Motivation Matters

In one paragraph

This message walked through Matthew 6:1-15 and Luke's shorter parallel version of the Lord's Prayer, set inside the larger Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Adam's central concern was motivation: why we give, why we pray, and whether our acts of righteousness are aimed at God or at an audience. He also drew on the twelve-step tradition and congregation members' own answers to recent homework assignments...

Read together

1. Romans 8:37 quoted as part of a gospel-in-10-words response: 'the story of how we became more than conquerors through him who loved us'
2. John 14:6 referenced as the basis for the three-word gospel response 'here is the way home'
3. Matthew 5 cited as immediately preceding Matthew 6, containing 'your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven'
4. Matthew 6:1-18 the main sermon text, the Sermon on the Mount passage covering giving, prayer, and the Lord's Prayer
5. Matthew 6:1 wooden translation offered: 'beware now the righteousness of you not to do before men in order to be seen by them'
6. Matthew 6:2 on not sounding a trumpet when giving to the poor as the hypocrites do
7. Matthew 6:5 on not praying like hypocrites who love to stand in synagogues and street corners to be seen
8. Matthew 6:6 go into your inner room, close your door, pray to your father in secret
9. Matthew 6:7 do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, thinking they will be heard for their many words
10. Matthew 6:9-13 the Lord's Prayer in Matthew, seven petitions
11. Matthew 6:12 forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors
12. Matthew 6:14 if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly father will also forgive you
13. Matthew 6:15 if you do not forgive others, your father will not forgive your offenses
14. Romans 5:8 cited as the basis for the gospel response 'while we were still sinners, Christ died for us'
15. Revelation 5:9 referenced as a reminder of hallowed be your name, tribes tongues and nations gathered around the throne saying holy holy holy
16. Psalm 67 referenced in connection with hallowed be your name: 'bless us oh God so that we may be a blessing to the peoples, the nations'
17. Luke 11:1-4 the shorter form of the Lord's Prayer, five petitions, prompted by a disciple asking Jesus to teach them to pray
18. Luke 17:20-21 used as the benediction: the kingdom of God does not come with observation, for the kingdom of God is within you

Talk about it

1. Pastor Nathan shared several congregation members' attempts to sum up the gospel in ten words or less. Which one stuck with you most, and what does your own ten-word-or-less gospel look like?
2. Jesus says in Matthew 6 that motivation matters when we give, pray, and fast. Can you think of a time when you caught yourself doing something good partly to be noticed? What does it look like in practice to check your motivation?
3. Pastor Nathan described prayer as 'you acknowledging your need for God' rather than informing God of something He does not already know. How does that idea change the way you think about your own prayer life?
4. The fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer ties God's forgiveness of us to how we forgive others, and Jesus repeats the point three times in verses 12, 14, and 15. Is there an offense you are still holding onto, and what is making it hard to let go?
5. Step 11 of Alcoholics Anonymous says we seek 'through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.' Pastor Nathan asked how your life can promote heaven's influence on earth. What would change in your week if that question shaped how you prayed?