For the next 4 weeks, I will be preaching a series from professor Craig Dykstra’s book “Growing in the Life of Faith.” It is based on the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of Jesus’ teachings. In these teachings, we explore how Jesus wants to meet the deep spiritual hunger inside every human being. How he wants you and me to live a full and faithful life far from the legalistic practices that religious traditions imposed on us.
Fasting, for example, long ago in Jesus’ day and today, has always been a favorite thing to do for God. In Jesus’ day, some people who were fasting did so in a public: they put on a long dismal face, they showed how miserably hungry they were.
Jesus pokes fun at this use of religious practices for self-promotion.
Jesus made a joke about it. He creates a scenario of a man with a pathetic posturing- long face, disheveled clothing and straggly hair. Jesus recommends that when we fast, we wash our face, shave, put on makeup, so that only God and us know what is going on. He would make recommendations as well for praying and giving.
Dr. Willy L Mafuta, Ph.D, Th.D
Senior Pastor,
Hopewell United Methodist Church, Hopewell, NJ 08525