Greetings everyone and thanks for joining me for this edition of our Sunday School preview. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “Piety That Honors God” and is found in Matthew 6:1-8. This lesson text is part of what is commonly called Jesus’s “sermon on the mount”.
Piety refers to acts or behaviors that are done out of a sense of worship and obedience. Some believe that the more pious a person is the more religious or holy that person is. The lesson text refers to two acts that may be considered acts of piety. They are almsgiving and prayer.
Alms and almsgiving are acts of kindness designed to help someone in need. The form alms take vary according to what a person is giving or doing for someone. Jesus does not criticize alms, but the motive for giving or providing the alms.
The reason some were giving was to be seen of men to be generous, caring and concerned for others. Jesus points out that this motive is selfish and corrupt and those who do so receive their reward from men and not from God. Instead, Jesus says to do almsgiving in secret and God who sees in secret will reward before men or in the open.
Likewise, prayer is also a pious act that should not be done before men to appear holy or religious. Neither the length of prayers or the eloquence of the words are what matter in prayer. Jesus says that prayer like almsgiving should be done in secret and again God will reward in public.
Then He goes on to give His follower the words to say when they pray. The words are called or referred to as “the Lord’s prayer”. But actually, it is better referred to or called “the disciple’s prayer” because it is the prayer Jesus gave to His disciples to pray.
These are some things concerning piety then that we should take away from this lesson. Pious acts are good when done for the right reason or motive. Pious acts should never be done so that the glory of the act reflects back on the one that is doing it in the sight of men. If so, there is no reward in heaven for doing so.
Moreover, pious acts should be done because they need to be done and not for reward or to indebt God for doing it some way. Pious acts do not make a person religious or holy. People perform pious acts because they are religious or holy.
Do not do anything in order to persuade or influence others in what they think about you as a person of faith. What can be done in secret should be done in secret and what must be done in public must be done to please and glorify God and never to glorify ourselves or others.
Well, I hope you will attend SS this coming Sunday and share your thoughts with your class. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview. So, until next time remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
