Tag: fasting

Don’t Give Up Fasting

Scottish evangelist Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) once said, “The Sermon on the Mount is a statement of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is getting his way with us.”  Jesus is setting the standard high. The Sermon on the Mount is found in the sixth, seventh and eighth chapters of Matthew. There are rich teachings found in these chapters. The Semon on the Mount includes the Beatitudes, and Jesus’s teachings on murder, adultery, divorce, along with his teachings on love, prayer and judging. In these chapters, Jesus teaches us to care for the needy. Standing with these memorable teachings is our reading, Matthew 6:16-18, about fasting. Many have chosen to ignore these words. I am one.

I was an active member of the clergy for 40 years. I served as a youth director in Frankford, Indiana for a year. I was the pastor of a small membership church outside of Danville, Kentucky for three years. Then, I served three United Methodist congregations in the old St. Clairsville District of the East Ohio Annual Conference for two years. I served a church outside of Medina, Ohio for a single year. Then, I served a church in Garfield Heights, Ohio for five years. During my last 28 years I served a church in Canfield, Ohio. That all adds up to 40 years. Conservatively, I have written approximately 2,000 sermons. Do you know how many sermons I have written on fasting? Including today’s blog, one! There is just something wrong with that imbalance. Jesus taught us about fasting, but we have ignored the whole topic. It is not just me. It is true of other preachers too.

My favorite website for “canned” sermon illustrations is called sermonillustrations.com. All the illustrations are arranged alphabetically in order of topic. If you want an illustration about grace, then you look up grace. If you want a sermon illustration about love, then you look up love. If you want an illustration on pickles, then you look up pickles. I thought they had an illustration on every topic, but I was wrong! I looked up an illustration on fasting and I got this response, “No illustrations yet”. I went to the internet highway and “GOOGLED” the question, what percentage of Americans fast? I was given information on the number of Americans who eat fast food.

Do you know of any Christians who fast for spiritual reasons? Through the years, I have met some amazing Christian people. I have known people who haven’t missed worship in decades. They even worship when they are on vacation. I know people who value prayer. I call them prayer warriors. I have known people who have studied the Bible and can quote it by chapter and verse. Just give them a Bible verse, they will quote it. Can you quote Ezekiel 31:9 right now? I have known people who take Holy Communion at home daily and people who won’t take an infant outside until after its baptism. I have known people who have served on all the church committees three times. I have known many people, but I have never known a single Christian who fasts for spiritual reasons. Do you know of anyone who fasts for spiritual reasons? That leads me to another question.

Jesus assumed in our reading people would fast, so why don’t we? Why have so many decided to ignore the spiritual discipline of fasting? I believe there are a couple of reasons. Some don’t fast for medical reasons, and they shouldn’t. If you are pregnant, then you should not fast. If you are a diabetic, then you should not fast. If you have a physical condition that depends on a regular diet, then you should not fast. Some don’t fast because they don’t completely understand the concept of fasting. A fast is not a diet. The goal is not to lose weight so you can look good in your swimsuit this summer. A fast is not a hunger strike where you refuse to eat to get attention for your cause. Many don’t fast because they are preoccupied with food. This is it in a nutshell: Most of us are more infatuated with food than we are with God. I don’t want that to sound harsh or judgmental. I want it to sound observant. How many people do you know who talk easily about food, but they never talk about God? The whole situation is sad.

However, those Christians who do fast say there are spiritual benefits. This is the list:

Fasting will strengthen your prayer life

Fasting will help you find God’s guidance

Fasting will help you grieve

Fasting will help you find divine deliverance or protection

Fasting will help you truly repent

Fasting will humble you before God

Fasting will enhance your sincerity

Fasting will help you overcome temptation

Fasting is not for those who are just curious about God. Fasting is for those who are infatuated with God. Are you just curious about God, or are you infatuated with God? John Wesley (1703-1791) said, “Fasting and prayer make a powerful combination.” The topic of fasting always reminds me of an experience I had years ago.

I decided to try a new program at my church.  During that season of Lent, I formed a group called “Lunch with the Pastor”. The idea was simple. We would meet at noon in the fellowship hall and discuss that day’s sermon. I wrote a list of hard-hitting questions to discuss and ordered a sandwich ring. It was a simple straight forward idea. I thought, what can go wrong?

On the first Sunday of Lent, the little group gathered. On paper plates, we ate our sandwiches and chips. We drank out of paper cups. I couldn’t have cared less about the food. I wanted to dig into my hard-hitting questions. Before I could ask my first question, someone asked me a question. It torpedoed the whole group. This was their question: “Russ, what did you pay for the sandwich ring?” I didn’t remember. It was somewhere between a dollar and a million dollars. It didn’t matter, because I paid for it. She said, “I’ll cook lunch next week. I can serve this group for a fraction of the cost.” That grabbed everyone’s attention because everyone knows the purpose of the church is to save money and eat. She went on to tell us in detail everything she could cook and save money. I don’t think we covered a single question that day. We spent the whole time talking about food. The next week, I thought, this week will be better. I was wrong! When the time came, she provided lunch, and the food was cheaper and better. Someone else in the group announced they would cook the next week and then we had another fascinating discussion about cooking. On the third week, I gave up. My sermon discussion group with my outstanding hard-hitting questions turned into a recipe exchange club. We never met again, and no one ever missed it. I never tried such a group again. I just can’t compete with food. Can I state the obvious? Food is a good thing! However, there is something better: God! It’s a fair question: Are you more infatuated with food, or with God?

In the Bible, Moses, King David, Elijah, Queen Esther, Daniel, Anna the prophetess, the Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ all fasted for one reason. Each one was infatuated with God. Are you infatuated with God? Or are you more interested in food? Fasting is giving up something good to experience something better. There is nothing better than God. Never give up fasting!

Ash Wednesday

We are instructed from the Gospel of Luke. The author of this book is never mentioned by name, but we know certain things about him. He was a Gentile, who was well educated in Greek culture, and a physician by trade. He penned this Gospel approximately the year A.D. 70. The outline of Luke is geographical. The first section revolves around Jesus’s time in Galilee. The second section revolves around Jesus’s time in Judea. The third section revolves around Jesus’s time in Jerusalem. In our reading, Luke 9:18-26, Jesus is in Galilee.

In our reading, Jesus was a celebrity. Everyone was talking about him, and everyone wanted something from him. Everyone was guessing his identity. However, Jesus was not interested in everyone else’s opinion. Jesus was only interested in what the disciples thought about him. So, he asked them the question that changed everything: who do you say I am? The usually chatty disciples grew strangely silent. It is not that they don’t have an opinion, it was that they didn’t want to be wrong. It is Peter who answered first and correctly. He said, in verse 20, “God’s Messiah.” Jesus instructs the disciples to keep his identity a secret. The reason is simple – their generation misunderstood the word, Messiah. They longed for a military Messiah to liberate them from foreign rule. Instead, Jesus was a spiritual Messiah who came to liberate them from sin itself. Jesus says it clearly, but the disciples don’t listen. As the spiritual Messiah, Jesus will suffer, be rejected and die. However, that is not the end of the story. In the end, Jesus will be resurrected.

The power of the empty tomb is such a glorious thing. Jesus invites others to share in his glory. However, if you are going to follow Jesus, then you must be completely committed to him. People traditionally give up things for Lent to show the world they are completely committed to Jesus. If you are reading this blog, I am assuming you have decided to follow Jesus too. Let me ask you this question:

What are you going to give up for Lent? Did you know 24% of all Americans observe the season of Lent. Many give up something for Lent. Maybe you are giving up one of these things? The list changes from generation to generation. Are you giving up:

  1. Chocolate or sweets
  2. Alcohol
  3. Smoking
  4. Fast Food
  5. Swearing
  6. Social Media
  7. Shopping
  8. Sports
  9. Caffeine
  10. Meat

I hope you know the truth – Lent is not a season of self-deprivation; it is a season of spiritual renewal.To be honest, I don’t normallygive up anything for Lent, but I don’t think it is a bad thing. Instead I always try to be a better person.

Unlike Christmas and Easter, Lent has not crossed over into the secular world. The reason is obvious. Christmas and Easter emphasize receiving something. Lent emphasizes giving up something. There is nothing wrong with a little self-discipline. However, there are some things you should never give up. It is those things that grab our attention during this sacred season. The things we should never give up are the spiritual disciplines. You should never give up:

  1. Prayer   When was the last time you prayed? 55% of Americans pray daily. That number escalates to 88% when a loved one is facing hardship.
  • Fasting   When was the last time you fasted? Do you understand the concept of fasting? Fasting creates time with God.
  • Worship Is worshipping a priority in your life, or is it something you do when your calendar is clear?
  • Meditation  This is hard to do because time is limited. When was the last time you had time to just think about God and his mysterious ways?
  • The Bible   When was the last time you read the Bible for your own edification? With over five billion copies sold, the Bible is the all-time best seller. Sadly, only 11% of Americans read the Bible daily.

These are five of the spiritual disciplines. I am going to look at each one over the coming weeks. I hope you read each one, because each one of these disciplines is vital to your spiritual health. Remember, Lent is a season of spiritual renewal.

Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxonword lencten,which means “spring.” Excluding Sundays, because every Sunday is a little Easter, Lent is a forty-day period. It correlates with Jesus who fasted forty days before being tempted by Satan. Lent begins this year on March 5, and it ends on Holy Saturday, April 19. What are you going to give up for Lent? Maybe this is a better question: What are you not going to give up for Lent? It has been said, Lent is not something we do for God, Lent is something we do with God.

Give Up

Lent is the Christian season of preparation prior to Easter. Excluding Sundays, it lasts for 40 days. The season lasts for forty days for a reason – the number forty is sacred in the Bible. It rained for 40 days and nights in Noah’s story. The Hebrews wandered for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. Jesus fasted 40 days before being tempted by Satan in the wilderness. The resurrected Jesus walked the face of this world for 40 days before ascending into heaven. This year Easter is March 31 so Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, was February 14.

One of the traditional readings during Lent is Matthew 16:21-28. Do you remember the story? Jesus had become a celebrity. Everyone was talking about him. Everyone wanted something from him. Everyone was guessing about his identity. However, Jesus was not interested in what the masses thought about him. Jesus wanted to know what the disciples thought about him. So, he asked them the question that changed everything, who do you say I am? The normally chatty disciples grew strangely silent. It is not that they don’t have an opinion. It was they don’t want to be wrong. It is Peter who answered first and correctly: Jesus is God’s Messiah, the son of the living God. Instead of Jesus renting a billboard to announce his identity, Jesus asks the disciples not to tell anyone.  

His messiahship was to be kept a secret. We call it the “Messianic Secret.” The reason Jesus wanted to keep his identity secret is simple. That generation misunderstood the word, Messiah. They longed for a military Messiah to liberate them from foreign rule. They had grown tired of the Romans. Instead, Jesus was a spiritual Messiah who came to liberate them from sin, itself. Jesus says it clearly, but the disciples don’t listen. As the spiritual Messiah, Jesus would suffer, be rejected, and die. Jesus warns them to be prepared for the same. True discipleship is not about glory, it is about service and sacrifice. Traditionally people give up things for Lent to show the world they are completely committed to Jesus. That leads us to a common question in my Catholic community. 

What are you going to give up for Lent? The idea of giving up something for Lent is based on Matthew 16:24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Giving up something for Lent is not a second chance at your broken New Year’s resolution. It is about self-denial. Giving up something for Lent should be done prayerfully, so we can wholly renew ourselves in Christ. Giving up something for Lent is not a bad thing. It can be a good thing. Giving up something for Lent tests our self-discipline.

These are the most common things people give up for Lent. I found this list on the internet, so it is not original. It is found in a variety of places. What you give up for Lent changes from generation to generation. Are you giving up any of these things for Lent?

1. Chocolate or Sweets  

2. Alcohol  

3. Smoking  

4. Fast Food  

5. Swearing  

6. Social Media  

7. Shopping  

8. Sports  

9. Caffeine  

10. Sex

A television personality announced on Ash Wednesday she is giving up goldfish crackers for Lent. Some believe people who give up secondary things in their lives are not giving up enough for Lent. Some believe it is more important to change your attitudes. I am in this camp. You must dig deeper.

There is a website called Catholic Extension. I found an article on that site called What to Give up for Lent. This is their list of what to give up: 

Give up bitterness; turn to forgiveness. 
Give up hatred; return good for evil. 
Give up negativism; be positive. 
Give up complaining; be grateful. 
Give up pessimism; be an optimist. 
Give up harsh judgments; think kind thoughts. 
Give up worry, trust Divine Providence. 
Give up discouragement; be full of hope. 
Give up anger; be more patient. 
Give up pettiness; be more mature. 
Give up gloom; enjoy the beauty around you. 
Give up jealousy; pray for trust. 
Give up gossiping; control your thoughts. 
Give up sin; turn to virtue. 

That list speaks to me. When I was in the ministry, I prayed people would give up complaining for Lent, but it never happened. Some believe you can still go deeper.

In AD 590, Pope Gregory I (540-604) revised a list of sins that had existed for centuries. We call them the Seven Deadly Sins. St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) elaborated on them in the thirteenth century. The Seven Deadly Sins are the origin of all sins. These are the seven deadly sins and a brief examination.

Pride – a feeling of high self-worth based on accomplishment or talent.

Greed – a selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.

Lust – an illicit sexual desire. This often leads to immoral behavior like adultery or pornography.

Envy – an emotion which occurs when someone lacks another person’s quality, skill, or achievement. Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC) defined envy as pain caused by another’s good fortune.

Gluttony – an overindulgence of food or drink, which in time will harm the body.

Wrath – a loss of self-control.

Sloth – laziness. Every day is a gift from God and not a single day should be wasted.

Some believe if you want to give up something for Lent, then give up something that can be traced back to one of these sins. They have a point because these are the things that are frustrating your spiritual development.

Unlike Christmas and Easter, Lent has not crossed over into the secular world. The reason is obvious. Christmas and Easter emphasize receiving something – presents and candy. Lent emphasizes giving up something. Did you know, according to Life Way Research, only 24% of all Americans observe the season of Lent? That means 76% of all Americans ignore Lent. That means, mathematically, we are in the minority. That does not bother me because Jesus was never interested in the crowd. Jesus was only interested in the committed. How committed are you to Jesus? What are you giving up for Lent? Perhaps, Jesus said it best, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”