Hebrews 6:19
The Grace of Hope
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For the last several Sunday nights, we have been looking at some of the different
graces of God.
Grace is God working in our lives \\#Phi 2:23\\. Anything that God uses to work
in our lives, through our lives, or for our lives is a work of grace.
Grace makes up the big river. It is what God uses to move us to the place that He
desires us to be. However, River Grace is made up of many smaller tributaries.
Paul refers to these as "graces" \\#2Cor 8:7\\. It is those smaller graces that
we have been looking at on Sunday nights.
The topic this morning is of such importance that I have decided to speak on it
this morning. It is the grace of HOPE. Notice some thoughts with me.
I. Hope is the anchor of the soul.
A. An anchor is that which holds in the storm.
1. I am not a boatman of any kind, but I understand the need of an
anchor.
2. An anchor is a weight which is sufficient to keep a boat in its
place despite the storms of the surface.
B. The writer of Hebrews tells us that HOPE is the anchor of the soul.
1. Implied in that statement is a truth that we have all experienced.
2. Namely, that life can be very tempestuous.
a. That is true for the saved and the lost. Both have problems;
things that we do not expect happen; things that we did not
want happen.
b. However, the Christian life, in some ways, has its own unique
storms.
(1) Now, I would rather have the storms of a Christian life
than the storms of the non-Christian life any day.
(2) The weight, the guilt, and the rewards of sin effect far
too much injury on the soul, spirit, and life of a
unsaved than I would ever want to bear.
(3) Yet, the Christian life still has its own challenges.
(a) Christians enter into spiritual warfare on a level
that the unsaved do not.
(b) Christians have questions that the unsaved do not.
(c) Christians are called to carry responsibilities
that the lost do not carry.
C. God, in His word, says HOPE is the anchor of the human soul.
1. Both the saved and the lost need hope.
a. I have observed that suicidal people have given up hope.
b. When they have no hope that things will ever be any different,
the human mind contemplates cutting life short.
c. That being the case, I surmise that this is a generation with-
out hope.
2. Christian, God knows that life can be tough and so, to help you
stay steady in the midst of life’s storms, God gives you HOPE.
a. HOPE is then a GRACE of God.
b. It is how God will keep you steady, secured in difficult times.
c. By the way, I don’t think it is just a grace but THE grace that
we need to stay steady in difficult days.
d. You must store up hope for the difficult days.
II. True hope springs from the promises of the Word of God.
A. Get these Bible verses:
1. The Word of God gives hope.
Ro 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
2. Speaking of the things God has said in the Bible, Paul states:
1Co 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt,
this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that
thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
B. Some have their hope placed in wrong things.
1. Some hope in things that will not secure you. Things that cannot
secure you.
2. Again, I am no boat man, but I understand that an anchor must be
made of the right material.
a. Plastic is a marvelous material, but you do not make anchors
of lightweight materials such as plastic.
b. Wood is a marvelous material, but we do not make anchors of
materials that are subject to decompose in water.
c. Rubber is a marvelous material, but we do not make anchors of
materials that will yield their strength under stress.
d. We make anchors of iron and steel. Materials that do not give,
that have weight, and that do not decompose.
e. My point is that our anchor must be of the right substances.
3. Some secure themselves in the hope that things will get better.
a. This is probably the number one hope of the saved and lost
alike. It is so common that we have coined phrases about it.
(1) "This too will pass."
(2) "A better day is coming."
(3) "Behind every cloud there is a silver lining."
b. I am sadden to say that things do not always get better.
(1) Death does come.
(2) Some sicknesses are for life.
(a) I have noticed that some Christians do not get this
until they are going through it.
(b) They have always hoped in the thought that things
would get better and when they have an event or
sickness where that is not going to happen, they
are bewildered.
(3) The Bible tells us that the end days are going to be evil.
c. Friend, God has never promised us that things in this life are
going to get better.
4. Some secure themselves in the hope that others will help. I hope
they will, but even when others do help, it is not always enough.
5. Some secure themselves in their abilities, their fortunes, their
strengths.
C. So what should a Christian hope for.
1. Not that things will go as we would like. That is not what God’s
promises are about.
2. God’s promises are two-fold.
a. He promises to give us what we need to be faithful.
(1) We can finish our race well.
(2) We can finish this life in obedience to Jesus Christ.
b. He promises to give us what we need to glorify Him.
3. As to some other things that one might hope for, I cannot say.
a. I do not know if others will stand with me in my final battle.
b. I do not know what my health may be in my final battle.
c. I do not know what my fortune may be in my final battle.
d. I do not know what the political, social, economical, or
judicial situations may be in my final battles.
e. But like the Apostle Paul, I will be able to say.
2Ti 1:12 …I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to
keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
III. What can the grace of HOPE do for us? Much!
A. Hope can keep you from shaming yourself!
Ro 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
1. Foolish actions are borne out of hopelessness.
a. suicide
b. compromise, quitting, discouragement (Elijah fled from Jezebel
and wished to do when he lost hope that things would get
better in Israel!)
2. We can become negative, disillusioned, apathetic—All because
we have lost hope!
B. Hope not only keeps these negatives away, but it also gives the
opposite.
Ro 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Heb 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the
full assurance of hope unto the end:
1. Hope gives us patience, assurance, diligence—the positive
elements not only to stay faithful but to stay faithful with joy!
2. Paul alludes to the joy that hope gave him.
1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
a. Eternal hope springs forth in to eternal joy!
b. Friend, a brighter day is coming, but it is not promised on
this earth.
(1) On this earth, we are promised trouble, heartache, heart
break, sickness, toil, oppression, judgment, tribulation,
grief, sorrow, and death.
(2) Christian, much of that will come your way too.
(3) God never promised otherwise.
c. But what a day that will be when we all get to heaven!
Close:
1. Christians, you need HOPE.
Hebrews 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet….
2. Unsaved Person, you need HOPE too.
a. We hope in the promises of God, but there is a stickler in that situation.
b. Which side of the promise are you on? the glory of the judgment side?
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not
is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
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