The Spiritual Discipline of Fasting

Two-Part Series on Spiritual Disciplines

Message Two

August 11, 2024

Matthew 6:16-18.

ETS: Jesus taught the disciples to fast.

ESS: Christians should pay careful attention to how they fast.

OSS: [Devotional] {I want the hearers to consider fasting over the mission of MFBC.}

PQ:

What practical instructions did Jesus provide regarding fasting?

UW: Instructions

Intro.: [AGS]: According to an article published in April of 2024 reporting research conducted in February of 2024, one in five (21%) Americans fast for religious reasons. Among those, Muslims are the most likely to fast (8/10 American Muslims fast regularly); Jewish Americans are second with about half (49%) stating they fast regularly; American Catholics are third with about four in ten stating they fast at some point during the year (likely during lent); American Evangelical Protestant Christians stated that only 3 out of 10 (34%) fast. (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/05/how-common-is-religious-fasting-in-the-united-states/) Another article suggested the reason for small percentages on behalf of Christians in America is because of ignorance regarding the discipline of fasting. The same article suggested that fasting is simply foreign to the way Christianity in the west is taught and understood. Donald Whitney is cited in the article stating, “Your hunger serves your larger purpose…and without that it is just something to be endured and we think that we are impressing God by making ourselves suffer and somehow that earns us points. That’s just a works-based, not Gospel-based view of fasting. And that’s probably the most common mistake by those who do fast.” (https://www.christianpost.com/news/fasting-many-christians-have-never-been-taught-how-to-or-why-its-necessary-theologians-say.html) There are many purposes attached to fasting. However, one should remember this: fasting is not for personal gain or an attempt to “manipulate God.” (Whitney) Among purposes found in the Bible for fasting are the following:

Protection on a particular trip; to strenghten prayer (2 Chronicles 20:3-4; Ezra 8:21-23)

God’s favor in difficult times (Esther 4:14-17)

Repentance/brokenness over sin (1 Samuel 7:6; Daniel 9:3-5; Joel 2:12-13)

Expression of humility before God (1 Kings 21:27-29)

Expression of concern for the work of God (Nehemiah 1:3-4)

To minister to others’ needs (Isaiah 58:3-7)

Overcome temptation (Matthew 4:1-2)

Stronger faith (Matthew 17:19-21)

Worship (Luke 2:36-37)

Guidance for decision making (Judges 20:26; Acts 13:2-4)

Appointing someone to ministry (Acts 14:23)

To express grief (1 Samuel 31:13)

[https://www.fbcz.org/post/examples-of-fasting-in-the-bible] [https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/10-biblical-purposes-fasting/]

[TS]: Fasting is an important theme throughout the Bible— both in the Old and New Testaments. In fact, according to one source, it is mentioned more times as baptism. “by my count, 77 times or so, fasting is mentioned versus 75 times for baptism.” [Donald Whitney, https://www.christianpost.com/news/fasting-many-christians-have-never-been-taught-how-to-or-why-its-necessary-theologians-say.html] It is so important that Jesus assumes that the disciples are engaging the spiritual discipline of fasting. He does not instruct them to fast; rather, about how they should fast when they fast. [RS]: Have you ever engaged in fasting in your life? From food? From social media? From something else? What was the motive and reasoning? Did you engage it with the mentality that you would gain something because of your sacrifice? Or did you engage it with the sole motive of drawing nearer to God?

TS: Let us examine the practical instructions provided by Jesus.

Don’t make it obvious to others when you fast. [v. 16]

The same instruction given regarding prayer is given regarding fasting:

Don’t be like the hypocrites that seek attention from others in practicing such disciplines.

For they make their faces unattractive

They go out of their way to ensure attention is drawn to them.

So that their fasting is obvious to people

They have their reward here— the attention of others.

Seek God more intenitonally in the normal routines of life. [vv. 17-18]

There is an important conjunction to begin verse 17:

σὐ δἐ (But you)— the conjuction de is a harsh contrastive conjunction to set distinction between what was said in the previous verse and what is to be said in the following verses.

Put oil on your head and wash your face

Don’t go out of your way to make it obvious to others— the attention should not be on you.

Go about the normal routines of the day, in this regard, so as to not make it obvious.

So that your fasting isn’t obvious to others

The focus is not to draw the attention of others to ourselves

The focus is to worship God more sincerely and to draw nearer to Him.

The comfort and assurance we have?

God sees all and knows all.

As stated last week:

We don’t have to worry about being noticed by others when we are confident that our Father has already taken note of us.

When the focus is not on ourselves and gaining reward for ourselves here, but instead on drawing nearer to our Father in Heaven, then we have an eternal reward awaiting us that is far greater than any earthly reward we might receive here.

Response Questions:

[1] The first step of drawing near to God is accepting the invitation of God to know Him personally through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Acknowledge your sin as a barrier between you and God.

Acknowledge that Jesus bore your sin on the cross so that the barrier might be broken down enabling you to draw near to God and to know Him personally.

Acknowledge Jesus as your Savior— He bore your sin in death and provided salvation in His resurrection; Acknowledge Jesus as your Lord— He gave His all for you to live; so give your all to Him as you live.

[2] The second step of drawing near to God— if you are a Christian— is seeking God’s leadership in fasting. Is there a particular reason for fasting to focus on— something particularly that needs to be brought before God?

Guidance in decision making?

Protection?

Worship?

Prayer?

Faith?

Repentance/brokenness of sin?

etc.

In the coming days, you will be given specific things to focus on— for us, as a church— to focus on. Prayerfully, I hope you will consider fasting over these things because they will bear great impact on your life individually and on our lives together, corporately, as a part of His body.