You Need An Anchor Series

HoHum:

A naval student was being put through the paces by an old sea captain. "What would you do if a sudden storm sprang up on the starboard?" asked the captain. "Throw out an anchor, sir." replied the naval student. "What would you do if another storm sprang up aft?" asked the captain. "Throw out another anchor, sir." answered the student. "And if another terrific storm sprang up forward, what would you do?" asked the captain. "Throw out another anchor." replied the student. "Hold on," said the Captain. "Where are you getting all your anchors from?" The student replied, "From the same place you're getting all of your storms, sir."

WBTU:

I love the imagery and the picture that is presented in vs. 19 of an anchor.

Fellows from the navy can probably add much to this but it a picture of our life in Christ.

Thesis: Let’s talk about this picture and what is associated with it.

For instances:

I. Every believer is like a ship.

We are blown and tossed by the wind like a ship upon the sea. This world is a troubled sea. Jesus said in John 16:33: In this world you will have trouble.

We are so unsure and unstable. Reminds me of a fishing trip my brother and I went on. We had no anchor. My brother caught a fish in front of a stream that let into the lake. There was the fishing hole. We had no anchor. He told me to take the oars and keep us in front of the stream. No way! We kept drifting away.

We need something firm, secure, steady, and unmovable. If we don’t find something solid to anchor us, we will get seasick and be unable to function.

William C. Martin- Mighty tides about me sweep, Perils lurk within the deep, Angry clouds o’ershade the sky, And the tempest rises high; Troubles almost ’whelm the soul; Griefs like billows o’er me roll; Tempters seek to lure astray; Storms obscure the light of day But in Christ I can be bold, I’ve an anchor that shall hold.

II. We have an anchor- hope

1 Corinthians 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. Of these three hope seems to be the least important.

However, this is not just the hope of I wish such and such would happen. In the NIV, Paul seems to say such things. Romans 15:23-24: I have been longing for many years to see you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through. I wish to come to you.

No, this is a different kind of hope that is described earlier in Romans 8. Vs. 23-25: we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. What hope is being talked about here? The belief that through the gospel we are and will be redeemed.

Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. “It’s all good.”

This hope enables the Christian in distress to say from Psalm 42:11: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

How can we have that attitude? Because we have Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:1: Christ Jesus our hope

III. We have an anchorage

We are not talking about Anchorage, Alaska but it does apply. During the Alaskan gold rush, the town nearest the gold did not have a good anchorage near the ocean. The ships found better anchorage a distance away and thus came the town of Anchorage.

To have good anchorage is to find a place where anchors can be held fast to the bottom without slipping or dragging. It is best if one can get an anchor embedded among rocks. This is good anchorage but difficult when the ship is trying to get anchors aweigh, the anchor to let loose from the sea bottom.

Our anchorage is the best because our anchor is embedded in rocks of God’s promises. It is firm and secure.

Vs. 18 talks about how God does not lie and because of God’s promises we are greatly encouraged.

Joshua 21:45: Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Priscilla Owens- We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll, Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.