Hebrews 6:13-20
Hope is the Anchor for the 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 Men 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 offered to 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 Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
John 14:1-7
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
John 10:9
Jesus is the Gate to Heaven
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
Matthew 7:24-29
Building Life on His Hope
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
St. Paul speaks of hope as life's anchor...Hope is something we can return to over and over. again in our lives, when we are feeling troubled...He tells us that hope is a choice...When we decide to have hope we will be encouraged in life...St. Paul tells us that this hope in our lives is the anchor to our soul...We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, that is firm and secure...Those who decide to take hold of the hope offered to us by God we may be greatly encouraged...
Jesus came to earth to give us hope...And He walked the earth and we lived in that hope and His words and deeds...He died and for three days and we lost hope...But then He rose and hope lives...Jesus teaches us the eternities...He shows us that those who mercifully touch their neighbors frequently and often on earth and in this world, are the ones who will touch eternity in quite the same way...
Jesus has entered eternity on our behalf...He will prepare a room for us...To get to that heavenly room, we must believe that He is the gate, the door to heaven and His Father...Those who follow His words and put them into practice better understand this hope, when the troubles and winds come and beat against our house...Anchor your soul with faith in the LORD...