Fasting on SermonAudio

Pastor Rockhill opens the first four verses of Acts 13, where the gospel's advance from Jerusalem reaches the thriving church at Antioch. His central burden is to show how God calls, confirms, and sends laborers into His harvest, and how this pattern establishes the ordered, accountable life of Christ's church. Pastor Rockhill walks through the leaders gathered at Antioch—Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Menaen, and Saul—noting that the gospel was now crossing geographical, ethnic, and social barriers in fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham. He stresses that Antioch was no independent congregation but was organically and doctrinally connected to Jerusalem, the seed of what would become Presbyterian government and the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15. The key doctrine concerns the call to office. As the leaders ministered to the Lord in worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul. Pastor Rockhill distinguishes the inward sense of call from the outward call of the church, which tests and confirms it, and he explains the laying on of hands as consecration, delegation of Christ's authority, and public accountability. By way of application, he commends fasting as a fitting means of seeking the Lord, warns against self-appointed ministry, and urges believers to value the God-ordained structures that guard both the flock and its officers. Through these appointed means the gospel still spreads and the church is built, all to the praise of God's glory alone.

TEXT: LD 38 Jesus teaches us good activities for the Lords Day: 1. True giving 2. True praying 3. True fasting

John Wycliffe was, I think, really the man who publicly had the position, the learning, and the moral courage to begin to question the doctrine and practices of the Church of Rome way back in the late 1340s. He spoke the Bible's truth to show the Pope, the Cardinals, the Bishops, and the Monks, that very much of their theological system was wrong. And much of their worship and practice was God-dishonoring and even blasphemous. How did John Wycliffe proceed in his confrontation of Rome? He proceeded by faith in Christ, and by holding fast and holding forth the truth of the Bible. He showed us what a living faith in Jesus Christ is like. He recovered these things related to a living faith by studying the Bible carefully. And he compared it with what the Church of Rome was believing and doing. And when he did this, the Lord worked together with him. And the results were very great. When he preached and taught, the Light of truth came to people's minds with power. And the darkness of ignorance and false doctrine, which had prevailed for so long, began to be dispelled. And many were awakened to the truth and they believed what he was teaching. And having been instructed by this godly man, they began to walk as disciples of Christ with him. The truth of God's Word began, once again, to be seen and understood and proclaimed by many.

The Canons of Dort The Fifth Head of Doctrine – The Perseverance of the Saints ARTICLE 11 – Believers struggle with various carnal doubts and do not always feel the full force of this assurance, but God will never tempt them above their ability to bear it, but makes for them a way of escape; also the Holy Spirit works assurance in us. The Scripture moreover testifies that believers in this life have to struggle with various carnal doubts, and that under grievous temptations they do not always feel this full assurance of faith and certainty of persevering. But God, who is the Father of all consolation, does not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able, but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that they may be able to endure it (I Cor. 10:13), and by the Holy Spirit again inspires them with the comfortable assurance of persevering.

The tabernacle was only a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. In Hebrews 8:1-5 we see that Christ is the true sanctuary, the true sacrifice, and the true standard for our worship. The copy is temporary, the pattern is eternal, and Christ fulfills it.

Fasting is a secret act of self-denial that involves going without food and water, usually for a period of one full day, in order to humble yourself before God in prayer and repentance, seeking His direction and guidance.

Our culture is fast-paced. We fill up our calendars and often race from one event to the next. It can be difficult to wait and be still. In this message, hear five ways to "Trust God While You Wait."