This Same Jesus

¹⁰And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹which also said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” — Acts 1:10-11 KJV

“This same Jesus!” Oh! how sweetly
Fall those words upon the ear,
Like a swell of far off music,
In a nightwatch still and drear!

He who healed the hopeless leper,
He who dried the widow’s tear;
He who changed to health and gladness
Helpless suffering, trembling fear;

He who wandered, poor and homeless,
By the stormy Galilee;
He who on the night-robed mountain
Bent in prayer the wearied knee;

He who spake as none had spoken,
Angel-wisdom far above,
All-forgiving, ne’er upbraiding,
Full of tenderness and love;

He who gently called the weary,
“Come and I will give you rest!”
He who loved the little children,
Took them in His arms and blest;

He, the lonely Man of Sorrows,
’Neath our sin-curse bending low;
By His faithless friends forsaken
In the darkest hours of woe;—

“This same Jesus!” When the vision
Of that last and awful day
Bursts upon the prostrate spirit,
Like a midnight lightning ray;

When, else dimly apprehended,
All its terrors seem revealed,
Trumpet-knell and fiery heavens,
And the books of doom unsealed;

Then, we lift our hearts adoring
“This same Jesus,” loved and known,
Him, our own most gracious Savior,
Seated on the great white Throne;

He Himself, and “not another,”
He for whom our heart-love yearned
Through long years of twilight waiting,
To His ransomed ones returned!

For this word, O Lord, we bless Thee,
Bless our Master’s changeless name;
Yesterday, today, for ever,
Jesus Christ is still the Same.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:8 KJV