Matthew 9:14-15: Practicing Fasting (Working Out Your Salvation)

Welcome to the 4th sermon in our series on spiritual disciplines (4 of 4)

Each new year brings with it opportunities to make changes in our lives and to try something new. Normally our new resolutions center around exercise, diet changes, etc. So this year we are going to look at what the Bible has to say about working out!

We are going to look at the daily spiritual practices that help us work out our salvation, to practice the reality of the gospel. Not so that we earn our salvation, but to help us learn how to walk as a forgiven person. The practice of spiritual discipline works much like exercising, building up our basic spiritual muscles so that we can meet the challenges of life as they come along. Prayer reminds us that we are not in control but are deeply dependent on God. Meditation fixes our hearts on Gods approval and not the approval of other men. Study humbles us with the knowledge of who God is and his power, and fasting teaches us to find satisfaction in who God is and what he has done and not on our own pursuit of personal comfort.