“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 (NIV)
Jesus is making the connection between God’s Word and food. He invites us to think of God’s Word as a nourishing meal.
The preacher’s task is to prepare the meal. The table should be spread in a way that is attractive. The food should be placed where it is accessible to the guests. Most of all, what is served should be the nourishing food of the Word of God.
God’s people are not fed on the dry bones of the preacher’s opinions. We are not nourished to eternal life by the preacher’s latest thoughts on improving your marriage or your self-esteem.
God has never promised to bless the preacher’s words. He has promised to bless His Word. So, the task of the preacher is to set God’s Word before God’s people so that we may be fed.
But when the meal is prepared, and when the meal is served, what is your part? Come hungry. Come with a hearty appetite: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters… Come, buy and eat. Listen to me… and your soul will delight in the richest of fare” (Isaiah 55:1-2).
On a scale of 1 (full—no room for the Word of God) to 10 (hungry for the Word of God), how is your appetite when you come to church?
