How to Build Your Life on the Rock, part 3 (a Sermon on the Mount series)
How to Build Your Life on the Rock
Introduction: The Danger of Public Piety
We continue our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, the essential blueprint for building your life on the Rock (Matthew 7:24–27). In the previous section, Jesus established the internal character required for true righteousness. Now, He addresses the practice of that righteousness—the godly activities, or acts of piety, that define a devoted life.
Jesus introduces this section with a sharp warning that cuts through superficial religiosity:
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1, NASB 2020)
The core message of Matthew 6 is simple: God’s approval is the only reward worth seeking. We must practice our faith not for the visible applause of the crowd, but for the invisible approval of our Father. Jesus focuses on three core religious practices essential to the godly life: giving, praying, and fasting.
I. The Expectation: When, Not If
Jesus speaks of these three practices using the word “when,” not “if.” This grammatical choice signifies that these are not optional activities for the dedicated follower; they are expected religious obligations and a way of life.
1. When You Give (Matthew 6:2)
- The Expectation: Giving to the poor should be an integral part of the Christian life, reflecting the truth that it is “more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
- The Wrong Way: “Do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do… so that they will be praised by people.” (v. 2) This means avoiding any practice—from literal announcement to public mentions—designed to call attention to your generosity.
2. When You Pray (Matthew 6:5)
- The Expectation: Prayer must be a constant reality, for believers “ought to pray and not become discouraged” (Luke 18:1) and to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
- The Wrong Way: Do not be like the hypocrites “who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people” (v. 5). The moment the focus shifts from communication with God to performance for people, the act loses its spiritual value.
3. When You Fast (Matthew 6:16)
- The Expectation: Fasting is a necessary spiritual discipline, not just for times of crisis, but to actively discipline the body and elevate the spirit’s focus.
- The Wrong Way: Do not “make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people” (v. 16). Fasting is not meant to be a mournful public spectacle.
In all three cases, Jesus’ verdict for the public performer is clear: “Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” They received the only thing they sought—human praise—and therefore, they have exhausted their reward.
II. The Practice: For God’s Eyes, Not Men’s
Jesus corrects these external displays with a clear mandate for secrecy and sincerity. The purpose of these acts is to strengthen our relationship with God, not to blow up our ego on earth.
1. Giving in Secret (Matthew 6:3-4)
Instead of sounding a trumpet, Jesus says: “do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (v. 3). This is a strong metaphor for extreme, quiet, and private generosity. The aim is to ensure that “your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
2. Praying in Private (Matthew 6:6-8)
Instead of standing on a street corner, Jesus instructs: “go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret” (v. 6). Prayer as a religious duty should be a private, intimate dialogue.
He also warns against the “thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do” (v. 7). Prayer is not a magical incantation that works by the sheer volume of words. It is sincere communication with a Father “who knows what you need before you ask Him” (v. 8).
The Model for Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
As a guide for this sincere prayer, Jesus gives the disciples a model, focusing the heart first on God and then on our needs:
- Worship and Sovereignty: Hallowed be Your name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done.
- Needs and Dependence: Give us this day our daily bread.
- Morality and Protection: Forgive us our debts; do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
3. Fasting in Discretion (Matthew 6:17-18)
Instead of distorting one’s face to look miserable, the believer should do the opposite: “anoint your head and wash your face” (v. 17). Maintain a normal, cheerful appearance so that your discipline “will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
III. The Reward: Laying Up Heavenly Treasure
The reason for this emphasis on secrecy and God-focus is the ultimate reward. Giving, praying, and fasting are activities that produce eternal dividends.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:19-20)
Earthly treasures—whether material wealth or public praise—are temporal and can be destroyed by moth, rust, or thieves. The fruit of our godly practice, however, becomes an unperishable treasure in heaven:
- The advancement of the Kingdom of God.
- The salvation of more souls.
- The fulfillment of God’s will in people’s lives.
This celestial investment defines who we are: “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The proper practice of these disciplines redirects our hearts from the temporary things of earth to the eternal things of God.
Conclusion: Strengthening Your Life in the Secret Place
The proper practice of giving, praying, and fasting is what strengthens a life to withstand the trials of the storm:
- Giving reminds us that we are not owners, but stewards of God’s property, freeing us from the bondage of materialism.
- Praying reminds us that we are subjects of God’s Kingdom and followers of His will, placing our trust in the One who is in control.
- Fasting reminds us that we are to live above the influence of the flesh, walking in the reality that we have been seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
These practices, done secretly and sincerely, deepen our roots in the Rock, making our lives strong and our rewards eternal.
Would you like to explore the final part of Jesus’ teaching on worldly concerns, which covers Worry and Wealth, as we continue the Sermon on the Mount series?
