Turn with me if you would now
to Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews 13. There is a verse of scripture
in this chapter. that every time I hear it, I
think that has to be some of the best news a child of God
could ever hear. This honestly has to be some
of the best news a child of God could ever hear, along with verses
like, this man receives sinners. Every time I read that verse,
I think that has to be the best news a child of God could ever
hear. Along with verses like, it is
finished. Along with verses like, fear
not, I have redeemed thee, thou art mine. Along with comforting verses
like that. I believe this is one of the
most comforting things a child of God could ever hear. Hebrews
13 verse eight, it says, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and
today and forever in a world where everything is changing
around us. Everything is changing. Society
is changing. We live in a different world
now. The government is changing. The
economy is changing. Morality is changing. General safety in the world is
changing. There's stuff that we used to
do as kids that you just can't let kids do anymore. Things have
changed. Doesn't it comfort your heart
to hear that Jesus Christ is the same? He is the exact same. What he was, that's what he is,
and that's what he will forever be. People do not know that. But God reveals that to his children. What he was, that's what he is,
that's what he will forever be. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday
and today and forever. I don't think we realize how
much we fear change. I don't think we're aware of
how much we fear change. The stages of our life with our
kids, it constantly changes as they grow up. There's so many
things that only get better as they grow up. So many things. But there are some things that,
especially in the moment, I was not ready for, change-wise. There were some things that I
just, I did not want, I was not ready for. We look back on old home videos
of the girls, and I think, if I could just have them like that
again, I mean, just for one day. If they could just go back to,
just for one day. All of their simple innocence,
the simple innocence of a little child, the total safety of our
care, under our care at all times. Isabella's driving all over town
now. Sophie's convincing Isabella
to drive her all over town now. While Sophie, when she was four
years old, It was her birthday. It was coming
up real close and she was talking about it. I remember we were
sitting in a restaurant. She was talking about about to
turn five and I said, honey, I've decided that I don't think
it's a good idea for you to turn five. I'm sorry. I just don't think I can let
that happen. And she thought I was serious. This was a very
serious conversation to her. She sat there and thought about
that, and she said, please, dad, I really want to turn five. And
I said, I just don't think so, honey. I don't think I want you
turning any older than you are. I think I'd just rather you stay
right here, right where you are. She sat there for a minute, and
she said, if you let me turn five, I won't turn six, seven,
or eight. And I thought about that for
a second and I said, if I let you go ahead and turn five, you
promise me you won't turn six, seven, or eight. She said, no
sir, I won't. I said, okay, you can turn five. And guess what? She's a liar. She turned six, seven, eight,
nine, 10, 11, 12, and now 13. Change and change and change. Both of our girls change. All
of our kids change. Everything brings change. Although
it's good in the case of our children growing up, it can be
a little sad too. It's good, but it can be a little
sad too. Depending on what the subject
matter is, change can be one of the most devastating things
that happens to us. Doesn't it comfort your heart
to hear that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and
forever. What he was declared to be and
what we know him to be, that's what he will forever be. We can count on the stability
of that. You can count on the stability
of that. He will not go away. He will
not grow weak. He will not grow frail. What he was, that's what he is.
That's what he will always be. I want to look at some ways and
some things that the Lord Jesus Christ has and will forever remain
the same in. Turn with me to Psalm 47. Psalm
47. Verse 8 says, God reigneth. Not reigned, not will reign,
God reigneth. That means right now, right now. Verse 8, God reigneth over the
heathen, God siddeth. That means right now. upon the
throne of His holiness. Doesn't it comfort your heart
to know that His sovereignty is the same yesterday, today,
and forever? I know I've told you this so
many times, but I mean it. I mean this. I'm so thankful
for the fact that we won't have to vote on who our king will
be throughout eternity. I'm so glad for that. His sovereignty is the same.
It will forever be the same. Turn over to Psalm 93. I love this. Notice the word
is, as we read through this, I-S, is. Psalm 93 verse one says,
the Lord reigneth. He is clothed with majesty. The Lord is clothed with strength,
wherewith he hath girded himself. The world also is established
that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of
old. Thou art from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O
Lord. The floods have lifted up their
voice. The floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier
than the noise of many waters. Yea, than the mighty waves of
the sea. Thy testimonies are very sure. Holiness becometh thine house,
O Lord, forever. His sovereignty, His authority,
His testimony, His word, His holiness is. I love how He said,
I am. Look at Psalm 97 verse one, it
says, the Lord reigneth. Let the earth rejoice, let the
multitude of isles be glad thereof. The Lord reigneth. You say, yeah,
but that's the Old Testament. That was saying that he reigned
back in the Old Testament. That was written over 2,500 years
ago. Well, turn with me to Revelation
19. Revelation 19, this is speaking
of a moment that is yet to come when time will be no more. Revelation
19, verse 6, it says, And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great
multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice
of mighty thunderings saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth. His sovereignty is the same yesterday,
today, and forever. His sovereign authority, His
sovereign power, His sovereign word. This Word right here, the Word
of God, 1 Peter 1.23 says, it liveth and abideth forever. This Word will never go away.
Have you ever thought about that, really? This Bible will never
go away. We will have this Word forever
because this is the declaration of Jesus Christ. And we will
have the Lord Jesus Christ forever. We will have His Word. Forever. I know that people think this
word is old fashioned. That's what people think. I know
that people think it has changed. I know that people think it does
not apply anymore. That's not so. Every word of
this book will stand forever. Not one word of it will ever
fail. Every promise stands true. Every covenant promise. David
said, although it be not so with my house, the Lord hath made
with me an everlasting covenant and everlasting promise. And he keeps his promise. Unlike
some people I know, he keeps his promise. He said, it's ordered in all
things and sure, every promise will stand, whether it's a promise
of judgment or a promise of mercy. And it's because our God is eternally
holy. Holy, holy, holy. His holiness does not change. It does not change. He said in
Malachi 3 verse 6, I am the Lord, I change not, therefore you sons
of Jacob are not consumed. Thank God his holiness is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. He will by no means clear the
guilty because he's holy. Right? There's a flip side to
that. He will by no means condemn the innocent because he's holy. It's because he's holy. His holy justice. Don't you call unclean what I've
made clean. That holy justice will stand
forever. If we've been made innocent in
the blood of Christ, His holy justice in that will stand forever. Turn with me to 2 Timothy 2. Second Timothy 2 verse 19 says, nevertheless, the foundation
of God standeth sure, the only foundation that there is. The
foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth. Knoweth. still knows, knew, knows,
will know forever them that are His. His election of the people
who were made to be precious to Him, His election will stand
forever. His choice will stand forever. We sinners are constantly worried
about messing up our salvation. or ruining or losing God's favor
to us. The redemption of Christ yesterday,
which satisfied God, satisfied the law, satisfied judgment yesterday. That same redemption still satisfies
God, still satisfies the law, still satisfies judgment and
justice and my guilty conscience today. and it will forever. Redemption is eternal. Salvation
is the same. Yesterday, today, forever. Salvation
from our sin through the cross of Christ is finished. It was
finished. It will forever be finished.
The same. Now, I really enjoyed this. Turn
over to Psalm 103. Psalm 103, verse one, it says, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Now, I've read
this Psalm so many times, but I don't know if I've ever really
gotten ahold of the fact that this is in present tense right
now. Verse 3 says, who forgiveth,
E-T-H, right now, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth, right now. all of our spiritual
diseases. Well, didn't he forgive us and
heal us 2000 years ago on the cross of Calvary? Weren't we
forgiven and healed in that moment? Yes, we were, but who he was,
our forgiver, our healer, who he was, that's who he is. What he did, that's what he does. That's good news to me. What
we needed, that's what we need because we're still the same
too. Therefore, what he did, that's
what he does. Verse three says, who forgiveth and forgiveth and
healeth, and healeth, verse four says, who redeemeth thy life
from destruction, who crowneth, and crowneth, and crowneth thee
with loving kindness. His love for us remains the same. Why? We're so unlovely. Yeah,
but Christ is altogether lovely. And God's love for us is not
based on us, it's based on Christ. God's love for us is not based
on us, it's based on Christ. Therefore, it remains the same.
God's love for us remains the same. Verse four says, His loving kindness
and His tender mercy remains the same. Look at verse 13 right here.
It says, like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth
and pitieth and pitieth them that fear him, for he knoweth
our frame. He remembereth that we are dust. He remembers and remembers. Verse
15 says, as for man, his days are as grass. as a flower of
the field, so he flourisheth, for the wind passeth over it,
and it's gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more.
As for man, change and decay is all that he is. It's all that
mankind was, and in this sinful flesh, it's all he'll ever be.
Verse 17 says, but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting
to everlasting. upon them that fear Him, and
His righteousness is unto children's children." His mercy, His righteousness
remains the same from everlasting to everlasting. He remains the
same. Look at Psalm 104 verse 31. It
says, The glory of the Lord shall endure forever. The Lord
shall rejoice in his works. The glory of the Lord remains
the same. His glory, his majesty. Matthew
6 says, thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Romans 11 says, of him, through
him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. 1 Timothy 1 says, now unto the
king, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and
glory forever and ever. Amen. If any man glory, let him
glory in the Lord forever. His glory will remain the same
forever. The glory of who he is as prophet,
priest, and king. As our prophet, his word will
stand forever. As our priest, our intercessor
to God, his priesthood is unchangeable. As our king of his kingdom, there
will be no end. Thank God he remains the same
forever. His means of calling his people
to himself is the same. It's the same. This gospel, the
only gospel that there is, is the same gospel. I've told you
this so many times. I've been here 11 years, and
in 11 years I say the same things over and over and over again.
If we're all still here 20 years from now, I'm gonna say, I've
told you this a thousand times. But this is so. I think about
what we're doing a lot. Here we are again. Here we are
again. What are we here for? What am
I here to say? Why are we doing this again?
The answer is always, we're here to worship Jesus Christ. We're
here to declare Jesus Christ. Why are we here again? It's because
this is the means that God chose to open blind eyes and open deaf
ears And it could be that the Lord uses this service to open
a set of eyes, open a set of ears, bless a heart. This gospel is the only gospel
that there is, the same gospel today that it was yesterday and
will be forever. Thank God. Thank God. The comfort, the stability, the
hope that is laid up for us in the Lord Jesus Christ, this same
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end, the same yesterday, today, and forever. All may change,
but the Lord Jesus never. Glory to His name. Amen.