Today, we continue on our Lenten series to take on love based on Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. I invite you to take on love for hypocrites. Often, we think of hypocrisy in terms of a someone else. Someone who has hurt you. Someone who has betrayed you. We can imagine someone who has said one thing and done something different, but I want to invite you to examine where you may have been hypocritical, confess, and commit to service with Jesus’ heart.
The Greek word for hypocrite, hypokritḗs, describes an actor in a drama. In Greek stage plays, actors used masks to convey a character and role. In the tragedy of Antigone or Oedipus, the performers wear these masks to convey the mood of the classic play. But as the stage show ends, the actors resume their normative personas. Jesus used this familiar imagery of Greek stage plays to illustrate hypocrisy.
Like actors on a stage, we too seek the applause and the affirmation. We are hard wired for this from a neurological stand point. We have over 86 billon neurons in our brain transmitting information in the form of electrical and chemical signals. As neurons communicate through the signals and across synapses, they create neural pathways, becoming our habits. When the reward pathway is activated, the brain becomes flooded with dopamine. Dopamine is one of the two neurotransmitters that make us feel good, urging us to do that activity again to seek dopamine. “Affirmation takes advantage of our reward circuits, which can be quite powerful,” says Cascio. “Many studies have shown that these circuits can do things like dampen pain and help us maintain balance in the face of threats.” (1)
Jesus warned against those who were engaged praying and giving alms in order to just receive affirmation and praise. If we are waiting for the praise and affirmation of your brothers or sisters in our faith actions, we may be still waiting or be shaping our faith actions for the wrong reasons.
This is the true heart of and description of hypocrisy. What is the reason and the motivation that we do what we do in our faith walk? Are you only praying for someone because you have been thanked and appreciated? Are you only tithing because you received a thank you note in the mail?
Loving the hypocrite means inviting ourselves to become authentic self that God is creating us to be. We let go of our necessity and obsession with what others think of us. We confess all that has kept us from living out wholeness in Christ. We live into authentic discipleship which challenges our comfort. Authentic communities and congregations are made up of those who are seeking Jesus, especially when we know we are still growing. We confess we have not always lived authentically. (2) Pharisees and religious leaders, like us today, hear the call to grow and change – transform our lives through Jesus. Grace is sufficient for us.
Living out our service, prayer and giving encourages one another. Paul, in his letter to Philippi, describes this as “shining like stars in the world.” Sometimes, from this gospel text, people have asked if giving and acts of mercy need to be completely secretive. Understanding that, this seems in tension with the gospel lesson, which was not a problem, for biblical writers. In rabbinical fashion, I will answer with a story:
There was a rich man who never gave alms to the poor or contributed to charitable causes. People in his small village never called him by name. They simply referred to him as The Miser. One day, a beggar came to the door of The Miser. “Where to you come from?” The Miser asked. “I live in the village,” answered the beggar. “Nonsense” cried the Miser. “Everyone in this village knows that I do not support beggars.” In that same village, there lived a poor shoemaker. He was a most generous man who responded to every person in need and every charitable cause that was brought to his attention. No one was ever turned away empty-handed from his door. One day The Miser died. The village leaders decided to bury him on the edge of the cemetery. No one mourned his passing. No one followed the funeral procession to the place of burial. As the days passed, the rabbi heard disturbing news regarding the shoemaker. “He no longer gives alms to the beggars,” complained one man. “He has refused every charity that has approached him,” declared another.
“Has anyone asked about his change?” inquired the rabbi? “Yes,” replied the first man. “He says that he no longer has money to give away.” Soon the rabbi called on the shoemaker. “Why have you suddenly ceased giving money to worthy causes?” Slowly the shoemaker began to speak. “Many years ago, the man who was called The Miser came to me with a huge sum of money and asked me to distribute it to beggars and charities. He made me promise that I would not reveal the source of the money until after he died. Once every month he would visit me secretly and give me additional money to distribute. I became known as a great benefactor even though I never spent a penny of my own money. I am surprised that no one questioned me earlier. How could anyone who earned the wages of a shoemaker give away as much money as I have all these years?” The rabbi called all the villagers together and told them the story. “The Miser has lived by the Scriptures, keeping his charity a secret,” the rabbi told them. Then they all walked to the grave of The Miser and prayed. Before the rabbi died, he asked to be buried near the fence, next to the grave of the man known as The Miser.
Our prayers are not only when we are asked, but every time we hear, see, and sense needs in the world around us. We take on love. Our lives are actions and lights through which we encourage one another to live out the way of Jesus. We take on love.
A man moved into the small town and bought a house across the street from the railroad tracks. Every morning he noticed a woman walking along the tracks picking up something and putting it into a bag that she carried. The man got curious about this woman and so he went to the corner grocery store that had been there forever and asked the owner about this woman. “Oh, that’s Mrs. Jacobs. Every day she comes half way across town to pick up the coal that is spilled on the tracks when the early morning train runs through town.” “But there hasn’t been a steam locomotive using coal on these tracks for years,” replied the new resident. “That’s right,” said the store owner. “When the steam train stopped running, old Mr. Simpson who runs the hardware store was concerned that the Mrs. Jacobs would no longer have coal to heat and cook with. He knew she was too proud to take charity, so he decided to get up early every morning, take a bag of coal and drop it along the tracks. The Mrs. Jacobs still thinks the steam train runs by here every morning. I think Mr. Simpson has been doing that for about 5 years now.
We are called to love hypocrites – those who act one way on the stage of life when they are their best selves and another way when they are woren down and strung out and in need of affirmation and love. We are called to love them, and we recognize them, they are us.
I remember a man named Harry who retired and chose to live in the community where his nephew lived. Harry was a member of the church I served in Hellertown. His nephew kept a close eye on his medical needs, finances, and one bed room apartment. Harry was a thoughtful, reflective, and faithful member. He was involved on Sunday in worship and fellowship, was part of our community meal ministry, and active in Bible study. Very quietly, Harry gave $3 each week in offering. Consistently, Harry came to Bible Study. Regularly, Harry helped with Community Meal. About 6 months before he died, he wanted me to see the new set of Bible encyclopedias he purchased. It was the first time I had been in his home. He shared quietly with me that he made the commitment that his estate would go to the church. When he died, his commitment was made known to the church. His witness to the God in his life throughout every challenge was strong, as was his committed life of service. I give thanks to God for Harry.
Join with me in the prayer of our hands:
God of us all, we are sometimes hypocritical, we care often about what others think. We have sought their affirmation and acknowledgment. Forgive us when we place our comfort in pleasing others above serving God. Guide us to live out our call to the gospel first, following the way of Jesus as shining lights in the world. In the name of Christ, we pray, Amen.
(1) https://www.asc.upenn.edu/news-events/news/study-reveals-neural-mechanics-self-affirmation
(2) Smothers, Jasmine. Not Safe for Church: Ten Commandments for Reaching New Generations, 2015.
New Testament Lesson: Philippians 2:12-18
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me.
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 6:2-6
“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
PRAYER OF OUR HANDS TO PRAY DAILY
God of us all, we are sometimes hypocritical, we care often about what others think. We have sought their affirmation and acknowledgment. Forgive us when we place our comfort in pleasing others above serving God. Guide us to live out our call to the gospel first, following the way of Jesus as shining lights in the world.
In the name of Christ, we pray, Amen.
Sunday: “Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” Philippians 2:12. Consider the call to work out your salvation with fear and trembling in the fullest presence of the whole church.
Monday: “Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.” Philippians 2:14-15. Pray for those you meet today who seem to be unsettled in their spirits. May God grant them peace.
Tuesday: “It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:16. Hear God’s call to serve alongside our brothers and sisters in poverty. A lot of families in our area living well above the federal poverty line who are still struggling to get by ($24,300 for a family of four). The word of life is bread, rice, meat, eggs, peanut butter, and vegetables for the hungry.
Wednesday: “But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me.” Philippians 2:17-18. Where can you give thanks to God today for God’s faithfulness in the midst of challenge?
Thursday: “‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:2-4. Today, consider how God is calling you to give to create and restore justice through giving to the Getting Ahead program with our GSR campaign.
Friday: “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.” Matthew 6:5. In biblical koine Greek, hypocrite refers to a stage actor. Where is God calling you to step off the stage and not worry as much about what others think about us?
Saturday: “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6. Pray for those who are stuck in the cycle of poverty. Pray using the Prayer of our Hands.
ACTION FOR OUR FEET
Learn about poverty in Southern Chester County. Attend Bridges of Poverty training on Saturday, April 6th, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Garage.
Let us walk with our neighbors as they seek sustainable solutions.