Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
Our
Lord Jesus is referred to by many different titles, such as Saviour, Redeemer
and Lord, and His character is also described in many ways. For example, in
John’s writings, he refers to Jesus as, Jesus Christ the Righteous, the Faithful
Witness, the First Born from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
In our text today, we could add another description of His character, and that
is one that should fill our hearts with great assurance and hope; Jesus Christ,
the Same.
The
fact that He is the same, forms a very solid basis for my sense of security in
life. He is the same. He has never changed, not in any way. Every yesterday of
my life, He was there, and He was the same as He has always been. His heart of
love that pursues me, and His calling on my life have never once wavered. I
have wavered; I have not remained the same, I have not been steady but,
thankfully, He has. My past was never lived without being under His watchful
and closely kept eye. Regardless of the circumstances, I know without a doubt
that He has been faithful to me, and that faithfulness is the very definition
of remaining the same. Jesus Christ the same, yesterday.
What
about today? Can we bank on the fact that He is the same right now? Yes, we
can! He is the same compassionate God who created the universe to begin with.
He is the same One who longed for a relationship with mankind, and thus made us
in His image. And, of course, Jesus is the same Man who walked through this
life ministering and unveiling the heart of God to all. He is the forgiving
One. He is the healing One. He is the Restorer of lost souls. He is the Master
coach, who mentors and guides us into a life of victory over trouble. Jesus
Christ the same, today.
What
He was yesterday, and what He is today, He will remain the same forever.
Throughout the ages He will always be the One who loves, leads, lifts, and
loosens. He loves us in our lowest points, and He leads us into His perfect
will. He lifts us from the deepest and darkest of pits, and He loosens us from
the chains that have bound us and held us captive. Through this life and the
next we can rest assured that He will never change. Jesus Christ the same,
forever.
Different
branches of the church believe that what Jesus once did, when He lived and
walked among us, as recorded in the Gospels, He does not do anymore. The day
of miracles is past, they say. If that is true, then this verse is not true,
because this verse assures us that whatever He has done, He is still doing
today because He is the unchanging One. He still heals the sick and suffering
ones. He still has compassion on the weak and the poor. He still shows mercy to
all who cry out to Him. He forgives the sinner. He restores the outcasts. He
welcomes those who have been rejected and ostracized. He feeds the hungry, He
clothes the naked. He shelters the homeless. Jesus proclaimed that God had
anointed Him to preach the gospel to the poor, he had sent Him to heal the
broken-hearted, and to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Thank God, regardless
of our actions or failures, this one truth can be completely relied upon; Jesus
Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!
