EAST TAMPA CHRISTIAN CHURCH
7824 S. 24th Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33619 / (813) 626-2507
Terry Tyree, Minister
ORDER OF WORSHIP
Announcements
Prayer
Sermon
Invitation Song
Communion Song
Communion / Offering
Praise Songs
Sweet, Sweet Spirit
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
You Are God Alone
Closing Prayer
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
ON THE CALENDAR
Sunday: Sunday School: Adults, 9 a.m., Children, 9 and 10 a.m., Worship, 10 a.m.
Tuesday: Hunger-Free Mission food sharing, 10 a.m.
Wednesday: Bible study and prayer meeting, 6 p.m.
March 9: Daylight Saving Time begins, 2 a.m.
THIS AND THAT
Meditations next week: Terry Tyree
FROM THE WORD
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:5-6
* * *
“You must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see.”
Matthew 23:3-5
ADDITIONAL
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE UNLIKE HYPOCRITES IN PRAYER?
According to Jesus, our motivation is as crucial as our conduct. In Matthew 6:5, He warns, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
Hypocrisy can take many forms, including to seek public venues for prayer for the express purpose of being seen by men. There is nothing wrong with praying in public, per se. But the hypocrites’ aim in prayer was to demonstrate their righteousness, wanting others to see them as pious and therefore to be admired. Jesus emphasizes that, for those who pray with that type of motive, the approval of others will be their sole reward.
While reading the Gospels, it is important to remember the Pharisees were considered the most devout people of their time. Paul, raised as a Pharisee, stated he adhered strictly to the law. But Jesus calls them “hypocrites” because, in many cases, they masked their greed and self-indulgence with a fair show of religious observance. It is not typically the unbelieving sinner who risks being like a Pharisee; rather, it is the biblical Christian who can fall into the trap of self-righteousness and pride.
Rather than praying like hypocrites, Jesus offers the right approach: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” True spirituality isn’t based on outward behavior or appearances. Prayer, public or otherwise, is a means of communing with God and should never be pursued for human praise.
The Greek word translated “hypocrite” literally means “actor.” When we come to God in prayer, there should be no play-acting or feigning or dissembling; instead, the one who prays should bring a sincere, heartfelt seeking after God. Some tips to avoid being like the hypocrites in prayer:
• Cultivate a genuine desire to commune with the Lord.
• Refuse to engage in public prayer while neglecting private prayer;.
• Examine your motives for praying, eschewing ostentation and pretension.
• Avoid the rote recitation of formulaic and memorized prayers.
gotquestions.org (edited for length)
TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
The invitation at the close of each worship service extends an opportunity for anyone outside of Christ to unite with him and become a Christian through belief (John 3:16); repentance (turning away from sin,
Acts 2:38); confession of belief in Christ (Romans 10:10); baptism into Christ for forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Romans 6:1-8) and devoting the rest of your life to
Christ (Matthew 10:22).
The Lord’s invitation also is open to anyone desiring to rededicate his or her life to Christ; to baptized
believers wanting to transfer their membership to this congregation, or to request prayer support.
ABOUT US
For more than a half-century, we have been a restoration plea fellowship in unity with other independent New Testament church bodies. Certainly, we are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only.
In that regard, we assume no denominational name. We observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday to honor him and reflect upon his great sacrifice on our behalf (Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 11:23-28, Hebrews 10:25).
We teach directly from the Bible. Where it speaks clearly – such as the Gospel plan of salvation and other directions or commands – we seek unity. In matters of opinion, where the Bible does not expressly speak, we seek liberty. In all things, however, we speak love for one another, just as Jesus loved us and laid down his life for us!
If you agree with these matters, please join us to proclaim salvation and unity to those who need to hear it in the name of our blessed Lord and only Savior, Jesus Christ. We urgently invite you to do so since his glorious return is imminent.
OUR ELDERS
Dan Hefner (813) 244-9843 danshirlh@msn.com