The Day of the Lord

A Call to Repentance

A Prayer of Repentance

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David ^(A)when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

²⁰ Now then, we are ^(A)ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For ^(B)He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become ^(C)the righteousness of God in Him.

Marks of the Ministry

6 We then, as ^(D)workers together with Him also ^(E)plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For He says:

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

^3 (G)We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. ⁴ But in all things we commend ourselves ^(H)as ministers of God: in much ^[a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, ^5 (I)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; ⁶ by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by ^[b]sincere love, ^7 (J)by the word of truth, by ^(K)the power of God, by ^(L)the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, ⁸ by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; ⁹ as unknown, and ^(M)yet well known; ^(N)as dying, and behold we live; ^(O)as chastened, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many ^(P)rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Do Good to Please God

6 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, ^(A)when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret ^(B)will Himself reward you ^[a]openly.

The Model Prayer^(C)

⁵ “And when you pray, you shall not be like the ^[b]hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, ^(D)go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[c]openly.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

¹⁶ “Moreover, ^(A)when you fast, do not be like the ^[a]hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, ^(B)anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[b]openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven^(C)

^19 (D)“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ^20 (E)but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.