Sermon On The Mount: Part 29

And whenever you are fasting, do not look gloomy and sour and dreary like the hypocrites, for they put on a dismal countenance, that their fasting may be apparent to and seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full already. But when you fast, perfume your head and wash your face, So that your fasting may not be noticed by men but by your Father, Who sees in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open. Matthew 6:16-18

Once again Jesus tells us not to draw attention to ourselves. What is this like 3 times He tells us that if we do something in secret we will be rewarded in the open? 

For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

Our Father wants to reward us right now, for today, not tomorrow, is the Day of our Salvation. Our Father is leading us to not draw attention to ourselves, so that He can reward us openly, with peace, love, joy, power, health, and wisdom. Look at what the dictionary tells us about salvations meaning: deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ. preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.

Soteria {so-tay-ree'ah}, the original Greek Word in the Bible for salvation means: deliverer, health, rescue, and safety. Fourfold salvation: saved from the penalty, power, presence and most importantly the pleasure of sin. Deliverance from the molestation of enemies, future salvation: the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians,        redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.

The Greek word for saved is sozo and it means: to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger and destruction. To save one from perishing, to save from disease, to make well, to heal, to restore. To preserve, to deliver from the penalties of sin and judgment and finally to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of deliverance.

Our Father rewards us openly by keeping us safe and sound right now. He rewards us openly with health, preservation, and deliverance from ruin. Our Father openly rescues us, He keeps us from sin, He restores us, and He never leaves us or forsakes us. He also gives us the heart and desire to pray in secret, give in secret, and fast in secret. We are one with Jesus, we now have His mind and we are blessed because we look towards Him and not ourselves. Jesus causes us to esteem others above ourselves and He insures that everything that He preaches to us on the Sermon on the Mount is fully met through us by the power of God Himself.