INTRODUCTION
Matthew 6:16 – 18 Fasting
16 "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.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 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.
I. WHEN YOU
a. NOT IF…BUT WHEN
Daniel 9:34
"And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications,
with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord God,
and made my confession... "
Matthew 9:14-15 (Luke 5:34-35)
"And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."
b. WHY
Luke 2:36-38
36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Acts 9:7-9
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
Acts 10:30
30 Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
c. HOW TO
Jesus opens the scripture today with how NOT to fast…
16 "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.
17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 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.
The hypocrites in their Self-Righteousness…lifting themselves up, exalting themselves to a state of righteousness.
Luke 18:9 – 14
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down (
10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
The Pharisee was ‘self-righteous’, not right with God, but making himself right with God.
The Pharisee told God how righteous he was.
But the tax collector, ask God to forgive his unrighteousness…
Thus, God MADE HIM RIGHTEOUS because of his heart!
We are warned not to be ‘self-righteous’ in anything we do!
When we tithe, when we do good deeds, when we give alms to the poor, when we pray, and when we fast.
Jesus said, “Do not be like the Pharisees, doing for the praise of men.”
II.
a. RENDER UNTO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S
Matthew 22:21
“…he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
In this, Jesus was asked about tax, but replied about more than money,
b. IS IT FOR
The Pharisees did everything for man….
Prayer – hands in the air, in the streets with loud vain words, and repetitive praying like the pagans.
Giving – so everyone could see their works and praise them.
Dress – With long robes and tall hats so all could see them in the town and know who they were.
Fasting – with drawn out unclean faces so everyone would know the fasting was going on with them.
In speaking to God – telling God how righteous they were.
Telling God and hearing from God are two different things.
c. EXAMINE YOURSELF
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
CLOSING
When you examine yourselves, do you pass the test?
Is Christ Jesus in you?
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