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Cost of Discipleship” Series Fasting by Kevin Arnold

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Cost of Discipleship” Series Fasting by Kevin Arnold BIBLE STUDY for March 22, 2020- “Cost of Discipleship” Series Fasting By Kevin Arnold Fasting that pleases God seeks to highlight our need for Him and does not seek the praise of others. Scripture - Matthew 6:16 – 18 Observation INTRODUCTION/CONTEXT Purpose – Matthew wrote his Gospel to preserve written eyewitness testimony about the ministry of Jesus and to emphasize theological truths. First, Jesus is the long- awaited Messiah. Second, Jesus is the new Abraham and the founder of a new spiritual Israel that consists of all the people who choose to follow him. Third, Jesus is the new Moses, the instructor and the deliverer of God’s people. Fourth, Jesus is the Immanuel, the virgin-born Son of God who fulfills the promises of the OT. Setting- Chapters 5:1-7:29 all take place in Jesus’ first discourse known as the Sermon on the Mount, held at the Mount of Beatitudes on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Gennesaret (Ginosar), on the southern slopes of the Korazim Plateau. Context & Introduction - Remember that the book of Matthew was written as a letter meant to be read as a whole. A quick overview of Matthew’s chapters leading up to today’s passage show 1-4 dealing with the birth and beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Chapters 5-7 introduces the kingdom of heaven, the character of kingdom righteousness, and how to practice kingdom righteousness.1 The theme for Matthew 5:17-48 is relating the kingdom of God with Old Testament Scriptures. Hence, why Jesus repeats the phrase, “You have heard . but I tell you” many times in Chapter 5. The 5th chapter then ends with a demand for perfection in 5:48. This transition into chapter 6:1-18 introduces the warning Jesus gives against hypocrisy. So the 6th chapter is a correlative warning about what not to do in contrast with the 5th chapter. It is not just doing or not doing something. It is about what we are. Jesus says we are the salt and the light. The real question is will we be salt and will we be light that is not hidden. Take note that Jesus declares three traditional practices of godly piety: alms or giving to the poor (Matt. 6:2-4), prayer (Matt. 6:5-15), and fasting (Matt. 6:16-18). Religion in Jesus’ day could be seen as more like a performance than a personal relationship with God. This was especially true in the practice of prayer. Jesus’ disciples were 1D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 134. accustomed to observing the Pharisees and scribes make a show of their faith through their public prayers. The religious leaders weren’t praying to communicate with and worship God but to be noticed by the common folk who saw and heard them praying in the marketplace. Each time Jesus mentions each practice he warns against becoming a hypocrite and doing for the approval of others. In Matthew 5:3-12, 13-16, Jesus contrasts the Kingdom of Heaven and the motives of His followers with the motive3s of the hypocrites who are not part of His kingdom. Hypocritical fasting removes the possibility of genuine prayer to God. SCRIPTURE PASSAGE 16 Whenever you fast, don’t be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! The purpose of fasting in this passage is a time to focus on the Lord and develop a deeper relationship with Him by relying on him and putting aside distractions. The Bible shows much reason to fast. In the Old Testament, there were partial fasts like Daniel (Dan 10:2-3). King Jehoshaphat called all the people to a regular fast from all foods and liquids except for water (2 Chr 20:3). Fasting is also abstaining from something else. Sometimes it could be to ask for wisdom in making a decision, taking an important petition before a king, or to tune out the busy world around us and focus on God’s greatness. Fasting is modeled in the New Testament- “whenever you fast” – the implication is that you will fast. Believers should sometimes fast. Jesus fasted (Matt. 4:2), Paul fasted (Acts 9:9), and the early church fasted (Acts 13:2). Fasting and prayer are linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Spiritual disciplines work together to help us become more in tune with God and his will in our lives. Fasting is a spiritual discipline. It is valuable because when we have our minds focused on God, we can experience Him even more. The issue was not that the Pharisees did not fast at all but they fasted for all the wrong reasons. Instead of using these fasting days as times for genuine prayer and for searching their hearts, they saw them as opportunities to impress people with their own piety and spirituality. They chose to do it to follow a rule and their own purposes. Jesus clearly expected His disciples to fast, but He warned them against doing it to parade their holiness before others. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, 18 so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. We are not to make the same mistake as the Pharisees who took the purpose of fasting and turned it into a rule that must be followed. Someone could just as easily turn what Jesus said in verse 17 into rules. The rule would be you must anoint your head and wash your face every time you fast. In this case, a person could also draw attention to themselves in this way. It is not about making rules but to truly be seeking God not people’s attention. Application Practicing spiritual disciplines give us a greater reward than this world can offer. When we fast, we’re to take our eyes off of ourselves and put them on Christ alone. Is fasting an important spiritual discipline? Why or why not? What do you need to add to your idea of fasting to align your thoughts on fasting with Jesus’ example? We should view fasting as a way in which we demonstrate how desperate we are to seek God and to understand His heart and will. What are the motives behind your fasting or not fasting? How does your fasting reflect the model presented by Jesus? We must examine our motives for fasting and remain alert to sinful behavior and attitudes. Prayer God may your Word and the Holy Spirit continue to show us the benefits of your spiritual disciplines and the example that Christ gives us. May we each be able to change with your help and experience a deeper relationship with you by engaging with spiritual disciplines that bring us closer to you. In Jesus' name, we pray for all these things, Amen. .
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