April 20, 2019 | Jarrett Stephens | Jesus Now And Forever | Hebrews 13:8 | Saturday Sermon

you know we worship like this every weekend at Preston what you do know that Channel and our Johnny Cash tonight I like it ain't no grave and we gather to celebrate the fact that there ain't no grade that can hold us down because there ain't no grave that can hold Jesus down and that's what we're celebrating this evening that's what Easter is all about only one person in history has been raised from the dead never to die again and that is the person of Jesus Christ and as always here at Preston would he is the subject of our message today the Bible gives us a great sentence that describes Jesus Hebrews chapter thirteen verse eight says this that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever now this statement should inspire confidence in all of us that in the midst of a world that is constantly changing there is something rather someone who never changes let me just think about it everything changes here we are in spring and this winter we have a couple of crepe myrtles in our yard we cut them back trim them back and now that spring is here they are beginning to bud nature itself changes as we witnessed this week in Paris a beautiful structure that seems to have stood the test of time the Cathedral of Notre Dom in a moment of tragedy catch a spire and the spire that lifted the cross high into the air crumbles before a watching world in history has changed forever everything changes nature changes history changes our bodies certainly change I can't believe I'm gonna admit this in front of all of you but I've had a hard time recently getting into my running routine just can't stay motivated to get out and hit the pavement so last Saturday if you remember was a bad storm and I decided that day I was gonna start back and it was raining and that gave me a good excuse not to start back but I got motivated got encouraged I said no I'm gonna do this I got it I've got to do something to shock my system to get it back going and so I went to Amazon Prime and I just typed in the subject workout now I've never done this before alright and I have all these videos come up high-intensity training and I said well this ins as good as any let's do this and so I called my eleven-year-old in I said put your shoes on we're fixing to workout together and I made sure that Debbie and my oldest daughter weren't around to take any pictures of this but I for the first time in my life started this TV workout now I was so confused I'm trying to figure out which way they're turning I couldn't hardly do anything but I did the workout and the next day I come here to preach and I'm telling you I could barely walk up the steps I was so sore I asked my 11-year olds here you saw it all and she said no and looked at me like I was crazy and it was then I figured out that the old body isn't what it used to be it is changing and as I get older it is changing I know what some of you are thinking alright just wait Jarrett and just wait but it's true everything changes here at Cletus an ancient Greek philosopher put it like this there is nothing permanent except change everything changes but there's one constant the scripture says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever and so I think it's important on this Easter to consider who Jesus is and the fact that he never ever changes what does that mean why is it important let's look at this and so in our time together this is what we're going to try to determine tonight who is Jesus and why does it matter first of all Jesus is God in the flesh I want you to listen to the Scriptures John chapter 1 verses 1 & 2 in verse 14 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God that title word there is another name for Jesus you could just insert his name there in the beginning was Jesus and Jesus was with God and Jesus was God he was in the beginning with God verse 14 and the word Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory glory as of the only son from the father full of grace and truth when the angel spoke of Jesus birth the announcement of what his name would be Matthew chapter 1 verse 23 the second part says they shall call his name Emmanuel which means God with us it is the person of Jesus that distinguishes Christianity from every other religions Confucius Buddha Muhammad none of these men ever made this claim to be God in the crazies that have come down through the ages claiming to be God I've certainly never authenticated it the way that Jesus did his authoritative teachings his miraculous healings his command over nature what we celebrate today his victory over death Jesus was God in the flesh and it was because of this claim of being God that he was ultimately put to death when he was arrested the night before he would go to the cross they brought him in to a Council of religious leaders and scribes and Pharisees and high priests and they were making all kinds of accusations against Jesus many of them were contradicting one another none of them were proving true and so the high priest cuts through the chase and in one of them of those climactic events in Scripture the high priest says to Jesus are you the Christ the Son of the Blessed are you the Messiah do you claim to be the Son of God and Jesus said I am that's who I am there's no getting around Jesus and it's this claim and truth behind this claim that separates him makes him different than anyone who had ever lived Jesus is a hundred percent man and he is a hundred percent God we've been in this series if you remember of Presta would have been coming recently we've been in this series walking through the book of Hebrews and the book of Hebrews is written to Jewish followers of Jesus and so a lot of terminology that's used in the Old Testament is used in this New Testament book of Hebrews because these Old Testament Jews would have been very familiar with it and one of the terms that is used is that of a high priest and a high priest would stand before God and represent man and stand before man and represent God and the Scriptures call Jesus our great high priest because only the God who became man can truly mediate for man before God the Bible says it like this in first Timothy chapter 2 for there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus the god man 100% man 100% God and he gave himself as a ransom for us all and so we see that Jesus is God in the flesh but he's also God on the cross now the cross stands as the centerpiece of Christianity take away the cross and what it means in its message and you take the very heart out of what it proclaims and yet the Bible teaches that Jesus had to go to the cross it was planned in the heart of the God from the very beginning it was the only way to secure our Redemption the Bible teaches that sin separates Romans chapter 3 verse 23 for all have sinned and we fall short of the glory of God and there's wages to sin Romans chapter 6 verse 23 the payment of sin the wages of sin is death that's physical death one day newsflash all of us will one day physically die happy Easter it's the truth Euripedes a Greek poet said death is the debt we all must pay scripture puts it like this in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 and just as it was appointed for man to die once after that comes judgment we have an appointment and you can't cancel it you can't reschedule it you can't miss it it's an appointment set for every one of us we will die and the scripture says we will face judgment and if we die in our sin we die separated from God forever see sin has to be atoned for sin has to be covered this is the purpose behind the blood sacrifices in the Old Testament is the purpose behind Jesus sacrifice in the New Testament Hebrews chapter 9 verse 22 the second part says without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins no one else could die for me and you and our sin be atone for our sin be covered why because all of us in here are sinners it's impure blood if we were still sacrificing animals as soon as we were done sacrificing we'd have to put the date on the calendar for the next sacrifice because we would sin and because we would sin again and again and again we have to sacrifice again and again and again and the Scriptures even go on to say in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 4 it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins and so what's going to take away our sin cover our sin forever and ever and ever what is going to appease the righteous wrath of God finally and completely only one thing and that is God on the cross this is why Paul wrote in Galatians chapter 3 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law he bought us back how by becoming a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone who hanged on a tree Jesus and offering up his life as a sacrifice for all time purchased and secured our salvation forever this is who Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever this Jesus is God in the flesh He is God on the cross but he is also God in the two the Bible teaches when Jesus died they took his body off of that cross and they placed his body in a borrowed tomb which makes perfect sense when you think about it because he was only going to need it for three days they put his body in a tomb Easter we're not here mourning a corpse we're here celebrating a risen Savior the Bible teaches that the early followers of Jesus that Sunday morning before the Sun was even starting to rise made their way to the tomb and when they arrived at the tomb the stone was rolled away they looked inside Jesus body was not there obviously their mind is racing their heart is racing what's going on all of a sudden two angels appear and listen to this question that they posed and the announcement that they make Luke chapter 24 the second part of verse five through verse nine why do you seek the living among the dead he is not here but has risen remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise and they remembered his words and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to the rest and this is exactly what happened they make their way back to the place the disciples were hiding and fear of the Jews not knowing what was going to take place if they crucified its leader certainly they would crucify the followers if they could find them and these ladies who saw these angels tell the disciples what they heard what they have seen Jesus he's not dead and then all of a sudden he shows up in the room where they're gathered John chapter 20 on the evening of that day verse 19 and 20 the first day of the week the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood among them and said to them peace be with you and when he had said this he showed them his hands and his side and then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord the NIV translates that word glad probably a little bit better they translated as overjoyed modern day translation they were flipping out all right I couldn't believe what they're seeing what they're hearing this past Thursday I had the opportunity if you came to our star service to interview tyler tony from dude perfect and there's not a teenager child in here that hasn't heard of dude perfect 43 million YouTube subscribers their videos have been watched over eight billion times they are celebrities known around the world for their trick shots and my kids have grown up watching dude perfect they watch the videos they watch the TV shows they love dude perfect and it's great programming because it's safe you don't have to worry about what they're talking about what they're doing and Tony Tyler Tony was there and I was interviewing him and my 11 year old was begging me daddy you got to get me an autograph and you gotta let me meet Tyler Tony from duper you gotta let me do it all right and so I can't turn my 11 year old down and had the opportunity to introduce and want to show you the picture Tyler with my 11 year old the twins you see the smile on their face you see the autograph her holding it that is called over joy all right she's got that autograph in a safe spot it ain't going anywhere over joy can you imagine multiply that times a million at seeing the resurrected Savior being able to see his scars interestingly enough the only thing man-made in heaven will be the scars of Jesus pointing to what he did on that cross these men are looking Jesus in the eyes they're listening to him teach and he didn't just appear to the disciples the Bible says he appeared to nearly 500 people after his resurrection Paul riding the church in Corinth listen to what he says 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 3 through 8 for I delivered to you that was the first importance which I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures and that he appeared to cephas that's Peter and then to the twelve and then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time most of whom are still alive though some have fallen asleep what Paul's saying here is some of these eyewitnesses Church in Corinth they're still alive go ask them if they saw him appeared to over five hundred people then he appeared to James and then all of the Apostles last of all as one untimely born he appeared to me the message is clear Jesus is alive he is God in the flesh he is God on the cross He is God in the tomb but he is also God on the throne the Bible teaches after he was raised to life after he appeared to his disciples these 500 people the Bible teaches that he ascended into heaven and he is now sitting at the right hand of God hebrews chapter 12 verse 2 Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith for who the joy set before him endured the cross despising its shame and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God that word thrown there there's a double meaning you my wife and I we've had the privilege to get away on a vacation and go to one of these all-inclusive resorts and as soon as you get there if you've ever been you know how it is they're taking your bags from you please please come sit down over here get rested right here they just want you to get off your feet they want you to sit why because you ain't there to work your works done well when it says Jesus is sitting on his throne one meeting is his work is complete it's why when he said on the cross it is finished the completed work of redemption is done he could sit down but it also means a place of elevation in other words Jesus he's finished with his work sitting on a throne in a high and exalted place it represents his supremacy it represents his prominence and he is now sitting present-tense right now where he was sitting in eternity past this is why the Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever let's ask this question though why does it matter why does it matter who Jesus is I want to look at it very briefly from two different standpoints one temporal the other eternal from a temporal standpoint the Bible teaches that when we receive Jesus by faith and believe in the good news of his death burial and resurrection our lives are changed forever now that doesn't mean that our sickness is going to go away it doesn't mean that the consequences of bad decisions that we may are going to automatically disappear it doesn't mean that all of the dreams that we have are going to automatically come true doesn't mean any of that but when we trust in Christ what it does mean is that he comes to live inside of us and we'll never be alone again he's always with us that means we can make it through anything sickness death financial ruin separation divorce God living in us gives us hope he gives us in a church a family that we've never had before according to the scripture he gives us life in life everlasting he gives us a purpose worth living for and a mission worth dying for he invites us to join him on this mission of changing the world and so from a temporal matter the Bible says what good is that if you gain the world and yet forfeit your soul and that leads to the eternal matter the Bible teaches that what we do with Jesus why does it matter because what we do with Jesus determines our eternal destiny we already said we'll die a physical death but our soul the core of who we are the Bible teaches the soul will live forever see you're not a body that has a soul you are a soul that has a body and when your body dies your soul is going somewhere and if you receive Jesus you're going to heaven but if you reject Jesus the Bible teaches you are going to a place called Hell forever separated from God and before you write me off as a fire and brimstone preacher alright the thought is Jared this is Easter all right lighten up let's talk about some bunnies let's talk about my nice Easter outfit let's talk about the great weather outside okay bunnies are great you look great in your clothes the weather is beautiful it's all I got alright that's all that's all I got hell's a reality that we have to deal with Jesus dealt with it he described it as a place that you don't want to go a place of eternal torment place where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth a place where the worm does not die it's described as a place of outer darkness and while it's not a fun subject to preach on Easter demands him because Jesus got in the flesh went to that cross he took the judgment of God on himself so that you wouldn't have to spend eternity away from him see Jesus loves you that's the story of this Bible jesus loves you and desires to be in a relationship with you but he will never ever ever force himself on you he'll never that's not love he'll never force you to commit your life to him if you don't choose to and so in love he gives you the freedom to make a choice and just as Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever so too is our need and God's solution to meeting that need see our need never changes what is it at the end of the day whatever you're struggling with whatever you're dealing with may be up and out may be down and out your need never changes at the end of the day every single need is the same and that is we need a relationship with God good works don't get us into a good relationship with God coming to church doesn't get us into a relationship with God only receiving Jesus into our life gets us into a right relationship with God man's need never changes and God's solution to that need never changes the solution to that right relationship with God is Jesus his son He is God in the flesh God on the cross God in the tomb God on the throne and I close with this question tonight and it's a question that only you can answer and I'm putting it in its first person tense and that's this is God in me how would you answer that question is God in me see the Bible teaches that when we trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins the Bible teaches that he comes to live in us when we go to the cross and we give our sin and turn our sin over to the cross of Jesus Christ Paul put it like this in Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live look at this it is Christ who is in me and so for him to live in you you have a choice to make and there's only two options you can receive him or you can reject him Jesus is unchanging and he's also enix capable no one gets to avoid answering this question to choose not to answer it is to answer it his resurrection what millions of people around the world will gather this weekend and celebrate it demands a decision your Salah Pelican a Christian history professor said this about the resurrection if Christ is not raised nothing matters if Christ is raised nothing else matters so the question is is God in me if you've never received Jesus as the lord of your life you've never come to the cross ask him to forgive you of your sins ask him to save you to come and live inside of you I want to give you that opportunity right now and so would you bow your heads in prayer with me receiving Jesus we say it like this around prestonwood it's as simple as your ABCs how does Jesus come to live in you you have to admit that you're a sinner that's not hard to do we all know that we've broken God's law we've all stolen we've all lied we've broken God's commands and the scripture says if you've broken one you've broken all of them for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God you want Jesus to live in you admit that you're a sinner and that you need him that's the first step it's humility saying I need a Savior and then believe believe in what we've spoke of today that Jesus is God in the flesh that he's not just a good man he's not just a moral teacher he's not just a religious leader no he is God you believe that with your mind and you believe in your heart that he died for you on the cross and that he went into it - and that he came out of it - and that he's now sitting on the throne you believe that with your mind with your heart and you confess him as Lord you say Jesus I'm following you I'm following you I know there's a lot of Christians in the room right now and I want to ask you to be praying for that person on your right and on your left and in front of you and behind you because the Bible says today is the day of salvation and for many who came into this room may be just coming - back to church for the first time in a long time we're glad you're here maybe there's been a trouble or a trial and you figured it's Easter weekend I'm gonna go maybe you're invited by someone a neighbor saw one of our Easter signs out you're here but you've heard this message today and you know that God is not living in you if that's you I'm gonna put a prayer up on the screen right now and nobody looking around Christians are praying but if you want God to live in you I want you to pray this prayer in your heart with me it's on the screen I'm believing that there are boys and girls and men and women students teenagers in this room and online praying this prayer prayed in your heart Jesus I know I'm a sinner and I need to be saved forgive me of my sin I believe you are God in the flesh I believe you died on a cross for my sins I believe you were buried in a tomb and raised to life please come into my heart and live in me thank you for saving me and help me to live for you every day amen

Channel: Prestonwood Baptist Church

Views: 298

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: YouTube, Prestonwood, Baptist, Church, Non-Profit, Ministry, Ministries, Jack Graham, Jack, Graham, PowerPoint, PPT, PowerPoint with Jack Graham, Dallas, Texas, Jesus, Christ, Bible, 2019, PBC, USA, America, Media, TV, Show, Offers, Daystar, TBN

Id: UoZZbOR8H2s

Length: 31min 33sec (1893 seconds)

Published: Tue Apr 23 2019