In chapter six of Matthew, He starts to demonstrate how our inner selves, including our motivations, are actually more significant than our deeds. His point is not that what we do is insignificant, but rather that selfishness can result from doing good things for the wrong reasons.
In the verse 1 of Matthew 6 says “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” which means your “righteous” activities won’t be rewarded if you act in a way meant to catch people’s attention. For “practicing righteousness” in the methods Jesus is instructing, the Father does truly reward His people in heaven. He does not commend actions carried out to win the admiration and respect of others.
Jesus says “When you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you,” . Jesus warns against making a show of your generosity (just as dignitaries would have their trumpeters blast their trumpets when they came so that everyone would pay attention). He calls these givers of being hypocrites.
Jesus commands us not to pray in the manner of two groups of people in Matthew 6, Jesus referred to the first category as “hypocrites.” In order to be noticed by others, they enjoy standing and praying at synagogues and on street corners. Do you merely pray for others to see? Or do you pray like the Gentiles, the second group Jesus spoke to in verse 7 who utter a lot of empty words in the hope that they will be heard?
As you can see, the problem is not with the act of giving or praying, but with the state of your heart. For worship to be considered acceptable, motive purity is important.
To show how spiritual they are, they don’t groom themselves during a fast and walk about all day looking dejected. This is how hypocrites do their fasting and They will only receive that as reward. Jesus advises that you should fast for God and not for the benefit of other people. Your face should be washed. Keep it a secret from everyone. God will be aware, and He will bless you. (Matthew 6:16–18).
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Jesus then discusses the topic of money and the listeners’ emotions. Faithful believers shouldn’t hoard goods and money on earth. Money is one example of a material good that is transient and difficult to hold onto. His argument is not that having money is inherently bad. Prioritizing material possessions before a relationship with God is harmful. Better is to gather “treasures” in heaven, which entails making moral decisions out of genuine devotion to God. The ultimate priority of a person’s heart is how they choose to invest their treasure—including time, money, and emotion. (Matthew 6:19–21)
Jesus addressed topics like concern and anxiety and the necessity to put one’s whole reliance on God for all circumstances of life after having touched on particulars like charity giving, prayer, fasting, and one’s attitude toward possessions. “For this reason,” Jesus told them,”So, I’m here to tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you’re going to eat or drink, or what you’re going to put on your body. Isn’t there more to life than food, and to the body than clothes?”
Jesus then addresses those with little or no money. Even though they are unsure of how they will pay for food and 威而鋼
clothing, he advises them not to live in fear about such necessities. No need to worry! Not to worry! Be at ease! Don’t be scared! God the Father provides for the needs of the flowers and the birds, but His humans are far more precious than that. Nothing is achieved by worrying. The goal of every believer’s life should be to advance God’s kingdom and His righteousness. We can worry about that, knowing that He will provide our every need. Let tomorrow’s problems concern themselves. Rely on God for today’s challenges. (Matthew 6:25–34).