The point of this passage is not that we should live comfortable little lives free from worry. The point instead is that, freed from worrying about our physical needs, we might spend our lives seeking God's kingdom.
Even though our heavenly treasure won’t get ruined or stolen in heaven, that’s not the ultimate reason that we should store up our treasure there. According to Jesus, we need to store up our treasure in heaven, not on earth, because our hearts chase our treasure. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
When we pray we are not trying to get the attention of some distant deity who ignores us until we really put on a show. No, when we pray we are talking to our Father who sees us in secret and already knows what we need before we ask Him.
Fasting and prayer are not easy. That’s why the hypocrites loved to show them off. But this passage shows us how this whole principle of “your best life later” applies to the spiritual disciplines. We embrace their difficulty, trusting in our Father's reward in the future.
The level of your obedience to Jesus' teaching is the level to which you believe His promises concerning rewards. “Trust and obey” always go together. If we trust His promises, we will be able to obey in secret. If we don’t believe, then we’ll go around begging for others to notice us.
Loving our enemies is one of the most God-like things we can do.
"Turning the other cheek" and "going the second mile" are great ideas. But Jesus doesn't actually expect us to do them in real life... does He?
Why don't disciples of Jesus swear oaths? Because we don't need to.
What does Jesus think about divorce, and why?
We must pay very careful attention to what Jesus is saying in this passage. He is not simply saying that lust is as bad as adultery. What he says is more subtle, and more devastating, than that.
Disciples of Jesus take anger—and the importance of reconciliation—dead seriously.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Why would Jesus say this, and what does it mean?