The Fast That God Wants
SERMON PREACHED FEBRUARY 8, 2026
THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY, YEAR A
ISAIAH 58:1-12; MATTHEW 5:13-20
From Isaiah: Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free…
Here at St. Francis we are conscious of our desire to grow in faith, for faith draws us ever nearer to God and reveals how God wants to lead and supply us. As Isaiah speaks for God, we learn this morning how God wants us to seek that growing faith. It is not by doing the bare minimum.
The people of Israel are dedicated to following the practical laws of fasting and sacrifice, yet God criticizes them through Isaiah. We should not misunderstand. Fasting is good for the soul, as restraining ourselves from rich foods or other things we desire for a period of time, as during Lent, is a good thing.
And Jesus teaches in Matthew’s Gospel, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” So where the church teaches that times of penitence and fasting should be observed, we should pay attention.
But God wants more. Automatons following fasting and sacrificial requirements is not what God wants!
“Look, God says, “you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?”
Well, humbling ourselves before God is a good thing, and the prophet Micah declares this is what the Lord desires, that we walk humbly with our God. But the humility God criticizes here is public and superficial humility. To let others know that one is fasting, yet not to let humility penetrate one’s soul. God says that looking good but not doing good is unacceptable.
Consider this: serious fasting, exercising self-control over our wants, does help grow our faith. Every time we make a decision to refuse what our urges tempt us to do, we think of Jesus and are satisfied. In fact, we feel a surge of joy, in serving our Savior.
But more than this. Fasting while ignoring the faithfully more important things is worse than incomplete. It is misguided. This kind of fasting does not reach out to the Lord. We do not join hands with Jesus when we correct ourselves, but fail to consider others.
Listen to Isaiah’s word of God: “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?”
You can see that God really wants us to fast from injustice, to fast from oppression. God pleads with us to spread the mercy and justice and love of God among this church family, and throughout our community and the world.
And when we do this, listen to how God responds: “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.”
“If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong…”
As we listen to these promises of our God, joy rises within us. It becomes a matter of pure joy to serve the Lord, as when we pursue our hunger ministry, and when we receive visitors. When we educate ourselves in the Scriptures and study and discuss how to build them into our lives. When we care for this beautiful forest in which St. Francis is nestled.
You know what I mean! Joy suffuses our faces and makes our footsteps steady and our burdens light. The more we offer our food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, the more we are merciful in our dealings, the more we smile – and the more God smiles upon us.
This is not to say that God wants us to neglect this holy structure while we reach out to the community. Many, many lives and prayers and goodness over the years have sanctified our church. It I impossible to spend time in St. Francis’ church without being affected by the holiness here. And our buildings are part of strengthening this church family as we gather, and worship, and cook, and share meals, and learn and administer the affairs of St. Francis.
Look around you! We are a small church, and that is a wonderful thing. Small yet growing, in numbers and in faith and in service. St. Francis can well be called a family. We know each other – those that have been here all their lives, and those who are recent members. If someone is not here one Sunday, you are noticed and missed, for we are incomplete without all of us. If someone is sick or struggling, others know and help out.
I am here to preach and model, as best I can, the Good News of Jesus Christ. And I am here as your pastor. It is my joy to love and serve you in the name of Jesus. Certainly, there are other things I do, but pastoring is just behind sharing the Gospel. As your pastor, I do my best to support this wonderful church family, and to lead us toward what God has in store for us.
THANKS BE TO GOD. Amen.