Catch up on how things have been since the last time your Impact Group met. Allow anyone new to introduce themselves. Then ask group members:
Ask for a volunteer to read Matthew 6:1-18 to the group, praying a short prayer that however much they’ve come to know Jesus, they’d get to know him better because of your time together.
Watch Video One
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
Ask your group to look over the sections on giving (verses 1-4), prayer (verses 5-15) and fasting (verses 16-18). Then ask:
Jesus is criticising people who do good things just ‘to be seen’ to be doing them. Jesus says, if you do that – you're a hypocrite.
Watch Video Two
Download this video to watch offline or read the transcript here.
God instructed his people to give to the needy, pray to him, and fast from food as a way of worshipping and enjoying him.
Jesus invites us to know the true reward of being able to enjoy God. We can also know the reward of our Father’s ‘well done’ as he sees our good deeds.
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, God is described as a loving Father.
When Jesus calls people to give, pray, and fast ‘in secret’, it’s important to realise what he is not saying. Some Christians have taken these verses to mean that any form of public prayer and worship is sinful. Others have suggested that private worship is somehow more valuable that public worship.
This can’t be what Jesus means. Earlier in his sermon he taught: ‘let your light shine before others, that they may see...’ (Matthew 5:16). Clearly there are times when it’s right that other people see the way that you’re living for God.
It’s crucial to understand that in Matthew 5:16, and in this section of Matthew 6, Jesus’ focus is our motivations: the reason that we’re doing things. Jesus knows that we're so often motivated by seeking the acclaim and praise of others. When we’re focussed on the approval of others, there are times when we’re tempted to hide what we should show (Matthew 5:15), and times when we’re tempted to show off what we should be hiding (Matthew 6:1-18).
The call to do religious deeds in secret, then, is a call to live your life primarily before the eyes of God the Father, not before the eyes of others. Though it’s not wrong for others to see your religious deeds, don't let others seeing be the thing that motivates you. Are you content for only God to see your acts of devotion to him?
Jesus words in verses 14-15 are stark: anyone who does not forgive others will not be forgiven by God. This is not the main focus of today’s study, but should it come up in your discussion, it’s worth thinking about what Jesus is saying.
Jesus is not saying that we’re saved by our ability to forgive; the message of scripture is clear, we’re saved by grace.
Rather, Jesus is describing what will be true if you have experienced God’s forgiveness. If someone has truly experienced God’s forgiveness, it’s inevitable that they will begin to learn how to forgive others. We owe God an unimaginable debt, yet he has freely cancelled it, we’re free! When that gets deep into our hearts, God will help us to forgive those who have hurt us, freeing us and them from the grip of resentment.
There are a few key things that are helpful to remember when it comes to forgiveness:
1) Learning to forgive may take time. Some wounds run deep and sometimes forgiving someone will feel painful and take time. We’ll need support and help as we embark on a journey of forgiveness.
2) Forgiveness can coexist with justice. In more serious offences, it’s right to address the wrong that has been done and seek justice. We can seek this, whilst also walking away from resentment and seeking reconciliation with the person who has wronged us.
3) Forgiveness doesn’t always mean reconciliation. Sometimes those who have hurt us refuse to acknowledge wrongdoing and receive our forgiveness. In such instances, it might be difficult to continue a relationship with that person. Nevertheless, Jesus still calls us to release resentment in our hearts, show them love, and hope that one day true restoration may be possible.
4) Forgiveness really matters. Jesus knows how corrosive resentment can be to our hearts – forgiveness is good for us and makes us more like him. He also knows that as his people forgive, it’s a powerful display of his grace and power to the watching world.
Whether we’re religious or not, all of us are tempted to do good things for the wrong reasons. All of us think too much about how we’re seen by others. We’re tempted to be fake.
The prayer that Jesus teaches his followers in verses 9-13 can help us come to God for help in our hypocrisy.
Use the following phrases from Jesus’ prayer to ask God for help.
After you’ve read each phrase, give extended space for members in your group to pray, asking God for help in your hypocrisy. (If group members are not willing to contribute, there are some suggested short prayers you could pray after a moment of silence.)
Jesus warns against a fake, performative faith. What matters to him is our motivations. That means, so long as we’re merely motivated by wanting approval, it’s not wrong to allow other people to see our ‘real’ spiritual lives. In fact, it’s good thing!
| Personal Actions | Personal Thoughts | Communal Actions |
|---|---|---|
| e.g. reading the Bible | e.g. processing doubts | e.g. attending Impact Group |
Spend some time praying off the back of your discussion.
Thank You – Thank everyone for coming, and ask someone to thank God for your time together in prayer.
Ask – Ask those who are new to reading the Bible if they’d like to explore Uncover, a set of sessions in Mark’s Gospel, allowing them to investigate one of the earliest accounts of Jesus’ life alongside one of you.
Church and CU – What does the CU have planned ahead? And what help would group members value in finding a local church?
Others – Who else could you invite to join your CU Impact Group next week? These friends don’t need to be followers of Jesus and may really appreciate being invited.
See You Soon – Tell the group where and when you’ll meet next week, and arrange who will bring snacks. (You might like to alternate healthy and less healthy weeks!). See if anyone would be up for sharing a meal or just hanging out in the meantime!
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