"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

Fasting That Pleases God (6:16-18)

INTRODUCTION
  1. You don't hear much about fasting these days
    1. In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the "Golden Arches" and an assortment of "Pizza Temples" (Richard Foster, Celebration Of Discipline, p.47)...
    2. ...fasting seems out of place, out of step with the times
  2. But the Scriptures have much to say about fasting...
    1. There is more teaching in the NT on fasting than repentance and confession!
    2. Jesus taught more on fasting than on baptism and the Lord's Supper!
    -- Yet some question whether fasting is something for Christians today
  3. In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught concerning "Fasting That Pleases God"...
    1. In connection with other acts of righteousness like charity and prayer
    2. In calling His disciples to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees

[In this study, we will examine Mt 6:16-18, and consider what Jesus had to say about "Fasting That Pleases God." But in so doing, let's begin by answering a few questions...]

  1. SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST TODAY?
    1. THE EXAMPLE AND TEACHING OF JESUS...
      1. He fasted during his forty day period of temptation in the wilderness - Lk 4:1-2
      2. In His teaching on the subject of fasting:
        1. He assumed His disciples would fast -- He said "when" not "if" - Mt 6:16-17
        2. He said they would fast when He was gone - Mt 9:14-15
        3. He taught:
          1. How to fast so as to incur God's good pleasure - Mt 6:16-18
          2. When done properly, fasting would incur God's good pleasure - Mt 6:18b
          3. Fasting should be done only when appropriate - Mt 9:16- 17
          4. There were occasions when prayer needed to be joined with fasting - Mt 17:20-21
    2. THE EXAMPLES OF FASTING IN THE EARLY CHURCH...
      1. The brethren at Antioch - Ac 13:1-3
        1. Fasting in their service to the Lord
        2. Fasting and praying as they send out Paul and Barnabas
      2. The churches in Galatia - Ac 14:21-23
        1. Done in EVERY church
        2. When appointing elders
    3. THE EXAMPLE OF PAUL FASTING AS A MINISTER...
      1. He listed fasting among things which proved him as a minister of Christ - cf. 2Co 11:23-28
      2. Are we not commanded to imitate him, even as he imitated Christ? - 1Co 11:1 (and both fasted in their service to God!)

      [At the very least, we can say that it is not inappropriate for Christians to fast today. Unless we have medical reasons not to fast, we have very good examples to motivate us TO fast! But to be sure that we fast for the right reason, we should answer another question...]

  2. WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST?
    1. PEOPLE OFTEN FAST TODAY FOR VARIOUS REASONS...
      1. Some do it solely for health reasons
      2. Others do it only in times of grief and sorrow
      3. Still others do it as a way to gain self-control
      -- But these are not reasons Christians should fast in their service to God - cf. Col 2:20-23
    2. CHRISTIANS SHOULD FAST WHEN SEEKING DIVINE HELP...
      1. In the Old Testament; people of God fasted...
        1. In times of war, or at the threat of it (Israel)
        2. When loved ones were sick (David)
        3. When seeking God's forgiveness (Ahab, Daniel)
        4. When seeking God's protection (Ezra)
      2. In the New Testament; fasting occurred...
        1. When dealing with temptations (Jesus)
        2. When serving the Lord (the church at Antioch)
        3. When beginning a work for the Lord (again at Antioch)
        4. When selecting and appointing elders (in Galatia)
      3. Such fasting should be done in conjunction with prayer
        1. For fasting, when done properly...
          1. Humbles the soul - Ps 35:13
          2. Chastens the soul - Ps 69:10
        2. The prayers of the humble are more likely to be heard! - cf. Ezr 8:21-23

        [This being true, this should help us to answer the next question specifically...]

  3. WHEN SHOULD CHRISTIANS FAST?
    1. WHENEVER WE DESIRE GOD'S HELP...
      1. These may be occasions on an individual level
        1. When faced with difficult temptations
        2. When faced with the serious illness of a loved one
      2. These occasions might be on a congregational level
        1. As when appointing elders
        2. As when sending out missionaries
    2. WHENEVER SITUATIONS CALL FOR PERSISTENT PRAYER...
      1. Such would be an occasion for fasting joined with prayer
      2. Are we not taught that God is more likely to answer our prayers...
        1. If we are persistent? - cf. Lk 18:1-8
        2. If we fast in the proper way? - cf. Mt 6:17-18

        [So whenever there is a matter requiring much prayer, fasting in conjunction with such prayer would be appropriate. Finally, let's take a look at...]

  4. FASTING THAT PLEASES GOD
    1. NOT TO BE SEEN OF MEN...
      1. As practiced by the hypocrites of Jesus' day, it involved:
        1. Doing so with a "sad countenance"
        2. Doing so with "disfigured faces" (perhaps by applying ashes?)
        -- The only good such fasting might do them is win the praise of men, but certainly not of God! - Mt 6:16
      2. Rather, our fasting is to be seen of God
        1. To be done without any outward appearance of fasting - Mt 6:17
          1. Therefore, it should include "anointing your head"
          2. Also, "washing your face"
          -- I.e., what people would normally do to as part of their daily ablutions
        2. By doing this, only God will see your fasting and He will reward you openly (perhaps by answering prayers offered while fasting) - Mt 6:18
    2. NOT AS SOME REGULAR RITUAL...
      1. This point Jesus made in Mt 9:14-17
      2. It should be done only when the occasion calls for it (such as situations where you would already be spending much time in prayer)
    3. NOT WITHOUT TRUE REPENTANCE...
      1. Cf. Isa 58:3-9
      2. All the praying, all the fasting, is of no avail if it is not accompanied with penitent obedience on our part
    4. SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS...
      1. Don't go out and fast just because it sounds like "a neat thing to do"
        1. Take the subject seriously and prayerfully
        2. Fast only when the occasion is a serious one
        3. One in which you desperately desire God's help
      2. If you have never fasted before...
        1. Start slow, fast only for brief periods of time
        2. End slow, gradually breaking your fast with fresh fruits and vegetables in small amounts
      3. Fast when you have time to spend in prayerful meditation
        1. Remember the purpose for fasting
        2. To humble oneself in God's sight; to seek a favorable answer to prayer for some important plea
CONCLUSION
  1. There is much more that could be said on the subject of fasting (cf. Fasting - A Special Study)
  2. But I hope this suffices to stimulate our thinking on a subject which has often been neglected in both study and practice
  3. But implied in Jesus' teachings is that His disciples would fast, and so it is important that we know what is involved in "Fasting That Pleases God"

Now as useful as fasting might be, praying and fasting alone cannot save a person who is lost. Paul found this out when he fasted three days after coming to believe in Jesus as the Lord (Ac 9:3-9; 22:6-16).

Have you heeded what Paul was told to do?

'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' (Ac 22:16)