Diffusers 14: Freed from Living to Impress
Diffusers of Grace • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
These past months in Matthew 5-6, we have been exploring Jesus’ instructions for being citizens of his kingdom. If I could boil it down to one phrase I would say that would be “dependence upon God rather than self.”
Jesus frees us from feeling like we're have to impress others with our dedication to religion.
Understand this doesn't mean that we shouldn't be religious, only that we must not have our identity rooted in our religious faithfulness but in Christ's faithfulness on our behalf.
Religion is supposed to be the active practice of dependence upon God. That's what fasting is all about and that is the topic we are going to focus today.
Focus Passage: Matthew 6:16-18
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 6
16 “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Jewish people in Jesus’ day were taught to regularly observe three specific elements of piety. These were prayer (5-15), giving to the poor (1-4), and fasting (16-18).
Jesus understood better than anyone that there is great danger in religious practice when our religion is practiced with the wrong motives. Nothing about what Jesus has said so far in chapter 6 tells us that we shouldn’t practice these religious elements. On the contrary, he is clear that these are good things. We get into trouble when we make our religion about glorifying ourselves rather than about glorifying God.
This is true not only with prayer, giving, and fasting but with any religious practice. If the glory of Christ is not at the heart of religion, it can never be true religion so we must strive all the more to be careful about making sure the why in our religious practice remains pure.
I. Christian fasting is worshipful
I. Christian fasting is worshipful
We fast for God’s glory.
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 6
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret.
Who is our audience for fasting, or any other religious practice for that matter?
We live in a world in which we are constantly put on display, feeling that we must prove ourselves to others in order to be accepted.
In God’s kingdom, we are no longer accepted based upon what we do, but based upon what Christ has done for us.
We must reject the world’s call to prove ourselves. In Christ, we are free to live quietly. No one but God needs to see your religious practice and you don’t do it to earn his favor, but because you have it.
“Simply to deprive ourselves of a natural benefit (such as food or sleep) is not of itself fasting. We must devote ourselves to God and worship him. Unless there is the devotion of the heart there is no lasting spiritual benefit.” -Warren Wiersbee
“20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” -Colossians 2:20-23
The difference between New Age, Hindu, Buddhist, humanist or any other -ist practices and Christian practice is the object of worship. With the worldly religions and ideologies, the object of worship is ultimately self. With Christianity the object of worship is Christ. If we practice Christianity but our motivation is self, then all we have is a Christianized version of humanism or something like it.
Unless our religion is leading us to worship God and become like Christ, it is less than worthless.
People in hell are hard workers too, but for self and ultimately all will be lost for them.
We fast because we love Jesus.
Christ has set us free from sin and death. Fasting is a way we actively practice freedom from our lusts and passions.
Through self-denial and singular focus on Christ, we drive daggers into our human nature.
We have come to love Christ through the gospel and the power of the Spirit in us. The more we behold Christ the more we long to be like him. His love which has unlocked our love for him is our motivation in fasting.
II. Christian fasting is joy-filled
II. Christian fasting is joy-filled
Since we do not fast in order to earn any standing with God or people, we can fast without any pressure to perform.
Christ suffered because of the joy he had in freeing us, so we fast with joy knowing it draws us nearer to Christ.
“1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?” -Hebrews 12:1-5
There is an eternal well of joy within each and every believer and when we are actively drinking from that well, we cannot help but to be full of joy even when experiencing momentary discomfort.
III. Christian fasting is private
III. Christian fasting is private
In a world obsessed with virtue signaling, Christ calls us to practice our faith quietly.
Virtue signalling is a public expression of a moral viewpoint with the intent of communicating good character.
For many, the goal of religious practice is to be seen. There is no spiritual value in this sort of fasting or any religious practice.
If our aim is to be noticed by people, or seen as a holy person, we have our reward in being noticed. Spiritual gain comes when we refuse to give into typical human temptation, such as being seen as righteous by others.
What really matter to us, to be righteous before God or before people? The answer to this says all we need to know about ourselves.
This is not to say that we aren’t to attend church publically, or speak of the gospel publicly, but that we are to keep our spiritual disciplines generally private because we run the risk of becoming braggadocios and when there our motivation becomes pride rather than Christ. That is the way of Adam and Eve, not of Christ.
Fasting privately makes us like Jesus.
Christ rarely wanted to be noticed when he did something great for God.
He told people he healed to remain silent about him but to glorify the Father.
He silenced demons who spoke pf him publically.
This isn’t because he wanted his message to remain private, but because he wanted the glory of the Father to be front and center in his ministry. He was showing us true humility and love for God.
Jesus knew that he did not need to prove himself, but that the Father would be the one to glorify him rather than himself. This is a wonderful example to us.
“7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” -Luke 14:7-11
If you want to be like Christ, do not practice your religion in order for people to notice you, but before God alone because you love him. If he wants to elevate you, he will.
Dallas Willard, Tim Keller, and John Piper are three of my favorite Bible teachers. Each has this in common; the did not become well known until they were in their 50s. None of these men sought the limelight. Each were elevated because of character others saw in them. They did not seek fame, but were made famous by God.
IV. Christian fasting is beneficial
IV. Christian fasting is beneficial
It helps us to defeat our sinful tendencies.
“7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” -1 Tim 4:7-8
It puts our eyes onto Christ and off of self.
It prepares us to suffer well.
V. Closing
V. Closing
Check the motivation behind your religion. Is it Christ?
Plan a fast for God’s glory.
When you fast, do so with the great joy that you have in Christ.
I am convinced that a Christian who is content to fast with anonymity, for the worship of God alone, is well primed to diffuse God’s grace into our broken world which desperately needs it. So let’s go in Christ’s power, full of the Spirit, and be the sort of Christian our world needs to see right now.