July 2, 2025 • 42 mins
Does faith sometimes feel like a struggle? Do you ever find that trusting God and obeying him in this fallen world is a fight? Due to our sin and the weakness of our flesh, all Christians are involved in a spiritual battle—it’s a battle to persevere in faith and hope. In this message from Hebrews 10:23, we’re reminded that God has not left us alone in the fight of faith. Not only has he given us his Spirit and his Word, but he has also given us one another—brothers and sisters in Christ. Christians are not lone rangers, and as David Platt reminds us in this message, we need the church to help us hold onto our hope in Christ.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast with sermons andmessages from pastor, author and
teacher David Platt.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I wanna start with a confession Actually two
confessions, but here's thefirst one.
Faith is a struggle for me inthis world, so I've mentioned
this before and in differentways, and I'm not sure how it
feels for you to hear that froma pastor or your pastor.
(00:29):
I don't know if that'ssurprising or discouraging or
encouraging or confusing ordisappointing for a pastor who's
been walking with faith injesus for over 40 years to say
that.
But I actually find itencouraging when I open the
(00:52):
bible and I never see faithdescribed as coasting down a
hill with the wind blowingthrough your hair as if it's all
smooth and easy blowing throughyour hair as if it's all smooth
and easy, because that's justnot been my experience.
Instead, I see faith describedover and over again as a fight,
(01:13):
a struggle, a battle, even a war, and I can identify with that
and I'm guessing you probablycan too.
If faith, if believing God andtrusting God and being with God
(01:34):
and obeying God, feels like astruggle or a fight for you in
this world, then I want you toknow you're not alone.
I for one am with you and I'mnot just saying that without
going into details.
This week has been a fight forfaith on multiple levels, which
(01:57):
leads to my second confession.
I need other people to help mecontinue in faith until I get to
the next world.
Now, obviously implied in thisstatement is that this world is
not all there is which I'm aboutto show you today in God's word
that there's another worldcoming where faith will be
(02:19):
turned into sight.
But the point is, I won't makeit there if other people don't
help me get there, and I knowthis because I have no doubt I
would not be standing here todayif other people hadn't helped
me get here.
(02:39):
There's a long line of brothersand sisters in Christ who
together have led me to faith,taught me faith, showed me faith
, encouraged my faith, nurturedmy faith, prayed for my faith
(03:01):
and helped me persevere withfaith through hard days when
I've been tempted to lack orlose faith altogether.
And that, in a sense, is thewhole point of this three-week
series, in this Together To stopfor a moment, look each other
(03:23):
in the eye and say we need eachother.
I need you for my faith, youneed me for your faith.
We need each other in thisworld if we're gonna make it to
the next world.
Last week, eric walked usthrough Hebrews, chapter 10,
(03:46):
verses 19 through 22, to show ushow we need each other in order
to draw near to God.
As I was listening to himpreach, I was thinking, yes,
this is what we're here for ineach other's lives.
I want the effect of myrelationship with you to be you
drawing closer to God.
I want the effect of myrelationship with you to be you
drawing closer to God, and Iwant the effect of your
(04:09):
relationship with me to be medrawing closer to God.
Let's be the kind of people ineach other's lives that, simply
because we're around each other,we're drawing nearer to God.
And then today we're gonna takethis to a whole other level.
We're gonna do something wedon't normally do.
We're gonna look at just oneverse in the Bible Hebrews,
(04:32):
chapter 10, verse 23.
And I actually have a couple ofgoals for our time together in
God's word today.
Today, one is to show you thestunning truth of Hebrews,
chapter 10, verse 23.
I'll just go ahead and put itup on the screen.
I to show you the stunningtruth of Hebrews, chapter 10,
verse 23.
I'll just go ahead and put itup on the screen.
I want to show you what thismeans.
But then I also want to helpyou see how you can meditate on
(04:56):
just one verse of the Bible fora long time in a really
meaningful way, on your own.
So I am zealous for you notjust to hear what I hope is
helpful teaching from God's word, like every week we gather
together, but I'm zealous foryou to experience personal
(05:17):
intimacy with God and his wordon a day-by-day basis.
You don't fall in love withsomeone through proxy, through
someone else.
You fall in love with someonepersonally and I long for each
of you to experience loverelationship with God through
His Word, not just proxy, butlike somebody else teaching it
(05:39):
to you, but personally, on yourown.
Whether you're a child or ateenager or a busy young adult
or working dad or mom, a senioradult, whoever you are, whatever
stage of life you're in, I amzealous for you to have
concentrated time alone, justyou and God, each day where
(06:01):
you're experiencing intimacywith God through his word.
We use an acrostic called mapsthat you've many of you have
been around here.
You heard many different timesjust a map for experiencing
intimacy with God and his wordon a daily basis.
Many of you could say what thatacrostic stands for M for
(06:22):
meditate and memorize.
A stands stands for apply, pstands for pray, praise, repent,
ask and yield, which you'llnotice is another acrostic
P-R-A-Y.
And then S stands for share,and it's not necessarily that
you do step one, two, three,four, but these are essentially
disciplines or practices tolearn and to do whenever you're
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reading the Bible, to learn tomeditate and memorize and apply
and pray and share what God isshowing you in his word.
And I long for you to have time,to make time in your day,
ideally before anything else youdo, just to be with God and do
these things.
And even if you're reading, say, multiple chapters each day,
(07:05):
like we have in our Biblereading plan, which you can
always download fromacclaimedbibleorg, slash Bible
reading and jump in at any time.
If you just want a place tostart, go for it.
Go to this link, download theplan.
You can jump in anytime, likethe water is warm.
But even if you're reading afew chapters on some days, it's
(07:29):
good to just pick out one verseand soak in it.
So that's what we're going todo today.
So let's start just with thefirst two words Let us.
So let's just pause there.
Okay, soak this in Let us, andthose two words would really
stick out if you're just readingthrough these verses around it
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in your Bible, because you wouldnotice that there are three
verses right in a row that allbegin with these same words.
So if you have your Bible, I'llput it up here on the screen,
but you might make a note in.
So, if you have your Bible,I'll put it up here on the
screen, but you might make anote in your Bible if you have
it.
So we'll start in verse 19,where we started last week.
Therefore, brothers, since wehave confidence to enter the
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holy places by the blood ofJesus, by the new and living way
that he opened for us throughthe curtain, that is, through
his flesh, and since we have agreat priest over the house of
God, here it is, circle it.
Let us draw near with a trueheart and full assurance of
faith, with our hearts sprinkledclean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with purewater.
(08:37):
Then verse 23,.
Let us hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
Thus, hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
Verse 24, and let us considerhow to stir one another up to
love and good works, notneglecting to meet together, as
is the habit of some, butencouraging one another in all
the more as you see the daydrawing near.
Now you start to realize thiswhole passage revolves around
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what we do together as followersof Jesus.
Let us draw near to Godtogether.
We looked at that last week.
Let us consider how to stir oneanother to love and good works.
Lord willing, we'll look atthat next week.
Today we're looking at verse 23.
Let us hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering.
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So when we see those first twowords, let us.
God is clearly telling us.
You need other people to dothis.
You can't hold fast theconfession of your hope without
wavering on your own.
This is a group project and weneed to hear this On a day of
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hyper-individualism that Erichit on so helpfully last week.
I'm actually gonna quote fromhim just to make sure you caught
it and if you missed it, listento this.
He said at one point too manyof us have bought the lie that
happiness and joy can only befound through self-determination
(10:02):
and following our individualhearts.
We bought the lie that if anyrelationship limits our personal
goals or puts constraints onour personal freedom.
We should push them away.
We've bought the lie that whatmatters most is what we
personally want and think, andanyone who would push back on us
(10:22):
or tell us something that wedon't want to hear is not
emotionally safe.
So we need to cut them off.
We've built these high wallsaround ourselves for the sake of
our freedom, not realizingwe've built our own prisons, he
said.
We've put ourselves in solitaryconfinement.
(10:43):
So how do we experience freedom?
And the answer God is giving usin this passage is clear.
He gives it to us three times.
Let us, let us let us look tolean on others, to draw near to
God, to live lives of love andto hold on to hope.
So let us now hold fast.
(11:08):
Let's soak that in.
What a phrase?
Hold fast?
It's actually one word in theoriginal language of the New
Testament here, and it's a greatword.
It means to cling to someone orsomething tightly.
Acts, chapter 3, verse 11, usesthe same word to talk about the
(11:32):
lame beggar who was healed, andhe was clinging tightly to
Peter and John as suddenlycrowds were coming around them.
It's the same word that Markuses multiple times, especially
in chapter 14 in his gospel, todescribe how authorities
(11:52):
arrested and seized Jesus.
That's the word.
So there's an intensity herewhich is part of why it's
translated this way Not justhold, but hold fast like tight,
strong.
When I picture these, even just,I'm going to do it for just a
second, even just this barbell,like I, and I picture this word
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let us hold fast.
Like I think about faces in mymind, I think about small group
teachers we call them Sundayschool in the church I grew up
in Atlanta, briar Lake Church.
Like I think about Sundayschool teachers who held up my
eight-year-old, my 10-year-oldfaith in ways I needed and I
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think when I became a teenager Ineeded and I'm thinking of
specific people who helped mehold up my faith amidst all
those temptations I was facing.
That so many of you will do forteenagers students in this
church, family, as you takevacation time, many of you to go
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to camps this summer and helpthem hold up their faith.
I think about when I went offto college and my faith was
fragile and God, in his mercy,provided people who came along
and helped me hold up and notget swept away by so many
different things during thosedays.
I think about when my dad diedand I'm shaking, holding, trying
(13:25):
to hold on, and the multitudesof people who came up and held
me up, and I think about thelast few years.
I think about challenges in ourchurch family or in our family.
I think about waiting to gobring JD home and so many of you
praying with us and for us,holding us up in those days in
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so many different ways and allthe way to this last week, and
some of you you know who you areholding me up.
I'm so thankful for peoplewho've helped me hold fast.
So thankful for people who'vehelped me hold fast.
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Now, the key in all of this iswhat are we supposed to hold
fast to and help each other holdfast to?
And this is where it'sinteresting.
Do this sometimes in your Biblereading.
So try to imagine how you orothers might fill in what God's
word is saying, for example.
So if you didn't know what thispassage was about to say and
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you read let us hold fast.
So how might we fill in thatblank?
What are options for people tohold fast to, like in the world?
Let us hold fast to our jobs,cling tightly to our jobs, our
(14:58):
education, our resume.
Let's hold fast to our money,possessions, our home, our car,
401ks these are all things theworld says hold cling tightly to
.
Let's hold fast to ourreputations, to our comforts.
(15:21):
Let's hold fast to our health,or even let's hold fast to the
way things have always been orused to be, or the ways they
could be if this or that wouldchange.
Let's hold fast to our dreams.
We hear it all the time Don'tlet go of your dreams.
(15:43):
Hold fast to this person orthat relationship or then.
So, if we're thinking on apurely biblical level, what
might we expect to read Let ushold fast to our faith, let us
hold fast to Jesus, but what'sthe word that God gives us here?
(16:04):
Let us hold fast the confession.
Huh, I don't think any of uswould have put that word there,
but God did so.
Let's think about it.
What is a confession?
A confession is a declarationwe make about something we know.
(16:32):
So it's not just something weknow, it's something we say.
A confession is not silent, aconfession is spoken.
So let us hold fast theconfession, the belief and the
declaration Of.
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What, again, do the kind offill in the blank.
Let's hold fast the confessionof.
And I think what probably firstcomes to our mind is the
confession of our faith, whichis obviously important and
related.
We saw that word in verse 22last week.
But verse 23 says let us holdfast the confession of our what
(17:21):
Hope?
Now, again, this is the kind ofthing if we're not careful, we
can just kind of run by this.
Let this soak in for a moment,because that word is fascinating
.
Fascinating Because it'stelling us that our confession
(17:45):
revolves around something thatwe don't yet have and we can't
yet see.
That's what hope implies, right, like one translation of Romans
, chapter 8, verse 24, tells ushope that is seen is no hope at
all.
Who hopes for what they alreadyhave?
(18:05):
Another translation puts itthis way If we already have
something, we don't need to hopefor it.
No millionaire hopes to be amillionaire.
If you already have it, youdon't hope for it.
Which is why this word hope isso fascinating, because so put
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this together we're supposed tohold fast to confession, what we
believe and say about somethingwe can't see and we don't have
yet.
That goes totally against thegrain of what we want to hold
fast to, right, we want to holdfast to something we can see and
(18:56):
feel and fix and have now.
And this verse is saying no,don't hold fast to what you can
have and see and feel and fixand get now in this world.
You hold fast to what you willhave later in the next world.
(19:18):
That's what this passage issaying.
Let me show you this in theverses that come right after
this, so a few verses after this.
In Hebrews 10, the writer'stalking to people who are
experiencing suffering andpersecution in this world for
their faith.
And listen to what he says inverse 34.
He says you add compassion onpeople in prison for their faith
.
And listen to what he says inverse 34.
(19:39):
He says you had compassion onpeople in prison for their faith
and you joyfully accepted theplundering of your property.
Did you hear that?
You joyfully accepted theplundering of your property?
How do you do that?
Well, you don't do that.
You don't joyfully accept theplundering of your property.
If you're holding fast to yourproperty in this world, but you
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joyfully accepted it becausesince you knew you, yourselves
had a better possession and anabiding one, how do you joyfully
accept the plundering of yourproperty?
You realize you have betterproperty, that's coming, that's
going to last forever.
That's how you can be joyfulwhen stuff in this world is gone
(20:24):
, because you're not living forstuff in this world, you're
living for stuff in anotherworld.
That's why the author thendefines faith a couple verses
later, with these words Faith isthe assurance of things hoped
for, the conviction of thingsnot seen.
Faith is the assurance ofthings hoped for, the conviction
of things not seen.
Faith in this world meanshoping for things to come in the
(20:45):
next world.
It's a conviction confession ofthings that you haven't seen
yet.
And then he just gives exampleafter example of this.
At one point he says of peoplewho live by faith.
They show with the way theylive that they desire a better
country that is a heavenly one.
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Therefore, god is not ashamedto be called their God, for he
has prepared for them anothercity.
Are you seeing this?
To live by faith means to holdon hold fast to a confession of
hope that a better country iscoming.
To live by faith is to believeand to declare that this fallen
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world, with all its temptationsand trials, sickness and
heartache, suffering and pain,sorrow and death, is not the end
.
To live by faith is to holdfast to hope in a better country
to come, and then.
So now think about how thattotally changes the way you live
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in this country right now, inthis world.
It's not that the list ofthings we mentioned earlier is
all bad, but listen to this wedon't place our hope, hold fast
to our jobs in this world, inthis country, or our houses or
our possessions or our 401ks,our reputations or our health,
(22:16):
or our dreams for us or dreamsfor the people we love.
I think about Zach being uphere.
I think we can all say we hopethe commanders will win the
Super Bowl, except for the fewof you Ravens or random cowboy
fans out there.
But yeah, we hope thecommanders will win the Super
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Bowl.
But Zach and everybody on thatteam knows that any number of
factors could cause that hope tobe lost at any time.
And even if it happens, thereality is a couple of short
generations from now, nobody'sgoing to be talking about it.
And even if it happens, thereality is a couple of short
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generations from now, nobody'sgonna be talking about it.
I guarantee you none of you canname the team that won the
Super Bowl 60 years ago.
Just try.
I in this room I will giveanyone who can name that team
don't look on your phone.
Name that team, I'll give you$100.
And any location pastor, at anyof those locations, we'll do
the same thing.
They will personally give you$100.
(23:26):
If in the next five seconds youcan shout out the name of the
team that won the Super Bowl 60years ago, go for it, try.
Okay, five seconds is up.
I don't know what everybodysaid, but at other locations I
heard a lot in here.
The reality is there was noSuper Bowl 60 years ago.
Last Super Bowl was Super Bowl59.
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Didn't even exist.
So Whew, yeah.
But the point is, the point isa game on a field with a pigskin
ball, along with a millionother things in this world, is
not sufficient to hold theweight of hope in your life.
So where should you put yourhope In a way that's going to
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actually last forever?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
You've got to see this and youwouldn't catch it just reading
our verse.
So let's hold fast theconfession of our hope.
But if you were reading thisverse after having read through
the book of Hebrews to thispoint, you would realize wait a
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minute, I've seen this languagesomewhere, because the author of
Hebrews has used this languageabout holding fast to our
confession and holding fast toour hope two other times and I
want to show them to you.
Check this out.
The first is Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 14.
In language see if any of thissounds familiar Since then, we
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have a great high priest who haspassed through the heavens,
jesus the Son of God.
Let us what Hold fast, our,what, our confession.
It's the same language there.
Now, when the author of Hebrewsused this language this first
time, he was talking about Jesusas a great high priest who
(25:27):
passed through the heavens,which is, if you go back and
look, is very similar languageto what Hebrews 10, verse 19
through 21, which we readearlier, says.
And there's so much here I wishwe had time, more time to dive
into, but just stick with me.
I'm going to give you a quickoverview.
This is alluding to how, eversince the fall of man, ever
(25:49):
since the entrance of sin intothe world, man and woman have
been separated from God, unableto be in his holy presence.
And in the Old Testament, godset up a way for the high priest
, one person, to come into theholy of holies, the presence of
(26:09):
God in the tabernacle or thetemple, to offer a blood
sacrifice to cover over thepeople's sins.
Nobody else could go in, justthe high priest once a year, on
the day of atonement or the dayof covering, and the scene was
intense.
They would tie a rope aroundhis leg.
(26:31):
When he would walk in he'd havebells around his garment so
that they could hear him walkingaround and they could know if
the bells stopped.
That meant he had fallen overand they had a rope to be able
to pull him out.
He just died in the presence ofthe holy God.
So just imagine the intensityof that scene as one man goes in
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to offer sacrifice for the sinsof all the people and then he
gets out of there as soon ashe's finished is.
One man goes in to offersacrifice for the sins of all
the people and then he gets outof there as soon as he's
finished.
So that was the backdrop.
High priest would do that oncea year and then he would die and
another high priest would do it.
He would die and another highpriest would do it.
But the author of Hebrews istelling us the gospel here, the
good news that Jesus is thegreat high priest who didn't
(27:22):
just go in to the Holy of Holiesin the tabernacle of the temple
.
He passed through the heavensdirectly into the presence of
God the Father, where he hasshed his own blood once and for
all to atone for cover sins.
And he didn't just go in andget out as quickly as possible.
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 12,says he went in and sat down at
(27:47):
the right hand of God the Fatherto show that the price for sins
had been paid once and for allfor anyone who trusts in him, so
that, no matter who you are, nomatter what you have done,
isaiah, another one of my sonsand I were in an Uber yesterday.
We're talking with a man whosaid he thought he'd go to
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heaven because when he died,because he's a pretty good
person and we were telling himI'm sure you're a good person,
but you're not that good To bein the presence of a holy God.
You need the blood of Jesus tocover over your sins, and the
good news is Jesus has paid thatprice for the sins of anyone,
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everyone who will trust in him,and by so doing, he has opened
the door for then you to haveaccess to God in his presence.
That's what this is saying.
Since Jesus did this, let'shold fast our confession.
And then now look at the othertime.
We see this language in Hebrews, chapter 6.
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You've got to see this, verse18.
We who have fled for refugemight have strong encouragement
to what.
Hold fast there it is, to thewhat Hope.
Hold fast to hope that's beenset before us.
And then he keeps going.
Watch this.
We have this as a sure andsteadfast anchor of the soul.
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Is there anybody today whowould like a sure and steadfast
anchor for your soul?
Is there anybody who wants ananchor for your soul that is
steadfast even when the job isone day gone, even when the
economy falters, even when thecancer comes, even when the
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marriage is struggling, evenwhen the people you love are
hurting, no matter what happens?
A sure and steadfast anchor foryour soul.
Watch this language, this hopeset before us.
That's a sure and steadfastanchor for our soul.
It enters the inner sanctuarybehind the curtain.
What Hope enters a sanctuarybehind a curtain?
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What kind of hope enters asanctuary behind a curtain?
What's that talking about?
Watch this, where ourforerunner, jesus, has entered
on our behalf.
Wait a second.
Entered on our behalf.
Wait a second.
Wait.
Jesus enters.
Hope enters.
Jesus is the hope that Hebrewsis talking about, because Jesus
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now follow it.
Make the connection withHebrews 4, hebrews 6.
Jesus is the one who hasentered into the inner sanctuary
behind the curtain.
He has paid the price for oursins.
And why has he done this?
He's done that on our behalf,as a forerunner for us, so that
we could join him there in thepresence of God.
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Yes, yes, yes.
So put all this together.
This is powerful, life-changingimagery.
Don't miss this.
For all who know Jesus as theSavior and Lord of your life,
you have a hope, a sure andsteadfast anchor for your soul.
So when you picture anchor,normally we picture like
dropping something into thebottom of the sea, right.
(31:14):
But now this anchor is linkedto the heights of heaven.
So you have an anchor from yourlife that's attached to the
inner sanctuary, the very throneroom of God, where Jesus is
Christian, all are in Christ.
Picture your life in this worldin this way.
(31:36):
Wherever you go, whatever youdo in the middle of, whatever
you face in this world, yoursoul is anchored to Jesus in the
heavenlies, in the presence ofGod, the Father in heaven.
And the Bible is saying to youtoday hold fast to that anchor,
hold fast, don't miss it.
Hold fast to the hope that'sholding on to you.
(32:01):
Hold fast to the confession ofour hope that is an amazing
statement Without wavering.
Oh, we don't have time, we'vecovered nine words.
Okay, we'll just hit thisreally quick, without wavering,
(32:22):
like don't waver, don't try toanchor your soul anywhere else
in this world.
You have an anchor in heaven,in Jesus, and a hope in him.
You don't need the anchors ofthis world that will not hold
you.
And for any of you today whodon't know Jesus, what are you
(32:43):
anchoring your life on right now?
God is saying to you in hisword today that whatever you're
anchoring your life on right now, god is saying to you in his
word today that whatever you'reanchoring your life on in this
world will not hold forever.
It won't hold.
The good news is, jesus haspaid the price for your sins.
He's made a way for you to haverelationship with God, life
(33:05):
with God now and forever.
So anchor your soul today inJesus and, for all who have
trusted in Jesus, realize that'swhere your anchor is right now.
And hold fast to your hopewithout wavering.
For so the word means because.
(33:26):
So here's why and this is sogood.
He who promised so this istalking about god himself, he
who promised and think aboutpromises you.
You look it up, um, peopleestimate how many promises there
are in the bible and theestimates range from, depending
how you define them and how muchoverlap, anywhere from 3 3,000
(33:48):
to 30,000.
So we're just gonna saythousands, thousands and
thousands of promises that Godhas made, that he will be
faithful to every single one ofthem.
I do not know what you arewalking through in your life
(34:10):
right now, in your family, inyour work, I do not know all
that's going on in your world,but I do know this If you are in
Christ, if your soul at thismoment is anchored but I do know
(34:30):
this if you are in Christ, ifyour soul at this moment is
anchored to the heights ofheaven, where Jesus is, you do
not have to worry about whateverwind and waves are coming at
you.
You do not need to be anxiousand you don't need to be afraid,
(34:51):
no matter what this world isbringing your way, because your
soul is anchored to heaven andthe Bible, god himself, in his
word, is saying to you just keepholding on and help each other.
(35:11):
Hold on to the one who isholding on to you.
And then can I just show youone more verse.
I gotta show you one more verseIn Hebrews, chapter seven Jesus
in heaven, at the right hand ofthe Father, your soul anchored
to him.
What's he doing?
(35:32):
The right hand of the Father.
Is he just?
kind of sitting there campingout watching what's happening in
your life play out.
Listen to this Hebrews, chapterseven, verse 25.
Consequently, he this istalking about Jesus is able to
save to the uttermost those whodraw near to God through him,
(35:52):
since he always here's what he'salways doing, he's living to
make intercession for you.
You know what Jesus is doingright now your soul, anchored to
him, he is.
Jesus is interceding for you.
He's not just sitting therehanging out watching what's
(36:13):
happening in your life play out.
He's saying I'm ready to giveyou everything you need and just
think about all his promises.
All the wisdom you want it'syours.
All the peace you long for, allthe strength.
You long for all the strengthyou need, all the joy you desire
in a way that transcends thesufferings of this world, all
(36:37):
the help you require.
Just keep holding fast as youwait for the day when now get
the picture, when he will bringyou home to himself to be free
from all the sin and all thesuffering and all the sorrow of
(37:00):
this fallen world, and he willpersonally wipe every tear from
your eyes and your faith willbecome sight.
That's what's coming.
So, brothers and sisters, let'ssay it together.
Let us hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering,
(37:26):
for he who promised is faithful.
Say it again Let us hold fastthe confession of our hope
without wavering, for he whopromised is faithful.
One more time, let us hold fastthe confession of our hope
without wavering, for he whopromised is faithful, without
(37:50):
wavering, for he who promised isfaithful.
So here's how I'd like to close.
Then I wanna give you a fewminutes and you'll have a little
more time than normal, but Iwanna give you a few minutes to
do the APS of maps We'vemeditated and memorized.
Now I wanna give you a fewminutes to just apply.
So how is God transforming yourthoughts, your desires, your
(38:14):
actions through this verse Like,think specifically amidst
whatever you're walking throughin your life right now, or just
generally your life in thisworld.
How does Hebrews 10 23 changethe way you think about your
circumstances right now?
Or think about the world aroundyou, what you desire and how
you live in the world.
Just think of specific thingsthat come to your mind.
(38:37):
Just let the Holy Spirit applythis word to your life.
And then to P, to pray.
How does this verse lead you topraise God, to repent of sin,
to ask for things in your lifeor in others' lives and
(38:58):
ultimately to yield to God'sleadership in your life.
There's so much there.
It just flows in our prayerlife from one verse and then S
to share.
And specifically, I just wannaencourage you to answer this
question who is one person God'sleading you to encourage today
(39:22):
with truth from this verse, andhow will you do that?
So just think of one personwho's not in this gathering
right now, or maybe it's in thisgathering that you want to
encourage in a particular way,but this word is not intended to
stop with you.
It's too good to stop with you.
So don't just kind of turn thepage and kind of move on with
life at this point.
(39:43):
Like no, who can you encouragewith this word?
And I would even encourage youto intentionally discuss all of
the above around your table atlunch or at dinner tonight with
friends, family members, justmaybe your church group, just
somebody to really soak this intogether.
(40:06):
So if you're a follower of Jesus, I want to invite you just to
start spending the next coupleminutes now with God along these
lines.
This is the kind of thing.
What I would encourage you todo in your time alone with God.
Let what you read lead you toapplication and prayer and
sharing.
So if you're a follower ofJesus, I invite you to just
start spending, right now, justa few minutes along these lines.
And if you're not a follower ofJesus, I invite you to just
(40:27):
start spinning right now, just afew minutes along these lines.
And if you're not a follower ofJesus, hang with me for a
minute while they start kind ofthinking about this.
If you're not a follower ofJesus, I want to invite you
during this time Well, that'snot even the right language.
God is inviting you to come toHim, to experience life in
(40:49):
relationship with him.
Like this is the question I wasasking the man who was in that
Uber yesterday.
Like if you were, if somethingunexpected were to happen and
you were to die today whichcould happen to any one of us
where will you have anchoredyour life and will it be able to
(41:12):
hold you for all of eternity?
And Jesus is the only one whocan hold you for all of eternity
.
He's the only one who had nosin, paid the price for sin,
rose from the dead, conqueredsin and the grave, and God's
(41:32):
brought you here today and he'ssaying to you right now, through
his spirit and trust in me andmy love for you, and come to me
as the sure and steadfast anchorfor your soul.
And come to me as the sure andsteadfast anchor for your soul.
So, while others are reflectingand praying, I would invite you
(41:53):
to do the same and to say toGod yes, today, maybe for the
first time in your life, to putyour trust in Jesus as the
Savior of your sin and the sureand steadfast anchor for your
soul.
You are listening to David Platt Messages a weekly
podcast with sermons andmessages from pastor, author and
teacher David Platt.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I wanna start with a confession Actually two
confessions, but here's thefirst one.
Faith is a struggle for me inthis world, so I've mentioned
this before and in differentways, and I'm not sure how it
feels for you to hear that froma pastor or your pastor.
(00:29):
I don't know if that'ssurprising or discouraging or
encouraging or confusing ordisappointing for a pastor who's
been walking with faith injesus for over 40 years to say
that.
But I actually find itencouraging when I open the
(00:52):
bible and I never see faithdescribed as coasting down a
hill with the wind blowingthrough your hair as if it's all
smooth and easy blowing throughyour hair as if it's all smooth
and easy, because that's justnot been my experience.
Instead, I see faith describedover and over again as a fight,
(01:13):
a struggle, a battle, even a war, and I can identify with that
and I'm guessing you probablycan too.
If faith, if believing God andtrusting God and being with God
(01:34):
and obeying God, feels like astruggle or a fight for you in
this world, then I want you toknow you're not alone.
I for one am with you and I'mnot just saying that without
going into details.
This week has been a fight forfaith on multiple levels, which
(01:57):
leads to my second confession.
I need other people to help mecontinue in faith until I get to
the next world.
Now, obviously implied in thisstatement is that this world is
not all there is which I'm aboutto show you today in God's word
that there's another worldcoming where faith will be
(02:19):
turned into sight.
But the point is, I won't makeit there if other people don't
help me get there, and I knowthis because I have no doubt I
would not be standing here todayif other people hadn't helped
me get here.
(02:39):
There's a long line of brothersand sisters in Christ who
together have led me to faith,taught me faith, showed me faith
, encouraged my faith, nurturedmy faith, prayed for my faith
(03:01):
and helped me persevere withfaith through hard days when
I've been tempted to lack orlose faith altogether.
And that, in a sense, is thewhole point of this three-week
series, in this Together To stopfor a moment, look each other
(03:23):
in the eye and say we need eachother.
I need you for my faith, youneed me for your faith.
We need each other in thisworld if we're gonna make it to
the next world.
Last week, eric walked usthrough Hebrews, chapter 10,
(03:46):
verses 19 through 22, to show ushow we need each other in order
to draw near to God.
As I was listening to himpreach, I was thinking, yes,
this is what we're here for ineach other's lives.
I want the effect of myrelationship with you to be you
drawing closer to God.
I want the effect of myrelationship with you to be you
drawing closer to God, and Iwant the effect of your
(04:09):
relationship with me to be medrawing closer to God.
Let's be the kind of people ineach other's lives that, simply
because we're around each other,we're drawing nearer to God.
And then today we're gonna takethis to a whole other level.
We're gonna do something wedon't normally do.
We're gonna look at just oneverse in the Bible Hebrews,
(04:32):
chapter 10, verse 23.
And I actually have a couple ofgoals for our time together in
God's word today.
Today, one is to show you thestunning truth of Hebrews,
chapter 10, verse 23.
I'll just go ahead and put itup on the screen.
I to show you the stunningtruth of Hebrews, chapter 10,
verse 23.
I'll just go ahead and put itup on the screen.
I want to show you what thismeans.
But then I also want to helpyou see how you can meditate on
(04:56):
just one verse of the Bible fora long time in a really
meaningful way, on your own.
So I am zealous for you notjust to hear what I hope is
helpful teaching from God's word, like every week we gather
together, but I'm zealous foryou to experience personal
(05:17):
intimacy with God and his wordon a day-by-day basis.
You don't fall in love withsomeone through proxy, through
someone else.
You fall in love with someonepersonally and I long for each
of you to experience loverelationship with God through
His Word, not just proxy, butlike somebody else teaching it
(05:39):
to you, but personally, on yourown.
Whether you're a child or ateenager or a busy young adult
or working dad or mom, a senioradult, whoever you are, whatever
stage of life you're in, I amzealous for you to have
concentrated time alone, justyou and God, each day where
(06:01):
you're experiencing intimacywith God through his word.
We use an acrostic called mapsthat you've many of you have
been around here.
You heard many different timesjust a map for experiencing
intimacy with God and his wordon a daily basis.
Many of you could say what thatacrostic stands for M for
(06:22):
meditate and memorize.
A stands stands for apply, pstands for pray, praise, repent,
ask and yield, which you'llnotice is another acrostic
P-R-A-Y.
And then S stands for share,and it's not necessarily that
you do step one, two, three,four, but these are essentially
disciplines or practices tolearn and to do whenever you're
(06:43):
reading the Bible, to learn tomeditate and memorize and apply
and pray and share what God isshowing you in his word.
And I long for you to have time,to make time in your day,
ideally before anything else youdo, just to be with God and do
these things.
And even if you're reading, say, multiple chapters each day,
(07:05):
like we have in our Biblereading plan, which you can
always download fromacclaimedbibleorg, slash Bible
reading and jump in at any time.
If you just want a place tostart, go for it.
Go to this link, download theplan.
You can jump in anytime, likethe water is warm.
But even if you're reading afew chapters on some days, it's
(07:29):
good to just pick out one verseand soak in it.
So that's what we're going todo today.
So let's start just with thefirst two words Let us.
So let's just pause there.
Okay, soak this in Let us, andthose two words would really
stick out if you're just readingthrough these verses around it
(07:53):
in your Bible, because you wouldnotice that there are three
verses right in a row that allbegin with these same words.
So if you have your Bible, I'llput it up here on the screen,
but you might make a note in.
So, if you have your Bible,I'll put it up here on the
screen, but you might make anote in your Bible if you have
it.
So we'll start in verse 19,where we started last week.
Therefore, brothers, since wehave confidence to enter the
(08:15):
holy places by the blood ofJesus, by the new and living way
that he opened for us throughthe curtain, that is, through
his flesh, and since we have agreat priest over the house of
God, here it is, circle it.
Let us draw near with a trueheart and full assurance of
faith, with our hearts sprinkledclean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with purewater.
(08:37):
Then verse 23,.
Let us hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
Thus, hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
Verse 24, and let us considerhow to stir one another up to
love and good works, notneglecting to meet together, as
is the habit of some, butencouraging one another in all
the more as you see the daydrawing near.
Now you start to realize thiswhole passage revolves around
(08:58):
what we do together as followersof Jesus.
Let us draw near to Godtogether.
We looked at that last week.
Let us consider how to stir oneanother to love and good works.
Lord willing, we'll look atthat next week.
Today we're looking at verse 23.
Let us hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering.
(09:19):
So when we see those first twowords, let us.
God is clearly telling us.
You need other people to dothis.
You can't hold fast theconfession of your hope without
wavering on your own.
This is a group project and weneed to hear this On a day of
(09:41):
hyper-individualism that Erichit on so helpfully last week.
I'm actually gonna quote fromhim just to make sure you caught
it and if you missed it, listento this.
He said at one point too manyof us have bought the lie that
happiness and joy can only befound through self-determination
(10:02):
and following our individualhearts.
We bought the lie that if anyrelationship limits our personal
goals or puts constraints onour personal freedom.
We should push them away.
We've bought the lie that whatmatters most is what we
personally want and think, andanyone who would push back on us
(10:22):
or tell us something that wedon't want to hear is not
emotionally safe.
So we need to cut them off.
We've built these high wallsaround ourselves for the sake of
our freedom, not realizingwe've built our own prisons, he
said.
We've put ourselves in solitaryconfinement.
(10:43):
So how do we experience freedom?
And the answer God is giving usin this passage is clear.
He gives it to us three times.
Let us, let us let us look tolean on others, to draw near to
God, to live lives of love andto hold on to hope.
So let us now hold fast.
(11:08):
Let's soak that in.
What a phrase?
Hold fast?
It's actually one word in theoriginal language of the New
Testament here, and it's a greatword.
It means to cling to someone orsomething tightly.
Acts, chapter 3, verse 11, usesthe same word to talk about the
(11:32):
lame beggar who was healed, andhe was clinging tightly to
Peter and John as suddenlycrowds were coming around them.
It's the same word that Markuses multiple times, especially
in chapter 14 in his gospel, todescribe how authorities
(11:52):
arrested and seized Jesus.
That's the word.
So there's an intensity herewhich is part of why it's
translated this way Not justhold, but hold fast like tight,
strong.
When I picture these, even just,I'm going to do it for just a
second, even just this barbell,like I, and I picture this word
(12:17):
let us hold fast.
Like I think about faces in mymind, I think about small group
teachers we call them Sundayschool in the church I grew up
in Atlanta, briar Lake Church.
Like I think about Sundayschool teachers who held up my
eight-year-old, my 10-year-oldfaith in ways I needed and I
(12:41):
think when I became a teenager Ineeded and I'm thinking of
specific people who helped mehold up my faith amidst all
those temptations I was facing.
That so many of you will do forteenagers students in this
church, family, as you takevacation time, many of you to go
(13:01):
to camps this summer and helpthem hold up their faith.
I think about when I went offto college and my faith was
fragile and God, in his mercy,provided people who came along
and helped me hold up and notget swept away by so many
different things during thosedays.
I think about when my dad diedand I'm shaking, holding, trying
(13:25):
to hold on, and the multitudesof people who came up and held
me up, and I think about thelast few years.
I think about challenges in ourchurch family or in our family.
I think about waiting to gobring JD home and so many of you
praying with us and for us,holding us up in those days in
(13:50):
so many different ways and allthe way to this last week, and
some of you you know who you areholding me up.
I'm so thankful for peoplewho've helped me hold fast.
So thankful for people who'vehelped me hold fast.
(14:14):
Now, the key in all of this iswhat are we supposed to hold
fast to and help each other holdfast to?
And this is where it'sinteresting.
Do this sometimes in your Biblereading.
So try to imagine how you orothers might fill in what God's
word is saying, for example.
So if you didn't know what thispassage was about to say and
(14:37):
you read let us hold fast.
So how might we fill in thatblank?
What are options for people tohold fast to, like in the world?
Let us hold fast to our jobs,cling tightly to our jobs, our
(14:58):
education, our resume.
Let's hold fast to our money,possessions, our home, our car,
401ks these are all things theworld says hold cling tightly to
.
Let's hold fast to ourreputations, to our comforts.
(15:21):
Let's hold fast to our health,or even let's hold fast to the
way things have always been orused to be, or the ways they
could be if this or that wouldchange.
Let's hold fast to our dreams.
We hear it all the time Don'tlet go of your dreams.
(15:43):
Hold fast to this person orthat relationship or then.
So, if we're thinking on apurely biblical level, what
might we expect to read Let ushold fast to our faith, let us
hold fast to Jesus, but what'sthe word that God gives us here?
(16:04):
Let us hold fast the confession.
Huh, I don't think any of uswould have put that word there,
but God did so.
Let's think about it.
What is a confession?
A confession is a declarationwe make about something we know.
(16:32):
So it's not just something weknow, it's something we say.
A confession is not silent, aconfession is spoken.
So let us hold fast theconfession, the belief and the
declaration Of.
(16:54):
What, again, do the kind offill in the blank.
Let's hold fast the confessionof.
And I think what probably firstcomes to our mind is the
confession of our faith, whichis obviously important and
related.
We saw that word in verse 22last week.
But verse 23 says let us holdfast the confession of our what
(17:21):
Hope?
Now, again, this is the kind ofthing if we're not careful, we
can just kind of run by this.
Let this soak in for a moment,because that word is fascinating
.
Fascinating Because it'stelling us that our confession
(17:45):
revolves around something thatwe don't yet have and we can't
yet see.
That's what hope implies, right, like one translation of Romans
, chapter 8, verse 24, tells ushope that is seen is no hope at
all.
Who hopes for what they alreadyhave?
(18:05):
Another translation puts itthis way If we already have
something, we don't need to hopefor it.
No millionaire hopes to be amillionaire.
If you already have it, youdon't hope for it.
Which is why this word hope isso fascinating, because so put
(18:31):
this together we're supposed tohold fast to confession, what we
believe and say about somethingwe can't see and we don't have
yet.
That goes totally against thegrain of what we want to hold
fast to, right, we want to holdfast to something we can see and
(18:56):
feel and fix and have now.
And this verse is saying no,don't hold fast to what you can
have and see and feel and fixand get now in this world.
You hold fast to what you willhave later in the next world.
(19:18):
That's what this passage issaying.
Let me show you this in theverses that come right after
this, so a few verses after this.
In Hebrews 10, the writer'stalking to people who are
experiencing suffering andpersecution in this world for
their faith.
And listen to what he says inverse 34.
He says you add compassion onpeople in prison for their faith
.
And listen to what he says inverse 34.
(19:39):
He says you had compassion onpeople in prison for their faith
and you joyfully accepted theplundering of your property.
Did you hear that?
You joyfully accepted theplundering of your property?
How do you do that?
Well, you don't do that.
You don't joyfully accept theplundering of your property.
If you're holding fast to yourproperty in this world, but you
(20:02):
joyfully accepted it becausesince you knew you, yourselves
had a better possession and anabiding one, how do you joyfully
accept the plundering of yourproperty?
You realize you have betterproperty, that's coming, that's
going to last forever.
That's how you can be joyfulwhen stuff in this world is gone
(20:24):
, because you're not living forstuff in this world, you're
living for stuff in anotherworld.
That's why the author thendefines faith a couple verses
later, with these words Faith isthe assurance of things hoped
for, the conviction of thingsnot seen.
Faith is the assurance ofthings hoped for, the conviction
of things not seen.
Faith in this world meanshoping for things to come in the
(20:45):
next world.
It's a conviction confession ofthings that you haven't seen
yet.
And then he just gives exampleafter example of this.
At one point he says of peoplewho live by faith.
They show with the way theylive that they desire a better
country that is a heavenly one.
(21:07):
Therefore, god is not ashamedto be called their God, for he
has prepared for them anothercity.
Are you seeing this?
To live by faith means to holdon hold fast to a confession of
hope that a better country iscoming.
To live by faith is to believeand to declare that this fallen
(21:31):
world, with all its temptationsand trials, sickness and
heartache, suffering and pain,sorrow and death, is not the end
.
To live by faith is to holdfast to hope in a better country
to come, and then.
So now think about how thattotally changes the way you live
(21:52):
in this country right now, inthis world.
It's not that the list ofthings we mentioned earlier is
all bad, but listen to this wedon't place our hope, hold fast
to our jobs in this world, inthis country, or our houses or
our possessions or our 401ks,our reputations or our health,
(22:16):
or our dreams for us or dreamsfor the people we love.
I think about Zach being uphere.
I think we can all say we hopethe commanders will win the
Super Bowl, except for the fewof you Ravens or random cowboy
fans out there.
But yeah, we hope thecommanders will win the Super
(22:42):
Bowl.
But Zach and everybody on thatteam knows that any number of
factors could cause that hope tobe lost at any time.
And even if it happens, thereality is a couple of short
generations from now, nobody'sgoing to be talking about it.
And even if it happens, thereality is a couple of short
(23:04):
generations from now, nobody'sgonna be talking about it.
I guarantee you none of you canname the team that won the
Super Bowl 60 years ago.
Just try.
I in this room I will giveanyone who can name that team
don't look on your phone.
Name that team, I'll give you$100.
And any location pastor, at anyof those locations, we'll do
the same thing.
They will personally give you$100.
(23:26):
If in the next five seconds youcan shout out the name of the
team that won the Super Bowl 60years ago, go for it, try.
Okay, five seconds is up.
I don't know what everybodysaid, but at other locations I
heard a lot in here.
The reality is there was noSuper Bowl 60 years ago.
Last Super Bowl was Super Bowl59.
(23:48):
Didn't even exist.
So Whew, yeah.
But the point is, the point isa game on a field with a pigskin
ball, along with a millionother things in this world, is
not sufficient to hold theweight of hope in your life.
So where should you put yourhope In a way that's going to
(24:12):
actually last forever?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
You've got to see this and youwouldn't catch it just reading
our verse.
So let's hold fast theconfession of our hope.
But if you were reading thisverse after having read through
the book of Hebrews to thispoint, you would realize wait a
(24:32):
minute, I've seen this languagesomewhere, because the author of
Hebrews has used this languageabout holding fast to our
confession and holding fast toour hope two other times and I
want to show them to you.
Check this out.
The first is Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 14.
In language see if any of thissounds familiar Since then, we
(25:01):
have a great high priest who haspassed through the heavens,
jesus the Son of God.
Let us what Hold fast, our,what, our confession.
It's the same language there.
Now, when the author of Hebrewsused this language this first
time, he was talking about Jesusas a great high priest who
(25:27):
passed through the heavens,which is, if you go back and
look, is very similar languageto what Hebrews 10, verse 19
through 21, which we readearlier, says.
And there's so much here I wishwe had time, more time to dive
into, but just stick with me.
I'm going to give you a quickoverview.
This is alluding to how, eversince the fall of man, ever
(25:49):
since the entrance of sin intothe world, man and woman have
been separated from God, unableto be in his holy presence.
And in the Old Testament, godset up a way for the high priest
, one person, to come into theholy of holies, the presence of
(26:09):
God in the tabernacle or thetemple, to offer a blood
sacrifice to cover over thepeople's sins.
Nobody else could go in, justthe high priest once a year, on
the day of atonement or the dayof covering, and the scene was
intense.
They would tie a rope aroundhis leg.
(26:31):
When he would walk in he'd havebells around his garment so
that they could hear him walkingaround and they could know if
the bells stopped.
That meant he had fallen overand they had a rope to be able
to pull him out.
He just died in the presence ofthe holy God.
So just imagine the intensityof that scene as one man goes in
(26:53):
to offer sacrifice for the sinsof all the people and then he
gets out of there as soon ashe's finished is.
One man goes in to offersacrifice for the sins of all
the people and then he gets outof there as soon as he's
finished.
So that was the backdrop.
High priest would do that oncea year and then he would die and
another high priest would do it.
He would die and another highpriest would do it.
But the author of Hebrews istelling us the gospel here, the
good news that Jesus is thegreat high priest who didn't
(27:22):
just go in to the Holy of Holiesin the tabernacle of the temple
.
He passed through the heavensdirectly into the presence of
God the Father, where he hasshed his own blood once and for
all to atone for cover sins.
And he didn't just go in andget out as quickly as possible.
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 12,says he went in and sat down at
(27:47):
the right hand of God the Fatherto show that the price for sins
had been paid once and for allfor anyone who trusts in him, so
that, no matter who you are, nomatter what you have done,
isaiah, another one of my sonsand I were in an Uber yesterday.
We're talking with a man whosaid he thought he'd go to
(28:07):
heaven because when he died,because he's a pretty good
person and we were telling himI'm sure you're a good person,
but you're not that good To bein the presence of a holy God.
You need the blood of Jesus tocover over your sins, and the
good news is Jesus has paid thatprice for the sins of anyone,
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everyone who will trust in him,and by so doing, he has opened
the door for then you to haveaccess to God in his presence.
That's what this is saying.
Since Jesus did this, let'shold fast our confession.
And then now look at the othertime.
We see this language in Hebrews, chapter 6.
(28:48):
You've got to see this, verse18.
We who have fled for refugemight have strong encouragement
to what.
Hold fast there it is, to thewhat Hope.
Hold fast to hope that's beenset before us.
And then he keeps going.
Watch this.
We have this as a sure andsteadfast anchor of the soul.
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Is there anybody today whowould like a sure and steadfast
anchor for your soul?
Is there anybody who wants ananchor for your soul that is
steadfast even when the job isone day gone, even when the
economy falters, even when thecancer comes, even when the
(29:35):
marriage is struggling, evenwhen the people you love are
hurting, no matter what happens?
A sure and steadfast anchor foryour soul.
Watch this language, this hopeset before us.
That's a sure and steadfastanchor for our soul.
It enters the inner sanctuarybehind the curtain.
What Hope enters a sanctuarybehind a curtain?
(30:03):
What kind of hope enters asanctuary behind a curtain?
What's that talking about?
Watch this, where ourforerunner, jesus, has entered
on our behalf.
Wait a second.
Entered on our behalf.
Wait a second.
Wait.
Jesus enters.
Hope enters.
Jesus is the hope that Hebrewsis talking about, because Jesus
(30:31):
now follow it.
Make the connection withHebrews 4, hebrews 6.
Jesus is the one who hasentered into the inner sanctuary
behind the curtain.
He has paid the price for oursins.
And why has he done this?
He's done that on our behalf,as a forerunner for us, so that
we could join him there in thepresence of God.
(30:53):
Yes, yes, yes.
So put all this together.
This is powerful, life-changingimagery.
Don't miss this.
For all who know Jesus as theSavior and Lord of your life,
you have a hope, a sure andsteadfast anchor for your soul.
So when you picture anchor,normally we picture like
dropping something into thebottom of the sea, right.
(31:14):
But now this anchor is linkedto the heights of heaven.
So you have an anchor from yourlife that's attached to the
inner sanctuary, the very throneroom of God, where Jesus is
Christian, all are in Christ.
Picture your life in this worldin this way.
(31:36):
Wherever you go, whatever youdo in the middle of, whatever
you face in this world, yoursoul is anchored to Jesus in the
heavenlies, in the presence ofGod, the Father in heaven.
And the Bible is saying to youtoday hold fast to that anchor,
hold fast, don't miss it.
Hold fast to the hope that'sholding on to you.
(32:01):
Hold fast to the confession ofour hope that is an amazing
statement Without wavering.
Oh, we don't have time, we'vecovered nine words.
Okay, we'll just hit thisreally quick, without wavering,
(32:22):
like don't waver, don't try toanchor your soul anywhere else
in this world.
You have an anchor in heaven,in Jesus, and a hope in him.
You don't need the anchors ofthis world that will not hold
you.
And for any of you today whodon't know Jesus, what are you
(32:43):
anchoring your life on right now?
God is saying to you in hisword today that whatever you're
anchoring your life on right now, god is saying to you in his
word today that whatever you'reanchoring your life on in this
world will not hold forever.
It won't hold.
The good news is, jesus haspaid the price for your sins.
He's made a way for you to haverelationship with God, life
(33:05):
with God now and forever.
So anchor your soul today inJesus and, for all who have
trusted in Jesus, realize that'swhere your anchor is right now.
And hold fast to your hopewithout wavering.
For so the word means because.
(33:26):
So here's why and this is sogood.
He who promised so this istalking about god himself, he
who promised and think aboutpromises you.
You look it up, um, peopleestimate how many promises there
are in the bible and theestimates range from, depending
how you define them and how muchoverlap, anywhere from 3 3,000
(33:48):
to 30,000.
So we're just gonna saythousands, thousands and
thousands of promises that Godhas made, that he will be
faithful to every single one ofthem.
I do not know what you arewalking through in your life
(34:10):
right now, in your family, inyour work, I do not know all
that's going on in your world,but I do know this If you are in
Christ, if your soul at thismoment is anchored but I do know
(34:30):
this if you are in Christ, ifyour soul at this moment is
anchored to the heights ofheaven, where Jesus is, you do
not have to worry about whateverwind and waves are coming at
you.
You do not need to be anxiousand you don't need to be afraid,
(34:51):
no matter what this world isbringing your way, because your
soul is anchored to heaven andthe Bible, god himself, in his
word, is saying to you just keepholding on and help each other.
(35:11):
Hold on to the one who isholding on to you.
And then can I just show youone more verse.
I gotta show you one more verseIn Hebrews, chapter seven Jesus
in heaven, at the right hand ofthe Father, your soul anchored
to him.
What's he doing?
(35:32):
The right hand of the Father.
Is he just?
kind of sitting there campingout watching what's happening in
your life play out.
Listen to this Hebrews, chapterseven, verse 25.
Consequently, he this istalking about Jesus is able to
save to the uttermost those whodraw near to God through him,
(35:52):
since he always here's what he'salways doing, he's living to
make intercession for you.
You know what Jesus is doingright now your soul, anchored to
him, he is.
Jesus is interceding for you.
He's not just sitting therehanging out watching what's
(36:13):
happening in your life play out.
He's saying I'm ready to giveyou everything you need and just
think about all his promises.
All the wisdom you want it'syours.
All the peace you long for, allthe strength.
You long for all the strengthyou need, all the joy you desire
in a way that transcends thesufferings of this world, all
(36:37):
the help you require.
Just keep holding fast as youwait for the day when now get
the picture, when he will bringyou home to himself to be free
from all the sin and all thesuffering and all the sorrow of
(37:00):
this fallen world, and he willpersonally wipe every tear from
your eyes and your faith willbecome sight.
That's what's coming.
So, brothers and sisters, let'ssay it together.
Let us hold fast the confessionof our hope without wavering,
(37:26):
for he who promised is faithful.
Say it again Let us hold fastthe confession of our hope
without wavering, for he whopromised is faithful.
One more time, let us hold fastthe confession of our hope
without wavering, for he whopromised is faithful, without
(37:50):
wavering, for he who promised isfaithful.
So here's how I'd like to close.
Then I wanna give you a fewminutes and you'll have a little
more time than normal, but Iwanna give you a few minutes to
do the APS of maps We'vemeditated and memorized.
Now I wanna give you a fewminutes to just apply.
So how is God transforming yourthoughts, your desires, your
(38:14):
actions through this verse Like,think specifically amidst
whatever you're walking throughin your life right now, or just
generally your life in thisworld.
How does Hebrews 10 23 changethe way you think about your
circumstances right now?
Or think about the world aroundyou, what you desire and how
you live in the world.
Just think of specific thingsthat come to your mind.
(38:37):
Just let the Holy Spirit applythis word to your life.
And then to P, to pray.
How does this verse lead you topraise God, to repent of sin,
to ask for things in your lifeor in others' lives and
(38:58):
ultimately to yield to God'sleadership in your life.
There's so much there.
It just flows in our prayerlife from one verse and then S
to share.
And specifically, I just wannaencourage you to answer this
question who is one person God'sleading you to encourage today
(39:22):
with truth from this verse, andhow will you do that?
So just think of one personwho's not in this gathering
right now, or maybe it's in thisgathering that you want to
encourage in a particular way,but this word is not intended to
stop with you.
It's too good to stop with you.
So don't just kind of turn thepage and kind of move on with
life at this point.
(39:43):
Like no, who can you encouragewith this word?
And I would even encourage youto intentionally discuss all of
the above around your table atlunch or at dinner tonight with
friends, family members, justmaybe your church group, just
somebody to really soak this intogether.
(40:06):
So if you're a follower of Jesus, I want to invite you just to
start spending the next coupleminutes now with God along these
lines.
This is the kind of thing.
What I would encourage you todo in your time alone with God.
Let what you read lead you toapplication and prayer and
sharing.
So if you're a follower ofJesus, I invite you to just
start spending, right now, justa few minutes along these lines.
And if you're not a follower ofJesus, I invite you to just
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start spinning right now, just afew minutes along these lines.
And if you're not a follower ofJesus, hang with me for a
minute while they start kind ofthinking about this.
If you're not a follower ofJesus, I want to invite you
during this time Well, that'snot even the right language.
God is inviting you to come toHim, to experience life in
(40:49):
relationship with him.
Like this is the question I wasasking the man who was in that
Uber yesterday.
Like if you were, if somethingunexpected were to happen and
you were to die today whichcould happen to any one of us
where will you have anchoredyour life and will it be able to
(41:12):
hold you for all of eternity?
And Jesus is the only one whocan hold you for all of eternity
.
He's the only one who had nosin, paid the price for sin,
rose from the dead, conqueredsin and the grave, and God's
(41:32):
brought you here today and he'ssaying to you right now, through
his spirit and trust in me andmy love for you, and come to me
as the sure and steadfast anchorfor your soul.
And come to me as the sure andsteadfast anchor for your soul.
So, while others are reflectingand praying, I would invite you
(41:53):
to do the same and to say toGod yes, today, maybe for the
first time in your life, to putyour trust in Jesus as the
Savior of your sin and the sureand steadfast anchor for your
soul.
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