Jesus Christ: The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever

Chris Smith

April 16th, 2006

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Throughout history, mankind has depended upon great people for guidance, leadership, hope, and direction. Think about a time in the past, in any country or kingdom, and you can name many individuals who stepped out from among the masses leading their people to victory over oppression, who have maintained a great nation of people, who have guided their kingdoms through famine or disease, or who guided their people through necessary changes in technology and knowledge in order to maintain their nation’s strength in a tough competitive world.

I think of General, and soon to be president, George Washington, who took a mixed group of people from many different backgrounds, stations in life, and positions in society, most with no military experience and turned them into a formidable and unified force and freed this young nation from oppression and tyranny.

I think of the many different Kings, Queens, and religious leaders of the renaissance period in Europe who had to come together to take care of millions of survivors of the Black plague that had just wiped out one out of every three people from all walks of life.

You can spend hours reading the history of hundreds of world leaders in politics, science, and medicine who have guided their nations through the last two centuries, maintaining their nation’s pride as the world went through a massive industrial and technological age that has literally changed the face of the world.

But through all of the wonderful and terrible changes, through all the times of peace and war, through all of the famines and the harvests of plenty, there has always been One – one person who has stood the test of time – one person who has reigned over all creation from the beginning, one person who set history in motion, one person who has promised the world that He is in control, one person who looks down from His place in heaven who is working through all of the people and physical events, continuously giving people permanent hope until he decrees the end of days.

His name is Jesus Christ.

George Washington is dead. We can no longer depend on his great leadership and his ability to bring this nation together.

Abraham Lincoln is dead. We can no longer depend on his passion for us, or his steadfast devotion to bring a young, deeply divided country back together as a unified whole.

The world can no longer listen for the great wisdom of Winston Churchill, or John F. Kennedy to guide us through threats of international security. The world can no longer look to the great temperance and patience of Gandhi.

These great leaders who brought their great countries and the world through perilous times are now dead.

Add your favorite man or woman from the past to the list who gave selflessly of their lives in order to make the world a better place. As great as these people were, they are no longer able to lead. Their words of advice may still be around, and wise people have certainly tried to follow them, but this world still struggles with the same problems and more – and on a larger scale than all of those who we have mentioned – and world still asks, “Who is going to help us? How will we ever come together? When will the wars stop? When will the diseases stop? Who is going to feed all of the starving children? When will there ever be peace that will last?”

All of the great leaders are gone. All of them. Who can we trust today?

There is One. His name is Jesus Christ. He is The One. Because He is not dead. He is risen. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

With Jesus Christ, there is no looking back. With Jesus Christ, there is no more wishful thinking.

With Jesus Christ, there is no “what could have been” or “What if.”

Because He is risen, we can know that His words of wisdom and hope are not only true, but they are still alive, and so His words are true – forever. Because He is risen, we can know that their will always be eternal life available for all who come to Him.

Because He is risen, we can know that there will be peace on earth, and men will demonstrate good will towards each other forever.

Because He is risen, there is a permanent answer to AIDS, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.

Because He is risen, there is an answer to that nagging question in the back of your mind, “Is it all worth it?”

Why is Jesus Christ the answer? Because He was God is the past, He is God in the present, and He will always be God in the future for all eternity.