Recap
Title: Jesus Christ, The Same Yesterday, Today And Forever
Key Text: Hebrews 13:8
In these uncertain times, a lot of people are looking for something they can rely on. They're looking for security and certainty.
The good news is there is someone that millions of people around the world and through all generations have found to be constant, reliable and unchanging. That person is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the same yesterday (John 1:1-2, 14, Acts 10:38, John 8:10-11, John 3:16-17, Matthew 20:28)
Jesus is the same today (John 14:15-16)
His love is the same
His power is the same
His promise is the same
Jesus is the same forever (John 14:15-16, Matthew 24:35, Matthew 28:20)
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Jesus is the same yesterday
We now know for a fact that Jesus is a real person in history, because we have the eye witness accounts of people who were present at the time when he was alive on earth just like we are today. We can read those accounts in the 4 gospels of the bible. Plus, historians that were alive close to that time wrote about things he said and did.
Jesus was no ordinary man. John, who was a close disciple of Jesus, begins the gospel that was named after him describing Jesus. (John 1:1-2, 14, Acts 10:38)
Jesus served people at their point of need. He healed the sick and diseased, removing spiritual oppression from their lives, restoring purpose, value and worth to people who thought they were finished. He gave people the opportunity of a brand-new start in life, the forgiveness they needed, and the power to change by taking him at his word and putting their trust in him.
Like the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery by religious rulers who wanted to stone her to death. Instead of condemning her, Jesus dealt with her accusers causing them to walk away one by one till all had gone. He protected her from them, and then helped her to see that God has a better pathway for her life. (John 8:10-11 NIV)
He came to this earth to show us how to live God’s way, to tell us we are not condemned, that we are loved, that we are worth dying for, worth searching for till we are found. People were like sheep without a shepherd to him - lost and aimless.
He left his home in heaven and came to us as a demonstration that he is full of love for us and totally reliable and consistent in his words, his character and his deeds. (John 3:16-17 NIV)
You see Jesus is the only great teacher who told his followers that he would actually lay down his life for the whole world, including those who hated him, and that's what he did. (Matthew 20:28)
When Jesus allowed himself to be falsely accused by his enemies, tortured near to his death, and finally crucified on a cross, it was to take on himself the sins of the whole world; sins in our past, sins in our present and sins in our future.
He died in our place to pay the price for us all to receive a brand-new life. This new life begins from the very moment anyone puts their trust in Jesus, invites him into their heart, and turns away from their former life to follow him.
He also said he would help anyone who would come to him with life’s burdens and give them rest: (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
So we see in the bible a Jesus who cares for people everywhere, who loves the unloved, a Jesus who wants to give himself to people, not take from them.
Ok so that was then, But what about today?
Jesus is the same today
I want you to know that the Jesus I’m telling you about from the bible is the same today.
It’s been estimated that 2.4 billion people in countries all over the earth claim to have a form of belief in Jesus. Millions of rich and poor, young and old, great and small, highly intellectual and those less so say they have had a life changing encounter with the Jesus of the bible.
Her majesty the queen of this country is one such person, many watching this program (or sitting here in this park) are among them.
It’s incredible to know in your heart that whatever is happening in life, Jesus cares for you! To know that you're never alone or abandoned, that there’s no reason to fear when you’re in his love.
How is this possible? Because true to his word, Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.
You see, after his resurrection from death, Jesus told his first disciples he was returning to his father, but that he would send the Holy Spirit to be with them and in them. John 14:15-16)
Because Jesus is the same today, it means that:
His love is the same
Just as he loved people in the past, so he loves everybody today. His love is unconditional, his love is for ALL people everywhere, his love is never failing. Just as he protected the women from shame and rescued her, he treats us the same way. He won’t condemn you, he loves and leads us to a better place.
His power is the same
It means just as he healed the sick and gave strength to people in the past, he is willing and able to heal you when you are sick today. It also means that today you can feel his strength in your life when you ask and you depend on him for it.
His promise is the same
When he said ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ he means that. So when you come to Jesus even right now, and cast all your cares on him he WILL come to you and care for you by his Spirit TODAY and at any moment you ask.
So what about the future? Our last point is that Jesus is the same forever!
Jesus is the same forever
In the verses we just looked at, Jesus said he will send us the Holy Spirit who will make Jesus real to us every day and forever. (John 14:15-16, Matthew 24:35 NIV, Matthew 28:20)
Whatever the future holds, we can face it with confidence knowing that Jesus is our saviour, he’s our friend, and he’s our shepherd. And his goodness and mercy will never fail us and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, as it says in Psalm 23.
He will be with us at every step of this life, and he will be with us guaranteeing the hope of heaven, an eternity of life of love and joy and peace in the very presence of God.
There’s a song we used to sing some time ago, written by a man who had real worries as his wife was about to give birth, and he was concerned about the kind of world the child would be coming into. His name was Bill Gaither and song is called ‘Because he lives’.
The chorus says:
And because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
All fear is gone
Because I know
He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives
Jesus is alive today, Jesus is here right now today, Jesus still stands and knocks at the door of every heart. If anyone will open their heart and invite him in to come in.
