Matthew 6:16-18 What Jesus Said About Fasting
Introduction: I am somewhat embarrassed to preach to you
about fasting. It is about like trying
to teach a cooking class. All I can do
is to take the Book and tell you what it says.
A. The Ten
Commandments do not say “thou shall fast.”
B. The Law
commands only one annual fast.
1.
This was on the Day of Atonement, Leviticus 23:27.
2. The
command to fast was “ye shall afflict your souls.”
C. This gives an
insight into the purpose of fasting.
1. It
was for the purpose of afflicting the soul so as to bring the will into
submission to God.
2. At
least that was what the purpose should be.
D. After the
Babylonian invasion the Jews practiced four other annual fasts.
(They commemorated (1) the invasion of
temple, and (4) the assassination of
Babylonian appointed Governor Gadaliah).
E. In addition,
they would call special fasts when a national crisis would arise.
(drought; the appointed slaughter of the Jews
in the time of Esther).
F. Even Gentiles
fasted and prayed at least once. (When
Jonah announced the downfall of
II. God’s attitude toward fasting.
A. God approved of
the fast.
B. That is God
approved of men afflicting the soul and bringing the will into subjection to
God.
C. But to fast and
have a show of submission without submission God saw as hypocrisy.
D. This was the
kind of fasting which the Pharisees practiced.
(A show of reverence which was not real).
E. That is why
Jesus warned His disciples. (text)
III. Jesus’ own practice of fasting.
A. Did Jesus fast?
1.
Yes, once. Matthew 4:1-2.
2. But
there is no record that He purposely fasted again.
3. He
missed a meal but it was because He was too busy to eat, John 4:34.
B. Neither did He
require His disciples to fast.
1.
John’s disciples asked Him about this, Matthew 9:14.
2.
Jesus explained that they would later, Matthew 9:15.
IV. The early churches practice of fasting.
A. The
B. The churches of
C. The church at
V. A question about today.
A. Does God want
us as individuals or as church groups to fast?
B. God does not
require it; but he would allow it and approve it.
C. As we get deep
into the end-time and persecution increases both individuals and church groups
will
do more fasting.
D. Even now
fasting may be helpful to some individual, some family, or some church in a
time of
special need.
E. But it should
never be done for show. (No one but God
need ever know).
Conclusion:
1. I do not call upon you to fast. I do call upon you to humble yourself before
God and to submit to His will.
2. If you do fast, make sure that it is for the
purpose of submitting to God.
(God is more interested in submission than diet).
3. You keep it a secret between you and God and
your Father which in secret will reward you openly.
Preached at