Hebrews 6:1-20
Jesus is Hope and Gives us Hope
1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with 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, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Hope is the Anchor to Our Soul
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Hope was born on Christmas Day...Hope tells us that there better things in our lives—the things that have to do with hope, Jesus, eternal life, and salvation...
Hope is the anchor for the soul (Hebrews 6:19)...This maybe the most well-known verse about hope in the Book of Hebrews...Hope is a deep and secure anchor, like a boat anchor...So we can believe hope is like a strong anchor...A secure anchor, grounding and stabilizing believers even amidst life's storms...Hope and its anchor comparison emphasizes the unwavering nature of Christian hope...
The author tells us through Hope, there is an entrance into the Holy Place (Hebrews 6:19-20)...This passage connects hope with access to God's Presence...Because of Jesus' sacrifice, believers have hope of entering the "inner sanctuary" (symbolizing God's Presence) through faith...This hope motivates perseverance in the Christian walk...There is a better hope (Hebrews 7:19)...The author speaks of a "better hope" brought about by Jesus' priesthood...This "better hope" is contrasted with the temporary system of the Old Testament...It signifies the enduring and fulfilling promises of God's Grace through Jesus...Hope give us endurance and encouragement (Hebrews 6:11, 10:23)...The book emphasizes the importance of holding fast to hope (Hebrews 6:11)...This hope fuels perseverance through trials and encourages believers to remain faithful (Hebrews 10:23)...There are Great Examples of Hope in Hebrews 11...These people of faith known by some teachers and ministers as the "faith hall of fame,"... These people are biblical figures who lived by faith and hope...Their stories serve as an inspiration for believers to hold onto hope even in challenging circumstances...
Hope is active, not passive...Christian hope is not simply wishful thinking...It compels believers to live faithfully and strive towards God's Will...Hope provides perspective in life...It allows believers to see challenges as temporary and to focus on the ultimate reward of God's promises...Hope is a gift from God...The ability to have unwavering hope in God's unfailing LOVE and promises is seen as a gift from God's Grace (Hebrews 6:19)...In essence, the Book of Hebrews portrays hope as a cornerstone of the Christian life...It provides stability, motivation, and a sense of purpose for believers, even when faced with difficulties...
So hope is more than just wishing for positive outcomes...Hope acknowledges the limitations of human knowledge...We can't always understand why things happen or predict the future...Hope doesn't require all the answers or a guaranteed happy ending...It allows us to keep moving forward even in uncertainty...In hope we see God's guiding hand...Hope allows us to find meaning and purpose even in difficult times...Hope suggests that even in darkness, there might be Someone and a bigger plan at work, a guiding force (like God's Hand) leading us through our personal challenges...
We (I) need hope...Some times uncertainty can drown out my hope...Uncertainty make me feel sad and have a low mood and am anxious...Uncertainty in the times of "shadows of disappointment and darkness" can be our times of despair...These time encompass a challenge or hardships in life...But at times there can be strength in uncertainty, if we trust God...Hope allows us to embrace the unknown and find strength in the journey itself, not just the destination...It is good that hope is the anchor to the soul...
Faith is interweaved with hope...This can resonate with people of faith, who believe in God's guidance...We see this in the Great Examples of Faith people in the Bible...They all had Hope into the LORD...However, the concept of hope is for everyone and can be applied more generally, to help us find meaning and purpose in life, and have a better more hopeful life...
Priest and Theologian Henri Nouwen wrote this about hope: "Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown...Hope makes you see God's guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness...Joy does not simply happen to us...We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day...It is a choice based on the knowledge that we belong to God and have found in God our refuge and our safety and that nothing, not even death, can take God away from us...It is in solitude that we discover that being is more important than having and that we are worth more than the results of our efforts...In solitude we discover that our life is not a possession to be defended but a gift to be shared...Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are...When we are impatient we try to get away from where we are...We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else...Let's be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand...You don't think your way into a new kind of living...You live your way into a new kind of thinking...But what I would like to say is that the spiritual life is a life in which you gradually learn to listen to a voice that says something else, that says, "You are the beloved and on you my favour rests."... I want you to hear that voice...It is not a very loud voice because it is an intimate voice...It comes from a very deep place...It is soft and gentle...I want you to gradually hear that voice...We both have to hear that voice and to claim for ourselves that that voice speaks the truth, our truth...It tells us who we are...However, community is first of all a quality of the heart...It grows from the spiritual knowledge that we are alive not for ourselves but for one another...Community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more important than our own...The question, therefore, is not 'How can we make community?' but, 'How can we develop and nurture giving hearts?'...The only feelings that do not heal are the ones you hide...Spiritual maturity is not knowing what to do with your whole life, but just knowing what to do next...God, help me to see others not as enemies or as ungodly but rather as thirsty people...And give me the courage and compassion to offer your Living Water, which alone quenches deep thirst...Jesus has to be and become ever more the center of my life...It is not enough that Jesus is my teacher, my guide, my source of inspiration...It is not even enough that He is my Companion on the journey, my Friend and my Brother...Jesus must become the heart of my heart, the fire of my life, the love of my soul, the bridegroom of my spirit...He must become my only thought, my only concern, my only desire...Listening is much more than allowing another to talk while waiting for a chance to respond...Listening is paying full attention to others and welcoming them into our very beings...The beauty of listening is that those who are listened to start feeling accepted, start taking our words more seriously and discovering their true selves...Every time there are losses, there are choices to be made...You choose to live your losses as passages to anger, blame, hatred, depression and resentment, or you choose to let these losses be passages to something new, something wider, and deeper."...