The bread that truly satisfies

Given by: 
Revd Stephen Webster
Date given: 
Sunday 10th February 2008 (8am BCP)
Book: 
Matthew
Chapter: 
4
Parish: 
Oundle St Peter's
Stephen Webster
What is it that truly satisfies? What brings true deep down satisfaction in life?
 
Whilst surfing the net this week I think I found the definitive answer. I’ve printed it off because I’m sure you’ll all want the details afterwards.
 
Hunza Diet Bread: it reads The bread that truly satisfies hunger. Is there a painless way to lose weight? Yes! HUNZA DIET BREAD this 2000 Year Old Bread Recipe not only helps you lose weight but gives so much more besides. The healthiest people on earth the Hunzas live to be 120; have no cancer, heart attacks or major disorders, have perfect teeth, eyesight, full heads of hair and intelligence are straight, tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, slim-waisted, and father children at 100 years of age and older. Fatigue is unknown. Do you long for a slice of Hunza life? Then try HUNZA DIET BREAD: just one slice will satisfy for 7 hours. Yes! HUNZA DIET BREAD: The bread that is out of this world. Pay just $6 to receive your HUNZA DIET BREAD recipe immediately.
 
Do you seek satisfaction in life this morning? Hunza Diet Bread may be what you are looking for.
 
What is it that truly satisfies? What brings true deep down satisfaction in life?Do you ever find yourself wondering that? Thinking ‘if only...’ . ‘If I just had this sorted... or ‘if I just didn’t have to worry about that... then I’d be satisfied.’
 
‘What would it be like if’ I sometimes find myself idly wondering, ‘to win the lottery.’ Never having bought a ticket my chances quite low. But I do sometimes find myself thinking, ‘what would it be like never to have to worry about money again?’ Wouldn’t life be stress-free? Relaxing, reading books go on holiday when ever I liked. Wouldn’t that be satisfying? And the answer is of course probably not at all.
 
In fact compared to 95% of the world’s population I already do live a fantastically luxurious lifestyle. In a beautiful house with running water that gushes from taps and showers. with gas and electricity on demand and piped in entertainment and a private car outside. A choice of fully laden supermarkets means that I don’t have to toil for hours to scrape together a daily meal. Yes to most people in the worldyou and me: we’ve already won the lottery. There are people in the world waking up today thinking ‘What would it be like to live in a rich country. Never again to have to worry about food and water.’ You and me we’ve already won the lottery.
 
But all this wealth and comfort doesn’t seem to have bought our society much satisfaction. In an ICM poll last year a 54% of Britons said that they were so dissatisfied with life herethat they wanted to move abroad.
 
What is it that truly satisfies? What brings true deep down satisfaction in life? In our reading today Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. This comes straight after He has been baptised and heard His Father say, ‘This is my Son whom I love and with whom I am well pleased.’ And then He’s led into the wilderness where He fasts for 40 days. No food. No company. Isolation and hunger for 40 days. All the clutter of life. All comforts. All distractions stripped away. 40 days at the very start of His ministry to pray and to think ‘What is He on earth for? What has He come to do? Whom will He serve?’
 
Alone. Hungry. Weak. ‘The tempter came to Him’ writes Matthew, ‘and said,‘If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.’ But Jesus quoting the book of Deuteronomy, says, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ - ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ - Then the devil takes Him to the top of the temple and suggests that He perform a spectacular miracle. - by jumping off and expecting God’s angels to save Him. Then the Devil shows Him all the Kingdoms of the world and whispers ‘all this could be yours.’
 
What is Jesus on earth for? What has He come to do? Whom will He serve? What will He pursue? Glory and Power? ‘Do spectacular miracles,’ whispers the Devil. ‘Become a mighty emperor, rule the world.’ whispers the devil. Turn these stones to bread.’ Whispers the devil ‘Serve yourself. Satisfy yourself.’ No says Jesus, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’
 
What is it that truly satisfies? Do we live to satisy ourselves? Do we look for satisfaction in the wrong places? Material comfort . Fine food. Holidays. Wealth. Ambition. Power. Glory. ‘If only I could just... ‘ ‘Then I’d be satisfied...’
 
‘No’ says Jesus. Only one thing truly satisfies: A relationship with God.You want to taste bread that satisfies? Then chase after, ‘every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ In the wilderness Jesus has nothing. No food. No company. No comfort. But one thing He holds onto. ‘This is my Son’ He heard His Father say the day He was sent into the wilderness, ‘This is my Son whom I love and with whom I am well pleased.’
 
‘Only one thing truly satisfies’ says Jesus ‘a relationship with God.’ I will not turn these stones into bread. I will not seek physical and material satisfaction; satisfaction of the senses because ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,’ but one thing I will seek ‘every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’
 
This Lent by all means give something up - especially if it helps you to clear your life of clutter and concentrate on the really important questions. But above all – do something for Lent. Make time to cherish your relationship with God. Make time for prayer and reading the bible. Make time to listen the words which God wishes to speak to you. Chase after ‘every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ Chase after a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In John’s Gospel Jesus says this, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry…Whoever eats of this bread will live forever… For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.’
 
Now there’s a 2000 year old recipe for a bread that really satisfies. For a bread that’s truly out of this world.