The honour trap | Matthew 6:1-18

03/08/25 • 22 min

We in the West don't do honour and shame, we're a guilt and innocence culture. Or so we've been told. It seems like common sense until we take a look at how much time we spend chasing likes, retweets, and even just kudos from the people around us. Many of us care about what other people think of us, and we know that this can be a trap.

So, the answer is simple right? Just stop caring what other people think, right? Give up on the whole honour/shame game and be free to live your life dancing like nobody's watching. Except that if you do that, chances are you'll go viral for all the wrong reasons.

It turns out Jesus has a better answer, a way for us to find the honour we seek, and to leave behind the shame we carry. And it's all about following his path. Join us as Laura explains how to beat the honour trap by finding our honour in Jesus.

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Check out our website at christchurchhawker.org.au
Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ChristChurchHawkerACT
Visit us at 196 Hawker Pl, Hawker ACT 2614

Previous Episode

Making peace | Matthew 5:33-48

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Welcome to today’s episode, where we dive into one of Jesus’ most radical teachings from the Sermon on the Mount—his call to peace in the face of conflict.

We all experience conflict—at home, at work, online. The natural response? Fight back or walk away. But Jesus offers a third way: a path of honesty, dignity, and grace that transforms relationships and communities.

We explore:

🔹 Showing your hand – Jesus calls us to be truthful in our words and motives (Matthew 5:33-37). Honesty builds trust and prevents manipulation.

🔹 Raising your head – When mistreated, Jesus doesn’t tell us to cower or retaliate. Instead, he calls us to stand firm, refusing to be degraded while rejecting revenge (Matthew 5:38-40).

🔹 Redefining your friends – More than just passive resistance, Jesus teaches us to actively reclaim power through unexpected generosity and love, even for our enemies (Matthew 5:41-48).

We also look at real-life examples, including the civil rights movement, and how we can live out these principles today—in our workplaces, families, and daily interactions.

Jesus' way of peace is active, creative, and powerful.

Check out our website at christchurchhawker.org.au
Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ChristChurchHawkerACT
Visit us at 196 Hawker Pl, Hawker ACT 2614

Next Episode

Rock solid investments | Matthew 6:19-34

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Money has a powerful influence over our lives, often in ways we don’t recognize. It shapes our decisions, relationships, and even our sense of security. Many assume greed is only about wanting more, but it can also show up as anxiety, overwork, or an obsession with financial stability.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus calls out money as an idol, promising happiness and control but never truly satisfying. It deceives us by making us believe we are in control, when in reality, it drives our fears and desires. We justify our financial choices without questioning whether money is shaping our hearts.

True freedom comes when we stop treating money as our ultimate security and invest our hopes in God instead. In this episode we consider how Jesus makes that possible, even if money's empty promises have captured our hearts

Check out our website at christchurchhawker.org.au
Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/ChristChurchHawkerACT
Visit us at 196 Hawker Pl, Hawker ACT 2614