God Encouraging Christians Series

Let us continue to worship our God by listening to what He has to say to us today. Please open your Bibles, God’s Word to the Letter to the Hebrews Chapter 6…..

We have been noting that those Hebrew Christians about 2000 years ago had one foot in Christianity but the other foot wants to go back to Judaism. We have been noting that the call of a True Christian is to have both feet fully standing on Jesus Christ. We can’t be too hard on those Hebrew Christians of 2000 years ago for after all they were taught God’s Word from the Old Testament and we Christians today depend on many other things today; try not being on your cellphone or computer for a day to pray and fast; I hope we would all make it a habit on a regular basis.

What’s our excuse today when we ground one foot on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but we place our other foot on someone or something else? Remember that faith in Jesus Christ means fidelity; we must strive to be totally in Christ with our Christian lives! We have the same problem as the Hebrew Christians of 2000 years ago! Let us learn from Hebrew 6:12-20……

v12: Christians are to fight laziness (sluggish) of faith and patience for God’s Promise awaits!

v13-15: Abraham in the Old Testament is an example of faith at work towards God’s Promise! We read in Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

Also, we can note in this passage that God means what He says and will always make it to fruition! God is a Promise Keeper!!

?..... What happens when you get something notarized today??

v16: making an oath publicly on what one’s states (oral or written) assures a binding truth!

v17-18?

a. God’s desire is that He is very clear in His promise to those who believe in Him!

It is assumed here that the audience already know what the Promise is; let’s make sure we know….

God’s Promise?? Hebrews 2:9-10…..

b. It is impossible for God to lie! Why based on this passage??

2 things: God stated and put in writing the Promise AND made an oath!

We have the bible which is full of writing about God’s Promise!

Besides the statement here in Hebrews 6, when can we also note the oath(s) of God?

Genesis 3:14-15….. Immediately right after Adam and Eve sinned, God announces the coming day of the Savior taking care of the devil and sins!

Jeremiah 31:33-34 - “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Actually, Proclamations of the coming Messiah are all over the Old Testament (hundreds of them)!

A major one in the New Testament was when Jesus was baptized and God spoke!

God said openly and publicly about Jesus, “This is My Beloved Son!”

Now going back to our passage, let us not miss what is noted at the end of v18b: taken hold of the hope = taken hold of God’s Promise = Christians. Therefore, God’s desire is for Christians to be encouraged with the Bible and His oaths! God is love! Whatever He does is for our good!

v19-20: Christians have the hope (God’s Promise) which is an anchor to the soul (it is firm and secure)! What does it mean that Christian’s hope allows them to enter the inner sanctuary behind the curtain??

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke speaks of the curtain in God’s Temple, which separated the Holy of Holies to other rooms, miraculously torn in half when Jesus Christ died! When Jesus died for all of people’s sin, the barrier between God and people was torn down!!

What Biblical Principles should we remember from this passage today?

1. Know God’s Promise of eternal life with Him for certain (this is called faith - belief, trust, confidence, fidelity)! God’s Promise is only found when one is in Christ and for Christ! today is the day to believe and receive Jesus Christ as your only Savior and God.

And so, what should we do with this faith?

2. We are not to be lazy (sluggish) with our faith in Jesus Christ! We must always strive daily to be in Christ and for Christ!