Pastor Rick’s Study Notes and Teaching on Fasting

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

(PRT) Matthew 6:16-21, 33-34

v. 16 And again, when you fast don’t act out like the hypocrites, all gloomy with faces twisted up in pain so they look like they haven’t eaten for days. In all honesty, they get what they deserve.

vv. 17-18 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so you don’t looking like you’re fasting; but fast to seek your Father without attracting attention, and your Father who sees what is done secretly will restore to you what you seek.

vv. 19-20 Don’t surround yourself with the world’s riches, where it can be consumed by moths or rust or where robbers can break in and steal it. Instead, lay up for yourselves riches in heaven where neither moths nor rust can consume it and where robbers don not break in and steal.

v. 21 For the place your treasure will be is where your heart will be, too.

v. 34 So, before everything else, seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to  you.

v. 35 Don’t be troubled by tomorrow’s concerns for tomorrow will be concerned enough for itself; each day will have concerns enough.

1. Pure and Simple on Purpose. Life can get complicated, right? And there is a tangible release when we simplify and declutter our lives. Following Jesus is a simple and uncluttered process. And our passage today nudges us toward simplicity, making our values what the Kingdom values and how this practice of fasting pleases the Father and changes our hearts. But life can still be complicated, hurried, busy.
2. For some of us, we follow Jesus in the midst of a complex and busy life. We invite His presence and nearness, his wisdom, his grace, into the busy-ness. And each time in that busy-ness that we take a moment to love someone or listen or give hope sets our lives apart from the world. And our choice to pace our walk to His tempo stands out in the world. The peace He gives in the midst of the storm, the busyness, becomes the light and becomes salt to those around us.
3. For some of us, we follow Jesus by making our lives less complex and hurried. We look for ways to regain time with Him, time to listen to Him and be still,  and to respond to his voice by serving others, loving others and giving hope.

Salt and Light is what we are because of Who’s we are.

• And because we belong to Him and seek Him and follow Him, Jesus scatters us as salt and displays us as light. And it comes naturally because He is present in our lives and we belong to Him.

And in our passage, Jesus encourages us to practice this discipline in order to know Him better and to more effectively be salt and light to our world.

• Try Fasting. Jesus says,

v. 16 And again, when you fast don’t act out like the hypocrites, all gloomy with faces twisted up in pain so they look like they haven’t eaten for days. In all honesty, they get what they deserve.

vv. 17-18 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so you don’t looking like you’re fasting; but fast to seek your Father without attracting attention, and your Father who sees what is done secretly will restore to you what you seek.

When we fast He restores what we seek, He gives what we need, He opens us up to His gifts and blessings.

What is this practice called fasting? And why is it important for us today?

• Maybe starting with what it is not might help. Some may go on a hunger strike to seek to bring about political or social change. Others might fast and try to find the divine within. Still others might fast to cleanse their bodies. That’s not what Jesus is talking about.
• Fasting is focused first on loving and drawing near to Jesus. It’s not mainly to get from God but to give ourselves anew to God. We might ask for God’s provision; but it’s first about God’s will and the values of the Kingdom.
• And Jesus says twice here – when you fast, when you fast. It’s expected. It’s not commanded here, but he expects that we will. The spiritual value makes it a part of the practice of being Salt and Light in our world.
• It so valuable, so much a part of the Christian walk that Right before, Jesus talks about “when you pray.” And just before that he teaches on “when you give.” And here he says “when you fast.” So what is fasting all about?
  • Personal fasting – we might fast for a special prayer request, for a friend or family member, or a big choice facing us.
    • Fasting may become a regular part of your devotional life. You fast a day a week for instance. John Wesley asked all who served in the ministry to fast Wednesdays and Fridays.
    • Response to the need to repent. A sin that nags our lives. And we need to live above and past this sin or temptation. And we fast and pray to place this behind us.
    • Urgent need to battle the enemy. We sense that the enemy is attacking our lives, our family. And we fast and pray to attain victory against the tempter or the accuser. Illustration: Jesus at one point cast out an evil spirit, then explained to his disciples how prayer and fasting works to push the darkness out.
    • Need to follow God’s call on your life. He has been speaking about a fresh and renewed call to serve or to go or to lead. And we need to seek the Father’s blessing and wisdom in this pursuit of His calling on our lives.
    • Face an emergency. There is a crisis in our lives that we face and we need to fast and seek God’s provision to avert this danger.
    • Or we may be facing an enormous task or beginning a new journey. And we want to dedicate this to God and ask that it honor Him and bring the values of the Kingdom to your life.

Do you have an enormous task? Are you facing a new journey or challenge? Is God stirring up a fresh task or call for you? Have you faced temptation or battled the enemy this week? Has God revealed the need for repentance and forgiveness?

Try Fasting:  How do we make this happen practically.

• Don’t start with grand  and long plans. Don’t start with a lot of days. Fast for one day and Fast to listen and to draw near to Jesus. One day (eat dinner one day and then dinner the next.)
• Keep your day job. Do what you normally do, but pace the day in a way that you can listen to the Spirit, listen to who is in front of you, and see what God might do throughout the day.
• Take the time for meals to worship, to read Scripture, to pray. Invite God’s presence. Ask him for what you long for. And see who He puts near so you can serve those He puts before you.

• United fasting – we might join with others in union to fast for a season and for a reason.
  • A need before us for wisdom, for guidance, and for provision.
  • A response to a call to repent and invite God’s healing for our church or for our nation. Illustration: Did you know that General Washington six weeks before the signing of the Declaration called for a day of fasting and prayer for the united colonies.
  • A response to an emergency or tragedy. And ask for God’s healing and provision together. Esther called for a three day fast when the lives of all Jewish people were threatened.
  • An invitation to God to revive His church, pour out His gifts and His Spirit, and to use our nation or church to reach the nations.
• When we fast and pray, we see life and truth more simply and clearly. And when we fast and pray together, God magnifies that life and truth. We know He is present and answering when we are alone; but when we fast and pray together, that unity acts like a magnifier.   It’s like He causes us to zoom in on what is important and what lasts, and the things that may seem urgent or threatening or calling for our time and money become less important and less a voice in our lives.
• When we fast, whatever is deep down inside us that we keep hidden or covered by things, busyness, food, addictions, bad relationships, or more. Those things surface and come to light. 1 Corinthians 6 says that we have freedom in all things, but nothing will control or enslave us.

Church, our nation needs us to pray and to fast and to seek God’s healing. Our God is both holy and compassionate.  And we as a church and nation need to pray and fast because repentance is a good thing and mercy is needed.

My application to you in this is simple. I want you to choose a day this week and try fasting. If medically, you have a reason to avoid this, please do. Otherwise,  take a day and choose to fast. I’m on for tomorrow. Because repentance is good – I need it. And our church needs a deeper experience of God’s presence. And our nation needs the intervention of the God of holiness and compassion.

(Sunday, June 26th, this message was chosen especially in light of the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade just three days prior. It’s a day to rejoice and a day to pray. Here is my charge for this week:

Sunday, I taught on fasting and prayer and then challenged each of you to join in a day of fasting and prayer for personal needs and for our nation. At the signing of our nation’s Bill of Rights, Washington called for a Day of Prayer for our salvation and, among other things, the will and wisdom “to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness.” (nationaldayofprayer.org).

We have much to be grateful, rejoice in and at the same time, ask for forgiveness for – we celebrate life and the wisdom of our highest court who ended the nationally mandated act of abortion. And we grieve that it took 49 years, and in those years the words, talents, accomplishments, and voices lifted in truth and worship of millions were silenced.

Pray and fast with us, thanking God for the men and women who were bold in truth to overturn a devastating decision a half a century ago. Let’s ask God to revive us, heal our land, protect our nation, and restore His call to us to represent Him well to our world.)