Fasting Basics

January 9th 2022

Series: Basics of the Faith

Sermon Title: FASTING Basics

Topic: A message on what the Bible says about fasting and the importance of fasting in our lives.

Key Passages: Various

Sermon Blurb: Have you ever wondered about fasting? What does the Bible/Jesus tell us about fasting? What’s the point? In this message we will cover the basics of fasting according to the Bible.

Sermon:

Family Moment

Hello Family Church!!!

Welcome back to week 5 of our sermon series called Basics of the Faith

If you are new, or newer, to Family Church I want to let you know that EVERY January around here... we spend the month talking about things that HEALTHY followers of Jesus do.

Because it is our goal for everyone at Family Church to be a healthy & thriving follower of Jesus.

PAUSE

So, we’re wrapping up Basics of the Faith

…and if you’ve missed any of these messages, I’d encourage you to go back and listen to each message from this month

… because it is our strong hope that none of us will allow another year to go by without growing closer to Jesus…

and we believe these Basics of the Faith are fuel for the journey

PAUSE

Today we’re going to wrap this up talking about Fasting Basics.

What is fasting?... ..How do we fast? ... What’s the point of fasting? ...And so forth.

…and right out the gate, I want to give us a working definition of fasting …if you’re filling your notes in,

Fasting is abstaining from worldly cravings to amplify your spiritual connectivity . *repeat

PAUSE

So, as we walk through this together… let’s try to get a better understanding of Fasting and why it is important for us in becoming healthier followers of Jesus.

Matthew 6

New Person Bible Talk

App Talk

While you’re turning there… let me give some quick context...

…what we’re going to read is a part of the Sermon on the Mount

If you’re new or newer to Church, the Sermon on the Mount is a teaching, by Jesus, recorded in The Gospel of Matthew

…It is noted as the greatest sermon of all time.

…It is also the longest of Jesus’ teachings that we have recorded in our Bibles, spanning over 3 chapters in Matthew 5, 6, and 7

The Sermon on the Mount is full of principles and practices that a follower of Jesus should apply in their lives IF they want to be healthy followers of Jesus…

PAUSE

And right in the middle of this great sermon, one of the principles that Jesus mentions, is the principle of fasting

So, read along with me in Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says….

“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. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so 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.”

Pause right there… let’s note a few things here in this passage

First, did you notice the phrasing in verses 16 and 17?

…Jesus said “when…you fast”

He didn’t say “if…you fast” but “when”

….and He says it twice

So, right this down in your notes:

Jesus expects His followers to fast.

PAUSE

And fasting is something Jesus valued in His own life as well

Matthew 4:2 it says that [Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights]

And after fasting forty days and forty nights…. Matthew 4:2

So, Jesus taught His followers to fast, He personally valued fasting, and He expects His followers to fast

PAUSE

Now, fasting was not a New Testament phenomenon or idea, it wasn’t original to Jesus when He arrived on earth

…but fasting is all throughout the Old Testament as well

We don’t have time to go into detail with these….

But there are many great men and women of Old who fasted… Moses… Daniel… David… Esther… Ezra

…often the entire nation of Israel fasted

…The Prophet Jeremiah called a fast

…The Prophet Joel called a fast

…The Prophet Zechariah called a fast

On and on, godly men and women of Old practiced fasted

PAUSE

And they fasted for a variety of reasons…

…Fasting happened during times of mourning

People fasted to humble themselves

they fasted for protection from attacks

…or deliverance from bondage

… when approaching danger

… or going through personal afflictions

People fasted during times of grief or loss

They fasted as a point of consecrating themselves to God

People fasted to hear from God and get direction/vision

They fasted as a point of confessing sin

Fasting happened when interceding in prayer for others

…There are many reasons people fasted in the Old Testament

PAUSE

Then, as we come into the New Testament, it didn’t suddenly stop.

In fact, we are almost immediately introduced to a woman named Anna, who was fasting and awaiting the Messiah

We know Jesus fasted as He prepared for ministry

John the Baptist’s disciples fasted

The Early Church leaders fasted

The Apostle Paul fasted

…On and on and on

PAUSE

Here again, the reasons for fasting in the New Testament were also plentiful

…They fasted when appointing leaders in the Church

…They fasted when making decisions

…They fasted for divine perspective

…They fasted as intercession for others

… Jesus even said that deliverance from oppression and even demonic possession often required prayer and fasting

…The reality is, Jesus expects His followers to fast, and the list of people and reasons for fasting in the Bible is vast!

LONG PAUSE

So, Jesus knowing all of that…tells His listeners, “When you fast…. When you fast for any of these reasons…

….and then He continues,

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting.

Pause right there…

Jesus noticed something about the way some people were conducting their fasts… and He does not approve.

In fact, He warns against the way they did their fast

Because how they were conducting their fast revealed why they were fasting… their actions proved their motives

So, Jesus is warning His listeners against wrong motives and attitude of heart.

PAUSE

The religious elites of Jesus’ day were, they were really good at presenting an appearance of godliness

… but their hearts were insincere.

They knew how to impress people, but it was all done without sincerity or integrity… it was ‘smoke in mirrors’

…but it fooled a whole lot of people, so they continued to do it

… it just didn’t fool Jesus J

PAUSE

So, Jesus wanted to make very clear how TO and how NOT to fast… and right here, he is telling us how NOT to fast.

So, right this down,

Fasting reveals wrong motives and resists boastful attitudes.

Jesus calls out these “hypocrites”, people who wanted to be recognized by man as good ole’ religious people

…He calls out those who wanted to appear like they were spiritually mature and upright.

He reveals how their hearts were prideful and their motives were wrong

…Jesus is exposing their motive and He’s speaking against the wrong attitude of fasting

LONG PAUSE

Fasting can reveal a whole lot about our motives as well

….It can expose our hearts, our attitudes, our motives

When we willingly abstain from something to pursue God, God will draw near to you…. He will…

…but don’t be alarmed if He reveals something in you when you fast.

As you draw closer to God and He draws nearer to you, don’t be surprised if He reveals something in you as well.

PAUSE

So, Jesus goes on…He says in verse 16

I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

Pause here…

What Jesus said, is even though they fasted… even though they went through the right motions…

…Jesus says, they will not receive anything from God.

They will not receive anything from God!

In other words, when our fast is done superficially or self-seeking, we will not receive anything from God

When we fast, or do any spiritual discipline without sincerity of heart, we will forfeit the reward God wants to give us

You can impress people, look religious, fit right in, fool a lot of people, and feel quite good about yourself… but that is all the reward you will receive…

Enjoy the limelight for a moment because the admiration of man will quickly fade.

PAUSE

So, after warning us how NOT to fast, Jesus proceeds to tell us how TO fast

In verse 17,

But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting,

Church, do you see the contrast from verse 16 to 17?

In 16, Jesus warns against how not to fast…and in 17 He contrasts that to how we should fast

And Jesus says, “do not make it obvious to others”.

…He says, fast, but don’t make your fast known to others.

Don’t boast in your fast, don’t boast in your works or religious piety

PAUSE

This is an important part to biblical fasting, write this down:

Fasting is between God and me.

Fasting is personal… no one can fast for you… no one can choose that you abstain from something and make you pursue God

… a priest can’t do it for you, nor a pastor, nor a godly spouse, nor a godly parent…

Fasting is a spiritual discipline between you and God that deepens your personal connection to Him

PAUSE

Even when a church-wide fast is called, it is still between you and God.

When we call a fast at this church, that isn’t time for you to boast to your small group how you’re going to fast OR try to one up your neighbor like you do with Christmas Decorations J

We call a church-wide fast so we are all in unity of timing and focus… but you must make it personal, and you must keep it between you and God

PAUSE

J And here’s the awesome promise for us when we personalize our fast between us and God…

Verse 18; but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

J Church, when we fast personally and privately, God the Father notices and rewards.

So, write this down…

God recognizes and rewards me when I fast.

PAUSE

The word reward here is a term that was used in business transactions or commerce

It means to pay someone their dues or wages earned

So, Jesus says that the hypocrites, the people who fasted the wrong way…. He says, “they have received their reward”

So, what was their payment? What was their reward?

Jesus said, the recognition from others was their reward.

…and that they received that reward “in full”

There was no more payment, no more reward…once an invoice was paid, there was nothing else to be given, it was paid in full.

PAUSE

But then Jesus talked about the person who fasts the right way.

He says when we fast personally and privately, then God the Father will reward you

…God Himself will pay your dues

And God will reward you with something far greater and enduring than accolades from man

God will reward you with heavenly and lasting rewards

PAUSE

And these rewards come in all shapes and sizes J

…God’s reward may come in the form of an answered prayer

…It may come in God delivering you from trouble

Reward may come in God speaking a word to you or giving you clarity of mind for decisions

The reward may come in form of promotion, healing, restoration of relationships, the salvation of a loved one, or an endowment of supernatural power to overcome an addiction

The payment may be a financial blessing or provision released from God

Your reward might be an increased measure of peace, or joy, or hope

PAUSE

………….Whatever your reward from God is, one thing we know is that only good things come from Him.

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

So, whatever reward God gives, it will be perfect and perpetual - it is good and lasting.

PAUSE

So, let me ask you… what reward do you want?

Do you want the reward that the hypocrites receive?

…Do you want temporary recognition from man?

…Do you want to impress people only?

…Do you want a reward that is momentary or short-lived?

OR….do you want a reward directly from God the Father?

…Do you want a good and perfect gift?

…Do you want His good and perfect solution for your specific situation?

LONG PAUSE

Fasting isn’t an easy discipline… it isn’t.

Fasting isn’t necessarily a fun spiritual discipline… J

Fasting isn’t a convenient discipline… when everyone else is eating steak dinner and you have to watch, that isn’t fun J

…But fasting, when done with the right heart, not only deepens your spiritual connection to God but it also releases rewards from heaven!

So, write down this final note:

Fasting, when done biblically, deepens your spiritual connection to God and releases rewards from heaven.

LONG PAUSE

Let’s wrap this up with some practical ways you can fast:

1. You can fast food - not fast-food but fast food J

You can choose to abstain from food for a certain amount of time, and during that time you would be eating, go and pray or worship God

2. You can fast types of foods - not every food fast is a complete food fast

…you may choose to abstain from sweets, or do a Daniel fast which is nuts and fruits, or some of you crazy people might even fast coffee/caffeine J

3. You can fast entertainment - that thing that you “consume” regularly

Social media, television, video games, magazines, etc

And the time you would typically give to those things, you give to God instead

4. And if you’re married, Scripture says you can choose to fast sexual relations for a time, so you can both pursue God

LONG PAUSE

There are many things we consume that distract us from the One thing we really need

We need spiritual sustenance

…and when we deny ourselves the consumption of earthly cravings, something supernatural can take place in us that provides spiritual nourishment…

…and satisfies our spiritual hunger

Life Application:

Is there something in my life where I need God to intervene or clarify?

What can I fast to deepen my spiritual connection to God and invite God to release His heavenly reward?