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
‘make-believe’!
There are some very troubled folks who actually take magic seriously....
....who actually believe themselves to be witches....
.....for whom this magic stuff is not just a game.
There is a tremendous rise in the number of young people who are getting involved in witchcraft, Satan
worship and other forms of the occult...
...and their lives are getting very messed up because of it.
A friend of mine has a young nephew who got involved in Satan worship.....and that kid literally went
nuts!
He may very well have to stay in a mental institution for the rest of his life.
So, it’s a shame but it is understandable why there is a public out-cry when movies which are targeted at
our children--come out glorifying magic and witchcraft!!!
Too many of us do not have a solid foundation in order to weather these kinds of storms.
Even though membership in theologically sound mainline Christian churches is on the decline....
....all of humankind remains afloat....searching for solid ground.
And thanks be to God....there is solid ground!
“though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,”....
There is solid ground!!!!
Beyond this creation is the power and will of the sovereign Creator.
Beyond human leaders and events stands the power of God!
He brings judgement, and He brings peace.
It is God who is in charge---no matter how instable this world becomes!
He is to be worshiped and praised.
His Word is final; His presence is security.
All other hopes dissolve before him!
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
The noun for ‘refuge’ means ‘shelter’.
When the rains come God protects us.
When the streams rise God protects us.
When the winds blow and beat against us God protects us!
God is our shelter!
Some people like to drop the names of important and influential people around.
They may do this in order to gain entrance or to merely impress others.
Jesus warns: “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven...”
Many people throw the name of Jesus Christ around, but they don’t really know Him.
Dropping names around might impress other people but it won’t impress God.
We must know Christ through faith.
In other words, it’s not just what you know that counts, but it’s Who you know.
Jesus teaches that there are two kinds of people.
There are those who build their lives on the sands of worldly values.
They are the foolish ones because what they have built will be swept away.
Then, there are those who build their lives on the Rock of Christ.
They are wise.
What they have built will stand the test of time and eternity.
What kind of foundation are we building on?
What kind of foundation are we laying for our children?
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”
This river is the River of Life described in the Book of Revelation.
It flows “from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.”
And this city is where everyone who knows Christ “will see his face”, and “serve him” for ever and ever
and ever.
This is the place of stability.
This is the place of security.
Verse 6 of our Psalm declares: “Nations are in an uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth
melts.”
Yes, the nations are in an uproar. There is war.
There is terror, but the ultimate victory is found in God.
The Bible tells us about the Day of the Lord: “the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”
But for those who know Christ....
....God is our stability and security.
When we dwell in the city of God, the chaos of history with the loud confusion of battle cannot carry us
away.
God brings judgement....but God also brings peace.
Isaiah sees the day when swords will be beaten into plowshares, and Revelation promises the eternal
reign of God.
And just as God will ultimately bring peace to the earth,
He also brings peace to the heart.
We can experience right now this eschatological--or end-time reality.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
To know God is to experience Him in the quiet of our hearts.
And to know God is to be in relation with Him....it’s not just some theological knowledge.
It is letting God’s peace settle down upon us.
It is knowing Him as our security and stability in the face of the storms of this life.
Psalm 46 ends with: “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Is God big enough to deal with our personal problems?
Is He big enough to deal with the war on terrorism?
Is He big enough to deal with Volanoes, Hurricanes, Shifting plates, Comets?
The God of Psalm 46 commands angelic hosts, volatile nature, expanding creation, historic chaos, wars,
and rumors of wars.
He is the Lord of Hosts!
He will be exalted in the earth!
It’s no wonder that this Psalm inspired Luther to write the hymn: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
God is indeed our refuge and our fortress.
In Him--and Him only--are we afe and secure!!!!
If you have not done so already, it is time to drop anchor on the Rock---the God of our Salvation!!!
