Abundant Promises
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· 1 viewMost of our experiences in a broken world leave us skeptical. We typical think, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” This is not so with God however. When God shares with us His promises, we can know without a doubt that His promises are sure! This message explores this reality and helps us to hold fast to the assurance of God’s Abundant Promises!
Notes
Transcript
INTRO
INTRO
Have you ever been skeptical?
Skepticism usually comes from being let down.
Chicken Fried Steak vs. Chicken Fried Patty illustration.
I don’t know if I can recall a child being skeptical at a young age. Usually a childlike innocence is void of skepticism.
It’s usually through life experiences that we learn if it sounds too good to be true then it usually is.
Because of our skepticism, we sometimes doubt the promises we have been given by God. Sometimes the things we read in God’s Word, we wonder, “Does this really apply to me? Can we really be sure that what the Bible says it means? Can we really have a firm assurance that the Promises of God’s Word is true?”
This morning I want to help you answer that question by looking at what God’s Word says about God’s Abundant Promises.
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 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.
1) Attaining Promises (9-12)
1) Attaining Promises (9-12)
9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
When we submit to the Lordship of Jesus and He becomes our Savior, He brings with Him the Abundant Promises of God.
God is not blind to our daily walk with Him, our love and service for His people, and our love and service for His Kingdom.
Our strongest desire should be to fully realize and walk faithfully in the assurance of hope for all of our lives.
We should not be half-hearted or treat the promises of God nonchalantly.
Rather we should, through faith, steadfastness, and patience attain the fullness of God’s promises to us!
It is through steadfast faith and patience that we inherit the promises that God gives us.
We have Abundant Promises from God that are given to us when we are saved and are realized as we mature in our faith.
The more you grow up in the faith by practicing patient, steady spiritual growth, the more you experience the Abundant Promises that God has given to us.
Why faith and patience? Why can’t we just have it now?
Illustration: Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son
The younger brother got his inheritance all up front and it was a danger to him.
The older brother remained and worked patiently. In his frustration at the celebration of the younger brother’s return, the Father reassures him by saying, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
Our heavenly Father knows what is absolutely best for us and His promises are so great and wonderful that He allows us to experience them at the just the right time as we walk faithfully and patiently with Him.
2) Absolute Promises (13-18)
2) Absolute Promises (13-18)
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 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.
These promises are steadfast, sure, and absolute!
Just as God gave Abraham His Word based upon Himself (Gen. 22:16), God’s Abundant promises to us are absolute.
God’s Absolute Promises are rooted in two things:
1) His absolute, unchangeable character.
There is a difference in unchanging character and stubbornness.
Stubbornness looks like the 3 men who were high rise construction workers.
Everyday they would eat lunch together 20 stories up on the structure they were working on.
God is not stubborn He is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!
All of His ways are perfect. All of who He is is perfect and therefore He cannot change because He cannot cease to be who He is!
Because He cannot cease to be who He is, when He gives us His word and assures us of His promises, they are Absolute!
2) He cannot Lie.
God cannot give you a promise with His fingers crossed.
God cannot tell you what He intends to do in your life and then not follow through with His intentions.
God cannot tell you that through faith and patience you inherit His promises only to turn around and not give unto you what He has promised.
Based upon these two things, we can know that when we turn to Him for refuge from sin, death, destruction, and despair we are not turning to a “Man I sure hope this thing works out?,” but rather to a running to Him saying, “Man I a have sure hope that He will work it all out!”
The promises we inherit when we come to faith in God are Absolute and Anchored!
3) Anchored Promises (19-20)
3) Anchored Promises (19-20)
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.
Our hope and assurance of these promises are realized as we walk in faith and patience with God, but they are secured not by us but by Jesus!
It is Jesus who has entered into the most Holy place, behind the curtain.
The Holy of Holies was behind the curtain.
Only the High Priest, after being purified and consecrated could enter in once a year to present the atoning sacrifice for God’s people.
When he entered he wore his priestly garments that had bells shaped like pomegranates and tradition tells us that he also had a rope around his foot. If for any reason the High Priest was not purified and consecrated upon entering into the Holy of Holies behind the curtain, he would drop dead because of his impurities. The bells would stop ringing as he quit moving and the other priests would then drag him out of the Holy Place.
It was a very serious thing to go behind the curtain.
For Jesus to go “behind the curtain” as a forerunner on our behalf means that He has atoned for our sin and He has secured our atonement and made us able to inherit the promises of God.
Our promises are not secured by us, but by Jesus!
He is the anchor of our soul!
When a ship enters a fierce storm, the captain will maneuver the ship to turn its bow into the wind. He will then call for the ship to drop anchor or cast anchor. This anchor must be strong and able to catch or dig into the seabed. During the storm, this anchor will help the ship to weather the storm and not be tossed about by the wind and the waves. It helps to the keep the boat pointed in the right direction as to weather the storm safely and securely. The anchor doesn’t remove the storm, but it keeps the boat and therefore the crew and passengers safe and secure.
Jesus is the anchor of our soul.
In the storms of this broken world, He secures and holds steadfast the promises of God upon our lives. Without Christ we are lost to the storm, but in Him we are anchored and secured! The Abundant Promises of God are anchored and secured!
CALL TO RESPOND
CALL TO RESPOND
We have no good reason to be skeptical of God’s Abundant Promises.
We Attain them through faith and patience.
They are Absolute because they are based on God’s Unchanging Character.
They are Anchored in the Atoning Sacrifice of Jesus, our Eternal High Priest!
Are you living your life, holding firm to the Abundant Promises of God?