Matthew 6: 16-18

(Matthew 6: 16-18)

『Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.』


The reason for fasting prayer is often to solve some purpose. Jesus spoke about the fasting prayers of the Jews. Why did the Jews fast at that time? The Bible says that "the kings proclaimed fasting when something went wrong." The Bible says in Leviticus (16: 29-31)

『And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. 』 God gave ordinances on the day of Atonement. Fasting is what afflicts themselves.

The Bible says in Leviticus (23: 28-29).『And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.』 God said to the people of Israel, “afflict yourself,” but the people chose to fast, but God did not command them to fast. Why did God command the people to afflicts yourself on the Day of Atonement?

 God wanted: to realize that the people were those who had left the kingdom of God. Thus, on the Day of Atonement, they come to think of what sin is and realize that all human beings have left God.

The publicans and sinners knew this, but the Pharisees did not understand what sin was. That is why Jesus tells the Pharisees not to give a formal fast but to realize their sin through fasting. Fasting has become a custom for the Israelites to do what it means to afflict themselves, and they have traditionally fasted. So fasting means I confess that "I have left God."

To be cut off from the people is to leave God and be cut off from God. The Israelites did not realize this, even though they had the law. The reason God gave the law and the tabernacle was to show that Israel had departed from God. The same is true of " afflicts yourself." Today, fasting is most often done to accomplish a certain purpose.

The Bible says in Isaiah (58: 3-4).『 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 』 This is what God points out about the fasting of the Israelites. God said to the people, "afflicts yourself, and realize that you have been separated from God." Those in Christ do not "afflicts yourself" as defined by the law because those in Christ are one with God. Nevertheless, if you fast because you afflicts yourself, you are not participating in Christ.

The Bible says in Isaiah (58: 6-7).『 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 』 Fasting means being free from being tied up. Free from sin. When people realize they are separated from God and locked up in this world, God gives them freedom. The Sabbath and Jubilee are all free from slavery. Thus, we learn that fasting is to be free from sin. Those who are in Christ do not  fast for this purpose.

God's fasting says, "Why people are in this world, they repent, are free from sin, and open their eyes to the kingdom of God.

Thus, we are going to preach the kingdom of God to the hungry, to the poor, and to the naked (those who do not know the kingdom of God spiritually). So God is pleased with this. Today, if people fast for those who do not know the kingdom of God, God will be pleased. The Bible says in Acts (13: 2-3).『 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.』

The Bible says in Matthew (9: 14-15).『Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.』

The bridegroom is Jesus. You do not need to bother yourself because you are with Jesus. Jesus is the bridegroom because you are the one who died on the cross with Jesus. So by dying together, sin is forgiven. In Romans 6: 7, For he that is dead is freed from sin. Said. Thus, those who died with Jesus are always with Jesus.

It is said in Colossians (3: 3) about those who are in Christ. 『ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 』 Those who are in Christ will be with the Holy Spirit. Says in Ephesians (1:13)『whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 』 As the Holy Spirit is with you, you are always with the bridegroom. If you are always with the groom (Jesus), you will bear fruit.
If the bridegroom is taken away, it is said to fast. Who was robbed of the bridegroom? It is Israel.

Speak in Matthew (8: 11-12)『And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 』

The Bible says in Matthew (8: 21-28)『Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.』The bridegroom is Jesus Christ. Jesus is the kingdom of God. Israel received the law from God but did not realize that they were sinners through the law. They did not know why they were in this world. So they eventually rejected the Messiah and were robbed of the bridegroom (Jesus: God's kingdom). Some people say that after they believed in Jesus, they were taken from him. Those who say that they were taken away were not in Jesus Christ. In order for Jesus to be a bridegroom, people are dying with Jesus.

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