1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,700 Today we're going to be reading going to be starting Hebrews 2 00:00:03,700 --> 00:00:10,700 6:13 through 20, it reads for when God made a promise to 3 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:15,000 Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by he swore by 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,700 himself, I will indeed bless you and I will greatly multiply. 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,700 And so after waiting patiently Abraham obtained, the promise 6 00:00:25,100 --> 00:00:28,000 for people swear by someone greater than themselves and for 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,299 them, it confirming over. And every dispute but God wanted 8 00:00:32,299 --> 00:00:36,100 to show his unchangeable purpose, even more clearly to 9 00:00:36,100 --> 00:00:39,900 The Heirs of the promise. He guaranteed it with an oath so 10 00:00:39,900 --> 00:00:43,600 that though that through two unchangeable things in which it 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:48,900 is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for Refuge might 12 00:00:48,900 --> 00:00:50,800 have strong encouragement to seize. 13 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,500 The Hope set before us, we have this hope as an anchor for the 14 00:00:55,500 --> 00:00:59,200 soul firm and secure it. Enters the inner sanctuary. 15 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:04,200 The curtain Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a 16 00:01:04,208 --> 00:01:08,300 forerunner because he has become a high priest forever. 17 00:01:08,300 --> 00:01:11,600 According to the order of Melchizedek, this is the word of 18 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:16,000 the Lord, when I was in high school, my mother and I had this 19 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,700 running little thing that was going on. 20 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:23,400 For some reason, the automated portion of my clothes, getting 21 00:01:23,500 --> 00:01:28,300 washed and cleaned and folded and set on the end of my bed 22 00:01:28,300 --> 00:01:31,600 that part was working. And the part that wasn't was 23 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,900 them making it into a dresser or being put away somewhere. 24 00:01:36,100 --> 00:01:39,100 And we kept having this discussion about who was at 25 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:45,100 fault and my mother was convinced it was me and looking 26 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:47,500 back on it. My wife would agree with her 27 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:52,800 most definitely that it was me. And so it went from there just 28 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,600 to close on the edge of the bed to just all sorts of stuff in 29 00:01:57,600 --> 00:01:59,800 the room, you know, it was just a messy place to be. 30 00:02:00,100 --> 00:02:04,900 And so we battled for a while you know, mother would when she 31 00:02:04,900 --> 00:02:06,900 couldn't stand it would just kind of shut the door so she 32 00:02:06,900 --> 00:02:10,400 didn't have to see it. But one day when I was looking 33 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,300 around and realize this place is just awful, I mean there's 34 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,500 everything everywhere in the beds not made and just stuff. 35 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:22,100 And so I knew I needed to clean it up and I guess it was an 36 00:02:22,100 --> 00:02:26,300 early case of conviction that I wasn't quite time to the Holy 37 00:02:26,300 --> 00:02:29,500 Spirit just yet, but I understood I need to clean it up 38 00:02:29,500 --> 00:02:31,200 but I had Somewhere to go. And I don't even remember where 39 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,800 it was and it was probably something that I had to go do 40 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:35,600 practice or something. They wasn't like I was just 41 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:40,400 going to do it for fun. And so I wrote my mom this know 42 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:46,400 and I basically said, I know the place is a mess and I promise 43 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,900 that as soon as I get home from whatever it was, I was going to, 44 00:02:48,900 --> 00:02:53,500 I will clean this up. And so when I got home, I went 45 00:02:53,500 --> 00:02:57,000 in there and I looked on the note and my mom had written a 46 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,900 return note on the bottom of my note that said seeing is 47 00:02:59,900 --> 00:03:04,700 believing and and that was, you know, one of those early 48 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:09,600 instances where I realized Promises kind of, you know, 49 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:14,300 relative on how much, they mean, a lot of it has to depend on who 50 00:03:14,300 --> 00:03:17,600 makes the promise, right? A lot of it has depended on 51 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,500 whether they actually see things your way and there's all sorts 52 00:03:20,500 --> 00:03:21,900 of stuff that goes on with promises. 53 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:27,300 I mean, when somebody promises you, they go beyond just telling 54 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:29,200 you something. They promise you. 55 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,300 It's true. Does that actually in cause you 56 00:03:32,300 --> 00:03:36,100 to increase your level of belief and what they're saying? 57 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,700 I mean do you? I don't even know how much stock 58 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:44,200 I take in making a witness promise in court that they're 59 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,500 going to tell the truth. If this person has decided 60 00:03:47,500 --> 00:03:51,200 they're going to lie, won't they just lie to me when they tell me 61 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:52,500 that they're going to tell the truth. 62 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,600 What does the promise actually do? 63 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,500 When you hear somebody take an oath of office? 64 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:00,700 How many of you are sitting there going? 65 00:04:00,900 --> 00:04:05,000 Wow, I really know because what they're saying right now, they 66 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,400 are definitely going to do what they've said Are they are 67 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,600 setting out to I mean oath. Breaking is so common these days 68 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,400 it's almost like what what's all the fuss all about why bother? 69 00:04:16,700 --> 00:04:20,700 I surely don't understand the point of making someone invoke a 70 00:04:20,700 --> 00:04:25,000 spiritual deity. Making someone swear to God when 71 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,000 it is quite obvious from their life that they really care, 72 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,200 nothing about what God has to say, what is the point of having 73 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,900 them swear to that and and when the sworn statement doesn't feel 74 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:40,000 like enough Ever, since we were kids on the playground, we've 75 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,500 resorting to other things to up the ante. 76 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,400 You know, I don't know how many you remember, pinky swears. 77 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:49,200 Okay? Like, what the heck is a pinky 78 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:51,100 swear and why does it make any difference? 79 00:04:51,700 --> 00:04:54,100 I mean, human spit. You remember that one? 80 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,800 I mean come on Cross. My Heart. 81 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,100 Hope To Die. Stick a needle in my eye, okay? 82 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,600 That really going to increase your level of confidence and 83 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,200 what I'm saying, even blood. You remember that one? 84 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,200 That was the scary one. Somebody said, let's take a 85 00:05:11,207 --> 00:05:14,300 Blood Oath. It's like yeah, I know your 86 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:16,700 blood and my oath that'll work. Okay. 87 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,800 The Apostle Paul had some folks trying to kill him in Acts and 88 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,000 they all took an oath, they weren't going to eat or drink 89 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,700 anything until he was dead. I would love to have been a fly 90 00:05:27,700 --> 00:05:30,400 on the wall for the outcome of that little story. 91 00:05:30,500 --> 00:05:33,800 Okay. Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount 92 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:37,600 actually talking about speaking promises to God, making Oaths to 93 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,700 God. And he basically just says, 94 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:46,000 don't just say yes or no. Just say the truth, our courts 95 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,000 today have actually kind of come into agreement Witnesses. 96 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,400 Now are only asked to affirm that, they will tell the truth 97 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,800 and to acknowledge the fact that they don't, they could be 98 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,600 charged with perjury and so the real essence of that is just 99 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,100 saying, are you going to tell the truth? 100 00:06:03,100 --> 00:06:08,000 And somebody says yes, With all this mixed information and all 101 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,500 of our past experience being so jumbled. 102 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:15,300 When it comes to Oaths, and swearing and Promises, what are 103 00:06:15,300 --> 00:06:22,000 we to conclude when God swears? I mean, why does he swear? 104 00:06:22,900 --> 00:06:25,400 I think the preacher of Hebrews answers, three questions and I 105 00:06:25,407 --> 00:06:29,400 want us to consider these today. What's the purpose of the 106 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,300 promise? What's the probability of the 107 00:06:33,300 --> 00:06:37,100 promise? And who is the person of the 108 00:06:37,100 --> 00:06:41,400 promise right now? I don't like that second one the 109 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,900 probability I just couldn't come up with a better p word so I'm 110 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:46,600 just going to go ahead and fess up. 111 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,000 I did the preacher thing and I put you some peas in there but 112 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,200 I'm not really crazy about the second one. 113 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:59,200 My name is Kevin Perry and I get to be the pastor for shepherding 114 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:00,600 here. At new Eden, get to serve 115 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:02,900 alongside Joel. Who's the one who's normally in 116 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:04,500 this position on Sunday mornings? 117 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,700 But I thank you for this opportunity. 118 00:07:07,500 --> 00:07:09,900 I'm going to just go ahead and tell you that I met a fellow 119 00:07:09,900 --> 00:07:13,400 named George Guthrie years ago when he was teaching at a 120 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,800 college in Jackson, Tennessee came down and and did something 121 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,700 for us at our church. He later wrote a an application 122 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:22,900 commentary. He's basically spent his entire 123 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:27,400 Tire life study in Hebrews. And so number of the thoughts 124 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,300 that I'm going to bring out this morning. 125 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:33,100 Come from him. So a little review of where we 126 00:07:33,100 --> 00:07:35,100 are in this sermon. You remember we've been we've 127 00:07:35,100 --> 00:07:37,100 been talking about the author and we've been calling the 128 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:41,400 preacher and it's why is because the whole book is kind of like a 129 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:46,100 sermon, but when you look at, sermons, preachers are known to 130 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:48,700 take sidebars for a minute, you know, they're like they got a 131 00:07:48,707 --> 00:07:51,000 direction, they're headed with you, they want to get you there, 132 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:54,000 but they step aside to I feel something in. 133 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,000 Maybe they're trying to explain why this makes a difference or 134 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,000 why it's important that you understand this. 135 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:01,600 And so that's essentially what's going on here. 136 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:07,300 If you all will remember back in Hebrews 4 around, first, 14, the 137 00:08:07,300 --> 00:08:10,900 preacher starts in on a conversation about Jesus, as 138 00:08:10,900 --> 00:08:15,800 high priest, okay? And so, then, as he's kind of 139 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,900 opening up into his topic, he's just getting warmed up. 140 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:22,500 When it kind of hits in that, you guys are really going to 141 00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:25,400 have a I'm understanding what I'm talking about, okay? 142 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,500 Because you're really immature in your faith. 143 00:08:28,100 --> 00:08:31,400 So let me give you some warnings about immaturity and faith and 144 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,799 recognize this, because when I get back to my subject, when I 145 00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:39,100 get back to talking about, Jesus is high priest. 146 00:08:39,100 --> 00:08:41,400 I want you to come to an understanding of why this is 147 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,000 important. And right now, you're a little 148 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:48,500 bogged down in some. Some stuff that's infant level 149 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:52,000 stuff. It's milk level stuff and so he 150 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:56,800 goes off and So now he's gone through the exhortations in the 151 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,300 warnings that he gave but now he has this issue of well, I went 152 00:09:01,300 --> 00:09:04,300 off on this rabbit trailed kind of explain this and give you a 153 00:09:04,300 --> 00:09:07,400 little understanding of why it's so important that you understand 154 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,600 this next piece. I got to get back to the next 155 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,600 piece though. So our passage this morning is 156 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,500 like the transition, okay, we were off the rails for a while, 157 00:09:15,500 --> 00:09:17,700 talking about something else. We're coming back onto the 158 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:19,500 rails. Trying to get, to the point that 159 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:23,000 we're talking about, Jesus is high priest and he decides to 160 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:28,000 Phyllis and even more on how this came about what what caused 161 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,900 it. So he concluded last week's 162 00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:37,400 passage that Joel presented pointing to the promises that 163 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:41,200 the hearers had. So let's go back and pick up 164 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,500 verse 11 and 12 from last week just so we can kind of Orient 165 00:09:44,500 --> 00:09:46,900 ourselves. Now we desire each of you to 166 00:09:46,900 --> 00:09:50,900 demonstrate the same diligence for the full Assurance of your 167 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:54,600 hope until the end. So that you won't become lazy, 168 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,500 but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through 169 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:03,800 faith and perseverance. So, having brought up this topic 170 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,400 of promises, the first question is, what's the purpose? 171 00:10:07,500 --> 00:10:12,000 What's the point of the promise? Why do it So, verse 13 is 172 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,700 essentially some commentary on God's actions to help us 173 00:10:14,700 --> 00:10:20,100 understand motive for when God made a promise to Abraham, since 174 00:10:20,100 --> 00:10:25,000 he had no one greater to swear by he swore by himself. 175 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:31,400 See if there's none greater to swear by then why swear it all? 176 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,600 Mean it obviously was not for God's benefit. 177 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,500 That's where we get confused sometimes because generally, 178 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:41,800 when we're swearing, we're swearing for our benefit. 179 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,600 I need you to believe me. God does not need me to believe 180 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,700 him. God is telling me the truth and 181 00:10:48,700 --> 00:10:51,600 it is what it is. So the only reason he could be 182 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,700 swearing an oath if it was for the benefit of the hearer. 183 00:10:56,700 --> 00:11:00,500 And so his motive wasn't for himself, he didn't need 184 00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:04,500 Abraham's trust. It wasn't trying to manipulate 185 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:09,300 Abraham into believing him. His motive for wanting Abraham 186 00:11:09,300 --> 00:11:14,900 to trust, was for the benefit of Abraham, the promise God was 187 00:11:14,900 --> 00:11:19,200 making was he was going to place Abraham in this position where 188 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:24,800 he was forced to trust God. God had a lot of blessings for 189 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:30,000 him and if Abraham listened and obeyed and followed in what God 190 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,400 told him, then the blessings would come his way. 191 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,600 And if he did not trust, then he would not obey. 192 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,100 That's one of the things that we have to remember if we're 193 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:44,700 finding that, we're not obey. We really need to answer a 194 00:11:44,708 --> 00:11:46,400 question that comes before that in this. 195 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,100 What's causing you not to be able to trust mean 196 00:11:50,100 --> 00:11:51,600 intellectually. You got it all worked out in 197 00:11:51,608 --> 00:11:54,500 your head, you know, this is better for you, but you're not 198 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:56,800 going there. And so there's a trust component 199 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:01,800 that's missing. Abraham believed the promise 200 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:06,300 listens to what God is declaring about Abraham and verse 14. 201 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:12,100 I will indeed bless you and I will greatly multiply you. 202 00:12:13,300 --> 00:12:15,500 Now, one of the things that we got to remember, is that when 203 00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:19,800 God said that Abraham didn't just Booth look around, and 204 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,800 there were millions of people standing around him that we're 205 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,300 all from him. Okay. 206 00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:27,400 What God Said was going to happen, did not happen 207 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,800 instantaneously. There's so many of us myself 208 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:37,200 included who from time to time we ask and we really really want 209 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,100 to trust but we really want it to happen right now. 210 00:12:39,100 --> 00:12:40,900 So the trust don't have to last all that long. 211 00:12:41,900 --> 00:12:43,500 It's let's just get there already. 212 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:51,300 But Abraham had a wild away. God guaranteed it based on to I 213 00:12:51,300 --> 00:12:55,200 statements that I God will do this. 214 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,100 He made it clear that what was to come, it was going to be his 215 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:04,000 personal work and it was going to be secured by who he is. 216 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:10,800 Abraham was 99 when that promise got made, do the first one. 217 00:13:12,100 --> 00:13:13,700 Alright. And portions of the promise were 218 00:13:13,700 --> 00:13:17,100 completed during Abraham's Lifetime and portions of that. 219 00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:21,100 Promise got completed after he was gone and in the other texts 220 00:13:21,100 --> 00:13:24,100 of scripture that we read and what we have to realize is that 221 00:13:24,100 --> 00:13:27,600 promise is still unfolding. The we're going to get to 222 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,700 chapter 11 in Hebrews and realize that that promise goes 223 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:34,300 right on up until today, and it's going to keep going until 224 00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:38,400 the very end. Verse 15 helps us understand 225 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:42,600 that there was two components to Abraham's response to this 226 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:47,300 promise. It's so after waiting patiently, 227 00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:51,600 Abraham obtained, the promise. See. 228 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,000 Promises by their very nature. Demand, patience. 229 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:00,300 I'm promising this to you because it's not going to happen 230 00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:03,100 right now. It's coming in the future. 231 00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:07,500 So you're going to need to hold on to this promise until it 232 00:14:07,500 --> 00:14:13,500 comes C. Having patience is not a product 233 00:14:13,500 --> 00:14:16,000 of persevering effort on our part. 234 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,900 Now I don't reared that way. That's what that's what I was 235 00:14:19,900 --> 00:14:22,000 told. Patient was patience was 236 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,900 something that you practiced and you practiced and you practiced, 237 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:28,400 any of you practice long enough, you'd really get good at it. 238 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,300 I'm just here to tell you from my life. 239 00:14:32,300 --> 00:14:34,200 I don't know about four years but for my life doesn't work 240 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:38,400 that way. Okay, I'm patient based on what 241 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:44,700 I believe, If I got zero doubt that what has been promised is 242 00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:46,900 coming, I don't have a problem being patient. 243 00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:50,800 It's when I get to doubting whether or not it's actually 244 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,700 going to happen that I began to have a really hard time with 245 00:14:53,700 --> 00:14:55,600 patients. It. 246 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,200 So that means that if I'm not filled up, if I'm not so open to 247 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,300 the holy spirit that I'm just walking in the fact that all 248 00:15:02,300 --> 00:15:04,700 this is just a reality, that's just not here yet. 249 00:15:06,500 --> 00:15:11,000 If that's not where I'm at, then impatience is what will set in 250 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:16,800 patience is a fruit of God's spirit being unimpeded in me. 251 00:15:17,500 --> 00:15:20,100 It's just what happens. It's what affirms to me that? 252 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:23,600 Hey, I must be in pretty healthy place with God because, you 253 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,100 know, the world keeps asking me how in the world can I be so 254 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,900 patient and I keep wanting to tell him the obvious answer 255 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:34,700 Jesus. I believe, I bought in. 256 00:15:38,100 --> 00:15:41,200 Promises. If believed provide hope. 257 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,800 Biblical hopes not the same. We word that we use in Daily 258 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,300 conversation generally we say we hope when we just mean we wish 259 00:15:49,300 --> 00:15:53,300 something would happen. You know I hope this comes about 260 00:15:53,300 --> 00:15:56,900 I hope this doesn't come about. I hope for your sake. 261 00:15:56,900 --> 00:15:59,200 I hope for my sake. We're talking about something 262 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:04,900 that's being used as a verb. I'm doing it I'm hoping okay I 263 00:16:04,908 --> 00:16:08,000 hope from a biblical sense is different as a student of 264 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,300 scripture. I actually wish we had two 265 00:16:09,300 --> 00:16:12,500 different words, acts wish we had a word hope. 266 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,200 That was a verb. Okay, so all your hope and 267 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,300 something's going to happen, okay, I'm with you, I got you on 268 00:16:17,300 --> 00:16:21,300 that. And then a different word for I 269 00:16:21,300 --> 00:16:25,600 have hope it is a possession. It is a noun, a person place or 270 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,900 thing. In fact, when it comes to the 271 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:33,300 Bible it's all three. Jesus Is My Hope. 272 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:44,100 So, my hope is heaven. It is my possession. without 273 00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:50,200 belief in God's promise hope is a noun is just non-existent The 274 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:55,300 preacher not explains why some people use Oaths in verse 16 for 275 00:16:55,300 --> 00:16:58,300 people, swear by something greater than themselves. 276 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,700 And for them, it confirming oath ends every dispute. 277 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,599 I think it's funny that it's put that way, because I think of how 278 00:17:07,599 --> 00:17:11,700 many disputes only were really getting started when somebody 279 00:17:11,700 --> 00:17:16,400 made an oath or a promise. People's owes are given to 280 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:20,200 acquire trust from another person for the benefit of the 281 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:23,300 swearer. The sworn oath is meant to 282 00:17:23,300 --> 00:17:25,800 purchase the trust from the one who's hearing it. 283 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,400 Much of the time though, we swear them for our benefit. 284 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,800 Now, it's possible to swear them for the benefit of others. 285 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:35,400 You've probably all experienced this, you've been trying to 286 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,200 convince your child to do something. 287 00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:39,900 The child is not quite sure whether they want to do the 288 00:17:39,900 --> 00:17:42,300 thing. All right, there, standing there 289 00:17:42,300 --> 00:17:45,300 at the edge of the pool, and, you know, Dad or mom's down in 290 00:17:45,308 --> 00:17:46,800 the water. And they're saying job, I'll 291 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,100 catch you. All right, you're making a 292 00:17:50,100 --> 00:17:52,600 promise. You're not making a promise 293 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:54,900 though, for your benefit. You're making a promise for the 294 00:17:54,900 --> 00:17:58,300 child's benefit, you wanted to have fun, you wanted to find out 295 00:17:58,300 --> 00:18:00,900 what it's like to go. Flying into the water and Dad 296 00:18:00,900 --> 00:18:04,300 step out of the way. And you crash into the pool, you 297 00:18:04,300 --> 00:18:06,700 want the child to understand some fun. 298 00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:10,500 So you're promising for their benefit, not your own. 299 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,500 Quite often though, we're trying to end the dispute for selfish 300 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:21,400 reasons. I need the job and I need you to 301 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:25,500 buy what I'm selling. I need you to vote for me. 302 00:18:26,700 --> 00:18:31,300 I want something from you so I'll promise something to you to 303 00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:35,900 secure your agreement. Often our words don't feel like 304 00:18:35,900 --> 00:18:37,700 enough. So then we invoke something that 305 00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:42,600 seems to add authenticity to the promise, but that's because 306 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:44,700 we're arguing from a weak position. 307 00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:50,900 When you're in the place of weaknesses, if weakness, you 308 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:53,700 really don't have a whole lot of options, you're not the one 309 00:18:53,700 --> 00:18:56,400 holding the cards, you're not the one with the power. 310 00:18:57,900 --> 00:19:00,600 And so, a lot of times we struggle and strain to try to 311 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,800 add a little bit to it. God's not coming from a weak 312 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,500 position. When God makes a promise, he has 313 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:10,900 no insecurities. He has no doubts. 314 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:16,000 There's no possibility that his promise is not going to prevail. 315 00:19:17,500 --> 00:19:20,800 He's working in our best interest and he knows that we're 316 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:26,600 coming from week insecure doubting worries, but he wants 317 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,700 us to believe our answer for believe his answer at for our 318 00:19:30,700 --> 00:19:35,100 own benefit. Reveals more of God's purpose in 319 00:19:35,100 --> 00:19:40,000 verse 17. Because God wanted to show his 320 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:44,900 unchangeable purpose even more clearly to The Heirs of the 321 00:19:44,900 --> 00:19:48,000 promise. He guaranteed it with an oath. 322 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:53,300 God's oath is for the benefit of those to whom the promise is 323 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:57,800 being given. He wants us to understand who he 324 00:19:57,800 --> 00:19:59,800 is. And what his motives are toward 325 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,900 us. His purpose and its promise 326 00:20:03,900 --> 00:20:07,700 they're clearly on display. He wants to show us. 327 00:20:08,900 --> 00:20:11,300 More clearly than we currently understand. 328 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:18,300 How unchangeable his purpose is. God swears because we need it. 329 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,900 Not him he knows we need to put promises in the we tend to put 330 00:20:22,900 --> 00:20:26,500 promises in the uncertain column because we've experienced so 331 00:20:26,500 --> 00:20:30,300 many human promises and we know how so many of those end. 332 00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:35,700 Hose that he had motives passionate swearing that turned 333 00:20:35,700 --> 00:20:38,400 to ashes the minute. The person had what they wanted. 334 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,200 But this brings us to the second question that the preacher wants 335 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,600 to answer. What's the probability of the 336 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,400 promise? What's the chance? 337 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:52,600 This is really going to happen? How sure can I be of the promise 338 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,600 that has been made? God's. 339 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,900 Oh sir very different from the Oaths of people see with human 340 00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:02,700 oath long time ago I learned with human knows there's some 341 00:21:02,700 --> 00:21:04,800 questions when somebody starts promising, something there's 342 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,500 some questions that you need to ask to help, make sure that 343 00:21:08,500 --> 00:21:15,600 you've evaluated the person in the promise, will they be around 344 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:17,700 to guarantee the outcome of the promise? 345 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,100 Ever been in one of those situations where boss promised 346 00:21:21,100 --> 00:21:23,200 you something. But then he got a promotion and 347 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,100 moved on. And when it came time for the 348 00:21:25,108 --> 00:21:27,800 promise, to be fulfilled, he wasn't even there to do it. 349 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,300 So one thing is, I need to know that if you're making me a 350 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:35,100 progress, I promise you're going to be around to make sure this 351 00:21:35,100 --> 00:21:40,700 thing happens. And also do they have the 352 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:43,400 authority to do what they're promising? 353 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,900 How many times I've asked that question has done a little bit 354 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:50,000 of digging and found out. You don't even have the right to 355 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:51,600 be making the promise you're making. 356 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,300 You don't have the authority to make it happen regardless of 357 00:21:55,300 --> 00:21:59,600 what I do. And then the third one just 358 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:05,200 straight up are they lying? Like what's the motive for them? 359 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:09,100 Making this promise? Does it actually include any 360 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,900 concern or benefit of me, or is the motor for the promise, 361 00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:16,800 something that's really purely about them and they have a very 362 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:18,900 good reason just to tell me something, it's not true. 363 00:22:23,300 --> 00:22:28,000 God covers the first question. Remember the question God covers 364 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:33,400 the first question about. Are you gonna be around and 365 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,000 Isaiah 43:10 as well as other places in scripture? 366 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,800 This is just one You are my Witnesses. 367 00:22:40,500 --> 00:22:44,300 This is the Lord's declaration and my servant whom I have 368 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:48,600 chosen so that you may know and believe me and understand that I 369 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:54,300 am he no, God was formed before me and there will be none after 370 00:22:54,300 --> 00:22:57,900 me. I've covered it all the way from 371 00:22:57,900 --> 00:23:00,300 eternity, past to Eternity future. 372 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,900 I will be there. I'm the only one that is going 373 00:23:05,900 --> 00:23:09,200 to be there. And what about the authority? 374 00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:13,600 I had to leave job one time because I had been promised some 375 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,100 stuff and then I performed to the expectations, the promise. 376 00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:20,100 And then we got to the point where it was time to be rewarded 377 00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:25,300 for that and was told sorry the board won't let me do it. well, 378 00:23:25,300 --> 00:23:27,900 during the job interview, you didn't talk about you having to 379 00:23:27,908 --> 00:23:30,500 get the board's permission, you made it sound like this for 380 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:35,600 something that was already approved and agreed upon And so 381 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,000 after a while, when I realized that the board was never going 382 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:45,800 to move, I did. God covers this to Isaiah 43, 383 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:51,900 13. Also from today on I am he 384 00:23:51,900 --> 00:23:55,900 alone. None can rescue from my power. 385 00:23:56,500 --> 00:24:02,600 I act, who can reverse it, I have the ultimate Authority. 386 00:24:03,700 --> 00:24:06,900 There is nobody this is just one of the places where we're told 387 00:24:06,900 --> 00:24:10,800 in Scripture that there is nobody not even the nation's 388 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:16,400 conforte what God decides to do when he sets about a purpose. 389 00:24:16,700 --> 00:24:20,800 He actually has all the authority necessary to bring it 390 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:24,400 about. And what if they're just lying? 391 00:24:25,300 --> 00:24:28,100 What if the person swearing the oath is untrustworthy, doesn't 392 00:24:28,100 --> 00:24:31,700 have any integrity? God's Integrity is 393 00:24:31,708 --> 00:24:35,800 unquestionable. Listen to what numbers 23:19 394 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,800 says. God is not a man that he might 395 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:44,000 lie nor a son of man that he might change his mind. 396 00:24:44,900 --> 00:24:48,600 Does he speak and not act or promise and not fulfill. 397 00:24:50,100 --> 00:24:52,200 Those are rhetorical questions in the answers. 398 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:58,200 No. God does not have the ability to 399 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:02,000 lie. I mean that sounds kind of weird 400 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:03,700 to say, right? That's like that whole can't 401 00:25:03,700 --> 00:25:08,200 pick up the rock thing. God doesn't have the ability to 402 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:12,800 lie. The person who he is actually 403 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,400 excludes it. So why are God's owes so much 404 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:18,400 different than Irish? Well, he doesn't swear him for 405 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:23,300 his own benefit. He's Eternal and he's omnipotent 406 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:27,600 and he cannot lie. That makes his promises 407 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:32,100 something to be held as a hope of possession. 408 00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:35,100 So let's return back to what God's War. 409 00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:39,200 All right? We've talked about why he swore 410 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,700 but let's talk about what he swore what it means. 411 00:25:45,700 --> 00:25:48,400 The preacher actually Echoes the words of God's integrity and 412 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,700 verse 18. So that through two unchangeable 413 00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:55,300 things in which it is impossible for God. 414 00:25:55,300 --> 00:25:59,600 To lie, we who have fled for Refuge might have strong 415 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:05,400 encouragement to seize the Hope set before us, The probability 416 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:11,300 of the promise is 100%. God is unchanging. 417 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:13,800 He cannot lie. And he says our hope is a noun. 418 00:26:15,900 --> 00:26:19,400 The probability cannot be higher because there is none other like 419 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,200 him. He's in the category unto 420 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,700 himself. Psalm, 115, 3 says he's in the 421 00:26:25,700 --> 00:26:28,000 heavens and he does as he pleases. 422 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:35,800 How good it must feel to be able to do completely as you please. 423 00:26:37,700 --> 00:26:42,100 and we serve a God that when we look at what it has, what he's 424 00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:49,100 chosen to do, what has pleased him, his two, great us even the 425 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:54,900 mess we have turned into Even at the expense, he realized it was 426 00:26:54,900 --> 00:26:58,700 going to cost him. It pleased him to create us. 427 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:04,900 This is hard to fathom. So now we move on to the 428 00:27:04,900 --> 00:27:07,100 question. Who is the person of the 429 00:27:07,100 --> 00:27:09,400 promise? What are these two unchangeable 430 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:13,100 things? I admit that yeah I read this 431 00:27:13,700 --> 00:27:16,100 growing up as a young person for years and years and years. 432 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,000 And as I would read it, I would always get to this one of the 433 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,400 two unchangeable things and I would go back and forth in the 434 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:22,500 text. Trying to find the two 435 00:27:22,500 --> 00:27:25,000 unchangeable things, you know, and I couldn't find them. 436 00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:28,900 And I've realized that it was because I had not really thought 437 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:30,800 through the path to preacher was taking. 438 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,000 I did not realize that he was getting to the point where he 439 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:35,900 was going. Hey, you know what? 440 00:27:35,900 --> 00:27:40,000 We started talking about back in chapter 44, you remember? 441 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,200 We were talking about Jesus, high priest? 442 00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:45,300 Well, let's go back to what I said to you, then. 443 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,100 He's pointing back to the quote that he has already. 444 00:27:49,100 --> 00:27:54,200 Given us from Psalm 110 for the Lord has sworn and oath and will 445 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,600 not take it back. You are a priest forever, 446 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,200 according to the pattern of Melchizedek. 447 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,900 So what are the two things? Well, Jesus is of the order of 448 00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:10,500 Melchizedek and Jesus is an eternal high priest. 449 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:13,600 But I mean, what does that even mean? 450 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:17,100 What does it mean to be of the order of Melchizedek? 451 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:22,400 It means you should come to church next week because Joel 452 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:28,500 will tell you that's not what we're talking about today, okay? 453 00:28:29,100 --> 00:28:32,100 There's a lot more to say about Melchizedek and I am so glad 454 00:28:32,100 --> 00:28:36,200 Joel is the one saying it. Okay, but what do we need to do 455 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:40,200 with these two things today? But where do I land with the 456 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,300 fact that okay? Jesus is of an order unlike any 457 00:28:43,300 --> 00:28:47,800 other and it's eternal. Just what the preacher said. 458 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,200 What do you say it was for? So that I could be strongly 459 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:56,700 encouraged to seize the Hope set before me. 460 00:28:58,900 --> 00:29:01,800 Those two things. This is strong encouragement 461 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:07,100 from God, to me, to seize, what I have made available for you. 462 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,500 Grasp. It be greedy about it. 463 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:18,200 Take it in guard it. Don't let anybody ever tell you 464 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:19,600 anything. Any different? 465 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,900 Jesus is not like the other high priest. 466 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:28,000 Jesus is the person of the promise, he's of an order that 467 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:31,600 sets him apart. He did not enter the order the 468 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,000 way other priest entered. Other priests were chosen. 469 00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:40,800 Other priests went through some ceremony where everything got 470 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,500 declared and maybe they got prayed over. 471 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:50,300 Maybe it was in a special place. There are all sorts of things 472 00:29:50,300 --> 00:29:54,700 surrounding how they entered the priesthood including who they 473 00:29:54,700 --> 00:29:59,400 were born to. See, Jesus entered the 474 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,700 priesthood differently. He entered through the order 475 00:30:03,900 --> 00:30:07,500 entered into the order through his own incarnation. 476 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:14,000 And the life that he lived and the torture that he suffered. 477 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,900 In the crucifixion that he went through. 478 00:30:19,100 --> 00:30:22,900 And his very death. His burial. 479 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:29,200 And his resurrection. How many of the priests are 480 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:34,600 going to sign up for priesthood? If that's the way you get in one 481 00:30:35,300 --> 00:30:40,700 one and one alone Our faith is built on the God, man. 482 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:45,500 Jesus Christ, who did the unthinkable, he actually became 483 00:30:45,500 --> 00:30:50,800 our sin. He was willingly crucified and 484 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:56,200 he died to defeat sin and death and then he declared his victory 485 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,800 by just getting up and walking out of the grave. 486 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,800 And then he goes and he walks around a bunch of witnesses, 487 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:08,500 long enough that it's going to be really hard to deny the fact 488 00:31:08,500 --> 00:31:13,400 that he was raised. Now he's gone back to his father 489 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:17,900 and he's taking his rightful place, but he's coming back 490 00:31:17,900 --> 00:31:20,000 here, one day to put all this mess right. 491 00:31:21,500 --> 00:31:25,700 But in the meantime, he's making it clear, he wants us to be 492 00:31:25,700 --> 00:31:30,100 encouraged. We got a promise did his 493 00:31:30,100 --> 00:31:35,700 actually a possession. Did his Irish to keep and he 494 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:39,300 promises to do all the heavy lifting to help us keep it. 495 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,900 Sometimes it can feel like hanging onto the promise is 496 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,600 exhausting me. Like, I'm my strength is going 497 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:52,400 to break, and I'm going to drop it. 498 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:59,600 I'll let it get away from me. See, that's where the really 499 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:01,300 crazy. Good news comes in. 500 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:07,500 I'm not the one that has to hang on, even when I fall, he doesn't 501 00:32:08,100 --> 00:32:12,400 even when I let go, he doesn't even when I freaked out and gets 502 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,000 scared. He doesn't let go. 503 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:21,000 It's that whole image that we talked about and seen before. 504 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:27,900 I got a kid wrapped around me like an octopus, you know, and 505 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:32,900 we're out walking and something scares the kid out of his mind. 506 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,200 And he looks like an armadillo in the headlights of a car arms 507 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,100 up and feed out and just scared. He's completely let go because 508 00:32:41,100 --> 00:32:43,300 he's freaking out. He's losing his mind. 509 00:32:44,300 --> 00:32:47,800 He doesn't go anywhere though. Because I had him. 510 00:32:50,100 --> 00:32:53,600 And then we look at Jesus kind of sheepishly and go sorry about 511 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:56,800 that. And he goes, hey, I know. 512 00:32:57,700 --> 00:32:59,500 I know but I'm still here with you. 513 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,900 I still have you that thing that shocked. 514 00:33:02,900 --> 00:33:08,200 You didn't Shock Me? The thing that's got you worried 515 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,100 and trying to figure out how you're going to deal with it. 516 00:33:10,300 --> 00:33:13,200 Yeah, none of that is bothering me right now. 517 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:18,100 The only thing I want is for you to have peace and calm. 518 00:33:19,300 --> 00:33:22,700 Right here in the middle of this thing that's going on. 519 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,300 The preacher tells us how to use it in verse 19. 520 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:36,600 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure it 521 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:38,900 enters. The inner Sanctuary behind the 522 00:33:38,900 --> 00:33:42,400 curtain. See our world often just seems 523 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,100 like shifting currents going every which way they threatened 524 00:33:45,100 --> 00:33:48,900 to sweep us away from the rest in the peace and the calm. 525 00:33:50,700 --> 00:33:53,800 But the producers declaring that Christ Priestly order and the 526 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,600 eternality of it. That's our anchor. 527 00:33:58,500 --> 00:34:00,600 Yeah, there are currents and they're pushing and they're 528 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:03,100 pulling and they do threaten to rip us away. 529 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,900 But the anchor that is Jesus Christ, holes. 530 00:34:08,100 --> 00:34:11,199 I mean, doesn't budge at all? It's not even like those tense 531 00:34:11,199 --> 00:34:14,699 moments in the movies, you know, where the thing is stuck in the 532 00:34:14,707 --> 00:34:16,400 concrete and you begin to see it, right? 533 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:19,000 A little bit and you know they're trying to decide is this 534 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,500 going to be a disaster? And not know it's none of that 535 00:34:22,300 --> 00:34:25,000 you look around there and all you gets just solid. 536 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,900 There's no wiggle room. Jesus. 537 00:34:30,900 --> 00:34:33,000 Do you have me? Of course, I have you. 538 00:34:37,900 --> 00:34:40,699 See, he tore the veil that separated us from the place of 539 00:34:40,699 --> 00:34:44,400 God's presence. That big ole heavy piece of 540 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:48,100 carpet. I mean that one, just like a 541 00:34:48,100 --> 00:34:53,900 curtain like we have curtains. This is, this is a heavy piece 542 00:34:53,900 --> 00:34:55,800 of carpet, hang in there in that opening. 543 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,500 Jesus Christ, taught right into and says, hey you're all invited 544 00:35:00,500 --> 00:35:05,000 in in fact, come in boldly. Come in here like you're meant 545 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,800 to be here. Come in here like you're a 546 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:12,500 child. Come in here like your father's 547 00:35:12,500 --> 00:35:15,300 willing to stop, whatever he's doing and give you his 548 00:35:15,300 --> 00:35:19,300 attention. See once a year, the human high 549 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:23,700 priest would go into the holy of holies do offer up sacrifices. 550 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:28,200 This is once a year, one guy gets to go behind that carpet. 551 00:35:29,700 --> 00:35:32,700 And so he goes back in there, but before he goes, they did 552 00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:34,900 something interesting, they tie a rope around his leg. 553 00:35:36,100 --> 00:35:40,700 Because if you have a heart attack while you're in there and 554 00:35:40,700 --> 00:35:44,300 you die, nobody else can go in the holy of holies to get you 555 00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:49,500 out and we don't like the smell. So we're going to tie a rope 556 00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:52,600 around you to guarantee that. If anything goes wrong, we pull 557 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:58,200 you out. So here's the thing that man's 558 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:03,100 tether was anchored, outside the presence of God, it was angered 559 00:36:03,100 --> 00:36:06,400 two men standing on the outside who the very best they could 560 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:08,700 offer him was just to drag him out and bury him. 561 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:15,400 Jesus. Our anchor, our hope the one 562 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:19,000 we're tied to. He tethers us into the presence 563 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:24,600 of God. Are tether runs with him. 564 00:36:26,900 --> 00:36:29,100 The only thing we can do is be drawn closer. 565 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:36,000 He affirms this when he tells us finally in verse 20, he affirms. 566 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,400 This is what I'm referring to remember that thing, I told you 567 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,700 back and 14, I mean, in chapter 4, okay. 568 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,100 Well here's where I'm going to affirm that. 569 00:36:46,100 --> 00:36:47,900 That's exactly what I'm talking about. 570 00:36:48,300 --> 00:36:52,800 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner because 571 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,600 he's become a high priest forever. 572 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:59,900 According to the order of Melchizedek, God has sworn his 573 00:36:59,900 --> 00:37:04,800 oath to clarify his promise, the probability of God fulfilling 574 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:08,300 that promise is 100% because of who he is. 575 00:37:09,100 --> 00:37:13,500 He is that guy. Jesus is the subject and 576 00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:18,200 fulfillment of that promise. Jesus is the true promise. 577 00:37:19,500 --> 00:37:22,600 The hope the preacher wants us to possess is the guarantee of 578 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:28,100 eternal life with Jesus. And we can have it right now 579 00:37:29,100 --> 00:37:32,200 when we just come to recognize our helplessness and our 580 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:37,300 inability to solve any of this. How badly we have sinned and 581 00:37:37,300 --> 00:37:41,100 rebelled and the fact that we just we don't have any way to 582 00:37:41,100 --> 00:37:44,900 fix it. And then we cry out to him. 583 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:50,300 Hey, I can't he said, well, then you're the exact person I'm 584 00:37:50,300 --> 00:37:57,700 looking for the promise has been obtained by those who believe 585 00:37:57,700 --> 00:38:02,700 God. The promise is being obtained by 586 00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:07,800 those who follow Jesus. And the promise will be obtained 587 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:10,200 by those who inherit the Kingdom. 588 00:38:11,900 --> 00:38:17,900 So it is as it often is with God already, and not yet. 589 00:38:11,900 --> 00:38:17,900 So it is as it often is with God already, and not yet.