At the present time in the life of the church we need more than ever to be sure of the promises which God has made to his church. Hebrews 6 verse 13-20 is a passage which emphasizes to us the absolute security of God’s promises to us. The writer points out, quoting Genesis 22: 16 and 17 that it is very unusual for God to swear by anything, usually His promise is enough. However here, in order to show the depth of his promise to Abraham, God gives a promise and an oath. Which effectively means, if I do not keep this promise I will no longer be God! Today, as the church, we are part of the fulfilled promise Genesis 22: 18, ‘and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me’.

The writer of Hebrews goes on to say in verse 18 that this gives us hope which encourages us, and in verse 19 that this hope is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Yet Hebrews also points out that Abraham had to wait patiently for the fulfillment of the promise whilst following what he thought God wanted him to do.

In the verses prior to this passage the writer points out that as Christians we should be striving to be mature, not become lazy, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. The apostle Paul is one such person. Think back to the series which we did on Acts and remember the passage on the shipwreck (Acts 27). Paul received a promise that all on board would be saved. However, he did not just sit there privately praying. He stood up and passed on the message, foiled the sailor’s plot to abandon ship, encouraged everyone to eat, and made himself liked by the centurion so that the prisoners weren’t murdered.

We know that our church was founded by our spiritual ancestors in 1651 as a result of faith, and that its present site is a result of visionary mission work. God has kept his promises to our church for over 350 years, and will continue to do so if we hope in him. Let us therefore follow the example of Paul, not just praying privately, which is important, but also standing up and sharing what God is telling us. Let us not be afraid of sharing the gospel with our community. Let us stand together encouraging one another, and nurturing one another so that we stay together during the interregnum and do not lose people. Let us also make every effort to engage with those who can help us in our present situation, not spurning offers of help to do things.

We have a lot to do, paying for the main roof, and the flat roofs. Seeking and finding a new minister and raising enough money to pay for him/her. Whilst doing these things we are working towards the path God wants us to take in the 21^st Century. Humanly speaking this will be tough, but we know from the scripture, and our own experience, that with God all things are possible. So may we be encouraged from the book of Hebrews, by the hope which is within us, that is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.