It is written

Saturated in Scripture

Queensland Baptists | YouVersion

Matthew 4:1-10

In this Scripture, we find Jesus at both his weakest and strongest.

He is physically weak after fasting for forty days, but He is spiritually powerful as He faces all that Satan can throw at Him.

Satan tempts Jesus with ways to avoid His costly ministry and death –

using miracles for His own benefit (4:3),

showing off His power (4:6),

and taking a shortcut to building His kingdom (4:9).

Jesus parries each temptation with a quote from the Bible.

He doesn’t try to defend Himself against Satan with His own thoughts or abilities.

And He intentionally goes back to God’s truth and quotes it to Satan.

This tells us two things about Jesus.

First, Jesus was very familiar with Scripture.

Like many Jewish men of His time, Jesus would have learned great slabs of Scripture off by heart, but I suspect Jesus went further than others.

If at 12 years of age, He amazed the teachers in Jerusalem with his knowledge (Luke 2:47),

imagine what He would have known and understood by the age of 30 as He commenced His public ministry.

Jesus obviously was saturated with Scripture. His mind was full of God’s truth.

Second, Jesus relied on Scripture.

This came out clearly when He was under temptation.

As Satan tried to manipulate and break Him (even quoting Scripture back to Him),

Jesus just focused on God’s revealed truth.

He trusted and relied on God’s Word.

The wilderness temptation was not just a battle of wills for Jesus. He had a whole body of truth that He believed in and held on to.

Jesus is the gold standard for us.

If knowledge of and reliance on Scripture was so important and beneficial for the Son of God, it certainly is vital for us.

Everyday disciples of Jesus must be saturated in Scripture.

It is written

Matthew 4:1-10 KJV

[1] Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

[2] And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

[3] And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

[4] But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

[5] Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

[6] and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:

for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

[7] Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

[8] Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

[9] and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

[10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.4.1-10.KJV

It is written

Let Us Pray

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.”

My path is often shadowy and difficult, and I desperately need a good torch, especially when Satan uses the darkness to attack.

As I study Scripture, may Your Word shine powerfully, guiding me to truth, growing my wisdom, and protecting me from temptation.

Please help me to know and love Your Word like Jesus, so that it saturates my life.

Focus:

“Jesus answered Satan, ‘It is written…’”

1. Meditate for a short time on ‘It is written…’”. Let it seep into your heart.
2. Look and see what is happening around you from God’s perspective and listen to see whether God is whispering anything to you.
3. Pray for any not-yet Christians God has placed on your heart.

Remember: Repeat the word ‘It is written…’”.

Reflect: Reflect on the day and thank God for what He has said and done.

Repent: Check where you have neglected or disobeyed God during the day and ask for forgiveness and freedom.

Release: Name any concerns or fears on your mind and release them to Jesus. 

God’s Word Cuts Deep

Hebrews 4:12-13

The Bible is a very old group of 66 books that were written over a period of 1500 years.

The whole Bible was finalized in its present form by AD 400.

I don’t imagine that you are reading many other books that are more than 1600 years old.

But, despite its age, the Bible is in no way out of date.

As God’s revelation to us, the Bible is incredibly helpful.

We learn about the nature of God. And We learn about God’s dealings with people. Also, We learn about the grace of God revealed in the gospel.

God has so much to teach us through His Scripture.

But when the Holy Spirit breathes through the revelation of the Bible, it moves beyond truths for us to understand, learn and practice.

It becomes “alive and active” (4:12). And It turns into a razor-sharp sword, slicing deep into our hearts and minds.

Also, It exposes hidden truths about our motivations and secret passions.

And It cuts us open to expose both the good and the bad.

This might seem dangerous and frightening to you.

We like to protect ourselves by not allowing people to know too much about our inner workings.

But God already knows everything about you (4:13), and He deeply loves you and wants the very best for you.

He has a vision of who you can become, and He knows that this will require cutting and uncovering to bring healing.

So, God uses His Scripture to do this deep work in our hearts and minds.

Therefore, as you read the Bible, pray for the Holy Spirit, like a surgeon, to do His work and expect some cutting and exposing, and then deep restoration.

Don’t try to hide from God but open up your heart and life to the Spirit’s work through His Word.

Pray for God to speak to you through His Word and Spirit.

Everyday disciples of Jesus are transformed by God’s Word.

It is written

Hebrews 4:12-13 KJV

[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

[13] Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

https://bible.com/bible/1/heb.4.12-13.KJV

It is written

Let Us Pray

Your Word is like a razor-sharp sword as it is enlivened by the Spirit.

I have already experienced this.

Sometimes I find Scripture uncomfortable as it penetrates my deepest parts, but this is what I need as Your disciple.

Please speak to me.

Break down my defences.

Uncover my sin.

Speak truth to my heart.

Don’t hold back Lord.

I can handle the truth.

Set me free.

Also Read: Me and My Big Mouth! – Diademng (thediademng.org)

“The word of God is alive and active.”

It is written

Culled from Everyday Disciple 2 – Immersed in Scripture’ By Queensland Baptists.

Queensland Baptists is a Movement of over 200 Baptist churches in Queensland, Australia, that has a vision to mission effectively and disciple intentionally.

Their resources are particularly focused on growing a new generation of passionate disciples and servant leaders.

We thank Queensland Baptists for Providing this message.