Heart Healthy - Pt 6

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. (Hebrews 13:8-10 ESV).

The writer says, Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. They trusted Jesus in the past. Now you, today and tomorrow, go on trusting Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is the same today when you trust him and he will be the same tomorrow when you trust him. We must understand what this means about grace and how it strengthens the heart. Something new is implied here that we didn't see earlier. If Jesus were only important for what he did on the cross then it wouldn't matter if he were the same today and tomorrow. All that would matter is that the past work on the altar of the cross is still valid. Does the blood still buy my forgiveness? But if Jesus is important not only because he died once to forgive my sins, but also lives to be with me and help me in the next two minutes and this afternoon and tomorrow, then everything hangs on whether the Jesus alive today is the same as he was when he died for me on the altar. His promise to us is much more than simply saving us from our sin. What he has promised is that he will never leave us you or forsake us (cf. v. 5). The faith we are to imitate is faith in future grace, not just past grace. This is faith that the living Jesus who helped yesterday will help today and tomorrow. When I wake up in the morning and feel guilty and ashamed because of yesterday's ugliness, and hopeless because of yesterday's failure, my heart needs to be strengthened by two kinds of grace, not just one. I need the grace of forgiveness based on a great past substitutionary sacrifice on the cross that covers all my sins. And I need the grace of promised help from Jesus today and tomorrow. If I can have forgiveness, and if I can have the promise of omnipotent help from Jesus who is the same yesterday today and forever, my heart will be strong, and I will be able to carry on another day. Such is the glory of grace in the Christian life. If you do not enjoy the forgiveness of your sins or have hope that Jesus will give you all the help you need today and tomorrow, then I invite you to turn from “foods” that cannot satisfy or help, and put your trust in the grace of Jesus. His grace is forever and his strength is eternally available. Don’t spend another moment at the wrong altar. Come to Jesus now!