Hope: The Anchor of the SoulHope: The Anchor of the SoulHebrews 6:19Hebrews 6:19

We Need HopeWe Need Hope

• Some find themselves in negative relationships with no hope of improvement

• Others are plagued by disease, suffering, or lose with no hope of comfort

• Many have an empty life of meaningless existence

• We need faith, hope, and love to make it through life (1 Cor. 13:13; 1 Thess. 1:3; 5:8; Col. 1:4-5)

We Need the Right HopeWe Need the Right Hope

• Some have no hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13)

• Others have a vain and empty hope (Mt. 7:21-27; 1 Tim. 6:17)

• Others have moved away from the true hope (Col. 1:23)

Hope: the Anchor of the Hope: the Anchor of the SoulSoul

• “To ground hope on a false assumption is like trusting in a weak anchor” - Socrates

• Hope is like an anchor of a ship, grounded in heaven (Heb. 6:19-20)

• An anchor is strong and heavy

• A ship (soul) on the sea (world) needs an anchor (hope) connected by a cable (faith) to withstand the storms (trials)

What Is Hope?What Is Hope?

• Hope is not just “wishing” … not “well, maybe…”

• Desire (1 Cor. 16:17) + expectation (Phil. 1:20) = hope

• A desire to be raised from the dead, to see Jesus (Tit. 2:13), to inherit eternal life in heaven (Tit. 1:2; 3:7), to be glorified (Col. 1:27)

• An expectation based upon God’s immutable character (1 Tim. 4:10; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18) and Jesus’ resurrection (1 Tim. 1:1; 1 Pet. 3-4)

Hope: the Anchor of the Hope: the Anchor of the SoulSoul

• An anchor of rejoicing (Rom. 5:2-5; 12:2)

• An anchor of growth (Rom. 15:13)

• An anchor of endurance (Rom. 8:24-25; 1 Thess. 1:3)

• An anchor of protection (1 Thess. 5:8)

• An anchor of surety (Heb. 6:18-20; 11:10, 16)

• An anchor of purity (1 Jn. 3:3)

One HopeOne Hope

• I have to hear about the hope in the truth of the gospel (Col. 1:5; 1:23; Eph. 4:4)

• I have to put my hope in Jesus and obey him (Rom. 15:12; Eph. 1:12; 1:18)

• I have to be rooted and ground in my hope all the way through life (Col. 1:23)

• These are difficult times; anchor your life with a real hope!