Book Study – The Cost of Discipleship, Week 6 – Chapters 14-16

Chapter 14 – The Hidden Righteousness

Mat 6:1-4 ESV "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. (2) "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (3) But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (4) so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

We have already studied Matthew 5: 13-16 which tells us that our life of righteousness must be seen. The Body of Christ is to be visible in the world and known by it’s righteousness. Salt and light. Here we are told that our righteousness is to remain hidden. Which is it supposed to be? Visible or invisible?

The passage from Matthew 5 left no doubt that our discipleship must be visible to the world. If it is not seen, it probably doesn’t exist. Being a witness to the world is the purpose of discipleship. So, from whom are we to hide our discipleship?

Not from others, but from ourselves. When we begin to notice our own righteousness, we have taken our eyes off of the One who is truly righteous.

How can the visible and invisible aspects of discipleship be combined?

How can, at the same time, discipleship be both visible and invisible?

Bonhoeffer:

“To answer this question, all we need to do is to go back to chapter 5, where the extraordinary and the visible are defined as the cross of Christ beneath which the disciples stand. The cross is at once the necessary, the hidden and the visible – it is the ‘extraordinary’.”

If our “visibility” ever takes the eyes of the world away from the cross, we have crossed the line. If our discipleship ever is seen as “our” righteousness then it is no longer the righteousness of the Cross.

How is the seeming contradiction between Matthew 5 and 6 resolved?

Notice that in the Table of Contents the chapters dealing with Matthew 5 and those dealing with Matthew 6 are separated. Matthew 5 is subtitled Of the “Extraordinariness” of the Christian Life and Matthew 6 is subtitled Of the Hidden Character of the Christian Life.
Bonhoeffer:

“All that the follower of Jesus has to do is to make sure that his obedience, following, and love are entirely spontaneous and unpremeditated.”

Easy for him to say. How can we, if we are “making sure” of anything do so spontaneously and unpremeditated? If we are thinking about it enough to “make sure” it is spontaneous, we have in so doing lost it’s spontaneity.

Chapter 15 – The Hiddenness of Prayer

Mat 6:5-8 ESV "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (6) But when 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. (7) "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. (8) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus had to teach his disciples to pray. Is prayer a natural thing for man?

Bonhoeffer:

“Prayer is the supreme instance of the hidden character of the Christian life. It is the antithesis of self-display. When men pray, they have ceased to know themselves, and know only God whom they call upon. Prayer does not aim at any direct effect on the world; it is addressed to God alone, and is therefore the perfect example of undemonstrative action.”

Do you agree with the statement that “prayer does not aim at any direct effect on the world”. Isn’t that why we pray? To plead with God to “effect” the world?

John Wesley:

“God does nothing but in answer to prayer. Even people who have been converted to God without praying for it themselves (which is extremely rare) were prayed for by others. Every new victory that a soul gains is the effect of a new prayer.”

Who do you agree with, Bonhoeffer or Wesley? Does prayer “not aim at any direct effect on the world” or is every direct effect on the world the result of prayer?


Chapter 16 – The Hiddenness of the Devout Life

Mat 6:16-18 ESV "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (17) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, (18) that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

How many of you have ever fasted?

Is it wrong to admit that I have fasted, or should my fast remain secret?

I’m sure next week folks will be asking, “What are you giving up for Lent?”

Should we just keep our Lenten fast between us and God?

Jesus doesn’t tell the disciples to fast. He takes it for granted that they will.

Bonhoeffer:

“strict exercise of self control is an essential feature of the Christian’s life.”

What does this passage say to those who desire a monastic lifestyle? Those who intentionally and very visibly seek suffering as a show of piety?

Bonhoeffer:

“This is a pious but godless ambition, for beneath it lurks the notion that it is possible for us to step into Christ’s shoes and suffer as he did and kill the old Adam. We are then presuming to undertake that bitter work of eternal redemption which Christ himself wrought for us. The motive for asceticism was more limited – to equip us for better service and deeper humility.”

If I do certain things with the intention of showing my humility, haven’t I totally defeated their intended purpose?