Everlasting Hope

Introduction

Something to hold on to – rock climbing cactus

God’s Promise Guarantees our Blessing

Hebrews 6:13–15 NIV

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

History of the Promise

History provides hope

God’s promise to Abraham

The promise threatened

Waiting for a son

Sacrificing a son

The promise renewed

Genesis 22:15–18 “15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.””

Blessing through his offspring

Call of the Promise

Abraham is our example of faithful endurance

Hebrews 6:12 “12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

What promises can we rest in?

Matthew 28:20 “20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

Philippians 4:7 “7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:38–39 “38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 John 2:1 “1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”

John 16:16 “16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.””

Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

We likewise must continue to hold fast to Jesus through every storm, because he will keep his promises

When our world is careening out of control, trust in Christ’s promises

When you are fearful because death is approaching, trust in Christ’s promises

When you are doubting because it doesn’t seem like God hears your sorrows, trust in Christ’s promises

When you are lonely because of betrayal, trust in Christ’s promises

When you are discouraged because you sin, trust in Christ’s promises

The author of Hebrews doubles down on God’s promises in our next section

God’s Character Guarantees Our Refuge

Hebrews 6:13 NIV

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,

Hebrews 6:16–18 NIV

16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 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. 18 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 set before us may be greatly encouraged.

A promise of security is only as significant as the one who promises (defending Anna)

Our guarantee

God promises

God swears by that promise

God makes it clear (prove)

God does not change

What is the result?

We flee to God for refuge with confidence in him

Not confidence in our understanding, earthly outcomes, or feeling good about it, but confident in him.

Romans 8:32 “32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

God’s Priest Guarantees Our Access

Hebrews 6:19–20 NIV

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Entrance into the Inner Sacntuary

The inner sanctuary in the OT kept God’s people out, now it symbolizes the intimacy of our entrance

Leviticus 16 NIV

1 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord. 2 The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. 3 “This is how Aaron is to enter the Most Holy Place: He must first bring a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on. 5 From the Israelite community he is to take two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 6 “Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. 7 Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. 9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. 10 But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat. 11 “Aaron shall bring the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering. 12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense and take them behind the curtain. 13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die. 14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover. 15 “He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. 16 In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been. He is to do the same for the tent of meeting, which is among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17 No one is to be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel. 18 “Then he shall come out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and to consecrate it from the uncleanness of the Israelites. 20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. 23 “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there. 24 He shall bathe himself with water in the sanctuary area and put on his regular garments. Then he shall come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar. 26 “The man who releases the goat as a scapegoat must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp. 27 The bull and the goat for the sin offerings, whose blood was brought into the Most Holy Place to make atonement, must be taken outside the camp; their hides, flesh and intestines are to be burned up. 28 The man who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water; afterward he may come into the camp. 29 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you—30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins. 31 It is a day of sabbath rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. 32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments 33 and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community. 34 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.” And it was done, as the Lord commanded Moses.

In Christ atonement has been made and through him we can enter ourselves into the presence of God

Our high priest is undying and eternal, he does not need to atone for his own sins only for ours.

We have moved from the high priest passing through the veil for the people once a year to a torn veil with a perfect high priest

Conclusion

Repeatedly and resoundingly the AH turns our focus to God and his faithfulness when we are faced with any struggle