“Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days and holidays, it has changed over the years, but its purpose has always been the same:
self-examination
and penitence,
demonstrated by self-denial,
in preparation for Easter.
Early church father Irenaus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) wrote of such a season in the earliest days of the church, but back then it lasted only two or three days, not the 40 observed today.
In 325, the Council of Nicea discussed a 40-day Lenten season of fasting, but it's unclear whether its original intent was just for new Christians preparing for Baptism, but it soon encompassed the whole Church. It was then the idea was connected to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry right after his baptism and his 40 days in the desert where he was tempted. Matt 4:1-2 says:
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights and afterwards he was famished.
How exactly the churches counted those 40 days varied depending on location. In the East, one only fasted on weekdays. The western church's Lent was one week shorter, but included Saturdays. But in both places, the observance was both strict and serious. Only one meal was taken a day, near the evening. There was to be no meat, fish, or animal products eaten.
The goal of which was to reorient our lives by focusing our lives on the disciplines of the Christians are urged to refrain from business as usual in order to attend to the body, spirit, mind, soul, and heart. It is a time set aside for worshipers to connect their faith walk with the ways in which they live, move, and have their being throughout daily life. Thus, the Lenten journey is a renewed spirit and a genuine desire to become an incarnational presence in the world.
To get us re-booted in the Spirit, Let’s dive into a traditional Lenten Scripture for the Second Sunday of Lent. It comes from Romans 4. The apostle Paul is writing to this letter from Corinth to new believers he had not visited. He means for the whole letter/book to be a treatise of sorts explaining/arguing/presenting the gospel as if he were in person. It is a classic writing that helps us all come to a greater understanding of its main theme - justification by faith. That is, by having a belief in Jesus, we are good with God. He sees what Jesus did and says in effect, if you’re with Him then you’re good with me. He says this in many different ways but it’s a main theme. Let me read this snippet once and then we will dive in.
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
The beginning of the chapter has Paul bringing up the idea of circumcision because of the physical difference between a Jewish male and the rest of the world as a way in which some claimed to be saved and others excluded from the love of God. A fact many a non-Jewish believer would have questioned or wondered about. Paul wanted to make it crystal clear - no action on our part can assure of us a place in God’s family. It is only one's belief in what Jesus did by suffering, dying and rising that opens the door to a relationship with God that assures us our future.
Hence, the reason last Sunday I challenged us all not to give up something for lent but to add something to build your faith in Jesus. The regular acts of praying, scripture reading, scripture studying, meditation, purposely being alone (solitude), performing acts of kindness/forgiveness/mercy and even regular fasting are what Christians have done for almost 2000 years.
I think it's important to note: fasting is not intended to punish the flesh, but to redirect attention to God. It is not a way to manipulate God. Fasting doesn’t change God. It, like prayer, changes us.
The Bible tells us fasting is closely related to: prayers of healing and deliverance (Ps. 35:13) and to worship (Acts 13:2); has been practiced in the context of a present or future calamity (Esther 4:1-4), in mourning (2 Sam. 1:12), in the selection of church leaders (Acts 13:2, 3), as a sign of repentance (Jonah 3:5), and as an expression of devotion to God (Luke 2:37).
Jesus condemned fasting for the purpose of impressing others with the spirituality of the person. He encouraged private fasting (Matt. 6:16-18, 19:15). The words in Matthew 6 “when you fast” point to an acceptance of the practice as a way to grow closer to God.
The act of fasting seeks to take the pains of hunger and physically remind you of your spiritual need. And as you remember, God will show you that He is all that we are truly desperate for.
The difference between Christian fasting and other religions or non-religious is that we are not merely hoping and longing and hungering and aching for something in the future. We fast on the knowledge we have already been made righteous by God through the actions of Jesus. We don’t fast or deprive ourselves of anything hoping for an eternal reward. The King has come. He has died for our sins. He is risen from the dead. He has gone away to heaven.
We already have the down payment in our hearts of his presence and his Spirit, but we long and we hunger for the day of his return, his coming and reigning.
So, Christian fasting is unique among all the fasting of the world. It is unique in that it expresses more than longing for Christ or hunger for Christ’s presence. It is a hunger that is rooted in — based on — an already present, experienced reality of Christ in history and in our hearts.
As such Christians are called to fast as a way to glorify God by:
voluntarily setting my wants, desires and needs aside to place God’s will above our own.
deepening our prayer life by causing a continual choice for a connection with the spiritual over the physical. Each thought becomes a prayer of God’s will in our everyday affairs. It deepens our concentration on Him, His Word and His Will.
emphasizing our relationship with Him by restoring our station in the supernatural world. It enforces He is our all. He provides. He strengthens. He gives wisdom. He is the power. He is the creator He is the redeemer. He is the sustainer. Ultimately He is in charge because He is God and we are not.
reminding us of our broken view of the world being what senses perceive. It's a regular reminder of our commitment to live with an eternal view, a spiritual above the physical.
providing a frame of reference for the ? of the world who eat only one meal a day and who weren’t born in the west. The reality of eating, drinking, not watching TV, sleeping late, checking social media, shopping daily only once a day creates an awareness of those who are less fortunate. It also connects us to the majority of the world.
So the challenge this week is to commit to fast until Easter from some part of your daily routine you deem as necessary to get by - a meal, some type of food or drink, TV, sleeping late, checking social media, shopping - and when tempted ask God to show you why this has been more important than connecting with Him.
A little warning today, the enemy makes you a target when you fast because he knows that fasting is one of the most powerful of all Christian disciplines and that God may have something very special to show you as you wait upon Him and seek His face. Satan does not want you to grow in your faith, and will do anything from making you hungry and grumpy to bringing up trouble in your family or at work to stop you. When attacked, pray.
Do not become so caught up in praying for yourself and others that you forget about simply reverencing and praising God. True spiritual fasting focuses on God. Center your total being on Him, your attitudes, actions, motives, desires, and words. This can only take place if God and His Holy Spirit are at the center of your attention. Confess your sins as the Holy Spirit brings them to your attention and continue to focus on God and God alone so that your prayers may be powerful and effective.
So to begin our commitment to fast….
