Summary: The sermon shares what helped Jesus get through the desert encounter, the same things can help us as well.

Getting Through the dessert Mark 1:9-15

1. What gets us through the Dry Places in life? Jesus Called on the Scriptures

• In Matthew 4:4"It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'A"7 "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'10C" For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'D"

• Scriptures can be the spiritual food that Strengthens Us like it did for Elijah. "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

2. Was it really the Scriptures that Delivered Jesus or were there other Factors? Maybe Jesus

Recalled His Baptism and that was a factor that helped him through the temptation:

• Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As Jesus was coming up out of the water,

• Maybe another factor was He Remembered the Love of God 11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

3. Another factor that may have helped Jesus in the desert was being in the Presence of God for 40

days . The story of John Burns Grover Burns son stayed 40 day in an old house

• Is it possible along with Scripture being in the presence of God became a Factor as well. The Scriptures say," 13and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan.,"

• Recall Jacob was in the presence of God all night and would not let go. I recall times in the presence in revivals, The day Krystal blessed us

• 18Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.

4. Perhaps in the desert there are the unexpected factors to help one to survive. In verse 12 “He was

with the wild animals, and angels attended him.” Why would Mark mention wild animals? While some

scholars have suggested that Mark intends to show Jesus living peaceably with wild animals, most

see the wild beasts as allied with Satan (Guelich, 38; Lane, 61).

• There may be an allusion here to Psalm 91:11-13, which says:

• “For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, so that you won’t dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and cobra. You will trample the young lion and the serpent

underfoot.”

• Raven fed Elijah that was unexpected,

• God used Josephs Brothers to sale him into slavery in order to put Joseph in power what you meant to bring harm God used to do good. The sacrifice of Isaac Abraham God will provide a lamb.

5. A another Factor to help us in the dry places is just simply Perseverance.

• The text says, “14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, We simply have to keep going no matter what. Jesus once said “Born of women none greater than John Jesus knew he not only had to go through temptation but he had to go through great loss

6. In conclusion, What helps us get through the dry places call on the Scriptures,

• Remember our Baptism,

• Remember the times of His Presences,

• Remember there will be the unexpected factors,

• Remember in the dry places is a greater Purpose

• What gets us through is knowing there is a greater purpose Maybe God was saying you are ready for anything now Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" This reading of the text dosent sound like a man who has been overcomed by the dry places but a man who has over come the dry places. Jesus appears in this speech to say, This dry place 40 day s in the desert has given me great strength. To carry on.