Through the Bible - Jeremiah 46-48, Hebrews 6
Good morning,
Do you need hope? Are you facing uncertainties in your life, not knowing perhaps how you'll make it through the day?
I shared recently something that my son Jeff has said, "hope is my favorite thing to have". The New Testament reading plan above moves us into Hebrews 6, a chapter that probes the depths and heights of hope. It is a chapter that is often avoided because some feel that it is teaching against eternal security. I believe that it speaks not of this but what our eternal security is based on.
Last night the Daraja Childrens Choir of Africa performed at our church. They've done so for at least a couple of years now and it is a blessing to hear these children sing. Most, if not all of them were orphans quite often from losing parents to the aids epidemic in Africa. Being an orphan in aids riddled Africa where medicine, water, housing, and the gospel have all been scarce. But God, through His people involved in missions projects have built a bridge, sending missions teams with the gospel, finances to partner with the village to bring medicine, build an orphanage, bring water, and build literal bridges. They have brought hope, children are being saved physically and spiritually. The story doesn't end there.
God has brought some of these children here to sing highest praises to our God, to lead us in worship and to give us hope.
One of the songs they sang was "Mighty to Save". I've shared the lyrics before but here are a few of the lines once again.
Everyone needs compassion,
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.
Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Saviour;
The Hope of nations.
Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.
Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Saviour;
The Hope of nations.
Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Think about it. God has sent missionary teams with a high percentage of students to serve and bring hope to Africa. Now He is using orphans from Africa to come back to teach us about hope, about praise, and about worship. God truly is Mighty to Save.
Today's verse comes from Hebrews 6:
Heb 6:9- dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case — things that accompany salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. NIV
or from The Message
or from The Message
Heb 6:9-13 I'm sure that won't happen to you, friends. I have better things in mind for you — salvation things! God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you've shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it. And now I want each of you to extend that same intensity toward a full-bodied hope, and keep at it till the finish. Don't drag your feet. Be like those who stay the course with committed faith and then get everything promised to them.
The "better things" can also be thought of as "greater things". These things are perseverence in faith and patient obedience in "holding fast to their hope". The last song that they sang was "This City" by Chris Tomlin. Read and listen to the words.
You're the God of this city, You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation, You are
You're the Light in this darkness, You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless, You areThere is no one like our God, there is no one like our GodFor greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done here
If you need hope spend some time in Hebrews 6 today and this weekend. Consider the closing verses.
Heb 6:18-We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.
More on that tomorrow, Lord willing.
9 Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don't believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance.
God's Promises Bring Hope
13 For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:
14 "I will certainly bless you,
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number."
and I will multiply your descendants beyond number."
15 Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.
16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. NLT
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