Baptism and Temptation

“Repent and be baptized for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” yelled John the Baptist as he preached to the people on the banks of the Jordan River. John knew that the day of The Lord was coming soon and he sought to prepare the hearts of the people for His arrival. As John was going about this mission, Jesus made His way through the crowd to be baptized by John. And though he did not fully understand why Jesus would make this request, he obeyed. As Jesus was coming up from the water, the skies opened and the people heard the audible voice of God for the first time in over four hundred years! This marked the beginning of Jesus’ ministry…and His temptation.

In our last episode, we heard how Jesus, at just twelve years of age, was already full of wisdom and insight. His desire was to be near the Father, and when his parents went to Jerusalem for Passover, Jesus spent days in the temple, sitting with teachers but also answering questions with a depth of understanding that astonished those around him. From an early age, he knew his purpose, even when others did not grasp it. Today we’ll see John the Baptist preaching repentance and baptizing people, preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry to begin. God was using him to soften His people's hearts, turn them back to Him, and get them ready to meet the Messiah. Then we’ll hear how Jesus came onto the scene, God’s very presence among the people, the lamb that would take away their sins.