That which never changes
Today's reading Hebrews 13:1-19
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Today’s blog
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
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The letter ends with this chapter which contains many concluding exhortations to do with Christian behaviour i.e. examples of holiness in practice. The basis of them all is the timeless truth that Jesus himself never changes. The same note was sounded in chapter 1 – Jesus is the glorious Son of God whose “throne lasts forever”, who always “remains the same” and “whose years never end” (1:3,8,12). From first to last, the message of Hebrews is that “Jesus lives for ever” (7:24).
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Christian leaders provide inspiration and example to us (7) but when they pass away, Jesus is unchanging and he (not them) is the one who we follow. Likewise, there are many ways that the outward dress of Christianity changes over the years, and “strange teachings” (9) come and go. But our faith is not in the church with its traditions and practices, or in the latest fads of Christian teaching. Rather, our faith is in Jesus.
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Jesus is our unchanging Lord, who through his sacrificial death and “the power of an indestructible life” is able to save us completely (7:16,25-27). Jesus never changes and neither does his call for us to be disciples (Mk.1:17). The “yesterday” of our believing is renewed “today” through constantly “fixing our gaze” on him (12:1) and feeding on his grace. With that comes the call to take up the cross daily (13; Lk.9:23), looking for the “enduring city” which he has prepared for us and where we will be with him “forever” (14-15; Lk.9:24; Rev.21:2-4).
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(To dig a bit deeper into Hebrews 13:1-19 click here for some commentary notes.)