The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lasser Bradley Jr. Please get Thousand tongues to see my great redeem. It must Bye. The glories of my government. The triumphs of his This is Sarah Bradley Jr.
inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Loving me and I knew him calling with voice so sweet. Burning.
So I brought him, knelt at his wounded feet. Not from that love and several wonderful change less free. Master Austin. Yeah. Never, never a friend like thee.
A friend so loyal, sing of a friend so true, giving his gifts Oil, blessings that they are new. King of the heavenly glory, lowly of earth was he, Master, we sing thy story, never was one like thee. Sunlight of gladness giving, filling my heart with cheer, therein is might I live. Ever I know him near Master in thee abiding shadows of earth must flee Ever thy children dividing Never alive like thee sing of a friend so loyal sing of a friend so true Giving his gifts O royal blessings that they are new King of the heavenly glory lowly of earth was he Master, we sing thy story. Never was one like thee.
Giving me gifts immortal, life that endures forever. Opening the heavenly portals, leading in royal way, crowning with joy excelling, heir of his grace I'll be. Master, thy praise, I'm telling, never a king like thee. Sing of a friends, O Loyo, sing of a friend.
So true, giving his gift so royal, blessings that they are new. King of the heavenly glory, lowly of earth was he. Master, we sing thy story. Never was one like thee. I look forward to receiving letters from our listeners.
It's particularly encouraging when people share with us their experience in listening to the proclamation of the gospel, hearing the word of God taught. and to learn that God is using it in blessing their spiritual growth. I hope that you will take time to write us this week. This is a listener supported program, and so if you can help us with the expense, that will be greatly appreciated. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, box seventeen oh thirty seven, Cincinnati, Ohio, four five two one seven.
we continue our message to day entitled Jesus Christ the Same. The text is Hebrews chapter thirteen, verse eight. Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, and to day and for ever. We have first noted that change is a reality. there is constant change in the world in which we live.
Some changes are good, and we thank God for them.
Some are destructive and harmful. We cited the experience of Deemas, who had forsaken the Apostle and turned to the world. How sad to see those who make that terrible change, a negative one in their lives in turning away from truth and from godliness. But some changes are needed. to turn from error to evil, and to repent when we see our failings, just as Jesus called upon the churches to repent in those letters to the seven churches of Asia.
and then will go on to consider the need to pursue spiritual growth. And There needs to be a positive change to pursue spiritual growth. 2 Peter 3:18 says, But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Grow. In grace.
Are you growing? Living things Grow. Consequently, change. If they quit growing, they die. Need to be growing.
Our commitment Should not be to tradition. and personal preferences It should be to the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, the teaching of his word. Life changing. The message doesn't come along to console you.
so that you can feel good about yourself and remain the same and stay where you are. The message of the Bible challenges you. Instructs you.
Sometimes rebukes you, and when the Holy Spirit convicts you. Calling for change, calling for growth. Our concern as individuals and as a church should be that we grow and consequently change. I know the word change makes some people nervous. We're not talking about Departing from the faith, we're not talking about leaving God's Word, we're talking about growing in the word, growing in the knowledge of the truth, growing in grace.
in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
So Although change is the reality in which we live. Jesus Christ Is The same. He's the same in his person.
Now he has occupied a variety of positions He has gone through what might be called a change as far as where he was situated, The position that he occupied at a given moment, but the point is. He is not changed in who he is, in his person. Colossians chapter 1, verses 16 and 17 describe him as the creator. For by him Where all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible and invisible. Whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
That is, all things are held together. Jesus Christ didn't create the world and then move away from it. He remains involved with it. He's the one that holds it together.
So he's depicted in the scripture As being with the Father in creation, all things created by Him and for Him. And then ultimately, the time came when he took upon himself the form of a servant. Came to this earth. Born of the Virgin. What a remarkable thing.
The angels marveled at it. That God Could become a man. Born. Laid in the manger. And that lived on this earth.
for 33 years. Got them. to wash his disciples' feet. This same Jesus. It was in the creation, the creator.
Down. washes his disciples' feet. And ultimately, he humbled himself. to the death of the cross. willingly laid down his life.
For one to view him nailed to the cross The crown of thorns on his brow. It's blood. coming from his hands and his feet. And from his side. would never have said I believe that man is the creator.
But he was. And then He arose. Victoriously. coming out of the grave. He wasn't swallowed up by death.
His enemies who thought they had destroyed him. We're disappointed to find He was alive. And now it's a present. Hebrews Chapter 8, verse 1 says, We have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne. of the majesty In the heavens.
This same Jesus. He's still the same. He's still the same Jesus. But We see him as creator. We see him as subjected to the will of the Father, coming to do his Father's will and ministering for those years upon this earth and ultimately going to the cross.
Finally, coming out of the grave, ascending back to glory, and now seated on the right hand of the majesty in the heavens. And he's there. ever to make intercession for us.
So he's the same in his character. He's the same in his love. John 131. He said, having loved his own, he loved them to the end. He displayed beyond any question that he loved those disciples dearly.
He was patient with them in spite of their inappropriate questions and their responses that were sometimes so far from what would have been correct. He loved them to the end. He loved those that were given to him by the Father. He loved them enough to go to the cross and die for them. Think of it.
If his love was based on your faithfulness. Your conduct. The intensity of your love for him. Where would you stand today? But in spite of your stumbling and faltering, In spite of your shortcomings, in spite of what at times might be described downright rebellion.
He still loves you. He's the same. Yesterday. Today. And forever.
It's the same in his grace. It's by grace. that he gave himself. He who had no sin, made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We deserve nothing.
He was not obligated to us, but by grace. He gave his life. Shed his blood, paid the price of redemption. By grace, he has drawn us to himself. By grace, He has given us spiritual life.
By grace, He abides in us. It is the same. When you had an experience in the beginning. When you were convicted of your sin, when you were brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, it was by grace. By grace are you saved through faith in that, not of yourselves.
It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. But you still need grace. You can't decide because I've been a Christian for so many years, I've been following him for so long. I don't need grace any longer. You need it every day that you live.
And he's still the same in his grace. Hebrews 4:16, he says, Come boldly to the throne of grace that we may find mercy and grace to help in time of need. How often do you have a time of need? Is it not on a daily basis that there's some kind of special need you realize I can't handle this situation by myself, I need help? And he's the same.
He's available to give you the grace that you need. His promises are the same. He's not like Some today who will make a promise. I neither forget it. or purposely break it.
Maybe a person makes a promise and they're sincere about it, but circumstances change and they say, I would like to keep my promise, but I'm not capable of doing it. But he makes a promise. And he keeps it. 2 Corinthians 1.20 says that his promises are yea and amen. They're absolute.
You can count on them. When he says, I will do something. That's exactly what he will do.
So when he says that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and that he cares for us. He can mark it down. That's the way it is. His promises. can be relied upon.
Furthermore, he's the same in his word, same with his word and his doctrine. Mark chapter 13 of the 31st verse, he says, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. The things that he spoke when he was here on this earth and have been recorded. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they are just as reliable today as when He spoke them. Colossians chapter 3, verse 16, it says, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Not only the words that he spoke in person, but all scriptures given by the inspiration of God. And it's profitable to us. We don't need anything in addition. There's to be no addition to it. There's nothing to be taken away from it.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. New ideas come along, new philosophies are advanced.
Sometimes those who claim to be interpreting the Bible, say they have insight that others have not had. You need to. jump on board with this idea that Is so far removed from the fundamentals of the gospel that you've been accustomed to hear. But No matter who may say what. God's word remains the same.
His word does not change. His doctrine is the same. You'll hear people say, Well, I don't really care for doctrine. I just want to have love and peace and kindness.
Well, you can't say that you love Jesus and dislike doctrine because Jesus taught doctrine. He taught repeatedly. The truth of his sovereignty. when he was visiting the synagogue. As recorded in Luke.
Chapter 4, and we got to talk about the sovereignty of God. Saying that there were many widows, but God only fed one, and she wasn't an Israelite. There were many lepers, but he only cleansed one. And it was Naaman the Syrian. They were incensed because they had this idea that if God does anything, it's going to be with us, for us, through us.
We're God's people. They resented hearing that God did something. for somebody else. They try to kill Jesus. He preached sovereignty.
He declared that he had come down from heaven not to do something separate and apart. from the will of the father. Came to do the will of the Father. And That's what he intended to do, his purpose was one and the same with the Father. There was no conflict, no difference in what.
He sat down. accomplish He spoke. words of Rebuke. To those self-righteous Pharisees that felt because they were Abraham's seed that all was well and said, if you were the children of Abraham, You would act like Abraham. You would act on the basis of faith and you would believe in me.
But you don't. But he spoke. Gently. to those who saw themselves as needy sinners. And said, come unto me.
All ye that labor. And I will give you rest. His doctrine. has not changed.
Now finally, I ask you this question. How do you Respond to this truth. Seeing that he is the same. Can you not say? I believe I can trust him.
I don't have to have any doubts or questions about it. He's the rock upon which I can stand and not be moved. At the concluding part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about the man that built his house on the sand. It said the rains came and descended upon it, and it fell because it had no foundation, but the one they built upon the rock. The rains came and the winds beat upon it, but it stood.
So, if you're on the rock, Jesus Christ, the rock of ages, if you're resting in Him, You're resting not on the shifting sand. Sh that on the one who is the same. yesterday, to day, and forever. He's the faithful friend. the friend that's sticker closer than a brother.
Friendships.
sometimes fade. There could be Times it People seem to have a very close friendship. Circumstances change, opinions change for a variety of reasons. Maybe you can think today about people who were once Your closest friends. And there's a barrier today.
The friendship is gone. It's disappointing. It's hurtful. But Jesus Is a friend. that's always faithful.
What will be your response? They did not say, I want to rely on him, I want to walk with him, I want to commune with him. He cares for you. 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 7. Makes it explicit.
He cares for you. You sometimes forget that. On the road is rough. The difficulties you encounter are overwhelming. You feel discouraged and cast down.
You ask the question: does anybody care?
Well, he does. He cares.
So because he doesn't change You can have hope. You?
Sometimes stumble and fail. But he doesn't change. You change, I change. All of us, in our weakness, make changes that are. Not always.
The best. But he Never. Changes. Because of this, you can remain steadfast. The verse following our text Hebrews 13 verse 9.
Says, Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. Since you know that Jesus Christ is the same.
Now do not be carried about, do not be influenced by strange doctrines, by new ideas, by things that are contradictory to the things that your leaders have previously taught you, referring back to the seventh verse. It's good that your heart be established with grace. Not only need grace for the saving of your soul, you need grace to keep you stable.
so that you're not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Talks about these who were tempted to go back. to Judaism. Not being involved with all of the rules and regulations about meats and dietary laws. Those things have not profited them.
Those things are not the spiritual points that should be of great interest to you. It doesn't matter what it may be, whether it's legalism, whether it's the Problem that these people had struggling against the Judaism of which they had previously been a part. Whether it's other points that get you distracted so that Jesus Christ is not any longer first and uppermost in your mind and in your heart and in your conversation. It's dead fast. Stand firm.
in the commitment that you have made. You can stand firm because, in spite of your weakness and your tendency to make changes that are not profitable Jesus Christ is the same, so you can rely upon him continually. In that chapter dealing with the resurrection of the body. Paul concludes in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and the 57th verse by saying, But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. We're not defeated, we have victory.
And how do we have it? We have it through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the one that's the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore. In view of this, my beloved brethren, be ye what? Steadfast.
Stand firm, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Be steadfast. You live in a changing world. Many of the things occurring in our country today, we would surely agree, are changes that are unprofitable and the changes are occurring rapidly. But there's one who doesn't change.
It's on him that we rely. It's in him that we trust. It's his promises. that we play. If you've never come to him.
If you've never believed on him, Come to him today. He hasn't changed. He's still the friend of sinners. The Pharisees criticised it because He ate. With sinners.
He wasn't there to condone their sin, but he was there to save them from their sin. That's the good news of the gospel. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He says, come unto me. And I'll give you rest.
Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. The same gospel that's been preached through the ages since the days of the apostles is the message we bring to you today, Jesus Christ, the same.
So I come to thee, on me I call. Thou art my hope and thee, Jesus my home. How good to know that in spite of the many changes around us in life, Jesus Christ is the same. He is still the Savior of sinners. And his words are encouraging.
For he says, Come unto me. All ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. We're unworthy and undeserving. We have no merit to claim. but he invites us to come.
come to him. Come to Jesus. and find rest. Jesus Christ, the same. yesterday, to day.
And forever. Until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. Amen. For each day, no as a game Jesus. Jesus my king's the grief by man through thee I fing the Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Lassaire Bradley Jr.
Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati Ohio 45217 That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio, four five two one seven.
So When are I come to thee? Be thou my light upward my footsteps lead out the noise in through the heavenly day with thy love Leave me, O Lord, I pray O word of love
