It's easy to imagine that Jesus never struggled with temptation the way we struggle with temptation. He was and is, after all, God! But the Bible tells us that He was tempted in every way we are tempted – but He never succumbed to it. I know this might sound crazy – but we don’t have to succumb to it either. God promises that there will always be a way out when we’re tempted to rebel against what He says is best for our lives.

Baptism, on the surface, seems kind of like a strange act. But it’s actually a really incredible picture. When we go down into the waters of baptism, we’re symbolically burying our old life and coming up as a new creation. But it’s more than that. It’s a picture of what Jesus did for us. He literally died and was buried for us and then rose again to give us new life. This weekend we’re talking about the time Jesus was baptized and the amazing sacrifice He made to rescue us.

When Jesus was twelve years old, his parents accidently left Him in Jerusalem. Can you believe that? After three days of searching, they found Him sitting in the Temple, talking with the religious leaders. The Bible says, “Everyone who heard him was amazed at how much he understood. They also were amazed at his answers.” I don’t know about you, but I wish I could have overheard the conversations Jesus had in the Temple. But that’s not the point. The Bible also says that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” And He grew because He spent time with His Father.