You can take That to the Bank
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Intro:
Intro:
AG: FAITH AND PROMISE
When something is promised, you have not seen it happen yet, have you? If I promise my wife that I'm going to clean out the storeroom, there's no proof that you can see. There's only my word. That promise is the only evidence it will happen. And I may prove unreliable for one reason or another.
But God is trustworthy and true. His promises are more reliable than any evidence you can see or touch or reason out. His promises are the unseen proof that give faith it's sureness. They are the unseen evidence that drives away doubt. Faith is certain of what we do not see because of God's promises.
TS: In this morning’s text, we have that very topic discussed. God’s promises are contrasted with the promises of men. To make our promises sound stronger, we often take oaths. I swear by.... Why? Because we are used to having promises broken. We know that whether people intend to or not, they let us down.
But God is always faithful. He will never break a promise He makes and that is a fact we can take to the bank this morning.
Human Promises
Human Promises
For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.
EX: Human promises are unsure
EX:
People make promises all the time. Sadly, we often see a failure to keep them.
Some, are made in good faith. We have every intention of keeping our word, but circumstances get in our way. Through no real fault of our own, we fail.
Others are made without any intention of being kept. They are made to persuade us. Think of the election season we are entering.
IL: Vermin Supreme
They may not all be as extreme as ole Vermin here, but you get the point. Some make promises that we never really expect to be carried out.
That is why when we make big claims, we have a habit of adding oaths to it.
I swear on Momma’s grave
I swear on my truck
I swear on my truck
When it is really serious.
My oath as a judge.
Placed my hand upon the Bible and said “so help me God”
I called upon God to be my witness and hold me accountable.
Why? our text reveals it right here
We swear by something greater
We make our word shore by calling on something greater.
Of course, only God can really hold us to our word
There is none higher
Serves as final confirmation
We still hold ourselves more accountable when we take an oath on someone higher.
In spite of all we do to make ourselves sound better, we still fail at times.
In contrast we see here.
God’s Promises
God’s Promises
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.”
And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.
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,
EX: God needs no multiplier when He makes an oath.
EX:
He needs no confirmation from someone else. It is reliable because God is faithful.
None greater
If He needed it, there would be none greater to him He could appeal.
He is the Supreme God of all
He alone is Sovereign over the universe and can be 100% trusted.
Swears by Himself
God could only swear by Himself since there was none greater.
John MacAuthor says that “by doing so He is willing accommodating Himself to human beings who desire the confirmation.
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.
God’s promises and oath are made sure by 2 unchangeable things.
God’s promises and oath are made sure by 2 unchangable things.
God’s promise and His oath
His purpose is unchangeable
What God has planned, HE will perform
No unforeseen circumstance will interfere.
To God, there is NO unforeseen circumstance
He knows exactly what will happen and will bring about His plan
He
Abraham knew that
He patiently awaited the fulfillment of the promise. He knew God would give him many offspring, yet he only say Ishmael by his wife’s servant and Isaac, the son of promise.
He believed God because God is faithful even though he never saw the ultimate fulfillment.
The Results
The Results
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.
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,
EX:
Heb 6:18-
HEb 6:18
EX:
We can trust Him
Like Abraham, we can take God at His word
He speaks to us today just as surely as He spoke to Abraham.
He speaks by and through His word
We can flee to Him
We still go to Him for refuge & encouragement
In this life
We can go to the Lord
He is our Rock and Fortress
Strong encouragement
He keeps us secure
In the life to come
Hold fast to the hope
Our hope is embodied in Jesus Himself
He entered heaven, the holy of holies, behind the curtain on our behalf.
This ties back in to the original thought of Jesus being our priest.
Heaven
Only the high priest can go behind the curtain.
Jesus is there as our forerunner.
Behind the curtain
He is in heaven, and has promised to return to bring us home.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
And you know the way to where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus is there as our forerunner
That is a promise we can take to the bank!
John 14:1
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Is heaven your home? Are you looking forward to the day when He comes back to get us?
All who repent of their sins and have faith in Him will spend eternity with Him.