Today
Yesterday, Today, Forever • Sermon • Submitted
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Hebrews 13:8 begins abruptly, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
We seen the first day that Jesus Christ is GOD!!! That HE IS KING. The second day we see that Jesus Christ is the same YESTERDAY. He's the same one. Today we are going to see what is Jesus doing TODAY?
We ended yesterday with the death and resurrection of Jesus. A short time after that he Ascended on high where we are told in Hebrews 1:3 Who [JESUS] being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
This tells me that right now Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. This means two things
Jesus Christ's Position - This is talking about a place of honor, authority, glory, power and dominion. Jesus Christ's Vocation -
Jesus is Pouring -
Joel prophesied and Peter preached that God would "POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT"
John 16:7-11 Jesus tells his disciples that he must go away to send the Comforter. Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 all record the phrase about Jesus from John the Baptist, "I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire."
I am thankful for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. You MUST HAVE IT!!! YOU MUST HAVE IT!!!
You may feel you may not feel You may demonstrate you may not Those things are not the important things. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU ARE IMERSED AND FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
It's a cleansing It's A Filling It's an empowering It's a promise It's provided It's HERE. As Peter cried I like to think at the top of his lungs on the day of Pentecost - THIS IS THAT!!!
Jesus is Praying - Aren't you glad that Jesus is interceding - Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Do you know what Charles Wesley hymn is my favorite? Most people will say, "And Can It Be" Oh that is a beautiful one.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
But no.
Some will say, "Jesus Lover of my Soul" Ah again another beautiful hymn of Wesley
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high:
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.
2
Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, oh, leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed,
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.
3
Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
More than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
Vile and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.
4
Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound;
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.
But no!
My Favorite Wesley Hymn is "Arise My Soul Arise" Especially verses 2-4
He ever lives above
For me to intercede,
His all-redeeming love,
His precious blood to plead.
His blood was shed for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
3
Five bleeding wounds He bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers;
They strongly speak for me.
Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
Nor let that ransomed sinner die!
4
The Father hears Him pray,
His dear anointed One;
He cannot turn away
The presence of His Son.
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.
I am thankful for the intercession of Jesus Christ on my behalf. Isn't wonderful to know that he is praying. I love to hear my name called when someone else is praying. It just encourages me, to know that someone is thinking of me and takeing me to the throne room of heaven. But something better than that is if no one here ever thinks to call my name up in prayer, that there on the right hand of the Father is the Son who everyonce in a while says, And Father remember that chubby preacher boy Curtis Gordon. He flounders gets his thoughts and words all mixed up, maybe doesn't say everything just right. He for sure doesn't know very much, but He is Mine, I bought him with my blood see here his name is on my hands. I'm glad that Jesus bears my name before the father, and not just mine but yours, and yours, and yours, JESUS PRAYS FOR YOU!!!
Jesus is Preparing -
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. I don't know all that heaven is going to be like, but we get a small glimpse in Revelation 21 -
What Will Be In Heaven –
Now the heaven that John saw this new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, was a city. This city was a literal city, John saw streets, walls, gates, rivers, trees, he saw kingdoms and cities outside of this one, he saw people innumerable hosts, angels etc. It was a literal place, a place that was tangible, a place that was describable, even though he had to use words such as, like, and other comparative descriptions to get his point across; it is still a literal place.
Streets was of pure gold transparent (not paved of gold) 21:21
Some have suggested that these transparent streets of gold are built like a parking garage with going up and down throughout the city. Since they are transparent they would let all the needed light thru. I’m am not sure what streets are for in heaven, however John saw them there and so they must be there. Brother Albert Barr told us in his message that they have taken gold and purified it till it becomes almost clear, This is going to be the most purest minerals and gems that have ever been. A pure river of water of life crystal clear source is throne of God and the Lamb –
Could be a symbol of the Spirit if taken as figurative language. I don’t know why all of a sudden he would change from literal to figurative. Water indicates that we will have a use for water. Ghosts or disembodied spirits don’t need water.
It’s likely this river has tributaries flowing off of it throughout the city. Notice it flows down from the throne of God. Just follow the river to the Throne. Tree of life 22:2 middle of street and on both sides of river
Bears twelve manner of fruit, produces every month. Leaves heal nations, Not to be admired but consumed. (again have to have some type of physical body to do that.) Throne of God and Lamb Many mansions – these are common physical terms meaning in the original language (house rooms place) apparently deliberately chosen by the master to convey the message to the disciples that what he was going to give them was something tangible and to look forward to.
Architects according to Grant Jeffries, “have calculated that the enormous size of the New Jerusalem would easily provide a mansion of over a half mile in length and breadth to every believer from Adam to the present.” (Heaven the Last Frontier ch. 6 p 73) Jesus went away to prepare us a place. Call it a mansion, a room, or symbolism I want to be in His presence. When we move to this city to these mansions John tells us in Rev. 21:4 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Just think of that no more death or dying No Strokes, dementia, Parkinson's, diabetes, Alzheimer's, Cancer etc I sometimes like to think of it this way - that right outside each Pearly Gate is a big old dumpster. Now I know I'm using my imagination but just think with me, and as we go through that big beautiful gate we can throw in all of those former things.
Medicine bottle - aren't going to need those any more Glasses - We'll have eyes like we can't imagine Hearing aids - we won't need those anymore Crutches, wheelchairs, canes, walkers, special shoes, prosthetic limbs aint gonna need those any more Jesus is preparing us a place of everlasting joy and peace. I MEAN TO GO THERE DON"T YOU. I want to close with this poem. Now this poem is really about death and what it means to die but I think it fits well this morning
• I am standing on the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She’s an object of beauty and strength and I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and the sky come down to mingle with each other. And then I hear someone at my side saying, “There, She’s gone.”
Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says, “There, she’s gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and there are other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”
And that is dying. (Actual author unknown. Quoted by Randy Alcorn Heaven page 462)
As they used to sing - We say "Goodnight Here, but Goodmorning up there!"