“OUR UNCHANGING SAVIOR” Hebrews 13:8
FBCF – 11/26/23
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Video report on Pedernales church.
Our church’s mission is to make much of Jesus any way we can, anywhere we can, using any & all the resources we can. That means we will make much of Jesus here in Flora & in the Dominican Republic. Through our tithes & offerings & even having a pickup truck donated to us for missionaries to use, we will make much of Jesus all over the world (LMCO starts next week). We will continue to challenge every Christ-follower to witness to those who are lost (I regularly hear reports of our church members sharing the Gospel w/ others). We will continue to challenge every Christ-follower to be intentionally involved in discipling other believers. We will continue to challenge all Christ-followers to tithe 10% of their income & give offerings above that 10% in obedience to God’s Word – generously, sacrificially, & cheerfully.
And the reason for all of this is b/c we know & serve & love & obey an unchanging Savior whose name is JESUS!
EXPLANATION – Hebrews 13:8 (p. 1009)
We’ve turned the page now from Thanksgiving & are headed toward Christmas. As our thoughts turn to the “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” & the “Infant Lowly”, let’s remember who this Christ-child truly is. There’s no doubt that He is truly the “holy infant, so tender & mild.” But He’s more, so much more! And the book of Hebrews emphasizes that over & over again.
Theme & focus of book of Hebrews: JESUS – His absolute supremacy & sufficiency as the Savior of the world. Turn back to Hebrews 1.
- Jesus is fully God – Hebrews 1:1-3a
o The Creator of the world – “through whom He created the world” (v. 2)
? Colossians 1:16-17 – “For by Him all things were created, in heaven & on earth, visible & invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him & for Him. And He is before all things, & in Him all things hold together.”
o The radiance of God’s glory – God’ brilliance is displayed through Jesus.
o The “exact imprint of [God’s] nature” – exact representation. If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.
o The One who upholds the universe – He sustains it & maintains it – “…in Him all things hold together.” (Colossian 1:17)
- Jesus is fully man – Hebrews 2:17-18 – Jesus “HAD to be like” us – IT WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR HIM – so that He could die for us to give salvation & eternal life to us.
o As one of us, He suffered in every way we suffer:
? Physical – hungry – tired – abused – tortured – bled – died a cruel, torturous death
? Emotional – “Jesus wept” – Got angry -disappointed – frustrated – weary
? Relational – Knows the pain of people attacking Him. The pain of people deserting Him, walking away from Him, & abandoning Him in His time of greatest need.
? Spiritual – sweat drops of blood in Garden.
- Jesus is superior to the angels – Hebrews 1:4 – God never said to any angel, “You are my Son” (v. 5). We don’t revere angels or worship them. THEY, like us, worship JESUS – “Let all God’s angels worship Him” (v. 6).
- Jesus is our Great High Priest who has suffered like us, been tempted like us, & is able to help us when we are suffering & being tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
o Academically speaking, a male doctor knows that a mom in labor is going to be in pain. But a female doctor who has gone through labor & childbirth herself can truly empathize. As a mother, she’s actually felt that pain. As a doctor, she can help others through it.
o As our “merciful & faithful high priest”, Jesus has truly felt our pain, no matter what it is, & will help us through it.
And in this last chapter of Hebrews, we find this grand summary statement: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday & today & forever.” Everything else in your life will change – relationships, health, finances, Presidents, world situations, the seasons. But not Jesus! He will never change! He will never fail! And IF you know Him & He’s your Savior, you can rest assured that He will never leave you! He will never disown you! He will never desert you! He will never run out on you! He will never condemn you!
APPLICATION – An unchanging Savior will change you forever.
Knowing this unchanging Savior means:
You have a Savior whose LOVE for you will never change.
Last week, Jon Anderson & Cameron out of preschool for T’giving. Meant they were at our house earlier than normal. I’d be upstairs having my quiet time. Hear them come in. Hear them say, “Where’s Pops?” Hear them bounding up the stairs. Hear them round the corner, laughing, yelling, “Hey Pops!” Pile on top of me in my recliner. Man! I love that & I love them!
Then Thu, in Cleveland for T’giving w/ Mama & my younger brother & his wife. Man! I love that & I love them!
Then yesterday, all of our kids & grandkids together at my daughter’s home for family T’giving w/ them. Loud – laughter – rowdy, rambunctious, raucous kids – crazy chaotic – but it’s family! Man! I love that & I love them!
But, despite my best efforts, my love is imperfect b/c I’m imperfect.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
- Those words should describe my love, but sometimes they don’t.
o “Love is patient” – I’m impatient.
o “Love is kind” – I’m unkind.
o “Love does not envy or boast” – I do.
o You get the picture b/c you struggle in the same ways.
But they DO describe our unchanging Savior’s love. They describe His love perfectly b/c His love IS perfect love.
- It is unfailing love.
- It is unending love.
- It is unbelievable love.
- It is unchanging love.
You have a Savior whose LIFE that He gives you will never change.
LIFE magazine – started in 1883 as a humor & general interest magazine. Known for its outstanding photography through the years – everyday life, wars, celebrities, world leaders, nature. Popularity fluctuated throughout the years until finally stopped printing in 2007.
- Motto of first issue in 1883: “While there’s life, there’s hope.”
What a statement! That may be true for a magazine, but it is DEFINITELY true of Jesus! Here’s the difference:
- LIFE magazine has ceased its publication of the life stories of different people. The life story of Jesus Christ, our unchanging Savior, will NEVER cease.
- “While there’s life, there’s hope.” – SO true of Jesus!
o There will ALWAYS be life w/ Jesus, which means there will always be hope!
o “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood & righteousness.”
- And the LIFE that HE gives to anyone & everyone who calls out to Him to be saved will never change. Why?
o B/c it’s life that is ETERNAL – John 10:28-30 – “I give them eternal life, & they will never perish, & no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, & no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I & the Father are one.”
o It’s life that is SEALED – Ephesians 4:30 – “…do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
o It’s life that is DOCUMENTED – Lamb’s book of life – Your eternal life is documented there. Revelation 20:15 makes it clear that if your name is NOT written there, you’ll be thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity.
Go to camp when a kid – sports camp, church camp, cheerleader camp. Mom would write you name in collar or waistband of your clothes.
- This jersey/shirt/…these pants/shorts belong to…
- When you get saved, Jesus writes His name upon your heart.
o “This one belongs to me!”
You have a Savior whose LORDSHIP over you will never change.
Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth. ‘Jesus is LORD,’ & believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Philippians 2:10 – “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”
“Lord” – kurios – He’s my Master, Owner, Ruler, Boss, One who exercises complete authority over me.
When you make Him the LORD of your life, that never changes.
- You can decide not to SUBMIT to His Lordship, but that’s the worst decision you’ll ever make in your life.
- You will suffer, family will suffer, others will suffer, church will suffer…
CONCLUSION
With all the changes that are happening around us at a blindingly fast pace, it is such a comfort to know that we have an unchanging Savior! Come to Him today!
