Wesley's 6th Discourse
- Pastor Gary
- 4 hours ago
- 24 min read
We are beginning a new sermon series based on the Sermon on the Mount. As part of this we will also be studying Wesley's original sermons. These sermons are a part of the rich history and doctrinal teachings of Methodism.
Below you will find a study guide our small groups and Bible study groups will be using during this series. Also there is an Ai translated version of Wesley's original sermon to aid in your reading. Also there is a preached sermon video from youtube if you are like me and find listening as a better avenue for the content.
Keep growing!
SERMON 26
UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT
DISCOURSE 6
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: Otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: And thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, he shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the Heathen do: For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before you ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”— Matthew 6:1–15
1. In the chapter before this, our Lord described inward religion in its different parts. He set before us those attitudes of heart that make up real Christianity—the inward tempers contained in that “holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” He showed the affections which, when they flow from their right source—from living faith in God through Jesus Christ—are truly and essentially good, and pleasing to God. Now, in this chapter, he goes on to show how all our actions as well—even actions that are neutral by nature—may be made holy, good, and acceptable to God by a pure and holy intention. And he plainly declares that whatever is done without this has no value before God. But whatever outward works are thus set apart for God are, in his sight, of great worth.
2. He shows the need for this purity of intention, first, in actions that are usually counted religious actions—and indeed they are, when done with a right purpose. Some of these are commonly called works of piety; the rest are works of charity or mercy. Of these latter, he names almsgiving in particular; of the former, prayer and fasting. But the directions he gives for these are to be applied equally to every kind of work, whether of charity or of mercy.
Part I.
1. And first, with regard to works of mercy: “Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” “That you do not your alms”—though almsgiving alone is named, every work of charity is included: everything we give, or say, or do by which our neighbor may be helped; by which another person may gain any benefit, whether in body or in soul. This includes feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming or helping the stranger, visiting the sick or those in prison, comforting the afflicted, instructing the ignorant, reproving the wicked, exhorting and encouraging those who do well—and if there is any other work of mercy, it is equally included in this command.
2. “Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen by them.” The thing forbidden here is not simply doing good in the sight of others. The mere fact that others see what we do does not make the action better or worse. But what is forbidden is doing it before others “to be seen by them,” with that as the only purpose. I say, with that as the only purpose. For in some cases, it may rightly be part of our intention that others should see what we do, and yet it may still be acceptable to God. We may intend that our light should shine before others, while our conscience, in the Holy Spirit, bears witness that our final aim in letting them see our good works is “that they may glorify our Father who is in heaven.”
But take heed that you do not do even the smallest thing with a view to your own glory. Take heed that the desire for human praise has no place at all in your works of mercy. If you seek your own honor, if you intend to gain the praise that comes from people, then whatever is done with that purpose is of no value. It is not done for the Lord; he does not accept it; “you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
3. “Therefore when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have praise from men.” The word synagogue here does not mean a place of worship only, but any public gathering place, such as a marketplace or exchange. It was common among wealthy Jews—especially the Pharisees—to have a trumpet sounded in the most public parts of the city when they were about to give a large gift. The supposed reason was to gather the poor to receive it. But the true reason was that they might receive praise from others.
Do not be like them. Do not announce your own generosity. Use no display in doing good. Seek only the honor that comes from God. Those who seek the praise of others have already received their reward. They should expect no praise from God.
4. “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” This is a figure of speech, meaning: do it as secretly as possible—so secretly as the action itself allows. Do not leave it undone; do not miss any opportunity to do good, whether in secret or in public. But do it in the most hidden way that is consistent with actually doing it, and with doing it effectively.
There is, however, an exception. If you are fully convinced that by not concealing what is done, either you yourself will be enabled, or others stirred up, to do even more good, then you need not hide it. In that case, let your light shine before all who are in the house. But unless the glory of God and the good of others clearly require otherwise, act as privately and unnoticed as the nature of the deed allows—“that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Perhaps even in this present world—many examples of this are recorded in every age—but certainly in the world to come, before the great assembly of men and angels.
Part II.
1. From works of charity or mercy, our Lord now turns to what are called works of piety. “And when you pray,” he says, “you shall not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.” You shall not be like the hypocrites. Hypocrisy, that is, insincerity, is the first thing to guard against in prayer. Do not speak what you do not truly mean. Prayer is the lifting up of the heart to God. Any words of prayer without this are nothing but hypocrisy.
Whenever, therefore, you attempt to pray, let it be your single purpose to commune with God, to lift up your heart to him, to pour out your soul before him—not as the hypocrites, who love, or are accustomed, to pray standing in public places, in markets or at street corners, wherever many people are gathered, so that they may be seen by others. That was the only aim of the prayers they repeated there. “Truly I say to you, they have their reward.” They must not expect any from your Father who is in heaven.
2. It is not only seeking the praise of others that cuts us off from any reward in heaven. Purity of intention is equally destroyed by any desire for a temporal reward. If we repeat our prayers, attend public worship, or give to the poor in order to gain advantage, profit, or influence, it is no more acceptable to God than if we did it for applause. Any motive limited to this present life—any design short of promoting the glory of God and the good of others for God’s sake—makes every action, however fine it may appear before people, an abomination before the Lord.
3. “But when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in secret.” There is a time to glorify God openly, to pray and praise him in the great congregation. But when you desire to make your requests known to God more fully and particularly—whether in the morning, at noon, or in the evening—enter into your private place and shut the door. Use as much privacy as you can. Only do not leave it undone. Whether you have a private room or not, pray. If possible, pray where no one sees but God; but if not, still pray to him.
In this way, pray to your Father who is in secret; pour out your heart before him. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
4. “But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do.” Do not speak many words without meaning. Do not repeat the same things over and over again without understanding. Do not think that the power of prayer depends on its length, as the pagans do; for they imagine they will be heard because of their many words.
What is condemned here is not length itself, any more than shortness. It is, first, length without meaning—speaking much while meaning little or nothing. It is the use of empty repetitions. Not all repetition—for our Lord himself prayed three times, using the same words—but vain repetition, as the heathens did when they recited the names of their gods again and again. This is still done among those who are called Christians, not only among the Papists, who repeat the same set of prayers without ever feeling what they say, but wherever people repeat words without heart.
Secondly, it is the idea that we will be heard because we speak at great length, as if God measures prayers by the number of words and is best pleased with what sounds longest in his ears. Such superstition and folly belong to those who have never known the light of the gospel. Let all who are called by the name of Christ leave these things behind.
5. “Do not be like them.” You who have tasted the grace of God in Christ Jesus are fully persuaded that your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Therefore, the purpose of prayer is not to inform God, as if he were ignorant of your needs. Rather, it is to awaken you—to deepen in your heart the sense of your needs and your continual dependence on him who alone can supply them.
It is not so much to move God, who is always more ready to give than you are to ask, as it is to move yourselves—to make you willing and prepared to receive the good things he has already prepared for you.
Part III.
1. After teaching the true nature and purpose of prayer, our Lord gives us an example—a divine form of prayer. Here it is offered chiefly as a pattern and model for all our prayers: “After this manner therefore pray ye.” Yet elsewhere he commands the very words themselves: “When ye pray, say—” (Luke 11:2). So this prayer is both a pattern for shaping our desires and, at times, words to be spoken.
2. We may observe, in general, concerning this prayer: First, that it includes everything we may rightly and innocently ask from God. There is nothing we truly need, and nothing we can ask without offending him, which is not contained in this comprehensive form, either directly or by clear implication. Second, it contains all that we may rightly desire—whatever tends to the glory of God, and whatever is useful or necessary not only for ourselves, but for every creature in heaven and on earth. Indeed, our prayers are the proper test of our desires; for nothing ought to have a place in our desires which cannot have a place in our prayers. What we may not pray for, we ought not to desire. Third, this prayer contains all our duty to God and to others—everything pure and holy, everything God requires of his children, everything pleasing in his sight, and everything by which we may benefit our neighbor.
3. This prayer consists of three parts: the preface, the petitions, and the doxology, or conclusion. The preface—“Our Father who art in heaven”—lays the general foundation of prayer. It contains what we must first know about God if we are to pray with confidence of being heard. It also points out the tempers with which we must approach him—those attitudes of heart that are absolutely necessary if our prayers, and even our lives, are to be accepted by him.
4. “Our Father.” If he is a Father, then he is good and loving toward his children. Here is the first and great reason for prayer. God is willing to bless; therefore, let us ask for his blessing. “Our Father”—our Creator, the Author of our being; he who formed us from the dust of the earth, who breathed into us the breath of life, and we became living souls. Since he made us, we may ask of him; and he will not withhold any good thing from the work of his hands.
“Our Father”—our Preserver, who day by day sustains the life he has given, from whose continued love we receive life, breath, and all things each moment. So much the more boldly may we come to him, that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need. Above all, he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all who believe in him; who justifies us freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus; who has blotted out all our sins and healed all our diseases; who has received us as his own children by adoption and grace; and because we are sons, has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father”; who has begotten us again of incorruptible seed and created us anew in Christ Jesus. Therefore we know he hears us always; therefore we pray without ceasing. We pray because we love; and we love him because he first loved us.
5. “Our Father.” Not mine alone who now call upon him, but ours in the widest sense—the God and Father of the spirits of all flesh; the Father of angels and of men. Even the heathen acknowledged him as the Father of gods and men. He is the Father of the universe, of all families in heaven and on earth. Therefore there is no favoritism with him. He loves all that he has made. “He is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works.”
His delight is in those who fear him and trust in his mercy—those who trust in him through the Son of his love, knowing they are accepted in the Beloved. And if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another—indeed, all mankind; for “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,” that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
6. “Who art in heaven.” High and exalted—God over all, blessed forever. He sits upon the circle of the heavens and sees all things in heaven and on earth. His eye passes through the whole created order, and even into what is unseen. To him all his works are known—not merely from the beginning of the world, but from eternity, from everlasting to everlasting. Before him the hosts of heaven, as well as the children of men, cry out in wonder, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”
“Who art in heaven”—the Lord and Ruler of all, directing and ordering all things; the King of kings and Lord of lords; the blessed and only Ruler; strong and clothed with power, doing whatever pleases him; the Almighty, for whenever he wills, it is done. Heaven is especially his throne, the place where his honor dwells. Yet not there alone; for he fills heaven and earth. Heaven and earth are full of his glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high! Therefore let us serve the Lord with fear and rejoice before him with reverence. Let us think, speak, and act as always under his eye, in his immediate presence.
7. “Hallowed be thy name.” This is the first of the six petitions. The name of God means God himself—his nature as far as it can be known by us. It includes his existence and all his attributes: his eternity, shown in his great name, Jehovah—“the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, who is and who was and who is to come”; his fullness of being—“I AM THAT I AM”; his omnipresence; his omnipotence, for he is the true and ultimate agent in the material world; all matter is powerless in itself and moves only as moved by the hand of God. He is the spring of action in every creature, visible and invisible, which could neither exist nor act without his constant power. It includes his wisdom, seen clearly in the order of the universe; his Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity, revealed from the first line of Scripture and throughout the writings of prophets and apostles; his essential purity and holiness; and above all, his love, which is the very brightness of his glory.
When we pray that God’s name be hallowed or glorified, we pray that he may be known as he truly is by all who are capable of knowing him; that he may be honored, feared, and loved with affections suitable to that knowledge; that all in heaven and on earth—angels and men—may glorify him for whom they were made, to know and love him forever.
8. “Thy kingdom come.” This petition closely follows the first. For God’s name to be hallowed, his kingdom must come. This kingdom comes to a particular person when he repents and believes the gospel; when he is taught by God to know himself and to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. As eternal life is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, so the kingdom of God begins below when it is set up in the believer’s heart. Then the Lord God Almighty reigns there. He takes his great power and subdues all things to himself. He goes on conquering in the soul until every thought is brought into obedience to Christ.
When God gives his Son the nations for his inheritance, and the ends of the earth for his possession; when all kingdoms bow before him and all nations serve him; when the mountain of the Lord’s house is established above all others; when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and all Israel is saved—then it will be clearly seen that the Lord is King and has put on glorious majesty. It is fitting for all who love his appearing to pray that he would hasten that day—that his kingdom of grace may swallow up every earthly kingdom; that all mankind, receiving him as King and believing in his name, may be filled with righteousness, peace, and joy, with holiness and happiness, until they are brought into his heavenly kingdom to reign with him forever.
In these words we also pray for the coming of his everlasting kingdom—the kingdom of glory in heaven, which perfects the kingdom of grace on earth. Thus this petition is offered for all intelligent beings, for all are concerned in the final renewal of all things, when God will end sin and misery, weakness and death, and establish a kingdom that shall endure throughout all ages.
9. “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” This is the necessary and immediate result wherever the kingdom of God has come—wherever God dwells in the soul by faith and Christ reigns in the heart by love.
At first hearing, many suppose these words mean only resignation—a willingness to suffer whatever God appoints. And this indeed is a holy and precious grace. But this is not the chief meaning here. We pray not merely for passive submission, but for active obedience. We ask not only to endure his will, but to do it.
How is the will of God done in heaven by his holy angels? They do it willingly. They love his commands and gladly listen to his word. It is their food and drink to do his will; it is their highest joy and glory. They do it continually. There is no pause in their willing service. They do not rest day or night, but spend every moment—speaking in human terms—in fulfilling his commands and carrying out his purposes. And they do it perfectly. No sin, no defect is found in them. Though even the stars are not pure in comparison with him, yet they are without spot in themselves, wholly devoted to his will and entirely obedient.
10. Seen from another angle, the angels do all the will of God. They do nothing except what they are certain is his will. They do all his will in the manner he desires, and in no other way. And they do it for this reason alone—that it is his will. This is their only motive.
When, therefore, we pray that the will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are asking that all people may do the will of their Father as willingly as the angels do; that they may do it continually, without interruption; and that they may do it perfectly. We pray that the God of peace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, would make us perfect in every good work to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight.
In other words, we pray that we and all mankind may do the whole will of God in everything, and nothing else—not even the smallest thing outside his holy and acceptable will. We ask that we may do it in the way that pleases him, and that we may do it for this reason alone—that it is his will. Let this be the only motive of all we think, speak, or do.
11. “Give us this day our daily bread.” In the first three petitions we prayed for all mankind. Now we turn to ask for the supply of our own needs—though even here we do not limit our prayer to ourselves alone. This, like the petitions that follow, may be offered for the whole Church of Christ on earth.
By “bread” we may understand everything necessary for life, both for body and soul—the things that belong to life and godliness. Not only outward food, which perishes, but also the spiritual bread—the grace of God, the nourishment that endures to eternal life. Many of the early fathers understood this to include the sacramental bread as well, which in the earliest days of the Church was received daily and highly valued as a chief means by which the grace of the Spirit was conveyed to believers.
“Our daily bread.” The word translated daily has been explained in different ways. But its plain meaning seems to be what is sufficient for this day—and so for each day as it comes.
12. “Give us.” We claim nothing by right, but ask only from free mercy. We do not deserve the air we breathe, the ground beneath our feet, or the sunlight that shines on us. All we deserve is condemnation. But God loves us freely; therefore we ask him to give what we cannot earn and cannot provide for ourselves.
Yet this does not excuse laziness. It is his will that we use diligence in every duty—that we exert ourselves as if success depended entirely on our own effort. And then, as though we had done nothing, we depend entirely on him, the giver of every good and perfect gift.
“This day.” We are not to worry about tomorrow. Our wise Creator has divided life into separate days so that we may see each one as a new gift from him—another life to be used for his glory. Each evening may be as the close of life, beyond which lies only eternity.
13. “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Since nothing but sin can hinder the blessings of God from flowing freely to us, this petition naturally follows the former. We ask that all obstacles be removed so that we may fully trust in the God of love for every good thing.
“Our trespasses.” The word properly means our debts. Scripture often speaks of sins as debts, for every sin places us under new obligation to God, to whom we already owe everything. What then shall we answer when he says, “Pay what you owe”? We are completely bankrupt. We have nothing with which to repay. We have wasted all. If he dealt with us strictly according to justice, he must command us to be bound and delivered to punishment.
Indeed, we are already bound—bound by the chains of our sins. Viewed in relation to ourselves, they are chains of iron. They are wounds that have torn and weakened us. They are diseases that drain our strength and bring us toward death. But viewed in relation to God, they are debts—vast and beyond number. Therefore, since we cannot pay, we cry out that he would freely forgive us all.
The word “forgive” also means to release—to loosen a chain. When our debts are forgiven, the chains fall away. When we receive forgiveness through the free grace of God in Christ, we also receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in him. Sin loses its power; it no longer rules over those who are under grace. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in them as they walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
14. “As we forgive those who trespass against us.” In these words, our Lord clearly declares both the condition and the measure of our forgiveness. All our sins are forgiven if we forgive others—and forgiven in the same way and degree as we forgive.
First, God forgives us if we forgive others. This is of the highest importance. So careful is our Lord that we not forget it that he repeats it immediately after the prayer: “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15).
Second, God forgives us as we forgive others. If any bitterness remains in us, any hidden resentment or anger; if we do not forgive clearly, fully, and from the heart, then we limit the forgiveness we receive. God may show some mercy, but we do not allow him to blot out all our sins and forgive all our iniquities.
And what are we doing when we speak these words without forgiving from the heart? We are daring God to act against us. We are, in effect, saying, “Do not forgive us at all.” We are asking him to remember our sins and leave us under his wrath. Can anyone seriously pray such a prayer? Do not tempt him any longer. Even now, by his grace, forgive as you would be forgiven. Show compassion to your fellow servant, as God has had mercy on you.
15. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” The word temptation here means trial of any kind. In earlier English it was used broadly, though now it usually means a direct temptation to sin. Scripture uses it both ways. James speaks first in the general sense: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life” (James 1:12). Then he uses it in the narrower sense: “Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desire and enticed” (James 1:13–14).
To be drawn away from God by desire is to enter into temptation. It then spreads like a cloud over the soul. How difficult it is to escape once entangled! Therefore we ask God not to lead us into temptation—that is, since he tempts no one, not to allow us to be led into it.
“But deliver us from evil”—or more exactly, from the evil one, the wicked one, the prince of this world who works powerfully in the disobedient. All who are children of God by faith are delivered from his dominion. He may fight against them; he will indeed fight. But he cannot conquer unless they betray themselves. He may trouble them for a time, but he cannot destroy them, for God is on their side and will, in the end, avenge his chosen ones who cry to him day and night. Lord, when we are tempted, do not allow us to fall into it. Make a way of escape, that the evil one may not touch us.
16. The conclusion of this divine prayer—the doxology—is a solemn thanksgiving and acknowledgment of God’s attributes and works. “For thine is the kingdom”—the sovereign right over all that has ever been created. Your kingdom is everlasting, and your rule endures through all generations. “The power”—the authority by which you govern all things, by which you accomplish whatever pleases you in every part of your dominion. “And the glory”—the praise owed to you from every creature, for your power, your kingdom, and all your mighty works from everlasting to everlasting.
“For ever and ever. Amen.” So be it.
I believe it will not be unacceptable to the serious reader, to subjoin
A PARAPHRASE ON THE LORD’S PRAYER
1 Father of all, whose powerful voice
Call’d forth this universal frame;
Whose mercies over all rejoice,
Through endless ages still the same.
Thou, by thy word, upholdest all;
Thy bounteous love to all is show’d,
Thou hear’st thy every creature’s call,
And fillest every mouth with good.
2 In heaven thou reign’st, enthroned in light,
Nature’s expanse beneath thee spread;
Earth, air, and sea before thy sight,
And hell’s deep gloom are open laid.
Wisdom, and might, and love are thine:
Prostrate before thy face we fall,
Confess thine attributes divine,
An hail the Sovereign Lord of All.
3 Thee, sovereign Lord, let all confess
That moves in earth, or air, or sky
Revere thy power, thy goodness bless,
Tremble before thy piercing eye.
All ye who owe to Him your birth,
In praise your every hour employ:
Jehovah reigns! Be glad, O earth!
And shout, ye morning stars, for joy!
4 Son of thy Sire’s eternal love,
Take to thyself thy mighty power;
Let all earth’s sons thy mercy prove,
Let all thy bleeding grace adore.
The triumphs of thy love display;
In every heart reign thou alone;
Till all thy foes confess thy sway,
And glory ends what grace begun.
5 Spirit of grace, and health, and power,
Fountain of light and love below,
Abroad thine healing influence shower,
O’er all the nations let it flow.
Inflame our hearts with perfect love;
In us the work of faith fulfil;
So not heaven’s hosts shall swifter move
Than we on earth to do thy will.
6 Father, ‘tis thine each day to yield
Thy children’s wants a fresh supply:
Thou cloth’st the lilies of the field,
And hearest the young ravens cry.
On thee we cast our care; we live
Through thee, who know’st our every need;
O feed us with thy grace, and give
Our souls this day the living bread!
7 Eternal, spotless Lamb of God,
Before the world’s foundation slain,
Sprinkle us ever with thy blood;
O cleanse and keep us ever clean.
To every soul (all praise to Thee!)
Our bowels of compassion more:
And all mankind by this may see
God is in us; for God is love.
8 Giver and Lord of life, whose power
And guardian care for all are free;
To thee, in fierce temptation’s hour,
From sin and Satan let us flee.
Thine, Lord, we are, and ours thou art;
In us be all thy goodness show’d;
Renew, enlarge, and fill our heart
With peace, and joy, and heaven, and God.
9 Blessing and honour, praise and love,
Co-equal, co-eternal Three,
In earth below, in heaven above,
By all thy works be paid to thee.
Thrice Holy! thine the kingdom is,
The power omnipotent is thine;
And when created nature dies,
Thy never-ceasing glories shine.
Study Guide
Week 6 – Living for an Audience of One
Scripture: Matthew 6:1–15
Introduction
In Matthew 6, Jesus shifts from describing the heart of true righteousness to exposing the motives behind our actions. It’s possible to do the right things—give generously, pray faithfully, serve sacrificially—and still miss the heart of God if our intentions are misplaced. John Wesley reminds us that outward religion only becomes holy when it flows from a pure intention: a desire to please God alone.
This week invites us to examine not just what we do, but why we do it. Jesus calls us to live for an audience of One—practicing generosity, prayer, forgiveness, and trust in ways that shape our hearts, not our reputation.
GATHER
Purpose
To reflect honestly on our motivations and recognize how easily good spiritual practices can drift toward self-focus rather than God-focus.
Personal Discovery
When you do something good—serve, give, pray—what thoughts tend to follow? Satisfaction? Gratitude? A hope that others will notice?
Where do you feel most tempted to seek approval from others: church, family, work, or community involvement?
How comfortable are you with doing something good that no one else ever sees?
Group Discussion
Why do you think Jesus is so concerned about motives rather than just behavior?
Can you think of a time when doing “the right thing” didn’t bring the joy you expected? What might have been happening internally?
How does our culture encourage public recognition—even for good deeds?
GROW
Purpose
To understand Jesus’ teaching—and Wesley’s insight—that purity of intention is what makes ordinary actions holy.
Summary
Wesley explains that Jesus addresses three core practices—giving, praying, and forgiving—not to discourage them, but to rescue them from hypocrisy. Hypocrisy isn’t pretending to be religious; it’s performing religious acts for the wrong reasons. When our goal becomes praise, recognition, or even personal benefit, the spiritual value of the act is lost.
Jesus teaches that God sees what happens in secret—and that’s where true spiritual formation occurs. Prayer isn’t about impressing God or others; it’s about shaping our hearts. Forgiveness isn’t optional; it’s essential to living in the grace we’ve received. And daily dependence on God—for bread, grace, and protection—keeps us grounded in humility and trust.
At the center of this teaching stands the Lord’s Prayer, not just as words to repeat, but as a pattern that reorders our loves, priorities, and desires toward God’s kingdom.
Personal Discovery
Which part of Jesus’ teaching challenges you most right now: giving quietly, praying sincerely, forgiving freely, or trusting daily?
In what ways might your spiritual practices be more about control or comfort than dependence on God?
How does praying “Your will be done” change the way you approach decisions or struggles?
Group Discussion
Wesley says prayer isn’t about informing God, but forming us. How have you seen that to be true in your life?
Why do you think forgiveness is so tightly connected to our experience of God’s grace?
What would it look like for your group or church to practice faith more “in secret” this week?
GO
Purpose
To practice a quiet, sincere faith that shapes everyday life and reflects the character of Christ.
Take It Home – Mark of Holiness
This week’s mark of holiness:I practice my faith for God’s approval, not human applause.
Choose one spiritual practice this week—giving, praying, serving, or forgiving—and intentionally do it in a way no one else will notice. Let it be an offering to God alone.
Scripture Readings for the Week
Monday: Matthew 6:1–4
Tuesday: Matthew 6:5–8
Wednesday: Matthew 6:9–13
Thursday: Matthew 6:14–15
Friday: Psalm 51:6
Saturday: Colossians 3:1–4
Memory Verse
“Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”— Matthew 6:4
Prayer Prompt
“Father, search my heart. Purify my intentions. Teach me to live for Your glory alone, to trust You daily, to forgive freely, and to pray sincerely. Form in me a quiet, faithful obedience that reflects Your love. Amen.”
