8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- Hebrews 13:8, The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Publishing House) 1984.
In the name of Christ Jesus, dear friends:
Summer Bible Day Camp is in the books for another year. Judging from the attendance, the great weather, the enthusiasm of the campers and the dedication of everyone who made it possible, Day Camp 2000 was a huge success.
"God’s Time Machine" served as this year’s theme. If you ducked your head into the school cafeteria or the fellowship hall during the three days of the camp, one word you would have heard repeated over and over is the word, "time."
The craft for the week was a Christian time capsule. The campers decorated the outsides and made special things to put inside the capsules in order to show anyone who might dig up the time capsules that the people who buried them were Christians.
Each day the campers had a lesson in archaeology. They learned that archaeology is a fancy term that really means digging around in other people’s garbage. They held pieces of pottery in their hands that were thousands of years old. Studying these ancient artifacts helped us understand how people lived in ancient times.
Each day Camp began with a lesson from the Bible, but these were no ordinary lessons. Different biblical characters emerged from the time machine in the fellowship hall to share their stories with the campers, to tell them how important God was in their lives.
All of these things remind us that the one constant in life is change. Time stands still for no one. Time is always marching forward. The world is constantly changing. Our lives are different from one day to the next. What the campers learned this week, and what is important for all of us to remember is that in the midst of all this change, one thing remains the same. God will never change. He will never go back on his word. The theme for Day Camp was "God’s Time Machine." This morning we focus our thoughts on a related theme…
God’s Timeless Message
I. God is patient
II. God is powerful
III. God is love
Each day the Bible lesson revolved around one of God’s attributes. An attribute is a characteristic, a trait that makes a person who he/she is. For example, red hair, fair skin, a beautiful voice, great strength are all human attributes, things that make an individual unique.
God’s attributes are his characteristics, the things that separate him from the rest of us, the things that make God God. God is omniscient. He knows all things. God is a spirit. He is invisible. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at once. God is holy. He is without sin.
Because there are so many attributes of God to choose from, it was very difficult to narrow the list down to just three. After much deliberation, these three attributes were selected: God’s patience, God’s power and God’s love.
On Tuesday, Job emerged from the time machine wearing flowing robes and gold rings and bracelets and necklaces. He boasted about his great wealth, his huge flocks and his large family. Job was also quick to tell us that all of his blessings came from the Lord’s hand.
But Job’s life was not always happy. He shared some of the difficult times in his life with the rest of us. His ten children were killed. His riches were taken away. Even his body was covered with painful scabs and sores. And Job’s friends offered him no comfort. Instead, they accused him of committing some terrible sin. Job lost everything, everything he held dear in this world, everything except his relationship with God.
The problem was that Job was becoming impatient. He wanted to know why his life had taken such a turn for the worse. He wanted to know what he had done wrong. He wanted to know why God was punishing him.
Whenever a person undergoes major surgery, there is always an element of risk involved. As the patient is lying on the operating table just before going under, does he ever tell the surgeon how to proceed? Does he demand that the attending physicians explain their actions? Does he advise the doctors who are standing over him on the best course of treatment? No, he leaves everything up to the experts. He puts his life in their hands because they have the knowledge. They have the experience. They know what they are doing.
Job was God’s impatient patient. Job didn’t know what was best for him. Job didn’t have any right to question God. With his limited knowledge, Job was in no position to demand answers. God patiently but firmly reminded Job that he is in control. He knows what he is doing. And he always takes care of his children.
As God worked with his servant Job, it was truly amazing to hear him talk about God’s patience in action. God didn’t tell him: "Job, you had your chance and that’s it. You blew it." God was patient. He called Job to repentance. He forgave Job’s sins. He renewed his promise of the Redeemer to come.
On Wednesday, Esther traveled twenty five hundred years and thousands of miles from ancient Persia to Wauwatosa. She looked every part the Persian queen, decked out in expensive jewelry and royal robes. The hand of God was clearly at work in the life of this young Jewish girl who grew up far from her homeland. Out of all of the women of the empire, the mighty king Xerxes chose Esther to be his queen. Meanwhile, God was working behind the scenes. He had great plans for Esther. He planned to use her as an instrument of his divine power.
As Esther talked with us, she told us that she had no father or mother. Her only relative was a cousin by the name of Mordecai. Moredecai was a good man. He took Esther into his home. Moredecai was also a loyal servant of the king. He had uncovered a plot to assassinate Xerxes and saved the king’s life.
Some time later, Mordecai became aware of another plot, but this was personal. A wicked man named Haman was plotting to destroy the Jews. Unfortunately, the darkness that filled Haman’s heart was difficult to detect. On the surface, Haman was a fine upstanding citizen. He was a royal official and a trusted advisor of the king.
But in Haman’s heart there was hate. Haman hated all Jews, but he hated Mordecai above them all. Haman erected a gallows that was 75 feet high from which Mordecai was supposed to hand. Things didn’t look good for Mordecai and Esther. Things looked bleak for the Jewish people. If the Jewish race was destroyed, if Haman’s plan succeeded, then the promised Messiah could never be born.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. Mordecai pleaded with Queen Esther to go to the king and ask for his help. But Esther was afraid. She feared for her life because there was a law that stated if anyone approached the king in his inner sanctuary without permission, that person must die.
Esther was afraid, but she took the risk. She approached the king trusting in God’s almighty power. Esther trusted in God’s power to save her life. Esther trusted in God’s power to protect his people. And the Lord answered her prayers. God used Esther to rescue the Jews from certain destruction. In the end, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.
On the final day of Camp, Peter left his fishing nets long enough to tell us about God’s love. If there was a Bible character who was in constant need of love, it was this disciple. Peter was a natural leader, a man of action, someone who likes to do things, not just talk about them. But Peter’s boldness sometimes got him into trouble.
Peter told us about the time when Jesus walked out to him and the other disciples as they were sailing on the Sea of Galilee. At first they were afraid because they thought that Jesus was a ghost. Peter was the first one to overcome his fears. Recognizing that it was Jesus, Peter boldly asked if he could walk out to him, and he stepped out onto the choppy waters.
But then the winds blew harder and the waves grew bigger, and Peter wasn’t so brave anymore. If Jesus had not grabbed him by the hand, Peter might have drowned. He told us that he could still remember the look on Jesus’ face when he pulled him up into the boat. It was a combination of disappointment and love. Jesus loved Peter deeply, but he also knew that Peter had a long way to go. Peter had no idea how far until Maundy Thursday.
In the Upper Room that night, Jesus spoke plainly about his approaching death. He told the disciples that his time had come. He told the disciples that they would run away in fear. But not Peter. Pride swelled up in his heart as he declared: "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you" (Mt. 26:35).
Only a few hours later, Peter would regret that he had ever spoken those words. In the high priest’s courtyard, he stood among Jesus’ enemies. He felt the pressure of their questions. And he made a choice. Peter chose to deny his Lord because he was more concerned about his body than his soul. And then their eyes met again as Jesus was led across the courtyard. It was the same look, the same look Jesus had given Peter on the Sea of Galilee. The same pain in his eyes. The same love in his heart. Jesus knew he would see Peter again.
That meeting took place on the shores of the Sea of Galilee sometime after Jesus’ resurrection. In spite of his less than perfect track record, Jesus never stopped loving Peter. He took Peter aside and asked him three times if he returned his love. With tears welling up in his eyes, Peter replied: "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you" (Jn. 21:17). That confession was good enough for Jesus. He forgave Peter’s sins. He reinstated Peter as a disciple. And he sent Peter out to share God’s love with others.
Maybe you have noticed something by now. The sermon is winding down, and I have not made a single reference to the text. In case you forgot, the text is a single verse, Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." This text does not talk about God’s patience. It doesn’t mention God’s power. There is no direct reference to God’s love. Really the verse describes a totally different attribute, the changelessness/eternal nature of God.
So did the preacher make a mistake? Did I choose the wrong text? Not if we make this connection. The changelessness of God, the fact that God will never change, is an overarching attribute, an attribute that touches all other attributes of God.
God was patient with Job. The same God who demonstrated divine patience in Job’s life is patient with his people today. When we are filled with sinful pride, when we question God’s goodness, God is patient. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. He does not punish us for our unbelief. God is patient. He calls us to repentance. He forgives ours sins. And he renews his promises again and again and again.
God demonstrated his power in the life of Esther. The same God who used his power to save the Jews works powerfully in our lives today. When life is difficult, when life is dangerous, when we are filled with doubts and fears, God tells us that we can rely on his power to save.
God gave Peter his unconditional love. The same God who loved Peter at all times promises to do the same for us. Jesus loves us in spite of our sins. He loves us when we are so overconfident that we think we don’t need him. He loves us when we deny him. He loves us when we are on the brink of despair.
If you need proof of God’s love, look no farther than the cross. Jesus demonstrated his love for sinners on Calvary, when he died for the sins of the whole world. This good news is God’s timeless message. Jesus came to earth for you. Jesus died for you. Jesus has risen and gone up into heaven to prepare a place for you.
As we wrap up Day Camp for another year, some thank yous are in order. Thank you to the Campers for their eagerness to learn and grow in faith. Thank you to the counselors and helpers for all their hard work. Thanks to all the volunteers who made the Camp run smoothly. But above all, we give thanks and praise to our Savior God who has revealed who he is and what he has done for us in the pages of Scripture. God is patient. God is powerful. God is love. And that will never change. Amen.