Doubles!
(Hebrews 6:13-20)
1. I discovered something playing a game of Outburst in our youth group: many of today’s youth are not familiar with Wrigley’s gum.
2. My favorite flavor as a child was Juicy Fruit. As an adult, I began to favor Double Mint gum. Double mint tends to be stronger than another flavor, Spearmint.
3. Fifty years ago, double mint would advertise on TV, using identical twins. Their motto was “Double your pleasure, double your fun, with Double Mint, Double Mint, Double Mint Gum!”
4. I am here to tell you today that God does not chew gum — at least to my knowledge. But he often does things in a doubly manner.
Main Idea: God often makes a point by making a double point! He wants us to rest in the certainty of His promises, in the certainty of Jesus Christ.
I. The DOUBLE Assurance of a Promise and an Oath
Vs. 14 has a Hebraism, a Hebrew figure of speech, translated literally as, “ saying, `Blessing indeed I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you;'
A. What is the difference between a promise and an OATH?
B. What does this double guarantee IMPLY?
1. God’s promises to ISRAEL are doubly sure.
Jeremiah 31:35-37 reads, “Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name:
“If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the Lord, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.”
Thus says the Lord: “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.”
2. God’s promises to the BELIEVER are doubly sure.
Over 30 years ago, Dale and I were working on changing a light fixture in the
Knotty Pine room. Back then, we had wooden fuse boxes from 1913. I loosen a fuse, but every circuit had two fuses. They fused both the hot and the ground. Unfortunately, I had only loosened the ground fuse. Dale got a shock when he touched the radiator pipe near the fixture. I should have been doubly sure.
C. If we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, our destiny is dependent upon God KEEPING His Word.
From “How Firm A Foundation”
“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose/ I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake/ I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
Application: Are you resting in Jesus Christ, in the certainty of God’s promises?
II. The Double Characters of ABRAHAM and Jesus (Melchizedek’s Successor)
A. Abraham was REVERED by the Jews; he is to Judaism what Jesus is to Christianity.
B. Melchizedek was INCIDENTAL until Psalm 110:4 tied him to the Messiah.
C. Apollos? is priming the PUMP to elevate Melchizedek over Abraham.
If Melchizedek is greater than Abraham, and Christ is the eternal priest after the order of Melchizedek, than Jesus is greater than Abraham, father of Judaism.
John 8:53-59 passim, “Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?” “…Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him…
D. Believing Jews and Gentiles are connected BOTH to Abraham and Jesus.
1. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus refers to a believing man as a “son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9) and a believing woman as a “daughter of Abraham” (Luke 13:16).
2. Abraham is our rubric, model for faith. Jesus is the One in Whom our faith rests.
3. Jesus and Abraham or Moses or David or Noah are not competitors!
4. Other Bible-believing churches are not competitors, although circulating saints can make this happen; but we are supposed to be on the same team.
5. In the body, the hand is not supposed to compete with the foot; but when we bring competitive dispositions into the family of God, we ask for trouble.
Application: Are you resting in Jesus Christ, in the certainty of God’s promises?
III. The Double IMAGERY of An Anchor and the CURTAIN
Larry Crabb once suggested that all of us have two basic needs: significance and security. We want to matter to someone, and we want to feel safe.
A. An anchor goes DOWN into the sea, Jesus goes UP into the heavenly temple.
B. The anchor speaks of spiritual STABILITY in an unstable environment.
1. Our faith is relevant to this world. God does not call us to withdraw from the world. A was chatting with a woman at the Kiwani’s club…In ten years or whenever I retire, I would like to live in a cabin in the woods as a hermit…
2. In some ways, we live in stable times (WWII, Depression); in other ways, the most unstable days ever (socially/technologically, things change dramatically & quickly). North Korea. ISIS. Russia. Politics.
3. If ever we needed an anchor, it is now! Christians are floating adrift. Storms are raging. The gap between Jesus’ disciples & society at large in growing.
C. The curtain speaks of the Holy of Holies in the HEAVENLY temple.
1. WE have a contact in heaven. We know someone.
2. So many of you have told me, over the years, how much of a difference it makes having a daily time with the Lord….the whole day… church attendance…
D. Since Jesus is already in the Holy of Holies, and we are connected to Him, we are guaranteed a place in HEAVEN.
We have a true Friend before God’s throne. Since we are part of His body, His presence in heaven now guarantees our presence there later.
E. We are SECURE in both this life and the world to come.
Another old hymn:
Though the angry surges roll/On my tempest-driven soul,/I am peaceful, for I know,
Wildly though the winds may blow, I’ve an anchor safe and sure That can evermore endure.
And it holds, my anchor holds:/Blow your wildest, then, O gale, On my bark so small and frail; By His grace I shall not fail, For my anchor holds, my anchor holds.
Application: Are you resting in Jesus Christ, in the certainty of God’s promises?
