The Disciplines: Fasting I. Introduction A. What does the practice of the Christian faith look like on a day-to-day basis? B. We recognize many of the standard expectations 1. Avoid sin (Galatians 5:19-21) 2. Read and study the Bible (John 8:32, 2 Timothy 2:15, etc.) 3. Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18) 4. Do good as opportunities arise (Galatians 6:10) C. These standard expectations are well and good, but what do we see from Scripture about day-to-day practice? D. An ancient understanding of at least some of the standard practices on a day-to-day basis involved the spiritual disciplines 1. 1 Corinthians 9:27, 2 Timothy 1:7: Paul disciplines his body; God has given us the spirit of sophronismos, discipline or self-control 2. Galatians 5:22-24, 1 Peter 4:7: Christians are expected to live lives marked by self-control and sober-mindedness 3. How we are to maintain discipline is a matter of liberty 4. Nevertheless there are glimpses in Scripture of some ancient practices known as the disciplines and that Christians used them to help them maintain discipline in important spiritual practices E. Let us consider the spiritual discipline of fasting 1. Many Christians have a lot of questions about fasting 2. Jesus fasted (Mark 4:4), early Christians fasted (Acts 13:2-3, 14:23) 3. Yet fasting does not seem to be prevalent among Christians! 4. What is fasting? 5. When should fasting be done? 6. What is the purpose of fasting? II. Fasting as Spiritual Discipline: Nature and Scripture A. What is fasting? 1. Fasting is voluntary abstinence from something for a set period of time 2. In the Bible fasting generally involves abstinence from food and drinks save water B. In the Old Testament many fasted for various reasons 1. Zechariah 8:19: Israelites kept specific fasts on account of certain occasions, including the Day of Atonement and the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple 2. Judges 20:26: after defeats Israel fasted before YHWH 3. 1 Samuel 7:6: Israel fasted before YHWH when repenting 4. 1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 1:12: some Israelites fasted 7 days after Saul's death 5. 2 Samuel 12:16: David fasted when his child was ill 6. Ezra 9:5: Ezra fasted on hearing of the unfaithfulness of Israel 7. Nehemiah 1:4: Nehemiah fasted on hearing the news of Jerusalem's condition 8. Esther 4:3, 16: Jews hold a fast when they hear of the decree of their destruction; Esther calls for a fast before she attempts to stand before the king 9. Daniel 9:3: Daniel fasts before God while praying after the end of the 70 year period for exile 10. Yet Isaiah 58:1-14: fasting could not make up for iniquity and unrighteousness at other times C. Fasting prevalent in New Testament times 1. Mark 2:18, Luke 5:33: John's disciples and the Pharisees fasted 2. Luke 2:37: Anna continually prayed and fasted 3. Acts 27:9: fasting as the affliction during the Day of Atonement so marked that time was kept by calling the Day of Atonement the Fast D. Fasting a part of Jesus' instruction, practice of early Christians 1. Matthew 6:16-18: instructions for fasting "when you fast" 2. Mark 2:18-20: expectation that when Bridegroom taken then the disciples of Jesus will fast 3. Acts 13:2-3: Christians of Antioch fasted, were given direction by the Spirit, then fasted before departure of Barnabas and Saul 4. Acts 14:23: Paul and Barnabas fasted as part of commissioning elders 5. 2 Corinthians 6:5, 11:27: Paul fasted often on other occasions E. Thus we can see that fasting has plenty of Biblical precedent in both Old and New Testaments III. Fasting as Spiritual Discipline: When and Why A. If fasting has such Biblical precedence, why is it not prevalent among Christians? 1. As many point out, the New Testament never commands Christians to fast 2. Such is true; but is it unnecessary or irrelevant because it is not commanded? B. Fasting has plenty of Biblical precedent; the challenge involves the timing and reasoning for the fasting C. In order to understand when and why one would fast we must extrapolate based on Biblical examples, providing special emphasis on the New Testament D. Israel maintained many scheduled fasts 1. As we have seen, fasts were scheduled on certain days for the Day of Atonement, destruction of the Temple, etc. (Zechariah 8:19) 2. A ruler or official might call for a fast because of a time of distress (Esther 4:16) 3. Yet in the New Testament there are no scheduled fast days 4. Part of the reticence regarding fasting is discomfort based on denominational traditions that did bind fasting in some form or another at various times (e.g. Lent) 5. We do well to honor the reality that there are no scheduled fasts in the New Testament; there may be times, as we shall see, where the elders of the congregation may call for a fast, or a Christian may request others to pray and fast, but a particular fast at a particular day and time is not bound or commanded in the New Testament E. Yet this leads to an important question: why fast, anyway? 1. Fasting is frequently associated with prayer, and particularly devoted periods of prayer before God 2. Many times this fasting is almost a natural reaction in the face of calamity or great distress, the sin of the people, the death of a ruler, the people of God in danger, etc. (Judges 20:26, 1 Samuel 31:13, Ezra 9:5, Nehemiah 1:4, Daniel 9:3) 3. Specific examples of fasting in the New Testament are associated with major transitional events: the sending off of Saul and Barnabas, the appointment of elders (Acts 13:3, 14:23) 4. Biblical fasting, then, associated with prayer during a time of upheaval, transition, momentous events, beginning of journeys/responsibilities, etc. F. In order to help understand why and when to fast, we do well to first consider what Biblical fasting is not 1. Biblical fasting is not a weight-loss technique or for health or medical reasons; such purposes are not sinful or condemned, and such may be the result of Biblical fasting (Psalm 109:24), but is not its purpose 2. Biblical fasting is not to look pious and holy before others; anyone who would do so has their reward and it is not from God (Matthew 6:16-18) 3. Biblical fasting is not done with expectation of payment from God or to somehow extort God or force God's hand; any facile attempt to connect obtaining God's favor with fasting is countered by Isaiah 58:3-14 4. Biblical fasting is not abstaining from food for a particular period of time just because God says so, because others are doing it, or in any other way that does not directly associate the purpose of the fasting with the prayers and context in which the fasting is taking place 5. Biblical fasting does not draw attention to itself; it is between God and the faster, and thus there should be no evident sign the faster is fasting (Matthew 6:18) G. Fasting can be a way to channel one's energies away from the necessities of physical life to place emphasis on the needs of the spiritual life, a discipline and practice that perhaps is a "natural" or understandable reaction to a situation that is paired with prayer 1. Fasting seems alien to many Christians because it has become easy for us to disassociate the physical from the spiritual 2. We have come to the conclusion that filling our bellies and our prayer lives are not interrelated and the former can go on without any relationship to the latter 3. It is possible indeed to fall into the trap of asceticism (so Colossians 2:18-23) 4. But it is just as possible to fall into the trap of Gnosticism, divorce body and soul, and miss the interplay between soul and body 5. Jesus, Paul, Barnabas, and others serve as approved and apostolic examples commending fasting along with prayer at various moments in life; we do well to consider whether they understood something we have lost or neglected! 6. There are moments of anguish and pain during which the body loses all desire for food 7. Likewise there are moments of great importance whereby we do well to renounce food for a period to devote ourselves to prayer! 8. When our stomachs grumble, and we mentally wonder why we are not satisfying that need, we remember that it is for the purpose of prayer in a given situation, and therefore we are more likely to keep devoted in prayer at that time 9. There are likely many other connections that exist between fasting and prayer that will not show up on any physical sensor, might be discerned through experience, or perhaps may be something only God can truly understand H. So when should we fast? 1. Fasting has not been commanded, and perhaps for this very reason, lest it lose its power and become something rote 2. Fasting is inherently contextual; most of the time people fast it is on account of their experience at a given moment! 3. The New Testament examples involve the time before Barnabas and Saul are sent out as missionaries and as elders are being commissioned (Acts 13:3, 14:23); similar moments today would be an appropriate time to fast 4. In the Old Testament people fasted upon news of the death of a beloved person or ruler, calamitous news, the severe illness of a beloved person, and when a person felt the need to show contrition before God (Judges 20:26, 1 Samuel 31:13, 2 Samuel 12:16, Nehemiah 1:4, Daniel 9:3, etc.); similar times today may be appropriate times to fast 5. Such fasting may be individual or communal but always voluntary 6. In the end every decision to fast is between the faster and God whatever the catalyst may be 7. In general, if the situation seems to call for fervent prayers before God, fasting is likely an appropriate behavior in which to participate at the same time I. How does one fast? What does it look like? 1. No particular model of fasting has been commanded or bound upon the believer 2. Fasting generally has been understood as abstaining from food and drink other than water 3. Some fasts are for a day, from dinner to dinner; some may decide to fast without eating any food whatsoever for a few days 4. Dinner to dinner fasting seems most appropriate for most people 5. Some people may have health conditions involving insulin or other matters whereby it would not be wise to fully abstain from food; such persons would have to consider their health situation to see whether it is viable to fast at all or perhaps simply limit food to the minimum necessary for good health 6. One should not look different when fasting; they should carry on with life as usual, focus on prayer at appropriate times, and not make a show of their fasting (Matthew 6:16-18) IV. Conclusion A. We have considered the spiritual discipline of fasting B. Although many view fasting as an antiquated relic, perhaps without much value, or the territory of denominationalists and members of other religions, we have seen precedent for fasting in both the Old and New Testaments, apostolic and approved New Testament examples of fasting, and even the expectation that Christians would fast C. Fasting is not specifically commanded; such should not mean that we believe that fasting should be neglected but appreciate that fasting should be our "natural" or "expected" response to certain situations and should not have to be mandated in our lives! D. We do well to fast when devoting ourselves to prayer in certain circumstances, not to lose weight, not to appear holy, not to expect that God will really answer our prayers now because we're so holy we're fasting, but as a way to for a time renounce one of the great natural and physical impulses so as to channel that energy into our prayers E. Fasting is not specifically commanded or bound, but we may just find it to be a beneficial discipline in our lives of faith before God F. Let us devote ourselves to God's purposes according to His dictates! G. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: And when [Jesus] had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered (Matthew 4:2). Fasting is the practice of abstaining from something for a particular period of time; in the Bible fasting generally involves abstention from food and drink besides water. Jesus fasted for an extraordinary period of time, forty days, while being tempted in the Wilderness. Such is far too long for us, but there may be times when it is good for us to fast. 2: Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away (Acts 13:3). When the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul to preach the Gospel in other places, the Antiochene Christians fasted and prayed. Here and in Acts 14:23 we have apostolic and approved examples of fasting. Christians have not been commanded to fast, yet fasting was done by the early Christians and has value for us as well! 3: "But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee" (Matthew 6:17-18). Fasting is not about dieting, being seen as holy, or going through the motions. Fasting is also not about trying to extort God or expect anything to happen just because one fasted (Isaiah 58). But fasting has its place in times of prayer; Jesus seems to expect His followers to fast at certain times! 4: ... in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings... (2 Corinthians 6:5). Israelites fasted. Jesus fasted. Paul fasted. When we find ourselves in times when fervent prayer is needed, fasting is likely appropriate. Fasting may not be commanded, but perhaps all these people of God were onto something when they decided to fast as well as pray. Let us seek to maintain the discipline of fasting when appropriate!