The message began with a powerful story about a friend facing crisis. This individual, facing the aftermath of marital betrayal and struggling through seasons of work that left too much time for painful thoughts, found himself overwhelmed. Though a Christian, he admitted being angry with God, feeling that despite doing everything right—being a good provider, working hard, remaining faithful—this was how God "rewarded" him. His marriage was failing, his faith was failing, and consequently, his life felt like it was falling apart.
Many people find themselves in similar situations. Whether due to failing relationships, workplace stress, health crises with loved ones, or financial difficulties, the pressure becomes so intense that sleep becomes difficult, eating feels impossible, and normal social interaction seems overwhelming. In these moments, people often turn to various forms of numbing—alcohol, other substances, food, entertainment, or hobbies—trying desperately to distract themselves, to numb the pain, to find some semblance of peace.
This teaching is the second part of a three-part series examining the sameness of Jesus, rooted in Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." The series explores how in the consistency of Christ, there can be found a peace that sustains through the most difficult circumstances.
The previous week established who Jesus was in His "today"—fully God and fully man. Being fully man means He experienced the same existence as all humanity: sadness, tiredness, hunger, and great joy. Yet simultaneously, as fully God, He possesses the power to carry people through whatever difficulty they face.
This message focuses on who Jesus was in His "yesterday," revealing a profound truth: Jesus existed before He existed. This concept—that Christ was active and present before His birth in Bethlehem—proves to be exactly what struggling believers need when their marriages, faith, and lives seem to be falling apart.
The teaching returns to Colossians 1:16-17, which declares:
"For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things and in him all things hold together."
These verses reveal that Jesus didn't create Himself first and then everything else. Rather, He created all things—in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, including thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. Everything was created through Him and ultimately for Him.
This explains the Genesis 1 passage where God says, "Let us make man in our image." This wasn't God conferring with angels about mankind's design—angels don't create, and humans weren't created in the image of angels. This was the Father speaking to the Son and the Holy Spirit. Humanity was created to be like God, given will, purpose, intelligence, and personality. The capacity to create—art, music, buildings, even babies—flows from being made in God's image.
After creating all things, Jesus didn't simply sit back and wait for the incarnation. He remained actively involved in His creation, and Genesis 18 provides a remarkable example of this involvement.
Genesis 18 introduces Abraham, the patriarch through whom God would create the nation of Israel. At this point in the narrative, Abraham had entered into covenant with God but hadn't yet seen that covenant fulfilled through the promised son Isaac.
The passage describes a dramatic moment: "And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him."
The text makes clear that Moses, the author, identifies one of these three men as "the Lord"—God Himself. These figures didn't gradually approach; they suddenly appeared. Abraham immediately recognized one as the Lord because he had previously interacted with God in chapters 12, 15, and 17.
When God makes an appearance in the Old Testament in this manner, it's called a theophany—God appearing in the natural order. Sometimes theophanies took unusual forms: the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night that led Israel out of Egypt, the smoking fire pot and flaming torch Abraham witnessed, or the storm described in Ezekiel.
But sometimes theophanies involved God appearing in human form:
In Genesis 18, Abraham experienced God in a theophany—the Lord simply appeared with two angels at his side.
After sharing a meal with Abraham, God revealed His purpose: "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me."
Though God framed this as an investigation, He already knew exactly what was happening in those cities. This moment was actually more about Abraham than about gathering information. God wanted Abraham to understand righteousness, justice, wisdom, and compassion.
Abraham's response demonstrates remarkable boldness. He began to negotiate with God, not for selfish reasons but for his nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom with his family. Abraham had visited Lot and knew the cities' reputation was accurate—perhaps even worse than the rumors suggested. If God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He would destroy Lot.
Abraham appealed to both God's righteousness and mercy: "Would you destroy the city if there were 50 righteous people there?" God agreed He would spare it for fifty. Abraham continued his humble petition—45? 40? 30? 20? Finally, 10? Each time, God agreed He would spare the cities for the sake of the righteous.
Abraham stopped at ten, surely believing that among the hundreds or thousands of residents, God could find at least ten righteous people. Tragically, only Lot qualified as righteous.
Genesis 19 reveals the depths of evil in these cities—a devastating chapter filled with cruelty. Yet even in this horror, God's compassion shines through. When the two angels found Lot and warned him of the coming destruction, Lot lingered. The text specifically states that out of God's great mercy, the angels grabbed Lot and his family by the hands and physically dragged them to safety.
Some struggle with God's destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and that discomfort reflects a proper value for human life. Yet God is also a God of justice. Grave evil was being perpetrated, people were being hurt, and despite numerous warnings through various means, the cities wouldn't change. God brought justice for the sake of humanity while simultaneously showing extraordinary compassion to Lot's family.
This extended discussion of Abraham and Sodom connects directly to understanding Jesus's "yesterday" because many biblical scholars believe that theophanies featuring God in human form represent appearances of the pre-incarnate Christ.
This means:
These passages reveal Jesus before His incarnation, demonstrating His divine nature:
Jesus is God, even in His past.
The practical application comes from returning to Colossians 1:17: "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
In Christ, all things hold together. The theophanies reveal that Jesus entered into the created order to hold all things together. This is precisely what the friend mentioned at the beginning needed to hear as he wept over his failing marriage, failing faith, and failing life.
These words from Colossians 1:17 transformed his tears from breaking over circumstances to realizing God had been with him the entire time. Jesus could hold his marriage together. And even if his marriage fell apart, Jesus would hold him together.
This truth speaks powerfully to those currently struggling. By examining how Jesus entered the world before His incarnation to hold things together, and then by coming to the cross to hold humanity together, the message becomes clear: Jesus can hold you together.
The teaching concluded with extended time for reflection and prayer, guided by Hebrews 4:16: "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
The invitation was clear: Come confidently to God's throne of grace. Confess sins, worries, and struggles. Lay everything down at His feet—personal wrestlings and burdens carried for friends and family members. After laying these things down, receive God's mercy and find grace for times of need. Receive the forgiveness that comes through Christ on the cross.
For those doubting God's goodness, the message points to Jesus as the one who holds people together. For those doubting God's power, it reveals that Jesus has the power to hold people together. For those doubting God's love, it directs attention to the love demonstrated through the cross, showing how through Jesus, God holds people together.
The encouragement is to stop seeking strength, comfort, and healing solely in personal resources or worldly solutions, and instead to find them first and foremost in Christ—the one who existed before He existed, who created all things, who actively engages in His creation, and who holds all things together.
