What Does the True Fast Look Like?

Isaiah 58:1-12 (February 8, 2026. Scout Sunday)

Good morning and welcome you all, including Troop 10 Scout friends. 

As we take a closer look at Isaiah 58 this morning, I have to admit that every preacher has struggled with a certain temptation when dealing with passages like this. We might call it the "quick fix" syndrome. You know that famous Nike slogan: “Just Do It.”

It's super tempting to read Isaiah 58 and just say, "There's injustice in the world, let's stop it!" And then we could just sit down and be done with it. While it works well as a motivational speech, that notion is insufficient as a theological statement. What I mean is that if we treat this text like a to-do list, we're missing the real point of what Isaiah is trying to say.

Isaiah isn't just asking us to do something; he's asking us to understand why. So, let's take a step back and look at whom these people are that Isaiah is writing to. They're in a community called "Third Isaiah" – they're after the exile, rebuilding Jerusalem, attending Temple services, but there's a problem beneath the surface. Their faith has become all about looks and rituals, while their actions have been lacking.

Isaiah's message isn't a motivational speech; it's an effort to connect our personal faith with our engagement in the world. He urges us to self-reflect—not for the sake of self-critique, but to recognize the failings within us as a community.

The Noise of Piety (Isaiah 58:1-5)

The Prophet Isaiah starts with a loud and clear call to action: "Shout out; do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!" (v. 1). The trumpet sound, according to Hebrew tradition, is intended to be powerful and attention-grabbing, not soothing or gentle.

So why the alarm? Because the people had become complacent in their faith. They were going through the motions of worship without really caring about what was happening around them. 

This brings to mind the powerful historical example of the "White Rose" resistance movement in Nazi Germany. This small group of students courageously became a trumpet sound speaking out against injustice, even as the majority of the established church remained silent. (My dear Scout friends, remember their brave voices. When you speak out against injustice in your school or among your peer groups, your voice is never weak.)

But what's interesting is how Isaiah's message contrasts with the expectations of his audience. On the surface, it looks like the people are seeking God and wanting to know more about Him, but God sees right through their performance. They're asking for "righteous judgments" (vs 2), but they don't want to take action or make any real changes.

In reality, the people were more focused on appearances than actual change. They were so concerned with looking humble and pious that they had mastered a kind of "piety" that was all about show and no substance. This is evident in how they fasted and prayed, but only for personal gain or to feel good about themselves.

This phenomenon is also seen in literature, such as in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, where the character Lady Catherine de Bourgh embodies this kind of superficial piety. She visits the poor and lectures them for their lack of humility, all while maintaining her own status and comfort.

But God isn't fooled by this kind of performance. In verse 3, He calls out the hypocrisy: "Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day and oppress all your workers."

This is a stark reminder that our faith should never be about personal gain or convenience. It's about living out our values and treating others with kindness and respect – even if it means making sacrifices. 

Let us remember that true joy and happiness can't be bought at the cost of another person's suffering. If we're going to worship, we need to make sure that our actions are guided by a sense of justice and compassion, not just for ourselves, but for others as well.

The Fast of Action (Isaiah 58:6-10a)

So, if the "false fast" is all about appearances and personal gain, what does the true fast look like?

God flips the definition of holiness on its head. Instead of focusing on what we withhold from ourselves, it's about what we provide for others. This shift is highlighted in verse 6: "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?"

Here, the word "yoke" takes on a deeper meaning. It's not just a physical burden, but also a metaphor for the oppressive systems that crush vulnerable people. Isaiah is calling us to actively dismantle these systems, not just talk about it or make empty promises.

True humility is not self-contempt, but a shift in focus: putting others before ourselves. Just as Rick Warren puts it in The Purpose-Driven Life: "Humility as a self-forgetful focus on serving others rather than a low self-esteem".

When we shift our focus to the needs of others, we stop playing the blame game (v. 9b). We start to see people as equals, rather than trying to point fingers or assign guilt. 

It is disheartening to see what’s happening in America now. Is it fair to blame a certain group of the immigrant communities for the social challenges facing this nation today? We often hear rhetoric linking them to drug, crime and sex trafficking, which leads to harsh treatment, marginalization, and deportation. 

And yet, we act self-righteous, proudly believing that we are making our best efforts to obey God's word, just like the Israelites described in today's passage. “Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God” (Isaiah 58:2). But the honest question is “Are we really such an obedient nation to God?”

We must ask: is this a true reflection of reality, or just an easy way to avoid deeper issues? True fast and transformation come when we value each individual's existence. If we claim to follow a higher calling or a divine word, shouldn't our first instinct be to listen and love rather than to point fingers?

History shows us that this kind of true humility has been practiced by amazing individuals throughout the past. Take St. Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), for example. During a famine, he didn't just pray – he took action. He intercepted grain ships and created a distribution system that brought food to those in need. His actions turned the bishop's role into one of service and compassion.

Thankfully, the spirit of true fasting is still alive today in many community-driven efforts, and our Kingdom Food Pantry held every Wednesday is one of those. This ministry demonstrates divine sight—a compassionate awareness of and response to the surrounding needs—by distributing food and essential supplies and services to neighbors in need.

The true fast is a dedication to God's path of liberation. It calls us to actively become agents of change, moving beyond mere ritualistic observance.

The Resulting Radiance (Isaiah 58:10b-12)

If we're willing to make this shift from empty piety to action, Isaiah offers a beautiful promise. But there's a condition: "If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness" (v. 10). We often want the benefits without the effort, but the Scripture is clear that our community's light depends on our commitment to others.

The metaphors Isaiah uses are stunning. He promises we'll be like a watered garden and a spring of water whose waters never fail (v. 11). Think of it like a water filtration system – its purpose is to allow water to flow through, providing life to others. But if the filter becomes clogged with self-interest, it's useless.

Just as a fire is necessary for the growth of Giant Sequoias—clearing underbrush and releasing seeds—there is a similar paradox in our spiritual lives.

Isaiah teaches us that true strength comes not from self-preservation, but from self-giving. When we "pour ourselves out" to help the needy, we aren't depleting ourselves; instead, we are clearing away the self-interest of our ego, allowing us to connect with the genuine source of life and become stronger.

And what does God call this faithful community? "You shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in" (v. 12).

A breach is a gap in the wall, and today we see them in our cities – hostile architecture, walls designed to separate. But God calls us to stand in that gap. We're not just patching it with temporary fixes; we carry the weight of our neighbor's burden, so the whole street can stand firm.

Becoming a "Repairer of the Breach" means taking on a central role, like a structural header, to support the weight and responsibility left by the absent element. It's a beautiful image – we're not just filling space, but supporting the entire community.

The Ultimate Repairer

In closing, remember this is not a call to "try harder." If we leave here believing we must become better activists to earn God's favor, we have returned to the error of empty piety.

We need to understand that these words in Isaiah 58 are the very same ones Jesus knew and lived by. They are the foundation of His ministry and mission.

Jesus is the ultimate Repairer of the Breach. He didn't hide himself from his own people; He took on flesh and dwelt among us. He didn't point fingers of blame; He stretched out His hands on the cross to take the blame.

Because He has repaired the breach between us and God, we are now empowered to go and repair breaches in our community. We don't fast to get God on our side; we fast and serve because God is already on our side, and He is on the side of the marginalized.

My dear brothers and sisters, and Troop 10 Scout friends, I'm inviting you all to participate in a different kind of fast this week. Focus your question not on what you should give up, but on: "Whom can I assist? Where can I offer my support to bridge a need? Whose burden can I help break?"

Most importantly, ask God to help you see your neighbor, whether s/he is an immigrant or citizen, not as a problem to be analyzed, but as a friend to be embraced. Let us stop pointing fingers and start the work of the watered garden. Let us go from this sanctuary to the streets, for that is where the fast God chooses truly begins. Amen.

Message Prayer

God, we pray to become restorers who mend what is broken. Let us not turn away from our own people, but instead actively work to undo the chains of injustice. May we dedicate ourselves fully to providing for those who are hungry, so that our own light may shine brightly even in the deepest darkness. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.