Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today and Forever:

Hebrews 13 v 8

By John Bond .

A cynic once remarked that ‘ nothing is permanent except change' . We live in a world of change. Everything from ladies' shoes to government legislation, from automobiles to art, from furniture to finances... From Rachmaninoff to Rap, styles, customs and conditions seem to change overnight. World events seem to tumble over each other with barely enough time to happen. Someone has joked “ Today's headline is tomorrows take away food wrapper”.

In such a breath-taking age of change, people are searching here and there for some point of permanence in their lives.

Some look to money for some sort of permanence, relying upon financial investments, but money only seems to purchase even more change.

Others seek to endure through fame, honours, position and monuments; but how soon are the famous forgotten? Many m onument to the famous end up as only perches for pigeons, and medals often corrode away in some bottom draw. Some rely upon friends, but some turn out to be “Fair Weather” friends, like shadows, following only in sunny weather...and time and life can take even the best of friends away.

In this ever changing world, many people long for stability and fulfilment. Yet many find only frustration and boredom, many today are seeking to escape life's boredom through modern 'fads' and ‘isms'. Someone has said:

"The religion of China is Confucian

The religion of Australia is confusion ."

All around me I see men and women wandering in a wilderness of cults, consumerism and confusion, ever seeking and searching for an elusive ‘something' to give life some lasting satisfaction, meaning and permanence.

I heard of a man who bragged that he had been a Methodist and a Presbyterian and was now thinking of leaving the Baptist Church to become a Charismatic. His Pastor wished him luck. The man seemed puzzled, thinking his pastor would fight for his membership. The Pastor explained that he didn't see any harm in changing labels on an ‘empty bottle'.

Right now dear friend I want to point you to the one who doesn't change…. the one constant in a changing world….. Jesus.

What did our text from the bible say ?

“JESUS CHRIST THE SAME ” …. Yesterday, Today and Forever

What marvellous deep satisfaction we can find in just these four words.

JESUS CHRIST THE SAME.

Your health may well fail. Your circumstances in life may change dramatically. We all know the saying ‘Here today gone tomorrow'. Sadly all too often we find that those around us that we look to for strength and stability, can let us down with a crash.

Since all this is true, what a relief it is to turn from life's changing scenes to see the one constant:

JESUS CHRIST THE SAME.

Listen….. friend, I speak from a life time of experience… Here is only ‘One' who never fails us in the time of need. That person is the unchanging Son of God, Jesus. Today he is still showing his love, deep compassion and sympathy, just as he did as he moved among the people so long ago.

My health may fail –but I have found, “His strength is made perfect in our weakness”.

Adversity may crash into our lives – but to those who put their trust him, Jesus draws closer than a brother and whispers, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Friends and…yes even family may desert us, so that we may end up saying with Paul, "No man stood with me." –

But those that know Jesus can say with Paul in the next verse , "Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me."

The promise of Jesus still holds true when he said: “I will never leave you or forsake you” ………

JESUS CHRIST THE SAME.

All of us are facing death and the grave, yet with the unchanging Jesus there is hope beyond the grave, because the same power that raised Christ from the dead will also raise those who confess him. Death becomes only a veil, only a river to cross; on the other side is heaven, home and Jesus. One moment we say....... " good night" here, and the next... "good morning ", there.

When death does draws near and we walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death…He draws near with his unchanging presence and his mighty assurance,

"I am the resurrection and the life."

“JESUS CHRIST THE SAME Yesterday ”…… , Today and Forever

‘Yesterday' There is an eternity locked up in these words. In fact, eternity stands on either side of the Christ of today. Strictly speaking, there is no past tense with Jesus.

We must never neglect to acknowledge the powerful truth of the ‘eternal pre-existence' of Jesus. While on earth Jesus made this incredible claim "Before Abraham was I AM" (John 8:58)

John opens his wonderful gospel with these incredible words: “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” John 1:1-2 (NIV) .

“JESUS CHRIST THE SAME Yesterday ”…… ,

But what of the Jesus who walked this earth some two thousand years ago?

He was born in another man's stable, buried in another man's tomb.
He lived his whole life in a land less than half the size of Arkansas .
In His public ministry, he never travelled more than a hundred miles from home.
He never wrote a book, he led no armies, after three short years of public ministry he was put to death as a common criminal, and when he rose from the dead and went to heaven. He left His powerful truths in the hands of a few plain and unpromising disciples.

Yet two thousand years later his life still stands alone. What He said and did proves who He is. Peter declared the truth when he said “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." (Matt. 16:16)

The Garden Tomb.

The Jesus Christ of ‘yesterday' did not end in a sealed tomb. Christians in 2005 are not living on a memory. In the midst of their despair and grief over his death, Jesus appeared alive to His disciples as the eternal King; victorious over death, hell, and the grave. Then not many days after he arose he empowered His church to go forward in the power of His name.
The Jesus Christ of ‘yesterday' is the Eternal Son from everlasting to everlasting, always face to face with the Father, sharing with Him in the mighty act of creation.

The Jesus Christ of ‘yesterday' is the ‘Word' made flesh, taking on himself the form of a servant, willingly being made sin for us at Calvary.

The Jesus Christ of ‘yesterday' is the risen and glorified Christ, living out His victorious life through millions of his people down through the ages and today.

He truly is “JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY”

“JESUS CHRIST THE SAME …… TODAY ”

Many Christians find themselves getting upset with God because they think Christ is not working out things to their own private agenda and timetable. Yet the fact is Christ is doing exactly what He purposed to do in this age, and His program is following to the letter the Father's schedule.

The blind are seeing, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.
You say, "Yes Jesus did that then, but He is not doing it now."

Consider the working of Christ in this age.

Eyes blinded by the god of this world are still being opened by the light of the Gospel.
Those crippled by sin are walking in the newness of life thanks to the great physician.
Ears are being opened to the music of heaven.
Those that are dead in trespasses and sins are being quickened to eternal life.
Plus the world over, the Gospel is being preached to the poor.

The Lord Jesus Christ is still the same today as He was yesterday. He is still doing mighty works...and if He is not doing them in your life it may be because -- while you hold the Jesus of yesterday in high regard, you have not experienced the Jesus of today. [See Matt. 13:54-58].

“JESUS CHRIST THE SAME …… FOREVER ”

It would not be enough that He is the same yesterday and today if somewhere down the road in the future he should cease to be.

"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." 1 Corinthians 15:19

But the truth is that the best is yet to come.

Why…..well Jesus has promised to come back for us. We will see Him as He is and we shall be like Him. Then we will rule and reign with Him. Sorrow will be removed, sickness will be vanquished, sin will be conquered and death will be destroyed.

In the middle of all this is. “JESUS CHRIST THE SAME …… FOREVER ”
So, in this changing age, let us rejoice in a changeless Christ. He truly is the same yesterday, and because of who he was ‘yesterday' , the Son of God……..

Dying on the cross for the sins of the world, He meets the problem of all our ‘yesterdays' , and our guilt before a holy God.

He is the same today , and because of Who He is today , our Lord and our Advocate, He meets the problem of our todays , and for all who trust in him He directs their lives and pleads their cases before his Father.

“JESUS CHRIST THE SAME …… FOREVER ” , and because He is, He meets the problem of our tomorrows , He assures us of life eternal and a home with Him.

JESUS CHRIST THE SAME Yesterday, Today and Forever: heb 13.8

John Bond . My Life has been changed by him! What about Yours?