When Righteousness Becomes Performance
June 7, 2026 | Pastor Joel Edgemon
Q&A: submit questions via Pew Tags
Text: Matthew 6:1-8
Sermon in a Sentence
When righteousness becomes performance it ceases to be worship.
3 Temptations That Flow from the Desire to Be Seen
- We are tempted to do good things to be praised by others.
- We are tempted to do good things to be praised by ourselves.
- We are tempted to settle for an inferior reward.
Comforting Truth
The Father’s knowledge frees us from the burden of performance.
Relevant Quotes
“The proper rewards are not simply tacked on to the activity for which they are given, but are the activity itself in consummation.” – C.S. Lewis
“God's money has a higher purpose than my affluence ... Giving affirms Christ's lordship. It dethrones me and exalts Him. ... it shifts my vested interests from earth to heaven - from self to God. Giving breaks me free from the gravitational hold of money and possessions. Giving shifts me to a new center of gravity – heaven” Randy Alcorn
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the desire to be noticed is such a powerful temptation, even in good and spiritual things? How can giving become performance rather than worship?
- When righteousness becomes performance, it ceases to be worship. Where do you see this temptation most often in your own life: serving, giving, praying, posting, parenting, leading, or something else? Why is the applause of man an inferior reward?
- Jesus alone lived with perfectly pure motives. How does being fully known and fully loved in Christ free us from the anxiety of performance-based living? What secret act of worship will you practice this week?
- Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before others,” while Matthew 6:1 warns against practicing righteousness “in order to be seen.” How can we tell the difference between glorifying God through visible obedience and seeking glory for ourselves?
- Read Colossians 3:23-24. How does this reshape the way we think about hidden acts of obedience that no one else sees?
Click HERE to submit a question for the Q&A