Well now that everyone has full stomachs, we're going to be talking about fasting here this afternoon. I'd ask that you could open up your Bibles to the sixth chapter of Matthew. We're going to be back in the Sermon on the Mount, and we're going to be looking at the Lord's words as He teaches His disciples, these new citizens of the kingdom, what fasting is. And so we'll be looking at that if you can. Matthew chapter 6 and then verse 16 to 18.

Here the word of the Lord. Moreover when you fast do not be like the hypocrites with a sad countenance For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly I say to you they have their reward, but you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting. But to your Father who is in the secret place and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Let's pray.

Father we we thank you that you are a God who sees in secret not just fasting Lord but every area of our lives there's nothing hidden and we were all just naked before you oh Lord you know us better than we know ourselves Lord we just ask you now that as we gather before your word that you would teach us and instruct us and even inspire us Lord to recover this area that you have spoken of really throughout your word and it's been such a useful tool throughout all of history this idea of fasting before you, the living God. Lord, teach us we pray in Jesus' holy name, amen. Amen. Well, you can see from the text that we have before us, what has happened is that for the Pharisees, fasting had become a stage for them to project their righteousness to the watching world. You can remember the familiar words of the Pharisee when he prayed in his prayer and at least in that parable later on in the Gospels, I fast twice in the week and I give tithes of all that I possess." And what's what's important here is that the Lord, he's recognizing some things, righteous acts for example, which was the first example, or almsgiving, things like prayer and fasting.

These are good things but what he despised was the way that they were being done and carried out in his day. And he takes us all the way back to chapter 5 if you if you remember. We kept going back to chapter 5 verse 20 to kind of help us interpret what the Lord is trying to teach in the Sermon on the Mount and he says this, for I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." And we said that what he was teaching the disciples is that unless your religion is of an entirely different caliber and quality, then it's not going to be acceptable before God. And what's so interesting to recognize here is that hardened, calloused, unregenerate men can do many of the things the Lord has talked about. He's talked about giving alms, he's talked about prayer, and now he's talking about fasting.

And these people, they had mastered the art of twisting these good things into platforms to really display what wasn't true. They were creating this illusion and this impression. They were sounding trumpets. They were standing on the corners of the streets, and now they're calling attention to how they were depriving themselves for some greater cause, the cause of God. And I think what the Lord is saying here is there's great danger.

He says, he gives us three examples back to back to back and he's warning us about hypocrisy in our religion and vainglory and ostentation in our religious duties. But notice what he says in verse 16. He says moreover when you fast do not be like the hypocrites with a sad countenance. And the phrase there, when you fast, is that the Lord Jesus is assuming something, that fasting is going to be a part of the Christian life. That the people that are part of his kingdom are going to fast, that there are some events and circumstances and occasions that take place in your life or in the world that are going to call for fasting.

He doesn't set up a rigid schedule on this day fast or this time of year fast, but leaving it to the consciences of his disciples to decide that for themselves. And notice here in our text this morning when we were looking at Acts what Luke wrote, he says, then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away. And of course, our brother mentioned that, that the Lord, he'd already done some amazing things in the book of Acts, but now he was about to blow the doors off. He's about to go into a world that has never seen the light. Think about that.

And to do that these men they they understood and they grappled with just how severe and how important this was. You know oftentimes when I hear something like that I like to kind of think of the bigger picture. Think of the bigger picture. What was going on in the world at that time? You know, some of your relatives, your ancestors you could say, at that very time were running around in the woods painted blue, half naked.

Others were engaged in human sacrifice or cannibalism. Some were worshipping trees, your own ancestors. They were bowing before idols of wood and gold. And of course you had the more sophisticated, if you went to the city of Rome, you would find men there, you know, sitting in their robes plotting the expansion of the Roman Empire and doing deals in the Senate, maybe attending games in the Coliseum. But all these men, all these nations were locked away in darkness.

But what is God doing? In Acts, we find a church is on its knees. And he's gonna overturn the darkness of the world through the gospel of his son, using very simple men to do that, but men that had fasted and prayed. And What I want to communicate here to us this afternoon, to be honest with you, fasting is probably the thing I like the least, but it might be one of the more overlooked and maybe even the most powerful weapons in God's armory. And I think hopefully you'll see that.

As I was researching really the history of fasting I want to ask you see if you disagree with me. I'm gonna make some statements here as We look at this, but this is what was so convicting to me that men who love their nation they fast and pray for their nation. You'll find that. Men who love the cause of their God, they go forward with fasting and prayer. And what do I mean by that?

Well, if we look back even in our own nation's history, you know, go back 250 years ago, and during the Revolutionary War, we found the Continental Congress of this country here, they issued multiple proclamations asking the people to fast and humble themselves and pray. And in 1776 they actually called for this day of fasting to seek divine assistance in the war for independence. And this became kind of very very common. That set the tone but it became very very common in those early days here in this country. But what happened is as the years rolled by and secularism became more the norm, the last century for example, You saw days of prayer called but you didn't see really days of fasting and prayer But if you go through all of history Christian history, you know, I was just looking at snapshots all the way through Some of you would know of the history of the French Huguenots, for example and during the French Roman Catholic persecutions that they were going through, fasting, there was a massive emphasis on prayer and fasting, calling God to help them.

And it was a scene as a part of their political strategy as well. It wasn't just a spiritual thing but they really wanted God to move in the world and as the Huguenots were being persecuted there was a man on this side of the ocean his name was Increase Mather and he heard the news of what was going on in France and on hearing the news specifically of the Saint Bartholomew Day's massacre where about 20, 000 Huguenots were cut down in a single day, he called for fasting and prayer for the support of the persecuted brethren in France. And so this is common and you go all the way through history, but even when you go to the Bible what we find is People like Esther you remember the story of Esther where she called for three days of fasting before She would approach the king And there was Daniel in a foreign land, but he was frequently fasting before God, seeking God's will on behalf of his nation in captivity. And of course, the story of Nehemiah, you know, upon receiving the news of Jerusalem's state, what did he do? He fasted and prayed.

Before taking any action, he fasted and prayed and God began to direct his steps. You can go down and look at man like King Jehoshaphat. He was facing a massive army too big for them and he declared a national fast to seek God's intervention for a miracle and God delivered. You come to the New Testament you find an obscure woman like Anna there in the temple, an older lady, but she's there and she's fasting often for the nation. And of course, who could forget the Lord Jesus Christ?

He spent 40 days before he began preaching and entered in his ministry, 40 days, 40 nights of fasting. And then of course, not just in the occasion we read about this morning, but really all through the early church. You know, Paul says it like this. He says, in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. This just seemed to be something that they would do on a regular basis when they saw the need.

It would be for things like national emergencies, it would be for things like protection, healing, special guidance, deliverance from evil, but I think the common denominator that all of these men and these women had is that they were acquainted with something that sometimes maybe flies over our head but maybe not now when we look at the state of our nation is that they were acquainted with something called spiritual warfare and they saw that this was essential if they were gonna fight a spiritual war and I say that because I haven't seen so much conversation around spiritual warfare in the last two weeks as I've seen in the last ten years. People are now awake to the fact that there's something going on in the nation. And we can continue to pray and that's good, but there may be a desire to consider fasting. You know, there's forces at play and at work here that, you know, if you go to other countries, it's taken for granted that you're gonna be embarking on spiritual warfare. But there are spiritual forces here, And they have been here for a long, long time, attacking this nation, diminishing the Gospel, but maybe doing it in a much more, I would say, kind of like white-collar way and approach.

You know, I remember a few of us, this was a few years ago, maybe five, maybe more than five years ago, and we were preaching in the city up in DC. A lot of things happen up in DC. And I remember preaching and I'm standing up, and a crowd wouldn't even let me speak. There was a big crowd, and they were just shouting, shouting me down to the point where I couldn't even talk. And then a man, a little man comes up out of the crowd and he comes up and he grabs my sleeve and he's like pulling my sleeve.

And I bow down to hear what he's trying to say. He says, you keep preaching from this book and you're gonna die today. I'm like, pardon me? And I asked him to repeat it and he repeated it again, and I just remember and he just disappeared through the crowd He didn't threat. He wasn't threatening me It was just just a weird such a weird statement but it kind of put me in mind of the fact that we are in a war and we can't necessarily see all that's going on around us but to go in in our own strength is the height of folly and so we need power that we don't have in ourselves and that's really the idea behind fasting and I think that's what's the events of the last couple of weeks has kind of revealed that with the martyrdom of Charlie Kirk that we're a nation that's at war and I heard one man say it so so well listen to the statement he said what does this all reveal he says we don't have political problems in America.

We have political symptoms of spiritual problems. Think about that. Forces of darkness that are arrayed against the truth and They're seeing their arguments being turned to dust on the public stage, perhaps for the first time in a long time. They're seeing their power diminished daily. And of course, you see people like Charlie Kirk invading their sanctuaries where they've put all of their chips and investments, and he's winning.

And so of course a resort to violence isn't to be unexpected. But what is the Christians response? And well I just mentioned the fact that what we've seen in our national history sometimes It's to take up arms, physical arms, and it may come to that even in our time, but it's always to pray. And it's sometimes to fast. And perhaps, I'm just throwing it out there that perhaps now might be such a time.

You know, what does fasting in the kingdom of heaven accomplish? Well, as I mentioned, it's not something that we do. I'm going to fast every Thursday or Friday, and it becomes almost like a ritualistic type thing. But it is something reserved for special occasions, and it has to do with doing without food or abstaining from food. And oftentimes we in our kind of American Christianity we've expanded the range of fasting you know I'm fasting from movies and I'm fasting from social media from the internet but fasting has to do with doing it without food for a set period of time and those things can be excellent I'm not saying you know don't decide not to do those things but that's not really the definition of fasting I like the way that one commentator described that he says, we resort to fasting out of a deep sense of our weakness and need in order to seek God in a more urgent, earnest, and heartfelt manner for something of great importance to us or to his kingdom.

Just a succinct way of putting it. It's this statement that we're making to ourselves that we're acknowledging that man shall not live by bread alone. It's saying to the Lord, you, O Lord, are what I need most. Please show up. Please act.

It draws us near to God and it demonstrates to God our desperation. There's something of the spirit of Jacob in fasting. You remember where he says, I will not let you go. There's something that fasting kind of is in that same spirit and it surfaces wisdom and it surfaces direction. We see that in our text here this morning in Acts that they're seeking God to know what to do And God surfaces the wisdom, he surfaces the direction that they need so that they can go forth into enemy territory boldly.

It also weans us from our thoughts and from the allurements of the world. That's another amazing power. It breaks strongholds, not just serious addictions like pornography, but acceptable addictions to things like social media and other things like that. It brings peace. It increases faith, it gives strength.

These are all things that it does, and it humbles us before the living God, because it's an entire acknowledgement that I need you. Please come. I'm desperate for you. And in the case of the Pharisees, you know, they had this, they fell into this temptation of play-acting and they somehow used fasting and Jesus says when you fast do not be like the hypocrites with a sad countenance. That sad countenance you know they were they were sullen they were affecting a mournful appearance They wanted to look the part.

He says, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. You know, they would go about with unwashed faces, unkept hair. Imagine spending time in the mirror, you know, arranging ash and tears, you know, and mixing it all together so you just look like a holy mess is kind of the idea what they were trying to convey to everyone that's looking. And such persons, they were in great esteem. People would look at them and say, that man, that brother's serious.

And they were thought to be very religious. But Jesus says, assuredly I say to you, they have their reward. Affecting something outwardly that's not true inwardly. It was all just hypocrisy. But Jesus goes on to say in verse 17, but you when you fast anoint your head and wash your face.

But you notice that he's saying but you. He puts his people in a different category. He's saying, remember who you are. You're a child of God. You're a citizen of the kingdom.

You're one who's secure for all eternity. You don't have to create impressions to impress men. That's not what you have to do. And so be done away with any forms of religion. And he's saying to them, just be ordinary when you're fasting.

Be ordinary. See God's approval and not man's admiration. And notice this, what he's not saying. He's not saying be a hypocrite on the other side. Look, these people look like they're beaten down, their faces are covered in ash and tears and mixed together, their hair is all messed up.

He's not saying to you go about with a false grin on the other side and pretend something else altogether. I think what he's saying is just be normal. Just be normal when you fast. And let your fasting be undetectable and maybe unmentioned before men. I think the broader principle here though if we're honest is that there's something in us isn't there that desires man's applause.

Am I the only one that would say that's the case? That there's a great temptation for the applause of men. And I think this is what the apostle Paul was getting at. You go to 1 Corinthians 13 and it's a wonder. We read it so often, but if you consider it, just think about this.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor. And though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." He's onto something here. It's shocking. How far will man go to make a name for himself with men? And men would be willing to enter into poverty.

I think that's, you can see that all through history. And even going to a burning at the stake as long as I'm remembered and as long as I'm lauded maybe a little plaque somewhere set up in my name but there's such a powerful impulse in us for the applause of men And so we shouldn't just flippantly overlook this tendency in ourselves. You know, our hearts are crafty and there are all sorts of ways that religious pride creeps in, even to our own conversations. If you listen to the things that I come out of my mouth or come out of your mouth. You might detect that element of pride there in doing things for the esteem of men.

You know, Jonathan Edwards is a doctor of the soul. He put it like this. He says, pride is the worst viper in the heart. It is the first sin that ever entered into the universe. It lies lowest in all the foundation of the whole building of sin.

Of all lusts, it is the most secret, deceitful, and unsearchable in its ways of working. It is ready to mix with everything. Nothing is so hateful to God contrary to the spirit of the gospel or of so dangerous consequence. There is no one sin that does so much to let the devil into the hearts of the saints. He's not talking about the unbelievers and expose them to his delusions.

And so the Lord is really enjoining his people to do things for the glory of God. And he says in verse 18, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your father who is in the secret place and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And I think this is the grand principle that the Lord, he keeps driving at over and over and over again that faith has an eye toward God primarily And not to man we serve man and all of that a good name is to be sought for and to be had But it's not the primary thing that we're to seek after and God not man will reward you That's the thing to consider And so let God be your audience is what the Lord Jesus is really saying. So I just have a couple things by way of closing here in application and how we should maybe think about this here and I think it's it's hopefully come out as we've as we've talked through this but I think the first thing is just be beware of exhibiting outwardly more than you feel and resist the temptation to attempt to exhibit anything just for mere ostentation, to be seen by men?

Otherwise, you have your reward. You get the slow clap of men as they look and see what you're doing. But what is that? You also get God's scorn. It's a very bad trade isn't it at the end of the day.

And so rather if you are in the kingdom remember that, that your identity is already secure so it doesn't so much matter what men say does it? Because your identity is secured in heaven. No one can take that from you because no one gave it to you except God. And so live before Him. You know fasting as I mentioned earlier though someone out of fashion today it's not quite maybe what it was perhaps even among us.

We much prefer feasting don't we to fasting? At least I do. And you know it's convicting as I mentioned earlier you know just thinking that men who love their country, love their nation they fast and pray for their nation. This is just historical Christianity, it's biblical Christianity. And men who love the cause of their God, notice those things can intertwine.

Love of God and love of nation. There's a double incentive, perhaps, especially at a certain time, like the one that's before us now. Those men, they go forward with fasting and praying. So just a question, do you love your nation? Do you love the cause of God?

It might be worth considering I'm not binding your conscience saying you should fast and this and that I'm just saying that it might be something worth considering especially in the time that we're living in, in the state of our nation our neighbors, the broader church missions, all these things can beckon for this desire to come before the Lord. And if you do fast, again, just do it with an eye towards the living God. Well, nothing is more fitting than closing with the words, I think, if we're going to talk about fasting, then looking at the prophet Isaiah. And so I'm just going to read to us, and then we'll close from Isaiah 58, where this is probably the most, I would say, most elaborate disclosure of fasting that at least I noticed in the Bible. And in verse 4 it says this, indeed, and he starts off with a negative but then he goes to what fasting should be, but he starts off negative, indeed when you fast, You fast for strife and debate and to strike with the fist of wickedness.

You will not fast as you do this day to make your voice heard on high. Can you imagine people fasting, oh God destroy brother Jim, give him his due, reward him for the evil that he did fruit to me That's kind of fasting that was taking place and the Lord asked the question Is this is it a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soul Is that really what I'm after when I speak about fasting?" says God. Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord? Well the Lord as I said, he doesn't just tell them what's wrong but then he tells them to what is right and acceptable.

Look what it says, here's some really good motives for fasting. He says in verse 6, is this not the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and to bring to your house the poor who are cast out When you see the naked that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh." And then I'll end here. Look at the fruit of this fasting that God accepts.

Then. See that little word? Then. When you undertake it with the right motive, then your light will break forth like the morning. Your healing shall spring forth speedily and your righteousness shall go before you.

The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard, then you shall call and the Lord will answer you shall cry and he will say here I am amen well let's pray heavenly father we do want our prayers to be heard Lord we would love to hear you say, here I am. And Lord, before we even call, that you would answer. Lord, you are the true and the living God. You answer prayer. And Lord, we just pray that you would teach us even in this area of fasting what is acceptable and pleasing before you, O Lord, help us to just give consideration to this armor, Lord, this weapon that you have set before us as a means of appealing to heaven.

O Lord, we thank you for all that you've done through down through the ages through saints that have taken this upon themselves Lord and we just pray that even in our day as we enter into uncharted territory Lord that you would lay it upon our hearts to lean upon you more heavily than we ever have that we would be men and women of prayer and even of fasting as we call upon you the living God. We thank you Lord in Jesus holy name amen.