The Game Has Changed But God Hasn't
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
This precious verse showcases the often neglected, but very vital doctrine of the "immutability" of God. In simple terms, the doctrine of immutability means that God Almighty has never, can never and will never change. He is, by His very nature, unchangeable! This means that He is as powerful as ever. He is as loving, as merciful, as full of grace, as holy and as much in control as He has ever been. He is still God and He will always be God. He is absolutely unchangeable. This is one of the essential doctrines of Christianity! Why is the immutability so important? Because change implies imperfection and God is absolutely perfect. Therefore, He cannot change, ever! This truth is borne out in several Scripture passages,
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
6 For I am the Lord, I change not;
Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
I would like to take this passage, which reveals the same immutability in the Lord Jesus and share with you a few areas where Jesus is absolutely unchangeable.
Jesus will never change in regard to:
I. (Matt. 28:18) HIS POWER
I. (Matt. 28:18) HIS POWER
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
(Ill. The verse tells us that Jesus has been given power. Just what does this mean? The word power comes from the Greek word exousia, (Ill. We get our word Exude from this word.)
This word literally means;
power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases
leave or permission
physical and mental power
the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises
the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege)
the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed)
universally
authority over mankind.
Simply stated, Jesus is the All-powerful Lord.
Also, notice that Jesus said that this power had been "given" unto Him.
This word is in the Aorist, Passive, Indicative.
This simply means that at some time in the past, God the Father gave Jesus His power and authority and that this gift has ongoing power into the future, In other words, it is God's will that Jesus possess all power in Heaven and earth and nothing can change this fact.)
His Creative Power - (Ill. Jesus was the agent of Creation
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
This is the same power that is working in and around us. That is why we can say with all assurance of heart, that Jesus is "Able!"
His Redemptive Power - Ill. Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith,
That is, He paid the price and He is the only One in whom salvation can be found,
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
He will never lose His saving power! (Ill. Heb. 7:25)
His Protective Power - Ill. Jesus is still the Good Shepherd,
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
and He will care for the sheep until they all arrive safely home,
I. His Power
II. Rom. 4:21 HIS PROMISES
II. Rom. 4:21 HIS PROMISES
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
(Ill. In this verse, the word "Promised" is in the perfect tense in the Greek.
This corresponds to the perfect tense in English, and describes an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing to be repeated.
To put it very simply, when God makes a promise, He has no need to repeat Himself, but His promises are good forever.)
He Has Promised To Save Us - The promise is clear,
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
When a lost sinner comes to Jesus by faith, he is saved by grace and prepared for Heaven.
This a promise that will never change!
He Has Promised To Supply Us - Again, the promise is clear,
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God will take care of you! He may not maintain your standard of living, but He will meet your needs, Matt. 6:25-34. When you have finished your journey, you will never be able to honestly say that the Lord ever let you down!
He Has Promised To Satisfy Us - When Jesus met the woman at the well in John 4, He promised her a drink of living water that would eternally satisfy,
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
He also promised to satisfy the hungry soul, Psa. 107:9.
He Has Promised To Secure Us - There is no doctrine more precious to the saints of God than the doctrine of our eternal security in the Lord Jesus Christ. Simply stated, if you have ever been saved, then you will ever be saved! Jesus didn't save you to abandon you along the way. He saved you to take you to Heaven as a trophy of grace and as a part of His body. He will ever keep His saints until they arrive safely home in glory,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
He Has Promised To Sustain Us - By this, I mean is that God has promised to give us grace along the way.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
That He will keep things under control, 1 Cor. 10:13. That He will use every trial and valley for your good, Rom. 8:28.
I. His Power
II. His Promises
III. Heb. 1:12 HIS PERSONALITY
III. Heb. 1:12 HIS PERSONALITY
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
This verse simply reaffirms the truth of our text.
Jesus Christ will never change!
Therefore, any attributes which He possessed in the beginning, He still possesses today, and He will possess them into eternity future. That which He was, He is and He ever will be! Therefore, His personality will never change!)
He Is Love - (I John 4:8) According to this verse, God is love! That is, in His very nature God is a God of love. Everything He does is an expression and an outgrowth of His love and He will never change. If God is love, and He is, then there will never be a time when you will not be loved by God, Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38-39. God loved you before He saved you, He loves you now and He will love you forever! He is love and you are the object of His love!
He Is Light - (John 8:12) By His very nature, Jesus is Light. His very purpose in coming into the world was to bring the light of God to those drowning in a sea of darkness. He came to manifest the Father to fallen men, John 14:9. He is still in that business tonight and He ever will be. He is the Light and He will ever be the Light! He offers hope to those in darkness this evening. He can and will bring them out and into the Light of God.
He is Life - (John 14:6; John 1:4) Jesus is not just another life, He is the Life! It is in Him and in Him alone that dead sinners can live, Eph. 2:1, 5. To know Jesus is to know life, to be without Him is to abide in death, 1 John 5:12. He is Life and He will ever be Life. All the life on this planet sprang from Him, Gen. 1-2. Even man was created by Jesus and has life today because the Creator breathed the breath of life into man, Gen. 2:7. He is the Creator of life and He is the sustainer of life. This will never change! For a man to truly live, he must know Jesus - John 1:12; 3:36.
He Is Lord - (Acts 2:36) As I have shared with you in the past, no one "makes" Jesus the Lord of their life. He is already Lord whether you and I acknowledge it or not! This world certainly does not live like Jesus is Lord, but that changes nothing! Many churches and Christians do not live like He is Lord, but that too changes nothing! Jesus is Lord! He will ever be Lord! He is Lord! One day, His power and position as Lord of all will be revealed to everyone, (Ill. Rev.19:11-21; Rev. 20:11-15). He is Lord and the best you and I can do is live like we know it and honor it!
Conc: This world around us, even our very lives are in a constant state of flux. Things are always changing for you and me. I find it very refreshing and comforting to know that the God I serve and the Lord I have received as my Savior will never change. Perhaps there are needs tonight in your life. Perhaps you need to come to Him and share you burdens and find help from an immutable, unchangeable Lord. He loves you and is here tonight to help you if you will come to Him and call on His name. Will you come to the Lord this evening?