(Sermon Powerpoints are available free if you request them by emailing me. My email is saved2follow@hotmail.com. Also, our services are recorded at www.mountzionfamily.com. Thanks for viewing the message. I pray it helps you minister to the LORD's people.
The Anchor of Hope
Scripture Reference: Hebrews 6:19-20
Preached at Mount Zion Baptist Church on April 14, 2019
Delivered by Rev. John Daniel Johnson
A couple weeks ago, we were in Adel, Georgia. My wife wqnted to spend a little time with her family mourning the loss of her mother, so I took the little girls back to the hotel. There wasn’t too much to do there, but right across the street from the hotel was the Adel Mall, or as it is better know, Wal-Mart. So we walked across the highway and were going to walk around in Wal-Mart for a little while to waste time. I told the girls that before we went in that we did not come to buy anything, but to just walk around. Well we walked around for about 30 minutes and the girls were doing great. They didn’t beg for anything, but we made it to the toy aisle. They didn’t beg or throw a fit or start screaming for a toy, but their little eyes lit up looking at all the dolls. I just stood back and watched as they stood there talking to each other about the games they would play with each toy together.
I was standing near the end of the aisle just watching and little Tiffany started walking slowly to me. She looked up and said, “Daddy, I hope I can get a baby doll to play with.” I could tell she wanted one real bad and I saw that she didn’t want to come right out and ask me. However, I replied, “We’ll let’s keep walking around the store and let Daddy pray about it.” Without missing a beat she replied, “I’ve already prayed. God said its okay to get it.”
I had to smile a little while I was purchasing the dolls for the girls. They had pulled the “old fast one” on daddy and they knew it. On the way out of the store, Charity said to me, “Daddy, I hoped that you’d get us a toy. “ I replied back, “Yeah I had a feeling that I was going to be getting ya’ll a little something when we were walking around.” She replied, “Yeah, cause you ‘all the time’ love us.”
What can I say? My girls can hope because they know the heart of their daddy. Their daddy doesn’t want to spoil them, but does want them know that their daddy does love them. They can hope because they know my love for them.
It is like the LORD declared to Israel in Jeremiah 29:
For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans
for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will
listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for
Me with all your heart.
~ Jeremiah 29:11-13
If you will, turn with me to the Book of Hebrews Chapter Six. Today we’re going to learn of the Father’s love and promises to us through our hope in Him.
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,
and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner
has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
~Hebrews 6:19-20
I want to focus your attention especially on verse 19. God’s Word declares, “THIS HOPE WE HAVE AS AN ANCHOR OF THE SOUL.” The question now must be addressed, what causes “This Hope?” Scripture tells us that “This Hope” is an “Anchor,” so we as believers must understand what this is hope in. Well, he the previous few verses detail the promises that LORD bestowed upon Abraham. And to affirm those promises, God made an oath. Then Scripture tells us that since we are heirs of Abraham, God had sworn those same promises to us. A promise in which, Scripture tells us, God will not break for He cannot fail nor lie.
Transitional Sentence—Believers I want you to have hope today in the promises of our Lord. My prayer this morning is by understanding just a few of the promises of the LORD, what our hope in those promises will rejuvenate and revive us. I pray that by placing our hope in these promises of God that it will become our anchor in the days ahead.
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among
you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No,
but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes,
and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
~ 2 Corinthians 1:19-20
There are three kinds of Hope. There is NO HOPE. Then there is FALSE HOPE. Finally, there is TRUE HOPE. Today, we’re going to increase our True Hope in Jesus.
What is this hope? Most people understand hope as wishful thinking, as in "I hope something will happen." This is not what the Bible means by hope. The biblical definition of hope is "confident expectation." Hope is a firm assurance regarding things that are unclear and unknown. So, when the Bible says we are hope is the anchor of the soul, Scripture is literally saying that our “confident expectation in the promises of Jesus” are our anchor.
Purpose of the Anchor
1) To Keep You From Drifting
2) To Keep You Stable in the Storm
2) To Pull Us to Safety
A kedge anchor is used when a ship is grounded
- Sailors will row the kedge anchor as far as they can from the ship they wish to move.
- They drop the kedge anchor into the sea.
- Sailors on board begin to operate the winch and pull their way towards the anchor.
- This is know as kedging.
- Normally we don't think of moving towards an anchor.
Truth—I want to share with you this truth. The bigger your ship is, the bigger your anchor’s got to be.
Promises of God – Song (Standing on the Promises of God)
1. That His Love Will Never Fail
2. Salvation Is Available to All Who Believe in Jesus
3. God Will Always Care for His Children
a. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
Illustration— A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind and it’s the first inning."
"Boy," said the spectator, "I'll bet you're discouraged."
"Why should I be discouraged?" replied the little boy. "We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!"
4. Believers Will See Jesus in Glory
5. Believers Will Escape the Tribulation
6. The Dead Will Be Raised
7. Heaven Will Be My Home
