Before we jump into this section of our study, let me make a few comments. First of all, it’s OK not to like memorization. Your culture (if you’re American) has biased you against this form of learning. We live in a unique age where questions can be looked up on handheld devices and accessed in .016 seconds! But… think about how important memorization is – did you memorize:

• Alphabet?
• Numbers and Times tables?
• Phone number?
• Address and Zip Code?
• Email Address?

The answer is obvious… your brain retains these tiny basics of common knowledge that we all use in society to help us function! Imagine NOT having memorized those five things! You wouldn’t be able to READ this sentence! You would even be considered mentally handicapped!

There are Scriptures that NEED to be in your brain, ready for recall at any time. They are basics of spiritual knowledge that you will use in your spiritual life and your life in the world. If you don’t know them (I’m not talking about “concepts” – I’m talking about actual verses), you’ll be considered spiritually handicapped! Memorization of Scripture is not an option for growth, rather, it is an ESSENTIAL for normal spiritual development, and to skip this step is to choose spiritual infancy as your lifelong norm. You’ll be blown and tossed in the pluralistic waves of the world and forever be dependent on others for your spiritual growth. THIS IS NOT GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU!!! Therefore, we’ll spend the next few days looking at what Scripture says about why to memorize God’s Word, and then we’ll spend the rest of the week laying out a simple, practical and “American lifestyle-do-able” method of making it stick. 

Learn from the Master – Christ’s Use of Scripture 

Matthew 4:1-10

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 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 shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

What a scene! Not since Adam had someone with skin walked the earth in perfect fellowship with God. Yet Jesus shows up, God in the flesh, and the Prince of Darkness meets Him at His weakest moment. Forty days without food and Satan’s talking bagels! Thirty years of Galilean obscurity and Satan’s talking immediate fame PROMISED IN Scripture (though wrongly interpreted!). Twenty four thousand people groups and six thousand languages, and millions of followers immediately turned over to Christ just for giving Satan a nod… not a bad deal. 

But what did Jesus do? “It is written… It is written… It is written.” He easily exposes Satan’s words as lies or misapplied half-truths. Satan slithers off and Jesus starts His ministry. 

Name the “3 temptations” that Satan presented to Jesus.

Give the 3 truths behind the verses Jesus used to refute these lies.

Why do you think Jesus used Scriptures that EVERY Jewish boy would have memorized by age 12? After all, Jesus is GOD (John 1:1,14) so couldn’t He have just made up His own words right there on the spot?