THE UNCHANGING
CHRIST
Introduction.
The
great Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus asserted that "Life is Flux."
Panta Rhei in Greek, meaning everything or all things change. There is an
absolute truth in it. Everything, everyone, all the time, everywhere is
changing. In other words, change is inevitable.
From the time a child is born every
day, he or she changes until death. The governments, politicians, their
policies, cultures, and human-made philosophies vary over time. COVID-19 has
shown us what change is like in a very demonstrative manner. Even the way we do
Church has changed. Who would have ever thought that we would be sitting with
masks on a year ago? When everything is all the time changing, is there someone
or something that never changes?
After talking about the Unshakable
Kingdom, last week we talked about what it is to be a Kingdom Citizen
practically in our day-to-day life. In the passage, we read we will look at a
few more practical themes and finally focus on the BIG idea of our study of the
book of Hebrews.
Here are some important themes
running through this passage: Remembering those in prison and abused—the
sanctity of marriage—the cost of immorality and adultery. Remembering and
following our pastoral leaders' faith. Remaining steadfast and The
Unchanging Christ.
I.
IDENTIFYING WITH THE PAIN OF OTHERS
Vs. 3, "Remember those in prison, as if you were
there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain
in your own bodies." One of the end-time ministries that Jesus would want
His Church to be involved is "prison ministries." One way or the
other, we got to be mindful and do all we can to reach out to those in prison.
When we minister to those in prison, we are serving
Jesus (Matthew 25:36). During my first two years here at Hope Church, I visited
one of our Church members in prison in Norfolk. Some of us used to write
letters and send books to Eduardo. We prayed and took care of his family.
Eduardo and his wife used to tell us how much that meant to their family.
You and I would have no idea what prisoners go through
until we are imprisoned and our freedoms are taken away. The author was
encouraging the believers to put themselves in the place of prisoners. The prison
ministry's impact can be seen in the transformation of late Charles Colson, a
convicted former special counsel to President Nixon. In his own words.
"In one sense, I had lost everything power,
prestige, freedom, even my identity. In the summer of 1974, as prisoner number
23226 at Maxwell Federal Prison Camp. But in another sense, I had found
everything, all that really matters: a personal relationship with the living
God. My life had been dramatically transformed by Jesus Christ."[1] Chuck felt led by God to
honor a promise he made to remember his fellow prisoners and their families.
That promise grew into Prison Fellowship, the world's most prominent prison ministries."
We are to identify and minister to those in prison and
those who are being mistreated. The author is inviting us into their place of
imprisonment, suffering, and pain. As if we are experiencing it. Is it not how
the body works? If one part hurts, the whole body feels the pain.
Similarly, we are to bear the pain of our fellow
believers who are suffering around the world. I empathize with those suffering
and undergoing physical and emotional pain. Unfortunately, certain sections of
protestant Christians in America bought into a bad theology when it comes to
pain and suffering. They believe that "financial blessing and physical
well-being are always the will of God for them. Faith and positive speech will
make and keep them healthy and wealthy. It is called prosperity theology. It is
harmful, and many are affected by it.
The scriptures teach us to identify with the
sufferings of Christ and others; the righteous will have many troubles, but God
delivers Him from all, and God is our comfort in the midst of suffering. (I
Peter 4:12-13, Psalms 34:19, 2 Corinthians 1:4)
II.
THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE
Vs. 4, "Give honor to marriage, and remain
faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge immoral people and those who commit adultery." By looking at the context, the
institution of marriage was not kept in high honor, and perhaps several members
were unfaithful to their spouses. The author addresses such infidelity and
unfaithfulness by reminding them that God will judge immoral and adulterous
people.
The subject of marriage may be a sensitive topic,
especially for those who have never been married and remained single. There is
nothing wrong if you are single. It can be considered as a gift from God. Let
me share a few thoughts about the sanctity of marriage.
Marriage is a God-ordained institution from the
beginning; it was meant to be only between a man and woman. God performed the
first wedding between Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Gen 2: 24-25, "This
explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and
the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they
felt no shame." Later this divine institution of marriage was reaffirmed
by Jesus.
Mark 10:6-9, "But 'God made them male and female from
the beginning of creation. 'This explains why a man leaves his father and
mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' Since they
are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together."
These scriptures would give us the biblical basis of marriage. Unfortunately,
this divine institution came under severe attack in the USA and broadly in the
Western World.
The world normalizes same-sex marriages by making them
even lawful. Even some churches affirm same-sex marriages, which is contrary to
God's Word. “The Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will
turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings
that come from demons.” I Timothy 4:1-2.
The Hebrew’s author encourages his audience to honor
marriage and warns them against immorality and adultery. The same exhortation
and warning apply to us all. I urge single people to exercise self-control and
avoid sexual immorality and perversity. Those who are married, honor your
marriage by being faithful and committed to your spouse. Honor your marriage
vows. Protect the purity of your union. Don’t let the devil tempt you into
pornography and adultery.
I want to touch briefly on verses
five to seven. Here we are encouraged not to love money but be satisfied with
what we have. We all need money, and money is not necessarily is evil, but the
love of money is. Therefore, we are not to love money; instead, we trust God,
who has promised never to leave us and provide us with all our needs, so we can
say God is our helper.
When it comes to remembering your
spiritual leaders, who teach you God’s Word and following their example, please
pray for me. So that every time I open my mouth, I may speak God’s Word boldly
with power and anointing. Pray that I will have God’s wisdom. Pray that I will
teach the whole counsel of God, and I might be filled with His love, grace, and
compassion.
III
THE UNCHANGING CHRIST
Vs.
8-9, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So, do not be
attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from
rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.” Is Jesus truly the
unchanging Christ?
Let us check the veracity of the statement that Jesus
is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This statement doesn’t mean that
Jesus is rigid, unwilling, and can never change his mind or will. It only means
that His presence, nature, teachings, redemptive work, and salvation plan
remains the same for generations to come. Jesus truly is the unchanging Christ.
What is the scriptural and external evidence for such
a bold assertion? The pre-existence of Jesus. In other words, He always
existed. John 1:1-3, “In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God
created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.”
When Moses asked God His name, God
replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has
sent me to you.” Exodus 3:14. After thousands of years in his back-and-forth
arguments with the Jews, He clarifies that He was the great I AM. John 8:24,58.
When Jesus was crucified, died, and buried, the devil,
the pharmacies, the world, and including his disciples might have thought that
was the end of Jesus, and we may never see him again. For the Joy of his
disciples and disappointment of his enemies, Jesus rose from the dead. He
appeared to his eleven disciples and to five hundred more to prove that He
lives forever.
After His resurrection, He promised His disciples that
He will always be with them even unto the end of the age. In our passage, the
author reminds us of God’s promise that He would never leave us or forsakes us.
I can give you more evidence that Jesus is the Unchanging Christ.
But with the given evidence of Jesus’ constant
presence by the power of His Holy Spirit that resides in us, we can boldly face
anything that might come at us. Including human-made philosophies and
conspiracy theories. Jesus is alive today. He is here among us, walking by His
Holy Spirit. Therefore, let’s cast all our anxiety upon Him because He Cares
for us and calms all our fears. Because
Jesus lives forever; we can face the uncertain future with His help, Amen!
