BAR-2001-02
010831PM
Now let’s be specific. When was the last time you fasted?
Not for medical reasons, not for weight loss, not because you were too busy to make a meal – no, when was the last time you practiced the Biblical Discipline of Fasting for purely the spiritual reason God designed it for because you were so much in love with the Lord you wanted to spend extra, precious time with HIM?
Then Christ’s words are for you. Our text contains the most important words in the Bible on fasting. And these words can change your life if you understand them!
As we open to our text of Mark 2 may I ask you some other questions?
• Would you like to revitalize your spiritual life?
• Would you like to heighten your awareness of God?
• Would you like to experience God in such a deep and intimate way that you find yourself absolutely satisfied and contented in a way God’s Word calls perfect peace?
So, Biblical Fasting has many purposes.
Is it commanded? Yes to those under the Old Testament, once a year on the Day of Atonement. No, to us this side of the Cross.
It is not commanded, but it was expected as we saw by Jesus. And it was practiced as we see, by those of the New Testament Church era. So how about it. What was Christ teaching in our text? Let’s go over these five verses and see.
Biblical fasting was part of A NORMAL LIFE AS A CHRISTIAN in Matthew 6:16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Biblical fasting was part of WORSHIPING THE LORD in Luke 2:36-37 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Biblical fasting was part of CHRIST’S METHOD OF PREPARATION FOR FACING THE DEVIL’S TEMPTATIONS in Luke 4:2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward when they had ended, He was hungry. Biblical fasting was part of SEEKING THE GUIDANCE OF THE LORD in Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Biblical fasting was part of SENDING OUT MISSIONARIES in Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Biblical fasting was part of APPOINTING SPIRITUAL LEADERS in Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Biblical fasting was part of THE REGULAR LIFE OF SPIRITUAL MINISTRY in Paul’s account of his life in 2 Corinthians 11:27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—
These practices had a powerful effect on those believers. One of the key attitudes we find displayed by the 1st Century editions of God’s saints is that they considered themselves exiles on earth, and citizens of Heaven.
This produced not a detachment from earthly life or other people, rather it led to such a lacking of love for things that these early saints actually had abundant and overflowing time to love and seek and win their neighbors.
Slides
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