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Lent : Week (4) – Fasting 30th March 2014 What do the different Church traditions say? What does the Bible say? Why fast ? Does it work ? A personal experience How does one start ? Plenty in the West – 15% increase in calories per day in last 50 years ‘our diets are becoming increasingly energy-dense and sweeter’ ‘there are now more overweight and obese people than underweight or malnourished in the world’ ‘The consequent health burden arising from the nutrition transition is enormous. Increased consumption of highly calorific and more energy-dense food with less activity leads to an increased incidence of obesity and diet-related diseases like diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and certain types of cancer’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” But wisdom is proved right by her deeds’ Matthew 11 v 18-19 ‘Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.’ (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) Mark 7 v 18-19 They order people to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving 1 Timothy 4 v 3-4 Orthodox – Lent, Advent, Feast of the Apostles (June), Feast of the Virgin Mary (August) Roman Catholics – Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Protestants – fear of asceticism and legalism Wesley’s requirement of Methodist ministers – to fast every Wednesday and Friday The Day of Atonement The LORD said to Moses, ‘The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves (or fast) and present a food offering to the LORD. Do not do any work on that day, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD your God. Leviticus 23 v 26-28 Moses – 40 days on Sinai Nehemiah – repentance and blessing Esther – at a time of peril Daniel – repentance and mercy People of Nineveh fast and repent in response to Jonah Then the word of the LORD Almighty came to me: 5 ‘Ask all the people of the land and the priests, “When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? 6 And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? 7 Zechariah 7 v 4-6 ‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity Matthew 6 v 16-18 Matthew 9 v 14-15 Acts 13 v 1-3 Acts 14 v 23 When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you Matthew 6 v 16-18 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. Matthew 9 v 14-15 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13 v 1-3 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust Acts 14 v 23 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9 v 24-27 Cleanse the body Develop self-control / self-discipline Seek God’s favour and guidance Humble oneself / repentance Become more sensitive to those in need A spiritual purpose – draw near to God Sara’s fast over Andrew’s career change ‘Luxuries’ Abstinence One meal (using the time to pray) One day Longer periods Fasting as a community TV Video games Internet Shopping Our health Our struggle against self-indulgence and ‘comfort’ eating A personal commitment to seek God’s guidance A corporate turning to God with prayer and fasting