Gods Reward; Beyond Religion

Introduction

Good morning friends! My name is Clint, thank you so much for joining is in person, or on line. Today I’ll be continuing on in a series that we are calling “Beyond Religion”. We are looking at the teachings of Jesus, specifically the Sermon on the mount, and we are learning how being a disciple, and apprentice, a follower of Jesus isn’t about following a list of rules, laws, or regulations. It’s not a list of boxes to check, rather it is a lifestyle, it is something that is at the core of our being. Following Jesus means that we spend time with the King of all Creation, we call him, very literally, Lord and Savior, and we choose to spend that time with him, and as well do that, we are transformed into people who follow Jesus.

I think about it like this, and this isn’t a perfect illustration, but hopefully it works. When I was a growing up we did a ton of BBQing. Nothing fancy, usually just hotdogs, brats, burgers, the occasional cob of corn. And when Dad would start the grill, we always had a charcoal grill, he build a pyramid of coals, soak it in lighter fluid, and then light it with a match. One day a couple years ago, adult Clint is home for a visit, and a start stacking the goals to light the grill. My dad is sitting in a lawn chair and he asks me “Why are you staking the coals like that” Now I’m perplexed, I’m looking at them trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, a I say something like “Well, I do it this way because this is the way you did it” and he goes “and its the way your grandpa did it to, where do you think I learned it from”…….Now, if you will, there is no law or rule that states you need to build a charcoal pyramid. I did it that way because thats what my dad did. Now, we have an all good, all powerful, all righteous heavenly Father who wants to show us the best possible way to live our lives. When we spend time with him, just like me spending time with my dad in the back yard, he teaches us how to be people who can live out the lives we are supposed to, lives that are full of peace, happiness, justice, mercy, compassion. Kingdom of God lives.

So, today, we are going to look one way that we can create space in our lives to spend time with God, we are going to look at the practice of Fasting. We are going to talk a little about what fasting is, we are going to look at some dangers of fasting, things that could poke at our hearts and keep us from connecting with God in the fullest possible way, and then we are going to look at how fasting can connect us more deeply to our heavenly father. We are going to be in Matthew 6: 16-18 today, you can find that in the bibles in front of you, let me pray, and then we will jump into the Verse.

PRAY

Matthew 6:16–18 ““When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others 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.”

First thing to note about this verse is that is says when you fast. Spiritual disciplines, or exercise, things like prayer, scripture reading and fasting, go hand in hand with following Jesus. They can help us grow in our relationship with Jesus. I”m not going to beat this point up. You are all here, which tells me that you are all at least open to the opportunity to growing in your relationship with the creator of the Universe.

Looking at the verse, Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter. He once again is contrasting what his followers should do versus the group of hypocrites. In this example he is talking about fasting. Down and dirty definition of fasting: Fasting is abstaining from something, typically food, for an amount of time for, in our context, spiritual purposes. Fasting is when you redirect your energy from one thing, to something different, in order to put yourself in a position to encounter God.

You fast from food. So instead of walking to the coffee shop around the corner to get a sandwich, you take an extra lap around the block, and talk to God about your day. You can take it a step farther and redirect the money you would be spending on the food to something different, a charity that provides food for those in need, or you hand the money to someone who is asking for donations.

You fast from food and part way through the day your stomach starts rumbling. That acts as a reminder that God is always there, you focus on God’s presence, God’s power, and then you re- engage with the Lord in whatever you are doing. Fasting, try it. Also, disclaimer, make sure that you are medically and mentally in a spot where this is safe to do before you give it a try. Sometimes, especially with certain medications, fasting from food might not be an option. That’s okay, there are lots of ways to connect with God, and lot’s of ways to fast. When I talk about fasting today, for simplicities sake I’m going to use example of food, but if you are fasting from something else, say screen time, or alcohol, or a toxic relationship, number one, I’m proud of you, and number two, just sub that in when I mention food. Also, before I forget, if you are looking to start fasting, an easy way to do it is to start small. Skip breakfast, eat lunch. Or skip dinner, and eat breakfast. Then build up. Or, you could follow the sun. When the sun is up, no food. When the sun is down, eat like you normally would. Don’t gorge yourself, be modest, but when the sun goes done eat. Alright, lets jump back into the verse

What are you looking for?

Jesus says Matthew 6:16 ““When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. ” Jesus is inviting us to fast, but he is also warning us about the dangers. Don’t be like the hypocrites. Don’t put on a show. When you are engaging in Spiritual Practices, or really anything, ask yourself “What are you looking for?” Who are you looking for Validation from?

Danger #1 Looking for Validation

External

Sometimes, we do things, good things, and we are looking for external validation. We are looking for someone to see us, to notice us, to say that we are doing a good job. The hypocrites walking around are fasting, but they look miserable. I read somewhere that they might even have put certain markings on their face so that people would know that they are fasting. That may seem extreme, we all do this.

I do this with the dishes. When there is a sink full of dishes and I end up doing them, I usually hang around in the Kitchen when Erin gets home to see if she notices and will say something like “Thanks for doing the dishes!” First, I know I should do the dishes more often. Second, it’s not a bad thing to want that external validation. If Erin says good job, I’ve gotten my reward. She has said good job!

Also, don’t take this to the extreme, where you do the dishes, or drop donuts off for you classmates, or you give a kidney to a stranger and the person says “ Hey, thanks for the kidney, without it I would have died, good lucking out” you don’t need to go “Woah is me, now God will not reward my noble deed, wretched man am I!!!”

I don’t think that’s what Jesus is going for here. In fact, in Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So whats up, should we let our deeds be known or not/

This is a motive check. Why are you doing what you are doing? Whatever you are doing, fasting, praying, donating organs, pause, examine, why am I doing this? Am I doing it because it is right, because it is helpful, because I want to do it? Or am I doing it for external validation. Am I doing it so that people praise me, so that they think I’m good.

If you have chosen to engage in fasting this year, or if you are thinking about it, why? Why are you here today? Is it because this is what a good Christian does? A good Christian goes to church. A good Christian fasts? Who gets to define what a good Christian does? I hear so many mixed messages about what a good Christian is……

Jesus is cutting through all the external noise. Don’t seek approval from others with your spiritual life, with your fasting. Seek approval from your heavenly father.

Internal

We have talked about external validation, about seeking the approval of others, but what about internal validation. That’s something we need to be aware of as well. This one is more subtle. Seeking external validation, the approval of others, I think we get this, we can wrap our heads around this, but look deeper.

Where in your life are you trying to win your approval, to convince yourself of your worth and value? I’ll give you a general example, and then we will talk about the spiritual side of it.

I joined the Army National Guard when I was a senior in high school. I did it for several reasons, pay was good, I wanted to serve, I had a military family history, all that stuff, and all that stuff was good. There was also a part of me that hated myself. I never thought that I was good enough, everything I did felt like a fake. I got good grades, I’d dismiss it because the class was easy. Played football, dismissed it because it was a small school and the team needed bodies, had a great group of friends, it was only because the saw who I wanted them to see. Part of the reason I joined the army was because I thought if I could do that, maybe I’d be worth something.

Is there anywhere in your life where you are feeling this. If I could just go to church more, then I’d be a good person. If I could just pray more, then God would love me. If I could move my hands from here to here in worship, maybe God would notice me……. Jesus invites us to go beyond religion. No boxes to check, This is subtle, put it’s huge, maybe even life changing for some of us. You are loved. The God of the Universe knows you, God sees you, God loves you, God likes you and prefers your company, God wants to be with you. The God of the Universe loves you. You don’t need to do anything. You don’t need to come to church. You don’t need to fast. You don’t need to raise your hands in worship. You. Are. Loved.

Some of you know this in your heads, all of us need to feel it deeper in our hearts. You might be sitting here, and you just filed for bankruptcy. You are loved. You are HIV positive. You are loved. You’ve killed someone. You are loved. You have done things so unspeakable that if you can’t even say them out loud. You come here and think, maybe, just maybe if I go to church, if I fast, if I read my bible…..maybe I can be a good person. Doing those things, won’t make you a good person. No amount of internal or external validation will transform us. What transforms us is knowing that we are loved, and experincing, tasting that love first hand.

Danger #2 Hollow Faith

Depending on the externals or the internals is a danger, it leads to a hollow faith. If I only believe that God loves me when people love me or when I feel good about myself, thats a hollow faith. If I am only okay when i am able to read my bible, what am I going to do if my eyeballs fall out and I can’t read it anymore?

Jesus cuts through it all and invites us into more, he invites into a different way of beings, a way beyond religion, beyond looking for the validation.

A Different Way

Normalized Spirituality

And this different way, first of all, it is an everyday way of being. If you look at the verse, Jesus invites us to fast, but to do it in a Normal way. Get up, take a shower, brush your teeth and go about your normal day.

Sometimes for me this seems, I don’t know, a little too easy. I played a video game when I was a kid where the main character had to go on this epic question, battling his way through the mountains until he finally reached a Holy Spot and communed with “The Light” and ended up getting transformed into this Holy Warrior. I know sometimes that I want this mountain top experience, where I know that I know that I know. You ever felt that way. Maybe you had a moment when you were a kid when God was made real, or maybe you went to a conference and just felt the Holy Spirit move in a fresh way, or maybe you came right up front during a service, and the person who prayed for you, man it was like they were an angel of the lord and you felt right, and good, and whole for the first time in a long time.

Those are all really great experiences. Cherish them! And, we need a Spirituallity for everyday life, because we live in our everyday lives! The conference high fades, but having to stay grounded when you are dealing with the ups and downs of everyday life, that is a gift that keeps on giving.

So, Jesus invites us into a normalized spirituality. He invites us to practice things like fasting in a way that is incredibly personal, and isn’t dependent on the externals.

“Matthew 6:17–18 “but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Provides Deeper Connection with God

We can meet God, anywhere, anytime, any place. God Loves You. That love is always available. Spirit practices, like fasting, they create space for connection. A fast is a way for us to come before God and say, Lord, I want more of you in my life. Here is a small step that I am talking towards opening myself up to experience that love.

It’s like carving out time to spend with a loved one. This Friday was gorgeous out, wasn’t it? I was going to pick my oldest up from school, which isn’t very far from our house. I walked there when I usually drive. I got her from parent pick up and we walked home together. She told me all about her day, she asked me so many questions on the 15 minute walk. It was a great part of my day. It happened because of the space we created together. I love her, and she loves me, and sometimes we don’t have as much space to talk and hangout. I’m sure you are the same way. Life gets busy, and the busy can choke out relational time. You want to talk with your partner, but the dishes need to get done, the laundry, always the laundry….. You’d love to go grab a drink with a friend, but there is that paper that’s due, or that project at work, that meeting that you got to be up early for. Fasting builds space into our day to spend with God. You can be going about your normal day, sitting in that board meeting, listening to a client talk, working on homework, doing the thing where you are trying to psych yourself up to send that email or make that phone call, cleaning your space, whatever it is, you are engaged in normal life, and then you remember that you are hunger, thats a pivot point, thats a holy moment of creating space to experience how much Love God actually has for you. It is a moment, built right into your day, of deep connection.

Fasting in Private Cultivates Authenticity Before God

It’s a chance to be really authentic with God. Right in the middle of the day in the middle of the stress, the anxiety, the fear, your tummy rumbles. And you get to say, Lord, I need you in this moment! I need your love, I need you to tell me who I am, that I’m not this mess that I’m in, I’m not this victory that I just won, take it all away, and I am your loved child, first and foremost.

Spiritual Growth and Awareness

Spiritual Growth and transformation happens in our real everyday lives. When we fast, we draw our attention to the God who is always there, waiting to be wanted. Fasting can heighten our spiritual awareness. We enter into this practice to draw close to God, he is a good God who wants to be near his kids. We enter into this practice, we bring our awareness to God and we experience more of him.

And, we can learn some stuff about ourselves as well. What comes out of you when you are fasting? Do you get that hanger and begin to be mean to everybody? Where is that anger coming from? Dig below the surface. Maybe all you can do is dwell on your discomfort. What is that about? What might God be inviting you into in that discomfort? How might this be training you for other uncomfortable parts of your life.

I remember one time in basic training our Drill Sgt got bored and took us out into a random field and made us do a bunch of calisthenics. At first I was pretty made about it, but pretty quickly I realized that everything we were doing, I had done before countless times during football practice in high school. And instantly, it was like I was transported their, I was back at practice with my buddies, and I started smiling and having a good time.

Fasting, spending this intentional time with God, can have the same effect. We are choosing to disrupt our routine in order to connect with God. When an organic disruption to our routine happens, you are running late for work and you have a flat tire, you are scared to death because you kid is out late and you haven’t heard from them, you fave a friend die unexpectedly, what ever the disruption is, whatever the crisis is, if you are practicing different spiritual disciplines, like fasting, I think it is more likely that you will be able to connect with God quicker in the moment, because you have already nutured this intimacy, and this depends on God.

The Secret Place as a Space of Dependence on God

It is in this secret place of intimacy with God that we learn how to be dependent on him. We learn how to bring God into each and every moment of our lives. We learn how to connect in the boring, the mundane, in sending that email, in staying present when your nephew is rambling on about roblox. As well in the big moments, like when our world feels like it is turned upside down.

Fasting can foster this deep connection, because we can practice it in secret in our regular run of the mill lives.

A Different Reward

Jesus says that the hypocrites, when people know that they are fasting, and they offer them recognition and praise, they get their reward. He says in Matthew 6:18 “… your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Fasting in this way, this secret, everyday way has it’s own reward, and it’s better than all the public praise.

Hunger for God is Awakened through Intimacy with Him

Our reward is we got God himself. A hunger for more and more of him is awakened in us as we experince this connection.

Intimacy with God awakens desire for His presence and work in our lives

The more we experince, the more we want to experince him in our lives. Experiencing God’s presences becomes the thing that we can’t live with out. We see this in the scriptures. After Jesus’s baptism he goes into the wilderness and he fasts. There he is tempted several times. One of the times the Tempter, who knows that Jesus is hungry, tempts him to turn stones to bread, and Jesus replies- Matthew 4:4 “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”” Which is a reference to a writing in Deuteronomy

We are sustained on more than food. There is more to life. At the end of the day, God is the one that holds all of the cosmos, and that includes you, and me, together. Fasting can help us connect with the true source of our life. And, this isn’t in just some philosophical way. There can be real POWER in fasting.

Hunger for God is satisfied by feasting on Jesus

Once again, we see evidence of this in Jesus’s life. One time, him and his friends walked for a long time, and they were tired, and hunger. The boys went to try and find a snack, and Jesus hung-out by a well, and had this awesome moment where he got to ministry, to do the work of the Kingdom of God. His friends come back and we read this in John 4:31–34 “Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

The same way that God sustained his people with Manna from heaven, Jesus can sustain every fiber of our being. When we fast, it opens us up, it greats space, for us to experince the true power of God in all aspects of our lives. And, much like Jesus with this woman at the well, it creates in us an opportunity to for service. We can take the resources we save by serving, like the money that we would spend on food, and give it away. We can take the time that we save, like the hours I spend trying to pick a restraunt, and help a friend out. During Fasting, God does stuff in us, and that pours out into service for others. Selfishly, we fast to spend more time with God, and it transforms us into people who are able to selflessly serve, because we are being sustained by God, we are getting our needs met by Jesus.

Satisfaction Found only in Jesus

Fasting can open us up to the only one who can truly sustain us, the only one who will never leave us or never disappoint us. The only one who can meet all of our needs, who can provide security, encouragement, challenge, love, and peace.

So, for you, where have you settled for something less satisfying than God? Where are you getting your security from? Your worth, your value? How is God inviting you into something more. What is he speaking to you today. Were is he inviting you to experince the satisfaction that he has for you.

Conclusion

Today is an invitation into a deeper relationship with God. It doesn’t matter where you are coming from. Maybe you’ve been following him for many years, maybe you are still spiritually searching. Today, you can take another step. What is that step for you? Is it checking your motives, looking below the surface and assessing why you do what it is you do? Is it adopting some sort of spiritual practice to but yourself in a position to experience God’s love, his mercy, his transformative power? Maybe some of us here today are realizing that we have segmented our lives, that we don’t have those normalized spiritual rituals. What would it look like for you today to integrate more fully your faith into your everyday life. How would that change things. Maybe you would love and serve in a different way. Maybe you would be more grounded, more stable, less shakeable in the ups and downs of everyday life. Maybe you would be more free to be who you were created to be. Wouldn’t that be nice, not to feel the external pressure or internal tug of war. Maybe that’s what God wants to give you today. Let’s pray together

Ministry Time

Grounded and stable to do the work

Call to blend spirituality and service

Desire to feel loved and accepted

Desire for Greater intimacy with God

A Spirituality that matters

Need to know whats real

Wisdom, guidance, direction

Just a plain old difficult week

Communion

Communion, like fasting, is an opportunity for us to acknowledge that the only thing we should be dependent on is Jesus.