Obstacles and Opportunities: Matthew 4:1-11 and Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

1. Geese - honking like so many angry drivers on 485 - except the geese are encouraging one another

2. Let everything with breath praise the Lord

3. We are guilty of not praisingHim enough.

4. Let us look for opportuinties and not at obstacles to live faith

I. The desert was an obstacle v. 4

a. Notice “Jesus was LED by the SPIRIT”

1. Does this mean that God puts obstacles in our path

2. He was to be tempted - meaning to test

3. But who was being put to the test? Jesus or the Devil?

4. the experience in the dessert was a time to prove that Jesus was stronger

b. Obstacles whether of God or people have value

1. The king and the boulder - merchants and citizens walked around it - one peasant, moved it and

discovered a sack of gold underneath

2. You might say there is a reward behind most obstacles

3. how you deal with an obstacle says alot about you and your relationship with God - you can pray He

will move it, OR you can try to move it; OR say “this isn’t meant ot be”

4. The purpose of the obstacle is to test your strenght - to move faith to the next level

II. God’s Mission Statement for His People - Deuteronomy, Chapter 6:4-5. "Hear Oh Israel, The Lord our God,

the Lord is one.”

1. What sets God’s people apart is we Believe in Him and only Him

2. This means we are not to become God - to be self-sufficient in all things

3. Let’s close our eyes a moment - think now if it was totally black in here and there were posionus snakes

crawling on the floor, how would you get out? bumping into one another, falling over each other trying to

get to a window or door - EACH TO HIS/HER OWN WAY

4. This is what life is like without God - in darkness and each going his/her own way - Jesus came that we

might have light and be of THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT - in Heaven there is no sun only the glory of God

to light the lives of the people

5. Jesus in the dessert is proclaiming God is sufficient for all things

I. Hunger is an obstacle - v. 3

1. we hunger for Bread - rest - success - wealth - power - not to be lonley or deal with loss

2. “Man shall live by every Word that comes from God”

3. The question isn’t “God what are you going to do about my hunger?” but “God can I trust you with my

hunger?”

4. If Jesus turned the stones to bread, what would He need God for? Likewise, if you could meet the hungry

needs of your life why would you need God. Why Trust Him to provide?

5. God’s Word says, “I am the bread of life” meaning I can solve your hunger needs

II. Control is an obstacle - v. 5

1. What I mean by control is that if Jesus did what the Devil said, He would be forcing God to Act

2. The Devil is saying, “Okay get God to prove He loves you”

3. News item - Parents refuse treatment for child - “This is a test of our faith” - they are trying to get God to

do what THEY WANT. - PEOPLE WHO DO THIS turn away from God when He doesn’t respond the

way THEY WANT

1. Admiral Stockdale - 7 years a prisoner - tortured -left in sun 3 days - snapping towel - code G.B.U.

2. Not matter the obstacle, God is stronger