What Makes Faith Real?
Matthew 6:16-18
Summary
Drawing on Jesus' teaching about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18, this message uses a 'compare and contrast' framework to expose the gap between religious performance and authentic faith. It explains the real purpose of fasting and warns against the spiritual pride of the Pharisees, while highlighting the one great difference of the gospel — that God saves us when we cannot save ourselves. The service closes with communion, the real food for our souls.
Sermon Outline
- 1
An aversion to the fake ▶ 0:01
A childhood story about distrusting clowns' painted-on smiles introduces our God-given instinct against the phony, artificial, and fake.
- 2
Reading Matthew 6:16-18 on fasting ▶ 2:27
Jesus says don't fast gloomily to be seen by others; fast secretly before the Father who sees in secret.
- 3
The one great difference of the gospel ▶ 6:00
Every other faith says do good and hope to pass; the gospel says we cannot measure up, but Christ has done it for us — illustrated by the man in the pit whom only Jesus lifts out.
- 4
The real purpose of fasting ▶ 10:58
Fasting is not about weight loss but humility and repentance; it sharpens our focus on God and reminds us food doesn't own us.
- 5
External religiosity vs. internal authenticity ▶ 13:36
We can attend, study, and pray and still merely go through the motions; God has an aversion to lip-service religion.
- 6
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation ▶ 20:57
The story of the old man and the boys playing in his yard shows how we can serve God out of love or slide into mere obligation and obligation-driven faith.
- 7
The apparent vs. the real, and a call to humility ▶ 25:13
Like the Queen Mary's smokestacks that were only layers of paint, surface spirituality crumbles; God deals graciously with the humble but resists the proud, so we must come to Him real.
Key Points
- Jesus assumes His followers will fast, but warns against doing it to be noticed.
- Fasting is meant to express humility and repentance and to focus our attention on God.
- The gospel is unique: we can never measure up to a holy God, so Christ measured up for us.
- Religious activity without love for God is empty going-through-the-motions.
- We move from extrinsic, obligation-driven faith toward intrinsic faith born of gratitude.
- Spiritual pride is toxic; God meets us only when we come to Him humble and real.
Quotable Moments
“Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of his pit. And that's the gospel.” ▶ 10:18
“It is much safer to vaccinate someone with a mild case of Christianity so as to prevent them from catching the real disease.” ▶ 14:50
“Spiritual pride is toxic waste to the human soul.” ▶ 28:42
“In God's eyes, we're all amateurs.” ▶ 29:25
Discussion Questions
- 1
According to Matthew 6:16-18, how does Jesus tell us to fast, and what motivation is He warning against?
- 2
The message says every other faith says 'do good and hope to pass,' while the gospel says Christ has done it for us. How does that change the way you approach God?
- 3
What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and where do you see both at work in your own walk with God?
- 4
The Queen Mary's smokestacks were only layers of paint. Where might your faith be more 'cosmetic' than real?
- 5
What would it look like for you to come to God this week with genuine humility instead of religious performance?
Take It With You
- Try a short, private fast this week as a way to focus on God, keeping it between you and Him.
- Examine one spiritual habit you keep out of obligation and ask God to renew your love behind it.
- Confess any spiritual pride or comparison with others and ask God for true humility before Him.
The study guide above (summary, outline, key points, quotes, questions) was generated from the sermon transcript with AI and reviewed by our team. Spot something off? Let us know.
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