Fasting: To be seen by your Father

Matthew 6:16-18 "...And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you..."

Review:

Jesus talked about how to give to the needy. Do you believe in giving to the needy? Do you give to the needy?

Jesus talked about how to pray. Do you believe in prayer? Do you pray?

Now Jesus is talking about fasting. Do you believe in fasting? Do you fast?

- If you eat a meal in the morning, what is it called? Why?

- Is this the fast that Jesus is talking about?

What is the hypocritical way to fast? Why is it done? What is the reward?

- obvious and gloomy.

- to be seen by others.

- whatever response others give.

What is the appropriate way to fast? Why is it done? What is the reward?

- in secret.

- to be seen by God.

- whatever response God gives.

What value do you see in the discipline and self-denial of fasting?

- normally equated with humbling oneself before God.

Isaiah 58:5 "...Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?..."

What type of discipline and self-denial is God looking for?

- sacrificing oneself for others.

Isaiah 58:6-9 "...Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; 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.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,..."

What is the reward? the Lord will protect you and "...the Lord will answer..."

Treasures:

Matthew 6:19-21 "...Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also..."

Luke 12:33-34 "...Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also..."

Context:

- Matt. 6:1-18 deals with our private life, with that which should be done in secret.

- Matt. 6:19-34 deals with our public life, with our interaction with this world.

- they aren't totally separate issues, since our private life affects our public life, and vice versa.

- our life is to be different from the hypocrisy of religion, and different from the materialism of our culture.

Why do people lay up treasures?

What types of things do people consider treasures?

Is Jesus against possessions?

Is Jesus against 'saving for a rainy day'?

Is Jesus against enjoying things on earth?

What is Jesus speaking against?

- having a heart devoted to earthly treasures.

How do earthly and heavenly treasures differ?

- earthly treasures don't last and aren't secure.

- heavenly treasures don't decay and can't be stolen from you.

Jesus didn't identify any earthly or heavenly treasures. Can you?

- earthly: prestige, bank accounts, property, automobiles, furnishings, clothes, etc.

- heavenly: knowledge of Christ, people, godly character.

Matthew 6:22-23 "...The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!..."

Luke 11:34-36 "...Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light...”

How does this passage describe the problem of earthly treasures?

- if you can't see correctly, you don't know what is and what isn't important.

- focusing on what the world calls success leads to blindness in matters of greater importance.

How dark (Matthew) can it get for people whose ambition (eyes and hearts) is set on earthly treasures?

- total darkness is total blindness, which means vision is gone.

- a person can become not only intolerant, but extremely ruthless, as they strive for what they can not secure.

How bright (Luke) can it get for people whose ambition (eyes and hearts) is set on heavenly treasures?

- wholly bright allows for clear vision.

- a person becomes generous (conformed to the image of Christ) when they see the reality of heavenly treasures.

Genesis 19:11 "...And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door..."

- the simplest of tasks, like finding a door, becomes impossible when people are blinded by their sin.

Matthew 6:24 "...No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money..."

Context:

- two treasures (earthly and heavenly).

- two ways of seeing (great darkness or wholly bright).

- now two masters (money or God).

Does Jesus think you sit on the fence, serving both God and the idols of this world?

- God and worldly idols compete for our allegiance.

- our values and actions will be shaped by a commitment to one or to the other.

Think of a time when you tried to serve both. How did it work out?

What are ways that people attempt to serve both?

- God on Sunday. Money during the week.

- God with their lips. Money with their heart.

Why does trying to serve both always default to serving money?

- There's only one way to serve God - all in.

- Deuteronomy 6:5 "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might..."