Title: Don't Fast
Contents
Don't fast with eating out.
Matthew 6:16-18
We must have tried fasting and praying in our own way as we lived our faith life. There was a time when I also believed in Jesus and prayed for the first time. At that time, not knowing how to fast, I unconditionally went to the Osan-ri Fasting and Prayer Center and fasted from Monday to Friday without taking a sip of water. And I was so naive that I knew what I was not supposed to eat at the prayer center and came home without eating anything. Therefore, there was a time when I experienced how amazing how effective fasting prayer was while praying.
There were various difficulties when building the church in Samjeon-dong, Songpa-gu. I fasted at that time. I fasted for 10 days while purchasing a church ministry, and all my problems were solved. Then I went to the prayer center and fasted and prayed for 20 days for 10 days.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am not hungry or tired while fasting and praying. Of course, it is because God gives grace. Fasting makes my face very emaciated. So I'm not very good at fasting and praying.
In today's text, our Jesus told us not to look sad like hypocrites when we fast. Because they disfigure their faces to show people that they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have already received their reward.
When you fast, grease your head and wash your face, so that the fasting may not be seen by men, but to your Father who is in secret. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Fasting is not to be seen by men, but to be seen by God. Our Jesus also fasted for 40 days. Fasting and prayer are pleasing to God. Therefore, prayers will be answered.
1. The fast that pleases God is to repent and return to God.
Joel 2:12 Now return to Me with all your heart, fasting and weeping and mourning, says the LORD.
Fasting is not eating. However, not all simply not eating food is called fasting. Fasting is not eating completely voluntarily, and fasting is not eating on your own for a certain period of time for personal reverence before God. Not eating for lack of food is not fasting, it is starving. Also, fasting for purposes other than the purpose of godliness is not fasting. God hates sin. Therefore, the fast that pleases God is to repent of your sins and return to God.
2. It is to release the bonds of evil and set the blood oppressor free. True fasting must lead to true repentance, which must be able to free everyone from the chains of iniquity and lawlessness. Fasting, a religious practice in Israel, was found to be excessive. But the people still suffered from poverty. The exploitation and oppression of the powerful did not cease. Also, many people were marginalized and rejected. That's why God said it. Isaiah 58:6-7 says that the fast with which I rejoice does not loosen the bonds of iniquity, pull the cords of the yoke, set the oppressed free, and break every yoke? Do you not bring the poor into your house, and when you see the naked, clothe them, and do not hide yourself from your own flesh?"
3. Do it before God who sees in secret.
Why do we fast? You do it to show God. Therefore, when I fast, God sees and answers our prayers. Our Lord told us to fast when we lose our bridegroom. In other words, when the love of Jesus grows cold, our faith weakens, we are tempted by the world, and we must fast when we are tempted by sin. And when I encounter difficult problems that I cannot solve, God helps and solves them when I fast and pray.
Lay up your treasures in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-24
The greatest concern for us modern people is material. That is why it is now called materialism. A survey was conducted on Korean adolescents and Japanese and Taiwanese adolescents, rather than Japanese or Taiwanese adolescents. It is that Korean youth place the highest value on material things. This means that the older generation in Korea regarded material as the highest value. This is instilling the wrong values.
When you value your material the best, you will do whatever it takes to make money. Material is a means of life, not an end. Therefore, Jesus taught us about the proper material view of Christians.
1. Beware of indifference to material, sinful theory and useless theory.
Our Lord does not want us to be ignorant, ignorant, or indifferent to material things. We must be wary of materialism, but we must also be wary of materialism. The material is not important. material is unnecessary. The material is dirty. The idea is unchristian and unbiblical. In fact, our life and missions are impossible without material things.
The Bible does not say that money is the root of ten thousand evils. They are saying that the love of money is the root of all evil. The problem is that when we love material things, we commit many sins through greed. Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members that are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil passions, covetousness, which is idolatry.
You, the idol of modern people is Don Mammon. Money has become the God of modern people.
The Reformer Martin Luther defined idols this way: ?쏻hat you put your heart on and rely on, that is essentially your God.??In ancient times, visible idols took the place of gods. However, modern people worship invisible gods. That is Mammon. After all, it is Mony. Moni has become the most powerful idol god of modern people.
For our Lord, no man can serve two masters; either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other, for you cannot serve both God and riches.
2. We need to know that the material we accumulate on the ground is useless.
It is not to give hope to riches that are not determined by you. Why is it called money? Isn't there a saying that it's called money because it goes round and round? That's right. Matter is non-existent and non-existent.
Today, Jesus tells us not to lay up treasures on the ground, because moth and rust destroy, and thieves break through and steal. In other words, the material piled up on the ground will never be mine. Proverbs 23:5 How can you pay attention to futility? Surely riches give themselves wings, and fly away like an eagle in the sky.
3. Lay up your treasures in heaven.
John Wesley said, ?쏣arn as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can.??Being rich is a blessing from God. But holding on to that wealth is a sin.
How can you stack up treasures in heaven? Depending on how the material is used, it can be stored up in heaven or on earth. To store up in heaven is to use material things for good work. It is written for the salvation of souls.
Everyone, if we want to save one soul, we must invest our time, our energy, and our material resources. That investment is to be stored up in heaven. Because that soul goes to heaven. So that investment is rewarded by God.
He said that where the material is, there is your heart. So, money blinds and brightens our eyes. How great money is, even Psalm 23 praising money. ?쏮oney is my shepherd, and I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in a comfortable bedroom, and leads me to sweet taverns. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for money is in my pocket. The power and protection of money make me safe. Money makes enemies and troubles me; my head always overflows with thoughts of money. Greed and lust will follow me all the days of my life, and by money I will live and die.??Dear fellow classmates
I sincerely hope that you will be the ones who do not lay up treasures in heaven on earth, but rather store them up in heaven.