“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever,” (Heb. 13:8).

The year is almost over. At the end of the year, people often reflect on what has happened and what they want to change. It is a time of reflection and sometimes a commitment to change for the better is made.

As you look back on this year, you may remember successes and failures, joy and happiness, failed expectations and surprising accomplishments, sickness, health, and a host of other memories. Some things have prompted us to make changes. Other things have forced us to.

As time moves on we move along with it. We are constantly changing. Change is good. That is why we are here in church. We want to change. We want to become more like Jesus. We want to forsake our sins, to honor the Lord God, to be more loving and forgiving, and to let the world know what Jesus has done for us.

Change is good and sometimes necessary. But, though we may change, though circumstances may change, Jesus does not. He is always there for us, always dependable, always concerned for us.

1. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.
   1. The first part of this verse says “Jesus Christ.” The word “Jesus” means savior. The word Christ means anointed. Jesus is the anointed savior. Jesus was commissioned by God to become a man, die on the cross, and bare our sins in His body (1 Pet. 2:24).
   2. He was anointed at His baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon Him and He entered into the Melchizedek priesthood to be the high priest sacrifice for our sins according to the Old Testament: Lev. 8; Num. 4; Exodus 29.
   3. But, we must remember that Jesus is still God and man, even now.
      1. Colossians 2:9, “For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”
      2. Because He is God, He is holy and righteous, and His words cannot be broken.
   4. Some may ask, “When Jesus became incarnate, is this not a change in him?”
      1. No. It is not a change in what the Word was. As it says in John 1:1, 14, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The Word added human nature to His divine nature in the person of Christ. Therefore, Jesus who is the Word, is still divine, holy, unchanging, pure, forgiving, humble, trustworthy, gentle, kind, and so much more … and at the same time, He is also a man.
2. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.
   1. In the Old Testament, we see the work of God through His people.
      1. We see God saving the world through Noah.
      2. We see God blessing the nations through Abraham.
      3. We see God providing the Law through Moses.
      4. We see God promising the Messiah through David.
      5. We see Jesus dying on the cross for your sins so you might have redemption and forgiveness.
   2. We also see through all of the promises, many physical appearances of God: Gen. 17:1; 18:1; Ex. 6:2-3; 24:9-11; Num. 12:6-8, compare with John 6:46.
      1. This is because God was, and still is, involved with His people.
      2. In the OT, it was the pre-incarnate Word that appeared to the saints.
      3. In the NT, Jesus was with us in person.
      4. Now, He lives in our hearts (John 14:23).
   3. In the Bible, Jesus is unchanging. In the cults, Jesus changes.
      1. Jehovah’s Witnesses – Jesus is Michael the archangel who became a man and became Michael the archangel again.
      2. Mormonism – a spirit-begotten creature in the pre-existence that became a man and then became a God.
      3. In both, Jesus’ very nature changed. Not so in Christianity.
3. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.
   1. This means that Jesus is here with you.
   2. If He was with the Saints in the Old Testament, helping them, and guiding them, then He is also here today with you doing the very same thing.
   3. He is involved in your life every day, today. Right now.
   4. He is not a theoretical presence.
   5. He is not only a hope for the future.
   6. Jesus said,
      1. Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.“
4. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.
   1. Jesus was with the saints of old, as is shown in the Old Testament.
   2. Jesus is with you today because He said He would be with you always.
   3. Jesus will be with you in the future. To be with you always, means always… forever.
   4. In all of eternity, the Lord Jesus will be forever interceding for you.
   5. Never in all eternity will you have to worry about God failing, about God changing His mind about you, or about
   6. God cannot change. He cannot break a promise. He cannot stop loving you. He cannot cast you away.
5. Conclusion
   1. It means that you can always count on Jesus being there in your life, even when it doesn’t seem like He is. He doesn’t change.
   2. It means that you can always depend upon his character to never change.
   3. It means that you can always know that His love for you cannot decrease.
   4. It means that you can always depend on His commitment to you in all things, at all times, in all ways.
   5. Though the world changes, circumstances change, people change, and you change, Jesus never does.
   6. You can always count on Jesus.