31 How to Give, Pray, and Fast Without Being a Hypocrite (Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-18)

Jesus warns against practicing religion as a performance for others. In Matthew 6, he confronts a critical question: Are you following God because you genuinely seek him, or because you want the approval of those around you? This teaching reveals two kinds of rewards: the temporary praise of people or the eternal blessing of God—and challenges us to examine which one we're really after.In this week's episode, we explore:The three religious practices Jesus addresses: giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting, and why he uses them as diagnostic tools for our heartsWhat "righteousness" and "reward" actually mean in this context, and how they differ from Paul's use of these terms in his lettersThe danger of religious hypocrisy: why Jesus says the Pharisees "have their reward in full" and what that means for us todayThe difference between seeking God's kingdom and seeking human approval, and how both can masquerade as genuine faithWhat it means to be "worldly": not just materialism, but any life lived for rewards in this world rather than the kingdom of GodHow to practice secret obedience: why Jesus tells us to give, pray, and fast in ways that even our "left hand doesn't know what our right hand is doing"After listening to this episode, you'll have a clear framework for examining your own spiritual life. You'll understand how to tell whether your religious activities are genuine expressions of faith or subtle attempts to win approval. Most importantly, you'll be able to identify which reward you're truly seeking—and why that matters for eternity.Series: Matthew’s Gospel 1-7: Behold the King!