The sure anchor of hope in Christ (Quality: Average)

[0:00] Looking to the Lord for all needed help this night, I would call your attention to the Paul's epistle to the Hebrews chapter 6 and the last two verses, 19 and 20.

[0:24] The sixth chapter of Hebrews verses 19 and 20, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus made and high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

[1:00] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Blessed word is this, blessed comfort to the Lord's people.

[1:13] Oh, if they have this hope as an anchor of the soul, oh, then with them it shall go well.

[1:24] Oh, while life shall last and well when called to die. Oh, and the Apostle Paul, he manifests great love as he comes to these Hebrews.

[1:41] Yea, in all his epistles, as he came to the church at Rome, he says, I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end that ye may be established.

[2:01] And so he comes to these Hebrews, and as he comes he wishes them well. He says, and we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.

[2:24] Oh, the same diligence he would have them show, as they showed, as they ministered to the saints. Oh, that they may obtain this blessed hope.

[2:38] Oh, he knew the value of it. And why? Oh, he had learnt by a sweet experience. Oh, his experience as the Lord had led him through that strange path, had wrought hope by the Holy Spirit in his heart.

[3:01] Oh, and having that hope, he wanted others also to have it. Oh, and this is the experience of all the Lord's dear people, as they have that blessed hope in their hearts themselves, or they wish it for others.

[3:19] And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope, unto the end that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

[3:41] Oh, and he goes to set forth a sweet doctrine regarding this blessed hope, a good hope through grace.

[3:54] Which hope we have. Who are included in this word? Are you, poor sinner?

[4:09] Are you included in it? Or don't you know anything about it? Is this a strange language? Have you no desire to have this blessed hope brought in you?

[4:25] Which hope we have? And Paul lays out? Who are the people who have this blessed hope? This hope in Jesus Christ?

[4:38] This gospel hope? The heirs of promise? The spiritual seed of Abraham?

[4:49] These are the people. Oh, there is a false hope. Oh, the hypocrites. As a hope. The world have a hope.

[5:03] Oh, they say, well, we hope this will happen. And we hope that will happen. But this isn't the hope we are talking about. The word of God tells us regarding the hypocrite.

[5:16] The hope of the hypocrite shall perish. Oh, yes. Oh, if this is not a good hope through grace, which you have, if it's a mere notion of the brain.

[5:32] If it's barely in the mind or in the day of thy death. Oh, what a calamity.

[5:42] What a desperate place to be in. Oh, no. Oh, no. On a false foundation. But not so the spiritual seed of Abraham.

[5:56] Oh, no. No, it's the design of our God by his grace that every one of them shall have this blessed hope brought in their hearts by the Holy Spirit's work.

[6:12] And what is the foundation of this hope? Where is this hope based? The foundation of this hope is on the word of God, the counsel, and the oath of our God.

[6:37] Oh, for he says, wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, He will confirm it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation.

[7:02] What does this mean? We would think first of that word immutable. We read these words and very often do not think upon the meaning of this shibboleth of Zion.

[7:24] Immutable means unchangeable, unalterable. And that's the counsel and the oath of our God.

[7:36] And what is the oath? What's the oath? If you look in your dictionaries, you'll see that an oath is a solemn promise. It's an affirmation.

[7:50] And so, in those counsels of eternity, oh, it was decreed by our God that there should be a people formed for his praise.

[8:06] Oh, and in that sweet counsel of eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father and he was willing, willing to come to this sin cursor even for sinners and sinners of the deepest dying.

[8:29] all thinking of this, all thinking of this, Paul says, it is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners at all.

[8:44] I am chief. Do you feel it? Do you feel to be the chief of sinners? Some of us do from time to time as our sins are brought before us.

[8:55] And so, in this counsel of old, it was decreed that there should be a people formed for his praise, saved by a great salvation, saved by his sovereign grace according to his holy will.

[9:18] Oh, and this was confirmed by an oath even unto Abraham for when God made promise to Abraham because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself saying surely blessing I will bless them and multiplying I will multiply them and so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise.

[9:51] Oh, and that word is a sure word. Oh, immutable, unalterable, unchangeable. Now it can never change though the world shall pass away.

[10:07] Yet the word of God endureth forever. Oh, and this is the at the foundation of this blessed hope.

[10:19] Oh, it is. Which hope we have. Which hope we have. And where is this hope?

[10:34] Where is this hope? Oh, it's in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil.

[10:55] That within the veil the finished work of Jesus Christ. Now you might say well how is this hope brought in the heart of the Lord dear people?

[11:18] How does it come? We read, did we not, in Romans 5? but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope.

[11:50] this is it. The Lord's dear people as we see in the scripture every one of them more or less in their measure have to walk in the path of tribulation.

[12:13] oh they know many changes oh they do oh and this tribulation this maybe this a chastening it's not very pleasing to the flesh but oh it's good for the soul oh it is.

[12:37] This is the way the Lord has ever led his people and if it were not so we would not have it in the blessed word of God these beautiful psalms as the psalmist cries out in his bitter anguish unto the Lord feeling the death of his sins oh purge me with his serpent I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow what brought that forth from the heart of David it oh it was tribulation oh it was oh this tribulation is very needful oh we would in the flesh steer clear of it ah but tribulation worketh patience and you and you old saints you know maybe more than

[13:40] I do what I'm talking about I know it in my measure oh you may say well what trouble have you known oh every child of God is brought into great trouble on account of his sin oh he is there will be great trouble great tribulation regarding this oh we are sinful creatures and we have to learn day by day and oh our hearts they have that old nature just the same as the world no difference oh and our heart goes after those things that are worldly those things that do not profit oh and the Lord he'll bring his people back nothing with his own dear people in whose heart he is going to work this blessed hope oh yes oh he'll visit them with the rod if my children forsake my

[14:52] Lord says the word oh he will visit them with the rod oh yet he'll never take his loving kindness away from them oh no oh and this is this is the hope of his people this is a comfort to his people as they're brought by faith to believe his word that wherever he leads them however he deals with them whatever tribulations whatever troubles whatever sorrows they're brought into oh yet all these things work together for their good oh and this tribulation oh it works patience by nature we have very little patience oh but God knows how to make us patient oh he knows how to work experience in the hearts of his dear people oh without this blessed experience how could we have this blessed hope oh as the

[16:11] Lord's people as they go on in the pilgrimage of earth they are brought into those experiences where they have to call upon their God oh they are brought on their knees oh they are none of that formal prayer in the time of trouble oh the Lord from time to time will bring you in tears at the footstone that is throne of grace and you'll have to pour out your troubles before him he'll squeeze that prayer out of you oh yes oh think of Jacob comes to mind dear Jacob as Esau came towards him with those 400 men oh how he had to cry unto the Lord in his trouble ah but the

[17:12] Lord delivered him out of his distresses and think of his hope think of that sweet hope as he could look back and the Lord's people as they look back they see these deliverances oh and this hope rises hot within their hearts as they think back of the Lord's goodness and the Lord's mercy to them in the pilgrimage of this earth oh and that blessed hope is wrought in their souls by the operations of the Holy Spirit I think it's in Hosea we find a mention of this blessed hope

[18:19] Hosea chapter 2 and 14 verse and the 15 we read therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her and I will give her her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for a door of hope are what you know what know you of the valley of Achor that's the valley of trouble valley of trouble you know there's not much fruitful growth on the mountain top you have to go down in the valley to find the fruit and so you do in grace also the Lord brings his people and why to humble to bring down their proud nature all to teach them and to bring them in humility before him oh and they'll know that experience of the valley of

[19:40] Achor oh they will oh and we read that it shall be made the door of hope this is the commencement of the Lord's work in bringing hope into the heart of his people he brings them into trouble whether it be conviction of sin whether he visits them with the rod for their back sliding or whether they have to walk in those paths of bereavement and sorrow all these things work together for the good of his dear people oh and this is how this hope you know this hope in the hearts of the Lord's people it grows oh there is a growth in grace there's a growth in hope all there is if there's no growth in the spiritual life then there's something wrong so naturally yes naturally if something doesn't grow if a plant doesn't grow we say well there's something wrong with that plant and so in grace there will be a growth in grace oh and the hope of the

[21:02] Lord's people it shall increase with experience oh that it will oh they'll be brought to sight he that helped me hitherto will help me all my journey through which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both assured and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil now Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophets he was one who lived in an evil day he was one who knew much tribulation oh and we have those writings which have been a great comfort to the

[22:04] Lord's dear people as we look into his lamentations oh Jeremiah he was led into deep experience he said I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his life oh and so he had poor Jeremiah he was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief oh and in that third chapter he moans in his affliction oh but then we see the grace in Jeremiah oh as the tune of this blessed chapter changes oh he says this I recall to my mind therefore have I hope it is of the

[23:05] Lord mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not they are new every morning great is thy faithfulness listen to this the Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him and this is the way of the Lord's people oh you will never have that blessed hope wrought in your heart without trouble oh no no you may think in the flesh that to walk in an easy pathway is very pleasant ah but the thoughts of our God are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways and the Lord's people oh they'll be led into these places which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which enter into that within the value here the dear apostle he likens the pilgrimage to a voyage and this hope he likens to that anchor of the soul oh you would not send a ship out would you on a voyage without an anchor oh you say well that would be asking for trouble oh the ship would soon be driven onto the rocks and destroy it but this is the way the world walk this is the way of the hypocrite at sea without an anchor no hope no hope oh but the

[25:15] Lord's name people they have that anchor which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast oh and in all those storms of life all the Lord's people oh they're amongst those that Thomas speaks of they who go down to the sea and ships and do business in great waters oh these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the days oh which hope we have as an anchor of the soul oh have you got this blessed hope wrought in your soul by the spirit of God oh where do you go in your troubles in those storms of life oh do you falter and fall down helpless listen to one listen to one in the word of God who has this hope as an anchor of his soul as he's brought into trouble why art thou cast down oh my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him with the help of my countenance and my

[27:02] God there's that blessed anchor oh and have you not been led into these ways where the Lord has brought you into deep trouble deep trouble oh and you have to look to the Lord oh and the Lord by his spirit has raised up a sweet hope within you oh and where is that hope been both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil and this is where the hope of the Lord dear people is in the finished work of Jesus Christ oh in that experience they are brought off themselves they are brought from that place where they could hope a little in themselves they are brought to say that their hope alone is in

[28:13] Jesus Christ and his most precious blood one says my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not just be sweetest pain but wholly lean on Jesus or is that your position is that your price can you trust those sweet frames that you brought into or have you experienced that sweet frame when you thought that oh you'd never forget your God again oh you'd never fall from that highest state of love to Jesus Christ again you'd never walk in certain sinful ways again but how when the Lord leaves you for a moment oh you're brought to walk in those sins you said

[29:19] I would never walk in and so little by little all the people of the Lord are brought to trust not in themselves oh not even a sweet frame not when the Lord comes and visits them not when they receive the kisses of his mouth not when they're lifted above these earthly things and now a little sweet communion with him oh they can't trust in that which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil within the veil oh the Lord Jesus Christ oh the precious blood of Jesus that sweet atoning sacrifice

[30:20] Christ is alone sufficient to blot out the sins of his dear people oh and their hope will be alone in Jesus Christ as they are taught by the blessed spirits oh how in the Old Testament dispensation oh at the time of the Passover oh that sweet type of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ oh we we read of the blood being put upon his up and the doorpost and the lintel of the door were struck with this blood oh and what does the word say does the word of God say when I see your good works when I see your righteousness and your good deeds

[31:29] I will pass over you now when I see the blood I will pass over you now naturally speaking there was no difference between the firstborn of the Egyptians and the firstborn of the Israelites oh no were the firstborn of the Israelites any better than the Egyptians are you any better than the world which lies in wickedness no my friends no you're not oh your heart is sinful oh it's desperately wicked deceitful above all things that's the heart of men that's the natural heart of the Lord's people it's when I see the blood I will pass over you nothing less and if you hope fall short of this foundation the blood of Jesus

[32:30] Christ then it will be of the hypocrite hope oh it will perish oh in that day when thy soul is required of thee oh what a calamity oh where's your hope is it in Jesus blood have you been taught by sweet experience not to lean upon your own works oh you have to cry out to the Lord in all humility before him oh keep me Lord oh if thou keep me not then I shall fall I shall sink at last oh is this is this your hope a sweet hope through grace it's all of grace it's a sweet hope through grace not of works oh no all of sovereign grace which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which enter into that within the world now where the

[33:52] Lord gives this sweet gospel hope in the soul of his dear people oh he also gives other graces of the spirits that hope will not be there alone oh no where that hope is oh there'll be faith oh there'll be faith our God will give faith to believe in at his word oh if we had no faith to believe the Lord at his word how could we trust in that word as a foundation of our hope oh he'll give this faith that's his precious gift oh by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is by gift of God not of works lest any man should boast and he'll also give love oh he will oh you'll have that love in your hearts oh the

[35:13] Lord Jesus Christ oh he'll shed that precious sweet love in the abroad in the hearts of his dear people oh there'll be that humility oh where you'll see a proud spirit where you'll see striving amongst the people who worship in the courts of the Lord oh you have reason to question whether there's grace where there's grace my friends there's humility where there's grace there's love where there's grace there's hope where there's grace there's faith oh all these things abide together there will come a time when there will be no need for that faith there'll be no need for that hope oh they'll give way to sight but this love shed abroad in the hearts of his dear people is an everlasting love oh it is it's a love everlasting to a boundless eternity oh do you know it have you got that love to the brethren has the

[36:42] Lord brought you and humbled you oh and as he has humbled you and taught you by sweet experience oh has he wrought you that forgiveness of the brethren do you forgive your brother or are you as that wicked servant whose master forgave him and then he went out and he beat another servant who owed to him I would be very very searching in this oh there he is who know this blessed hope these amongst this we which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil they'll know of that love of Christ oh there'll be that love to the brethren they'll love the Lord his people and his ways oh what does the word say we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren do you love the brethren oh where this hope is there'll be faith and there'll be love oh there'll be that little little raising up from time to time to look by precious faith within the veil you won't live for this life only oh no no certain things will be very important and that will be the end of your soul that'll be the important thing the things of this world you'll be weaned from them there'll be one thing that's important oh eternal life you want to lay hold of eternal life all the things that glitter in this life the things that please a worldly heart oh they'll be taken out of your heart's affection oh and you'll be wanting to be amongst the Lord's only people this will be your principal desire to be washed in the precious blood of

[39:14] Jesus to have a hope in his mercy to worship in his earthly courts from Sabbath to Sabbath and weeknight to weeknight oh if this blessed hope is wrought in your soul this will be your walk this will be your portion or desiring or desiring to do those things that are pleasing in his sight and you'll be grieved my friends you will be grieved if you do anything to offend not only offend the Lord but offend the brethren I've been brought there you know whereby sin I've been let go and I've said a hasty word to one of the brethren oh and the Lord has come with conviction of sin and I've went oh I've had to go to that brother and apologize oh and pray before the Lord that he would purge it away even the people who have that blessed hope as an anchor of the soul oh that they'll have that faith to see within the veil oh for the wings of faith arise says the hymn writer within the veil and see the saints of

[40:38] God how high they rise how bright their glory be and you'll have a blessed hope that one day you'll be there you'll be there with the blessed people of the Lord those you have loved and walked with on this earth those who have had that same blessed hope wrought in their hearts all the Lord's people they'll all pass this way the Lord Jesus Christ says of all that thou hast given me I have lost none save the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled and Judas was the only one only one oh and if you're in that blessed spiritual Israel I believe you'll know a little of what I've endeavoured most feebly to speak of this night oh that blessed hope which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and step and which entereth into that within the veil whither the forerunner is for us enter even

[41:59] Jesus maiden high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek oh that poor runner the Lord Jesus Christ that one who walked this way that one who is afflicted in all the afflictions of his dear people that one who tasted death for his people oh that one who perfumed the grave for his people that blessed one who rose again from the dead and is now at the right hand of God interceding for the saints oh this is that one in whom we have our hope that sweet poor brother one says how stands the case my soul with them for heaven are thy credentials sure is Jesus blood thine holy free is he thy grace for one of them is he is he have you a sweet hole oh do you is that your one desire to be found amongst that spiritual

[43:19] Israel oh I could from all things parted me but never never Lord from me I see the time has gone may the Lord add his blessing Amen Amen