Hunger for God
Hunger for God Matthew 6:16-18
Big Idea: When we fast before God alone, we are rewarded with freedom and a deeper intimacy with God.
John Piper is a pastor in Minnesota. During the summer before his senior year in college John was dating Noel (the woman he would eventually marry). And during that summer John was working as water safety instructor at a summer camp and Noel was working hundreds of miles away as a waitress.
In the late morning just before lunch at the camp there would be a mail call. When John heard his name and saw a lavender envelope, his appetite for food was swept away. Or perhaps more accurately his hunger for food had been eclipsed by the hunger of his heart.
Often instead of eating lunch with the campers, John would take Noel’s letter to a quiet place in the woods and sit down to a different kind of meal.
John tells how he was able to “feed” on the color, the smell, the script, the message, and signature.
There are times in our romance with God, when we will say no to food or something that satiates a legitimate appetite because God takes that place, God becomes our food of different kind.
Jesus assumed that his followers would at times go with out food or something else in order to feed more fully on the bread of life, the living God and this is part of the reason why he addresses fasting in his Sermon on the Mount.
If you have your Bible please turn to Matthew 6:16
(When I was church planting in Orange County, California, a colleague of mine and I were mapping out a preaching series on the spiritual disciplines. My colleague did not want either of us to preach on fasting because in his view it too negative, too ascetic for California. But fasting can be a great gift, particularly when done in the spirit that Jesus commends in our text today.)
Jesus says, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do (literally play actors) for they disfigure their faces to show men and women they are fasting.”
I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full.
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to men and women that you are fasting, but only to your father in heaven. Then your father who sees what is done secret, will reward you.
Many of the listeners in Jesus’ audience would have been Jewish and in response to the law given by Moses they would have been in the habit of fasting at least once a year on the day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
In addition to this, the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees, fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursdays.
Jesus in Matthew 9 clearly teaches there are time when it’s not appropriate to fast, e.g. during the joy of a wedding celebration, but in that same passage he points out there will come times when it is appropriate to fast… such the time a when the groom is taken away, i.e. a time of loss, mourning, and longing.
So Jesus assumes that his listeners are fasting or will be involved in fasting and thus we see that he says in vs. 16 not if, but when you fast… and in vs. 17 not if but when you fast…
Now in all likelihood, most us here have probably never really thought much about fasting. We have likely thought about prayer, we’ve reflected on giving, but for most of us fasting is probably not even our on radar.
So why might to we want to fast?
We might want to fast when we need to seek God for a clear sense of direction.
In the book of Acts we read about the church in Antioch. While the community was worshipping and fasting they discerned God saying to them, “Set apart Paul and Barnabas as missionaries.”
A number of you would know how I sensed God leading me to come to Tenth Avenue church.
In late 95, after serving as a church planting pastor in Southern California, I returned back to Canada and lived in White Rock, British Columbia. While spending five days fasting and praying, on day three the words “Tenth Avenue Alliance” came clearly to mind. On the fifth day of the fast, the impression “senior pastor” came to mind. I visited the church and I thought I must have “heard” wrong. I discovered church already had a senior pastor. I noticed there were a high percentage of senior citizens. I had just been involved in planting a church with a median age of about 22 and I thought I was too young for here! But, Looking back I see how clearly God guided me through that time of fasting.
Fasting can heighten our capacity to discern God’s will. During fasting because the digestive organs are in a state of rest, our energy which would have been used to metabolize food can be re-directed to focus on God. During fasting we also have literally more “space” to listen to God, as shopping for food, preparing, eating it and cleaning after meals takes time and energy.
We might fast so we can create space in our lives to listen to God.
Another reason to fast might be to overcome temptation. Adalbert De Vogue, a 20th century Monk in France writes about how fasting can really help in the area of sexual temptation. He points out that ancients established a clear connection between gluttony and lust…and the ancients taught that there was also a correspondence…between fasting and chastity. Adalbert De Vogue, as a veteran monk who’s mentor many younger entry level monks across the years, testifies that fasting is a great help in aiding young monks to overcome sexual fantasies.
Dallas Willard, the USC professor and writer on spiritual life, was cited in an article carried in the Vancouver sun. He said the will is a like a muscle. If you for example the develop the capacity to say no to food (through fasting), you are more likely to be able to say to no in other areas in your life.
We can fast to mourn and enter into grief, discern God’s will, we can fast to overcome temptation, and for other reasons as well.
When we hear the word “fasting” we tend to think of fasting from food, but we can also fast in other areas of our life.
The late Martin Lloyd-Jones was a very gifted expositor of the Scripture who pastored for many years in London, England. In a sermon on this passage Lloyd-Jones argued that fasting should not be confined to merely food, but to any activity which we might abstain from for the sake of some spiritual purpose.
Some people choose to fast from television. I know of someone who during a season where he felt he need to seek God in a greater way decided to fast from his favorite TV. show.
Martin-Lloyd Jones is right to say fasting should not be limited to just food, but could be extended to any legitimate activity we might refrain for some spiritual purpose.
I also want to point out as we think about fasting options that fasting from food per se is NOT for everyone. There are some people who because of their physiological makeup cannot go long periods without food and they should NOT fast. Women who are pregnant should NOT fast. Someone has said pray as you can, not as you can’t. Fast as you can, not as you can’t.
Having said, there are likely many of us who think, “The thought of going with out a meal could ‘kill me!’” could in fact become accustomed to fasting. There’s a particular day of the week when I fast and my body is used to rhythm and it’s no sacrifice, it’s a Sabbath for my body, I have a greater clarity on that and I love it. If I am traveling or have a series of ongoing commitments or if I’m sick and I’m prevented from fasting and come back after some weeks, it’s hard at first, but when I am back in rhythm, I love it.
We can train our bodies to fast.
Jesus in these passage assumes that will fast and this is why he says, not if, you fast, but when you fast.
As he does with the whole area of giving to the poor and prayer, he teaches us the spirit in which we are to fast.
And Jesus says, “When you fast do not somber like the hypocrite for they disfigure their faces to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to God who is unseen. Then God who see what is done is secret will reward you.”
Or as Eugene Peterson paraphrases, 16"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you a saint. 17If you "go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face.
The Pharisees had a habit of fasting twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. Monday and Thursday were market days when people would be out shopping. On these days the Pharisees put sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on their heads to demonstrating to people that were fasting. People likely approach and say, “Are you okay?” “Not really, I don’t feel very good when I fast this lonnngggg.”
They received the admiration of people for their piety, but according to Jesus that would be All the reward they would get.
Jesus says, if we fast (or prayer, giving to the poor, do some other kind of spiritual discipline) to WOW people, Jesus says you’ll be rewarded by applause and respect, but that’s ALL the reward you’ll get. God will consider you paid in full.
As I said 2 weeks ago, it seems like a good deed is only rewarded once, so if we do a good deed to been seen by people and we get their applause, God considers the good deed already “paid for in full.” No further reward from God.
So Jesus says, when you fast (or do any other spiritual discipline), look normal; don’t try to win an Oscar, but fast (or do that other spiritual discipline) before an audience of one and God who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
BTW, when Jesus is encouraging us to fast in secret, God is not condemning very public fast of conscience like Mahatma Ghandi’s peaceful, political protests of fasting done to shame people who were oppressing his country.
I don’t think God is against the public 24 World Vision fasting for famine victims that our youth haven involved in. In a world in which half the children go to bed hungry, in a world where one in every 7 children is starving, in a world where every 3 seconds someone dies of hunger, a powerful ways to stand in solidarity with those people is to fast.
In these passages I don’t think Jesus is so much condemning participating in either a public fast (or a public pray or even public giving) but he challenges to do these things for the right motive. To these not for our glory but for the glory of God.
(T) When we fast or pray or give as kind of performance for people, we are applauded but that’s all the reward we’ll get. So Jesus says don’t to you acts of righteous to be seen by people, if you do you’ll have no reward from God.
These words can sound hard for us because, everyone one us here wants to be noticed in some way…even the shy…
We want to be seen, particularly when doing something good!
God is not denying that, he’s simply redirecting that desire by telling us to do our spiritual disciplines not so much before an audience of people, but before God.
In Psalm 139… David talks about how we can never flee from God’s presence, he says if I go up to heavens you are there, if rise on the wings to the dawn and settle on the far side of the sea you are there…
If I say surely the darkness will cover me and the light become night around even the darkness will not be dark to you, the night will shine like the day… for darkness is as light to you…
Everywhere we are God, is. At times that’s annoying and disturbing, but for those who are seeking God how comforting.
How comforting that he sees and knows all.
Jesus says that when give, fast, or prayer or even simply offer someone cup of water, Jesus says the father sees that act done in secret and will reward us.
Jesus command not to do our acts of righteousness to be seen by people may sound restrictive, but it is so freeing.
So many of us are consumed by what people think.
Thomas Merton as a young man and as young Christian wanted to be an esteemed writer for the New York Times, he talked wanting so desperately in other people’s opinion…
He says, it curious that we human beings need to live in the opinions of people.
Needing to live in the opinions of others, can be such a trap, such a burden…
There’s something incredibly freeing about Jesus’ call to live before an audience of one, before the one who’s yoke is easy.
A few years ago, I was with a minister of the large Presbyterian Church in New York City. Tim had battled with cancer and I asked him, “How has coming through cancer shaped you?”
Tim said, I don’t want to do anything in life in many just because it’s an honor. I asked to speak in certain prestigious church, it’d an honor to do it, I’m to write this book on this subject because I speak on it a lot, it’d be a honor, but if not part of the vision that God has given me, I won’t do it.
He’s free.
When learn to live by Jesus words these words not as actor before people, but realize we can live before an audience of one, we’re free…
And Jesus says when we do some before an audience of one we’re rewarded with that one. According to the grammatical structure of Matthew 6:1 the “reward” which Jesus is speaking of in this context seems to God himself.
The Bible is not as embarrassed in talking of rewards in this life and the life to come.
But the Bible rewards of which the Bible speaks are typically organically connected to the activity we are doing.
So it is with our reward here. Our reward for fasting before God is not something tacked on in fasting…our reward for saying no to food or something else legitimate in our lives to connect with God is a deeper, fuller, richer connecting.
Our reward for seeking God through fasting (in prayer, in giving) is God himself.
Basil Pennington, in his wonderful book Centering Prayer, tells about a Monk who share with hom how during his afternoon work shift at the monastery he look forwarded to the time in day when he could lay down his tools and go to his little house, his hermitage he had in the garden to meet God in prayer. And when the time came, he would literally run there. He found that if, on a particular day he was feeling dry and not eager to pray, he would still run there and by the time he arrived the run would have restored his eagerness to pray.
Fasting saying no to food or something else can be a way of running to God.
It’s a way saying, this is how I want you God and or this is how much I want to want you God.
When we run to God, we discover that God is a reward of those who diligently seek Him and that reward is Himself.
Prayer… Is there something you want to give up something to say yes to God? If so open you hands to God with palms facing as a sign to you want to give this to God…)? Hymn Himself.
Big Idea: When we fast before God alone, we are rewarded with freedom and a deeper intimacy with God.
John Piper is a pastor in Minnesota. During the summer before his senior year in college John was dating Noel (the woman he would eventually marry). And during that summer John was working as water safety instructor at a summer camp and Noel was working hundreds of miles away as a waitress.
In the late morning just before lunch at the camp there would be a mail call. When John heard his name and saw a lavender envelope, his appetite for food was swept away. Or perhaps more accurately his hunger for food had been eclipsed by the hunger of his heart.
Often instead of eating lunch with the campers, John would take Noel’s letter to a quiet place in the woods and sit down to a different kind of meal.
John tells how he was able to “feed” on the color, the smell, the script, the message, and signature.
There are times in our romance with God, when we will say no to food or something that satiates a legitimate appetite because God takes that place, God becomes our food of different kind.
Jesus assumed that his followers would at times go with out food or something else in order to feed more fully on the bread of life, the living God and this is part of the reason why he addresses fasting in his Sermon on the Mount.
If you have your Bible please turn to Matthew 6:16
(When I was church planting in Orange County, California, a colleague of mine and I were mapping out a preaching series on the spiritual disciplines. My colleague did not want either of us to preach on fasting because in his view it too negative, too ascetic for California. But fasting can be a great gift, particularly when done in the spirit that Jesus commends in our text today.)
Jesus says, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do (literally play actors) for they disfigure their faces to show men and women they are fasting.”
I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full.
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to men and women that you are fasting, but only to your father in heaven. Then your father who sees what is done secret, will reward you.
Many of the listeners in Jesus’ audience would have been Jewish and in response to the law given by Moses they would have been in the habit of fasting at least once a year on the day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
In addition to this, the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees, fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursdays.
Jesus in Matthew 9 clearly teaches there are time when it’s not appropriate to fast, e.g. during the joy of a wedding celebration, but in that same passage he points out there will come times when it is appropriate to fast… such the time a when the groom is taken away, i.e. a time of loss, mourning, and longing.
So Jesus assumes that his listeners are fasting or will be involved in fasting and thus we see that he says in vs. 16 not if, but when you fast… and in vs. 17 not if but when you fast…
Now in all likelihood, most us here have probably never really thought much about fasting. We have likely thought about prayer, we’ve reflected on giving, but for most of us fasting is probably not even our on radar.
So why might to we want to fast?
We might want to fast when we need to seek God for a clear sense of direction.
In the book of Acts we read about the church in Antioch. While the community was worshipping and fasting they discerned God saying to them, “Set apart Paul and Barnabas as missionaries.”
A number of you would know how I sensed God leading me to come to Tenth Avenue church.
In late 95, after serving as a church planting pastor in Southern California, I returned back to Canada and lived in White Rock, British Columbia. While spending five days fasting and praying, on day three the words “Tenth Avenue Alliance” came clearly to mind. On the fifth day of the fast, the impression “senior pastor” came to mind. I visited the church and I thought I must have “heard” wrong. I discovered church already had a senior pastor. I noticed there were a high percentage of senior citizens. I had just been involved in planting a church with a median age of about 22 and I thought I was too young for here! But, Looking back I see how clearly God guided me through that time of fasting.
Fasting can heighten our capacity to discern God’s will. During fasting because the digestive organs are in a state of rest, our energy which would have been used to metabolize food can be re-directed to focus on God. During fasting we also have literally more “space” to listen to God, as shopping for food, preparing, eating it and cleaning after meals takes time and energy.
We might fast so we can create space in our lives to listen to God.
Another reason to fast might be to overcome temptation. Adalbert De Vogue, a 20th century Monk in France writes about how fasting can really help in the area of sexual temptation. He points out that ancients established a clear connection between gluttony and lust…and the ancients taught that there was also a correspondence…between fasting and chastity. Adalbert De Vogue, as a veteran monk who’s mentor many younger entry level monks across the years, testifies that fasting is a great help in aiding young monks to overcome sexual fantasies.
Dallas Willard, the USC professor and writer on spiritual life, was cited in an article carried in the Vancouver sun. He said the will is a like a muscle. If you for example the develop the capacity to say no to food (through fasting), you are more likely to be able to say to no in other areas in your life.
We can fast to mourn and enter into grief, discern God’s will, we can fast to overcome temptation, and for other reasons as well.
When we hear the word “fasting” we tend to think of fasting from food, but we can also fast in other areas of our life.
The late Martin Lloyd-Jones was a very gifted expositor of the Scripture who pastored for many years in London, England. In a sermon on this passage Lloyd-Jones argued that fasting should not be confined to merely food, but to any activity which we might abstain from for the sake of some spiritual purpose.
Some people choose to fast from television. I know of someone who during a season where he felt he need to seek God in a greater way decided to fast from his favorite TV. show.
Martin-Lloyd Jones is right to say fasting should not be limited to just food, but could be extended to any legitimate activity we might refrain for some spiritual purpose.
I also want to point out as we think about fasting options that fasting from food per se is NOT for everyone. There are some people who because of their physiological makeup cannot go long periods without food and they should NOT fast. Women who are pregnant should NOT fast. Someone has said pray as you can, not as you can’t. Fast as you can, not as you can’t.
Having said, there are likely many of us who think, “The thought of going with out a meal could ‘kill me!’” could in fact become accustomed to fasting. There’s a particular day of the week when I fast and my body is used to rhythm and it’s no sacrifice, it’s a Sabbath for my body, I have a greater clarity on that and I love it. If I am traveling or have a series of ongoing commitments or if I’m sick and I’m prevented from fasting and come back after some weeks, it’s hard at first, but when I am back in rhythm, I love it.
We can train our bodies to fast.
Jesus in these passage assumes that will fast and this is why he says, not if, you fast, but when you fast.
As he does with the whole area of giving to the poor and prayer, he teaches us the spirit in which we are to fast.
And Jesus says, “When you fast do not somber like the hypocrite for they disfigure their faces to show people they are fasting. I tell you the truth they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to God who is unseen. Then God who see what is done is secret will reward you.”
Or as Eugene Peterson paraphrases, 16"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you a saint. 17If you "go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face.
The Pharisees had a habit of fasting twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. Monday and Thursday were market days when people would be out shopping. On these days the Pharisees put sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on their heads to demonstrating to people that were fasting. People likely approach and say, “Are you okay?” “Not really, I don’t feel very good when I fast this lonnngggg.”
They received the admiration of people for their piety, but according to Jesus that would be All the reward they would get.
Jesus says, if we fast (or prayer, giving to the poor, do some other kind of spiritual discipline) to WOW people, Jesus says you’ll be rewarded by applause and respect, but that’s ALL the reward you’ll get. God will consider you paid in full.
As I said 2 weeks ago, it seems like a good deed is only rewarded once, so if we do a good deed to been seen by people and we get their applause, God considers the good deed already “paid for in full.” No further reward from God.
So Jesus says, when you fast (or do any other spiritual discipline), look normal; don’t try to win an Oscar, but fast (or do that other spiritual discipline) before an audience of one and God who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
BTW, when Jesus is encouraging us to fast in secret, God is not condemning very public fast of conscience like Mahatma Ghandi’s peaceful, political protests of fasting done to shame people who were oppressing his country.
I don’t think God is against the public 24 World Vision fasting for famine victims that our youth haven involved in. In a world in which half the children go to bed hungry, in a world where one in every 7 children is starving, in a world where every 3 seconds someone dies of hunger, a powerful ways to stand in solidarity with those people is to fast.
In these passages I don’t think Jesus is so much condemning participating in either a public fast (or a public pray or even public giving) but he challenges to do these things for the right motive. To these not for our glory but for the glory of God.
(T) When we fast or pray or give as kind of performance for people, we are applauded but that’s all the reward we’ll get. So Jesus says don’t to you acts of righteous to be seen by people, if you do you’ll have no reward from God.
These words can sound hard for us because, everyone one us here wants to be noticed in some way…even the shy…
We want to be seen, particularly when doing something good!
God is not denying that, he’s simply redirecting that desire by telling us to do our spiritual disciplines not so much before an audience of people, but before God.
In Psalm 139… David talks about how we can never flee from God’s presence, he says if I go up to heavens you are there, if rise on the wings to the dawn and settle on the far side of the sea you are there…
If I say surely the darkness will cover me and the light become night around even the darkness will not be dark to you, the night will shine like the day… for darkness is as light to you…
Everywhere we are God, is. At times that’s annoying and disturbing, but for those who are seeking God how comforting.
How comforting that he sees and knows all.
Jesus says that when give, fast, or prayer or even simply offer someone cup of water, Jesus says the father sees that act done in secret and will reward us.
Jesus command not to do our acts of righteousness to be seen by people may sound restrictive, but it is so freeing.
So many of us are consumed by what people think.
Thomas Merton as a young man and as young Christian wanted to be an esteemed writer for the New York Times, he talked wanting so desperately in other people’s opinion…
He says, it curious that we human beings need to live in the opinions of people.
Needing to live in the opinions of others, can be such a trap, such a burden…
There’s something incredibly freeing about Jesus’ call to live before an audience of one, before the one who’s yoke is easy.
A few years ago, I was with a minister of the large Presbyterian Church in New York City. Tim had battled with cancer and I asked him, “How has coming through cancer shaped you?”
Tim said, I don’t want to do anything in life in many just because it’s an honor. I asked to speak in certain prestigious church, it’d an honor to do it, I’m to write this book on this subject because I speak on it a lot, it’d be a honor, but if not part of the vision that God has given me, I won’t do it.
He’s free.
When learn to live by Jesus words these words not as actor before people, but realize we can live before an audience of one, we’re free…
And Jesus says when we do some before an audience of one we’re rewarded with that one. According to the grammatical structure of Matthew 6:1 the “reward” which Jesus is speaking of in this context seems to God himself.
The Bible is not as embarrassed in talking of rewards in this life and the life to come.
But the Bible rewards of which the Bible speaks are typically organically connected to the activity we are doing.
So it is with our reward here. Our reward for fasting before God is not something tacked on in fasting…our reward for saying no to food or something else legitimate in our lives to connect with God is a deeper, fuller, richer connecting.
Our reward for seeking God through fasting (in prayer, in giving) is God himself.
Basil Pennington, in his wonderful book Centering Prayer, tells about a Monk who share with hom how during his afternoon work shift at the monastery he look forwarded to the time in day when he could lay down his tools and go to his little house, his hermitage he had in the garden to meet God in prayer. And when the time came, he would literally run there. He found that if, on a particular day he was feeling dry and not eager to pray, he would still run there and by the time he arrived the run would have restored his eagerness to pray.
Fasting saying no to food or something else can be a way of running to God.
It’s a way saying, this is how I want you God and or this is how much I want to want you God.
When we run to God, we discover that God is a reward of those who diligently seek Him and that reward is Himself.
Prayer… Is there something you want to give up something to say yes to God? If so open you hands to God with palms facing as a sign to you want to give this to God…)? Hymn Himself.
posted by Shigematsu at 3:25 PM
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