Fasting | Hunger for God
Series: Simple. Quiet. Present. | Bible text: Matthew 6:16–18
Fasting is an often unfamiliar but central spiritual exercise that Jesus requires of his followers. Jesus does not criticise fasting itself, but rather a hypocritical fast that is put on display, and invites us to a hidden, joyful fast that is completely focused on the Father. Biblical fasting means consciously abstaining from food in order to turn one’s whole body towards God and worship him. It is an expression of the attitude that Jesus is more important than even our most basic needs and can be rediscovered as a spiritual rhythm.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter six, Jesus talks about three practices of piety. Giving to the needy, prayer and fasting. Which of these three is the most foreign to you? For me, and probably most people in here, it’s fasting! What kind of contact have you had with fasting? I can count mine on one hand. The first memory is from about seven to eight years ago. It was a time when I was doing intermittent fasting. I abstained from eating between 8pm and 12am. The aim was to lose weight and eat healthier. I did this for about six months. My second experience was about six months ago. I was short on time in the morning. So I decided to consciously spend time with God and skip breakfast.
How do you relate to fasting? What does the topic trigger in you? Fear? Shaking up bad experiences or memories? Fasting is widespread outside the Western church and is practised by practically all other religions. Fitness gurus fast. Various non-Jesus-centred spiritual movements fast. Parts of the Catholic Church fast. The Orthodox churches also fast.
Today’s sermon marks the start of a total of four sermons every fortnight. The last one will take place on 22 February. On the one hand, these sermons are a preparation for Lent, which runs from 18 February to 5 April. On the other hand, it is an impulse to integrate fasting as a regular rhythm in your week. In this series, you also have the opportunity to send me your questions, comments and reactions via a YouTube comment.
When you fast…
As I said, I am a complete novice in the field of fasting – as you might be too! Together we immersed ourselves in the words of Jesus Christ about fasting. This made me personally very «glustig». Jesus says: «When you fast, do not do it publicly like the hypocrites who go around pale and carelessly dressed so that people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you: That is the only reward they will ever receive for it» (Matthew 6:16 NLB). Jesus says «if»! He doesn’t say if you fast, but when! So he assumes that followers of Jesus fast! The Greek word here means to abstain from food.
Jesus is not criticising fasting as such, but the common practice. He calls them hypocrites. As so-called «hypocrites». These were originally theatre actors who portrayed a certain person behind a mask. This was then used colloquially and also in the context of the New Testament as an image for someone who pretends to be something in their speech and actions that they are not. People pretended to be outwardly bland so that they could come out shining by fasting.
Just as Jesus gives instructions a few verses earlier on how to pray properly, he does the same for fasting. «When you fast, comb your hair and wash your face» (Matthew 6:17 NLB). In other words: Behave as you always do! However, this statement by Jesus makes a profound statement about fasting based on the culture of the time. It literally says «anoint your head». Anointing was a sign that the time of mourning was over and that there was now a reason to celebrate (2 Samuel 12:20). So what Jesus is saying here is that fasting is not a time of mourning, but rather a reason to celebrate.
Why does Jesus say that we should fast? «Then no one will think that you are fasting except your Father, who knows what you are doing in silence. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you for it» (Matthew 6:18 NLB). Fasting is based on a basic spiritual orientation: towards the Father! Martin Luther, the German reformer, therefore says: «If you want to fast properly, remember that you must first be a pious man» (Martin Luther). Being a child of God means orientating myself towards the Father, making him the best of my life and subordinating everything to him! Another reason for fasting: there is a reward! But we are not told what kind. I think it’s about a changed heart.
What fasting is not and what it is!
Before we look at what fasting is in a biblical context, I want to say a few things about what it is not. Fasting is not just giving up certain habits. Mobile phone fasting or social media fasting. Abstaining from alcohol, meat, Daniel fasting. Fasting in the biblical sense means abstaining from eating and sometimes even drinking! Abstinence from certain things is good, but is not what is meant by biblical fasting.
There are also many non-religious motives for fasting. It can include everything from self-control to health exercise, protest, transformation, gaining knowledge and expressing autonomy. It is therefore important to know why you are fasting and for what purpose!
Food is not simply bad, but absolutely positive. Bread and grape juice in particular remind us of Jesus Christ. But there is more than food. Jesus says: «[…] Scripture says that man needs more than bread to live. He also lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God» (Matthew 4:4 NLB). He says this after 40 days of fasting in the desert when he was tempted by the devil. We often have the impression that the devil encounters him in his time of greatest weakness. But what if Jesus was here in his time of greatest strength! Not despite fasting, but because of it!
Fasting is the practice of God that brings our relationship with food and our body, indeed our whole person, into contact with God! The Bible distinguishes between two types of fasting. On the one hand, it is a response to attacks, losses, etc. On the other hand, as a rhythm (Leviticus 23:27). Above all, the goal is decisive! It is about worship! Fasting is a focussed devotion to God.
Jesus the bread of life
«Jesus replied: «I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never hunger again. Whoever believes in me will never thirst again» (John 6:35 NLB). Jesus Christ is the bread of life. But are we hungry for him? Hunger is the feeling of wanting or needing something we don’t have. When we fast, we sacrifice our whole body to God!
Who has already come across Maslow’s pyramid of needs? This ranks needs according to their importance and starts with basic survival needs through to the need for self-actualisation. The idea is that needs increase from the bottom to the top. The less a lower need is fulfilled, the less people generally strive for a higher need. Abstaining from food and experiencing hunger starts at the lowest level. It is a basic need. Without satisfying this, everything else is secondary. Followers of Jesus say exactly this: Jesus is the most important thing in their lives. Everything else is secondary! Fasting is an expression of this attitude.
Fasting is no longer «IN». We have lost the theology of the body. This says that we not only have a body, but that we are a body! «I exhort you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Let this be your reasonable worship» (Romans 12:1 LUT). Many Bibles translate this as «your life». But the emphasis is explicitly on the body! Here we are again very close to last year’s sermon series on «Faith & Body». The aim of fasting is to worship Jesus Christ with our whole body. This is not easy, so fasting confronts us with our weakness. We are not commanded to fast anywhere, but many Bible characters, including Jesus, fasted.
But what now? A warm invitation to fast. It would be nice if all your thoughts didn’t just remain in your head, but also entered your body. Think about where and how you could fast. For example, replace a meal with an encounter with God. Fast for 24 hours. From getting up to sunset. Important with all these thoughts: start where you are, not where you want to be! Use the time that would be related to food to worship God (shopping, cooking, eating). If it is not possible for you to fast for certain reasons (health, special situation, job), then start with abstinence. As I said, not necessarily fasting, but a first step!
Possible questions for the small group
Read the Bible text: Matthew 6:16–18
- Which of the three devotions from Matthew 6 (giving to the needy, prayer, fasting) is most alien to you personally – and why? What experiences or imprints play a role in this?
- What does the topic of fasting spontaneously trigger in you? Rather curiosity, resistance, fear, indifference – where could these feelings come from?
- Jesus says: «If you fast …» (Matthew 6:16). What does this naturalness of fasting do to your image of discipleship?
- Why does Jesus attach so much importance to fasting being hidden and not on show? What danger does he see – and what could it look like today?
- In the sermon, fasting was described as something joyful and worshipful. How does this perspective fit in with your previous understanding of fasting?
- Fasting confronts us with our basic needs and our dependency. What could fasting make visible or reorganise in your life?
- What could be a realistic, concrete next step for you? (e.g. skipping a meal, a 24-hour fast, conscious abstinence) – and how could you specifically use this time for God?
