Hope: An Anchor of the Soul - Part 2 of 2

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, Thou forest of my God and King, Thou triumphs of His grace.

This is LeSary Bradley, Jr., welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. I love me. Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my life in vain. I'm tempted then to murmur and all my lot complain. But when I think of Jesus and all He's done for me, then I cry, O Rock of Ages, hide thou me. O Rock of Ages, hide thou me.

No other refuge have I but Thee. When life's dark pale, I wander far, far from Thee. Then I cry, O Rock of Ages, hide thou me.

Sometimes it seems I dare not go one step further on. And from my heart all courage has disappeared and gone. But I remember Jesus and all His love for me. Then I cry, O Rock of Ages, hide thou me. O Rock of Ages, hide thou me. No other refuge have I but Thee. When life's dark pale, I wander far, far from Thee.

Then I cry, O Rock of Ages, hide thou me. Hope is a wonderful word. Jeremiah reached the place and he said, My hope is perished from the Lord. What a dark day when one feels that their hope is gone. But to understand what the scriptures teach that hope is the anchor of the soul is a blessing to us. So we continue with that message today. If it's a blessing to you, write and let us know.

Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. God has the sovereign right to choose. Oh, here's where some begin to back up. I believe that God is a great God, is a glorious God, is a powerful God. He rules and reigns. But you talk about the choices that He makes. I say, well, wait a minute.

That can't be that way. They want to try to defend God according to their own standard and make Him look good so somebody will not object to what God says about Himself in the Bible. God has the sovereign right to choose. He chose Abram and passed by others in the Ur of Chaldees. He chose Isaac and rejected Ishmael. He chose Jacob and hated Esau.

Somebody says, I have a problem with that. Well, this is what God declares to be His sovereign right and the way He works according to His pleasure. Now, some would argue that God looked down through time and saw who would believe, who would make the right choice and base His choice on what He saw. Which if you just look at that picture, you understand that really leaves God out as far as having made the choice. It would simply be that He put His stamp of approval on what man was already going to do. I concede that God looked down from heaven but He informs us about what He saw.

You don't have to guess. You can't make the assumption God looked down from heaven and saw there was a great multitude coming in His direction. There were many people that were going to make the right decision. No, here's what He saw. Psalm 14 10, the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. Look down to see if there were any. They are all gone aside. They are all together become filthy.

There is none that doeth good. No, not one. And then that's repeated in Romans chapter 3. That's what He saw. Everybody headed in the wrong direction. Everybody headed for destruction. So when God made a choice, it wasn't based on the fact that some had a more tender heart than others. Some were bound to make the right decision. Some were going to make the correct choice.

And so He based His choice on what He saw in them. That's not what the Bible teaches. God was not obligated to anybody. Because of Adam's sin, because Adam passed on his sin to all of his posterity, we were all alienated from God.

He could have passed us by and saved no one. But it's by His amazing grace that He made choice of a multitude and determined to save them. John chapter 6, reading verse 37. These are the words of Jesus. See, we're not talking about some deep doctrine of the Old Testament, far removed from the person of Jesus Christ. We're talking about something that Jesus Himself taught. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.

That's good news. All of those that were chosen by the Father, elected and predestinated and given to the Son, all that the Father giveth me shall come. Somebody might say, well, maybe they don't want to come. He says they shall come. He said, you mean He's going to bring them where they want to or not? No, He gives them the want to. He makes them willing in the day of His power. That's what the Psalmist says, Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power.

And look at the rest of it. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. You see, I feel a need of salvation. I know I'm a sinner.

I need help. Come to Jesus. You say, well, I don't know whether I'm one of the chosen. Come to Jesus and you'll find out. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. It used to be I would talk to people who said, I fear maybe I'm too big a sinner. I don't hear that much anymore.

It seemed like their teaching of building one's self-esteem has been so successful that everybody goes around thinking I'm pretty good. But if there be one lone soul out there yet that says I might be too big a sinner, let me give you assurance there's no sinner but what can find help and hope in Jesus. Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will that of all which He has given me, I should lose nothing but raise it up again at the last day.

Isn't that good to know? This thing is settled. God gave those that He chose to His Son. The Son came to save them, to redeem them. He went to the cross. He paid the price.

He secured them. His work was a success. Isaiah prophesied before the Savior ever came, he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.

Not disappointed, satisfied. He got what He paid for. His purpose is unchanging. No believer needs to doubt that this salvation is sure. It's certain because it relies on God's grace, not our works.

On His promise, not our effort. On His covenant, not some agreement that we might attempt to make. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.

Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. How wonderful to have that assurance. And then this hope is an anchor in our trials. In this hope is strong encouragement.

That's what the text says. Strong encouragement because of two immutable things. The promise and the oath. God made the promise. And because He cannot lie, that promise is sure.

And He confirmed it by an oath. But somebody might say, don't you hear about laying hold? We ought to have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. We're talking about this hope which is an anchor of the soul. So that anchor is within the veil.

That anchor is in heaven. Say, well, what about my situation? Am I just holding onto the rope down here? My grip might slip. I might slide away. I might grow weary.

I might not be able to persevere. In other words, what Jesus Christ accomplished for us not only has secured that inheritance for us in heaven, but He secures us because we are kept by the power of God. This hope sustains us in the midst of our trials because the anchor is within the veil. Jesus is our high priest and has entered in within the veil.

What's he talking about? Enter within the veil? Well, obviously the reference is to what the situation was in the tabernacle in olden times.

There was the holy of holies where the priest could only enter once a year and make that sacrifice. He had to have it on the proper garment. He had to go at the proper time.

If there was any discrepancy, he'd be struck dead on the spot. The people anxiously awaited outside. They wanted to hear the ringing of the bells against the palm grenades on the bottom of the priestly robe to know that the priest was doing well. He was alive and God was receiving the sacrifice. Then the holy place, there was the table of showbread, candlestick, these other elements, but a great veil woven very thick could not possibly have been marred by human hands. It separated the holy of holies from the holy place. And only the priest could go behind the veil. Now, Jesus, our great high priest, has gone behind the veil. And when he died at Calvary, that veil in the temple was ripped in twain.

Man could not have done it, but God ripped it apart to show that there is a new and living way through Jesus Christ, who is the forerunner and has gone before us and is there within the veil, having secured for us our salvation. And this anchor, this anchor of the soul, certainly differs from those on great ships. The anchor on the ship is let down so that the ship can be stabilized. It goes down deep and attaches to sometimes a rock or something in the depth and it holds the ship in place when the storms are raging and the winds are baring it about. But the unique thing about this anchor of the soul is it doesn't go down, it goes up.

And it's gone up to heaven and is within the veil. It secures us, the anchor of the soul. It gives us stability in the storms of life.

And there are many storms that we encounter. Sometimes there is the storm of false teaching. I remember years ago there was a couple in our church that told me about hearing a man on the radio that was preaching grace and they were so excited about it. I was excited to hear it because there weren't very many preaching grace and so I started listening too. I said, yeah, he says a lot of things about grace, but all the while he's interjecting false doctrine. When you got down to the essence of what it was, it wasn't grace, it was law.

It wasn't grace, it was works. I tried to show them the difference, but they had become so enamored with this man as a teacher that they were unable to recover them. Storms of false teaching and false doctrine may sometimes make us unstable. Ephesians 4.14 says that we henceforth talking about why the gifts are put in the church and the pastor teacher is there for what purpose that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and the cunning craftiness whereby they lie and wait to deceive. By this anchor of the soul we can make it through the storms that come when some would seek to ensnare us with false teaching. Sometimes the storms come because of spiritual struggle and doubts and fears. I was speaking in the Tenton County Detention Center this week and always give them opportunity for questions at the end of my message.

One young man raised his hand said yes I'd like to know. I can't understand what the problem is. I pray every day. I'm asking God to help me, but I sometimes feel so far away from him. I feel so empty. I feel such a struggle going on.

I said well let me tell you you're not blazing a new trail. You start reading some of the songs and you'll find out that David and Asaph and others went through such difficult times. David said once I sink in deep mire where there is no standing, but even in those dark and difficult times you don't give up. You continue to call upon the Lord. Storms of spiritual struggle, doubts and fears can be difficult for us. Psalm 107 verse 23 describes it. They that go down to the sea in ships that do business in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep for he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof.

They mount up to the heaven. They go down again to the depths. Their soul is melted because of trouble. You ever felt to be in the condition here described? You were on the sea being tossed about by the angry waves, had many questions, many difficulties and doubts that were besetting you.

They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and they're at their wits end. Have you been there? I've had people use that very expression sometimes. We've talked to them and said I just tell you preacher I'm at my wits end. Well you can get there when you're in the storms of life. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh a storm of calm so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them into their desired haven. Spiritual struggles. Yet we have an anchor, an anchor within the veil.

What about those terrible trials that are so difficult to understand? Often the first question that comes to somebody's mind, why? Why Lord? Why this?

Why now? I don't understand why you allowed this event to touch my life. But then you go to Romans 8 28, for we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

I've got an anchor. I may not understand it, may never understand it in this life, but I have God's promise that he's working all things together for good to them that love him and are the called according to his purpose. And then he speaks of those who have fled for refuge, fled for refuge to Jesus Christ. This suggests those cities of refuge in Old Testament times. There were six cities appointed so that if someone inadvertently killed another person, it was not murder, it was unintentional.

But it might be that the family members of the man who died would not understand that it was unintentional. And they would seek to kill the man who had killed their relative. God said then, I'm setting up six cities. If somebody has inadvertently brought about the death of another person, they can flee to those cities and they will be safe. And they stay there until such time as the high priest dies.

And then they are free. Isn't it good to know that we have a place of refuge to which we can flee? Well, when you come to realize I am guilty, I am a sinner, and I deserve the judgment of God, aren't you glad to know there's a city of refuge where you can flee? There's a place of safety where you can go. And our refuge is Jesus Christ.

We have an anchor, an anchor inside the veil. Now I want you to consider some of the salient points of what we find in these verses in Hebrews chapter 6. In verse 11, it says, show diligence in your work and labor of love. So whatever the work that is before us to serve and honor God, we are to be diligent in doing it. The teaching of grace does not allow you to sit back at ease and develop an attitude of idleness that God will just take care of everything because He is sovereign and I don't have a work to do.

No, you are to be diligent in your work and labor of love. Also in verse 11, He says that you might have full assurance of hope. How good to have assurance, full assurance, full assurance of hope because your hope is in Jesus Christ.

He is our hope. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Verse 12, that you be not slothful. There again is a reminder that grace does not rock us to sleep and justify having an indifferent attitude.

We are not to be slothful. Verse 12, that you be followers of the faithful. The apostle Paul urged others to follow him but he wasn't asking them to esteem him as a man and follow him blindly but follow him because he was following Christ. And you need to follow those who are sitting in the example and proving by their life that they are following Jesus Christ.

Be followers of the faithful. Verse 15 says that you patiently endure. Oh, when the storms are raging, when the disappointments are great, when you feel overwhelmed, your heart, it's broken, it's difficult to endure but He says patiently endure, understanding that your hope is solid, that the anchor of the soul is behind the veil in heaven. Verse 18, that you have strong consolation or that is encouragement.

We all have our moments of discouragement. He said I want you to have encouragement, strong consolation. And verse 19, that you have hope which is in an anchor of the soul. You may be tossed about by the winds and waves but you have fixed your hope in Jesus and that hope is sure. The Kim writer said, will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife, when the strong tides lift and the cables strain, will your anchor drift or firm remain? We have an anchor that keeps the soul steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love. It is safely moored till the storm withstand for tis well secured by the Savior's hand and the cables passed from His heart to mine can defy the blast through strength divine. It will surely hold in the straits of fear when the breakers have told that the reef is near. Though the templates rave and the wild winds blow, not an angry wave shall bark or flow. It will firmly hold in the floods of death when the waters cold chill our latest breath or the rising tide it can never fall while our hopes abide within the veil.

Will your anchor hold? What do you depend upon today? Where is your hope? If you put your hope in material things, you put your hope in the things of this world, you put your hope in your own works, in your own effort, you will be disappointed.

But we have an anchor for the soul. Our hope is in Jesus Christ who is our great high priest who ever lives to make intercession for us. I hope today's message has been a blessing to you.

We'd appreciate it if you'll take time to write and let us know. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Also, if you'd like to make a donation, you can go to our website at BaptistBibleHour.org and make a donation there.

And I encourage you to visit our store to see some of the messages we have at a very special price at the present time. And now, until we greet you next time, this is LaSara Bradley Jr. beating you goodbye and may God bless you. Savior I'm happy and blessed, watching and waiting, looking above, filled with this goodness lost in His love. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, praising my Savior, praising my Savior all the day long.