Okay, well, morning folks. Lovely to see you. Please do have your Bibles open. I know that's only three verses today, but boy, this is going to pack a punch.
So please have your Bibles open. Remember that this is not just routine. This is not just something we do on a Sunday morning. This is about encountering the living God who has made himself known in his word.
So please have that open in front of you as we get into this topic today, these verses today. To try and get us into this, can I tell you about my favourite dad joke?
Had it a few weeks ago, summer holiday, in the car, up and down, down to Bath, back up to Edinburgh. Inevitably, the call comes from the back. Do you know the one of you who are a parent?
And I'm hungry. At which point, I know it's coming and I love to reply, hi, hungry. I'm dad. Which never goes down quite well.
But here's the thing you recognise, you realise along car journeys. One of the worst things imaginable for a child, where they cannot get their head around, is the thought of being hungry.
Can I suggest though, if you're like me, adults aren't much better. Yeah, watching the World Cup just a few weeks ago, it felt like every second advert was for McDonald's or Uber Eats or Domino's Pizza.
Our meals, they come microwavable ready. We talk about people, maybe you're one of these people, people who are foodies.
At work, I remember this in the office. We always look forward to our elevenses.
We've even invented a term that describes somebody who's both tired and hungry.
What do we call them? Hangry.
We don't do well as adults, do we, with the thought of being hungry.
Which is why what Jesus is going to say today in these verses, it might seem really odd.
Because in these verses, if you've got it there, come with me, you get the distinct impression that this whole idea of denying yourself food for spiritual purposes,
which is what fasting is at a functional level.
As you see Jesus here talking, he's saying, do you see it when you fast, not if you fast.
He's talking about fasting like it's a really good thing.
Problem is, it can be done for all the wrong reasons.
Which I don't know about you, but that doubly intrigues me.
And we're going to spend the rest of our time getting our teeth into why.
And before we get there, and because some of us will hear this, and this concept is totally alien to us.
Others of us will hear this, and we're suspicious.
Others of us will hear this, and we'll maybe think our minds will go to some of the similar sounding alternatives,
which are out there on the market.
It's worth us clarifying what Jesus isn't talking about here.
So on the one hand, in our increasingly health conscious culture,
we need to appreciate that this is not Jesus promoting some kind of bodily detox.
Right?
It's our world that we live in today.
It's true, isn't it, that we're growing more conscious of what we're putting into our bodies.
Didn't surprise me this read to week that, get this,
8 million more pints of non-alcoholic beer were poured in the UK this year than at this point last year.
But that's not what Jesus has in mind here.
And on the other hand, in our increasingly multicultural culture,
we need to appreciate that this is different from what our Muslim friends would do at Ramadan,
and our Catholic friends would do when they fast,
which, as I understand it, has as part of that practice,
this idea of trying to make amends for our wrongs.
Again, this is not what Jesus has in mind here.
And so, in the time that we have together,
as we try and enter the atmosphere of these verses in Matthew chapter 6,
I want to kind of frame this in terms of four distinct reasons why God's people fast,
as we get into this.
You with me?
Here's number one.
First reason.
This is all about feeling our need.
If you're a note taker, four things.
Here's the first one.
Feeling our need.
So, fasting, depriving yourself of food for the sake of spiritual purposes,
which we'll come on to see right at the top of that,
what's Jesus talking about?
He's talking about seeking the face of the Father, right?
Number one reason we do this,
it acutely reminds us of the creature-creator distinction.
And here's the thing.
It does not matter whether you're at the beginning of life,
or you're at the middle of life,
or that you're at the end of your life.
We are still wholly dependent beings.
We never stop being wholly dependent beings.
I think our problem,
this is where the slide background has come from,
our problem is that we run around every day
acting as if it's not true.
But on the other side to this than us,
we've got to understand that while we are needy and dependent,
our God is wholly other.
He is wholly other.
He is dependent on no one.
He is entirely self-sufficient.
Our God has no equal.
Him and the devil.
It's not like God has his nemesis.
Right?
This is not Messi versus Ronaldo.
This is not Luke versus Darth.
God and this is not two equals playing it out.
Our God is entirely other.
He has no equal.
He has no rival.
He is, to quote that TV show if you watch it,
he is in a league of his own.
And he is the provider.
He's the sustainer of all things.
See that breath you just took?
He gave you it.
And that's baked into what we saw last week
as Jesus taught his disciples how to pray.
Did you pick that up?
Give us each day our daily bread.
Here's the point.
Fasting doesn't make us weak and dependent.
Fasting just reveals how weak and dependent
we've been all along.
I take it as good, friends, isn't it?
To feel our need at times.
Number one, it's about feeling our need.
Number two, it's about focusing on truth.
So according to the Bible, we're not just bodies.
We're just matter.
We are body and soul beings.
That really matters.
Body and soul.
So fasting is a way of reminding ourselves
that there's so much more to life
than just our physical needs.
Again, we've seen that already in Matthew's gospel
with Jesus' temptation back at chapter four.
Jesus is led, not by the devil,
he is led by the spirit into the wilderness.
Huge is symbolic.
But Jesus, what does he do there?
Jesus fasted.
So Jesus is there humbled by taking on human flesh.
And he, as it were,
humbles himself further
by entering that place of utter dependency,
doing what Adam and Israel before him
failed to do in terms of obedience
to the word of the Father.
And so his fasting is unique in a sense.
But he still sets us that pattern
as he responds to the devil by saying,
man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
So here's the thing.
See, when we deprive our bodies of food,
it is for the express purpose
of allowing our souls to feast on the word of God.
Will I say that again?
When we deprive ourselves of food,
it is for the express purpose
of feasting our souls on the word of God.
And you'll find all sorts of different people
through the Bible story
choosing to fast for different reasons.
But what's really interesting with all this stuff
is that there was one day in particular
in the Old Testament
that God told his people to fast.
This is great.
You with me?
One day in particular,
he commanded his people to fast.
This day that was central
to the lives of God's people
that we read about in Leviticus 16
called the Day of Atonement.
A day that happened once a year
featuring one man and two goats.
There's your formation.
Once a year, one man, two goats.
The man, the high priest,
he would go into, by himself,
into the holy place.
He would take goat number one
and he would kill the goat.
The goat being sacrificed
in the place of the people.
And then he would come out
and he would come out of the holy place
where he would meet goat number two
and he'd take his hands
and he'd place his hands on this goat,
symbolically confessing
all of the sins of the people
on this goat
and he would set it to run
as far away as possible
into the wilderness.
And God was teaching his people
in shadow form
that the effect of blood being shed
was that their sins were gone for good.
And isn't it interesting
that it's on this one day
that God calls his people
to fast.
It's almost as if God is saying,
you've got to stop what you're doing.
Have I got your attention?
You need to get this.
And a lot of friends down south
who got that text this week,
you know, everybody got the text
about the weather warning,
heat warning, right?
This is not advice.
You've got to get this.
And so here is God calling his people
to fast.
Put away your pots and pans for the day.
Right?
Pause your to-do list.
Because you've got to lift your eyes,
you've got to still your souls,
you've got to focus your minds
on this central thing
that's right at the heart
of what it means to be mine.
And what is God teaching his people
as they fast?
He's teaching them
that their greatest need
is forgiveness.
And because their greatest need
is forgiveness
and he's provided a way,
it opens up the possibility
to their greatest privilege,
which is fellowship.
And so the invitation is to come
and receive it all
by faith.
And friends,
everything that the day of atonement
symbolized in these two goats,
Jesus did through his work
on the cross.
In other words,
Jesus did both.
Isn't that amazing?
It's the gospel.
Jesus did,
through his work on the cross,
he did both.
We've got to understand
that on the cross,
Jesus is not twisting the arm
of a reluctant father.
What is the cross
but the display
of the beating heart
of the father
to win a people for himself,
to make a way for them
to be his
and to display his glory
to the watching world?
Because of what Jesus has done,
the greatest privilege is ours,
that we can be reconciled,
our sins forgiven,
united to him,
we can be reconciled.
We are reconciled
from the moment
we put our faith in him.
We are reconciled
to our creator.
And the greatest privilege
known to man
is opened up.
The privilege of calling
our creator God,
calling him
and knowing him
as our father.
Which when you think about it,
is that not the ultimate name drop?
To say that the creator
of all things,
I know him.
Personally,
I know him.
Do you know what?
He knows me.
It's the ultimate name drop.
Which takes us
to the third reason, friends,
that we fast.
And I recognize
we're going through this quickly,
but we'll get into the text
with this one.
Third reason that we fast
is simply to seek
the face
of the father.
You know,
there was a recent survey
done in the UK
that revealed that
30%
of men and women
in this country
feel like
they lack purpose.
And 25%
of young adults
feel that they lack
security and love.
not quite alarming,
actually.
Maybe that is
exactly where
you're at today.
But see,
for the Christian believer,
the bedrock
of our identity
is entirely
caught up
in that word
father.
United to Christ,
it is the birthright
of every single believer
to call him
that.
You know,
last week, friends,
my soul,
see if you just skim
your eyes back
to verse 8.
And at the end of the day,
honestly,
I'm just one sheep
telling you how
I fed on green grass.
Telling another sheep,
right.
My soul
was so
encouraged
by verse 8.
I needed to be reminded
of this,
of my father's
complete knowledge
and love for me.
Do you see that
when we pray?
Notice verse 8.
Because my mind
so often goes
like my phone
into predictive
text mode.
Right?
I read that
and I thought
it should say
my father knows
what I'm going to say
before I say it.
Right?
But see,
it's so much deeper
than that.
Right?
He's not in the business
of finishing
my sentences.
It's what old
couples do.
Isn't it?
Remember that song
in Frozen?
It's crazy how we
finish each other's
sandwiches.
That's not what
this is saying.
Do you see it?
So comprehensive
is his commitment
to his children.
He knows what I need
before I even ask.
Do you see that?
And it's amazing
to think
when I call
on him
at any time
of the day
like Derek read
earlier,
in Christ
drawn by the Spirit
to the throne
of the Father.
When I cry out
to him
because he loves me
I'll never get voicemail.
He loves us.
I always loved
that old Puritan
saying
to live often
in the smiles
of God.
In fact,
see if we did
a kind of heat map
for the word
Father
in the Sermon
of the Mount
it would go
really red
at this point.
Right?
See when you
take in
the first
18 verses
of chapter 6
heat map
the word
Father
it comes up
all the time
here.
Jesus is talking
about giving
and praying.
Craig did
such a good job
of taking us
through that
last few weeks.
Today we're
thinking about
fasting.
What connects
to these three
things is that
they are the
three great
Jewish religious
identifiers.
You want to know
somebody's really
into God?
Look for these
three things.
And Jesus
has deliberately
used that term
Father six
times already.
See if you're
counting.
And he's about
to use it
twice more
in our verses
here.
And here's
why.
Because if we
aren't secure
in his love
for us
and if we're
not living
from his
love for us
if we think
it's about us
living for his
love
do you know
what's going
to happen?
Our hearts
will go looking
for praise
in all sorts
of places.
Yeah?
Looking for
praise in all
sorts of
places.
And that's
what's going
on in chapter
six these
verses 16
17 18
do you see?
Jesus knows
that his
disciples are
living in a
world that's
full of
fake fasting.
Do you see
it?
Because what's
happened is
that the
Pharisees
who at the
end of the
day aren't
lovers of
God.
Jesus would
say they are
lovers of
self.
They've
taken this
command.
They've
taken this
instruction
to fast.
They've
taken something
that's meant
to be God
honoring and
they've twisted
it and they've
made it
something completely
self-serving.
That's what's
going on in
these verses.
I mean think
about it right?
If you want to
convince people
that you're a
really religious
person and
deadly serious
about it
let them see
you give.
That's not
difficult.
Let them
see you
pray.
Hear you
pray.
That's not
difficult.
Quite easy
actually.
But see if
that's the
game that
you're in.
Here's the
problem.
Think about
it that you've
got with
fasting.
Very
definition.
By very
very definition.
You can't
see it.
Yeah?
So what do
you do in
verse 16?
Well you
screw up your
face.
You hold
your tummy.
You groan.
You put a
little bit of
dirt under
your eyes.
I don't know
what you do.
But do you
know what
this is?
This is
tell me you're
fasting without
telling me you're
fasting.
Isn't it?
Tell me you're
fasting without
telling me you're
fasting.
This is what
you do.
And Jesus is
unmasking this
whole facade.
And he's
helping his
disciples see that
although the
world might sit
up and admire
that God's
not sitting
in heaven
applauding that.
And Jesus
says see when
you watch
somebody do
that know
that the
praise of
man is what
they're doing
it for and
also know
that that's
all they're
going to
get.
You
however
because you're
secure in the
Father's love
seek him in
secret.
You know
the big
invitation about
fasting here
is that no one
should know that
you're fasting.
You see it?
Seek him in
secret.
He might be
unseen to you
but make no
mistake that what
you're doing and
seeking him is
not unseen to
him.
Why do you
do it?
You don't do
it because you
want the
praise of
man.
Why do you
do it?
Because I
want him.
Which takes
us to the
fourth reason
that we
fast.
Why do we
fast?
Because friends
we are longing
for home.
Because fast
forward a few
chapters into
chapter 9 of
verse 14.
Turn there if
you want.
I'll put some
verses on the
screen.
the Pharisees
in this scene
they come to
Jesus and
they say
why don't
your disciples
fast?
And it's
almost as if
they never
quite get over
this.
John's
disciples come
to why don't
your disciples
fast?
And again
my mind in
predictive text
mode.
Jesus could
have said
they're not
fasting because
they're doing
exactly what I
told them to
do a few
chapters ago.
Why can't
you see them
fasting?
Because I
told them that
they shouldn't
let anyone
see that
they're fasting.
He could
have said
that.
But that's
not what
Jesus says.
His disciples
aren't fasting.
Why?
Because the
groom is
here.
and he's
picked his
metaphor
splendidly.
The Bible
is,
friends,
one great
story about
God and
his pursuing
love for
his people.
So much
so that
the only
way I
take it,
that the
metaphor that
God gives
us and runs
right through
scripture is
that of a
groom and
a bride.
And here
is Jesus
saying,
I am
that great
groom.
I've come
on a
mission.
I've come
to save
my bride.
And I'm
with them
now.
Do you
know what?
One day
my disciples
will fast.
And it will
be the day
that I go.
And then
they'll fast
because they
are waiting
for my
return.
But not
now.
I'll come
on to see
this in a
few weeks.
Not now.
I've never
been to a
wedding celebration
where we're
going there
and the
master's
ceremony
stands up
and says,
this is a
very solemn
occasion.
Yeah?
No, it's
party time.
And that's
what Jesus
is saying.
I am
here.
The groom
is here.
But one
day they
will fast.
And this
is what is
particularly,
friends, if I
can put it
like this,
this is
particularly
what is
New Testament
about fasting.
We're not
Old Testament
Israel,
right?
God doesn't
command us
to fast.
No, here
is Jesus
here encouraging
us to fast
as a way
of reorientating
ourselves to
the goodness
of the
gospel.
Now, we
always, every
night in our
house we find
it at
dinner time.
Kids, tea's
ready.
And there
they come,
right?
And no, no,
no, we need
to wait because
one of the
six of us
isn't at this
table yet.
Wait, wait,
wait, right?
And you
feel like
William Wallace
in that
brave
part of him,
hold, hold.
Waiting doesn't
come naturally.
Did you know
that feeling
when maybe you
did it as a
kid, you
got to wait?
There's
something of
that in what
Jesus is
saying here
about fasting.
Because in
holding ourselves,
in that moment
of salivating
for what's
about to
come, we're
reminded that
we long not
for the dinner
that we'll eat
in a few
hours.
That's way
too short-sighted.
Friends, we
are longing
when we
fast for the
wedding feast
of the Lamb
and the
fellowship we'll
enjoy with
him forever
when our
groom returns.
If you're
looking for
something good
to read,
one of the
best books
I've read
over the
last year
was all
about this
book by
a guy
called Chris
Davis in
America and
it's called
Bright Hope
for Tomorrow.
Clearly
taken it from
that hymn.
But I love
this, how
anticipating Jesus'
return gives
strength for
today.
Wonderful book.
Let me just give
you one line
from it.
He puts it
like this.
We fast
because Jesus,
our bridegroom,
is not here.
And no matter
how tasty the
wedding reception
spread may be,
life is not
complete until we
are in the
presence of
the one who
loves us.
And so since we
begin to wrap
this up today,
our time is
marching on,
here's two
quick bits of
advice as we
seek to
perhaps put
what Jesus
is saying
here into
practice.
These will be
real, real
quick and we
can talk about
these afterwards
if you want.
Here's number
one, friends,
know your
body.
I'm just so conscious that as your pastor I know that that for many of us medically speaking this
might not be something for all sorts of reasons that we're able to do and I don't want you feeling
like you are missing out or in other words maybe or maybe other people you're a shift doctor at work
or you're in something where concentration is something you really need to have because of the
level of responsibility that's on you and again the name of the game is wisdom or maybe honestly just
eating is a big struggle so so conscious of that maybe eating is a big struggle whoever you are
here's my bit of advice just practically speaking speak to a doctor before you do anything
speak to a friend but if that's practically speaking maybe spiritually speaking remember
god knows how you are framed and he loves you unconditionally in christ never doubt that
but otherwise there may be here thinking where would I even start with something like this
again what I would say to you friends is don't try and go from zero to hero
start small could you maybe miss a meal could you go for a few hours without food whatever it is
friends know your body again we do this together don't we so we help one another with this stuff
know your body which takes me really quickly to the second bit of advice which is really simply have a plan
if we don't eat food if we go without food and all we can think about is how hungry we are
then can I perhaps suggest that we've missed the point of what Jesus is talking about here
our focus should be less on what we're saying no to and more on the better yes that we're saying yes to
so when we feel that pang when we feel that hunger what truth are we going to take our souls to in God's
words could you have a psalm for the morning and you just read a verse every half an hour or something
like that what are you going to pray about what are you going to lay and spread out before your father
there's something really specific that's in your mind that this is a way of just concentrating
and focusing on the Lord and laying it before him are you at the start of a new season of life
is there a big decision that you're facing in your life you think I just want to
I just want to throw this before the father who loves me
friends fasting is all about seeking the face of the father if you take one thing from this would it be
that that's what it's about you know just as we close I want to bring us back to the heart of that question
that we've seen over the last few weeks remember we said these three things are connected and Craig did a
wonderful job at bringing out the big question that's right at the heart of this not so much in what you do
it's in why you do it what was that big question remember he put it last week
whose praise are we living for whose praise are we living for whose smile drives us
and who at the end of the day are the only eyes in the room that we're seeking you know just as we
close let me just leave you with this you know I'm just finished reading the autobiography of one of my
favorite ever actors I was born in 85 look at my age so that makes me a kind of 90s kid you know
my favorite actor and this is why I loved it when his autobiography came out and it was 99p on kindle
um Will Smith still love Will Smith
Independence Day I think one of the first films that I really like whoa what a film and then
Men in Black and then Any of the State I Am Legend and then getting into Fresh Prince and the guy sings as
well this guy wasn't just at the height of his career when I was growing up he was in everything
and I'm watching it
I'm loving this guy so I'm reading this book and I'm really interested to see what
why he did it all here is what is fascinating about what he writes about why he did what he did
right he was in everything here's what he writes I didn't want to leave space between my tv show
the next movie and my next record because I didn't want to give people an opportunity to fall in love
with The Rock during my absence right so The Rock Dwayne Johnson the another actor who's trying to make
his way as well big deal I didn't want to miss a thing because I did not want people's praise to go to
him I wanted it for myself is that not really interesting about what drives people
why did he keep doing it because he didn't want people to fall in love with someone else
and is that not exactly the heart of the human condition is that not exactly what the Pharisees
are doing here whose praise do we want we want people's praise and see the minute it goes off of us
we will do anything to get it back and his book Will Smith is essentially his story of him saying
it exhausted me friends what an exhausting way to live and yet how different the Christian
here is the invitation from Jesus to live for the audience of one
and to bask in his fatherly care and his fatherly love for us see right at the end when Jesus says
the father will reward you
puzzling myself all week as to what that means can I give you my best shot
friends see knowing him better in his love for me
that's reward enough
let's pray
oh our father we thank you so much that we have the privilege to call you father
lord we are so aware of how our hearts go searching for praise in all the wrong places
and it's our prayer lord that whatever's going on in our lives today that your spirit would draw us back
to your knowledge of and care of and affection for us because we are united to your son
father simply there is no one we'd rather seek and but father I pray pastorally that wherever this is landed in our lives
father thank you that your spirit is so much more of a better pastor than I can ever be
and I pray that he would be moving amongst us this morning bringing that sense of challenge and comfort
and encouragement to our souls
lord we thank you
that we do not have to perform
to get your love
father thank you that we just place our faith in Jesus
the one as Derek read at the start
who loved us and gave himself
for us
so father be with us as we finish our time together
we pray all of these things and Jesus is worthy and in his wonderful name
Amen