6 11-20
Hebrews Series- Fellowship Baptist Church
Passage: Hebrews 6:11-20
Theme: The Integrity of God
Proposition: God Keeps His Promises
Introduction:
What wonderful truths have been ours to learn from this section of Hebrews:
-That the shadows that pointed to our Savior’s work have been fulfilled and that we can possess true salvation in Him.
-That our salvation cannot be lost but that we should be constantly vigilant to pursue obedience to God in our lives.
-That believers will produce fruit that is useful and good and that honors the one who has saved us.
-That although we sometimes may wonder if our lives have any impact for Christ, God sees all and remembers and records all that is done out of love for Him and His name.
-That it the Christian life, though at times hard, is worth it and we should keep going forward for Christ.
Today’s passage completes these thoughts and transitions us back to the topic the author interrupted in chapter 5—Christ’s role as our High Priest.
Before we begin, I would like to present three words/phrases for you consider/react to:
Wait
I swear I’m going to do it/telling the truth/I didn’t have anything to do with it
It’s a sure thing/sure bet/you can’t lose
1. The Wait for God’s Promise
Example of Abraham
Genesis 12 – I will make of you a great nation (75)
Genesis 15 – God’s covenant with Abraham
Genesis 17 – God restates the promise (99)
Genesis 21 – Isaac born (100)
God gave Abraham a wonderful promise—
Always on his mind – working, night, conversations
Encouraged him
Frustrated him
Abraham had to wait 25 years for the fulfillment of God’s promise? Why?
b/c God was unable?
b/c God didn’t care?
b/c God was playing games?
b/c that was God’s plan from the start.
God had a timetable
The reality of a promise unfulfilled is that it always involves waiting. We love the promise, we hate the wait. Why the wait?
Someone’s not ready and God is still at work (may be our own personal growth that needs to happen through the wait) or someone is not on the scene yet that will benefit from seeing God’s hand at work.
I have learned that though at times the waiting can be frustrating or discouraging, it only becomes that to me b/c I have forgotten that God’s timetable is best.
In the present that schedule of events may not make sense or the time may not appear opportune, but in the long run there have been so many times that I looked back and saw the unfolding of God’s ways and been amazed at how He has worked.
How many times have I said, “now it makes sense?” How many times have I understood that my way would have never accomplished what was done in God’s way and His timing.
You see, b/c God is in control, waiting is actually good for us, even though we may not understand all that He is doing.
2. The Certainty of God’s Oath
We live in a time when a person’s word or promise seems to mean very little. About 5 years ago there was a statistic that said the average person tells about 200 outright lies or distortions of the truth per day.
Our authorities lie, business leaders are dishonest, the media twists the truth, and we just come to a point where we can become cynical and skeptical about everyone and everything. The question we ask is “who can we trust?”
We can trust God.
Gen. 22 – Abraham told to sacrifice Isaac
No arguing, no negotiation, no hesitation
Why? Hebrews 11:17-19
God again stated His promise to Abraham and swore an oath by Himself. What is the significance of this oath?
If God broke His promise, then everything else would cease to exist because He would no longer be God.
But since it is impossible for God to lie, and since He swore by Himself, the promise would come true.
So what does Abraham’s promise have to do with us?
We are the heirs to the promise – not just the promise of Isaac’s birth, or of simply the coming nation of Israel, but that all nations would be blessed through his descendants. That promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Which leads to our third truth here.
3. The Sureness of Our Hope
Because God did keep His promise to Abraham, and because we are the heirs of the promise, and because God does not lie about anything, there is a sureness to our hope in Christ.
“we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us”
what hope?
Eternal life, no condemnation, no punishment, eternity with God, God’s justice on evildoers, what chapter 12 calls “the joy that was set before Christ.”
The writer uses the image of a ship’s anchor, holding the ship safely and securely in the midst of the waves.
To what is the anchor holding? A sandy sea bottom? A coral reef? A rocky ocean floor?
No! To the mercy seat of God, where the blood of Christ has been applied to our sin. The place where our sin has been covered, where God’s wrath has been set aside, and we have been reconciled to the Judge of all eternity. The place where we have been declared legally not guilty of all the charges against us.
The place where our Savior has gone before us and mediates on our behalf as our High Priest.
What we have because of Christ is the sureness of our salvation, a home in heaven, and the continual presence of God with complete access to Him as our Father and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
This possession is as sure as the word of God. If it’s broken, nothing else matters anyway.
In the mean time we wait, patiently enduring, keeping our eyes on the one who has promised.
Christian, today, in the midst of difficulties, keep your eyes on your Father. Remember the One who paid all to redeem you and follow His example. Don’t quit, life is a vapor, and before you know it you will be with Him for eternity. In the mean time, stay faithful and exalt His person through your life and words.
God keeps His promises—you can trust Him—keep going forward.