yous because every act of godliness would be important. Impressing others with what we do would be unnecessary and irrelevant. Appreciating Gods true character would become all consuming as Christians appreciated God for who He is.
Would you consciously use your life to lead through service if you did it for God first and people second because you valued God?
For Thought and Discussion
1. What lesson in the text is drawn to your attention?
2. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus pointed to what failures?
3. What was at the foundation of all their incorrect understandings about righteousness?
4. What does an incorrect view of God do?
5. What is the basic thrust of todays text?
6. What three common religious acts did Jesus use as illustrations? Why?
7. What three things did Jesus declare about God?
a.
b.
c.
8. Discuss the general views of idolatry in the first-century world.
9. Discuss Jesus view of God.
10. What changes would occur in congregations if Christians understood Jesus view of God?
11. Would you lead through service if you understood and believed Jesus view of God?
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 7