SERMON OUTLINE:
Question 1: What is Fasting?
Question 2: Should Christian’s fast?
Question 3: Why Fast?
Question: How to Fast?
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Moses the lawgiver,
• King David,
• Elijah the prophet,
• Queen Esther,
• Ezra;
• Nehemiah.
• The prophet Ezekiel;
• The prophet Joel;
• The prophet Daniel,
• John the Baptist’s disciples
• Anna the prophetess,
• The Apostle Paul,
• Barnabus.
• The Roman Soldier Cornelius;
• Prophets & teachers in Antioch
• All of these people in the Bible have one thing in common.
• Now I realize of course that they have more than one thing,
• But for our purposes of this evening,
• I am interested in pointing out a specific common factor among them.
• They practiced a spiritual discipline that we have somehow lost in modern times.
• They are all individuals or groups of people who fasted.
• Fasting was an important part of their lives.
Ill:
• A long time ago, an Aborigine who probably should have been a physicist;
• A physicist is of course a scientist who does research in physics
• This Aborigine was sitting around a camp fire thinking;
• When he realised something.
• "If I move my arm in an arc,
• The tips of my fingers will have travelled a greater distance than my elbow.
• Yet they will have done it in the same amount of time.
• Therefore, if velocity = distance divided by time,
• The tips of my fingers must have moved more quickly than my elbow."
• Then he got an idea.
• "If I can somehow extend the length of my arm,
• I will be able to throw my spear much more quickly and for a greater distance."
• And that was how he invented the ‘woomera’;
• A device to extend the length of the arm for the purpose of throwing spears.
TRANSITION: Now stay with me here; this has a point.
• The relationship between prayer and fasting;
• Is like the relationship between the ‘woomera’ and the spear.
• The spear is a very effective weapon, all by itself.
• But when you combine it with the ‘woomera’, it is even more powerful
Question 1: What is Fasting?
Answer:
• Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes.
• Simply put, you skip a meal or something else to spend time praying & meditating.
• It is important to note that in the Bible fasts have a spiritual purpose;
• It is not just missing lunch because you are too busy.
• It is not just missing lunch because you want to lose weight,
• It is a purposeful activity:
• We skip a meal to use that time for prayer and meditation.
A FEW THINGS TO NOTE CONCERNING FASTING:
• FIRST:
• A fast can last anywhere from one meal to several days without food.
• Remember that when it comes to fasting;
• We are given principles and not detailed instructions.
• So like ‘financial giving’ each of us must decide for ourselves what is right for us.
• What is right for me may not be right for you and vice-versa.
• SECOND:
• There are different types of fasts mentioned in the Bible;
• The most typical type of fast is to go without food for a set time.
• Although some people will fast from both food and water;
• Most people will mainly go without food.
• THIRD:
• There are limited fasts, when people what they will and will not eat and drink;
• i.e. Some will allow themselves juice or other liquid sustenance during their fast.
• Because there is not a detailed description there is flexibility within fasting.
• FOURTH:
• There are partial fasts, where you will give up certain types of food for a period of time.
• Many people do this during lent;
• When they will give up sweets, or meat, or something else for the 40 day period.
• FIFTH:
• Remember although we are primarily going to concentrate on fasting from food,
• People will and do fast from a variety of things.
• i.e. Fasting from T.V. and other forms of media,
• i.e. From computers or computer games, from shopping,
• i.e. Couples can fast from sexual intimacy.
• 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 5:
• Paul tells couples not to deprive one another sexually,
• Except for brief periods devoted to prayer and fasting.
• NOTE: You can fast from anything that is habitual in your life.
• It is good to fast from the things that you ‘obsess’ about;
• Because it reminds you that you can get by without them.
Question 2: Should Christian’s fast?
• Should Christian’s fast?
• Or is this a Jewish, an Old Testament discipline;
• That does not apply anymore to the Christian?
• i.e. Celebrating certain Jewish feasts like ‘Tabernacles’ or ‘Booths’.
Answer:
• Should Christian’s fast?
• The short answer is yes.
• And the long answer is Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!
• (a). Everyone of importance in the Bible (Old & New Testaments) practiced fasting:
• Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Anna, Paul, Jesus, just to name a few.
• (b). When Jesus taught on fasting in Matthew chapter 6;
• Twice he said to his disciples (vs 16 & vs 17) “when you fast,” not “if you fast.”
• Jesus assumed that his disciples would fast.
• (c). This discipline was seen to be practiced by the apostle Paul;
• And also certain Churches in the New Testament.
• i.e. Acts chapter 13 verses 2-3:
• “Prophets and teachers in Antioch were ministering to the Lord and fasting”.
• i.e. Acts chapter 14 verses 23:
• Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in the churches, “having prayed with fasting”.
• i.e. 2 Corinthians chapter 6verses 5:
• Paul lists “fasting” among the hardships he suffered as a mark of his apostleship.
• In the both the Old and the New Testaments we see examples of both;
• Corporate (groups of people) and individuals fasting.
• Note: It is not just the great people of the Bible that practiced fasting,
• But also the great saints of the church down through the ages;
• That practiced fasting as part of their regular spiritual discipline.
Ill:
• The Didache, is a first or second century document;
• That relates to us outside the New Testament the teaching of the early church,
• This document “prescribed two fast days a week: Wednesday and Friday”
• For early Christians; this was seen as a regular part of daily discipleship.
• ill: John Wesley sought to revive the teaching of the Didache;
• And urged early Methodists to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays.
• He felt so strongly about this matter,
• That he refused to ordain anyone to the Methodist ministry who did not fast on those two days.
Quote: Matthew Henry said
“Fasting is a laudable practice and we have reason to lament that it is generally neglected among Christians.”
Quote: Hudson Taylor the great missionary and founder of China Inland Mission:
“In Shansi I found Chinese Christians who were accustomed to spend time in fasting and prayer. They recognized that this fasting, which so many dislike, which requires faith in God, since it makes one feel weak and poorly, is really a Divinely appointed means of grace. Perhaps the greatest hindrance to our work is our own imagined strength; and in fasting we learn what poor, weak creatures we are-dependent on a meal of meat for the little strength which we are so apt to lean upon."
Quote: D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones:
“I wonder whether we have ever fasted? I wonder whether it has even occurred to us that we ought to be considering the question of fasting? The fact is, that this whole subject seems to have dropped right out of our lives and right out of our whole Christian thinking.”
Question 3: Why Fast?
(a). Fasting can increase our hunger for God.
Quote: John Piper writes in his book, A Hunger for God:
“If you don’t feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. God did not create you for this. There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened. I invite you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast ‘This much, O God, I want you’”
• Fasting reminds us that we can get by without most things in our lives for a time,
• But we cannot get by without God.
• The first and main purpose of Fasting is to draw closer to God.
Ill:
• On a human level - in order to have a good relationship with someone,
• We will want to spend premium time with them.
• We may invite them in for dinner or make the effort to go-out for dinner to a restaurant;
• Either way we are adding actions to our desires and words.
• In order to get to know them better.
• Fasting is a spiritual parallel;
• It is us adding actions to our desires and words in order to get to know God better.
• The first and main purpose of Fasting is to draw closer to God.
(2). Fasting can train our passions.
• We are so used to giving ourselves whatever we want,
• i.e. We say “I feel like a donut,” so we go get a donut.
• i.e. We say “I feel like an ice-cream,” so we go get an ice-cream.
• i.e. We say “I feel like a biscuit,” so we go get a biscuit.
Quote:
• In his book on ‘Disciplines’ Richard Foster says that;
• “Our stomach is like a spoiled child, and spoiled children do not need indulgence,
• They need discipline”.
• As Christians we are not to be controlled by our stomachs,
• But controlled by the Spirit of God.
• Fasting is spiritual training in self-control.
Quote: 1 Timothy chapter 4 verses 7-8:
New International Version:
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
New Living Translation:
"Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."
• Out of all the Spiritual Disciplines fasting is most like physical exercise.
• It is both physical and spiritual and it builds our faith muscles;
• So that we can withstand the bigger contests that come our way.
Ill:
• Discipline means paying the price that is necessary to win the race.
• Lots of people would like to win an Olympic gold medal,
• But how many are willing to make the sacrifice necessary to get there?
Ill:
• Do you think that Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah;
• Wake up each morning thinking,
• "I'm just itching to get out there and do some training"?
• No they had to sacrifice.
• There will be many days they want to turn off the alarm clock;
• Or get up and do something else.
• And if we're going to win the race,
• We also have to discipline ourselves, bring our bodies into subjection;
• And tell them what to do instead of letting them tell us what to do.
(3). Fasting can be earnest prayer
• Many people fast when they are desperate for God to answer their prayers.
• The greater the problem the greater our desire to show God we want him to work.
• We can demonstrate that desire that passion, that desperation;
• By fasting as we pray.
Ill:
• But remember that fasting is not some kind of spiritual hunger strike;
• That compels God to do our bidding.
• The Israelites got this wrong in Isaiah 58 when they said:
“’Why have we fasted, ’and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?
• Always remember that fasting is not some kind of spiritual hunger strike;
• Forcing God to act and do something.
• Instead fasting is part of our commitment to praying;
• By fasting we are bringing a note of urgency to our praying.
• We are coming God and physically demonstrating to Him (and ourselves);
• How important this issue is to us.
• And we all know the expression; “Actions speak louder than words”.
Quote: Arthur Wallis writes:
“Fasting is calculated to bring a note of urgency and importunity into our praying, and to give force to our pleading in the court of heaven. The man who prays with fasting is giving heaven notice that he is truly in earnest… Not only so, but he is expressing his earnestness in a divinely-appointed way. He is using a means that God has chosen to make his voice to be heard on high.”
(4). Fasting can help us humble ourselves
• Fasting can be a practical, tangible way that we can humble ourselves before God.
• Throughout the Bible God required His people to humble themselves before Him.
• i.e. Matthew chapter 8 verse 4:
• “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”
• i.e. 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 6:
• “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”
• i.e. Matthew chapter 23 verse 12:
• “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”
• i.e. James chapter 4 verse 10:
• “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up”
Note: Did you notice that in all of these scriptures:
• Humbling ourselves is a responsibility placed on us.
• It is not a responsibility that we can give to God.
• If we pray, “God humble me,” our prayer is not scriptural
Ill:
• Notice what said; King David humbled himself through fasting;
• Psalm 35 verse 13:“…I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting”
Fasting is a physical sign of us humbling ourselves before God:
• Now we already use physical signs to demonstrate our humility before God.
• i.e. In our private or public praying we may kneel or bow down before God;
• This is an act of humility.
(5). Fasting can be a sign of Repentance.
• Repentance is a decision to turn away from sin in our lives.
• Some Christians treat sin lightly.
• A quick prayer and everything is ok again.
• But some situations in our lives require more than a quick prayer and a promise.
• Many people in the Bible fasted to show that they were seriousness concerning repentance.
• Note: Don’t confuse ‘repentance and fasting’ with ‘Penance’;
• We are not trying to atone for our sins – Christ has already done that!
• But repentance and fasting will cause us to take more seriously;
• Our decision to turn from sin.
• It is a commitment and preparation for our future righteousness.
• It is a sign that we are serious about starting afresh with God.
Question: How to Fast?
• PLAN WISELY BEFORE YOU FAST:
• I would suggest you start small;
• Fasting is a bit like physical exercise and requires that we train ourselves.
• Just as you wouldn’t start exercising by running a mini-marathon;
• Without a period of training and planning a training schedule.
• So you don’t start fasting by not eating for a week.
• Start by fasting for one meal a week or a month;
• Then increase it to two,
• Then after a period of time, maybe a 24hr fast.
• DETERMINE THE PURPOSE OF THE FAST.
• Is it to seek God, to seek direction, to pray for others?
• DETERMINE THE NATURE OF THE FAST.
• Is it an absolute fast, or solid food only?
• PLAN FOR THE FAST:
• Set the time specifically,
• Don’t plan to decide as you go – that doesn’t work so well.
• As with prayer try to make fasting a regular discipline rather than an occasional activity.
• DETERMINE TO FAST FOR THE RIGHT REASONS;
• Which brings us full circle – back to our text in Matthew chapter 6.
Note:
• Jesus’ teaching on fasting in the Sermon on the Mount;
• Was primarily designed to warn his disciples against the sin of hypocrisy
• This section on fasting is part of Jesus’ larger teaching against hypocrisy.
In fact Jesus warns his disciples regarding three areas of public acts of worship:
• In these verses, Jesus first of all gives us a general principle:
• Matthew chapter 6 verse 1:
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven
The Message:
"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theatre, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
Ill:
• When it was launched in 1936.
• The Queen Mary was the largest ship ever to cross the oceans.
• Through four decades and a World War she served until she was retired,
• She was anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.
• During the conversion, from passenger ship to hotel & restaurant;
• Her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted.
• But on the dock they crumbled.
• Nothing was left of the 3/4 inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed.
• All that remained were more than thirty coasts of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away.
• Over the years, and without anybody noticing;
• The smokestacks had become purely decretive and without substance!
In this section Jesus is warning his followers not to be the same:
• God wants us to be real, genuine, authentic, the real thing;
• Rather than outwardly impressive but inwardly hollow!
Having given us a general principle in verse 1:
• Jesus goes on to give three examples of how hypocrisy can reveal itself.
• Verses 2-4: He talks about giving or good works.
• Verses 5-15: He talks about prayer.
• Verses 16-18: He talks about fasting.
The warning of Jesus is a simple one:
• These religious leaders were doing the right things;
• But they were doing them in the wrong way!
• Instead of looking for God and his approval on their religious activities;
• They were more concerned with the approval of other people.
• The warning and teaching of Jesus is simple:
• God wants us to be real, genuine, authentic, the real thing;
• Don’t be a hypocrite – do your deeds of righteousness for God alone.
• The only approval a true disciple should look for is God the Father’s!
And finally:
• Not all fasting has to be secret;
• Sometimes it is helpful if we fast with others;
• Just like it is often easier to pray with others than to pray alone.
• But if we fast alone or together;
• We need to fast with pure motives!
