"Drop Your Anchors"

Psalm 46:1-11

Matthew 7:21-29

“Drop Your Anchors”

By: Rev. Kenneth Sauer, Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA

We speak naively about the the earth being a terra firma--which means that it is solid ground.

But it isn’t.

Geologists have discovered that the continents are actually afloat---continually being changed by moving

plates.

So what we are living on---the place where we have built our homes, our castles...the place where many of

us have stored our treasures.....the place that many of us pin our hopes on, our dreams, our futures on.....

.....is actually a dynamic, living, changing planet which is set in an exploding, expanding universe.

The idea that this world, this universe, this creation is like a clock that has been wound up and then left to

tick along on its own--just doesn’t work!

In fact, creation is a great natural drama that seethes with the unexpected.....

but at the same time....

....it has a meaningful purpose that will reach it’s objective.

And this is exactly how Psalm 46 describes our world.

This earth is not our final destination.

It is not our fixed position.

It is not solid ground.

It is not the place where we are to pin all our hopes, our dreams, and our futures.

We will not be here forever...the earth will not be here forever....but we will be somewhere forever!!!

Yes, we are afloat in this life....but this doesn’t mean that we are forced to be drifters....

to be lost at sea....

to be without hope and purpose.

Because there is a place where we can drop our anchors!

There is solid ground!

And this solid ground is found only in God’s strength and the security which is found in Him.

There is a general sense of instability and insecurity that we all face in this life.

Many of us live from paycheck to paycheck...

...praying that we will be able to pay each month’s bills.

Many people live without the security of a loving home and a loving church family.

As you know, my parents are with us this morning....

and I’m going to serve them communion!!!

What a thrill!!!

I was brought up in a very stable and loving home....

....and I have beautiful early childhood memories which are filled with joy and love--devoid of the

instability and insecurity of this world.

My parents built my foundation on the Rock....

....they knew where to drop their anchor!

Unfortunately, as time goes on...it seems that more and more children are growing up without this

foundation, without this Rock, without this anchor....

....and the results are hitting us in the face every time we open the newspaper or turn on the news.

For many people, the results are in their very own homes or backyards.

Yes, we are all afloat and it is so very important where we decide to drop our anchors.

A colleage of mine, another United Methodist Minister in this area who I respect greatly....

....who has much more experience in life than I do.....

....told me this week:

“I’m afraid we have become too politically correct for our own good.”

We were discussing the current war, and the horrible terrorist situation.

He said: “So many of us are saying that we all worship the same God.

But that is not true!

Mohammad was a false prophet!

His teachings encourage exclusion rather than inclusion...”

And he went on to describe some very shocking examples.

“The teachings of Jesus Christ and those of Mohammad are completely incompatible,” he went on to say....

“And the god whom the terrorists are worshiping is not the same God of the Christian Church.”

Now I’m not trying to start some ‘holy war’.

Many of us are guilty of following false prophets....or worshiping false gods.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the protests some people have made over some recent Hollywood

movies...

...because of the sorcery and magic that is depicted.

Last week, my son Ben was asking me what the big deal is.

After-all, didn’t Peter Pan use magic?

Was there not magic involved in the story of Snow White?

And how about the Wizard of Oz.....?

And the list could go on and on.

This may sound funny, but a few days ago I watched an episode of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood,

for nothing more than nostalgic reasons.....

And one of my favorite childhood sequences in that show is when the Trolley drives through and takes the

viewers to the world of make believe...

....but that’s what it is--make believe!

Do they use magic in the World of Make Believe?

They sure do....but Mr. Rogers makes sure at the end of each program that it is understood that this

magic is make believe.

Unfortunately, magic--in this day and age is not something that many people just think of as