Jesus warns against seeking praise in religious acts like generosity, prayer, and fasting. Emphasis on sincerity and humility in devotion. Exploring cultural nuances of charitable deeds and the value of genuine kindness. Importance of genuine connection in prayer and the transformative power of spiritual practices. Bible Project's mission to engage with the Bible's narrative towards Jesus.
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Quick takeaways
Perform religious practices with sincerity, not for public praise.
Emphasize genuine connection with God over seeking recognition from others in religious acts.
Deep dives
Focus on True Relationships and Righteousness
Jesus teaches his followers in the Sermon on the Mount to embody a greater righteousness by nurturing true relationships. His focus shifts to religious practices like generosity, prayer, and fasting, cautioning against performing them for public praise instead of genuine devotion to God.
Practices Examined: Generosity, Prayer, Fasting
Jesus delves into three key religious practices - generosity, prayer, and fasting - all fundamental habits in first-century Jewish devotion. While these practices were considered noble, Jesus warns against doing them solely for gaining recognition from others, emphasizing the importance of sincerity and humility.
The Significance of Fasting as an Act of Devotion
Fasting, a common practice in the Judeo-Christian context, signifies a sacred and serious moment where individuals choose to abstain from food to seek God's presence. Jesus advises followers to fast with genuine intent, avoiding showmanship or seeking praise from people, as the true reward lies in the intimate connection with God.
Reminder to Be Mindful of Motives in Religious Practices
Through examples of key practices and teachings like the Lord's Prayer, Jesus underscores the importance of maintaining pure motives in religious acts. While public displays of devotion may offer temporary recognition, the true essence of spiritual practices lies in cultivating authentic connections with God and fostering genuine relationships with others.
Sermon on the Mount E18 – In Matthew 6, Jesus turns his attention to religious practices of his day, specifically generosity to the poor, prayer, and fasting. But Jesus gives a surprising warning about these practices: if you do religious practices to get praise from people, then you're missing the point. In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss these three religious practices and reflect on the pitfalls of making religious devotion about yourself.
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Show Music
Original Sermon on the Mount music by Richie Kohen
BibleProject theme song by TENTS
“Descend” by dryhope
“Polaroid” by Ward Wills
Show Credits
Jon Collins is the creative producer for today’s show, and Tim Mackie is the lead scholar. Production of today’s episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer; Cooper Peltz, managing producer; Colin Wilson, producer; and Stephanie Tam, consultant and editor. Tyler Bailey is our audio engineer and editor, and he also provided our sound design and mix. Frank Garza and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Today’s hosts are Jon Collins and Michelle Jones.
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