Secular Fasting or Theological Feasting

There was a time over 150 years ago when fasting was one of the most common disciplines among Christians. Now, the practice is one of the least understood. The word fast means going without food. In the Old Testament, they use the Hebrew word for fast meaning, to cover the mouth, whereas in the New Testament, the Bible uses the Greek version, meaning to abstain from food. 

It is written that fasting amongst followers of Jesus was as regular as many people’s morning cup of Joe, so what has happened in the better part of 2000 years that caused this practice to become taboo?

Why Food is the Focus

During this sermon, Pastor Matt recounts his experience with a friend from 10 years ago. This friend was a marathon runner, and to be in marathon shape, he had to enact a meticulous and disciplined lifestyle. One day, while Pastor Matt was hanging out with him, he took notice of the plate his friend was assembling. His meal consisted of three burgers with no bun, topped with a piece of chicken, then a slice of cheese, some avocado, sour cream, and finished with more cheese.

By the end, it looked like some kind of hamburger sundae. When confronted about his plate, he told Pastor Matt that “food is fuel” and that “I can’t outrun my mouth. When I have the desire to run like this, what goes in my mouth matters.”

The Convenience of a Big Mac

The concept of food as fuel directly correlates with our energy levels, which is why it can seem odd to willingly neglect food for spiritual purposes. Especially in a society where eating is almost as easy as breathing and a Big Mac is 10 minutes away, it can seem like an otherworldly practice. Over the last 50 years, churches have developed this movement where the meaning behind fasting is broadened. 

Rather than subjecting fasting to the absence of food, it has broadened to self-denial or the absence of something. 

Fasting = Feasting

Pastor Matt then recalls another story where he was playing a game with a newlywed couple. They were asked questions and had to come up with the answer before their spouse. One of the questions was, how many times a week would you like to be intimate with your spouse? 

The husband answered two. On the other hand, his wife answered five. Everyone was shocked. She explains that the husband's Xbox is to blame for their lack of intimacy. The next day, Pastor Matt gets a call from the husband asking if he could hold on to his Xbox for a while.

Committing to denial or abstinence isn’t a bad thing, but that's not fasting. In this recount, he wasn't focused on fasting—he was focused on feasting. To give up food vs to give up something that has a form of mastery over you are two different things. Giving up food is more than giving something up. It is an opportunity to rely on God to fulfill an inherent need, focusing on His word instead of our desires.