Primary Scripture: Matthew 4:4 (or Deuteronomy 8:3)
BIG IDEA: Reading the Bible has the power to change a person’s life. Message Focus: Jesus placed reading and understanding the Bible on the same level as eating food to live and thrive. Reading the Bible is critical and, yet, too many people spend very little time reading the Bible. This message is a great moment to teach people how to read the Bible plainly – perhaps walking them through a passage to simply observe what is present in the verses before interpreting and applying.
Prompting Questions: What do you think are the top two barriers to people reading the Bible? How would you help a friend overcome those obstacles? What happens when a person reads the Bible? Consider identifying unhelpful approaches to reading the Bible.
Cross References: Hebrews 11:6, Mark 9:21-24, John 5:39-40, John 16:13, 2 Peter 2:19-21, Galatians 1:11