Fasting Series

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

FASTING

MATTHEW 6:16–18 “WHEN YOU FAST, DO NOT LOOK SOMBER AS THE HYPOCRITES DO, FOR THEY DISFIGURE THEIR FACES TO SHOW MEN THEY ARE FASTING. I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD IN FULL. 17BUT WHEN YOU FAST, PUT OIL ON YOUR HEAD AND WASH YOUR FACE, 18SO THAT IT WILL NOT BE OBVIOUS TO MEN THAT YOU ARE FASTING, BUT ONLY TO YOUR FATHER, WHO IS UNSEEN; AND YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU.

INTRODUCTION: AS WE CONTINUE IN OUR SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT WE COME TO THE TEACHING OF JESUS REGARDING FASTING.

FASTING IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES IN THE BIBLE. SOME QUESTION WHETHER IT IS EVEN FOR TODAY. OTHERS WONDER WHAT THE LIMITS OF FASTING ARE, IF ANY.

SO THIS MORNING, I WANT TO DRAW OUT SOME THOUGHTS ON THE DISCIPLINE OF FASTING. OR IF YOU WANT TO THINK OOF THIS IN A MORE LIGHTHEARTED SENSE, WE COULD ASK OURSELVES IS SKIPPING, SAY A BURRITO CAN REALLY BRING US CLOSER TO GOD?

1. FASTING IS ONE OF THREE DISCIPLINES MENTIONED BY JESUS.

a. ALMSGIVING

b. PRAYER

c. FASTING

d. IN EACH OF THESE DISCIPLINES JESUS CONDEMNS THE HYPOCRISY OF THE PHARISEES

i. DON’T ANNOUNCE YOUR GIVING SO THAT EVERYONE CAN NOTICE WHAT YOU ARE DOING

ii. DON’T PRAY OUT ON THE STREET CORNERS, RATHER PRAY IN SECRET TO YOUR FATHER

1. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

2. MEAN WHAT YOU SAY

iii. WHEN YOU FAST, DON’T ACT LIKE YOU ARE FASTING SO PEOPLE WILL NOTICE AND “APPLAUD” YOU FOR IT.

e. THE KEY THOUGH IS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR THE SPIRITUAL VALUE IT ADDS TO OUR LIFE AND NOT FOR THE APPLAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SEE US DOING IT!

2. HOW DOES FASTING HELP US TODAY – ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE

a. FASTING AND HUMILITY

i. DAVID THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US HUMBLED HIMSELF WITH FASTING

ii. HUMILITY IS RECOGNIZING OUR NEED AND OUR DEPENDENCE ON ALMIGHTY GOD

iii. IT IS INTERESTING IN THAT NOTE THAT THE BIBLE TEACHES IN SEVERAL PASSAGES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FOOD AND FORGETTING GOD

iv. DEUTERONOMY 8:3 HE HUMBLED YOU, CAUSING YOU TO HUNGER AND THEN FEEDING YOU WITH MANNA, WHICH NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR FATHERS HAD KNOWN, TO TEACH YOU THAT MAN DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF THE LORD.

v. DEUTERONOMY 8:12–14 OTHERWISE, WHEN YOU EAT AND ARE SATISFIED, WHEN YOU BUILD FINE HOUSES AND SETTLE DOWN, 13AND WHEN YOUR HERDS AND FLOCKS GROW LARGE AND YOUR SILVER AND GOLD INCREASE AND ALL YOU HAVE IS MULTIPLIED, 14THEN YOUR HEART WILL BECOME PROUD AND YOU WILL FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE LAND OF SLAVERY.

vi. HOSEA 13:6 WHEN I FED THEM, THEY WERE SATISFIED; WHEN THEY WERE SATISFIED, THEY BECAME PROUD; THEN THEY FORGOT ME.

vii. WHEN WE FAST, IT SHOWS OUR HUMILITY TOWARDS GOD AS WELL AS OUR DEPENDENCY ON HIM TO MEET OUR NEEDS

b. FASTING AND PRAYER

i. THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAMILIAR REASON PEOPLE MIGHT FAST.

ii. FASTING ALLOWS ADDITIONAL TIME TO SEEK THE LORD IN PRAYER AND TO FOCUS ON HIM

iii. WE SEE FASTING USED TO SEEK AN ANSWER FROM GOD IN THE SCRIPTURES

iv. EZRA 8:23 SO WE FASTED AND PETITIONED OUR GOD ABOUT THIS, AND HE ANSWERED OUR PRAYER.

1. THE SPECIFIC INSTANCE WAS THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM AT THE END OF THE EXILE, EZRA SOUGHT THE DIRECTION OF GOD AS HE WAS GOING TO TRAVEL TO JERUSALEM WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF THE GUARDS OF KING ARTAXERXES.

2. AFTER ALL HOW COULD HE ASK IF GOD WAS AS POWERFUL AS HE WAS.

3. JONAH 3:5 THE NINEVITES BELIEVED GOD. THEY DECLARED A FAST, AND ALL OF THEM, FROM THE GREATEST TO THE LEAST, PUT ON SACKCLOTH.

JONAH 3:10 WHEN GOD SAW WHAT THEY DID AND HOW THEY TURNED FROM THEIR EVIL WAYS, HE HAD COMPASSION AND DID NOT BRING UPON THEM THE DESTRUCTION HE HAD THREATENED.

a. WHAT IS INTERESTING HERE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH DID NOT WANT TO GO – YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE “WHALE”

b. EVEN THOUGH DID THE MINIMUM AMOUNT NECESSARY

c. GOD BROUGHT REVIVAL TO NINEVAH WITH THE PEOPLE REALIZING WHAT WAS AHEAD SOUGHT GOD AND GOD HEARD AND SPARED THE CITY

4. THE PROPHET DANIEL IN DANIEL CHAPTER 9 REALIZES THAT THE TIME OF THE EXILE IS TO END SOON AND GOES TO GOD IN PRAYER SEEKING HIS WISDOM AND DIRECTION AS TO WHAT HE SHOULD DO.

v. WHEN WE FAST AND ACCOMPANY THIS TIME OF FASTING WITH PRAYER IT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING GOD’S DIRECTION

c. FASTING AND DISCIPLINE