HEBREWS 6:13-20
TRUSTING LIKE ABRAHAM, BECAUSE JESUS HAS OPENED THE CURTAIN
February 7, 2016
Todd Chapman
Hebrews 6:13-20 ESV: The Certainty of God's Promise 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, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his 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 our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
God doubled down on His promise to Abraham.
Abraham trusted God in the most difficult circumstances.
We are the beneficiaries of God’s fulfilled promise to Abraham, and to us.
God’s inevitable promise keeping encourages us to cling to our hope in Jesus.
Our hope in Jesus anchors us no matter what life brings.
Our hope brings us into the immediate presence of God, because Jesus opened the curtain.
Takeaways:
- Read Genesis 22:1-18
- Ponder what Abraham went through.
- Consider what motivated Abraham to offer Isaac.
- Ask God to reveal where and how you can trust Him more.
- Pray for someone you know whose faith could use some encouraging.
- Practically encourage someone you know whose faith could use some encouraging.
Life Group Questions
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
- How would you summarize the big idea of 6:9-12?
- What was the promise God made to Abraham?
- To what event in Abraham’s life is the author referring to when he tells us Abraham “patiently waited”?
- Why did God swear by Himself?
- What specifically is being referred to by “the unchangeable character of his purpose”? What purpose?
- What exactly is “the hope set before us”?
- What, according to the author, motivates us to “hold fast to the hope set before us”?
- What is the “anchor for our soul”?
- The author tells us about our hope, that it, ”enters into the inner place behind the curtain”. What does that mean?
- In what sense was Jesus a “forerunner on our behalf”?
- Who is Melchizedek?
- How would paraphrase the big idea of 6:13-20?
HOW DOES IT APPLY?
- When you think of the faith manifest in Abraham’s offering of Isaac, where do your thoughts and feelings go?
- What has motivated, empowered you to cling to the hope we have in Jesus?
- Is Jesus the anchor for your soul that provides steadfastness? Explain.
- How do you feel when Jesus as your anchor doesn’t seem as steadfast as you would like?
- What do you do when you are feeling less certain in Jesus?
- What would help you to “hold fast to the hope” set before you?