Warning!  If there’s no change, we’re not Xians  Same dispositions in our attitudes, reactions, treatment of other people: still dead.  If you have the mark of helping others, you’re a Christian  You might still have doubts & uncertainties

The Rocket of Faith: the Answer  Abraham – the Father of Faith  Exercising this faith, we become “children of Abraham”  Build a “Ground of our hope” For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you." And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:13-20 (NASB)

Abraham’s Story  Given a great promise  Didn’t immediately see results  He did mess up with Ishmael…a thorn in his side.  See Ro. 4:19 “Fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised.”  His faith rested on the character of God.  Among us: a man’s word is no better than his character.  God is true to his own character: by making a promise, and swearing to fulfill it.  Didn’t need to see the results for 25 years…  He’s the kind of God who does what He says.

Why We Believe  “Seeing is believing” – not how we reach truth.  Prayer works – because it’s what JC said works.  The demonstration of prayer is of that which I’ve already believed.  Einstein: didn’t come to E=MC2 by experiments.  “Believing is Seeing” – either JC is telling us the truth like nobody who’s appeared in human history, or he’s a grotesque imposter.  Everything follows from this: a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.

The Tragedy in Hebrews  We’re Hebrews!  God’s “Chosen People” and very secure…  Knew all about the Christ  Still Immature!  “JC” is Pretty Cool Until…  He shakes your traditions and assumptions  Until He reaches right into our precious home lives  Until “following JC” starts to cost something  Shaken UP  Storm of the Century: Abandoned Everything

Their (legitimate) Problem  JC is probably the Messiah, but not a Priest  From Judah, not Levi (see Ch. 7)  Anyway, he’s not even here anymore!  JC is the only Priest  The Story of Melchizadek (Gen.14)  Very Ancient 2,000 BC  Raiding Band Captures Sodomites  Gen. 14:7

God Was Taking Care of Them!  Humans cannot take care of you!  Why would we “follow others” when God’s offering to lead us?  Do you want to take care of yourself?  Do you have a “guarantee of a better covenant” ?  What sort of “guarantees” do you have?  Nothing is “guaranteed” in life!  Except for God’s guarantee…