THEME: Rooted in Christ :: Daily Bread
by Pastor Shaun
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
(Matthew 4:4 ESV)
DEVOTION:
At Faith Lutheran we are ROOTED in CHRIST! Being ROOTED in CHRIST means that we have God’s Word in our hearts and our minds and we gladly hear and learn it each day. And this abiding presence of God’s Word gives us strength, stability, wisdom, and hope.
In Matthew, chapter 4, Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (v. 1). This verse alone is extraordinary. It reminds us that God is not afraid of temptation. He is not afraid of the devil. In fact, Christ goes toe to toe with the tempter, led on by God’s Spirit.
Beyond being guiding into this confrontation, how does the Spirit of God lead Jesus? By God’s Word. This is where Jesus gains strength and help to face the evil one. God’s Word is Jesus’ defense and His fortress. Every lie and temptation leveled at Jesus is met with God’s Holy Word!
We should notice that Jesus does not have a smartphone or a study Bible with Him. He doesn’t unroll a scroll to find what God’s Word says in response to the devil. Instead, God’s Word is deeply planted in our Lord’s heart and mind. He simply knows it.
Some will claim that this is due to His Divine nature. But notice again that in fighting the devil, Jesus does not call down legions of angels. He refuses Satan’s temptations to utilize His divine power in this fight. Instead, He stands firm as a man, fulfilling the command that the fallen man, Adam, could not. The wilderness encounter between Jesus and the Devil is a re-do of man’s failure in the garden. There, Adam took and ate of the fruit that God commanded Him not to. In the Garden, Adam ignored God’s Word, but in the wilderness Jesus did not. In fact, Jesus’ response to the devil in Matthew 4:4, shows us that He “takes and eats” God’s Word! Jesus says, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus likens God’s Word to bread. God’s Word is what gives us life and sustains us. And just as we need food each day to sustain our physical bodies, so also we need God’s Word each day to sustain us in the one true faith. So, dear Christians, make reading God’s Word more than a habit. Treat as an absolute necessity for your daily life as a child of God!
-Pastor Shaun
CATECHISM MEMORY:
The Fifth Commandment: You shall not murder.
What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.
READINGS for THIS WEEK:
Mon: Proverbs 3:1-12 Tue: Proverbs 3:13-35 Wed: Deuteronomy 8 Thu: John 6 Fri: Matthew 4:1-11 Sat: Romans 15
Sunday, September 13: (Genesis 50:15-21| Romans 15 | Matthew 18:21-35)
REFLECTION QUESTIONS & ACTIVITIES for the READINGS
- What does each reading teach you about God’s Word and its intended effects on our lives?
- What does each reading teach you about how you should receive and respond to God’s Word?
- How is God’s Word like bread? In what ways does God sustain your life?
- Sketch or paint a picture of God’s Word as “bread,” or another image that reflects the imagery of
this week’s readings. (Share your image with Pastor Shaun) - What questions do you have about the readings this week?
(Write them down and share them with Pastor Shaun!)