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.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won’t get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?”
God says you don't’ get my blessing because you are fasting with the wrong intentions:
Here is what God wants….
Here is how to fast in a way that pleases God
“This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’ IS. 58:6-9
God is saying:
Don’t try to impress people
Do you want to impress me?
Get humble
Get your heart right
Follow the instructions I have given you
“Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say (God will say) ‘Here I am.’”
- Isaiah 58:9
And Jesus restates what Isaiah said to Israel 650 years before Christ:
“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
I found 3 things in the text that capture what we need to learn today:
When fasting are not to seek the attention of others.
Matthew 6:1 starts off…
“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”
After that Jesus explains:
Don’t do your giving and benevolent acts publicly, do them quietly
Don’t pray loudly and publicly, go to a private place and pray, God will hear you
Now Jesus says don’t be a hypocrite and parade around self righteously when you fast
Don’t look all tired and droopy:
Don’t make it obvious you are fasting
Don’t publicize something to others that is between you and God
Take a shower, and go about your day as usual.
Don’t look sickly and draw attention to what is only between you and God
Fasting directs all our focus towards God.
Fasting is about you and God:
How long has it been since you gave all your attention to God
For a few days? Most of us have never done that
Maybe at a retreat, but probably we haven’t lately
Cleared our schedule and given our all and our best attention to the Lord
Our focus this year is “Serving as Jesus served”:
Did you know that Jesus fasted?
He fasted for 40 days.
If we are going to serve like Jesus, maybe we ought to try fasting?
When hunger starts to get the best of you:
Approach God for your strength
Look to the Lord to sustain you
Tell God you don’t need food right now, all you need is to be in His presence
God is enough for you, you are going to pursue God so strenuously
that you are not even going to stop to eat,
We can have our reward from people or God, but not both.
3 times Jesus said You have to pick your: do you want a REWARD from God or People
“so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:4 NIV
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 NIV
“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 6:18
So what is it going to be?
Do you want to be big in the eyes of people, and miss God’s reward?
Or do you want to be small in the eyes of people and rewarded by God?
We don’t need to spend energy trying to get the approval of mere mortals?
ONLY God can save your soul, no person you impress can do that
Jesus died for you sin and offers you forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit
Jesus holds the keys to heaven, no one else can give you access to the Father, except the Son
Let’s change as we finish this morning:
Most of this sermon has focused on not focusing on US
But now let’s focus on us for a minute
Take a minute and assess your condition
There are only two positions that really matter in this world:
The Lost: Those who are lost and going to Hell, who refuse to repent and be baptized
The Saved: those who have accepted Jesus, confessed Him, repented, and been baptized
Which one are you?
This is one time you should focus your attention on yourself:
After all Jesus lived, died and raised from the dead
Because He loves you and wants you to live forever in Heaven
As we sing the invitation song:
Consider where you are headed
And decide that you would rather spend eternity with Jesus in heaven
Rather than living forever in Hell...
Jesus is easiest and best decision you will ever make!
