NOT BY BREAD ALONE

     "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth our of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
     Following the baptism of Jesus, we read that he was led of the
Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. In Hebrews
4:15, we read, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin."  Jesus was tempted that He
might understand the temptations we have, that He might make
intercession for us at the throne of God.
     Jesus was hungry following a forty day's fast, but He refused to
yield to Satan's suggestion to satisfy His hunger by turning stones
into bread. In resisting temptation, He quoted from the words of
Moses as found in Deuteronomy 8:3, that "man doth not live by bread
alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
These words quoted by Jesus need to be studied again and again in our
own day and time. We are living in a day when far too many have
allowed the material world around them to crowd out the spiritual.
Too many of our day have forgotten that time is not as important as
eternity and that our soul is worth more than all of this world.
     The Bible does not ignore man's needs in the physical realm.
While God's Word does indeed say, "Man shall not live by bread
alone," it also recognizes the fact that man must have bread to live.
Our physical bodies require food, and God recognizes this need. In
the prayer which Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He included the
request, "Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus did not send the
multitudes away hungry, but provided food for them upon one occasion
by multiplying a few loaves and fishes of a boy's lunch to feed the
5000. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He remembered the physical
needs of His own mother and made provision for her comfort and
welfare by entrusting her to the care of John.
     God recognized the need man has for bread, and thus He teaches
us in His word that we should work in order that we have the
necessities of life. Notice 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12, "And that ye
study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your
own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them
that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." God's Word
teaches us that we should provide for the needs of our own in these
words, "But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those
of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an
infidel" (1 Timothy 5:8). And yet, how many today are holding out
their hands, waiting for someone else to fill them, without ever
making an effort to provide for themselves. They want to take, but
never give; receive but offer nothing; tear down, but never build.
     In the long ago, Esau made the tragic blunder of trying to live
by bread alone. If you remember, we mentioned this event briefly last
Sunday in our lesson. Esau came in for the field, tired and hungry
and all he could think of for the moment was food. He then forfeited
his birthright for a mess of pottage. In Genesis 25:34, we read, "And
he did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way." These words all
too clearly sum up the lives of so many around us today. The masses
are "eating and drinking, rising up, and going their way." It does
not take a great amount of character to act like Esau. Any animal can
live like that. A dog can eat and drink, rise up and go its way. Even
a pig can do that. I trust that I am not talking to people like that
in this listening audience. Those, who like Esau, are consuming their
time and their lives with the material things about them, all the
while crowding out the spiritual needs. Could it be possible that
you, my friend, in your busy life, have forgotten God? If so, may we
remind you that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth from the mouth of God."
     Jesus told about a man who was highly successful if we measure
him by the standards of the world. We read of this narrative in Luke
12:16-20, "The ground of a certain man brought forth plentifully: and
the thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have
no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I
will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow
all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou
hast much good laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink,
and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul
shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which
thou hast provided."
     No doubt the world would congratulate this man as being a good
business man and a hard worker, the Lord did not hesitate to call him
a fool. Now, Jesus did not call the man a fool just because he was
rich. Christ never taught it was wrong to possess money or property.
He did not place a premium on these things, but He never condemned
them. Jesus did not call him a fool because of the manner in which he
gained his possessions. But Christ called him a fool, because he
thought he could live on bread alone; that the crops stored up in his
barns could satisfy the need of his soul. And such cannot be done.
     This man's life, like so many, ended in sudden and unexpected
death. This rich farmer thought he had a lease of life. He thought he
could live for many years on the corn in his barn; that he could just
eat, drink, and be merry. And yet, that was in fact his last day. The
God whom he had ignored called him to give an account, "This night
shall thy soul be required of thee." When man least expects it, he
answers the call of death and these things are left behind. How many
times, as a gospel preacher, have I been called into a home to offer
consolation to a bereaved family who has lost a love one who was not
prepared to meet their Creator. Again and again, we see lives taken
from those who are so busy trying to get ahead, accumulating a little
more and a little more, and all the while forgetting God, their
souls, and eternity. Even if the rich farmer had lived for many more
years, he still would have been a fool to think his soul could be
satisfied by the crops in his barns. Jesus says, "So is he that
layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
     An interesting account of the lives of some highly successful
wealthy men who met together in a prominent hotel in Chicago in the
year 1923 was reported. Present for the meeting were: The president
of the largest independent steel company; the president of the
largest utility company; the greatest wheat speculator; the president
of the New York stock exchange; a member of the president's cabinet;
the greatest "bear" in Wall Street; the president of the Bank of
International Settlements; the head of the world's greatest monopoly.
Collectively, these men controlled more wealth than there was in the
United States Treasury at that time. For years, newspapers and
magazines had been printing their success stories.
     Twenty-five years later, in 1948, look at what had happened to
these men: The president of the largest independent steel company
lived on borrowed money the last five years of his life and died
broke. The president of the largest utility company died broke and in
semi-disgrace. The greatest wheat speculator died abroad and was
insolvent. The man who had served as president of the Stock Exchange
had paid his debt to society by serving time for a while in Sing Sing
Prison. The member of the President's cabinet was pardoned from
prison so he could die at home. The greatest "bear" in Wall Street
committed suicide. The president of the Bank of International
Settlements committed suicide. The head of the world's greatest
monopoly committed suicide. I could have given you the names of each
of these, but it would serve no purpose just here.
     These men learned how to make money, but they failed to learn
how to live. From the mistakes they made, let us learn that man does
not live by bread alone. Jesus asked, "for what is a man profited, if
he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). We must live by
"every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God." God's Word
contains the food that the soul requires. God's word is not just a
passing fancy; it is a necessity to our spiritual well being. We must
feed from the Word of God, or we shall die spiritually.
     The apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said,
"All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17). The Scriptures
are entirely adequate to supply the needs of the soul of man and
woman. They do not just partially furnish us, but they completely
furnish us in all that need. Our need today is not some new religion
or some new revelation; we have all that we need in the book we call
the Bible.
     The Bible is not just another book among books; it is THE BOOK.
It is the only book which tells us of our origin, that we came from
God. It tells us of our duty, how we are to serve God. It tells us of
our destiny, to dwell with God throughout eternity. That is, if we
have allowed it to permeate our thinking and our lives and serve as
our pattern in work and worship.
     In the church of Christ, at lease the congregation of God's
people who bring you this radio program from Sunday to Sunday, you
will find a group of people who are earnestly striving to exalt the
Bible in our worship and in our teaching. It is our aim not only to
live by some of the word of God, but by every word which proceedeth
out of the mouth of God. While keenly conscious of our weaknesses and
failures as individuals, we believe that the Bible as our guide is a
perfect standard.
     If you would like to be associated with a group of Bible
believing, Bible loving people, we would be happy for you to
investigate our plea and to study with us the Word of our Lord. In
that word you will find that one must believe in Christ as the Son of
God. "Without faith it is impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6).
You will also find that one must ~repent or perish" (Luke 13:5). You
will find that one must confess faith in Christ. (Matthew 10:32). And
you will also read, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized
and wash away thy sins, calling of the name of the Lord" (Acts
22:16). With faith that leads you to obey these commands of our Lord,
you will become a Christian, nothing more, nor nothing less. As a
Christian you will "Desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). Then to live a life guided by the
principles of God's Word that will be a happy and useful life. When
you then come to the end of that life, you will be prepared to meet
your Master in judgment and hear Him say, "Well done thou good and
faithful servant, enter into the joys of heaven."

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