Mission

Matthew 4:1-10

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to
him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:2-4)

I imagine Jesus saying the following:

"Man does not live on bread alone" (Matthew 4:4). Man needs more than bread, and I'm going to provide him that bread. Satan, you ask me to perform a miracle to prove my identity, but I know who I am. "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry" (John 6:35). I will provide bread Satan; I'll do a similar miracle but not on your terms (I'll only make food to feed those who are truly hungry). I do not need to create loaves from stones to show who I am. I know who I am. I am the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). I am the good shepherd who "lays down his life for the sheep"(John 10:11).

You ask me to make stones into bread; you ask me sell my birthright like Esau of old for morsels. I cannot do this. I must say no so I can say yes to a harder challenge. You see making bread out of rocks is easy, but making my body into bread that will be difficult. This is something you cannot fundamentally understand: "I lay [my life] down of my own accord" (John 10:18).

You tempt me with flour and water, but I have a greater hunger that only my Father can satisfy. "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:34). What is my Father's work? My Father is love (1 John 4:16). And I must show his love. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). My friends are hungry.

I'm going for a cross, and I cannot be distracted by bread.

"Man cannot live on bread alone" so I must feed them; I must be able to tell them: "Take eat; this is my body" (Matthew 26:26). I know my mission; I must say no.