It Still Stands – STUDY GUIDE

Download PDF

Icebreaker: What voices or sources are most influential in shaping how you distinguish truth?

Sermon Title: Living in the Red Letters – “It Still Stands”– Matthew 4:4

Group Discussion:

Read Matthew 4:4-10 & Proverbs 29:18 – “It is written” – Without guidance or a clear purpose, we may become lost or unrestrained. What do these verses reveal about the role of the Lord’s word in providing clarity, purpose, and strength for our lives? Discuss how neglecting His word will leave us vulnerable and misguided: share examples from personal experiences or observations.

Read Matthew 19:4-5, Mark 12:10-11, & Matthew 22:29 – “Haven’t you read” – We are called to apply the word of truth accurately; we must avoid misapplication and misuse. What can we learn from these verses about the dangers of misusing or misapplying the Lord’s word? Discuss how we can become more faithful and accurate in applying His word in a culture that rejects absolute truth.

Read Luke 4:21, Matthew 5:17, & John 5:39-40 – “Today this Scripture is fulfilled” & “come to me to have life” – All of God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus, but in what areas of our lives might we struggle to trust that His word is absolute truth and even more so, sufficient for our lives? Discuss strategies for how we can learn to trust Jesus more fully and come to Him to have life.

Read John 6:35 & 7:37-39, Psalm 119:160 – “I am the bread of life” – How do these images of bread, water, and truth together reveal what it means for Jesus to be our ultimate source of life? Discuss dangers we face when we try to feed our souls with substitutes instead of Jesus.

Spiritual Discipline: Review additional resources for this sermon series on our Church Center app: Church Center / Home / Sermon Resources

Action Steps: (1) Stay grounded in the Word daily by reading, studying, and memorizing scripture so that when temptations, doubts, or confusion arise, you can respond with “It is written,” (2) Handle the Word accurately learning scripture in context to apply it in life avoiding misinterpretation or misuse, and (3) Trust Jesus as your life-source by relying on Him as your bread, water, and truth by always turning first to Him in prayer and obedience instead of chasing substitutes to fill the void; ask Jesus to grow your trust where you tend to doubt or seek fulfillment elsewhere.