Seeking for the help of the Lord, I direct your prayer for attention to Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13 and verse 8. There are, in the Word of God, many beautiful chains, or things that are linked and joined together. In fact, all of God's truth all fits together and is joined together. We think of, in the way that the Gospel according to Matthew begins, in fact the whole New Testament begins, we have a beautiful chain of linking right from Abraham to the Lord Jesus Christ. We have first the link from Abraham to David, 14 generations. And then from David unto the carrying away into Babylon, 14 generations. And then from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ, 14 generations. And we see a beautiful plan, a beautiful joining together and the Lord overruling all of those changes in all of the kingdoms, the lives of the people of God, and bringing it into the beautiful pattern of a three. The pattern of three runs right through the Word of God. And then we have the joining together, leading unto Christ. Then we have the beautiful chain that is in Romans 8, where it begins in verse 28. where we are told we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are, who are called according to his purpose. And we have a picture of those things working together, those things that are separate and yet they join together. And then that immediately follows whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. And there's a beautiful chain, and in the middle of it, there's calling, there's time, and going back from calling, we have the predestinating of God, we have the full knowledge of God, before that we were born, and then after we have justification and glorification, and where that we are in one link of that chain, where we are called, we've known we've been foreknown, we know that we are justified, we know that we shall be glorified, and it is all done in this way of joining together, and it is for the comfort and help of the people of God. And so we have this also in our our text we have jesus christ the same yesterday and today and forever we as it were are in today and and we look yesterday and we look forever we are in the middle of this chain where we know the lord today we know he know it knew us yesterday and will know us in eternity we have this also with the Lord's Supper, the Lord instituting the Lord's Supper, this do in remembrance of me, ye shall show forth the Lord's death till he come. And what we have in the present, we are showing forth his death, we are showing forth his death that was in the past, and we are doing it until he comes, which is in the future. So even in the Lord's Supper, there is a chain adjoining together, and we have this here, in our text and really it is a word that can never be said of anyone else but God. No one else but God could be the same yesterday and today and forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ truly is God. But then with our text we have It's stated as being those that we are to follow, it is their conversation, it is their faith. But it is clearly said that there are those that have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. The Apostle Paul says, be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ." And really, as a parent, a teacher, anyone who's bringing the Word of God to another, they themselves are an example. They are those that, those they're teaching will imitate. They naturally will think, well, you're teaching me this, And you are what you are teaching. You're not a hypocrite. So I will follow you. I'll do what you do. I'll say what you say. I'll have the same aim as what you do. And so the Lord has set forth not angels to preach and to teach and to bring the word of God. This was evident with Cornelius, who had an angel appear to him, but he was to call for Peter. and Peter was to preach and bring the Word of God as we have here, who have spoken unto you the Word of God. People that have faith, people that also have a soul, people that need to be saved, people that are trusting in the same God and the same way. And so it is highlighted here that the object of their faith and their life, their aim of their life, is the Lord Jesus Christ. Who Christ is. The Lord, the Apostle says, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him. In Him we live and move and have our being And in preaching, he says, I determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And the very aim of Paul's life, his preaching, his teaching, everything was centering in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have the same with John, when he writes in his epistles, his second epistle, he is very grateful, very thankful, how he loves the elect lady and her children, and for the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us and shall be with us forever. And then he gives that warning, if any should come with another doctrine, bring not this doctrine, and it is the doctrine of Christ, whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God, he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." Now, of course, here we have a link as well. We have the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all linked, all joined, inseparably in creation, inseparably in salvation, and through the types and shadows throughout the Old Testament. We think even when Balaam came and was going to curse the children of Israel, And he turned out to bless them. He blessed them in three separate occasions and in seven altars, highlighting a blessing of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost on the children of Israel. They weren't cursed, they were blessed. And so when we think of a text like this, we think of those who bring the word of God, and we're thinking, of what their whole life surrounds, which is the Lord Jesus, their whole teaching is all centered upon Him. If you ever get a visit from Jehovah's Witnesses, don't bother in speaking to them anything else but the Lord Jesus Christ. Bring Him before them as the eternal God, as the true God, and the Trinity, and that is upon what everything hinges, and that's where their chief error is. It's a waste of time to discuss anything else but that one important point. But it's also a challenge, isn't it, to us? To us who minister the Word, to parents who teach the Word, to the children, what message are we giving? Are we really giving this message of how precious Christ is to us? Are we really showing forth, maybe like the hymn writer says, I could from all things parted be, but never, never Lord from Thee. Is it evident through what we say, what we preach, and how we live before our children, how precious Christ is to us? And when we read the word of God, is it evident that all the time we are asking, where is he? Where is Christ? Or having the words of the Greeks says we would see Jesus. It's really a challenge, isn't it? We can get sidetracked into many things in religious, religious things. But if Christ is not precious, and if he is not all in all, then we come assurance and comfort that belongs to the people of God. We can be like Mary and Martha, both of them the Lord's people whom he loved. But Mary, she sat at the Lord's feet, she heard his word. Martha, she was sidetracked, cumbered about with many, many things. What message did those two, if you could look at that household at that moment, And there is Christ and Mary sitting at his feet and hearing his word. And Martha just busy doing everything in the house. What message did those two of the Lord's people, whom he loved, give? A very different message, isn't it? And what message do we give? Well, this morning it is my desire to consider Consider this end of the conversation of those who have spoken unto us the Word of God. This which is summed up in our text, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. Firstly, I want to Consider Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This is how a text begins with his precious name, Jesus Christ. And then secondly, what is said of him. What is said is this, the same yesterday and today and forever. And then thirdly, how this is a comfort to a believer. Now this very verse, this very statement is such a comfort and help to a believer. But firstly, Jesus Christ. In the gospel according to John, his main aim right through that gospel is to set forth Jesus of Nazareth, that one that was despised by the Jews, that though they heard what he said, though they saw his miracles, they said, is not this Jesus the son of Joseph the carpenter's son? They are offended at him. But John's message is to testify through some 85 times through his gospel that Jesus is the son of God, that Jesus of Nazareth The One that was born in Bethlehem, the One that was brought up in Nazareth, the One that went about for those three years preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, is truly the Son of God. And so that Gospel, it begins with Him being with the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And it sets Him forth as true God. It sets Him forth as the Creator, that nothing was made that was made that was not made by Him, and that by Moses the law came, but through Jesus Christ came grace and truth. And right the way through that Gospel, He is lifting up and extolling Jesus of Nazareth as who He truly is. And this is the testimony of all that believe. We think of the eunuch when he was met by Philip, directed by the Holy Spirit to meet with that chariot, and there he is reading in Isaiah, and he's reading, but he doesn't understand. Who is this? Who is the prophet speaking of? Is it himself or some other man? And he's speaking of, reading of the passage, led as a lamb to the slaughter, and a sheep before her, sheer as is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. And Philip, he began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus. His subject, his preaching, was Jesus Christ. And at the end of that sermon, the eunuch had a very clear knowledge and understanding of that passage. that it was speaking of Christ, it was speaking of his sufferings and the benefits and blessings that flowed forth from those sufferings. And it spoke of his people, he shall see his seed, the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. When they came to water, and he said, see here is to water, what doth hinder me to be baptised? The only requirement that Philip required was, dost thou believe that Jesus is the Son of God? That was his testimony, that I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This testimony concerning Christ. And it is good for us to center upon this. You know, the world, in a way, They cannot say they have not heard of Jesus Christ, as many most solemnly use his name in blasphemy, in curse. They don't use Mohammed, they don't use another God, but in our so-called Christian lands, if they are going to curse and blaspheme, they will use the name of Jesus Christ. Though they cannot say they have not heard of him, but who is he? And to have him be made precious, and he that was even in his day and in his generation despised and rejected of men, and to have those then to view Jesus of Nazareth as the altogether lovely, the precious one, the one thing needful, Our Lord says, if you believe not that I am he, ye shall perish in your sins. There is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ, a real man, truly lived upon this earth some 33 years, born of the Virgin Mary, came into this world spotless and sinless as being born of the Holy Ghost, truly the seed of Adam, the seed of the woman that should bruise the serpent's head, but truly God and truly man in one person, sinless, spotless, the spotless Lamb of God, never in His whole life did He ever think, utter or do anything sinful He is utterly, perfectly pure and holy. He says, if you have seen me, you have seen my Father also. I and my Father are one. It is a great mystery. The Trinity is a great mystery. But we understand it by the very utterances of the Word. And when we think of what we said about this, our text, being the conversation or life or end of the people of God who have spoken unto you the word of God, we cannot speak unto you the word of God without speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because he is the word, the written and the incarnate word are one. And heaven and earth shall pass away, our Lord says, but my word shall not pass away. and right through the Scriptures. We think of our Lord drawing near to those two on the way to Emmaus, and He opened up in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. We think of what Paul says of the church in the wilderness. They drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. This is the Jesus Christ, this who is set forth through the scriptures of truth. The eternal God, a real man, joined together, the very same bones and flesh that hung upon the cross are now glorified in heaven. This is He. This is He who, after He lived a perfect life, then He laid down His life at Calvary. He was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, but was taken and by wicked hands crucified and slain. He says, no man taketh my life from me. I lay it down in myself. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from my father. He said, I will see you again. He laid down his life, he took it again, he appeared to his disciples. Behold and see, a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And then, after he appeared to them, over a period of forty days, he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and he blessed them, and while he blessed them, his disciples, he was carried up into heaven. But before he went up into heaven, he says, I will pray the Father and he will give you another comforter that shall abide with you forever. Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. And the Lord gave at Pentecost, the 50 days after he had died and risen again, the Holy Spirit was given. Ten days after the Lord's ascension and that power of God came was very evidenced in their midst. Evidence in the boldness of the apostles, evidence in the tongues of fire, evidence in the miraculously giving of a language and interpretation of languages, and evidence in the conversion of over 3,000 who heard the word preached and the word was blessed and they were saved, they were baptised. And this is this Lord Jesus Christ who is spoken of here, the Lord Jesus Christ. Emmanuel, God with us. The son, as it was supposed, of Joseph and Mary's son. The line that goes through David's line. Of course, David had Solomon and Nathan. Nathan's line goes to Mary, Solomon's line goes to Joseph, but of course, it wasn't through Joseph as a bloodline, but it was the kingship line that pointed to Christ. His father was above, his father was in heaven. That's why when at 12 years of age, he said to his parents, said, we sought this sorrowing, his mother said, thy father, And I have sought thee sorrowing, he said, how was it that you sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my father's business? And very clearly speaking not of Joseph, but of his heavenly father. And so the Lord Jesus Christ came according to the scriptures, and we trace back in Luke the line from Mary going right back to Adam and right back to God. Truly the seed of the woman. And so, our first point, Jesus of Nazareth. Who he was, who he is. Because then we read of him, in our second point, what is said of him. The same yesterday, and today, and forever. How is he the same? Now we have different ways of describing it, don't we? If we think of a child, if we look at photographs of ourselves when we were children, and then we look at a photograph or look at ourselves in the mirror, and we would say, we're not the same. But we are. We're the same person. It is the same person, but we have grown up and we're different. You might have someone that you know in a humble situation, and they're your friend, and you love them, and they love you, and they help you. But then, they're brought to an exalted position, perhaps in the land, a prime minister or something like that, and they're still the same. You still have the same relationship with them, you still love them, they still love you, but now you've got a friend at court, They are not the same in that they're not in the same situation. They are exalted. But as to their person, who they are, they're the same. And we have illustrations of this. We think of Joseph. Joseph was a brother to his brothers. And he loved his brothers, though they despised him, hated them, threw him in a pit, sold him as a slave. But when he was exalted next to Pharaoh, He was still their brother. He was the same. He still sought their good, their blessing. And he was the same though he was grown up, though they didn't even recognize him, though they thought he was Egyptian because he spoke Egyptian and he separated and wouldn't eat with them. And we have the same with Mordecai. Queen Esther, she was brought up with him. her cousin. And yet, then she was exalted as Queen, but she still did his bidding. She still esteemed him. And the relationship there was still the same, though the position had changed. So when we think of Jesus Christ still the same, there was a time when Jesus Christ did not have the human nature that he now has. There's a time that he said, a body has thou prepared me. But though he only partook of that body in the womb of the Virgin Mary, yet we read through the Old Testament those times he appeared in human form. We have the case when he appeared to Jacob. They wrestled a man with him till the breaking of the day. Because thou hast wrestled with God, a man, and hast prevailed. Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel." And then we have with Gideon as well. We have it with the parents of Samson, Menorah and his wife. We have seen God and our life is preserved. Going right back to Abraham, we have three men that appeared to him as he sat in the tent door. And then later on, we have two of those as angels going to Sodom and Gomorrah, and then the Lord remained with Abraham, and Abraham was speaking with the Lord, making intercession for Lot, and really for the city of Sodom as well. And so we have those times, And like with Manoah, they asked after his name. And the angel said, why askest thou after my name? Seeing it is secret. This name of Jesus Christ was held secret right through until he was born. And then to Mary and to Joseph, his name. His name shall be called Jesus. His name, the name of the seed of the woman, the name of Emmanuel, the name of all of those who have been pointed through through time, now is His name. And as we've been in doubt of that, Paul, when he writes to the Philippians, he says how that he was humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. And that second chapter in Philippians, it takes the Lord from his glory, and then he brings him to be humbled in this world, and to have the name of Jesus, and then to be highly exalted at the Father's right hand. This is what is said. of Jesus Christ. It is the same second person in the Trinity, the same before the world was, the same while the world was, the same when he came to this earth, and the same now when he is ascended up and he makes intercession, he sits at the right hand of the throne of God on high. This is where we We understand this word, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. What can we also say concerning the yesterday? What does the yesterday mean? We could take it in eternity past. The whole foundation of the gospel, everything. Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There is a foundation. And when we go back before time, we see that foundation worked out, chosen in Him, that is chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. David says, He hath made a covenant with me Ordered in all, an everlasting covenant with me. Ordered in all things and sure. That was a covenant before the world was. Those whom he did foreknow, we've read of that beautiful chain. The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. In the purposes of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was slain then. That is why all of those Old Testament saints from Adam to when Christ died, They were saved in trusting in that blood that would be slain, knowing that God who had promised that would surely bring it to pass. When our Lord died, that is when the accuser of the brethren was cast down, who accused them night and day as saying, why are you in heaven? Why are you saved? There's been no bloodshed yet. No, there hadn't yet. But God who had promised it, God who could not lie, But as soon as the blood was shed, then Satan has nothing more he can say. There is the blood. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. And we have that reminder of those things that God has promised are as good as done and can be relied upon. But when God promises, he will bring it to pass. And the Lord Jesus Christ did come, he did suffer. So on yesterday encompasses eternity, For us in a gospel day, yesterday will also cover all that was done in the history of the world, all of the types and the shadows. It will encompass the Lord's own life. It will encompass his sufferings, his death, the sacrifice that he offered at Calvary to us. That is yesterday because it is before we existed before we came into the world. And if we think it coming even closer, yesterday is literally yesterday. What happened, what the Lord did for us, what the Lord spoke to us, even yesterday, even a day ago, we'd understand it in that way. Then we think of today. Really there is only, you may say, today as a literal day. And then that is gone to be in the past and yesterday. But there is a gospel day. That day from when Christ died rose again until the end of the world. That is a gospel day. So all that was done before time, all that was done in the types and the shadows, all that was pointed to, that is all realized in the gospel day. I've often thought, if we look at our Bibles, if we were to see, there is the pulpit Bible, And there in my right hand is the New Testament. And there in the left is the Old Testament. The New Testament is very small, if you like, very short, if you like. But the Lord has given us who preach the gospel in these last days, the days from Christ's first coming to his second coming and the end of the world, we have the whole of the Bible. to preach from. And those beautiful two sermons were not told exactly what was said or anything, but the subject, on the way to Emmaus, in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself, remember the New Testament was not written then at all. And then the same with the Ediovinuna, the stamp is put upon it. You know, once I was criticised in, sadly, it's a pilgrim home as well, from preaching from the Old Testament. Why are you preaching from the Old Testament? You should be preaching from the New. Well, the examples of the Scriptures are to preach from the Old Testament. We're preaching from the New today. But Christ is in all of the Word. For the people of God, we have all of the Scriptures. All of them have been blessed to the people of God. They are all our meat and drink. Jesus Christ is is in them all. And so a gospel day, in this gospel day, Jesus Christ the same, whatever we read of him, he is still the same. His heart is the same. His divinity is the same. His love to his people is the same. His purpose is the same, to save his people from their sins and to bring them to heaven. He is still the shepherd today and He will be forever. And so it's good to remember this as today, this Gospel day, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today. His power is still the same, His glory is still the same, His holiness is still the same. Every attribute, every love to His people, His purposes, All the same and then forever. All the joining words here, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever. He's joining it together forever. We can't comprehend eternity. We are told that this world shall pass away. Heaven and earth shall pass away. My words shall not pass away. Time shall be no more, but here we have the Lord Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. I want to look then at our third point, how this can be and is a comfort to a believer. Whatever doctrine or teaching we have in the Word of God, it should be of a real practical use and help to the people of God. Whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. And this is one of those passages that we might have hope and might have comfort. We have in this verse that great doctrine of the eternal love of God. the eternal being of God and the love of God. And that must be surely a great comfort to the people of God. Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, and therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Where we can find a knowledge of the Lord in our day, today, in our life, the Lord is always the same. We change. We change in our feelings, we change in our affections, we change in our assurance, we change in what we understand are the things of God, but the Lord remains the same. And it encompasses if the Lord has blessed us years ago, we may have changed, we may have slipped, we may have sinned, we may have backslidden, But the Lord is still the same. He doesn't take back his blessings. What he says, it stands forever. When the Lord says, my sheep, they hear my voice and they follow me. Leave the Lord speaks to each of his people in different way. He speaks through the word of God, but he speaks in a way that we know it is the Lord. Now, some of us have more distinct, perhaps, accents than others. There's some people I've known over the years, and that I may have reminded I've known some 45, 50 years ago, and I haven't seen them in all that time. But I think if I was to hear them speak, not even see them, I would know who it was. I'd recognize their voice. And there are many times that we might have a phone call, or someone phones us up, and we know immediately. They don't have to say who they are. We know who it is. And with the Lord's people, because the Lord does not change. The Lord says His sheep, they know His voice. This word, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever, is a blessed thing when the heart leaps. It is my beloved. When the heart begins to soften, When you hear His Word through the preaching of the Word, when you meet with His people and you feel that love and bond and union with them. And this is the comfort. We think of our Lord's other promises that join with this. Lo, I am with you always. What a word that is, how precious. And who is with us always? Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. He's with us by His Spirit and by His grace, though He is in heaven, yet He is with His people, where two or three are gathered together in my name, spoken in the first instance of a church assembly and for discipline, but applying to every assembly of the people of God. There am I in the midst. Unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. God is there, the Lord is there. And so, these are precious things, a friend, the Lord is our saviour, our friend, our help, always. When we read our help is in the name of the Lord that made heaven and earth, it is all relying on the Lord that made heaven and earth being the same. and not changing. We think of verses 5 and 6 here in Hebrews 13. Let your conversation be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have. For He has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man should do unto me. If Jesus once upon thee shone, then Jesus is forever mine. If he has once been our helper, once made precious, called us by grace, taught us, instructed us, he is the same. And this is the comfort to the people of God. This very text, the very reason it's set forth here, is for the comfort of God's people. What a beautiful benediction. we have in verse 20 and 21. We'll close with this. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sign, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Yes, it is through his blood our sins are forgiven. Through him alone is eternal life. The Lord at his blessing. Amen.