Study in the Gospel of Mathew,6

Today we study the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Mathew. There are many biblical principles and lessons in this chapter but I choose two biblical principles and their lessons which, I believe, they are useful in biblical counselling.

The Lord Jesus continues in the Sermon on the mount to disclose that who pray with improper motives have their reward from men, in contrast of the heavenly rewards of Christ given to His followers. Likewise, those who do charitable deeds.

From the motives for praying, Jesus turned to methods of praying. Why one prays determines how one prays. Nothing wrong with repeating prayers. Here Jesus was referring to the empty recitation of words. Lord’s prayer does not mean to pray using only these words, but to pray in this way.

The Lord’s prayer is composed of six requests: the first three ask for the kingdom to come and the last three are for God to meet the needs of His people until the kingdom arrives. One day God will gather His people from all nations, cleanse them, and by this means vindicate the holiness of His great name. The hallowing of the Father’s name means the arrival of God’s kingdom.

Do not lay up ---but lay up:  may be rephrased as do not give priority to these earthy things but to give priority to the heavenly things. This passage does not mean that it is sinful to have such assets as insurance, retirement plans, and saving accounts. After all, parents are to save for their children. However, in doing that, they have to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  

Structure:

Verses 1-4: do good to please God.

Verses 5-15: the model prayer.

Verses 16-18: fasting to be seen only by God.

Verses 19-21: lay-up treasures in heaven.

Verses 22-23: the lamp of the body.

Verses 24-: you can not serve God and riches.

Verses 25-34: do not worry.

Principle 11, verse 6:24: ----"No one can serve two matters; either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.”

Lesson 11: Too many of us try to serve two masters; God and work, or God and bank accounts, or God and family. But Jesus says this is impossible, for two masters inevitably give contradictory demands. Whom will you serve?

Principle 12: verse 6:32: -----” For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

Lesson 12: God does not tell us to stop worrying over food and shelter and clothing because we do not really need them; He knows we need them. We can stop worrying because He has promised to take care of the essentials. 25/10/2026.