Embracing the Upside-Down Kingdom

Jesus teaches that in His upside-down kingdom, our worship practices should be motivated by pleasing God rather than impressing others. Examining charitable giving, prayer, and fasting in Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus challenges us to examine the heart attitudes behind these spiritual disciplines. When we perform religious acts to gain human recognition, we've already received our full reward. Instead, Jesus calls us to practice these disciplines privately, focusing on an audience of one—our Heavenly Father—who sees what is done in secret and will reward accordingly.