Ascension: Anchor of Our Hope
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/14/2015 PM (Ascension Day) |
Text: | Hebrews 6:19,20 |
Psalters: | 58, 162, 183, 363 |
- The anchor.
- The history of Jesus’ ascension.
- “Hope” is a part of the Christian life, for we are born again unto a living hope (I Peter 1:3-5).
- To live forever in heavenly glory is “set before us” (18) as a future objective reality.
- The believers’ hope is certain and sure for God Himself promised and He accompanied His promise with an oath (18).
- And it is an earnest desire that our expectation will be realized.
- By the act of hoping (part of faith) in our hope the Christian is fastened to the object.
- Our anchor of hope holds.
- The object of our hope is absolutely certain (because God promised and swore).
- It is “sure,” i.e., certain and safe, reliable, it will not fail or deceive; can be safely trusted.
- It is “stedfast,” i.e., stable and firm; it cannot be broken no matter how violent the winds of the storms.
- Our hope is objectively certain because Jesus’ ascension is His entering “into that within the veil.”
- The veil (high, heavy, and thick) concealed the ark of the covenant (God) from His people.
- Jesus, the perfect High Priest, opened and realized the way to God, veil torn, never closed again.
- This makes Jesus “the forerunner” when His ascension brought Him into the glory we will share with Him.
- The object of our hope is absolutely certain (because God promised and swore).
- Assurance that our hope will be realized is because God Himself promised and coupled it with His oath.
- The storms of life seem to destroy us.
- God makes sure that the anchor is firmly attached in the souls of every elect, regenerated child of His (3:6).