Hebrews 6:17-20 (ESV) reminds us:
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Hope can be a fickle thing, even for Christians. So, today, as I (Darin) reflect on the promises of these verses given to the Christians in the midst of severe persecution in the book of Hebrews, may we find unshakable confidence and hope in the promises of our amazing God.
# 1 - It's not your love for God that is your hope and security, but his eternal unshakable love for you.
God's love is eternal, your love is fickle. Guess which one is the only source of lasting hope?
#2 - Our belief in God’s goodness, his love and his sovereignty should combine to give Christians a relentless optimism.
You can look around and be tempted to be discouraged, but don’t be. Trust God and have hope (Romans 8:28-39).
#3 - Biblical hope is not wishful thinking, but a fixed certainty and bold assurance.
The Bible doesn’t tell us that we have to be a pessimist or that we ought to be an optimist. What it does tell us is that we ought to be people of hope. The Bible is not a collection of stories, but the unfolding of one story, the grand story of redemption that is the hope of us all.
#4 - If your hope is in the incarnation, the crucifixion, the resurrection, the ascension and the final return, every year (day) changes little for you.
Your hope is not in what you will accomplish in this life, but what has been accomplished for you in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Most of all: The empty tomb is our doorway to everlasting hope. It is the guarantee of the final resurrection and the glories that follow. If there’s no resurrection, then there’s no hope of the defeat of sin, if there’s no hope of the defeat of sin, you still live under the power of sin and your faith has been in vain.
#5 - It is the risen, reigning Savior who is your hope today and all the todays that follow.
Don't put the resurrection away for the year because Easter has passed on the calendar. Commit to reminding yourself of its rescue and hope morning after morning after morning. "God, raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God" (1 Peter 1:21).
#6 - It's so tempting to place your hope in, to rest your life on things that won't deliver, but trust in the Lord is never iffy, never risky
Empty promises from empty gods will empty you of hope and blind you to the truth.
Some trust in horses & chariots, some rely on resolutions & re-dedications; but our hope is built on nothing less/more/other than Jesus. It’s right to pray for good and worthy earthly kings. But put your security and hope in the hands of the eternal, wise, faithful, loving and gracious heavenly King.
Turn from any hope in the arm of the flesh. Refuse Saul's armor. Trust in the God of Scripture, His faithfulness, and power.
#7 - God still saves sinners, he still humbles the proud, he still heals the broken and can forgive the wayward, he still changes minds and hearts, and this same God raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore, we pray. And we hope.
In all your weakness, failure, broken promises, and doubts, always remember—the Anchor holds beyond the veil (Heb. 6:16-20). He is FAITHFUL beyond words!
#8 - Biblical hope is not like a dream or a wish about things over which there really is no hope, but it rather is a confident expectation of a guaranteed result.
In Christ, God has made an eternal, indestructible, and immutable promise to each and every one of us, that He will not turn away from us to do us good. This truth combined with faith, should give even the timidest saint the greatest hope (Jeremiah 32:40).
#9 - Hard, scandalous truth but a sure ground for hope: Christian, whatever you’re going through right now, it will be worth it in the end.
Biblical hope doesn't just affirm that "it will all work out in the end"; it also affirms that God's "end" is impacting our "now". Biblical hope is measured by the generosity of God’s heart and the splendor of God’s future, given freely to us in Jesus. If God, who cannot lie, who is the definition of wisdom, holiness and love and who is sovereign over everything, promises you something, you can rest assured that you will get what he’s promised.
#10 - There is no beacon of hope more powerful and transformative than the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25). “God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham” (Luke 3:8). Don’t lose hope for the stones you love.
#11 - Without Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith, we’d be without hope and headed for hell.
If the terrifying realty of your sin has left you without hope, look to Calvary. It is for this very thing that Christ died and rose again. Remember, there is only one Hero in the gospel story. Not you, not me, but Him!
#12 - The coming of Jesus is a rebuke and a comfort.
It forces us to face the gravity of our sin and comforts us with hope of eternal forgiveness. If you take what the Bible says about you and the world around you seriously, you'll know your only hope is the amazing grace of Jesus. And as I survey my life and I see the countless failures and sins, I have only one hope—that Jesus Christ shed His blood for my soul. He is my only consolation after all these years. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13).
