#19 Luke 4:1-4 Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone

On May 16, 2021 by Amy Burgin

Joy:
Episode#19 Luke 4:1-4

Welcome

Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you’re here. I’m Amy Burgin.

Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin

Amy:
Christgazing, similar to stargazing, is the act of looking steadily and intently at Christ. This podcast is for those of us who long to do just that, to gaze upon the Lord and see his beauty in the midst of everything around us. This podcast is also for you if you don’t really know who Jesus is. We make room for you to put aside what the world or religion has taught you so you might know for yourself. Each week we focus on one passage from the Bible as Joy reads it several times and creates stillness after each reading to consider who God is and what he wants us to know.

This week, we step into a series that will take us through the words of Jesus as found in the book of Luke. We begin today in Luke Chapter 4, right after Jesus was baptized by John. There, in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove and a voice from heaven declared, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.”

Pour Out Your Heart to God

Amy:
Before Joy brings us today’s verses, take 45 seconds to pour out your heart to God, whether it be gratitude, anger, peace, or frustration. Whatever is on your mind, name it and bring it to the Lord in these next 45 seconds.

[Pause and pour out]

What Does This Passage Say About God?

Joy: I’m going to read today’s passage two times. As I read, consider the question, What does this passage say about God? About Jesus? About the Holy Spirit?

Luke 4:1-4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Again?

Take a few moments to answer the question, “What does this passage tell you about God? About Jesus? About the Holy Spirit?”

[Pause and know]

What Does This Passage Say About People?

Joy: As I read the scripture again, consider the questions: What does this passage tell you about people? What does it tell you about the devil?

Take a few moments to answer the question, “What does this passage tell you about people?”

[Pause and know]

Lord, What Would You Have Me Know or Do Today?

Joy: As I read for the last time, ask God the question, “Lord, what would you have me do today in response to this passage?” Remember, he is a good father. God wants you to know him better. He never condemns or belittles but rather, he is the lifter of our heads.

Take a few moments to listen for his voice as you ask him, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today?”

[Pause and listen]

Blessing

Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. May you also turn your face toward his and find your life in every word that come from his mouth.

One Response

Amy:
I’m fascinated with the parallels between Jesus and the exodus of the Israelite nation out of Egypt. As the Israelites passed through the waters of the Red Sea and then spent 40 years in the wilderness, so Jesus passed through the waters of baptism and then spent 40 days in the wilderness. As both the Israelites and Jesus passed through the waters, God declared his cosmic display of pleasure in each. In the wilderness, as recorded in Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses also spoke the words, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” However, unlike the Israelites, Jesus fully believed in God’s love for him and thus understood his identity and purpose.

I often struggle with my own identity and purpose. Especially when walking through the deserts of life, I hear similar to those Jesus heard.

The devil says, “If you really were a son of God, you wouldn’t have this problem.

If you really were a son of God, you would have more joy and less sorrow, more satisfaction and less hunger.

If you really were a son of God, your loved one wouldn’t struggle or even die.

If you really are a son of God, why don’t you get yourself out of this hard situation? Why don’t you satisfy yourself?”

But Jesus was hungry and there was no shame in it or loss of identity because of it.

Jesus, hungry, looked not to the world, his flesh, or power to feed himself with temporal food that satisfies only for a little while. Rather, Jesus feasted on the eternal words spoken out of the heart of his Father, “You are my son and you bring me pleasure.” What other words, what other so-called wonders could satisfy like this?

Closing

Amy:
Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. We leave you with our familiar closing, word which feed the hungry heart, When you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails and so do you.