[0:00] Take your Bibles and turn to the New Testament book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews, we don't know who the author of the book of Hebrews is, but we do know that he loved and he was fascinated with the Lord Jesus Christ.
[0:20] And so whoever he was, we connect with him. We know his heart. So listen to what he has to tell us. Hebrews chapter 6. Therefore, let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and a faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.
[0:49] And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who've shared in the Holy Spirit, who've tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age.
[1:07] If they fall away to be brought back to repentance because to their loss, they're crucifying the son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
[1:20] Land that drinks in the rain, often falling on it, and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed, receives the blessing of God.
[1:31] But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end, it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case, things that accompany salvation.
[1:51] God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show the same diligence to the very end in order to make your hope sure.
[2:05] We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.
[2:28] And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
[2:41] Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
[2:52] God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
[3:06] We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.
[3:22] He's become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Let's hear God's word preached. What makes a pastor's heart overflow with joyful thanksgiving and prayer to God?
[3:39] I'll tell you. I'll tell you what. It's seeing the threefold graces flourish in the life of the church. It's seeing faith, hope, and love active in you, just as they were active in the Lord Jesus while he lived among us.
[3:57] Listen to how Paul puts it in his first letter to the Thessalonians. Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the church of the Thessalonians and God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
[4:09] Grace and peace to you. We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, and we continually remember before our God and Father.
[4:19] Your work produced by faith. Your labor produced by love. And your endurance inspired by hope.
[4:31] We've come to the study of that third grace of hope. Hope. We've defined it as a confident expectation of future good.
[4:46] Hope's not a dead thing. Any more than faith and love are dead things. They produce things in our lives. They're living, life-transforming graces that God infuses into the hearts of his people that make them different.
[5:05] And what is the main activity of hope? Hope is the great motivator. Now, last week, we saw hope motivating us to purify ourselves just as Jesus is pure.
[5:18] We're going to see him as he is and be like him. And everyone who has that hope in him is now purifying himself. Now, today, we're going to see hope motivating us to persevere to the end.
[5:32] Inspiring us to endure. Energizing and stimulating us to not quit the race. But to run on, persevering to the end.
[5:45] Now, maybe you've not been praying for more hope. Maybe you've not been feeding your hope as you should. So consider briefly.
[5:55] Why is the grace of hope so important to you making it to the finish line? Well, the Bible's short answer is because only those who endure to the end will be saved.
[6:09] And hope is the grace that motivates you to persevere to the end. And so be saved. In Matthew 24, the Lord Jesus spoke of a great apostasy.
[6:21] A great turning away. He said a time is coming when not a few, but many will turn away from the faith. He gives at least three reasons.
[6:33] Number one, because of the increased persecution and hatred of all the nations for Jesus and his followers. Many will turn away. Second, because of many false prophets and teachers who will deceive many.
[6:50] Turning them away from the truth as it is in Jesus to some other gospel. And thirdly, because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
[7:03] They will find the persecution, the pressures, the troubles of this life just too much. And turn away and quit following Jesus.
[7:15] And so the Lord then says, but he who endures to the end shall be saved. According to Jesus, only those who endure to the end will be saved.
[7:26] That is to endure to the end in repentance, in faith, in hope, in love, in obedience, in faithfulness to Christ.
[7:37] That's just the Bible doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. That all whom God has saved from their sins will persevere in holiness to the end of their life.
[7:47] Many ups and downs along the way to be sure, but they will repent and go on believing and go on trusting and obeying to the end.
[8:00] That's why Paul can say, being confident of this, writing to the Philippian church, that he who has begun a good work in you will continue it, carry it on to the day of Christ Jesus.
[8:13] Because God is the one preserving us, we will be the ones persevering to the end. But only those who endure to the end will be saved.
[8:27] Now that being the case, I'm interested in anything that motivates me to get to the end. And that's precisely this grace of hope. It inspires endurance.
[8:39] It motivates perseverance. Now, our scripture reading was in the book of Hebrews, in Hebrews 6. And the whole book was written to Hebrew Christians who had come to faith in Jesus Christ.
[8:54] But they were undergoing persecution and much more was on the way. And that became a powerful temptation to turn away from Christ.
[9:06] To return to the Christless Judaism. To try to carry on the Old Testament ceremonies as if the Messiah had not come. And so to return to life without Jesus at the center.
[9:24] And they would do that to spare themselves from being cast out of their families. Cast out of the Jewish society in which they lived. And made a living. There were signs of these believers growing weary.
[9:39] Slowing down. Losing hope. Wondering if it's worth it. Even considering dropping out of the race for an easier life. And that alarmed the author to the book of Hebrews.
[9:55] It alarmed him. And it caused him to send this long sermon to them. He takes it seriously. His book is God's one big call to persevere to the end.
[10:12] To not give up. To not turn back. And he follows a two-fold strategy. All of course inspired by the Holy Spirit. And his strategy is this. Number one. He gives warnings.
[10:24] Of God's judgment and curses for all who do turn back. And there are no empty threats. Secondly. He gives encouragements in Christ.
[10:36] Positive reasons to continue persevering to the end. And there is not a Christian on the earth who doesn't need both to motivate us to get to the end.
[10:47] We need both the warnings and the encouragements that are not only found in Hebrews. But found throughout the Bible. Now both are found in Hebrews 6.
[10:58] What was read for us. Both are the means that God uses to stimulate us and motivate us to get to the end. Without falling away.
[11:10] The threatened warnings of God's curse of hell that awaits all who turn back. Are like a spur to spur us on to the end.
[11:24] And the sweet encouragements in Christ. The positive reasons are like a carrot to allure us. To heaven's finish line.
[11:35] Well. It's in this book then on persevering. The book of Hebrews. That we found the word hope. At least seven times. And he speaks of the idea of hope even more than seven times.
[11:49] You will need it. If you would be among those who persevere. To the end. Hope is what you need. And God has hope to give.
[12:01] Now hope falls then under the second kind of motivations. Hope is not a part of the threats. Of judgment. It's rather a part of the encouragements in Christ.
[12:15] It keeps before us the certainty. Of future good. It keeps pointing us to the good. Awaiting us at the end.
[12:26] And tells us it's worth. The long and toilsome race. Of life. Because life isn't a hundred yard dash. It's a long haul. With much to disappoint us.
[12:38] Along the way. A few weeks ago. My son Jonathan. Competed in his first. Full Ironman competition. Down in Panama City, Florida.
[12:49] 2.4 mile swim. And then hop on your bike. For 112 miles. And then. Dismount and run. For 26.2 miles.
[13:02] And as taxing as that race is. Upon the body. It's even more taxing. I'm told. On the mind. And the will. These athletes need to find a reason.
[13:15] To keep going. Some motivation. To not quit. At some point. When they hit a wall. I'm not sure a t-shirt.
[13:25] Is enough motivation. For the Ironman. But they need. All of them need. Some motivation. Crazy motivations. That must motivate some of them.
[13:36] But they all need. Some motivation. To finish. So Johnny. Had just. He'd finished the one hour. In the open water swim. He had finished the six hours.
[13:47] Of biking. He was just coming into that transition. Of setting his bike down. And then running. For 26.2 miles. That would take him another five hours. He was needing encouragement.
[13:59] His wife Amanda. Was positioned there. At that point. To encourage him. I'm back in my study. In Bremen. On Saturday afternoon.
[14:10] And she texted me. And said. He's approaching me right now. And I wanted to give him. Some encouragement. So I said. Tell him that IU. Is beating Michigan. 24 to 7.
[14:21] At the half. And Amanda sent me. A picture of him. She passed it on. And he immediately. Picked up the pace. With a smile.
[14:32] I think he ran. His fastest. Mile. That might have. Done him in. For the other 25. But. You get the point. The point is. The Christian life. Is an iron man.
[14:44] It has many difficulties. Persecutions. Trials. Temptations. Along the way. And every week. It is giving to you. Many reasons.
[14:55] To quit the race. To quit obeying. Jesus Christ. To make some compromises. With the world. To give in to the flesh.
[15:08] And so what do you need? You need powerful reasons. To keep going. To keep the faith. to fight off sluggishness and to actually pick up the pace and run even harder after Jesus.
[15:20] And that's precisely where hope serves us. Hope shouts the rewards at the finish line are worth staying in the race. Hope shouts to us no one who has persevered to the end has ever been disappointed.
[15:37] And so, Christian, your hope is sure. It's certain. So finish. Finish. Finish the race. So Hebrews 6 opens with these warnings and threats of God's curse if we do turn back.
[15:54] And having given such warnings, he, about halfway through now, turns to the encouragements to persevere. And he's commending the Hebrews.
[16:06] You're not like those who are under the curse. I've seen better things from you. I've seen you showing your love to God by loving and helping his people.
[16:16] And then he says in verses 11 and 12. Now, now we want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end. Don't let this just be a spurt of energy at the first.
[16:28] We want to see this kind of thing going on to the very end in order to make your hope sure that you might see your hope realized and fulfilled.
[16:39] We do not want you to become lazy or other translations have it to become sluggish. But to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
[16:53] Don't don't become sluggish. Kids, you know what a slug is. It's not the fastest critter on the planet. It just barely moves along.
[17:06] And maybe some of you in the Christian life have slowed down to a sluggish pace. You're weary of the race.
[17:16] Do you know what follows after being sluggish? A full stop.
[17:28] Do you know what follows after a full stop? A turning away. And that's why the writer to the Hebrews takes very seriously sluggishness in the Christian life.
[17:41] He attacks it with warnings. He attacks it with encouragements. Don't be sluggish. Don't be lazy. But rather gird up your strength.
[17:54] You're going to need faith and hope and patience to the very end. Sometimes our discouragements in the race are due to the long delays between God's promises.
[18:15] promises and the fulfillment of those promises. And the longer the delay, the more we could tend to be discouraged. You know, there can be long waits between the promise and the fulfillment.
[18:27] Some of the promises you're going to have to wait your whole life to see fulfilled. Waiting till heaven for the promised blessing can be enough for some to pack it in and turn away.
[18:41] That's too long to wait. Not when sin is offering and the world is offering immediate gratification. And you're telling me to wait till the end of my life for some of these things?
[18:56] What do we need to keep enduring? Diligence, hope, faith, patience. So that at last we might inherit what has been promised.
[19:08] Now, as often the writers of the Bible give us examples. Now, who would be a good example for somebody who's been given a promise and had to wait a long time to see it fulfilled?
[19:20] And had to remain diligent throughout that time? Well, it's Abraham. What an example to imitate. He had some promises of God, didn't he, that he had to wait a long time for, like a son. The promised son.
[19:31] 25 years. Some of you aren't even that old yet. That's how long he was waiting for the promised son and then Isaac came. There was a promise of the homeland.
[19:46] Go to the land I will show you. And not knowing where he was going, he obeyed and went in faith. Do you know when Abraham got there, he found that the promised land was occupied and they weren't ready to move out yet.
[20:00] And so he spent his whole lifetime in tents, meandering around in the promised land. And at the very end of his life, he finally bought a little parcel of ground for a burial place.
[20:13] That's all that he had. His descendants would have to wait some 700 years to inherit the promise of the land. There was a promise about one of Abraham's seed who would bring blessing to all the nations of the world.
[20:31] That's Jesus. He had to wait some 2,000 years to see the beginning of that promise fulfilled.
[20:42] And yet Romans 4, 18 says, Against all hope, in hope, Abraham believed and so became the father of many nations. Just as it had been said to him, so shall your seed be.
[20:58] Against all hope. All the apparent reasons why Abraham should pack it up and forget it. This isn't going to happen. That's not going to happen.
[21:09] This isn't going to happen. Against all those reasons, Abraham, in hope, believed. What was against the fulfillment of the promise?
[21:22] Well, many things. Included barrenness of Sarah. And then their old age. The deadness of Sarah's womb. And Abraham's body that was as good as dead. But with everything arguing against hope, Abraham, in hope, believed the promise.
[21:38] As Hebrews 11, 1 says, He was sure of what he hoped for. He was sure of what he hoped for. So he held on to his hope, confidently expecting the thing that had been promised.
[21:53] The good that had been promised. Being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had said he would. And being fully persuaded that God who promised is faithful to his word. Hope enabled him to persevere through all the discouragement and delay.
[22:10] Now how sure are you about your hope being fulfilled? How sure are you of the hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ? Of seeing him and becoming like him.
[22:23] And enjoying his presence forever and ever in a new heaven and a new earth. Believer, the world, the flesh, and the devil are daily trying to knock that hope out of your hands.
[22:35] Out of your heart. Out of your heart. So if you're to persevere, you too, like Abraham, need to be sure of what you hope for.
[22:45] If there's any uncertainty of that, you're going to get sluggish and slow down. And boy, is that ever problematic. So the writer to the Hebrews is showing us the certainty of our hope.
[22:58] Why we can be dead certain, fully assured that our hope will not disappoint us. Well, it rests on the faithfulness of God to keep his promises for one thing.
[23:14] And so we're encouraged in Hebrews 10, 23. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we profess. Because he who promised is faithful. And that's where Hebrews 6 begins then with verse 13 and following.
[23:28] Notice how God makes the certainty of our hope clear. Verse 13. When God made his promise to Abraham, he swore an oath. And since there was no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself.
[23:40] Saying, I will surely bless you and give you many descendants. Now, why do people swear an oath? Well, to convince the hearer that what they're saying is true.
[23:55] Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye. If I'm not telling the truth. Oh, now we know for sure that what he's going to say is true.
[24:05] Right? Not exactly. But that was the purpose of an oath being sworn. To convince the hearers that what I'm telling you is true.
[24:16] And I will be true if I'm promising something. And oaths called on God as witness. That what they were saying is true. Because there's no other higher power to appeal to than God himself.
[24:31] Now, we understand why men need oaths. It's because men are not always faithful. Men break their word. They're liars. Let God be true. And every man a liar. If men always told the truth, they wouldn't need an oath.
[24:44] Added to their promise. They could just let their yes be yes and their no be no. And that'd be the end of it. We'd know a man's word is good. But then why would God swear an oath?
[24:59] He's the true and faithful one. His word is truth. Every word of God is flawless. His word is forever settled in heaven.
[25:11] There's nothing more sure in the universe than God's word being fulfilled. He never lied once. And indeed, he cannot lie. It's impossible. He is the truth. So if God's bare promise does not need an oath added to it.
[25:25] Why did he add an oath? When he promised Abraham. Well, he added his oath to confirm the promise. To make it even more firm.
[25:36] More certain to Abraham. Not in God's mind. God's going to be true to his naked promise without an oath. But he adds an oath to make it more sure to Abraham.
[25:47] He bends over backwards, we say. In order to make it doubly sure to Abraham. That his purpose to bless him cannot be changed.
[25:59] He did it so Abraham, we're told, might be greatly encouraged. Encouraged. Indeed, doubly encouraged. Because now there's two unchangeable things in which it's impossible for God to lie.
[26:10] Two things God cannot go back on. Number one, he can't go back on his promise. That's one unchangeable thing. But he added to that an oath. He can't go back on that either.
[26:22] To break his oath sworn in his own name, God would have to ungod himself. And he cannot do that. He cannot deny himself. And so God does this.
[26:33] All so that Abraham might go on hanging on to this hope held out to him in the promise. That with all the delays and discouragements that Abraham faced.
[26:45] He might confidently expect the fulfillment of the promised future good. In other words, God added the oath to strengthen Abraham's hope.
[26:57] To make it even more sure. And brothers and sisters, he did this not only for Abraham, but he did it for you. He did it for me.
[27:10] He did it for us who are the heirs of these promises to Abraham. Did you notice the shift in the passage from what God did for Abraham in swearing to him to what he did for us?
[27:28] We, the heirs of what was promised. Notice the shift as I read it in verses 17 and 18. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear.
[27:39] Doesn't say to Abraham, does it? To the heirs of what was promised. He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie.
[27:54] We who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor. Now, do you see the shift?
[28:07] In the persons. God did this for us. God did this for us who are the heirs of the promises. For Galatians 3, 7 says, understand then that those who believe, that is believe on Jesus Christ, are Abraham's children.
[28:26] And Galatians 3, 29 continues. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. Don't miss this.
[28:39] We're the heirs. The promised land. Abraham was looking for a homeland. And it wasn't anything he found over in Palestine.
[28:53] He says, I'm looking for a heavenly homeland. A heavenly country. A better country. He was promised a city. A new Jerusalem.
[29:03] And he saw in that promise. What he was looking for was a city with foundations. Whose architect and builder is God. The new Jerusalem.
[29:16] That will come down from heaven. Revelation 21. He was promised a coming son of his. A coming singular seed who would bring blessing to all the nations.
[29:27] That's not just for Abraham. That's for all the heirs of the promise. For all who in the nations and all the nations put their trust in Jesus. You see, we're the heirs of the things promised.
[29:40] And God took the oath that we might be all the more sure that God's promise will be fulfilled. Our hope will not be disappointed.
[29:50] We who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope offered to us. What is that? That's the gospel. That's Jesus Christ. The hope offered to us.
[30:02] When a tornado comes, we flee for refuge down into the basement and there we're safe. When a flood comes, we flee to the high ground. Where it can't reach us and there we're safe.
[30:17] But where will you flee from the coming wrath. That will fall upon every man because of his sins. Where is the safe hiding place from that?
[30:30] The refuge from everlasting punishment. The only safe place in the entire universe from God's coming wrath is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our hope.
[30:44] And so we get into him by faith where God's wrath has already fallen. And therefore it's turned away from us. We have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope offered to us in Christ.
[30:56] He is our hope. He's our hope for the wrath being turned away from us. He's our hope for eternal life. He's our hope for heaven. He's our hope of seeing Jesus and of being made like Jesus and being with Jesus forever.
[31:10] We have fled for refuge to him. And I fear that some of you are fleeing from him. And oh, how strange that ought to sound in your ears.
[31:22] That the only refuge from the coming wrath is Jesus and you're running away from him. You're trying to escape the very one who would be safety and refuge for you.
[31:35] God asks you a question in Hebrews chapter 2. How will you escape if you neglect so great a salvation? How will you escape the coming wrath if you neglect so great a savior?
[31:49] Such a hope. Such a refuge. The only refuge. And the answer of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. You won't escape. So give it up. Quit running from Jesus.
[31:59] And turn and run into his arms. He turns none away who come to him for mercy. He's just that good. We who have fled for refuge to Jesus Christ.
[32:14] Find safety. Believers in Jesus. Do you see what a sure hope we have in Christ? Can you also see from this passage the loving heart of God for you?
[32:28] How much he loves you? He not only wants to get you to heaven safely. But he wants you greatly encouraged along the way. So much so that he's willing to bend over backwards and add an oath to his promise.
[32:44] Discouraged Christian. Notice how low he's willing to stoop to encourage you along the way.
[32:55] He stoops to our weakness. He knows our weak faith. He knows our weak hope. And so he's. How can I help John? He needs more.
[33:05] More hope. I know. I'll add an oath to my promise. I'll make it even appear that I know better than a man. Who needs an oath to add to his statements.
[33:18] To prove it true. I'll run the risk of somebody even thinking that of me. If it will just encourage John to know that. Now. Not by one. But by two unchangeable things.
[33:29] In which it's impossible for God to lie. My hope is going to be sure. It's dead sure. He does this to strengthen our hope.
[33:43] Hope. The great motivator. To inspire endurance. To keep hope alive to the end. In the last two verses. See.
[33:53] He does more of the same. Strengthening our hope. In verse 19. He says we have this hope as an anchor. For the soul. Firm. And secure.
[34:04] Now you know the. The symbol of Christianity. Very early on. Was the fish. Another early symbol. In the Christian church. A symbol for hope.
[34:15] Was an anchor. And I'm told that there are pictures of anchors. That have been found in the catacombs. Where persecuted and martyred Christians were buried.
[34:28] And there they were in their graves. With a symbol. Of an anchor. They were laid to rest. In the sure hope. Of the resurrection. Through Jesus Christ.
[34:43] We have this hope. As an anchor. For the soul. Steadfast. And sure. Firm. And secure. Now what is an anchor?
[34:53] Well. It was. And is. A heavy weight. With sharp. Iron hooks. To grip the rocks. On the bottom of the sea. And it was used.
[35:04] Especially to prevent. A shipwreck. In a storm. You can read. Acts 27. Some five times. It talks about anchors. And how they were used. In that voyage. That ran upon a storm.
[35:15] And how they were trying. To be kept from. Running shipwreck. Upon the rocks. And so these. They lowered. These iron. Anchors. To lock in.
[35:28] On the bottom. And to keep them. From shipwrecking. But an anchor was useless. If it slipped. And lost its hold. It must remain grounded.
[35:39] Firm. And secure. To provide safety. For the ship. It can't give. Or the ship's in danger. Well that's exactly.
[35:52] The kind of hope. That we have in Christ. Firm. And secure. Christian hymns. Celebrate our certain hope.
[36:04] As an anchor. Firm and secure. In Christ alone. My hope is found. He's my light. My strength. My song. This cornerstone. This solid ground. Firm.
[36:14] Through the fiercest drought. And storm. An anchor. That's firm. Sure. And on our way to heaven.
[36:27] We encounter many a storm. Don't we? Storms that would. Threaten us. Storms that would sink us spiritually. And keep us from arriving. Safe and sound. In our eternal haven of rest. But though the angry surges roll.
[36:39] On my tempest driven soul. I'm peaceful. For I know. Wildly though the winds may blow. I have an anchor safe and sure.
[36:50] That can evermore endure. And it holds. My anchor holds. Blow your wildest then. Oh Gale. On my bark.
[37:01] So small and frail. By his grace. I shall not fail. For my anchor. Holds. It firmly. Holds. So in the storms.
[37:13] Everything else is giving way around you. What's it worth to have an anchor? An anchor for the soul. That holds firm and secure. And gives soul rest. You know.
[37:24] People are losing. Their hope. In these troublesome. And trying days. But our anchor.
[37:36] Is holding. Firm and secure. Let the winds blow. Let the political scene. Change. Let whatever happens.
[37:48] Happens. But our anchor holds. Because it's rooted. It's hooked on Jesus Christ. Christ. As the last verse tells us. What makes our hope.
[38:01] So firm and secure. Is where the anchor. Is fastened. And this too. Is written for our encouragement. Speaking of our anchor. Of hope. Verse 19b.
[38:11] And 20 says. It. That anchor of hope. Enters the inner sanctuary. Behind the curtain. Where Jesus. Who went before us. Has entered on our behalf. And he has become a high priest.
[38:22] In the order of Melchizedek. Now where do anchors usually go? They usually go down. Down to the bottom of the sea. And fasten there. But this hope.
[38:36] Finds nothing on earth. That is stable. And secure. To give rest to our souls. And safety to our souls. And so. This hope. This anchor. Is cast up. Up.
[38:46] Heavenward. And it goes. Right in. Behind the curtain. In that temple above. Where God.
[38:57] Dwells. Do you remember the type of that. Temple. Heavenly temple. In Jerusalem. And that. Veil. Between. The people.
[39:08] And priests. And God's presence. This hope. Goes right. Through. Into the very presence. Of God. And it fastens.
[39:18] On Jesus. Who is our hope. He is our hope. Christ. Jesus. Our hope. First Timothy 1. 1. He's the object. Of our hope. And so. He's called our hope.
[39:29] So even. Even as we're down here. Struggling. You see. In the wild storms. Of life. Our anchor. Reaches. Into heaven. And grips. The Lord. Jesus Christ. The rock. And there is.
[39:41] Firm security. Safety. Rest. Certainty. Now. What's encouraging. About the fact.
[39:52] That our hope. Is anchored in Jesus. There. In heaven. Well. Just knowing. As verse. 20 says. That Jesus. Who went. Before us.
[40:03] Has entered. On our behalf. Jesus. Who went. Before us. If I said. I'm going.
[40:13] Before you. What does that infer? You're coming. Later. Aren't you? If I'm going. Before. You'll come. After. And that's.
[40:24] The encouragement. That. That our savior. Our hope. Entered. Before us. Now. This. These.
[40:35] This phrase. Goes. Before us. Can be translated. Forerunner. And is indeed. In many. Translations. Where Jesus. Has gone. As a forerunner. On our behalf. Now.
[40:46] A forerunner. By definition. Is someone. Who runs. Before. Before. And if he's running. Before. There's somebody. Running after. So he goes. Ahead. Not for himself.
[40:57] But on behalf. Of others. Who are coming. John the Baptist. Was a forerunner. Of Christ. Wasn't he? He ran ahead. Not for himself. He was preparing.
[41:08] The way. For someone. Who was coming. After him. This is. Jesus. Our hope. Our forerunner. He. Has gone.
[41:18] Before us. Into heaven. To prepare. The way. For us. To get there. Now. He did that. By his death. On Calvary.
[41:29] He cried. It is finished. Into your hands. I commit. My spirit. And at that moment. His spirit. Went to be with God. Right through. The inner veil. Of heaven. And into the most.
[41:40] Holy place. Where God dwells. And immediately. Down here on earth. In the temple. In Jerusalem. Something else. Happened. That veil. Barring the way.
[41:52] Into the most. Holy place. Was torn in two. Showing the new. Reality. Up in heaven. That by his death. Our Lord Jesus. Has opened a way.
[42:03] Into God's presence. For all of his people. For all. Who have taken. Refuge in him. He's now there. He's gone before us. To make the way.
[42:15] For us. Therefore brothers. Hebrews 10. Since we have confidence. To enter the most. Holy place. By the blood of Jesus. By a new. And living way. Open for us. Through the curtain.
[42:26] That is his body. Since we have a great priest. Over the house of God. Let us draw near. To God. With a sincere. Heart. And full assurance. Of faith. Having our hearts. Sprinkled. To cleanse us.
[42:37] From a guilty conscience. And having our bodies. Washed with pure water. Let's hold on. Swervingly. To the hope. We profess. Because he. Who promised.
[42:47] Is faithful. Jesus. Atoning death. Has opened. And prepared. The way. For us. To follow him. Right into the presence. Of God. He not only did this.
[43:00] By his death. On Calvary. He also did it. By his resurrection. And ascension. Into heaven. And intercession. For us. There now. As our great high priest.
[43:10] And that's primarily. In view here. He not only died. For us. He rose again. And ascended. Into heaven. For us. And is now there. As our forerunner.
[43:23] And if our forerunner. Has entered there. Before us. Then his presence. There. In heaven. Absolutely. Guarantees. That mine.
[43:35] I too. Will be there. One day. You. Who have fled. For refuge. To him. Will be. We're united. To him. And if he's gone. There first.
[43:45] We're coming later. If the head. Has entered before us. The body. Will enter after him. If the bridegroom. Goes before. Then his blood. Bought bride.
[43:55] Will certainly. Come after. They will not be separated. For eternity. So because. He's there. We will one day. Surely. Be there. Because he went there.
[44:08] As our forerunner. Do you see the certainty. Of our hope. That there's no. If about it. It's. It's. You can be confidently.
[44:19] Expecting this. Furthermore. It says. It says that Jesus. Has entered heaven. On. Our. Behalf. Now. There's a. There's a world. Of encouragement. In that.
[44:31] As a high priest. Forever. He is now. Representing. Us. Before the father. He's there for us. He's there on our behalf. Just as he was on the cross. On our behalf. Just as he was obeying.
[44:41] God's commands. On our behalf. He is now. There in heaven. On our. Behalf. Claiming. The merits. Of his blood. For all.
[44:52] Who take refuge. In him. Claiming. The merits. Of his perfect. Obedience. As our righteousness. As chapter 7. Will say. Because Jesus. Lives forever. He has a permanent.
[45:03] Priesthood. Like Melchizedek. Therefore. He's able. To save. To the uttermost. All who come to God. Through him. Because he always lives. To make intercession. For us.
[45:15] He entered heaven. On our. Behalf. We're encouraged. To remember. What Jesus did for us. But dear Christian.
[45:26] Don't forget. What he is now. Doing for you. He's appearing. Before God's presence. For you. He's there. On your behalf. Your advocate.
[45:38] To plead. To plead with the father. I write these things to you. So that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin. We have an advocate. With the father. Jesus Christ. The righteous.
[45:50] What's he pleading? Not our innocence. He's pleading. The merits of his own blood. Father be just. You punish me. I'll save them. Forgive them.
[46:00] So there's nothing. That can keep us out. Our sins. Can't keep us out. We have one there. Our advocate. Pleading. On our. Behalf.
[46:12] So if my salvation. Is in the hands. Of this ever living. Ever. Interceding. High priest. Then my hope of heaven. My hope of eternal life. Could not be more sure. He's there before me.
[46:23] I'm coming after. He's there on my behalf. And the father always. Hears his voice. So let us run. With perseverance. The race marked out for us.
[46:35] Fixing our eyes on Jesus. The author. And perfecter of our faith. I say let us run. With perseverance. The same way Jesus. Ran the toughest leg.
[46:46] Of his race. How did he do it? Why didn't he quit? When the father. Poured out his wrath upon. Why didn't he say enough? Why didn't he get sluggish.
[46:57] And quit? Because. For the joy. That was set before him. He endured the cross. Do you know that joy? Part of that joy.
[47:08] Was seeing you. There with him. One day. As we sang this. This morning. The bridegroom. Wants his bride. With him. And. For the joy.
[47:19] Of seeing you. There with him. He endured the cross. You see. Hope. Inspires. Endurance. Hope. Motivates. Perseverance.
[47:33] Those who hope in the Lord. Will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run. And not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. May the Lord make it so.
[47:45] Amen. Amen. Our hope is sure. We've seen some of the reasons. And the hymn that we're going to close with. Gives us.
[47:56] Several other reasons. All found in the Lord Jesus Christ. On why we can be so certain of our hope. And find it to be fuel. For our endurance. Stand and sing with me.
[48:07] My hope. Is built on nothing less. Amen. and now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit Amen