Hebrews 6:17-20 (NKJV)

17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:17-20 (NKJV)

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Abundance Of HopeHebrews 6:17-20

Abundance Of Hope• Our theme we are studying for 2014

is “The Abundant Life”

• We want to focus on that theme with monthly lessons to help us

• The idea behind the theme is to realize all that our life in Christ has to offer (Jn. 10:10)

Abundance Of Hope• One thing that the Christian life offers

is hope

• Hope is something that cannot be understated in our society

• There are so many people who live without hope and therefore wish to not live at all

Abundance Of Hope• Can you imagine a life without hope?

• Do we really understand what hope is?

• Does it have a real meaning to us as Christians?

• What is it that you hope for in this life?

Hope Defined• It may be that we do not understand

what hope really is

• Listen to how some dictionaries define hope…

• There are some words that stand out in these definitions

• Possible, possibility, could happen…

Hope Defined• That’s not the Biblical definition of

hope

• Hope is the Greek word elpis or elpizo from the root elpo

• It means to expect with confidence or to desire with expectation of obtainment

Hope Defined• In a Christian sense it means joyful

and confident expectation of eternal salvation

• It also means to wait for salvation with joy and full confidence; to trust

• Hope is not an if or maybe proposition; it is a certain thing

Surety of Hope• What causes hope to be so certain

and not just a probability?

• Paul told Titus that our hope was something that God, who cannot lie, promised to us (Titus 1:2)

• Our hope is sure because of the God who promised it

Surety of Hope• It is impossible for God to lie,

therefore this hope is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast”(Heb. 6:18-19)

• “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23)

Surety of Hope• The reason we can be so confident is

because of the one who issued that hope (I Jn. 5:13)

• God even gave His Spirit as a down payment to show He means what He says (Eph. 1:13-14)

• This is why we can have confidence!

Source of Hope• Where is this hope founded?

• Paul explains this beautifully in Romans 5

• Our hope is based on the love of God, which was given to us even when we were wicked

• Hope is not based on merits or deeds

Source of Hope• Paul said that Christ is our hope

(I Tim. 1:1)

• That means that if one is not in Christ, then they have no hope (Eph. 2:12)

• Our hope is derived from our God in heaven whose Son died for us (II Thess. 2:16)

Source of Hope• We gain that hope through the

scriptures and God’s promises throughout

• Paul said we could gain hope from reading the scriptures (Rom. 15:4)

• Again, I Thessalonians 4:13-18 was written to provide hope

Focus of Hope• Paul spends time in Romans 8

speaking of the glory we shall know in heaven (vs. 18-23)

• He goes on to say that we were saved in this hope (vs. 24-25)

• In other words, our hope is a hope of eternal life with God in heaven

Focus of Hope• “that having been justified by His

grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7)

• Paul said that if our hope in Christ is only in this earthly existence, then we are most pitiable (I Cor. 15:19)

Result of Hope• Hope causes us to do several things:

– Rejoice – Rom. 12:12; I Thess. 4:13

– Love – Col. 1:5

– Defend it – I Pet. 3:15

– Be Faithful – Col. 1:5; I Thess. 1:3; Titus 2:13; Heb. 3:6; 6:11, 19