08/07/2024
When you were a little kid, maybe you sat on your father‘s lap in the front seat of the car, and he made it seem like you were driving the car, but actually, you just had your hands on the wheel. Or maybe Mom gave you a few dollars to get Dad a Christmas present. In both situations, a good parent would be well-pleased to indulge you.
In Matthew six, the continuation of the sermon on the mount, Jesus begins to talk to us about living for an audience of one. Our heavenly father is our great parent, our audience, the final authority, our greatest encourager, and the provider for our identity.
Jesus says first that we shouldn’t give to the poor to be seen by others. Instead, give to the poor secretly and our Father who sees what’s done in secret will reward us. Jesus tells us to say our prayers in secret instead of pretending to pray to God when we are actually trying to impress humans. Our best prayers will be said in our private place– alone with He who is invisible and who sees what is done and secret.
In both of these Sections of Jesus’ sermon, he refers to God as our father. Father God is watching us. He’s given us the tools that we need, the grace that we need, and through Jesus, he’s freed our will from our own selfishness so that we can by his grace, please him.
The sermon next flows into the Lord’s Prayer, after talking about pleasing our heavenly father, Jesus calls on Him. Jesus opens his prayer with “Our Father in heaven,” reminding us that the life-giving way is to live in the Lord, by the Lord, and for the Lord.
