On Earth As It Is In Heaven #3

Devotional

Day 1: The Heart Behind Our Righteous Deeds

True righteousness is not about being seen by others but is a matter of the heart. It is the internal motivation that gives an external action its eternal value. When we perform acts of kindness, prayer, or generosity, the question is not if others notice, but why we are doing it in the first place. God sees the secret intentions of our hearts and rewards what is done for His glory alone. [54:31]

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent act of generosity or service you performed. What was the primary motivation behind that action—to be noticed and appreciated, or to quietly honor God?

Day 2: Storing Up Eternal Treasures in Heaven

The things we value most will inevitably capture our hearts and direct our lives. Earthly treasures, such as wealth and human approval, are temporary and vulnerable to loss. Heavenly treasures, however, are secured for eternity and cannot be taken away. The call is to invest our time, resources, and energy in what truly lasts, aligning our deepest desires with God's eternal kingdom. [55:33]

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you currently investing your best energy and resources? What is one practical step you can take this week to shift an investment from a temporary earthly treasure to an eternal heavenly one?

Day 3: The Health of Your Spiritual Eye

Our perspective determines the condition of our entire inner life. A healthy eye, one focused on generosity and God's kingdom, fills us with light. A bad eye, one that is greedy and self-serving, plunges us into darkness. This imagery challenges us to examine what we are truly looking for in life and how that focus shapes our character and actions from the inside out. [01:02:02]

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you tend to view things with a "bad eye," seeking primarily what you can get for yourself? How might shifting your focus to generosity and God's purposes change your approach?

Day 4: The Freedom from Anxiety in God’s Care

Anxiety is a natural response when we feel responsible to provide for our own every need. Yet, Jesus invites us into a profound freedom from worry by reminding us of our Father’s intimate knowledge and loving provision. When we truly believe that God cares for us more than the birds of the air or the flowers of the field, we can release our grip on fear and trust in His faithful care. [01:05:51]

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26, ESV)

Reflection: What specific concern is causing you anxiety right now? How can you actively entrust that concern to your heavenly Father today, remembering that He knows your need and values you deeply?

Day 5: Seeking First the Kingdom of God

The ultimate antidote to a life of misplaced motives and anxiety is a singular, overarching pursuit. We are called to make God’s kingdom and His righteous ways our first priority, above all other desires and worries. This is not a passive hope but an active seeking, a daily realignment of our goals and actions. The beautiful promise is that as we orient our lives around His purposes, He Himself will provide for our needs. [01:08:44]

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: What would it look like for you to “seek first the kingdom” in your current season of life? How can you rearrange one daily priority this week to better reflect this command?

Sermon Summary

Jesus addresses an apparent contradiction in Scripture by clarifying motive, not practice. The teaching contrasts doing righteous acts to be seen by others with doing them for the Father who sees in secret, using three concrete examples—giving, praying, and fasting—to show the difference between public performance and humble devotion. The passage urges private sincerity: when giving, do not trumpet generosity; when praying, enter a private room; when fasting, avoid disfiguring the face. Each act performed for human praise yields only human reward; deeds done for God’s sake store up lasting treasure.

The sermon emphasizes the kingdom’s inverted economy: earthly acclaim decays, but heavenly reward endures. Where attention and effort go, the heart follows; investing in God’s kingdom aligns desire with eternity. The image of the eye as lamp warns that moral perception governs the soul’s brightness—greedy sight darkens even ostensibly good deeds. Finally, Jesus ties motive to worry: seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness frees people from anxious striving about needs, because the heavenly Father, who knows and provides, invites a posture of trust rather than grasping.

The Lord’s Prayer serves as a practical pattern that orders desire before petition—praise, submission to God’s will, requests for provision, forgiveness, and deliverance—shaping motives so prayers reflect allegiance to God’s kingdom. The call closes with an invitation to adopt right motives in all works: arrange heart and actions around seeking God first, perform duties without show, and let humble devotion shape daily life.

Key Takeaways

1. Humility defines kingdom righteousness True righteousness values inward disposition more than outward applause. Performing good works for God reorients the heart toward eternal reward and dissolves the appetite for human honor. Humility reframes service as worship, not reputation management, and therefore cultivates fruit that survives scrutiny and time. [54:31]
2. Store treasures in heaven's economy Investment in God’s purposes secures a form of wealth immune to decay and theft. Where time, resources, and affection are placed determines the soul’s orientation; earthly accumulation draws the heart earthward, while heavenly investment reconfigures desires. Practically, this means prioritizing kingdom actions even when they yield no immediate social credit. [55:20]
3. Guard the eye's moral vision Perception dictates moral integrity: a lustful or acquisitive gaze corrupts acts into darkness. Even virtuous deeds lose their light when motivated by self-interest; righteous means require pure seeing. Cultivate a clarifying vision that notices need without calculating personal gain. [61:44]
4. Seek kingdom; release anxious striving Pursuing God’s rule first transforms anxiety about provision into trust-filled labor. Aligning daily priorities with God’s righteousness allows practical needs to be received as gifts rather than battles for control. This reordering reduces fear and redirects energy toward eternal aims. [67:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[47:57] - Question about biblical contradiction
[49:02] - Explaining the apparent paradox
[50:23] - Reading: Matthew 6:1–24
[53:18] - Three repeated contrasts
[54:31] - Humility in righteousness
[55:20] - Treasures in heaven vs earth
[61:44] - The eye as lamp: vision and motive
[67:59] - Do not be anxious; seek first
[73:32] - Lord's Prayer: structure and motives
[75:42] - Closing prayer and invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 6:1–24 (ESV)

Observation questions

In Matthew 6:1–18, Jesus gives three examples of righteous acts. What are they, and what does He say about how they should not be done?
What contrast does Jesus draw between “treasures on earth” and “treasures in heaven” in verses 19–21?
According to verses 22–23, what does a “healthy eye” represent, and what happens if the eye is “bad”?
What reason does Jesus give in verse 32–33 for why we should not be anxious about our needs?

Interpretation questions

Jesus says that those who perform righteous acts to be seen by others “have received their reward” (v. 2, 5, 16). What does He mean by this, and how does it differ from the reward from the Father?
How does the idea that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v. 21) relate to doing good deeds with pure motives?
Jesus says the eye is the “lamp of the body” (v. 22). How can a person’s inner motives affect the spiritual value of their outward actions?
Why does Jesus transition from talking about motives and treasures to telling His listeners not to be anxious (v. 25–34)? What’s the connection?

Application questions

When you give, pray, or fast, what tends to motivate you more: the desire for others to notice, or the desire to honor God? How can you cultivate a heart that seeks only His approval? [54:31]
What are some practical ways you can “store up treasures in heaven” this week, even in small, unseen acts of kindness or faithfulness? [55:20]
How can you tell if your “eye” is healthy or unhealthy in a given situation? What steps can you take to purify your intentions when you serve or give? [01:01:44]
What is one area of life where you regularly feel anxious? How might seeking God’s kingdom first change your perspective or actions in that area? [01:07:59]
How can the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13) serve as a model for aligning your desires with God’s will before making requests?
In what ways do social media or cultural pressures tempt you to perform righteousness for show? How can you resist that temptation? [01:11:43]
This week, how can you intentionally do one “hidden” act of righteousness solely for God, without anyone else knowing?

Sermon Clips

50s

#SeekFirstPeace

“Do not be anxious about anything. When we set our hearts, our desires, and our efforts on building the kingdom of heaven seeking it first, we can be at peace about everything else. Let's not put our focus on wealth or appearance. Our father in heaven loves us and cares for us like a loving father. When we have a genuine need he will take care of it. In doing righteousness with humility, you will store up treasures in heaven. Wealth that never disappears.”

39s

#IntentionsMatter

“Let's take this imagery of light and dark for a moment. This is what I believe Jesus is talking about here. Let's say our good deeds, giving to the needy, praying for others, and doing kind acts are symbolized by light. And our intentions, whether we do anything in life out of humility or greed and selfish motive, represents how bright or dark that light is. If we are greedy people who do good deeds with selfish ulterior motives, then even the light, the good within us is dark.”

Ask a question about this sermon

HCC Lennoxville This sermon · AI assistant

How should motives shape acts of righteousness?

What does storing treasures in heaven mean?

Why avoid public piety that seeks reward?

On Earth As It Is In Heaven #3 - March 15, 2026