Matthew 6 Sermon on the Mount Part 3

Prayer: With expectant hearts and minds, we seek your truth, O God. In this study, help us to be attentive as we listen, careful as we speak, and awake to your wisdom. Open our hearts to your Scripture and give us the courage to change in light of what we read. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

With your group, take turns reading the introduction and text and answering the questions in each section.

Introduction

Matthew chapter 6 is one of the most profound and practical sections of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, offering timeless wisdom on how to live a life that is both spiritually authentic and pleasing to God. In this chapter, Jesus shifts focus from outward acts of righteousness to the inward motives of the heart. It is a call to integrity, humility, and trust in God, challenging believers to examine not just what they do, but why they do it.

The chapter opens with a warning: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them” (verse 1)¹. This sets the tone for much of what follows. Jesus critiques religious practices that are done for show—giving to the needy, praying, and fasting—all of which were (and still are) important spiritual disciplines. However, he makes it clear that if these acts are done to gain human approval, they lose their spiritual value. God is not interested in mere performance; he desires sincere devotion. For each practice, Jesus instructs his followers to carry them out in secret, assuring them that “your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

One of the most well-known passages in this chapter is the Lord’s Prayer (verses 9–13). Here, Jesus offers a model of how to pray—not with empty repetition or elaborate speech, but with simple authenticity. The prayer reflects a God-centered approach, focusing first on God’s name, kingdom, and will, before moving to personal needs like daily provision, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil. It serves as both a pattern and a heart posture for Christian prayer.

Jesus also addresses the matter of forgiveness in verses 14–15, tying it directly to our relationship with God. He makes the startling claim that our willingness to forgive others is directly connected to our own forgiveness from God. This highlights the relational and communal nature of faith—it is not lived in isolation, but in right relationship with both God and others.

Matthew 6 teaches that true righteousness is not external but internal. It is seen by God, not man. It is lived in quiet trust, not loud displays. And it seeks the kingdom of God above all else. Jesus calls his followers to live with a kingdom perspective, where motives matter, dependence on God is central, and eternal rewards outweigh earthly recognition.

Section 1

Mathew 6:1–4
6:1 “Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! 6:3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.”

The point: Give to the needy with the right heart.

Question 1: How does Jesus say we should give to the needy?

Section 2

Matthew 6:5–8
6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward! 6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 6:7 When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

The point: Jesus tells us not to pray for recognition.

Question: How can public prayer be against God’s will?

Section 3

Matthew 6:9–15
6:9 So pray this way:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,
6:10     may your kingdom come,
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
6:11     Give us today our daily bread,
6:12     and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.
6:13     And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
6:14     For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.”

The point: Jesus outlines how we should pray.

Question: What are some elements that Jesus teaches should be included in our prayers?

Section 4

Mathew 6:16–18
6:16     “When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! 6:17 When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 6:18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.”

The point: Though fasting can be difficult and uncomfortable, it’s important to fast with the right heart.

Question: What can we do to follow God’s will on fasting?

Read through the text again below.²

Matthew 6:1–18
6:1 “Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! 6:3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
6:5       “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward! 6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 6:7 When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
6:9 So pray this way:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,
6:10     may your kingdom come,
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
6:11     Give us today our daily bread,
6:12     and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.
6:13     And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
6:14     “For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.
6:16     “When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! 6:17 When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 6:18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Discussion and application questions

1. When you give, pray, or fast, do you ever catch yourself wanting others to notice? Why do you think that is, and how can you become more God-focused?
2. Share about someone you know (or have known) who has an authentic spiritual life. What does that look like?
3. When was the last time you practiced a spiritual discipline purely out of love for God—not for habit, guilt, or attention?
4. Have you ever prayed the Lord’s prayer from memory? If so, was your heart in it or were you just repeating the words?

Conclusion

Challenge: This week, choose one way to seek God in secret—whether through giving, prayer, or fasting—without seeking recognition. Trust him fully with your needs, and let go of worry by focusing on God’s provision.

Blessing: As we go from this place, may we walk not for the praise of men, but for the glory of our Father in heaven. May we give, pray, and fast in secret, trusting that our God who sees in secret will reward us.

1. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.[↩]
2. We find that rereading the text is very helpful—please don’t skip this part of the study![↩]