Hebrews 6:17-19 – My Anchor Hopes – Bible study

Hebrews 6:17-19 My Anchor Hopes The book of Hebrews is one of the more difficult books to understand in the New Testament. When you consider that it is not a book of prophecy with symbols and signs, that says a lot, but it is not difficult because it is prophetic. It is difficult because it is deep. Let me give you four words that used in these three verses and then I will attempt to explain their connection: God, Promise, Hope Anchor. \#17\ GOD wants to demonstrate that He is immutable (unchangeable). He wants to do that so we will trust Him. To do that, God makes PROMISES \#17,18\ or oaths. \#18\ These promises give us two things: (1) "strong consolation" or comfort. (2) HOPE. HOPE is mentioned in \#18, 19\. Hope is the Bible is assurance, certainty, absoluteness. \#19\ This HOPE and comfort, will be an ANCHOR to the soul. An ANCHOR keeps us steadfast and sure regardless of what kind of storm we are within. So in all of this, God is wanted us to have assurance, confidence, that He will do what He has said. If you do not see that, when you get home just study through these verses, and I believe you will. However, that is not my topic this evening. My desire tonight is to share some of the "Anchors of Hope" that keep us steadfast in the storms. I. Our anchor hopes in the promise of salvation. A. I realize that I am mostly preaching to the choir right now, but we need to understand the strength our salvation gives us. B. Our salvation keeps us steadfast regardless of what is happening around us. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. C. These verses tell us about our salvation. Together they say some things: 1. Anyone can be saved. 2. Anyone who is saved is saved for all eternity. 3. Anyone who is saved is secured by God. II. Our anchor hopes is in the rest of God. Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest. A. God has a refreshing rest for us. B. The rest God has for us not idleness. 1. Too many think Gods kingdom is idleness. 2. Adam and Eve were not idle before the fall. a. God gave them a Garden to keep and a world to rule over. b. Their labor had not toil or sweat, but still they were not idle. c. I cant think of many things worse than to have an eternity with nothing to do. C. The rest God offers is a peace. It is a peace of the soul, of the mind, and of the spirit. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 1. This rest will stabilize us, make us steadfast in the turbulent world. 2. If the outside must be a turbulent sea, then let the inside be in a state of rest! D. While I am certain many things can take away our peace, our rest, two came to mind as I worked on this message. 1. We can lose our rest. a. We can sin our rest, our peace, away. b. We need that inner rest. If the world is going to rock and whirl, we need to calm inner peace. c. But we can sin it away with things like lust, lying, greet, hatred, envy. d. We can sin it away by being lazy spiritually, not doing the things we need to do to have Gods rest. e. A quote is attributed to John Wayne. (1) Life is tough. It is even tougher if you are stupid. (2) Life is tough. It is even tougher if you are carnal. f. Have no fear. Our situation can be rectified by doing three things: (1) Repent – Turn away from our sin. (2) Confess our as wrong and ask forgiveness of it. 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (3) Get close to Christ (a) There is a lot of work in defeating our sinful desires. (b) However, the key to the Christian life is not in overcoming the evil desires. (c) The key to the Christian life is drawing so close to Christ that He changes our desires. 2. We can let others take our rest. Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. a. Gods desire is that we be at peace with others. b. But two passages in the Bible tell us that we can lose our peace with others in two ways. (1) \#Matt 5:23-25\ – I can do something that hurts someone else. (2) \#Matt 18:15-17\ Someone else can do something that hurts me. c. Some things are true no matter which of the situations you are involved in. (1) Broken relationships with others can steal your rest with God. (a) God wants us to be at peace with others. (b) Our fellowship with God is hindered, no matter whether we were wronged or whether we wronged them. (2) In both of these cases, we are to go to the person we are out of peace with and attempt to make things right. d. Nothing ages the body and corrodes the soul more than a spirit of bitterness, e. We need the Anchor of Hope that comes from the rest of God. III. Our anchor hopes in the resurrection. John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? A. I do enjoy preaching funerals–if they are saved people. 1. Not because I enjoy seeing people suffer, but because I enjoy telling people who are suffering about the great heaven their loved one has moved into. 2. Jesus, while walking to the grave, told Mary that Lazarus was not dead. a. How difficult that must have been to hear? how confusing? b. But Jesus proved His point when He got to the graveside! B. Few talk about death, but Christians should delight to talk about it. C. Why? Because death ends very few things of value for us. 1. Sadly, it will end our relationship with lost people. a. This is the only real loss I could think of. b. Those we have loved, lived with, worked beside- if they are lost, that relationship will be left behind. 2. Our relationships with the saved will be interrupted. a. While that is not pleasant, we must remember the relationship has not ended. b. It will be renewed in a way that beyond anything we can image, and it will be renewed "just later this afternoon" (Heaven time). 3. It will end our earthly occupation (maybe not singers). Most of our earthly careers are attempting to fix what time and sin tears up. 4. It will end our struggle with sin. 5. It will end our evangelistic work. D. However, the resurrection will also begin some very glorious things. 1. The new relationship with saved people. 2. Death will begin our heavenly, eternal work. 3. Death will place us in glory with God. E. The Bible is clear: There is a life to be lived on the other side of death. F. In the Bible, God describes death as nothing more than a walk through a valley in the dimming sunlight. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 1. Yet that is only how the journey begins. 2. It completes with you exiting the valley in the dawning of a new morning! F. Dr. Adrian Rogers, in one of his messages, told his church that when he died, he wanted to be buried with a Bible for three reasons: 1. He had lived by it. 2. He had rested in the eternal hope of it. 3. When the trumpet sounded, he would come out of the grave riding on the promise of it. IV. Our anchor hopes in Gods rewards. 1Cor 3:13 Every mans work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is. 14 If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. A. Like Paul, I do not count myself to have apprehended the things that God has for me. B. However, that does not make me think I shall not receive rewards of my Lord. 1. The Bible promises that if any man (or woman) builds on the foundation, he shall receive a reward. 2. I understand a few of my failures, and I know I shall lose some in the fire. 3. However, I am anchored in the promise and hope that there are some rewards that even I shall receive! a. I have heaven. b. I have an eternity with God the Father, Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit of God. c. I have a glorified body. d. I have a mansion above. e. I have a place to serve my Creator and God for all eternity. 4. If thats all there was, I would rejoice but there is much more!