- Explanation of Matt. 6:16-18
- Why should a Christ-follower fast?
- How should a Christ-follower go about practicing the discipline of fasting?
Summary: Having considered giving and praying, we now focus on fasting, Jesus' third and final illustration of this overarching point:"Beware of doing the right things from the wrong motives" (6:1)! Jesus warns us that God will not reward the obedient act of fasting if that act was fueled by wrong motives. Motives are intensely important to God! Our fasting should be fueled not by a craving to be seen and praised by others, but by a desire to be seen and rewarded by God. Fasting is designed as a means of stimulating and expressing a sincere hunger for God, not as a hypocritical platform to attract the praise of men.
Discussion Questions:
- Review: how do giving, praying, and fasting relate to the warning given in 6:1?
- Very basically, what is fasting?
- What is meant by the phrase "means of grace"? How is fasting a means of grace?
- How should Jesus assumption ("when you fast") shape a Christ-follower's view of fasting?
- What is it about the activity described in v.16 that is hypocritical?
- What does it mean to have pure motives? What motives should fuel our fasting?
- What is the purpose of fasting? In other words, why should a Christ-follower fast?
- What are some practical ways to go about practicing the discipline of fasting?
Application Questions:
- How often do I fast? Why do I fast that often?
- What is God teaching me about fasting?
- What steps might God be leading me to take in order to grow in this discipline?
- What motives should fuel my fasting?
- What happy effects might fasting have on my life if I'm willing to make it a habit?
Prayer Points:
- Confess to God your lack of hunger for Him and your neglect of the means of grace wisely designed by God in order to stimulate your appetite for spiritual things.
- Praise Jesus that He had enough hunger for the both of us and for teaching you to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to help you cultivate the discipline of fasting and to increase your hunger for the things of God.
