A Feast of Words

 

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:4

 

A good friend of mine was married a few years ago and moved south, making many changes, including having to leave a church she loved and people she cherished.

She could never understand why her fiancée really didn’t enjoy her church here. She liked his and thought he should enjoy hers – if for no other reason than to please her. In his mind the two were not comparable. She chalked it up to a cultural difference and let it go.

After she had moved and attended “his” church for about three years, she came to visit.  When she arrived at my home, her hands were full. She brought me CDs of the Pastor’s preaching from her new church. It was biblically sound, exegetical (verse by verse) preaching.

Her thinking had changed. She could now see why her husband had objected to her church. Using her forefinger and thumb about 1/8 of an inch apart she said, “This is how much Bible was in my church here,” and then with her arms spread wide she said, “This is how much Bible is in our church now.” That’s very little Bible compared to a whole lot of Bible. The difference is showing in her life.

Even in phone conversations I was able to hear the spiritual growth in her. She was seeing things from God’s perspective. The adjustment to leaving her friends and being married after years of a single life, the transition into a new family while hers stayed “up North”, and going from full time work to “just a wife” for a while were traumatic. But, she could look back and see how God had used these things to grow her faith and her trust in Him!

It wasn’t until this friend had the comparison of longer term teaching of the Word of God that she realized what she had been missing.

I do wonder about the Pastor of “her” church. James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” These men and women will have to give an account to God one day for what they have taught (or not taught). They have the call to feed the sheep and shepherd the flock of Jesus Christ.

There are also considerations to be made for those who sit under this kind of teaching. The Bible teaches us that learning sound Biblical doctrine is to our advantage (1 Timothy 6:3-4, Titus 1:9).

When we obey God’s Word we reap His blessings. When we don’t know it, we miss the blessing. Studying the Word of God is important.

In your church, and in mine, are we feasting on the Word of God, or being starved of it? The Word matters.