Secret of Fasting | Matthew 6:16-18
This message was preached at Sherwood Community Friends Church on Sunday, May 18, 2025. You can watch the video in full by clicking below.
Fasting has both been around for thousands of years but has had a surge of popularity in the last two decades.
Intermittent fasting, also known as time-restricted eating, has become popular as a health and weight management strategy. About 12% of Americans have tried this, most commonly by fasting for 16 hours and having an 8 hour eating window. Suggested health benefits include improved mental focus and clarity, weight loss, and better heart health. Personally, in the last year I have lost 20 pounds and a part of that journey was practicing intermittent fasting in a wise way.
Another kind of fast we frequently hear about is a social media fast or a digital detox. While there are no stats yet on how many people practice this, it is estimated that 10% of Americans are addicted to social media. Sounds like we would all do well to take a break every once in a while. I know that occasional fasts from social media are beneficial for me when I’ve practiced these in the past too.
But fasting has been around for much longer than these relatively new fads. The most common reason people fast is to practice this as a spiritual discipline. 21% of U.S. adults report fasting for religious reasons during holy times.
Catholics observe Lent, abstaining from meat on Fridays or giving up certain foods or habits.
Muslims observe Ramadan, in which they abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset for about a month each year.
Jews fast throughout the year, most notably during Yom Kippur, a 25-hour fast in which they don’t even drink water.
I have been of a Protestant tradition of one kind or another for my whole life. What this means in terms of fasting is that I have not had any regularity or liturgical significance for this. But that does not excuse me from this vital spiritual discipline.
Fasting is not optional (or why we fast)
Since the beginning of the year, we have been diving into the words of Jesus famously known as the Sermon on the Mount. He has just taught his listeners how to pray and segues into the topic of fasting. Matthew 6:16 -
“Whenever you fast…”
Jesus words here indicate that this is not optional. He doesn’t say “If you fast…” He is clear when he says “whenever you fast.” To me, it’s only logical that this would then be a practice that Jesus expects all his followers to participate in to some degree.
So what are the reasons for practicing a spiritual fast?
LITURGICAL PRACTICES
Well, a big one that most of us think of is fasting for liturgical, or a corporate worship, practice.
I mentioned earlier that Catholics, Muslims, and Jews all have regular, communal times of fasting. For the sake of time, we won’t dive into all three, but instead focus on the fasting practices of the Jews. Why? Well, when we read Matthew 6, we remember our context. Matthew was written to a Jewish audience who would have been familiar with the law found in Leviticus and the Jewish practices of fasting.
Levitical fasting was intimately connected to humility, holiness, and atonement before God.
Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the only fast mandated in Levitical law. Think of it like the biggest prayer day of the year, a day set aside to stop and reflect, to make things right with God and others, to engage in special prayers and services while fasting for 25 hours.
This was first mandated by God in Leviticus 16, when the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, where God’s presence lived. There the priest offered a sacrifice on behalf of all the people. Let’s read the text, starting in verse 29.
“On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn, you must deny yourselves. Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you. On that day offerings of purification will be made for you, and you will be purified in the Lord’s presence from all your sins. It will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and you must deny yourselves. This is a permanent law for you.” Leviticus 16:29-31 NLT
They must deny themselves and purification will happen on that day through sacrifice. Yom Kippur emphasizes purification and asking for forgiveness. Which leads us to our next point.
GRIEF, REPENTANCE, OR HUMILITY
Another occasion in the Old Testament when fasting is practiced is in a time of extreme grief, repentance, or humility. Let’s take a look at some of these examples throughout the Old Testament.
Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, upon hearing of the decree to have the entire Jewish race executed, responded in this way:
“When Mordecai learned all that had occurred, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, went into the middle of the city, and cried loudly and bitterly. He went only as far as the King’s Gate, since the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering the King’s Gate. There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict reached. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.” Esther 4:1-3 CSB
Daniel, another post-exile Bible character, has this experience:
“In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy. So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. ” Daniel 9:2-3 CSB
He then goes on to confess and repent on behalf of the Israelites. He declares the righteousness and petitions the Lord for favor. This is the response he receives:
“While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the Lord my God concerning the holy mountain of my God — while I was praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the first vision, reached me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering. He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding. At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God…” Daniel 9:20-23 CSB
Gabriel goes on to give clarity of what will happen to bring the rebellion of the Israelites to an end, to stop sin, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. But also - Gabriel reminded Daniel that he is treasured by God.
What is it with the dust and ashes? This is where we see humility in conjunction with grief and repentance. In Genesis 3:19, after Adam and Eve have chosen their way above God’s way, God takes a moment to remind Adam where he has come from.
“You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.” Genesis 3:19 CSB
We see this theme repeated in the Old Testament - an acknowledgement that we are dust, lowly, humble in the presence of God the Almighty.
When Abraham is pleading for favor for God to spare Sodom, the place where his nephew Lot resided, he says:
…“Since I have ventured to speak to my Lord — even though I am dust and ashes” Genesis 18:27 CSB
Or Job, after he had endured so many hardships and questioned God, God met him and kind of put him in his place. Job responds
“Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes. ,” Job 42:6 CSB
So, although the practice of fasting for the sake of grief, repentance, and humility, along with sackcloth and ashes, was not mandated, it’s deeply rooted in Jewish tradition from an honest and pure motive. We must remember that! The practice took on an embodied representation of what was happening spiritually. Embodiment can be good!
INTERCESSION OR ENTERING INTO A TIME OF INTENTIONAL MINISTRY
The third reason we see the practice of fasting enacted is for intercession or entering into a time of intentional ministry.
After the Israelites are brought out of Egypt, Moses goes up to Mt. Sinai to meet with God.
“The Lord also said to Moses, “Write down these words, for I have made a covenant with you and with Israel based on these words.” Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat food or drink water. He wrote the Ten Commandments, the words of the covenant, on the tablets.” Exodus 34:27-28 CSB
Another example: Let’s visit Daniel again.
“In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz , around his waist.” Daniel 10:1-5 CSB
“Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God. , Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” After he said this to me, I stood trembling. “Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision refers to those days.” ” Daniel 10:10-14 CSB
Whoa! Daniel fasted and prayed for 3 weeks and because of his persistence, the angel messenger who was sent to Daniel was able to breakthrough the spiritual opposition and bring the message to Daniel.
We’ve covered a lot of the Old Testament. But what about the New Testament?
Jesus himself entered into a time of fasting right after his baptism by John.
“Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.” Luke 4:1-2 CSB
During this time, Jesus experienced temptation from the devil, and every time Jesus defeated the devil. After this time of fasting and temptation, Luke says this:
“Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity. ” Luke 4:14 CSB
Jesus left full of the Holy Spirit but he returned to Galilee in the POWER of the Spirit after this time of fasting and prayer and victory over temptation. And then his ministry began.
We also see in Acts the practice of fasting, alongside prayer, in the discernment and commissioning of missionaries & church leaders:
“As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off. ” Acts 13:1-3 CSB
And
“After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Acts 14:21-23 CSB
It’s clear. The Bible, from beginning to end, make it abundantly clear that fasting is to be practiced as a liturgical and spiritual discipline, as an embodiment of confession, repentance, and humility, and as one is interceding, entering into ministry, or sending someone into ministry.
Fasting in secret (or make yourself pretty)
Wow. That was a lot of context. But it’s important groundwork for what comes next!
Let’s revisit our original passage:
“Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18
The call to fast throughout the Old Testament, the scripture they had up to this point, was honest and sincere in practice. But when Jesus says:
”don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive to that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.”
He is pointing out their show. He’s calling out the hypocrisy of some of that time, that they have taken the external embodiment of sincerity surrounding confession, repentance and humility that was originated by those very stories we’ve just read through - and they wear it now as a show for everyone to see so others will recognize their “holiness.”
What started off as an authentic practice of genuine faith, humility, and reverence in the Old Testament became an idol and legalistic by the time Jesus is teaching her. It removed the freedom of following God and made this spiritual practice reduced to a performative show.
But what does Jesus say we are to do instead?
“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Jesus is telling the audience that, while fasting should still be practiced, there is no need to make a show of it. In fact, not only is he saying not to make a show of it - meaning don’t put ashes on you and don’t disfigure your face so others will notice your good deed. Jesus says to go above and wash up, pretty up your face, and make sure you look great when you go out. Not even a hint to others that you are fasting.
Jesus asks the audience to be honest about why they are fasting and who they are trying to impress. The only one that matters is the Father. And their Father will see their sacrifice and he will honor it - just as the messenger says to Daniel “you are treasured by God.”
The Time for Community Fasting
A note that I want to emphasize: we must not discount the community importance of fasting together.
I shared some stories earlier, and we are going to revisit a couple of them.
You remember Mordecai? He was Esther’s cousin and lamenting and grieving over the soon-to-be annihilation of the Jews. Esther is in a unique position - she’s the queen and married to the one who will soon execute them all. She must take action, but not without preparation, as she could possibly lose her life for simply approaching the king without permission.
“Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went and did everything Esther had commanded him.” Esther 4:15-17 CSB
I’ll give you a spoiler - The Jews in fact are saved. Esther is a fascinating story if you’ve never read it.
And you remember the two examples in Acts? There was again corporate fasting and praying for the commissioning of missionaries and ministry leaders.
Even Paul talks about fasting to support other Christians:
In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul discusses the sharing of food that has been sacrificed to idols and what this means in supporting our fellow Christians. He starts off by saying this:
“About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth — as there are many “gods” and many “Lords” — yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.” 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 CSB
In other words - there’s no issue with consuming the food sacrificed to idols BUT he then goes on and says
“But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined , by your knowledge. Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.” 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 CSB
Sometimes we are to abstain from for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
He goes on to say this:
“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person. Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, since the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. , If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.” 1 Corinthians 10:23-28 CSB
Paul is quoting the common thought of the day - “Everything is permissible.”
But his response is that not everything is beneficial nor builds up us or each other.
The call to fast, to abstain, is to rebel against the world and say “Even though everything is permissible, I choose my allegiance to God and the benefit of others over my desires.”
This is the practice of fasting - to deny oneself for the sake of higher allegiance to God.
Conclusion
As we’ve talked through the overview of fasting, we have seen this is largely a food-abstaining practice. So how do we fast today, especially if there are health reasons why we cannot fast food for long periods of time? Here are a few suggestions:
Fast for only one meal. When you feel the hunger pangs or feel like you want to eat, use that as your reminder to pray.
If entirely skipping it isn’t possible due to health reasons, then simplify your meal by making a small smoothie or something else simple, just enough to sustain, but not enough to fill you. As you sip on it, pray.
Choose to abstain from a particular food item. Maybe you fast from sugar or coffee or meat. Something that you would miss. Why? Again, so you can use that craving as your reminder to pray.
Go on a media fast. What do you go to instead of prayer? Is it Facebook or Tiktok? Is it Netflix or Hulu? Is the newscycle constantly on at your house? Set aside one day to abstain, and when you feel that pull, use that as your reminder to pray.
Something that we as humans are good at is seeing only the aspect of a situation, a rule, a suggestion that is in our purview. Our preference.
I could imagine that this scripture indeed could be one taken and used to support one’s “individuality” in the spiritual discipline of fasting or choosing not to at all, because God gives us that freedom. And he does.
But I think that negates the entirety of what Jesus communicated to his audience.
There is something to be said about the communal practice of fasting together, coupled with prayer, around a common purpose. That could be around discernment for a decision that needs to be made. That could be during a time of confession and repentance. Find a few friends and agree together to fast during the same time and commit to pray during that time for a common purpose.
Rituals and rhythms can be good. When we embrace a consistent discipline, we become transformed. While we must fight against the legalism of any practice. When it becomes routine for the sake of routine, we must give pause and ask ourselves “why am I doing (or not doing) this?”
But we cannot discount the beauty of embracing fasting and how it can draw us closer to the Father.
Open Worship
The previous few passages of scripture that Robert preached on previously about giving and prayer, along with this one, challenge the motives of our hearts. It causes us to pause and ask “who am I really doing this for…?” And I don’t think the answer is to stop engaging in these practices if it’s disingenuine. The answer is to repent, to put ourselves in a place of humility and recognize that it is God Almighty that we answer to alone. No other display matters.
We are going to open up the mic for a time of open worship. As you have been taking in these most recent messages, and you feel you have something that would be of benefit for the congregation today, feel free to come and share with us.
How is the Lord speaking to you?
There is a theme. Wendy referenced this earlier and I already had made a note to do the same.
I make this vow Jesus here and now - That I will seek You I will search and I will chase - Running to Your name for all of my days - Lifting Your praise holy holy is Your name
I challenge you today - What does that mean to you? How will you pursue Jesus this week?
