Youth Service in Malang, November 02, 2013 (Saturday Evening)
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 5:33-39is about 'fasting'.
Luke 5:33-35
5:33. Then they said to Him, "Why do the disciples of Johnfast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?"
5:34. And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
5:35. "But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days."
There are three groups of people that are related to fasting as follows:
- The Pharisees, those who keep the law.
- The disciples of John the Baptist. John the Prophet is the last prophet.
He represents transition from the Old Testament (the time of law) to the New Testament.
- The disciples of Jesus, those who represent the time of New Testament.
Being checked, there are a lot of things that have not been well pleasing before Godin the fasting of Israel (the Pharisees and the disciples of John) from the time of law up to transition time. Those are as follows:
- Fasting, but the flesh still reigns, namely doing wickedness and keeping sin.
Isaiah 58:3-4
58:3. 'Why have we fasted,’ they say, 'and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ "In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.
58:4. Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.
- Fasting, but one likes to wander, he cannot restrain his feed.
Jeremiah 14:10
14:10. Thus says the LORD to this people: "Thus they have loved to wander; They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, And punish their sins."
It means he is not shepherded and his ministry walks about. Or, his heart likes to wander, cannot be calm, but doubtful, afraid and worried.
- Fasting, but being egoistic and disobedient.
Zechariah 7:5-6,11-13
7:5. "Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me––for Me?
7:6. 'When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves?
7:11. "But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.
7:12. "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
7:13. "Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts.
Obedience is the formula for success. Disobedience is total failure.
- Fasting as a habit.
In the New Testament, God shows the true fast.
Matthew 6:16-17
6:16. "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.
6:17. "But you, when you fast, anoint your headand wash your face,
There are two signs of true fasting prayer as follows:
- Washing our face with water.
Face is same as heart. Washing face means heart is purified by the Word of God.
- Anointing our head.
Head is same as mind. Anointing head means our mind is anointed by Holy Spirit.
If they are combined, true fasting prayer gives greater opportunityto the Word of God in the anointing of Holy Spirit which is same as the word sharper than any two-edged sword to purify our heart and mind from hidden things inside.
Hebrews 4:12-13
4:12. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two–edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4:13. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
When fasting, we have to hear the Word a lot, read the Word, and pray. On the contrary, it is fine to hear the Word and pray when we do not fast.
In the fasting prayer, the Word sharper than any two-edged sword purifies our heart from two things as follows:
- Purifying from twelve evil and unclean desiresthat make our face gloomy.
Mark 7:21-23
7:21. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries(1), fornications(2), murders(3),
7:22. thefts (4), covetousness (5), wickedness (6), deceit (7), lewdness(8), an evil eye(9), blasphemy (10), pride (11), foolishness (12).
7:23. "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
If our heart and mind are purified from twelve evil and unclean desires, they will be filled by twelve loaves that are arranged in two rows, six in a row. It refers to true teaching Word.
If our heart and mind are filled by the true teaching Word, our face will beam and we can be obedient.
- Purifying from anxious heart.
Matthew 6:25,34
6:25. "Therefore I say to you, do not worryabout your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
6:34. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
It is worry about everyday life and future.
Worry will make our face gloomy and one is spiritually bent.
Proverbs 12:25
12:25. Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
Woman in the temple of God is bent for eighteen years. This woman is in the house of God and ministers Him, but worries too much that she is sealed with 666.
If our heart is purified from worry, then:
- We can be well shepherded.
1 Peter 5:7
5:7. casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
In the sheepfold (the Holy Place), there are three kinds of tool that refer to perseverance in the three main services:
- The golden candlestick= perseverance in committing general service.
- The table of showbread= perseverance in committing bible study service and Holy Communion.
- The golden altar of incense= perseverance in committing prayer service.
In shepherding, we will experience physical and spiritual growth.
- We can focus our mind on Godthat we are well pleasing to Him.
1 Corinthians 7:32
7:32. But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord––how he may please the Lord.
We can please the Lord and God surely pleases us too.
Psalms 107:43
107:43. Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
We have to focus our mind on lovingkindness of God. It means our life depends on lovingkindness and mercy of God.
The results are as follows:
God's mercy is able to raise a young man who has already been dead.
Luke 7:12-15
7:12. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
7:13. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on herand said to her, "Do not weep."
7:14. Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."
7:15. So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.
It means as follows:
- God's mercy is able to take care of our life miraculously even we face impossibilities.
- God's mercy is able to finish all of our problems up to the impossible one.
- God's mercy is able to give successful and beautiful future in His time.
- God's mercy is able to purify and change our life.
When we do not obey Him, we already die and decay.
But the mercy of God is able to change our live that we can be obedient and our tears are wiped.
When Jesus comes a second time, we are changed to become as glorious as Him. We enter to New Jerusalem and there is no more tear.
God blesses us.