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
i. WHEN THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THE “LUST OF THE FLESH”, IT IS AN EXPRESSION WHICH MEANS TO HAVE AN UNGUARDED APPETITE, AND IN MANY WAY RELATED TO FOOD.
ii. EVE LOOKED AT THE APPLE AND YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY, ….HE APPETITE FOR SOMETHING THAT LOOKED SO GOOD GOT HER INTO TROUBLE, AND ALL OF US TO BY THE WAY!
iii. ESAU, EXCHANGED HIS BIRTHRIGHT AND ALL THAT WENT WITH IT FOR A BOWL OF STEW
iv. THE NATION OF ISRAEL WHILE IN THE WILDERNESS WAS ALWAYS GRUMBLING. MOST OF THAT GRUMBLING CENTERED AROUND FOOD
1. WE HAVE NOTING TO EAT
2. WE HAVE NOTHING TO DRINK
3. WE ONLY HAVE MANNA TO EAT. WE WANT MEAT
v. EVEN JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS, THE FIRST TEMPTATION WAS FOOD!
d. THE THOUGHT IS THAT LACK OF DISCIPLINE HERE LEADS TO LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN OTHER AREAS.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, TODAY WHAT ARE THE SITUATIONS YOU AND I FACE THAT ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEEK THE PERSON OF GOD THROUGH FASTING. IN SEEKING GOD, WE ARE COMING TO HIM IN HUMILITY, IN PRAYER AND ASKING HIM TO BE IN CONTROL.
3. WHEN SHOULD THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST CONSIDER FASTING?
a. CONSIDER FASTING DURING TIMES OF IMMINENT THREAT OR DANGER
i. WE MENTIONED NINEVAH AND GOD’S IMPENDING JUDGMENT
ii. KING JEHOSAPHAT PROCLAIMED A FAST WHEN THE NATION OF JUDAH WAS ABOUT TO BE OVERRUN IN 2 CHRON 20
iii. ESTHER, HER SERVANTS AND ALL THE JEWS IN SUSA FASTED FOR THREE DAYS BEFORE SHE APPROACHED THE KING TO PLEAD FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE
iv. WE MENTIONED EZRA WHO CALLED FOR A FAST BEFORE SETTING OUT FROM BABYLON AND RETURNING TO ISRAEL.
b. CONSIDER FASTING WHEN YOU ARE OVERWHELMED WITH SORROW
i. DAVID FASTED AND PLEADED FOR THE LIFE OF THE FIRSTBORN OF BATHSHEBA
ii. NEHEMIAH THE PROPHET FASTED WHEN HE RECEIVED WORD ABOUT HOW BAD THINGS WERE IN JERUSALEM
ILLUSTRATION:
IN THE EARLY SPRING OF 1877, MINNESOTA FARMERS SURVEYED THEIR LANDS, DREADING THE FIRST HORDES OF LOCUSTS THAT HAD CAUSED SUCH WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION THE SUMMER BEFORE. ANOTHER SUCH PLAGUE THREATENED TO DESTROY MINNESOTA’S RICH WHEAT LANDS, SPELLING RUIN FOR THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES. SUDDENLY GOVERNOR JOHN S. PILLSBURY PROCLAIMED APRIL 26TH A DAY OF FASTING AND PRAYER, URGING THAT EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD ASK DIVINE HELP.
A STRANGE HUSH FELL OVER THE LAND AS MINNESOTANS SOLEMNLY ASSEMBLED TO PRAY. NEXT MORNING THE SUN ROSE IN CLOUDLESS SKIES. TEMPERATURES SOARED TO MID-SUMMER HEAT. THE PEOPLE LOOKED UP AT THE SKIES IN WONDER, AND TO THEIR HORROR, THE WARM EARTH BEGAN TO STIR WITH THE DREADED INSECTS. THIS WAS A STRANGE ANSWER! THREE DAYS PASSED. THE UNSEASONABLE HEAT HATCHED OUT A VAST ARMY OF LOCUSTS THAT THREATENED TO ENGULF THE ENTIRE NORTHWEST! THEN, ON THE FOURTH DAY THE SUN WENT DOWN IN A COLD SKY AND THAT NIGHT FROST GRIPPED THE EARTH. MOST OF THE LOCUSTS WERE DESTROYED AS SURELY AS IF FIRE HAD SWEPT THEM AWAY! WHEN SUMMER CAME THE WHEAT WAVED TALL AND GREEN. APRIL 26TH WENT DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE DAY ON WHICH A PEOPLE’S PRAYER HAD BEEN ANSWERED AND LABOR OF FASTING HAD BEEN BLESSED.
c. CONSIDER FASTING WHEN FRIENDS ARE SICK
i. DAVID IN THE PSALMS SPEAKS OF HUMBLING HIS SOUL BY FASTING WHEN FRIENDS WERE SICK
d. CONSIDER FASTING WHEN YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT TASK AHEAD OF YOU
i. FOR THIS LOOK TO NO ONE BETTER THAN JESUS
ii. BEFORE BEGINNING HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY, JESUS FASTED 40 DAYS AND NIGHTS
4. WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR WHEN YOU DECIDE TO FAST.
a. YOUR APPEARANCE. DO LOOK/ACT SAD AND GLOOMY AS THOUGH YOU ARE IN DISCOMFORT
i. SOMBER IN THE NIV MEANS TO HAVE A GLOOMY OR SULLEN LOOK AND THEN LET OTHERS SEE IT TO BOTH LOOK PIOUS AND SEEK PRAISE FROM THEM.
ii. THE WORD DISFIGURE MEANS TO CAUSE YOURSELF TO BECOME UNRECOGNIZABLE. TO CHANGE YOUR APPEARANCE
iii. HYPOCRITE WAS AN ACTING TERM FOR THOSE WHO WOULD YOU MAKEUP TO APPEAR AS SOMEONE THEY WERE NOT.
b. ON THE CONTRARY, ACT AND LOOK IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOUR FASTING IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD.
i. WE DO NOT FAST FOR THE APPROVAL OF MEN BUT TO SEEK THE MIND AND PEACE OF GOD.
AS IN OUR DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST, IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT OUR MOTIVES FOR DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING.
GOD WILL ALWAYS LOOK ON OUR HEART. WHEN HE LOOKS ON OURS MAY THEY ALL BE FOUND CLEAN AND WE SEEK TO SERVE HIM,
