HOFC Sermon Archive: 2025

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. John the Baptist

3. The Baptism of Jesus

4. Temptation of Jesus

5. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I

6. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II

7. The First Disciples

8. A Teacher with Authority

9. At the Home of Simon and Andrew

10. Jesus Cleanses Leper

11. Jesus Heals the Paralytic

12. Jesus and the Tax Collector

13. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Today is Sunday. March 30^th, 2025

INTRODUCTION

We have seen, examining the ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, how it captured people’s attention. Though true, He was healing the sick and casting out demons; that was NOT His ministry.

Jesus began His public ministry after the John the Baptist was imprisoned. From the very beginning, Jesus made His ministry clear. We read in Mark 1:14-15 “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

This, preaching the gospel of God, for all to repent and believe the gospel, was the ministry of Jesus.

Jesus tells us about His ministry, saying He came to set the captives free (Luke 4:14-19)

What holds them captive? Paul says in Romans 6:20 we are “slaves to sin.”

In fact, Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

The “power of God” is not the healing or casting out of demons, but Romans 1:16 tells us, “…I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

The power that cannot be earned, which none are worthy of, and ONLY comes by one, Jesus Christ Himself, Salvation to everyone who believes (puts their trust in).

We read that Jesus and His disciples were scrutinized for dining with tax collectors and non-religious Jews (sinners).

Jesus responded with “Those who are healthy do not have need for a physician, but only those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” in Mark 2:17, revealing once more non-religious, sinners are the sick, and Jesus is the Great Physician.

Today, we will see Jesus being questioned about fasting.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Mark 2:18-22

“18 And John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they *came and *said to Him (Jesus), “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the attendants of the bridegroom fast when the bridegroom is with them? So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

21 “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise that patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results.

22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

I. THE NARRATIVE

a. Jesus questioned about fasting.

i. Both John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting and wanted to know why Jesus’ disciples were not.

1. Some of John the Baptist’s disciples did not fully trust Jesus. We know the Pharisees weren’t.

ii. Fasting was commonly practiced at this time.

1. The Law of Moses ordained one fast on the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 23:26-32

2. But Jesus fasted on many other occasions for different reasons, lengths, and degrees of abstinence

3. In the first century, many Jews fasted twice weekly (Luke 18:12)

Since it was customary to fast twice weekly, and John the Baptist followers and Pharisees were doing it, why didn’t Jesus’ followers?

b. Jesus responds to the question.

i. He first illustrates friends with the bridegroom (Mark 2:19-20).

1. Friends with the bridegroom do not fast while he is with them; it is a time to feast!

2. When the bridegroom is taken away, then they will fast.

ii. Jesus then gives the illustration of new cloth and new wine.

1. New cloth sewn to an old garment would tear it and make it worse.

2. New wine in an old skin would cause it to burst when it fermented.

c. Jesus’ answer was two-fold.

i. Firstly, it was inappropriate for His disciples to fast while He was with them.

ii. Second, ritualistic fasting is “out of place” with His new doctrine

1. “a new teaching with authority,” Mark 1:27

The old ways are incompatible with the religion of Jesus. This is NOT to say there isn’t a place for fasting; they do have their place in the New Covenant.

II. THE OBSERVATIONS

a. Jesus said the time for fasting would come later.

i. When Jesus’ ministry was over on earth, there would be a time and a place for fasting.

ii. So, He did not rule out fasting in the New Covenant.

b. Jesus taught fasting that pleases God.

i. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew 6:16-18, Jesus says, “Now whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

ii. Godly fasting is not ritualistic, nor to impress others, but to please God…in secret.

iii. The hypocrites scripture refers to so often want people to see them, hear them, and praise them.

1. They say their prayers loud with lofty words (Matthew 6:5-6 “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”)

2. They dress in fancy garments, with elaborate clothes, tall hats and capes, all to impress men. (1 Samuel 16:7 “God said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.”)

3. Matthew 23:13-15 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

4. Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 In this way, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

iv. Hypocrite – noun. One who assumes a false appearance; one who feigns to be what he is not, or to feel or believe what he does not actually feel or believe; especially, a false pretender to virtue or piety.

c. Early Christians practiced fasting.

i. The Church at Antioch, as they ministered to the Lord (Acts 13:1-3)

ii. The churches in Galatia, when they appointed elders (Acts 14:21-23)

iii. The Apostle Paul as part of his ministry (2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27)

iv. And husbands & wives, by mutual consent (1 Corinthians 7:5)

When joined with prayer, fasting is suitable for New Covenant Christ followers.

d. When fasting is proper today

i. Whenever your circumstance requires the help of God

1. Maybe on an individual level

a. Faced with temptations

b. Faced with a serious illness

2. On a corporate level

a. Elders when appointing another elder

b. When sending out missionaries

ii. Whenever circumstances call for much prayer

1. God is more likely to answer prayers if they are persistent.

a. Luke 18:1-8 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a certain judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice from my opponent.’ 4 And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow is bothering me, I will give her justice, lest by continually coming she wears me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge *said. 7 Now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on the earth?”

2. God is more likely to respond if we fast in the proper manner

a. Matthew 6:17-18 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Fasting, God’s way, is not a ceremonious ritual but is done when appropriate for the occasion.

CONCLUSION

- Richard J. Foster (author of Celebration of Discipline, Freedom of Simplicity, Learning Humility, and Others) wrote that in a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines of golden arches and an assortment of pizza temples, fasting may seem out of place, out of step with the times.

- Views about fasting usually go to extremes.

o John Wesley said, “Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason, and others have utterly disregarded it.”

o Some consider fasting unnecessary, something which is ignored; others think it should be bound as a matter of faith, like baptism.

- From the Gospel of Mark, we observe

o There is a place for fasting, but in practice is not ritualistic

o For the disciples of Christ, fasting is left primarily to individual discretion

o When properly understood and practiced, it can be a valuable spiritual discipline

o A way to humble oneself before God, when joined with prayer, a way to seek God’s help

§ Ezra 8:21-23 “Then I called for a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a direct journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to ask from the king for a military force and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him, for their good, but His strength and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.” 23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He was moved by our entreaty.”

It does us well to study and understand fasting. It is a great spiritual tool for growth and maturity, and we should all, as disciples of Christ, seek to increase in discipline and humble ourselves before God.

NEXT WEEK: “Part 14: of Wine and Wine-skins”

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Thursday, April 3, 2025

Gospel of Mark Part 13: Jesus Questioned About Fasting