07/12/2009 - Disciplines of Grace: Fasting - Matthew 9:14-17

Fasting. Just for Hindi gurus or monks or super-spiritual fanatics, right? It’s not something “normal” Christians do, is it? Well, actually the Bible has a lot to say about fasting. Just about every major personality spoken of in Scripture practiced fasting as a spiritual discipline: Moses, Elijah, David, Job, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul...One author has noted that fasting is mentioned more times in Scripture than baptism. So why is it probably the most neglected of the spiritual disciplines? This week we'll look specifically at what Jesus had to say about fasting, and how it can be a benefit to us in finding greater intimacy with God.