March 1, 2026

Pastor Sarah Henry

Introduction

Icebreaker: When you’re stressed, sad, or tired, what’s the food or drink you instinctively reach for?

Fasting—intentionally giving up something good—helps believers become spiritually receptive to God. 

Emptiness is not weakness but a way to make space for growth, much like yeast causes dough to rise. Just as the mustard seed and yeast in Jesus’ parables start small and grow beyond expectation, fasting invites Christians to feel their spiritual hunger, rely more deeply on the Holy Spirit, and experience the expanding, life-giving work of God’s kingdom within them. 

Key Idea

Fasting creates space for spiritual growth by helping us empty ourselves of distractions and rely more deeply on God, just as Jesus demonstrated and as the kingdom of God grows from small, unseen beginnings.

The Kingdom of God Grows from Small Beginnings

Jesus’ parables of the mustard seed and yeast show that God’s kingdom starts small but grows into something unexpectedly large and life-giving.

Yeast activates dough and makes it rise, symbolizing how God’s presence brings growth in surprising ways.

Fasting Is a Spiritual Practice That Leads to Growth

Fasting means giving up something good (often food) to make room for spiritual focus, hunger, and awareness.

Just as yeast activates dough, fasting activates spiritual sensitivity—helping believers notice God’s voice and work more clearly.

Fasting is not punishment, dieting, or a way to earn favor with God; it is an invitation to connection and transformation.

Our Culture Encourages “More,” but Fasting Teaches Us “Less”

People often try to grow spiritually by adding more activities—more Bible reading, more devotions, more church.

Fasting offers the opposite posture: growth through subtraction, not addition.

By choosing to feel hunger or desire, believers remember their deeper hunger for God.

Reflection & Discussion

1. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed or yeast—small, hidden things that grow into something much bigger. Where have you seen God bring unexpected growth in your life, even from something small or unnoticed?

2. “Being empty is not being weak.” When have you experienced God’s strength most clearly in a moment of personal weakness, limitation, or need? What helped you recognize God’s presence during that time?

3. Fasting invites us to remove something good so we can pay more attention to God. What might God be inviting you to “empty out” this season—whether food, media, routines, or habits—to make more space for spiritual growth and awareness of the Holy Spirit?