Fasting
and Feasting for Lent,
Part 2
Sermon Notes
March 8, 2009
Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior
Pastor
(480) 895-8766
Colossians 3:1-17 NRSV
1So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are
above, not on things that are on earth, 3for you have died, and your
life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When
Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in
glory.
5Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly:
fornication, impurity, passion, evil
desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6On
account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7These are the ways you also once
followed, when you were living that life.
8But now you must get
rid of all such things — anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language
from your mouth. 9Do not lie
to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its
practices 10and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is
being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11In that renewal there is no
longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave
and free; but Christ is all and in all!
12As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear with one another and, if
anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord
has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in
perfect harmony. 15And let
the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the
one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in
your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or
deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him.
A. Introduction
1.
Steam Ship to
a. Patrick had dreamed of coming to
b. The last day on the ship Patrick
figured he could splurge and eat one meal in the dining room. So he went right in and loaded his plate up
full several times! It was a veritable
feast and for sure the best meal he had ever eaten. After he had eaten he walked up to the dining
room host to pay for his meal. To his
surprise the man said, “Oh, you don’t owe anything. All of the meals are included in the cost of
your ticket.”
2.
Fasting and Feasting for Lent!
a. A lot of us approach Lent like Patrick. It is a time to fast from something. We need to remember the meaning and purpose
of Lent. Lent is a period of 40 days
before Easter, not counting Sundays, in which we spiritually prepare ourselves
for the sobering day of Good Friday when Jesus Christ died for our sins. Also, we prepare for Easter in which we
celebrate our new birth as sons and daughters of God, and declare anew God’s
victory over the powers of sin, death, and evil!
b. The purpose of fasting from something
is to discipline our lives to grow closer to Jesus and appreciate more His
sacrifice. However, too often we give up
something that doesn’t mean that much to us.
If you do give up something, it should create a void, and something else
should fill it. It’s not a lot of good
to give up something, if nothing better fills it. That is where the concept of feasting comes
in. This Lent I am suggesting that you
fast and feast! Get rid of something
that is negative or crippling, and replace it with something that is grand and
good! This morning in the Sermon Notes I
suggest two things to fast from and two things to feast on, and depending upon
our time I will speak on one or two of these.
B. Fast from the influence of the world and
feast on the worship of God!
1.
Testimonial Dinner
a. It was a big event! It was the retirement party of Albert Johnson
the town’s leading citizen, and just about everyone was there! After the roasts and toasts Albert got up and
said, “Friends and neighbors, when I first came here thirty years ago, I walked
into this town on a muddy, road because I had no car. I had only one pair of shoes on my feet, one
set of clothes on my back, and all my earthly possessions were wrapped in a red
bandanna tied to a stick I carried on my shoulder. But this town was good to me, and I rolled up
my sleeves and worked hard. Today, I’m
chairman of the board at the bank. I
own hotels, apartment buildings, and office buildings. I own three companies with branches in 49
cities. I am a member of all the leading
clubs in town. Yes, friends I am the
product of this good town and my own hard work.”
b. After dinner a teen asked Mr. Johnson,
“Say, what few things did you have wrapped up in that little red
bandanna?” Albert Johnson replied, “Oh, a
few photographs, a small Bible, and $1 million dollars in government
bonds.” The world says, “Get it the easy
way of quick money and superficial pleasures.”
But you and I know that a life based on greed and selfish pleasures is a
dead end trip.
2.
Altar
a. The Altar is the
oldest piece of furniture in the Bible.
While the Bible does not go into details, it is clear that Adam and Eve
must have had some kind of altar. For
their sons Cain and Abel made sacrifices upon it to God. And throughout the Biblical record we read
that every time God called the Nation of Israel from one place to the next, the
first duty was to set up an altar so the people could worship God. This was done so that the people might know
the truth and grow in their relationship with God. It was, also, done to give them a focus for
their lives, and a place to help them center on what is important!
b. Where does the worship of God fit in
your life? Each day at home read the
Bible and pray to the Lord. Remember to make a good part of your prayer the
praise and adoration of our Creator, and I encourage you to, also, sing one of
those great old hymns. It would be great
to do your home worship with your spouse, and if you’re single with a
friend. Further, I am glad to see you
here in Sunday worship today. If you’re
not here regularly each and every Sunday, and you don’t spend time at home
praising the Lord, there’s the danger that you might listen more to the noise
of the world than the voice of God. Worship
each day and be here each Sunday and fast from the influence of the world and
feast on the worship of God!
C. Fast from being a status seeker and feast on
being a servant of God!
1.
College English Essay
a. A professor at UCLA who teaches
English, asked his freshman students to write an essay. In a 1,000-word essay they were to answer the
question: “Why they had come to
college?” The professor said, “Be
honest, your parents won’t see this.”
Essay after essay declared that they were going to college to buy a BMW
or a big home, and to have a large salary.
In general they desired the “easy life.”
Status and security were clearly at the top of their lists. However, out of the 163 students two were
different. They wrote that they wanted
to make a difference in the world. They
wanted to improve the quality of life especially among the poor and the
oppressed. These students were from
b. What is your life about? Is it all about money, wealth and ease? Or do you care about others and desire to
serve the Lord Jesus? Don't let your
fears of today's economic situation keep you from the call to: “Seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33 RSV)
2.
Trevor Farell
a. Trevor Farell
was seven years old when he was watching TV and saw the pictures of homeless
people freezing on the streets of
b. How about you? Do you talk about faith or do you live
it? The world tells you to take care of
yourself and to get more and more stuff.
Jesus calls us to love everyone and indeed to love as He loves us. This Lent fast from being a status seeker and
feast on being a servant of God! Once
each week this Lent commit to some act of loving servanthood: Take groceries to a Food Bank, volunteer at
some non-profit organization, join our team that serves at the Homeless
Shelter, or secretly do some kind act for a neighbor.
D. Conclusion
1.
Today’s Scripture
a. Colossians 3:1 says, “You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your
hearts on the things that are in heaven!” (Colossians 3:1 TEV)
b. My friends fast from the things that
are not of God, and feast on those things that are of God!
2.
Recap
a. Fast from the influence of the world
and feast on the worship of God!
b. Fast from being a status seeker and
feast on being a servant of God!
Fasting and Feasting for Lent,
Part 2
1. Fast from the influence of the world
and feast on the
worship of God!
2. Fast from being a status seeker
and feast on being a
servant of God!
Colossians 3:1-17 NRSV
1So if you have been raised with
Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right
hand of God. 2Set your minds
on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3for you
have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life is
revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
5Put to death, therefore, whatever in
you is earthly:
fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is
idolatry). 6On account of
these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7These are the ways you also once
followed, when you were living that life.
8But now you must get rid of all such things — anger, wrath,
malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, seeing
that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10and
have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge
according to the image of its creator. 11In
that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
12As God’s chosen ones, holy and
beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, meekness, and patience. 13Bear
with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each
other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in
perfect harmony. 15And let
the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the
one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in
your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or
deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the
Father through him.