NOURISHING OUR OTHER LIFE 6-8-08AM by Pastor Thomas
Mt 4:4 “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.” (Explain setting)
Intro: Let what Jesus said sink into your ears today. People live physically by bread, meaning nourishing food, but we do not live by only that. That is what all of us seek at least three times a day. That is why we stand in line at the buffet. It is why our pantries are stocked with cans and jars of food. We spend much money weekly to support this need for food which will supply our bodies with what it needs to convert into energy.
If Jesus tells us that our daily living is not because of the nourishment of bread alone, then what other thing do we need?
We have another life to feed. I will not be speaking about our physical life in this flesh. What then is our other life which we should be nourishing? It is our spiritual life which we satisfied when we were born again. It developed in the stage of infancy, but needs to grow up. They only way to do so, is to feed the spiritual life with the food which strengthens it. What is that? It is: “Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Every living person requires this food but the unsaved people deprive themselves of it. They see no need for it because they are totally satisfied with feeding the lusts of their flesh which in turn blinds them to their real need of feeding their other life which is spiritual, not physical.
People spend much time and money to be sure that their diet is giving them all the vitamins and minerals needed to support the physical life. They take supplements also to ensure that they receive proper amounts. They plan their meals, and get them regularly. And nothing stands in the way of a parent to insure their children get a right balance of nourishing foods.
They read books and magazines about this. They watch TV programs which deal with nutrition. Public schools objectives are to provide nourishing lunches. This whole subject is dealt with everywhere.
But do you know what? Not much is understood about the proper and regular feeding of our spiritual needs. Most people will not admit they even have a spiritual need. They are not told about it in public schools; nor by their doctors, nor by their general reading materials. Most will not begin to address this subject until they hear about it from a church, preacher, or religious materials. They are not aware of this great need until it is called to their attention. Once this is done they soon come to realize that this is the MISSING INGREDIENT in their messed up lives. This missing ingredient which supplies balance is why their lives are lopsided and topsy-turvy.
Jesus said that people can not live by bread alone. He didn’t mean that bread could not sustain the physical life. He meant that bread was not the sole ingredient to a proper and balanced life of the physical. It must be complimented with the spiritual. It is the spiritual supplement they are lacking which when supplied gives to life its fullest happiness.
I. WE NEED SPIRITUAL BREAD TO GROW BY. IT MUST BE SOUGHT AND CONSUMED. This is neglected by the multitudes. They won’t seek it, and if found they are not much willing to consume it. People learn about this at church but go away refusing to taste of the words of our Lord and they fail to find that it is good for food. God’s words received make us a better person and give us strength for our journey.
If spiritual food is to do anyone any good here’s what must happen: Lu 9:44 “Let these sayings sink down into your ears:....” Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, but do you recall what was next said in the context? Lu 9:45 “But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.”
Self examination.
1. How often do we SEEK the spiritual food? Are we like Brill Cream Christians, their slogan was: “just a little dab will do ya.” Does a little S.S and church go a long way for you. Does once a month do you satisfactorily? Twice a year? How much feeding of spiritual food will it take to create a balanced life? If we need 3 square meals per day to stay healthy as we have been told all of our lives, then how many spiritual feasts do we need per day, per week in order to stay healthy? Is there such a thing as staying too long at a spiritual buffet line? Or such a thing as making a pig out of ourselves? Or being stuffed and therefore miserable? Can we over indulge in feeding the spiritual? Is it possible for us to get too much of a good thing? Is there a spiritual gluttony? Not really. I don’t think we need to worry about that happening, do you?
In 1956 one man who had never attended such an event, having gotten very tired sitting, commented after attending an all day preaching and dinner on the ground at my 2nd church in Stamping Ground, “Earl, I’ve heard enough preaching to last me a lifetime.”
2. How often do we CONSUME the spiritual bread of God that builds our souls? If we do not do this often enough, are we spiritually anemic? That is a person who doesn’t grow in grace, or who doesn’t understand the reasons why a regular church life is so important, or it is the persons who can miss church for many sessions and it doesn’t bother them or convict them of unfaithfulness, or one who never reads his bible at home or prays, or who has no burden for lost souls in the family to get saved?
Many people are spiritually anemic. I think there are more who are than who are not. And it is because they are denying themselves the source for growth, which is: “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
There was a time in Israel that God sent a famine for hearing the words of God. In Am 8:11 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:” What we see today among Christians is a self imposed famine, the food is there, but they refuse to make the best use of it. They will not come and get it. In the old western movies out on the range when the chow was ready, the cook would ring the dinner bell then yell, “come and get it.”
And how well do we consume it and assimilate what we hear into everyday practice? Does this spiritual food change our lives for the better? Do we see growth? Are others aware of this spiritual growth? Do those at home see it? Does how we respond to church functions show spiritual growth/maturity?

II. JESUS GAVE US FOOD OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.
First let me establish that Jesus is the BREAD GOD SENT FROM HEAVEN which having eaten by faith we have everlasting life. Joh 6:32 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.” 6:33 “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” Joh 6:34 “Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Joh 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Joh 6:41 “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.” Joh 6:48 “I am that bread of life.” Joh 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Joh 6:58 “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”Joh 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.”
Are the words of Jesus spoken in the New Testament the same as, or let me say equal to God’s words spoken and relayed by the prophets in all of the books of the Bible? Yes, and why? Jesus said so. And I believe him!
Joh 12:44 “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
The doctrine which Jesus gave us in the New Testament is God’s doctrine, don’t dismiss it as only something Jesus said about which you may or may not agree. Joh 7:16 “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself. 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.”
And so we have just confirmed that whatever Jesus said, is what God the Father has determined should be declared. Jesus was God’s mouth piece on earth. He came to make it clear that He had all authority on heaven and earth and whatever He said was final and we would face it in the judgment. We had better heed what Jesus said if we know what is good for us.
If we have partaken of this living bread, we have a duty to continue partaking of his holy teachings. This means coming to church faithfully and then living up to the standards which the Bible sets forth for Christians and for the church of Jesus Christ.
It is not our prerogative to decide if we ought to attend church, or tithe, or become proficient in the Bible truth. It is required of us all to become the best we can be with God’s help. If any professed believer is UNWILLING to HEAR AND HEED the words which proceed out of the mouth of God, he must be forewarned that he stands on precarious grounds. Joh 8:47 “He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God.”
Where do each of us stand today? After our self examination am I SEEKING AND CONSUMING the EVERY word which proceed out of the mouth of God? If not, fix it!