Rev Gideon Lee
Isaiah 58
True Fasting
1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed? ’
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun- scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well- watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age- old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.
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.
Fasting today is not taken seriously. Let me ask you this question, you don't have to put up your hands. How many of you have fasted this year? It is going out of practice. Even in the AOG churches, we rarely talk about fasting.
In the bible, fasting is assumed. Jesus fasted. The disciples fasted. John the baptist fasted. John Wesley fasted. Jesus said "when you fast" not "if you fast". It was assumed. Fasting is a dying art. A dying practice.
Today I want to talk about prayer and fasting. Mainly fasting. The question is "should we fast"?
If you say no, then basically you are saying fasting is not beneficial. The world says fasting is not beneficial. The world talks about satisfying yourself.
Have you seen how people eat at a buffet in a hotel. I once saw someone who piled up food like she can feed an army. People pack their plates and indulge. And when they don't finish all goes to waste. That's why some outlets charge you for the leftovers.
Have you seen the advertisements of beauty products etc. the key word is "you are worth it". To the world fasting is foolishness. Indulge in yourself because you are worth it. This is what the world says.
Sad to say, sometimes we give them enough reason to say that. Sometimes we say we fast but as a token to God. You may tell me, "Pastor, I fasted you know. I fasted from 9.00pm to 8.00am." It is to your convenience and cost you nothing. We do it because pastor calls us to or the church sets it. Fasting is more than just abstaining from food. We do it with no meaning at all if it's just as a token, we trivialize it.
And when we break fast we put everything back and even eat double what we fasted. And the world looks at us and say "why fast?". What's the point of fasting.
In Isaiah, there is God's way of fasting. What is God's criteria to fasting.
1. Call to Repentance.
God says they seem to please me but they continue to sin. Fasting has benefits for us as Christians and the first benefit is the call to repentance. In some churches, they have a tradition called the Period of Lent, 40 days before Good Friday. They would come together to fast and pray. The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. and here as the people come, the priest will take ash and mark everyone. To tell the people that one day we will be dust and are we ready to meet God? It is a period to reflect. I hope we do this always. Fasting must first start with repentance.
2. Right fasting helps us to prioritize.
Some of us have little gods. Some is materialism. Some of them are hobbies. Our career. Badminton (laughs). Fasting is the time when we deny ourselves these pleasures. Of what is important to us. It is not just about food. Is Jesus your priority? Jesus says if anyone wants to follow me, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me. The deny yourself is the difficult part.
3. As you deny yourself comes self mastery.
You are actually saying to the flesh "NO". I am talking about overindulgence. Things that are wrong. People sin because sin does not cause immediate consequences. We can get away from it's punishment. If there is no law, many will overindulge and do what they like.
I shared this before about a student that committed suicide by jumping off at a mall. The father later said he regretted he never spend enough time with him. He never prioritized and was always busy. The son committed suicide over a failed relationship and the father never knew. He had everything, driving a BMW. Fathers needs to say no to children. I grew up at a time when fathers often says no to their children. So we grow up saying we will not be that kind of father. So we say yes to our children all the time.
What is the right kind of fasting? In our fasting are we seating at home waiting for time to pass. No. It is an active fasting as stated in Isaiah. This is the fasting that please God.
That is the right kind of fasting. Fasting must always go with prayer, or it is just dieting. I pray you will say yes to fasting as it brings many benefits.
4. In fasting, we do not develop self righteousness.
Like if we compare how long we fasted. Be careful we do not have this attitude. We fast as unto the Lord. Also do not think fasting brings us salvation, like we are better and gain more points with God. Be careful that we do not take fasting as a means to salvation. Salvation comes only through one name. Don't have self righteousness thinking that we have more merit with God.
5. Suffering helps us identify with the suffering of Christ.
Remember, Jesus says take up your cross and follow Him. We cannot do what He did but it will help us understand what He did for us. And how do you know at the end of the day you have done this for Christ? When you fast, you save money, from your food and entertainment. When you saved, you say wonderful, I have more money, then you have fasted for yourself. In fasting, the money that you have saved must bless others. Give it to the church and not keep it for yourself.
Collect your booklet from NECF. We want to collect all the savings and give it to NECF. Please do not send money individually but do it as a church. We will give it to NECF as a church where they can continue the good work for the poor and needy.
Then what will happen when we do the right kind of fasting? God says you will call on me and I will answer. Look at all the blessings that follow.
So the question is still this. To fast or not or fast? I will not call on your house to check on you. It is between you and God. I pray at the end of our prayer and fasting period that our church will grow stronger.
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