If you want to go ahead and turn
to Hebrews 13. Hebrews chapter 13. I'm going
to briefly tell you some about myself. This is going to be so
difficult. I was born. I grew up. I was an infant. I became a toddler. Made it to middle school, went
through high school. Most of you can relate to at
least some of this so far. I moved with my parents a couple
of times during those years. Eventually, I moved out of the
house as I started college. Then I moved out a little bit
more after I got my first real job. Along the way, met my wife, we
got married, had three kids, bought a house, moved again. My life, such as so many others'
lives, such as your life, can be summed up in a word, change. Changes. Every day, it changes. The poet put it this way, change
and decay in all around I see. When change came, when change
came into my world, when change comes to your world. I think
you probably react in a similar way that I do. Looking back, especially at the
birth of our children, they always brought change. As that change came, you looked
for stability. You looked for something that
didn't change, something that you could, hey, we've got this. And that was Stacia. We were together. That was the
constant when our children came into the world. We were there
for one another. In this life, there shall be
change. It cannot be avoided. But I have
an anchor for us, a reminder, Jesus Christ, God the Son, is
the true, the one God. And here in Hebrews 13.8, which
is our text, we read, Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, and today,
and forever. The author of this letter to
the Hebrews is coming to a close, and he's summing up his message.
He wants to sum up what he has been declaring throughout this
letter. Throughout the letter, he has
declared Jesus Christ is better. Better than the types, better
than the ordinances, better than the law, Jesus Christ is better. He's declared Christ to be the
fulfillment of all the types and figures. In this letter he
has declared who Jesus Christ is. And here he declares that who Christ is yesterday
is who Christ is today and who he is tomorrow. In short, he
says, the Lord Jesus Christ is, I am. With this in mind, let's walk
through this letter together. And may the Lord be pleased to
remind us of who he is. Turn with me to Hebrews chapter
1. Hebrews 1, verse 1, God, who at sundry times
and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the fathers
by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his
Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds. being the brightness of His glory,
and the express image of His person, and upholding all things
by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our
sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High." The
first thing we see declared about our Lord Jesus Christ is He is
God. Specifically, He is God the Son. God hath spoken unto us by His
Son the brightness of His glory and the express image of God.
For in Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When we see our Lord Jesus Christ,
we see God. In John 14, verses 8 and 9, Philip
saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth
us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I
been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father. And how sayest thou then, Show
us the Father?" As God, our Lord is the great revealer. Verse 2 says, God hath in these
last days spoken unto us. Christ speaks to us and shows
us the things of God. Christ is the Creator. Again in verse 2, God hath spoken
unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom he also made the worlds. Christ is the creator of the
physical worlds, such as the planets, the worlds of the plants
and animals, the worlds of the governments, and the spiritual
worlds. Do you find as you go about the
daily task of living in this present world a longing to escape? Do you look forward to how pleasant
and relaxing it is when we gather together as a congregation and
we open the Word and the Lord is pleased, at least for a time,
to block it out and give us a moment to worship, to look, to see,
to search for Christ? When we meet together to worship
and to contemplate for this hope of a world to come in which there
is no sin, what a day! What a glorious day that will
be! It is by our Lord Jesus Christ that the worlds are made. Verse
3, Jesus Christ, being the brightness of His glory and the express
image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His
power, when He had by Himself purged our sins. Our Lord Jesus
Christ is the One who purged our sins. He, the Eternal God,
before the foundation of the world, laid down His life for
a sinful, rebellious people that He loved. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday,
before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ purged our
sin. Jesus Christ, the same today,
purged our sins today. Jesus Christ, the same forever,
purged our sins. Jesus Christ is the King of kings
and Lord of lords. Verse 3 again, Who being the
brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person,
and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had
by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on High. And verse 8, But unto the Son He saith, Thy
throne, O God, is for ever and ever. A scepter of righteousness
is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Our Lord is the Sovereign God. Oh! If we could just, by faith, grab onto that, the things of this world would
roll off like water off of a duck's back. It just wouldn't matter. He's on His throne, and He does
right, and He reigns above all. The first thing that we saw revealed
in Hebrews is that Jesus Christ is God the Son, the Revealer
of the things of God, the Creator of the worlds, the One who purged
our sins, and He is the Mighty King. Next, we see Jesus Christ
the Man. Hebrews 2 verse 9, But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor." Let's pause there for a moment. My youngest, who's now 15, but
when he was four, we were out doing some yard work, and he
turned to me, you with kids might appreciate this, he turned to
me and he said, Can God die? That's one of those questions
that I was like, I'll get back to you. That one's
deep. Hold on a minute. But isn't that
a glorious question to meditate upon? We have just seen declared that
Jesus Christ is God, the one true, eternal, living God. Having no beginning and no ending,
and now we see Jesus Christ suffered death. Oh, how can it be? Jesus Christ, the same yesterday,
and today and forever is a man." Paul wrote without controversy,
great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Jesus Christ is the God-man. He's not half-God and half-man. He is God-manifest, meaning to
make visible or known what has been hidden or unknown. Christ is God-manifest. Mankind, due to our fall and
rebellion against God, we cannot approach unto Him. God, the holy, the just, the righteous
God, should He consider a man ruined by the fall, dead in trespasses
and sins, would consume that man in His justice. Our Lord, God the Son, took on
the nature, took on our nature. He as a man fulfilled the law
of God. He walked perfectly in front
of God and in front of man. Then, to satisfy the law that
we had broken and we held in contempt, He took our sin and
our shame upon Himself. He endured to its satisfaction
the just punishment of our sin. Hebrews 2 verse 9, But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the
suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by
the grace of God, should taste death for every man, every man
that the Father gave to Him, every man that was elected in
Him. That He, by the grace of God,
should taste death for every man, for it became Him for whom
are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect
through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth
and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he
is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren. In the midst of the church will
I sing praise unto thee, And again, I will put my trust in
him. And again, behold, I and the
children which God hath given me. For as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took
part of the same, that through death He might destroy him that
had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage. For verily He took not on Him
the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham,
Wherefore, in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For
in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to
secure them that are tempted." Jesus Christ, God the Son, is
Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. Hebrews 3.1 Wherefore, holy brethren,
partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High
Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Christ is the Apostle,
the Messenger of God, If we are to know God, it is Christ who
must reveal Him to us. Our Lord said in Matthew 11,
27, All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no
man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man
the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will
reveal Him. As God the Son, Christ is the
Revealer of God. As man, He is the Apostle, taught
of God with the message of God. Continuing in verse 1 here, Consider
the Apostle and High Priest of our profession. Christ Jesus
is our High Priest. Look over in chapter 4, verse
14. 14 Seeing then that we have a great
High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an High Priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin."
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever, He is
our unchangeable High Priest. Turn over to chapter 7, verse
24. Chapter 7, verse 24. But this man, our Lord, because
he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able
also to save to the uttermost, save them to the uttermost that
come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession
for them, For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice,
first for his own sins, and then for the people's? For this he
did once, when he offered up himself." For the law maketh
men high priest, which have infirmity. But the word of the oath, which
was since the law, maketh the son who is consecrated for evermore. Now of the things we have spoken,
this is the sum. We have such an high priest,
who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty
in the heavens. a minister of the sanctuary,
and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man."
What is the responsibility of a high priest? Chapter 8, verse
13, verse 3, excuse me. Chapter 8, verse 3 says, For
every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Whereof, it is of necessity that
this man have somewhat to offer." What did he offer? Back in chapter
7, verse 27, "...who our Lord Jesus Christ needeth not daily,
as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own
sins, For he has no sin, verse 26 says, he is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.
First for his own sins, and then for the people's, for this, this
offering of sacrifice for the people's sin, he did once when
he offered up himself. Jesus Christ Himself is our sacrifice. Turn over to chapter 9, verse
11. Chapter 9, verse 11. But Christ, being come an high
priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,
neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood
He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us." Then down to verse 24. For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the
true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence
of God for us, nor yet that he should offer himself often, as
the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with
the blood of others, For then must he often have suffered since
the foundation of the world? But now, once in the end of the
world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself. And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many. and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
Not only is He our sacrifice, but He is our effectual sacrifice. Hebrews 10 verse 11, And every priest standeth daily,
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can
never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified." Lord Jesus Christ is God the
Son, the Man, the Apostle, the High Priest, who offered Himself
as the sacrifice, and because His sacrifice is accepted, He
is our rest. Hebrews 4, 9-11 says, There remaineth,
therefore, a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered
into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did
from his. Let us labor, therefore, to enter
into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief. He is our rest, He is our surety. Hebrews 7 19-22 says, For the
law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope
did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not
without an oath he was made priest, For those priests were made without
an oath, but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The
Lord swear and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. By so much was Jesus made a surety
of a better testament. He is our rest, He is our surety,
and He is our mediator. Hebrews 9 verse 13-15 For if
the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean, sanctifyeth to the purifying of the flesh, how much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit
offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God. And for this cause
He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death,
for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament,
they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Christ our Lord is our faith. Hebrews 11, verse 32. Hebrews
11, verse 32. And what shall I more say? For
the time would fail me to tell thee of Gideon, and of Barak,
and of Samson, and of Japheth, of David also, and Samuel, and
of the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword
out of weakness or made strong, waxed valiant in flight, turned
to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead, raised
to life again. and others were tortured, not
accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment,
They were stoned. They were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,
of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and
in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth, and these
all Having obtained a good report through faith, received not the
promise, God, having provided some better thing for us, that
they without us should not be made perfect." Chapter 12, verse
2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who
for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God. Turn over to chapter 13, verse 7. Remember them which have the
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose
faith, not the man who spoke, but the faith, or Christ, whose
faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. What
is the end of their conversation? Where did the pastors and teachers
that came before us place their hope, place their confidence? Verse 8, Jesus Christ, the same
yesterday and today and forever. That's a sure foundation, an
anchor for our souls. One final thought. How important
is it that Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever? It's the only hope we have. Malachi
3.6 Our Lord says, For I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore, because I change not,
ye sons of Jacob, Jacob, that supplanter, that trickster, that
liar, Jacob, as son of the promised
seed? Jacob, the son of the friend
of God? Therefore, ye sons of Jacob,
are not consumed, because I change not. Jesus Christ, God the Son who
speaks to us the things of God, the Creator, the One who purged
our sins, the Mighty King, Jesus Christ, the Man, the Apostle,
the High Priest, the Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, our rest, our surety,
our faith, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and
forever. To those He chose, called, justified,
and sanctified, what is our response? Chapter 13, verse 10. We have
an altar. whereof they have no right to
eat which serve the tabernacle." He is our altar. As our High
Priest, He took His sacrifice Himself and offered it upon His
altar Himself. And now we come to our altar,
adding nothing to it lest we taint, lest we pollute His redemptive
work. We come to our altar, verse 15,
by Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to
His name. In a world of constant change,
when we need comfort, assurance, and help, may our Lord, our God,
Be pleased to remind us that He is the same yesterday and
today and forever.