Sermon for the service of February 26, 2017 by Pastor Steve Hopkins[social_warfare buttons=”Facebook”]
New Year, New You: Fasting
- The Idea of Lenten Fasting: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:1-4, NLT)
- So, what is Fasting?
- Abstaining from food & drink: He [Moses] was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:28, NRSV)
- Some Biblical Examples: [Moses, David, Esther, Psalms, the Prophets, Jesus, the church in Acts]
- But…what is the deeper meaning?
- Our Fundamental Problem: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-4, NIV)
- Same problem, different setting: “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves.” (Genesis 11:4, NIV)
- The First Commandment: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:1-2, NASB)
- Our Solution? The Paradox of Fasting: Humble yourself to be exalted.
- The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18): “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14, NIV)
- Jesus walked the road: Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11, NABRE)
- A Call to Prayer and Fasting for KCUMC
- “And with fasting, let us always join fervent prayer, pouring out our whole souls before God, confessing our sins with all their aggravations, humbling ourselves under his mighty hand, laying open before him all our wants, all our guiltiness and helplessness.” (John Wesley)
- Transformation Question: What is my experience with biblical fasting? What kind of fasting can I reasonably do?
- Our Challenge: During Lent, our challenge will be to:
- Fast from something.
- Add one or more of the disciplines that we’ve considered over the last two weeks (especially service or fellowship).
- Pray for personal direction and direction for this church.
- A Final Word: Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, NLT)