Fasting

Credit: I edited some of Tom Fullers introduction for my sermon. https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/how-to-be-invisible-tom-fuller-sermon-on-jesus-teachings-139102?ref=SermonSerps

FASTING

Matthew 6:16-18

Here are some pictures of my new truck:

Talk about the new truck:

Searched, features, simplicity

Made a good deal, brought it home

Put some pictures up on facebook

I drove it over to show my neighbor

I showed it to my other neighbor

If you want, I'll take you over and you can look at it.

By now you should be asking yourself:

What does Gary's truck have to do with anything?

It’s only purpose is to show how:

When we get something or do something,

we automatically want to show it off?

We want other people to be impressed

We like the approval of people

Who doesn’t like well regarded? Everyone likes it!

Showing off is a natural human trait:

A deer hunter wants to tell you about the deer they just bagged

The person with a new 100 inch TV wants everyone to see it

OUR NATURAL SELF WANTS PEOPLE TO:

LIKE US,

BE IMPRESSED WITH US,

AND APPROVE OF US….

Showing off isn’t limited to the non-religious parts of our lives:

Showing off how good you are was a real sport amongst the Pharisees

and religious leaders in Jesus day.

They wanted everyone to know how good they were,

how pious, how generous, how dedicated, and spiritual they were

This sort of self promotion doesn’t fit into God’s kingdom:

In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said “…let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

I am sure there are times when we would read the scripture this way:

…let your light shine before others so that they see our good works and give us Glory, o and good God deserves some glory too”

But we want some to the Glory and Praise…..not all of it mind you….just a little.

In Matthew 6:

- Jesus shows us not to fall into the trap of self aggrandizement.

People should know we are Christians:

But we should live in such a way as to almost be invisible

When we do things for God, it should almost be as if we were never there.

None of us have a hard time being self centered:

We want what we want and we want praise and reward for what we do.

We want praise when we do something good,

Tom Fuller wrote:

“The character of God is other-focused and aimed at what can be done for others,

not what benefit we get back. The best way to avoid falling into that pit is to do things so people don’t know and not to expect a reward at all.”

Today we will look at fasting (Please stand for the reading of God’s Word)

“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18 New Living Translation

Dictionary.com defines “fast”:

to abstain from all food.

to eat only sparingly or of certain kinds of food,

especially when voluntary and as a religious observance; fasting.

a day or period of fasting.

In preparation for this message I did a topical Bible study on fasting and discovered:

Fasting is physical sacrifice for spiritual benefit:

Fasting with a purpose changes things

Fasting is sometimes is seeking an answer to prayer

Fasting and scripture reading go together

Fasting and repentance of sin go together

Fasting and prayer go together

Fasting was a common and regular event, both corporately and individually:

Fasting is for those worshipping and seeking God:

Fasting is a private activity between men and God:

Here Jesus is talking to those who are fasting with the wrong attitude:

To elevate their own personal status

To get the applause of people

Maybe they want to hear people say “Look at him, he is super spiritual”

Jesus was speaking to people who had changed the purpose of fasting:

From a selfless and God centered activity

To a spectacle to draw attention to themselves

650 years earlier Isaiah records God’s displeasure with His people’s fasting:

The people have asked God why He wasn’t pleased with there impressive fasting

Why they didn’t they get God’s happy nod of approval?

Here is God’s answer from Isaiah 58:3-5 in the Message paraphrase:

“Well, here’s why:

“The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit.

You drive your employees much too hard.