Just Doing What Is Expected Of Us

# 285 – Today, we start a series on fasting. As we have already seen, fasting is a spiritual discipline that is expected of the followers of Christ. In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “when” you fast, and another time He told His disciples that they would fast in the period of time between His ascension and His glorious return. Let's start out by looking first at Jesus' instructions for a fast. He had just covered the other disciplines associated with His followers, namely praying and giving to the poor, and both of these were to be done secretly. That is, they are to be something between you and God. It is the same with fasting. Mt 6:16-18 says, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Now, it's nearly impossible to do all these things secretly. My family knows that I get up early, go into my office, close the door and pray. My banker and church financial secretary know what I give to the poor, and my wife and family have a sneaking suspicion that when I'm not at the supper table...I'm fasting. The point is, God does not want us to make a big show of it to others, as if these things make us “super-spiritual” compared to others. I've got news for you, doing something that is expected of you, (praying, giving to the poor, and fasting) does not make you super spiritual. However, after each one of these disciplines is mentioned by Jesus in the sermon on the mount, He says, “the Father will reward you.” Imagine that! The God of the universe who holds all things in His hands will impart blessing to His children when exercising these disciplines with the proper attitude! So....what are we waiting for? Father, how sweet and benevolent You are. Rewarding us for doing things that are expected of us! Thank You.