Sermon: God’s Oath

this morning Hebrews chapter 6 as we close out that chapter walking our way through this book Hebrews chapter 6 verses 13 through 20 this morning

1,004 in your Pew Bible and let's pray before we read verses 13 through 20 together this morning. Let's pray.

Her father we do come before you as children this morning. Need of a word from our heavenly father. Did you help us to come before you with childlike faith? We receive your word is truth. We know that when we have left this place that you Father in heaven have spoken to us. Do you speak to us with your? fatherly tenderly care

I mean we find that we are rejoicing. sitting at your feet You pray all of this in the strong name of Christ Our elder brother and savior. amen Hebrews chapter 6 verses 13 through 20. This is the holy inherent sufficient word of God.

for when God made a promise to Abraham since he had no one Greater by whom to swear he swore by himself. Saying surely I will bless you and multiply you. And thus Abraham having patiently waited obtain the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves and then all their disputes and oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to The Heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of

its purpose. He guaranteed it with an oath. So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie. We who have fled for Refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope. Set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the Soul a hope. That enters into the inner place behind the curtain. where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on or behalf having become a high priest Forever

After the order of Melchizedek. The grass withers and the flower Fades the word of God is forever. Thanks be to God. amen

remember Hebrews 6 began with the strong warning from the writer of Hebrews this preacher to the people that were in his congregation and after he's given that strong warning now he's going to follow up with with the offer of Hope great hope and when he thinks about hope his mind turns to the great patriarch of the faith to Abraham. If you think back to the call of Abraham in Genesis 12 God calls Abraham from there or the chaldees and

he calls Abraham from the earth the chaldees to walk to the promised land the land of Canaan that God had promised to him. In many ways. It's a great picture of the life of faith. That is a life that is walking after hearing the promise of God and walking to that place to fulfillment where everything that he has promised to us is realized we have to keep walking. Keep walking in faith until we reach our destination. Remember that's the concern of the writer of Hebrews is that

these Hebrew Christians are going to stop walking in faith. That they will turn back to what they had known before. So the remote the writer reminds them of the great oath that every Jew would be familiar with the promise. God made Abraham and God fulfilled his promise walk in faith. And keep reminding yourselves of the god whom you have entrusted yourself to. That's his message. Four Points this morning our first is this

God is worth hoping in and waiting upon. First of four God is worth. hoping in and waiting upon God had promised Abraham that he would give him this Promised Land the land of Canaan that he would make him into a great nation a nation with more descendants than there are dust particles on the ground than there are more stars in the heavens and he said that through Abraham through his seed he would bless all of the Nations and God would be

his God. He promised him. but Abraham struggled to continue to have faith and to Hope In This Promise of God. So in Genesis 15, we have this glorious text where God takes it one step more. He's already promised, but now in Genesis 15 he enters into a covenant with Abraham That text where he will divide the animals into and then God will put Abraham to sleep. And when Abraham goes to sleep, then God will walk through the divided animals the parts of the animals.

Thereby taking the curse of both sides of the Covenant upon himself. a covenants with Abraham Abraham still struggles in his faith and there are moments where he is really wrestling and doubting and his hope is not exactly as firm as it should be and so we get to Genesis 17. And God gives him a sign of the promise of the Covenant that he has given to him. What we've already discussed this morning what we saw on the Waters of baptism he gave

to him in the sign of circumcision. So that he would always have in his flesh a reminder that God has promised to me. And then the writer of Hebrews what he does is he takes us in verse 14. He quotes from Genesis 22 That glorious scene of the sacrifice of Isaac where where Abraham goes up on the mountain to sacrifice his son. He's he's being tested his faith is being tested and God promises to him yet again. And he says to him as the writer of Hebrews quotes surely.

I will bless you and multiply you. The point that the writer of Hebrews is making is that God has repeatedly promised Abraham and he promises once again with his own oath. I will surely Now even then. Abraham did not immediately. See all of these different promises from God fulfilled. He lived for decades upon decades waiting for it as the writer says having patiently waited. Abraham obtained the promise I mean patiently waited he obtained the promise.

God is worth hoping in. and waiting upon but you have to be patient. You are to be patient.

Patience is not exactly an American virtue. It's not something that we are very good at.

We get frustrated going through the drive-through because it takes too long. patience is often something that is frowned upon in our culture. It's seen as weak. But it requires strength to be patient. And Abraham demonstrated it. He waited upon the Lord and waiting upon the Lord as one of the great disciplines of the life of faith. And there's such promise in it. That glorious text in Isaiah that so many of you have memorized and you know, well where

he speaks of it, he says they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall Mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Be patient. Wait for the Lord. Why wait upon the Lord? Because he's worthy of trust. He's worthy of waiting upon that leads to our second point this morning what God promises God fulfills. What God promises God fulfills? The writer of Hebrews is going to work this out

by pressing in on the fact that you and I we make all kinds of promises. We live lives of promises in our relationships with other human beings. He's taking stock of that in verse 16. we make promises with friends and our children and our parents and our spouses we have stated and we have unstated promises with neighbors and with coworkers and our boss and our teacher and our fellow students in the classroom. And at times we find that we need to take that

promise that we've made and take it one step further. And so we will take some kind of oath or we will take some kind of vow before one another we will swear on something that is greater than us as the writer says. And so we may place a Bible in our hands and place our hand on the Bible where we may go to a notary of the of the Republic and go to that notary who is somehow has some trustworthiness by the society that we live in and they will stamp

whatever it is that we are writing our name on and signing and say, oh they're trustworthy. They said this before me and I saw it.

for God there is no notary. There is no name to swear by there can't be because there is no one greater to serve as a witness or a judge and so the writer says in verse 17 when God wanted to reassure Abraham. He geared it guaranteed it with an oath.

Told my kids over the years.

By more times than they want to hear that.

You have to be a person of your word. Until them all the time. I want to be a man of my word for man doesn't have his word. What does a man have? And yet there are times where I have made promises to my children. and there have been circumstances that have Arisen that didn't allow me to fulfill this or that promise and I can hear them saying Oh, but Dad, you said?

and I have to Shay medley asked for their forgiveness. I did say that. But this or that circumstance prevented me from delivering on it. But God never does. He's never surprised. His word is never in Jeopardy by circumstances outside of his control. Nothing takes his word from him what God promises God fulfills. The Writer's point is this Abraham obtained the promise So you will obtain the promise.

He says in verse 18. God cannot lie. He guaranteed it with two unchangeable things his Word of Promise and his oath we have his promise in his word and he cannot lie. Have it.

Let's Paul says in Timothy says it all scripture is God breathe. That is this is God's exhalation. This is his word. And he cannot lie. Or as Jesus will say in John 17:17 when he's praying to the father. He will say your word is truth. God cannot lie. It is an impossibility. Because he would be abusing his own moral law. And his own person. God can know more be a liar than water can be dry. It doesn't work. God by his very nature is true.

Is very nature his attributes are not somehow distinct from him. They're not as if so many garments or clothes that he puts on and that he can take off. God is love God is holy. God is good. God is true. That is always the case. He can't cease being so it is as impossible for God to lie as it is impossible for him to cease being God. And the Bible is God's word. But you and I have is God's word. Is promises to us breathed out

by him? Therefore this word cannot be marked by air what he promises he fulfills. This word reflects his character.

The word and its original autographs this holy true without air and errancy believing the scriptures to be without air that is not a minor doctrine that you and I are to wink it and that weird not our heads at it is essential to our faith. You and I cannot move from the truth that truth without jeopardizing the faith our hope but most importantly it jeopardizes the very character of God. He is who he is? He's true. He's trustworthy.

So his word is true, and it's trustworthy. Playing with fire If you deny inherency. What God promises God fulfills? for Shawn five nine through twelve John says this if we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater for this is the testimony of God that he has born concerning his son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar. Because he is not believed in the testimony that

God has borne concerning his son and this is the testimony. That God gave us eternal life. And this life is in his son Whoever has the son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life what God promises God fulfills. The Hebrew Christians are wrestling with is he really trustworthy? Is this God that I've committed myself to is he dependable? Can I take him at his word?

Do you think?

Really? What do you think?

Do you depend upon?

But you actually believe.

Because we're all depending upon something.

everyone in this world depending upon something.

It depend upon family believing they will. Support us till the end of our days. Depend upon friends thinking they will always love us or we depend upon money thinking I will help to get us out of the jam and just make us a little more happy. We depend upon our looks or Charm or ability to speak or lead or befriend but here's the reality. Is economies collapse family dies friends? Betray money disappears looks fade. None of them are solid ground.

Rain comes Waters rise and shaky foundations wash away. None of them are ultimately dependable. And that leads to our third pointer the third point of the writer of Hebrews. There is only one sure and steadfast anchor of the Soul. Only one sure and steadfast anchor of the Soul. Verse 19. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the Soul a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.

The curtain of course a reference to the holy of holies in the Tabernacle or the temple. Jesus has gone beyond the curtain is going into the holy of holies here. Our savior has gone before us. He is the only sure and steadfast anchor of the Soul. He alone. anchors hold an anchor holds whether it is calm or whether it is turbulent. It doesn't change with the seasons like friends or money or family or position. It is sure

and it is steadfast. But what I want you to notice especially is that Jesus is not generally an anchor. He's not just kind of generally an anchor out there for everybody. No, he's very clear. He says in verse 18 we who have fled for Refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the Hope set before us those who have fled to God as a refuge you have turned to Christ as Lord and Savior turn to him and Faith for their salvation. They have a

strong anchor.

As Christ entered on your behalf.

Has he entered on your behalf? Has he gone as a forerunner for you?

Or to think of that passage that we just quoted from first John 5. Do you have the Sun?

And this is the testimony that God gave us eternal life. And this life is in his son. Whoever has the son has life. Whoever does not have the son does not have life.

It's an old Scottish story. That is told about a young boy that. He was orphaned when he was very young. His parents died when he was a young age. And so his grandfather took him in and his grandfather was a Shepherd in. So the grandson became a shepherd. The grandfather was also a Christian and so he taught his grandson. the beauty of having the Good Shepherd is A Savior and Lord a wonderful it is and he taught him that that famous

23rd psalm. He taught him especially the opening line of that song by taking his little little boy's hand and he said let me teach you the psalm and he taught him with his five fingers. The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. five words five finger and the story goes is that there was a day that the little grandson was out shepherding the sheep and all of a sudden a blizzard came out of nowhere and and descended upon him in the sheep. And so the grandfather

bundled up and he went outside to go try and find his grandson, but the storm was so horrific in the winds were so howling that he turned around and he went back into the cabin and he had to spend an entire night there and anxiety anxiety. worrying about whether his grandson is going to make it through the night. Finally the morning came and the snow had stopped and so the grandfather bundled up and he went outside to

find that boy. He trampled through the snow and he found him.

And when he found him he found him frozen to death. And the grandfather bent down to pick up this grandson That's The Story Goes. Scottish fathers have told their sons for Generations as the grandfather picked up. His son, he noticed that his hands were in an odd configuration.

And that his grandson had taken his right hand and he was gripping the fourth finger on his left hand.

The Lord is my shepherd.

died with hope the moment his eyes closed in death his hope became sight. Jesus said whoever believes in me though, he die yet shall he live and everyone who lives and Believes In Me shall never die. That's the promise. We have a true and Lasting Hope there is a sure and steadfast anchor of the Soul.

When God speaks of himself throughout the Scriptures it is often. He speaks of himself the same way. He will say I am the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob. He says those words to remind us people over and over even as we reminded in the waters of baptism this morning that he is a covenant keeping God. This is who I am. In fact when he sends Moses down to Egypt to bring us people out and he says they are going to ask you Moses who

sent you and when I you go to them and they say who sent you Moses you are to say them say this to the people of Israel the Lord the god of your father is the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Jacob has sent me to you. He's reminding them. He's reminding them. I have been faithful to my promises in the past. God did not give up on his promises to Abraham. He fulfilled them. Did he fulfill his promises to

Abraham the writer of Hebrews is asking you and I did he fulfill them to Abraham.

And we could go on did he fulfill the Isis. Did you fulfill them to Jacob? Did he fulfill them to Moses? Did he fulfill them to David? Did he fulfill them to Israel? As he was true in the past so he will be true in the present and the future.

a little Shepherd boy understood it and David has a grown man writing Psalm 23. He understood it. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want he makes me lie down in Green Pastures.

David's riding Psalm 23, no doubt. He is recalling his own life experiences. And he's saying oh God is always been faithful to me. Is always kept his promises, but it's more than that. He's recalling the experience of every believer in God from the beginning of time. God has an unchangeable character. He has an unchangeable way of living up to his unchangeable promises. That's who he is.

I am the god of He's our God. And were his people. He is our Shepherd and we are his sheep. He doesn't abandon his own. In fact as a writer notes in verse 20. Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf or as David was saying Psalm 23, he leads us and Paths of righteousness. He doesn't abandon his people. He doesn't forsake his people. He doesn't forget his people. He leads his people. That's what he does.

our final point there is only one sure and steadfast path. There is only one sure and steadfast path the path. of following Christ

and writer says he is going as a forerunner. He leads us. He does not abandon. He does not forsake. He does not forget. He leads us home. There is only one sure and steadfast path.

My children are learning to drive right now. And so of course their minds are upon roads and driving and everything about that. And so one of them the other day I was in the car with them and they were asking me. They said Dad. How is it that roads get planned and laid out? And typical father fashion, I gave them much longer answer than they were looking for.

by gave them a history of the Midwest and then I went to the east coast and I said now if you go to the East Coast It's really different. Have you driven in the East Coast? The roads are all windy and Turney. You drive in some of these cities and towns and these coast and you think could nobody on the East Coast see straight and make a straight line. But there's a reason for it. That's because many of those roads or old cow trails

and old Indian paths They were well worn paths other Travelers walked along that path. Such a path is often frowned upon in our day. You year to make your own way? Don't follow another's path. To authors Robert and Wilson wrote this they said our generation is confused as to the nature of true Freedom. We often think that freedom is found in creating our own path through life. As David Gibson said in a book soon to be released. He said

that path is often either being true to ourselves or quote striving to live the best version of ourselves. But in fact is Robertson Wilson said no matter how often we experience Liberation from constraints limitations and oppression. We still find ourselves falling into new forms of bondage. That is what they're saying to you and I is that we're always conforming you're always conforming. To what someone or something once you to

be what smacks of so freedom is often simply following a new trend and it's never fulfilling and it's never lasting. Just think about those hippies those radical hippies in the 1960s opposed to everything. That was a norm. And now how many of them are retiring after having worked on Wall Street or being a banker or being a big businessman and they're living in the suburbs and they're driving their Mercedes home. It doesn't last.

Freedom is found and following the old and tried Trail. We have a path that is well worn and sure it has been travel before.

Think about the Old well-worn Paths when? Americans were going out west Go West Young man, go west. And you think of like the Santa Fe Trail and you think of the Bozeman Trail and you think of the Oregon Trail I know many of you have died of dysentery on the Oregon Trail. and you think of those and we often think ah It must be like it's this pavement that was headed out west of the federal government laid down. No it wasn't that at all.

What was it? It was ruts created in the ground with thousands and thousands of wagons headed out west. They just created a path a trustworthy way through the Wilderness through the abandons of the Wild West. Other Travelers have walked this path. gone before us but the great imprint upon this path what created the Deep ruts that you and I can just slide our feet into as we walk the walk of Faith until we reach that Promised Land the deep breaths that

have been put there were put by the weightiest of all people.

the God man the Lord Jesus Christ who walked that path

He's a forerunner. He's gone before us. He leads us. And powers of righteousness for his namesake. There is only one way following him alone is the only sure instead fast path. And so the writer is saying to those that he is preaching to and so he is saying to you and I this morning keep walking on the path of faith. Keep at it. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

keep walking

I was a teacher and a kids camp counselor. I think how many times I would tell kids. Right you say this over never don't run. walk especially Kids Camp counsel when they were around the pool. Don't run.

Why don't run? Because it often speaks of fear it often engenders fear. It's often the result of fear. we walk we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Charles Spurgeon said commenting upon that verse and Psalm 23, we walk through the valley of shadow of death. He said to walk indicates the study advance of a soul which knows its Road knows its end resolves to follow the path feels quite safe and is therefore perfectly calm and composed we have a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls. Sure in steadfast. We have a God who has made us promises who cannot lie. You have a savior who has gone before you as

a forerunner has entered into the holy of holies and a secured it for you.

keep walking

keep walking in faith.

keep walking What he's saying to you? Keep at it.

to pray

my father we give you Thanksgiving this morning. For granting such a great salvation. We're so undeserving.

That you have given us an eternal hope. Will be realized one day as her eyes closed and death for our savior returns.

What a gracious and kind God you are. Keep our feet on the path. Keep us assured in Our Hope. Keep our eyes fixed on Glory. In Christ. Holy name we pray. amen