INTEGRITY IN ALL OUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Rev. Paul Wrightman 10/16/22
WE CONTINUE OUR STUDY OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE, THERE WERE THREE GREAT WORKS
OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE: ALMSGIVING, PRAYER, AND FASTING.
JESUS WOULD NOT FOR A MOMENT HAVE DISPUTED THIS.
WHAT DID TROUBLE HIM IS THAT SO OFTEN IN HUMAN LIFE
THE FINEST THINGS WERE DONE FROM THE WRONG MOTIVES.
IT IS A SAD FACT THAT THESE THREE
PRINCIPAL SPIRITUAL PRACTICES READILY LEND THEMSELVES
TO WRONG MOTIVES.
IT WAS JESUS’ WARNING THAT WHEN THESE THINGS WERE DONE
WITH THE SOLE INTENTION OF BRINGING GLORY TO THE DOER,
THEY LOST BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR VALUE.
PEOPLE MAY MAKE CHARITABLE DONATIONS
NOT REALLY TO HELP THOSE TO WHOM THEY GIVE,
BUT SIMPLY TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR OWN GENEROSITY,
AND TO BASK IN THE WARMTH OF THE RECIPIENTS’ GRATITUDE
AND THE PRAISE OF SOCIETY.
SOME PEOPLE MAY PRAY IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEIR PRAYER
IS NOT REALLY ADDRESSED TO GOD, BUT TO THOSE AROUND THEM.
THEIR PRAYING MAY SIMPLY BE AN ATTEMPT TO DEMONSTRATE
THEIR EXCEPTIONAL PIETY IN SUCH A WAY
THAT NO ONE CAN FAIL TO SEE IT.
SOME PEOPLE MAY FAST, NOT REALLY FOR THE GOOD
OF THEIR OWN SOULS, NOT REALLY TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES
IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, BUT SIMPLY TO SHOW THE WORLD
HOW SPLENDIDLY SELF-DISCIPLINED THEY ARE.
JESUS TELLS US THAT PERSONS WHO GIVE, WHO PRAY,
AND WHO FAST MERELY FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING
A GOOD SHOWING HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR REWARD.
THE ACTUAL GREEK WORD MEANING “REWARD” COMES FROM
THE WORLD OF BUSINESS AND MEANS “HAVE RECEIVED
THEIR PAYMENT IN FULL.”
WHAT JESUS IS SAYING IS THIS:
“IF YOU MAKE CHARITABLE GIFTS TO DEMONSTRATE
YOUR OWN GENEROSITY, YOU MAY GET THE ADMIRATION
OF THE WORLD – BUT THAT IS ALL YOU WILL GET.
THAT IS YOUR PAYMENT IN FULL.
IF YOU PRAY IN SUCH A WAY AS TO FLAUNT YOUR PIETY
IN THE FACE OF OTHERS, YOU MAY GAIN THE REPUTATION
OF BEING AN EXTREMELY DEVOUT PERSON – BUT THAT IS ALL
YOU WILL GET. THAT IS YOUR PAYMENT IN FULL.
IF YOU FAST IN SUCH A WAY THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT
YOU ARE FASTING, YOU MAY BECOME KNOWN AS A DISCIPLINED
SPIRITUAL ATHLETE, BUT THAT IS ALL YOU WILL GET.
THAT IS YOUR PAYMENT IN FULL.”
JESUS IS ABOUT TO GIVE HIS DISCIPLES THE PRAYER
WHICH WE KNOW AS THE LORD’S PRAYER.
BEFORE GIVING HIS DISCIPLES THIS MODEL PRAYER, HOWEVER,
JESUS SHARES WITH THEM SOME SPECIFIC CAUTIONS
ABOUT HOW NOT TO PRAY.
CERTAIN FAULTS HAD CREPT INTO JEWISH HABITS OF PRAYER,
AT LEAST PRAYER AS PRACTICED PUBLICLY BY THE 3% OF THE PEOPLE
WHO WERE SCRIBES, PHARISEES, PRIESTS, AND THEIR SUPPORTERS.
IT IS TO BE NOTED THAT THESE FAULTS ARE BY NO MEANS
PECULIAR TO JEWISH IDEAS OF PRAYER – THEY ARE VERY MUCH
ALIVE AND WELL AMONG CHRISTIANS IN OUR OWN DAY.
AND IT IS ALSO TO BE NOTED THAT THESE FAULTS
COULD ONLY OCCUR IN A COMMUNITY WHERE PRAYER
WAS TAKEN WITH THE GREATEST SERIOUSNESS.
THEY AE NOT THE FAULTS OF NEGLECT;
THEY ARE THE FAULTS OF MISGUIDED DEVOTION.
WHEN JESUS CAUTIONS HIS FOLLOWERS TO “NOT HEAP UP
EMPTY PHRASES AS THE GENTILES DO,” HE IS TAKING ON
ONE OF THE CHIEF ABUSES OF JEWISH PRAYER AS WELL.
FOR THE MOST PART, THE SPONTANEOUS, INFORMAL,
AND HEART-FELT PRAYERS THAT WE FIND IN THE PSALMS
HAD BEEN REPLACED BY THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT
OF JESUS’ DAY BY LONG, FORMAL, LITURGICAL PRAYERS.
THERE WAS OFTEN AN ATTEMPT TO PILE UP EVERY POSSIBLE
TITLE AND ADJECTIVE IN ADDRESSING THE PRAYER TO GOD.
ONE FAMOUS PRAYER OF THAT TIME BEGINS:
“BLESSED, PRAISED, AND GLORIFIED, EXALTED,
EXTOLLED AND HONORED, MAGNIFIED AND LAUDED
BE THE NAME OF THE HOLY ONE.”
THIS PRAYER THEN GOES ON AND ON AND ON FOR SEVERAL PAGES.
JESUS WAS NOT IMPRESSED.
IN ADDITION TO PRAYER HAVING BECOME OVERLY FORMAL
AND OVERLY LITURGICAL, PRAYER WAS OFTEN LIMITED
TO CERTAIN SPECIAL SO-CALLED “HOLY” PLACES
SUCH AS THE TEMPLE OR THE SYNAGOGUE.
LONG, COMPLICATED PRAYERS WERE OFTEN STAGED
IN PUBLIC PLACES FOR THE SAKE OF SHOW.
AGAIN, JESUS WAS NOT IMPRESSED.
CONTRAST THIS HIGHLY IMPERSONAL, FORMAL,
AND LITURGICAL WAY OF PRAYING –
JUST AS PREVALENT IN PRESENT-DAY CHRISTIANITY
AS IT WAS IN THE JUDAISM OF JESUS’ DAY –
WITH THIS ANECDOTE FROM CHRISTIAN WRITER
JOHN FISHER, WHO OBSERVES:
“I HAVE A BAD HABIT.
WHEN MY CHILDREN TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING THEY’VE LEARNED
FOR THE FIRST TIME, I OFTEN ACT AS IF I ALREADY KNEW THAT.
EVEN WORSE, SOMETIMES I TELL THEM HOW THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME YEARS AGO.”
FISHER CONTINUES:
“WHEN MY WIFE HEARS SOMETHING ‘NEW’ FROM THE KIDS,
HER MOUTH DROPS OPEN AND HER EYES WIDEN.
IT’S AS IF SHE HAS NEVER HEARD THIS KIND OF THING BEFORE.
THE KIDS’ FACES BRIGHTEN, AND THEY FEEL AS IF THEY HAVE
ACTUALLY ENLIGHTENED THEIR MOTHER.
I USED TO THINK MY WIFE WAS JUST ACTING AND SOONER OR LATER
THE KIDS WOULD FIND OUT AND FEEL LIED TO.
THEN I REALIZED IT ISN’T AN ACT AT ALL.
THOUGH SHE MAY ALREADY HAVE EXPERIENCED WHAT THEY
ARE TRYING TO TELL HER, SHE’S NEVER EXPERIENCED IT
THROUGH THEM.
THEIR PERSONAL “REVELATIONS” ARE ENTIRELY NEW.”
FISHER GOES ON TO SAY:
IT’S THE SAME WITH GOD.
AS ALL-KNOWING AND SOVEREIGN AS GOD IS, I’M SURE
HE’S STILL EAGER TO HEAR OUR PRAYERS BECAUSE HE HAS
NEVER HEARD IT QUITE THE WAY WE SAY IT.
WE ARE ALL UNIQUE.
WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN SIGNATURE ATTACHED
TO ALL WE DO AND SAY.
OUR LIVES, OUR EXPERIENCES, AND OUR FAITH
EXPRESSED TO GOD ARE NEVER OLD.” (End Quote)
WHEN WE PRAY THE PSALMS, WHICH ARE MODELS
FOR THE WAY THAT JESUS HIMSELF PRAYED,
WE REALIZE THAT THEY REPRESENT MANY AUTHORS
IN A VAST VARIETY OF SITUATIONS, CONCERNS, AND MOODS.
WHAT STRIKES US AS WE PRAY THE PSALMS
IS HOW SPONTANEOUS AND INTIMATE THEY ARE.
NO FEELINGS ARE HIDDEN, NO CONCERNS
ARE CONSIDERED TOO SMALL TO BRING BEFORE GOD.
GUIDANCE, DIRECTION, QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO –
AND WHAT NOT TO DO – ARE OFTEN ASKED,
ALWAYS WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT IF THEY
CAN JUST HANG IN THERE LONG ENOUGH,
GOD WILL SHOW THE WAY.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE FOLLOWING STORY, WHICH I LIKE
TO REMIND MYSELF OF WHEN I’M FEELING
BEWILDERED OR DISORIENTED.
“A HELICOPTER PILOT WAS FOLLOWING
A MAJOR TWO-LANE HIGHWAY AND OBSERVING
THE TRAFFIC BELOW.
ONE PARTICULAR CAR CAUGHT HER ATTENTION.
THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS A LARGE TRUCK,
BUT BECAUSE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND NO-TRAFFIC ZONES,
HE WAS NOT ABLE TO PASS SAFELY.
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, JUST AS HE WOULD PULL OUT,
AN ONCOMING VEHICLE WOULD FORCE HIM TO RETREAT.
THE PILOT, BEING ABLE TO SEE SEVERAL MILES DOWN THE HIGHWAY,
THOUGHT TO HERSELF:
‘IF I COULD ONLY TALK TO THE DRIVER,
I COULD TELL HIM WHEN AND WHERE IT IS SAFE TO PASS.’”
GOD, OF COURSE, IS THE ULTIMATE PILOT.
GOD’S PERFECT KNOWLEDGE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED
TO GUIDE OUR LIFE.
PRAYER IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH GOD,
AND AS WE LEARN TO LISTEN TO GOD’S RESPONSES,
WE WILL FIND THE GUIDANCE WE SEEK.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE WITH AN ILLUSTRATION WHICH,
I THINK, CAPTURES THE SPONTANEITY, THE INFORMALITY,
THE CONVERSATION-WITH-GOD APPROACH, AND THE INTIMACY
WHICH JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT AND PRACTICED.
THIS STORY IS FROM LESLIE WEATHERHEAD, AN ENGLISH METHODIST.
IT IS THE STORY OFAN OLD SCOT WHO WAS QUITE ILL
AND WHOSE FAMILY CALLED FOR THEIR
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MINISTER.
AS THE MINISTER ENTERED THE SICK ROOM AND SAT DOWN,
HE NOTICED ANOTHER CHAIR ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BED,
A CHAIR WHICH HAD ALSO BEEN DRAWN CLOSE.
THE PASTOR SAID, ‘WELL, DONALD, I SEE I’M NOT
YOUR FIRST VISITOR FOR THE DAY.’
THE OLD MAN LOOKED UP, WAS PUZZLED FOR A MOMENT,
THEN NOTICED FROM THE NOD OF THE HEAD
THAT THE PASTOR HAD NOTICED THE EMPTY CHAIR.
‘WELL, PASTOR, I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT CHAIR.
MANY YEARS AGO I FOUND IT QUITE DIFFICULT TO PRAY,
SO ONE DAY I SHARED THIS PROBLEM WITH MY PASTOR.
HE TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY ABOUT KNEELING,
OR ABOUT PLACING MYSELF IN SOME PIOUS POSTURE.
INSTEAD, HE SAID, ‘JUST SIT DOWN, PUT A CHAIR OPPOSITE YOU,
AND IMAGINE JESUS SITTING IN IT.
THEN TALK WITH HIM AS YOU WOULD A FRIEND.’
THE AGED SCOT THEN ADDED, ‘I’VE BEEN DOING THAT EVER SINCE.’
A SHORT TIME LATER THE DAUGHTER OF THE SCOT
CALLED THE MINISTER.
WHEN HE ANSWERED, SHE INFORMED HIM THAT HER FATHER
HAD DIED, SAYING, ‘I HAD JUST GONE TO LIE DOWN
FOR AN HOUR OR SO, FOR HE SEEMED TO BE SLEEPING
SO COMFORTABLY. WHEN I WENT BACK, HE WAS DEAD.’
THEN SHE ADDED, THOUGHTFULLY, ‘EXCEPT NOW HIS HAND
WAS ON THE EMPTY CHAIR AT THE SIDE OF THE BED.
ISN’T THAT STRANGE?’
THE MINISTER SAID, ‘NO, IT’S NOT SO STRANGE,’
AND THEN WENT ON TO SHARE WITH THE DAUGHTER
THE CLOSE, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP THAT HER FATHER
HAD SHARED – AND CONTINUED TO SHARE – WITH JESUS.”
AMEN.