The Anchor of Our Soul
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Hope in Christ produces fruitfulness, certainty, and security.
The Productivity of Our Hope (9-11)
The Productivity of Our Hope (9-11)
Hope is essential for life. Without hope we despair. Without an enduring hope we tend to live only for the moment.
Hope in Christ produces fruit in the life of the believer. Romans 5:1-5 “1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
The Hebrews were encouraged to continue bearing fruit in their service to others for the Lord. They were to:
Be diligent until their hope was realized.
Patiently continue in faith as they awaited God’s promise.
“My Hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand...”
The Certainty of Our Hope (13-18)
The Certainty of Our Hope (13-18)
A hope that is just wishful thinking is of no use, “If in this life only we have hope....”
There is a certainty to our Hope. It is a bedrock confidence, not because of how much we might wish something to be true, but because of the immutability of God’s promise. (He is not subject to change, and His Word is Inviolable (invincible to any assault).
Gen. 22:16-17 “16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,”
God’s promise to Abraham was based on His very character as God. We place our hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth. God swears by His own name that He will perform His promise.
The second certainty is that God cannot lie! We have fled for refuge to lay hold of a strong encouragement in the hope we have in Christ.
The Security of Our Hope (19-20)
The Security of Our Hope (19-20)
Not only is our Hope Certain, it is also Secure! Our hope in Christ prevents us from being blown away or drifting aimlessly. We have an anchor for our soul in the midst of life’s storms.
It is a sure (firm) anchor - It is not an anchor that can be dragged along the bottom, but is firmly planted (literally means to throw down). It is not light.
It is a secure anchor - it has teeth that grip and hold firm. Adrian Rogers says that ships that could not reach port (due to tides) would send their anchor in a smaller boat to attach to the rocks on shore.
It is Set in Heaven. - Jesus is the forerunner, passed into the heavenly temple ahead of us. He has anchored us to heaven.
Troubles almost ’whelm the soul; Griefs like billows o’er me roll;
Tempters seek to lure astray; Storms obscure the light of day:
But in Christ I can be bold, I’ve an anchor that shall hold.
And it holds, my anchor anchor, blow your wildest then O gale, on my bark so small and frail, by His grace I shall not fail, For my anchor holds!