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Scripture Reading: Hebrews 6:9-15

Patient Endurance and Our Secure Hope

Intro.

1.  Christians are heirs of the Abrahamic promise, Gal 3:26-29.

2.  Heb 6:13-20: God wants His people to be confident that He will give them their inheritance! (6:17)

3.  HOPE IS AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, 6:19.

4.  Our “anchor of the soul” is secured by two strains of one cable:

  a.   Promise of God, 6:13.

  b.  Oath of God, 6:13, 17.

5.  These show the integrity of GOD’S WORD (6:17-18). God cannot lie – Have His word on it! (Our hope connected to God’s word!)

6.  Man’s hope is also connected to his faith:

  a.  Abraham “obtained the promise” (confirmed and assured to him) because he patiently endured.

  b.  Why is it that sometimes our hope dims – fades – seems irrelevant in our lives? [Because our faith in God’s word (His counsel, promises) has grown weak!]

  c.  Our present need: Imitate Abraham’s faith, Heb 6:9-12.

7.  To have a faith that patiently endures (so that our hope is truly secure) we must:

 

I. USE GOD’S WORD IN OUR LIVES, Heb 5:11-14.

  A.  Our Hope Compels Us to Teach the Lost, 5:12 (8-11).

      -cf. Matt 9:36-38; Jno 4:35: Shall we alone be blessed?

  B.  Using God’s Word Helps Us Choose Good things and Avoid Evil, 5:14 cf. 1 Ths 5:21-22. How? With the truth, Phil 4:8.

      -Patient endurance (consistent application of truth to our lives) reveals the hope in God and His word that sustains us! Isa 55:10-11

 

II. PRESS ON TO MATURITY, Heb 6:1-3 (diligence, 6:11).

  A.  Our Hope for the Future is Secured by Events of the Past (promise and oath, 6:13, 17). Yet…

  B.  We must not Live in the Past, Phil 3:13-14.

    1.  No spiritual growth says, “First principles are enough, growth is not connected to my hope!”

    2.  Maturing process looks forward in hope and patient endurance! cf. Heb 6:9-11

 

III.  APPRECIATE OUR VALUABLE BLESSINGS, Heb 6:4-6.

  A.  Our Present Spiritual Blessings Give Us Reason to Maintain Our Hope! (Light, grace, fellowship, word, divine power) Eph 1:3; 1 Cor 3:21-23

  B.  Our Hope Anticipates even Greater Blessings!

    1.  Our present blessings are not all there is, Rom 8:24.

    2.  Fullness of hope to the end...not sluggish, Heb 6:11-12.

 

IV.  BE FRUITFUL, Heb 6:7-8.

  [cf. Land: Blessed with rain, but must cultivate it to bear fruit; so also the Christian.]

  A.  Bearing Fruit is Consistent with our Hope, Jno 15:5-8; Gal 5:22-23.

  B.  Bearing Fruit Anticipates a Future Harvest, 1 Cor 9:10; Jas 5:7-8.

 

V.  THE CHRISTIAN’S ASSURANCE (2 Tim 1:12).

  A.  God does not Forget, Heb 6:10.

     -He rewards good deeds (Rom 2:6-7).

  B.  God does not Lie, Heb 6:18 (promise and oath).

     -Both of these challenge our faith to “wait on the Lord”, Isa 40:27-31.

 

Conclusion

1.  Be diligent, faithful and steadfast; Inherit the promises, Heb 6:12.

2.  Flee for refuge; Lay hold of the hope set before us, Heb 6:18.

3.  God is faithful; We have strong encouragement!