Whatever difficulties we may experience, it always seems to be easier to bear when we have a friend who has gone through the same trouble before us. Knowing that a friend has survived gives us hope that we can survive as well. In Pastor Mark’s teaching, he reminds us that because Jesus lived as a human man he experienced the same temptations all men do. Having Jesus stand in as our sinless proxy allowed the requirement God demanded of mankind – perfection – to be satisfied. His death on the cross, paying the penalty for sin, freed all of us to enter God’s family.