SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES - Fast

FASTING - Spiritual Discipline #3

1/29/12 Matthew 6:16-18

STORIES OF FASTING

          * Kennedy's birthday party

          * My own.    - Gus's Calzone.

Fasting is an act of humility

           - as we rely on GOD'S STRENGTH!

"The list of biblical people who fasted reads like a "Who's Who" of Scripture: Moses the lawgiver, David the king, Elijah the prophet, Esther the queen, Daniel the seer, Anna the prophetess, Paul the apostle, Jesus Christ the incarnate Son...

Many of the great Christians throughout church history fasted and witnessed to its value; among them were Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, Charles Finney, and Pastor Hsi of China"   (Celebration of Discipline  pg 48)

v Throughout Scripture fasting refers to abstaining from food for spiritual purposes.

v Scriptural fasting is DISTINCT FROM:

§  HUNGER STRIKE

¨      the purpose of which is to gain political power or attract attention

¨      Ghandi

§  HEALTH DIETING

¨      which stresses abstinence for physical purposes (not spiritual)

¨      In our secular  "modern" society  fasting is usually motivated either by vanity or by the desire for power.

v Jesus teaches about fasting in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6)

§  His teaching on fasting is directly in the context of his teaching on giving and praying

¨      It is as if there is an almost unconscious assumption that giving, praying, and fasting are all part of Christian devotion.

v Perhaps Jesus’ greatest lesson is HIS EXAMPLE.

§  At the start of his ministry

- Jesus goes out to the desert and fasts. (Matt 4:1-2)

      - He spends 40 days praying and fasting.

§  In Jesus' remarks in the Sermon on the mount.

¨      The question is not IF you fast - but WHEN!

¨      Is it a commandment?

¨      NO. It's an assumption – you already do

v BIBLICAL FASTING ALWAYS…

·        Centers on Spiritual Purposes

v Fasting, when coupled with prayer, serves as a powerful vehicle to draw closer to God.

§  It is a God-designed discipline to enable us to enter into a focused time of seeking:

-      The Father and His wisdom, intervention and direction.

Question

v When we Fast - is it all or nothing?

§  "Daniel Fast"   (a 21 day fast)

(10:3)  "I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all."

v Father DiNardo - of Pittsburgh:

·         "When we fast and abstain we take attention away from ourselves. It isn't meant for weight loss. The tradition is based in the idea of denying oneself to focus on something greater."

Have you heard it said Fridays are Fish-days?

-      For the Catholics – it has been customary to eat only fish on Fridays.

"Before the Second Vatican Council (1960's), the regulations were much more stringent than they are today. As older Catholics will remember, every Friday of the year was a day of abstinence for all, and every day during Lent was a day of fasting.

In easing the regulations, the church wasn’t trying to make the precept more convenient, but was placing the responsibility of spirituality on individuals. Every day of our lives should be a day of focusing more on God and other people and less on ourselves. Sticking to the minimum when it comes to fast and abstinence misses an opportunity for spiritual growth." (#)

Why do we fast?

          And particularly WHY 40 days during LENT?

v As Christians, in everything we do, we should have as our model Jesus Christ. 

§  Scripture tells us "Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and he fasted forty days and forty nights" (Matthew 4:1-2)

§  The season of Lent is a commemoration of Our Lord’s fast, which He undertook before entering into His public ministry. 

§  It was a time of preparation for the tremendous mission that lay before Him. 

§  To do this, He denied Himself food and water during those forty days and nights, relying instead only on God (with whom He was One) to sustain Him.

v  Matthew 4:4 "The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Ø  The first clear mention and observance of the forty days does not come to us until the fourth century in the decrees of the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. (*)

Friday has never ceased to be a day of penance and self-denial, and abstaining from meat on that day is given first place, because it was on a Friday that our Lord died for our sins.

Particularly for Catholics – Every Friday is a day to prepare for Sunday – the day that, for us who believe, is Easter every week of the year. And Sunday is never a day of fasting (not even during Lent). It is the glorious Day of the Lord (*)

Fasting is an act of humility

           - as we rely on GOD'S STRENGTH!

          We give up our own rights & needs

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 v DON'T BE LIKE THE PHARISEE IN LUKE 19.

§  proud, self righteous, exalting themselves.

v Fasting is an:

§  Expectation – not if, but when

§  Act of humility - as we rely on GOD'S STRENGTH!

As you go – consider how (& when) you can incorporate the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting into your walk with God.

Go and Love!

(#) =  http://www.catholic.org/diocese/diocese_story.php?id=23168

(*) =  http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=180

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES - Pray

Spiritual Discipline - To Pray

1/22/12

(PART ONE)

Gospel Text: Matthew 6:5-13 (Lord's Prayer)

Spiritual Disciplines: 

          First week - Stewardship

          Last week - Service 

                   * Both were Outward exercises

          Today - Prayer

                   * An Inward exercise & a corporate one

"Of all the Spiritual Disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father.” (pg32)

Corporate Prayer:

          a) Pray for one another

          b) Pray for our church

          c) Pray for our local community

          d) Pray for our global community

(PART TWO)

“Of all the Spiritual Disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father.”

v To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us

v "In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God's thoughts: 

§  to desire the things he desires

§  to love the things he loves

§  to will the things he wills."

SCRIPTURE has prayer all throughout. 

          - The Old Testament

          - The New Testament

·        Something so prolific has to be substantial to the heart of God!

Martin Luther: declares, "I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer." 

          - He held it asa spiritual axiom that "he that has prayed wll has studied well.

John Wesley: says "God does nothing but in answer to prayer," and he backed up his conviction by devoting two hours daily to that SACRED exercise.

Jesus begins his formal ministry in prayer.

                   * 40 days in the wilderness

          - And he ends it in prayer too

                   * In the Garden

GET DISCOURAGED?

"Many of us, however are discouraged rather than challenged by such examples. Those 'giants of the faith' are so far beyond anything we have experienced that we are tempted to despair. But rather than "beating ourselves up for our obvious lack, we should remember that God always meets us where we are and slowly moves us along into deeper things. Occasional joggers do not suddenly enter an Olympic marathon." (Celebration of Discipline p35)

BOGGED DOWN - sometimes we can become discouraged... thinking “I can't spend 3 hours, or 2 hours in prayer.

§  I'd be bored

§  What would I say for 2 hours? 

§  I'd fall asleep!”

v In the Garden - Before Jesus was arrested

§  Asks his disciples to stay awake, pray with him...

¨      They could not!  (Matt 26:36-46)

v Real prayer is something we LEARN"

§  The disciples had to learn it.

§  We have to learn it!

¨      It's like a "communications class in college"

v The disciples asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray"

§  They had prayed all their lives

¨      yet something about the quality and quantity of Jesus' praying caused them to see how little they knew

§  They had to learn

§  They had to practice

Galatians 6:7-8 "Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit."

"In prayer, real prayer, we begin to think God's thoughts: 

                   - to desire the things he desires

                   - to love the things he loves

                   - to will the things he wills."

May we be so engrossed in communication with God 

          that we DESIRE, LOVE, and WILL the things of HIM!

v We all know the importance of Prayer.

·        Today I don’t need to convince, but to remind

o   I hope to remind you of the importance

o   Remind you to practice it

o   And remind you there are many ways to be in communication with God.

PRACTICE PRAYER: (Exercises)

a)   light candles:

1.    for your unbelieving friend,

2.    for your hurting neighbor...

b)   write own prayer

1.    in the bulletin or on a note card

2.    in the prayer journal

c)   kneel at the altar and “recommit” your life to Him

Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

[Effective Prayer] “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Of all the Spiritual Disciplines – prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father”

As you go, May you carve out time to immerse yourself in God’s Presence. Go and Love!

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES - Serve

Spiritual Disciplines – To Serve

January 15, 2012

Sermon Series

Today is the Second Sunday of our series on Spiritual Disciplines;

v Last week we talked about Tithing

Malachi 3:10-12 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 

v Scripture tells us:

Ø There will be enough in the storehouse.

Ø The church to meet its needs if we are faithful

Ø The windows of heaven will open and pour out so much blessing that we will not have room for it

Today we are looking at the Discipline of Service

·        Interesting thing about these Disciplines

          – they’re not really about us.

The Risen Christ beckons us to the life of the towel.

-      The life of servant hood.

-      Matthew 22:36-40 (Greatest Commandment)

AUTHORITY & PECKING ORDER

Luke 9:46 (NIV) An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 

v In any discussion of who is the greatest

– Always an underlying question: Who is the least?

In John 13 we read the story of Jesus washing feet.

As it pertains to the greatest:

§  There would have been one disciple (or servant) who was “expected to wash their feet.

§  In the discussion of who is the greatest

§  they are playing out whose role is what.

v Jesus blows their mind in John 13.

Ø Being the GREATEST

o   He takes on the role of the LEAST!

Luke 9:23 (NLT) Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

v Picking up our Cross:

Ø It’s a daily thing.

Ø It’s a process of self-giving

Ø It is not about being the best. (They don’t follow!)

§  It’s about following the ONE.

WHO IS IT FOR?

v Mission trips: Often beneficial to the mission field.

Ø But transformational to the one who goes.

o   It’s a discipline to go.

o   It’s a discipline to follow.

o   It’s a discipline to pick up our cross – (DAILY)

v We learn, We grow and We are strengthened

·        As we put Christ and his ways before our own.

Who are you serving?          Helping heal?  Helping be clean

How are we practicing service?

Are we stepping out of the limelight

          So Christ may shine?

The Risen Christ beckons us to the life of the towel.

The life of servant hood. Matthew 22:36-40 (Greatest Commandment)

Pray: “Lord Jesus, as it would please you bring me someone today whom I can serve.”

Half Marathon

A friend asked me today about my experience running in the half marathon. Here's my response... (Plus some)
My experience - well, it was good. It was not something I EVER anticipated doing. But am glad I did it. Let's see... my experience. 2 weeks ago training - my knee started hurting... eventually I quit running on it, and walked - and then it go to the point that walking was too much. I called others in our group run and they picked me up. As I described what i was feeling, they thought it was probably tendenitis. It hurt, but later that day - was FINE. I played and chased Phin on the beach that afternoon. So last week at our long run, I took it easy and walked the hills and what not. Seemed good. I made it the whole 10 miles.
So, I was a bit nervous how my knee would feel today. about 4 miles in I thought I could feel the same thing, so I walked much of the rest.
Since I hadn't trained to walk... I tried to keep a good pace - and now have a ton of blisters. I think I'm at 7. =/
So, another weird thing about the run... I got my usual early signs of getting a Migraine at mile 7. I got blindspots. So that bummed me out - but I pressed on. I prayed and I ate some almonds and just kept going. I think only to God's grace, by mile 9 most of my vision was fine and I didn't really get much of a headache till I got home. Not really a Migraine! As I was going - I remembered this video of this mother walking to get water - and they said she had to do it everyday. No matter what. Even the day she gave birth. So, if she could walk to get water on the day she gave birth and carry the 50+ lbs of water back to her village... I could walk with blury vision and a gnarly headache.

It was exciting with all the other people around. It was fun to see so many Team World Vision shirts and participants. In almost 3000 people - there were 600-700 orange world vision runners. And I was surprised by everyones encouragement - not just the TWV people.
It was a fun, weird experience, that I'm glad I participated in and was able to help raise funds and awareness through.

I am pretty proud of our church team and the money we raised... over $2,000. But beyond that - I am thrilled to have been able to participate in the combined figure of $357,000 to help provide clean water. World vision says $50 will give a child clean water for life. We participated in that provision today.

I thank God that he gave me and so many others the heart to strap shoes on our feet and give the gift of water.

My prayer is that those who drink for these new wells - come to know the one, true, living water.

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES - Tithe

Spiritual Disciplines – To Tithe

January 8, 2012

Introduction

Toddler – Favorite words: “No” “Why” “Mine!”

Ø  Phin (my son) has quickly learned the Possessive.

§  My Dad, My mom, My Jason, My doggy…

Story of French Fries

Ø  Adult asks for one, but the child doesn’t share.

·         When they do share – We get super excited

·         We give lots of praise for “doing the right thing”

§  Because ultimately the fries were purchased by the adult

§  given to the child

§  And we simply want to be shown gratitude, and love.

Makes me think of the passage of Scripture from Paul

v  Where he tells the Corinthians they are still infants

§  They are still living on milk, when they should be eating meat

¨       They haven’t matured

¨       They still function like toddlers

Coming out of the Christmas Season – a season of giving

v  I’m reminded of our “practices” when we Go to a friend’s house

§  We want to bring something…

·         We want to give a gift.

§  Perhaps a plant, or food, or drink to share.

Ø  Why?

§  In many ways, coming to worship was and is much like that

Ø  We gave because it was such a joy, such an honor, such a privilege to be invited. We wanted to come, We wanted to give, we wanted to bring something

“The worship that is empty handed is simply not worship at all. The bringing of an offering to God is pictured in the Scripture as a high and inestimable part of worship.” – Ralph Cushman (pg 61 – The Tithing Principle)

Sermon Series

Today first Sunday of a series on Spiritual Disciplines;

            Tithing,   Service,   Prayer/Meditation,   Fasting,   Study,   Worship

As we start this New Year and new sermon series: I want to talk to you about a topic that is pretty controversial; MONEY.

If I’m honest, I don’t really want to talk on this Subject.

I remember visiting BCCF in the 90’s – there was a giving box in the back.

·         There was no offertory, there was no special emphasis

·         In many ways there was an expectation that you function like the Christians in Macedonia(pg 70)

·         Just do it.

But – often we don’t do it… at least not well – or to the degree God has called us to

Actually statistics say on average in the US

o    Christians only give 3%

o    20% of the people give 80% of the money/resources.

But – I believe Tithing is part of our Biblical Christian disciplines/exercises…

Stewardship

God has given us some very clear guidance in this area.

v  As God’s people, we need to live our lives in obedience to what God says to us.

§  And there are some very clear principles in scripture about how to order our lives and finances.

¨       We call this area Stewardship. 

v  One of the first, most basic concepts seen in the Bible concerning stewardship is the concept of the tithe.

v  The word “tithe” means “tenth.”

·         The Bible teaches that the first tenth of what we earn belongs to God, and that we have no right to withhold it or use it in other ways.

·         Leviticus 27:30 (NIV)  A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.

·         Malachi 3:10 (NIV) Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

Ø  The storehouse that this scripture talks about is the storehouse of the temple.

Commands and Promises

Leviticus 27:30-33 (NIV) “‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. ³¹ Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it. ³² Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the LORD. ³³ No one may pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If anyone does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.’”

Here we see God is serious and clear about our obligation to give to him

            And to give to him our tithe… our tenth.

v  Yet, often we tell ourselves “I can’t afford to tithe.

§  We operate on such a fixed budge that we can’t imagine giving away 10%.

¨       Perhaps this is where the call to giving our “first Fruits” comes into play. (Ex 23)

There are not only commands in scripture, but promises too.

v  Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 

¨       There will be enough in the storehouse.

¨       God will enable the church to meet its needs if you will tithe.

¨       God says he will open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it.

Here’s a promise from 2 Corinthians 9:6 (the Message)  Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.  God will bless you in proportion to the generosity of your giving.

THE CHALLENGE

v  In Seattle – part of what we did at Mosaic, the coffee house we ran, was give 10% of what we brought in each month…

§  We gave that 10% to an outside organization.

§  We gave, and we were blessed.

·         People began coming in simply because we were a giving organization.

·         People wanted to be a part of something that gave.

Malachi 3:10 (NIV)  “Test me in this...”  

¨       There will be enough in the storehouse.

¨       God will enable the church to meet its needs if you will tithe.

¨       God says he will open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it.

§  Perhaps the only place in Scripture God calls us to test him.

      “Try it! Put me to the test!”

Ø  I challenge you – Try It! 

§  How would you like to be overflowing?

v  We as a church are doing it!

§  In spite of a looming Parking Lot Lease

·         the BCCF Admin team has decided to participate in our denominational obligations

§  We are giving 10% to the furthering of the kingdom… local and abroad.

v  Is it a difficult decision?

§  Of course! Because we often still function as infants & toddlers. Exclaiming “MINE”!

Malachi 3:10-12 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.  Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe.  Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven

Scripture tells us:

Ø  There will be enough in the storehouse.

Ø  God will enable the church to meet its needs if you will tithe.

Ø  God says he will open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room for it.

As you go, May you withhold nothing which is the Lord - but freely and joyfully give. Go and Love!