1. Sermon on the Mount (VIII) Externalism vs. True Spirituality Mt 6.1-18

2. An External Religion and False Spirituality “Beware” of externalism -- Mt 6.1 Mt 6.1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”

3. An External Religion and False Spirituality “Beware” of externalism -- Mt 6.1 –E.g. Sounding a trumpet when giving – vs.2-4 Matthew 6:2-4 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

4. An External Religion and False Spirituality “Beware” of externalism -- Mt 6.1 –E.g. Long, public prayers – vs.5-8 Mt 6:5-8 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

5. An External Religion and False Spirituality “Beware” of externalism -- Mt 6.1 –E.g. Putting on a gloomy face, neglect appearance when fasting – vs.16-18 Mt 6.16-19 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

6. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Any discrepancy between what we profess or appear to be and what we really are?

7. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Do we appear more spiritual in public than we are behind closed doors?

8. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Is our spirituality motivated by the desire to consider ourselves spiritual?

9. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Am I a people pleaser? Do I have trouble saying no to people?

10. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Are you self-conscious? Do you worry about what people will say or think about you?

11. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Is your self-image controlled by the perceptions and expectations of others?

12. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Do I “works-drop” (like name-dropping, do good and then tell someone)?

13. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –Why do I come to worship?

14. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –C.S. Lewis (The Four Loves): “Those like myself, whose imagination far exceeds their obedience, are subject to a just penalty; we easily imagine conditions far higher than any we have really reached. If we describe what we have imagined we may make others, and make ourselves, believe that we have really been there.”

15. An External Religion and False Spirituality Do we do the same (to lesser degree)? –“Hypocrisy”: When our desire for approval of men becomes our motive for supposedly pleasing God. When we are trying to be something we are not or something more than we are.

16. A True Spirituality Personal –In spirit: Jn 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

17. A True Spirituality Personal –In spirit –From the heart: Isaiah 29:13 “Then the Lord said, ‘Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote…’”

18. A True Spirituality Personal –In spirit –From the heart: Jer 12:2 “You have planted them, they have also taken root; They grow, they have even produced fruit. You are near to their lips, But far from their mind.”

19. A True Spirituality Sincere –In truth: Jn 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

20. A True Spirituality Sincere –In truth: Ps 51.6 “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.”

21. A True Spirituality Sincere –In truth: Israel loved to worship -- Amos 4.4-5 But God hated their worship -- 5.21-24 Because it was insincere – Amos 8.4-6

22. A True Spirituality Consistent –Ps 51.16-17; 1 Sam 15.22; Isa 1.10-17 Psa 51:16-17 “For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

23. A True Spirituality Consistent –Ps 51.16-17; 1 Sam 15.22; Isa 1.10-17 1 Sam 15:22 “Samuel said, ‘Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.’”

24. A True Spirituality Personal Sincere Consistent