Hold on!!!

Introduction

The times we are living in are uncertain times. We can be up one minute and down the next. We can be on the mountain one minute and in the valley the next. We’re living in uncertain times. But I don’t care what comes and/or what goes. We must learn to hold on. Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When I consider my grandmother, she was the epitome “holding on,” she held on when folk tried to make her let go, give up, or quit. She held on, even though everything was stacked against her. She held on, in spite and despite of her trials. Just like Elder Harris, you got to hold on. Tell somebody you got to hold on.

Background

Our text is found the Epistle to the Hebrews. The Letter to the Hebrews was written to encourage Christians in a time of trial. It does so by focusing on the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Elder Harris for quite a while would call me as she was studying the book of Hebrews. She would often call me, “I was reading in word and I wanted to share something with you.” And would end it with, “You didn’t know that, did you?” She was so enthused with her studying Hebrews and the inspiration given to her from God through her studies. Our text is found in the closing of Chapter 10. He’s get finished recounting to us, the sacrifice of Jesus that was given once and for all for us. I wish I had time to tell you, but I don’t have time. If I had time, I’d tell you how the author of Hebrews was recounting that the sacrifices under the old covenant was insufficient. He tells us in Hebrews 10:1-4

Hebrews 10:1–4 ESV

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

He tells us that the sacrifices under the old covenant was insufficient, yet there was a need for sacrifice because Hebrews 9:22b says “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” So there came a new covenant, though the life, death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. So the author encourages the Children of God to hold fast for the promise. He tells them in our text he tells them in our text today, “Cast not away therefore you confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

Body

Don’t lose Hope

You must endure

You will receive your promise

Paul said it best when he said

“6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Conclusion

I must close, but let me close with a story. There was an old man who would ride the bus everyday after work. Everyday the old man would get off at and go in the graveyard. The passengers thought it was strange that this old man, everyday would be dropped off at and go in the graveyard. So one day, there was a young man, who said, today I’m going to ask the Old man why everyday, he gets off at and goes in the graveyard. So he comes to the old man and says Old man, I have a question, why do everyday you get dropped of at and go in the graveyard? The old man looked at the young man and said, young man, follow me and I’ll show you. They got off the bus at and in the graveyard, and as the young man was walking with the old man he noticed in the a mansion in the distance and as they were walking on the mansion, the old man says to the young man, this is reason, my father built me a mansion, and the only way for me to get here is to go through the graveyard.

At about 2:13 in the morning last Friday on December 9, 2022, my grandmother began her trip through the graveyard, But that’s alright, she didn’t lose hope, she endured in this life, and she received her promise.

She held on and I believe she received her promise, the promise she prayed for, the promise she preached about, the promise she sang about, she received her promise. She’s over there where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary is at rest, she’s over there where there is no more crying, no more dying, no more pain, no more doctors, no more medicine, no more heart failure, no more kidney failure, no more COPD, no more asthma, no more arthritis, no more gout, no more cataracts, she received her promise. She would often tell us, that she would receive her ultimate healing, well she received it. She has a new glorified body, but this is not just for her, but if we live right, we don’t have to say goodbye, if we dedicate our lives to God, if we love one another, if we treat one another right, we can see her again, for one of these old days

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 ESV

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

So hold on!!! Hold Out!!! You may have to cry but hold on. Do what you got do, but hold on. You can’t quit, you can’t turn around, you have to hold on. There’s a promise for you, if you hold on. I know you weary, I know you’re tired, but tie a knot and hold on. Be like the old wristwatch. Take a licking and keep on ticking.

Now the ball is in your court because fact of the matter is that one of us is next. If God was to call you name right now, what promise would you receive, would you receive the promise of eternal peace or will you receive the promise of eternal damnation. Grandma can’t get you there, the only way to get there is to get your life to Christ. David said give me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me. Hold on for the promise.