with the Lord's words to every
believer, O friends, drink. Yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. And I think that that would serve
as an introduction to what I'm going to attempt to speak on
tonight, would you turn to Hebrews chapter 6. I'd like to read verses
17 and 18. Wherein God, willing more abundantly
to show unto the heirs of promise The immutability or changelessness
of his counsel or will confirmed it by an oath. That by two immutable,
unchangeable things, his promise and his oath, you know, the Lord,
when he makes a promise, that's enough, isn't it? Yet he is willing
to confirm it to us with an oath. That's an amazing thought. He's
willing more abundantly to confirm this to us with an oath. That we, in which it was impossible
for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. Who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set Before us If you're a believer God is willing more abundantly
For you to have strong consolation full assurance, joy in the Lord. It's His will for His people
to have strong consolation, which means strong encouragement, strong
comfort. I mean where He comforts you.
It's one thing for me to comfort you. It's another one thing for
you to comfort me, and I'm thankful for that, but it's a whole different
thing when he's the one who ministers the comfort. Oh, to have this
strong consolation and this strong comfort. Now there's a lot of
scriptures that came to my mind that speak of the strong consolation
of the gospel. I'm going to quote several of
them. In Colossians 2, verse 10, we
read, In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in a body, and
you are complete, full, nothing lacking in him. I find strong encouragement from
that. Romans chapter 8 verse 1 says,
there is therefore now no condemnation, no judgment to them that are
in Christ Jesus. I'm never going to have to give
an account for my sin. There's no condemnation to them
that are in Christ Jesus. That's so encouraging because
I know a little bit about my sin. and to know that I'll never,
never, ever have to give an account for it. There's the strong consolation
of Colossians chapter 1 verse 22. It says He's made us, He's
presented us, every believer, holy and unblameable and unreprovable
in His sight. Right now, when God looks at
me, He sees one who is holy, unblameable, and beyond reproof. And if God sees me that way,
that's the way I really am. God sees things as they really
are. Strong consolation in that. Strong encouragement. I think
of 1 John chapter 4, verse 17. We read that this morning. As
he is. So are we in this world right
now. How is He? Well, He's seated
at the right hand of the Father. That's where I'm at, too. He's
holy. He's righteous. He's accepted.
He's beautiful of the Father as He is. So are we in this world
right now. Now, that's strong consolation.
You're there in Hebrews. I want you to look at this with
me. Hebrews chapter 9, 24 For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands which are figures of the true
but into heaven itself now Oh, I love that word now to appear
in the presence of God for us I've got one right now the Lord
Jesus Christ right now. He's in heaven representing my
name before the Father Now that's encouraging There's strong consolation
in that. You're there in Hebrews, look
at this with me, Hebrews chapter 10. Verse 9, Then said he, the Lord
Jesus, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first
that he may establish the second by the which will, by that will
which he came to do, God's will, by the which will, this is how
supreme God's will is, by the which will we are sanctified,
we are holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all. It doesn't need to be repeated,
it's complete. And every priest standeth daily
ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can
never take away sins, but this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God
from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool
for by one offering, he hath perfected forever them that are
sanctified." By his glorious death, everybody he died for
is perfected. Perfected. Perfect in Christ
Jesus. There's the strong consolation
of Romans 8.31. If God be for us, who can be against us? He that
spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall
He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? God justify. Who is he
that can condemn? It's Christ that died. That's
the only answer I need. Yea, rather that's risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Now that's comforting. Nothing shall separate us from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. There's the
strong consolation of Ephesians 2, 8 and 10. By grace are you
saved. through faith, and that not of
yourselves, but the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should
boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk
in them." There's a strong consolation of 1 Timothy 1, verse 15. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. That's what he came for. Are
you a sinner? He came to save you. So comforting. There's the strong
consolation of Jude when he said, Now unto Him that's able to keep
you from falling. Aren't you thankful for that?
How quick would you fall if He didn't keep you from falling?
How quick would you leave the gospel if He didn't keep you?
Now unto Him that's able to keep you from falling and to present
us spotless before His throne with exceeding joy. To the only
wise God be honor and glory. The strong consolation of Jeremiah
31 3, read that this morning, behold, I've loved you. I have
loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving
kindness, have I drawn thee. The strong consolation of Our
Lord saying, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and
him that cometh to me, there's the blessing, him that cometh
to me I will in no wise, for no reason whatsoever, cast out. I don't know how many times in
my own experience, this is all I got, but it's enough. What
else do you need? Him that cometh to me, I will
in no wise cast out. Lord, I'm coming, you promised,
don't cast me out. The strong consolation of our
Lord's words to that poor woman who was taken in adultery. Woman,
where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? No
man, Lord, neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. The strong consolation of He
hath made us accepted in the Beloved. Everybody wants to be
accepted. I am accepted in the Beloved.
Without any reference to any merit in me, but I've got plenty
of merit in the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm accepted in the Beloved.
The promise of I'll never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Now,
I could go on and on talking about the strong encouragement,
comfort, and consolation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, here's my question. I've given a whole volley of
texts regarding strong consolation, strong encouragement. Now, dare
I take these promises to myself? Dare I say that I am accepted
in the beloved? Dare I believe that he did what
he did for me? That's a big issue, isn't it? I want
to know if he did what he did For me, do I have the right to
take this strong consolation to myself? I see it's for God's
children, but is this for me personally? Now, remember, you
cannot take any promise in the scripture to yourself unless
you fit the character of the one the promise was made to.
Now, let me repeat that. I want you to think about it.
I want you to chew on it. You can't take any promise in the
Word of God to yourself unless you personally fit the character
of the one that the promise was made to. Now let me give you
a real simple example of that. In Romans chapter 5, verse 6,
we read, When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ
died for the ungodly. Now if you're not without strength,
without spiritual strength, if you have some spiritual strength,
and if you're not ungodly, as that passage of Scripture describes,
you don't have any right to believe that Jesus Christ did anything
for you if you're strong and you're not ungodly. But the other
way, if you are without strength, And if you are ungodly, you have
every right to believe that Jesus Christ shed his precious blood
for you. You can't take the promise to
yourself unless you fit the character of the one the promise was made
to. Now, in this passage of Scripture, in Hebrews chapter 6, where he
says we're to have strong consolation, there is a three-fold description
of the ones who God is willing for them to have this strong
consolation. Now, look what he says in Hebrews
6, verse 17, wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto
the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel. Now, here's the
first mark of somebody that can take These promises to themselves,
first of all, they're heirs of promise. What's that mean, heirs
of promise? Well, let's go to the Word of
God and find out. Look in verses 12 through 15
of Hebrews chapter 6. Here's what he's talking about.
Verse 12, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through
faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise,
to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater. He swore
by himself, saying, surely, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying,
I will multiply thee. And so after the impatiently
endured, he obtained the promise. Turn back to Galatians chapter
3. Let's get some more scriptural light as to what is meant by
the promise. Galatians chapter 3. Now I can't take this spiritual
blessing, this strong consolation and believe it's mine unless
I fit the character of the one that the promise is made to.
Well, it's made to the heirs of promise. Look here in Galatians
chapter 3, beginning in verse 7, 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were
the promises made. And he saith not, and to seeds
as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ,
to Abraham, and to his seed, the Lord Jesus Christ, and those
who are united to him. Notice he didn't say seeds as
many, he's talking about that one seed, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and everybody united to him. To Abraham and to his seed were
the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds as
of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ, and
this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of
God in Christ, the law, which was 430 years after, cannot disannul
that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance
be of the law, it's no more a promise. But God gave it to Abraham by
promise. Turn to Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4, beginning in verse 13. For the promise that he should
be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the
law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect, because the law works wrath. For where no law is, there
is no transgression. Therefore it is a faith that
it might be by grace to the end that the promise might be sure
to all the seed. Not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is the faith of Abraham who is
the father of us all. Turn over to Romans 9. Verse 6, It is not as though
the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all
Israel which are of Israel. Neither because they are the
seed of Abraham are they all children, but in Isaac should
I seed be called. That is they which are the children
of the flesh. These are not the children of
God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise.
At this time will I come and Sarah shall have a son. And not
only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by
her father Isaac, for the children being not yet born, neither having
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand. not of works, but of him that
calleth." Now, heirs of the promise. If I believe in salvation by
works in any way, I don't care if it's a beginning work, an
act of my will that makes what Christ did work for me, I don't
care if it's a middle work, Some kind of work of obedience of
mine makes me more holy, more acceptable. I don't care if it's
an end work where I think that something that I've done is going
to get me a higher reward in heaven. If I believe in salvation
by works in any way, I exclude myself from the gospel. Now,
do you hear that? I exclude myself as I believe
my salvation is in any way, in any measure, to any degree dependent
upon me. I exclude myself from the promise. These are heirs of the promise,
the promise of grace. The promise, God saves me because
he promised he would. Not because of anything I do,
but because he promised he would for Christ's sake. Heirs of the
promise. Now here's the first requisite
for me to have this strong consolation. I must truly have some understanding
that salvation is of the Lord and it's not by works of righteousness,
which we have done. Now here's the next description.
Turn back to our text or maybe you're there in Hebrews chapter
six, wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs
of the promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it
by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible
for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who fled
for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Now here's
the second description. Somebody who gets these promises
and they're theirs is somebody who's fled for refuge. Now, I don't have any doubt that
the idea here is the cities of refuge. There were six cities
in the Old Testament, cities of refuge, and if you killed
somebody, the manslayer had the right to put you to death. And
there was only one place of safety, it was in the cities of refuge.
Can you imagine You knew, at that time you knew the only place
of safety, the only place where you wouldn't be killed is if
you got in that city of refuge. And this is the way somebody
comes to the Lord Jesus Christ. They know, they understand that
the only place of refuge, the only place of safety, the only
place of salvation is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so I'm
running to get into Him. I feel my sins behind me. I feel
the law of God behind me. I feel the manslayer behind me.
And I know the only place of safety is in that city of refuge. And I'm going to get in there
and I'm going to stay there. That's what Paul meant when he
said, Oh, that I may win Christ and be found in Him. Not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. I'm fleeing
into that city of refuge. place of security. The name of
the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and
are safe. We flee for refuge, he says,
to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us. Now here's
the third mark. First, the children of promise,
they don't believe in works. Second, they flee for refuge.
They come to the Lord Jesus Christ. They seek only to be found in
Him. And I tell you what, I know something about that. I only
want to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's my only
goal. That's my only aspiration, simply to be found in Him. When He shall come with trumpet
sound, oh, may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness
alone, faultless to stand before God's holy throne. fleeing for
refuge to, he says, lay hold upon the hope that's set before
us. The hope that's set before us. Who set it before us? God did. What is this hope? Now, when
the Bible talks about hope, it's not using the word the way we
usually use it. Is it going to rain tomorrow? Hope not. Maybe it will, maybe
it won't. That's not what the Bible means.
by that word. The word hope is a certain expectation. Will God reign tomorrow? I hope
so, because I know He is. God reigns. He's in control. Will God be in control of everything
that takes place from this time out? I hope so. I hope so. I
know He will. That's the hope we're talking
about when he talks about the hope set before us. It's a confident
expectation regarding the future. Now, regarding the hope that's
set before us, I have a hope. I have a hope that when I stand
before God, He's going to say to me, Todd Nybert, well done,
thou good and faithful servant. I've got a hope. And I've got
a hope that the reason he's going to say, well done, thou good
and faithful servant, is because in the Lord Jesus Christ, I am
a good and faithful servant. You see, his life, his obedience,
his law keeping, that's my life before God. That is my life. And when he says, well done,
it's because I've done well. I've got a hope that when I stand
before God, that I'm going to stand before God justified. You know what that means? I don't have anything to feel
guilty about. I stand perfectly just before Him, just before
His holy law. I've got a hope that when I stand
before God, I'll stand holy, unblameable, and unreprovable
in His sight. I have a hope that what Jesus
Christ did is all I need for all I'm talking about. You got
that hope? I have a hope in Him. He is my
hope. He is our hope. And I have laid
hold upon that hope. Like a man drowning. You throw out the rope. He lays
hold of the rope. He holds tight. He doesn't think
if my hand's clean enough to take this or my hand's too weak.
No, he just lays hold of that hope. He holds on to it. That's
what faith is. It's laying hold of the hope.
I lay hold of that hope. I'm not going to let it go. And
here's what's so glorious about this. Are your hands strong enough
to hold on? Anybody who lays hold upon that
hope, they have unseen hands over their hands that keeps them
holding on. Now, who are these people who
can take this strong consolation? First, those folks who they don't
believe in works. They know the only hope they
have is the grace of God. They don't believe in works.
They fled for refuge to lay hold upon the Lord Jesus Christ. They
fled for refuge to lay hold upon that hope set before them, the
hope of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I love the way this hope
is described. Look in our text. Verse 18. that by two immutable things
in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong
consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope
set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within
the veil." An anchor of the soul. Now, the picture is a small ship
tossed by the waves, but it doesn't drift away. It's not dashed against
the rocks. It has an anchor firmly entrenched
in the bottom and it cannot be moved. An anchor in the ship
is useless. This gives us some idea of what
faith is. I've got a good anchor, and I'm looking at it in the
ship. Well, what good's that going to do you? If it's in the
ship, you're going to get dashed against the rocks. You're going
to turn over. No, it's the anchor thrown out of the ship. It goes
down to where you can't see it. Isn't that what faith is? You
can't see. You believe. You throw that anchor
out of the ship, it goes down, and it's firmly entrenched. He
is an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast. I love this
description of our Lord. An anchor for the soul, both
sure and steadfast. Now, what came to my mind when
I was thinking about that, this anchor is so sure that where
it's entrenched, it can't get out. Safe. That cable's not going to break.
That place where it's connected to the ship is not going to break.
It's sure and steadfast is absolutely secure. It cannot be broken. This anchor gives perfect safety. And here's why. Notice again
in verse 19, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil. Now what's within the veil? the glory of God, the presence
of God, and my anchor right now, the anchor that's holding me,
bless the Lord, oh my soul, the anchor that's holding me is within
the veil right now. And I might be getting knocked
around on the waves, no doubt I am, but I've got a perfect
anchor. I've got an anchor within the
veil. I love that song we sing, my
hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. When darkness veils His
lovely face, I rest in His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy
gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant,
His blood support me in the whelming flood. when all around my soul
gives way he then is all my hope and stay within the veil the Holy of Holies
look in Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 wherefore he is able Also, to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing
that He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Now here's how I come
to God. I come to God by Him. Yes, I come pleading Him. I come
saying, Lord, hear me for Christ's sake. I come with no other reason.
Hear me for Christ's sake. I come by Him. That's true. But
more than that, when He comes to God, me being in Him, I come
to God by Him. That's how I come. When He comes,
I come united to Him. It's not just me pleading His
name. It's actually when He comes in, as He's into the very presence
of the Father, I come by Him because I come with Him. He comes,
I come. That's the believer's hope. We
come to God by Him. Now go back to our text in Hebrews
chapter 6. Wherein God, willing, more abundantly to go
above and beyond to show unto the heirs of the promise the
immutability, the changelessness of His counsel or will. He confirmed
it by an oath. Now, He didn't have to. You know,
if God says something, it's settled. He doesn't have to confirm it. But He knows our tendency to
unbelief. And He knows our tendency to
to look within and so on. So he confirms what he says with
an oath. His promise and he confirms it
with an oath. That's what he's willing to do.
He made a promise and he confirms it with an oath that by these
two immutable things, God's promise and God's oath. Now, God cannot
lie. That's a comfort. God cannot
lie. Somebody says, my God can do
anything. Mine can't. He can't lie. He can't act contrary
to His nature. He can't do anything but that
which is just. He can't act contrary to what
He said He would do in His Word. He can't do it. He's God. He
cannot lie. That's our God. He cannot lie. And He's made a promise. And
when He promises, it's sure. Yet he confirms it with an oath
that by these two immutable things, it's impossible for God to lie,
that we might have strong consolation, strong encouragement, who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Now here's
what God is willing to show me abundantly, and this is what
he's willing to show you abundantly. the immutability of his counsel. Now that word immutable, it simply
means no mutations, no changes. God is immutable. His word is
immutable. It never changes. It's always
powerful. It's always true. His will, it
never changes. Now what is this will the immutability
of this will that he's willing for us to enter into. Well, turn
with me to John 6. This is where we're going to
stop, looking at this passage of scripture in John chapter
6. Verse 38. Now remember, he is
willing to show to the heirs of the promise those who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them, He
is willing to show them the immutability of His will. Now He says in verse
38, For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but
the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will
which is sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should
lose nothing. but should raise it up again
at the last day. Now, here's the first part of
God's will. Everybody that Jesus Christ died for must be saved. If the Lord represented you,
your salvation is an absolute necessity. That's the power of
His blood. That's the greatness of His work. Your salvation is an absolute
necessity. Now, I love that. That's what
the scripture teaches. But the big question is how can
I know if I'm somebody he died for? I've got to know that. I see that he died for his people. And I see that they all must
be saved. And I'm glad it's that way. I see that. But how can I know
if I'm one of them? Well, let's look at the next
verse. Verse 40. And this is the will of him that
sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have
everlasting life, and I'll raise him up at the last day. Every one that seeth the Son,
now I've never seen the Lord Jesus Christ physically When
care was singing that song and talked about how beautiful or
the feet of that one who who walked up Calvary's Hill I Was
thinking about those feet carrying that cross, but I thought I don't
know what he looks like I've never seen him physically but
you know what I Have seen I myself I Have seen
Him in this book. I have seen that He is the message
of this book. Have you seen that? I mean, I
really believe that. I'm not just saying this because
people taught me and I know it's the right thing to say. I have
seen that the Lord Jesus Christ is the sum and substance of this
book. And you know what else I see?
I see that the Father is pleased with him. And I see, I see that
everybody he died for must be saved. Saw that up in the previous
verse. But I see, I see, I see that
he is my hope. I see that. I understand that
he's my hope. You see, I rely on him. How do
you know he's your hope? Because I believe on him. That's
how I know, because I believe. Notice he said, everyone that
seeeth the Son, I see that Christ Jesus is the only way to the
Father. I see that he's the message of this book. I see he's everything
in salvation. I see he's the altogether lovely
one. I see those things. I really do. I see. I see for
myself. But not only do I see, here's
the evidence of seeing. Look what it says in verse 40.
And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone would
seeeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting
life, and I'll raise Him up at the last day." I do believe on
Him. I know whom I have believed.
And I'm persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've
committed to Him against that day. I've committed the salvation
of my soul to Him. My hands are off. My hands are
off. If who he is and what he did
isn't enough to save me, I won't be saved. I have committed. I'm
not holding anything back. All my eggs are in this one basket.
I've committed. I have committed the salvation
of my soul to him. That's what folks who believe
do. Now, everybody in this room, listen to me real carefully.
God commands you to believe right now. Now do you hear that? God commands
you to believe on His Son right now and your right to do it is
found in His command. God commands all men everywhere
to repent. Are you one of them? Then you're commanded to repent. So this is not a complicated
thing. People worry, well, what if I'm not elect? What if I'm
not, what if Christ didn't die for me? You don't need to worry
about any of that. You really don't. God commands you to believe
on Him. Shouldn't you believe the truth? Of course you ought to believe
the truth. Shouldn't you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Isn't
He worthy of complete trust? Is there any reason for you to
not believe on Him? Now, here's God's will. Everyone that sees
the Son and believes on Him has everlasting life. What strong consolation. What
strong comfort. What strong encouragement. And everybody in this room, you
don't have any reason to leave this place discouraged. You are
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's a command. That's a command. Let's pray together.