Anchored in Heaven

We're going to begin our service singing to God's praise from Psalm 71 in the Scottish Psalter.

That's on page 311. The tune is Weatherby, Psalm 71, page 311.

We sing verses 14 to 19.

But I with expectation will hope continually, and yet with praises more and more I will they magnify.

Thy justice and salvation my mouth abroad shall show, even all the day, for I thereof the numbers do not know.

And I will constantly go on in strength of God the Lord, and thine own righteousness, even thine alone I will record.

For even from my youth, O God, by thee I have been taught, and hitherto I have declared the wonders thou hast wrought.

And now, Lord, leave me not when I old and grey-headed grow, till to this age thy strength and power to all to come I show.

And I, most perfect righteousness, O Lord, is very high, who has so great things done, O God, who is like unto thee.

Sixth answer, Psalm 71, 14 to 19.

But I with expectation

But I with expectation

will hope continually

and yet will praise it more and more

I will be magnified

My justice and salvation

My heart the broad shall show

If all the day on I dare all

that others do not know

And I will constantly go on

His strength of God the Lord

And I know righteousness

Even I alone I will report

For even from my youthful thought

By Thee I have been taught

And ever too I have declared

The wonder shall have strong

And I know Lord be me not

When I hope and great in all

Till the day on I will see

Thy strength and power

To all to come I show

I'm Thy most perfect righteousness

O Lord is there behind

Who has so great things done

O Lord who is like God to feed

Let us bow in prayer

O Lord our God as we bow before you this evening

We give thanks that we were able to sing

Your word which reminds us that

We go on in your strength

And your strength alone

The apostle was able to say

That he was able to do all things

Through Christ who strengthens me

And we pray Lord that day by day

We may discover more and more

Of that enabling strength

Because there are times that we feel

Not only physically weak

But we feel spiritually weak as well

And we wonder sometimes

How we're going to face up

And to deal with all the different challenges

That come our way

So we pray for the faith

That will look heavenward

And the faith that will fix

Our eyes upon Jesus

Who is the author

And the finisher of our faith

We pray Lord that as we worship you tonight

That we may be able to see you by faith

We have to confess Lord

That sometimes

We feel that our faith is very weak

And we realize that there are

Differing degrees of faith

Sometimes you said

To your people

That they had great faith

Other times

Weak faith

But we pray that you will give us faith

That sees you in every situation

To see you as the Lord of Providence

And as well as the Lord of Grace

And enable us Lord

To lift up our eyes

And as we heard this morning

To give you thanks

Because there is so much

To give you thanks for

And we pray that praise

Might be an integral part

Of our lives

We know it's the language of heaven

And may it certainly be

Our language here on earth

So that we will find

Our whole being lifted up

To praise you

And to magnify

And to exalt your great name

Because you are worthy

Of all honour

And praise

And glory

And we pray that

We may not be like

The nine lepers

Who didn't come back

But that we will be constant

Like the one who did come back

In order to praise

And to give thanks

To our Lord

We pray that you will bless us

In our worship tonight

We need you

We pray for a sense

Of your presence

We know that you're here

Your word has told us

That where two or three

Gather in your name

You're there in the midst

But we pray that we might have

A felt sense of your presence

And we give thanks Lord

For the gathering together

Of your people

Because we are a community

Of believers

And we seek that we might

Be given the grace

Every day to seek

To strengthen one another

In the faith

Because there's so much

In this life

To knock us down

We pray that we will

Never knock each other down

But that we will seek

Always to encourage

And to build up

One another in the faith

Help us all to remember

That we are part of a body

A very special

And precious body

In your sight

A body that you lay down

Your life for

And may we always

Acknowledge you

As the head of the body

And so we pray

That we will know

Collective blessing

And individual blessing

And we ask that you

Will do us good

We pray your blessing

Upon this congregation

Pray your blessing

Upon James and Donna

And we give thanks Lord

For how well things

Have gone with Donna

We pray that

They will know

A wee bit of rest

And refreshing

At this time

And that you will be

With them in all the

Days that lie ahead

We pray Lord

That you will bless

Their family as well

Likewise we pray

For Calamurdo

And Joanne

We give thanks

For their being here

Pray to bless them

And the ministry here

And bless their family too

And we pray your blessing

Upon all who serve you

At all different levels

In this congregation

So much goes on

Some publicly

Some very privately

But there's nothing

Private before you

Because every single thing

Is noted by you

And in the great day

Will receive its reward

And so we pray

To encourage your people

In all the different activities

And in all the different things

That take place

Day by day

And week by week

And we pray

That the seed

That has been sown

And particularly

In young lives

That it will bear fruit

And that we will see

Young people coming to faith

Where they've come

To put their trust

In the living God

Oh Lord

We give thanks

For the way that you work

In a generational work

And across generations

Where we see people

Of all different age groups

Coming to embrace

And to trust the Lord Jesus

And what we pray

For ourselves

We pray for all others

Who meet as we do

And all your people

Throughout our land

We pray to give wisdom

To our leaders

And all an authority over us

And even when they don't

Look to you

For that wisdom

We pray that you'll

Give it to them

Because if we're left

To human wisdom

It'll just bring catastrophe

And as we see so often

That laws are passed

That don't make sense

And we pray Lord

That you will indeed

Give that wisdom

That divine wisdom

From above

So that we'll be led

In the right way

Encourage all your people

Who are in positions

Of authority

Strengthen their hands

Strengthen their witness

And we pray Lord

That you will overturn

The counsels of those

Who are seeking to undermine

And destroy your cause

And we know that there are many

Who are seeking to obliterate

The Christian faith

From our land

We pray that their efforts

Will be halted

And that your name

And your glory

Will be the glory

That fills our land

We ask Lord

That you will be

With those who mourn

Those whose hearts

Are heavy and sore

And we pray for the family

Of the late Jesse Ann Morrison

Whose funeral was recently

And we pray for all

Who mourn the loss

Of loved ones

It is something that

People never really

Come to terms with

We maybe adjust

Maybe learn to live with

But there's always

A settled emptiness

And settled sorrow

And so we pray

For every broken heart

And every person

Who feels crushed

Pray Lord

For those who are

Struggling in life

Because we live

In a very difficult world

There are so many challenges

Whether they be physical

Or mental

Or economic

Or social

Or whatever way

We ask Lord

That you will help

We pray Lord

That we might have

An eye upon you

As we pray

About all these things

Remember Muriel

And ask your blessing

Upon her

Be with her in Cambodia

We give thanks Lord

For her great service there

And the blessing

That she has been

To so many

We pray for all

The missionaries tonight

And we ask Lord

That you will encourage them

Particularly those

Who might be struggling

Maybe with homesickness

Or struggling with illness

Or struggling with anxieties

Or darkness

Or oppression

Those who are finding it hard

Lord we pray

That you will be with them

In the midst of their struggles

We pray for our world

That we are part of

And we pray Lord

That you might bring peace

So often as we look out

There seems to be

Some new carnage

New horror

And we are aware

That there is so much

Bloodshed

So much pain

In this world

We long for peace

But we see that

This is part of the fruit of sin

Lord it's one of the things

That we long for in glory

Where all the enmity

And all the hatred

And all the anger

And all the bitterness

Will be gone forever

And it will be eternal peace

Eternal joy

Eternal rejoicing

We do long for that day Lord

So we ask that you will be with us

As we wait upon you tonight

Pray for those who are ill

Those Lord who are

Undergoing

Or waiting for treatment

And likewise for surgery

We ask to be with them

Remember our elderly

And those who are no longer able

To get out to church

Who are so much

An integral part of the congregation

Be with them

Where they are

And ask Lord

That they will know

Your presence

And your blessing

And so we ask now

That you will watch over us

And that we might indeed

Be conscious that you are with us

The whole time that we are here

Take away from us

Then out every sin

In Jesus name we ask it

Amen

We're going to sing again

In Psalm 31

From Sing Psalms

And the tune is

Herringate

Psalm 31

It's on page 36

1 to 7

5 stanzas

Psalm 31

Psalms 31:1–7

Verses 1 to 7

In you have taken refuge

Lord

You are my shelter

In distress

Oh let me never be ashamed

But save me

In your righteousness

Lord turn your ear

To hear my cry

Come quickly

To deliver me

And be my rock

And firm defense

My stronghold

And security

You are my fortress

And my rock

For your name's sake

Be my sure guide

Preserve me

From the trap

That's set

You are the refuge

Where I hide

Redeem me

Lord

Oh God of truth

My spirit

I commit to you

I hate all those

Who trust false gods

I trust the Lord

For he is true

I will rejoice

And take delight

In all the love

That you have shown

For my affliction

You have seen

To you

My soul's

Distress

Is known

31 1 to 7

And you have taken

Refuge Lord

In you I take

Refuge Lord

You are my shelter

In distress

O let me never be ashamed

But save me in your righteousness

Lord turn your ear to hear my cry

Come quickly to deliver me

And be my wrong and firm defense

My stronghold and security

You are my fortress

You are my fortress

And my hope

For you

Be my sure guide

Be serve me from the trap

You are my fortress

You are my fortress

You are my fortress

Then I hide

And I hide

I love you

Reveal me Lord

O God of truth

My spirit

I commit to you

I hate

I hate all those

Who trust

I trust the Lord

For he is true

I will rejoice

And take delight

And take delight

In all the love

Of the love

That you have shown

For my affliction

You have seen

To you

My soul's distress is known

Amen

Let's turn to read God's word

Now in the epistle to the Hebrews

And chapter 6

Hebrews chapter 6

Hebrews 6 · chapter mention

We read the chapter

Hebrews chapter 6

Hebrews 6 · chapter mention

Hebrews chapter 6

Hebrews 6 · chapter mention

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ

And go on to maturity

Not laying again a foundation of repentance

From dead works and of faith towards God

And of instruction about washings

The laying on of hands

The resurrection of the dead

And eternal judgment

And this we will do

If God permits

For it is impossible

To restore again to repentance

Those who have once been enlightened

Who have tasted the heavenly gift

And have shared in the Holy Spirit

And have tasted the goodness of the word of God

And the powers of the age to come

If they then fall away

Since they are crucifying once again

The Son of God

To their own harm

And holding him up to contempt

For lamb that has drunk the rain

That often falls in it

And produces a crop useful to those

For whose sake it is cultivated

Receives a blessing from God

But if it bears thorns and thistles

It is worthless

And near to being cursed

And its end is to be burned

Though we speak in this way

Yet in your case, beloved

We feel sure of better things

Things that belong to salvation

For God is not so unjust

As to overlook your work

And the love that you showed

For his sake

In serving the saints

As you still do

And we decide each one of you

To show the same earnestness

To have the full assurance

Of hope until the end

So that you may not be sluggish

But imitators of those

Who through faith and patience

Inherit the promises

For when God made a promise to Abraham

Since he had no one greater

By whom to swear

He swore by himself

Saying, surely I will bless you

And multiply you

And thus Abraham

Having patiently waited

Obtained the promise

For people swear

By something greater than themselves

And in all their disputes

An oath is final

For confirmation

So when God desired

To show more convincingly

To the heirs of the promise

The unchangeable character

Of his purpose

He guaranteed it

With an oath

So that by two unchangeable things

In which it is impossible

For God to lie

We who have fled for refuge

Might have strong encouragement

To hold fast to the hope set before us

We have this as a sure

And steadfast anchor of the soul

A hope that enters into the inner place

Behind the curtain

Where Jesus has gone as a forerunner

On our behalf

Having become a high priest forever

After the order of Melchizedek

Amen

And may God bless to us

This reading of his own holy word

We are going to sing again

From the Scottish Psalter

In Psalm 130

We sing the whole psalm

The tune is Martyrdom

Psalm 130

We sing the whole psalm

Tune Martyrdom

Page 421

Lord from the depths

To thee I cried

My voice Lord

Do thou hear

Unto my supplications voice

Give an attentive ear

Lord who shall stand

If thou O Lord

Shouldst mark iniquity

But yet with thee forgiveness is

That feared thou mayest be

I wait for God

My soul doth wait

My hope is in his word

More than they that for morning watch

My soul waits for the Lord

I say more than they that do watch

The morning light to see

Let Israel's hope in the Lord

For with him mercy is be

And plenteous redemption

Is ever found with him

And from all his iniquities

He Israel shall redeem

Psalm 130

Lord from the depths

To thee I cried

For from the depths

To thee I cried

For from the depths

To thee I cried

For from the dead to thee I cry, my voice for to the clear,

And do my soul with patience voice, if I'm not dead there be.

Lord, who shall stand if thou, O Lord, sure sparkly with thee?

But yet with thee forgiveness is, but fear thou mayest be.

I wait for God, my soul doth wait, My hope is in His word.

More than they have, for mooring watch, My soul is for the Lord.

My Savior, I may have to watch The morning light to see.

Let Israel open the door, For with Him mercy is He.

And when Jesus' redemption Is ever come to Him,

And from all His dengue is He is husha free.

Let's turn again to the chapter we read in Hebrews chapter 6.

Hebrews 6 · chapter mention

And if we read again from verse 17, Hebrews 6 from verse 17,

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise, the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath.

So by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

And particularly verse 19.

I'm sure we're all aware from history that way back in the early church when the times of the fires of persecution were really burning.

And people couldn't publicly share that they were Christians on pain of death.

So there had to be an awful lot of secrecy.

And we know that it's like that in some places in the world even today where there's an underground church.

People don't have the freedom and they don't have the privileges that we have that often we take for granted.

But back then when the fires of persecution were burning, it cost an awful lot to be a Christian.

And so we know that there was a symbol, the symbol of the fish, which still is to the go today.

But that's when it originated, the symbol of the fish.

And of course, it is an acrostic for Christians because in Greek, the lettering stands for Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

So that's what a person had, this symbol, where they were stating that Jesus Christ, Son of God, is my Savior.

Because they couldn't do it publicly.

And there's a lot of, I suppose in archaeology and so on, there's a lot of these discoveries of it.

But there was also, which wasn't so common, but there was still a lot of them discovered, there was a symbol of the anchor.

And of course, that was symbolizing the steadfastness and the perseverance of the Christian faith.

And really, these two symbols speak about what Christianity is.

That Jesus Christ, Son of God, is our Savior.

And that by Him and through Him, we remain steadfast and sure in the faith.

And it's a question, before we go any further, we'd have to ask ourselves, if we lived in such a day,

could you pin these two anchors, particularly the first one, to yourself?

These two symbols, could you pin it to yourself?

Is Jesus Christ, Son of God, your Savior?

It's a very, very important question.

And one that needs an answer.

Because one day, Jesus is going to confront you and me about this very thing.

Where we have been, where we have stood, what we have done with Him.

And so we're given this opportunity even tonight.

If you haven't got yourself right with Jesus, then it's time that you did.

So that you would be able to pin these two symbols onto you.

Where you could say that Jesus Christ, Son of God, is my Savior.

And I am remaining through Him steadfast in the faith.

Now this passage from verse 13 on really is quite remarkable.

And in a sense, we're just looking at it briefly tonight here.

And our main focus is in verse 19, these words,

we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,

a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.

Now as we know, hope is a wonderful word.

And we often use the expression, maybe when somebody's really, really ill.

And maybe there's a, we're kind of wondering how things are going to do.

And we use the expression, where there's life, there's hope.

And that's so true.

Where there's life, there's always hope.

We hope that he or she will turn the corner and get better.

But while it's true in the natural world, it is also very, very true in the spiritual world.

Where there is life, there is hope.

Where there is spiritual life, there is spiritual hope.

And the hope, the Christian hope is not dependent upon ourselves.

If it was, it wouldn't take us very far.

Christian hope is not dependent on our circumstances of what's happening or what hasn't happened.

If it was, it wouldn't take us very far.

Christian hope is based upon the very nature and the very character of God.

And it is what we have in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

And Christian hope is one of the great, great blessings

that we have been given when we come to faith in Jesus Christ.

The question is, do we work up this hope ourselves?

Is this something that we can conjure up ourselves, this hope?

Of course it's not.

When a person becomes a Christian, various things happen.

The moment that we're regenerated, the moment we're born again,

the moment that we come into faith with the Lord Jesus Christ,

various things happen.

That changes everything.

We're justified.

In a moment, if you remember our shorter catechism,

it tells us that justification is an act.

It is like a once and for all.

It happens right away.

God pronounces us just because of what Jesus Christ has done.

Not something that we've done, but what Jesus has done.

And following on from that,

we are also immediately brought into the family of God.

We call it adoption, who are adopted into the family of God.

And along with that, happening at the same time,

we have peace with God.

We have our peace.

Because you see, beforehand, before we came to faith,

we were on the run from God.

We didn't want God.

Or at least we didn't want God except on our terms.

But we can only get God on his terms.

And so there is this natural instinct within us to run away from God.

Why?

Because we're afraid.

That's why Adam ran.

Remember when Adam ran in the Garden of Eden?

God said, where are you?

And why do you run away?

He said, I was afraid.

I was afraid.

You see, that's how we are by nature.

We're afraid.

We run.

We're on the run from God.

But once we become Christians, we stop running.

We're not running away.

We're running to God.

We're at peace with God.

We now call him Abba Father.

We are into this wonderful relationship.

And so there's this sense of peace comes into our heart.

Through the Holy Spirit.

The love of God is shed abroad within our heart.

But also, hope is born in our heart.

And it's not the hope so of the world.

It is a firm persuasion.

Again, that everything God has promised in his word is going to come true.

And that's one of the most wonderful things.

That is why becoming a Christian changes life radically.

We're still the same people.

Still the same personality.

We still operate in many of the same ways.

Although as time goes on, we should be being conformed and changed more and more to the image of Christ.

But it's a radical change.

And that's the most wonderful thing that can happen to us.

And if you're still without Christ, I urge you to seek him and to look to him.

So God has given us this great blessing of hope.

Now, this hope is here described as an anchor of the soul.

And it's not just described as an anchor, but a sure and steadfast anchor.

And why is it so sure?

Well, this passage tells us why it is so sure.

And really, I find this one of the most incredible passages in Scripture.

Because the hope that God has implanted into our heart is all tied in with the promise that God gave to Abraham many, many, many years ago.

Now, some people think the Old Testament today is irrelevant.

They say, oh, what's the point in the Old Testament?

The Old Testament is as relevant as the New Testament.

You can't separate them.

Although the New Testament is in a new age, the two are combined.

And we cannot understand the one without the other.

And Genesis is as relevant to today as the book of Revelation is relevant.

It's all relevant.

And so when we go back into Genesis, we find that God gave Abraham a promise.

And that's what we read there in verse 13.

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying,

Surely I will bless you and multiply you.

And so when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of promise.

And who are the heirs of promise?

Well, that's you and me.

We are the heirs of promise.

Because although there was a godly line before Abraham, Abel was a godly man.

Seth was Adam and Eve's son Seth.

There was a godly line run down that through them, the likes of Enoch and on into Noah.

But remember how God called Abraham.

And he was going to make him a great nation.

And through him, all the nations of the world were going to be blessed.

And in a sense, we can say Abraham is the father of the Jewish race.

But not only of the Jewish race, but of all believers.

He is the father of a physical race.

But he's also the father in this world of a spiritual race.

We are the spiritual seed of Abraham.

And so the promises that God gave to Abraham are promises for us as well.

We are the heirs of salvation.

But what is remarkable here is, and it all ties in with this sure and steadfast,

God wants us to be so absolutely persuaded of what he is telling us of the fullness and the wonder of this promise,

is that he has made this promise with an oath.

Now, I find that quite extraordinary.

Now, you and I make promises.

We make promises all the time.

And usually the promises we make are with every good intention.

But you and I know only too well that we break promises.

Not deliberately.

But so often because we forget.

How often have you said, oh, you know, I promise to go.

I promise to go and see so and so.

I promise to do this.

I promise to do that.

And we've forgotten.

And other times we make promises to do something.

But circumstances change and no longer are we able to do it.

But that's never so with God.

Because God knows everything.

He knows everything from end to the beginning.

And it is impossible for God to change his mind.

It is impossible for God to make a promise and not fulfill it.

God is unchanging.

It tells us God cannot lie.

And that means that every single word in this book is true.

It is impossible for God not to fulfill his word.

So God has made this promise to us.

But this promise is so important to God that he attaches an oath to the promise.

Now, that's extraordinary.

He's putting an oath.

Now, I don't know the language of courts today.

But I know that how it used to be that a person had to swear on the Bible.

A person had to say that they were telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

And the reason why a Bible was produced is because they had to take an authority that was greater than us.

And there is no authority greater in the whole world than the Bible.

So when we, like in a courtroom, would swear to tell the truth, putting our hand on the Bible or holding the Bible up,

that is making an oath by someone who is greater than ourselves.

But what God is saying here is because there is nobody greater than himself,

then God is swearing by himself.

He says, by his own name.

By my name, he says, I will bless you.

And you see how important this promise is to God.

So we have this most wonderful promise with a guaranteed fulfillment.

And we ask the question, where do we find all the promises fulfilled?

Well, all the promises, we're told, are yea and amen in Christ Jesus.

And if we're in Christ Jesus, then we're inheritors of all the promises.

And here is God's guarantee over it all.

And that's why God has gone to such lengths to demonstrate to us the importance of this particular promise,

where we have this guarantee, this sure and certain hope, this anchor for our life.

Now, what does an anchor do?

Well, obviously, an anchor gives security.

It gives a steadfast hold.

Now, God doesn't promise us that we won't have storms, we won't have troubles, we won't have trials, we won't have difficulties in life.

We will.

And God tells us that.

In this world, you will have tribulation.

But be of good cheer.

I have overcome the world.

We will have these things.

But what we will have guaranteed is an anchor, sure and steadfast in the midst of all these things.

Now, an anchor, as we know, it's an amazing thing.

And when a ship lets down its anchor, the length of the chain, and there has to be a long chain with it,

the length of the chain and the weight of the anchor is that which holds the ship in place.

There are different types of anchors.

Some of the wee boats might have a fluke anchor, and then there's a plough anchor.

And that kind of anchor can hold on to the seabed even, whether it's grassy or sandy.

And, of course, the weight of the chain and the way that it's set out will keep the boat in place.

It's an amazing thing.

Occasionally, you hear of a boat that's slipped its moorings or that's broken its anchor.

It doesn't happen often.

Well, here's an anchor that will never break.

This is a mooring that will never slip.

This is the most secure anchorage ever in this world.

Because you remember tonight, my Christian friend, you are held by the everlasting hand of the almighty creator of this universe.

You know, sometimes you look out at sea and you can see a couple of boats.

It's one stationary, maybe out in the bay, and one is moving.

The one that's moving, we know is moving because it has no anchor.

It hasn't cast an anchor.

The one that isn't moving, we know that, obviously, an anchor has been cast down.

Now, we know that it's not just storms that cause boats to drift.

We know that changing tides will cause a boat to drift.

And, you know, we live in a world where there are changing tides all the time.

We live in a world that is just a sea of change.

There are cultural changes.

There are changes in every front, economic and financial and social and the culture of the day.

You know, we live in a day that often you don't know what's what.

And sometimes we used to talk about a generational change.

But it's not a generational change anymore.

It's just a sea of change all the time.

And so often you don't know.

It's so easy to be confused.

But, you know, if you have an anchor for your soul,

in the midst of all that goes on with the changing society and the changing culture,

you have an anchor that remains sure and steadfast.

And that holds you firm against the changing tides,

against the storms, against all the things that are happening.

And this is vital.

It's so important to have.

We're told Paul, writing to the church in Ephesians,

warns them not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine.

Paul was aware that there were many teachers coming in

with fancy new ideas about this and that and the next thing.

And he said, if you're not anchored properly,

you'll get blown this way and that way.

And you'll be saying, oh, I'm going this way.

And then next day you'll go another way.

That's not how it should be.

We've got to be rooted.

We've got to be ground down in Jesus Christ.

And that's what the anchor does.

It holds us firm and fast in the truth.

So that when we are anchored in Christ,

we know what the truth is.

And the truth is unchanging.

Irrespective of what society says.

Irrespective of what the views of the culture are at the time.

God's word doesn't change.

And so we need to be embedded and firm in the word of God,

in the truth.

And you know what's so important for us?

To be anchored in Christ.

Because if we're not, we'll drift.

And can I say, and I say this lovingly,

if you're not in Christ,

do you know this, you're drifting.

And you might say, no, I'm not.

I've got a real pattern to my life.

My life is guided by Christian principles.

Well, that is great.

I applaud that.

And I thank the Lord for that.

And I know that many people

who have never come to faith

regulate their life by Christian principles.

And that's a wonderful thing.

I would say it's a first step.

But it's not enough.

We need to have the anchor.

Because if not, we will drift.

Because we don't have underneath us

that which is going to give the stability

when the storms come.

Because maybe just now

there aren't great storms in your life.

But one day there's going to break.

And we need this anchor.

Otherwise we will crash

onto the rocks of perdition.

There's no two ways about it.

So it's imperative

that we have this anchor for our soul.

And we're told it's assured and steadfast.

That's a wonderful thing.

You see, this union that we have

with the Lord Jesus Christ

is an unbreakable union.

It cannot be broken.

And that's so encouraging for us

because, you know, sometimes we think

and we think one day, you know this,

I'm going to make shipwreck.

One day, I am going to hit the rocks.

One day, and you sometimes think that you,

you look at your faith

and you think that it's so slender.

It's just like a one little thread of faith.

Sometimes we feel our faith stronger,

but sometimes we feel it so weak,

so fragile.

And then we look at ourselves

and we're so aware of our sin

and our failure

and our mistakes

and our repeated failures

and our repeated sin.

And we say one day,

the Lord's going to say,

oh, I've had enough of him.

I've had enough of her.

I give up.

No.

That is never, ever going to happen.

Even if our faith is as weak

or as small as Jesus said

as a grain of mustard seed.

And even with our sin,

the Lord will never, ever give up on us.

Paul asked,

is there anything that can separate us

from the love of Christ?

And he went through everything.

Everything in this world.

Who shall separate us

from the love of Christ?

And he asked the question

of loads of things

and even went into

the spiritual realms,

the places and powers of darkness

and even to death itself.

And he said,

no, nothing,

not even death

can separate the Christian

from the love of God

in Christ Jesus.

Why?

Because we're kept.

That's what the anchor does.

It keeps.

It's one of the greatest words

in scripture.

Kept.

You're a believer tonight.

You are being kept.

How?

By the power of God.

That's what it says in Peter.

Kept by the power of God.

Every day,

every night,

the power of God

is keeping you.

and will keep you

and will eventually,

you'll be taken home

to glory

with the Lord Jesus.

So despite all the storms

and all the batterings

and all the bruisings

and all the temptations,

the anchor will hold.

As the old song said,

we shall not be moved

and the Christian can sing that

because it is true.

You go through the Bible

and you see the lives

of all the great men

and women of the past.

They had the storms

in their life.

They had the losses,

the crosses,

the difficulties.

And yet they kept going.

Kept going to the end.

They were kept.

They were kept.

You know,

it's very interesting

when Jesus told Peter

that he was going to deny him.

And he said,

Satan has desired to have you,

to sift you as wheat.

But I have prayed for you

that your faith won't fail.

Now it's very interesting.

Jesus didn't pray

that Peter wouldn't deny him.

I find that interesting.

Jesus' prayer is not

regarding the sin,

but it's regarding faith.

Because faith is the key

to it all.

And so we're aware

that this,

we've been kept.

Kept by the power of God.

And the Bible tells us

that all these Old Testament

and New Testament,

the characters

and the incidents

and experiences of their life

are there for our example.

They're there for us

to learn from.

And see how God worked

in their lives

and what he did.

It's like a picture book

for ourselves to discover.

the way that the Lord

has worked.

But the last thing

that we see here

about the anchor

is normally an anchor

is let down.

Down onto the seabed.

Let down from the ship.

But the anchor that we have

moves in a totally

different direction.

We see that it's an anchor

that goes up.

It's an anchor

that goes into heaven,

goes behind the curtain

or the veil.

And of course,

when we see that

in verse 20 there,

we have this

as a sure and steadfast

anchor of the soul,

a hope that enters

into the inner place

behind the curtain

where Jesus

has gone as a forerunner

on our behalf.

And that takes us

straight back

to the Old Testament,

to the tabernacle

and the temple.

And you remember

then the structure there,

there was one

very, very special place.

There was a holy place,

but there was then

the most holy place.

There was a curtain

that separated.

And nobody,

nobody,

ever was allowed

into the most holy place

or the holy of holies.

Where the Ark of the Covenant

was,

God's presence

was centered there.

Nobody,

on pain of death,

if you entered in there,

you would die.

The only person

who was ever allowed

in there

was the high priest.

And that was only

once a year

on the great day

of atonement

when he went in

with the blood

of the sacrifice,

representing the people

where the blood

was sprinkled

on the mercy seat.

They are.

That was the only day

that he was ever

allowed in.

And that's a picture

that's given

of what Jesus has done.

But there's a difference

between Jesus

as our great high priest

and the Old Testament

high priest.

Because the Old Testament

high priest

wasn't a forerunner.

The Old Testament priest

only went in

once a year.

And nobody else

could go in.

But Jesus

has gone behind

the veil

as our forerunner.

Which means

we're running after him.

We're coming behind.

Jesus has gone

into heaven.

And remember

how he said

to the disciples,

I go to prepare

a place for you.

And we said that

before he went

to the cross.

And that's what

he did on the cross.

He prepared a place

for us

through his death.

But in glory

tonight

he is preparing

us

for that place.

One day

he'll send

for us

to take us

home with himself.

You see

before

Jesus went

to the cross

he prayed.

coming back

to this

what we said

about kept

because Jesus

has gone

into glory.

He's there

just now.

And we're told

that he makes

continual

intercession

for us.

He continues

to pray

for us.

He prayed

for us

before he went

to the cross.

And the first thing

he prayed

a lot of things

but one of the things

was

that's the very thing

I pray not

that you take

them out

to the world

but that you

keep them.

That's part

of the high

priestly prayer

out being kept.

There's to stay

in the world

but they're being

kept.

But further on

in the high

priestly prayer

he's looking

ahead

to something

he's so

looking forward

to.

Father I will

that them

whom you've

given me

all the people

that you've

given me

be with me

where I am

that they

may behold

my glory.

That will be

the fulfillment

of the high

priestly prayer

when the whole

church

is brought

at last

into the

presence

of the king.

But at the

moment

there's a work

to be done

because you see

normally an anchor

keeps a boat

in place

although the

boat might

revolve

around the

anchor

it keeps

it in place.

We're not

kept

we're kept

firm and

sure

but not

to stay

on the

spot.

We're

working

we're

moving

because

when Jesus

says I

pray not to

take them

out of the

world but

to keep

them

keep them

from evil

or keep

them from

the evil

one.

You see

there's work

to be done.

Jesus

tells us

I have

sheep that

are not

of this

fold

them I

must bring

in.

The great

shepherd of

the sheep

is gathering

in his

flock and

who does

he use?

He uses

the sheep.

He uses

you and

me.

That's the

amazing thing.

We're kept

in this

world.

We're kept

but we're

also being

kept to be

used by

the Lord

in the

great work

of in

gathering

the sheep

into the

fold.

Tonight

Jesus is

interceding

on your

behalf and

he's not

praying

Lord.

He's not

praying to

the Father

and saying

excuse them

they can't

help that

because of

what they

are.

No.

He agrees

totally with

the verdict

of the

Father

but he's

pleading his

perfect

righteousness.

He's

pleading his

finished work.

He's

pleading the

blood sacrifice

that he has

shed for us.

The Father

looks on the

finished work

of Christ

and then

he sees

us.

He's

looking at

us through

that.

So Jesus

is there

making that

intercession

for us

as our

forerunner

and you

and I

tonight as

believers

will be

following him

on.

well the

great question

that we

have to

ask is

is that

your hope

tonight?

If you're a

Christian

that's your

hope.

You're full

of hope

not because

of what

you've done

but because

of what

Christ has

done and

because of

the word

that he's

given and

the promise

that he's

given.

But if

you're not

a Christian

you don't

have this

hope.

And you

know I

don't think

I've ever

lived in a

more uncertain

world than

we live in

just now.

It is just

it is so

uncertain at

every conceivable

front.

The world

is just

you feel

there's a

top

there's an

unsettledness

vibrating all

through it

and it

cries out

for surety

and steadfastness

and I

believe that's

why so many

people are

so many

people are

searching

so many

people are

worried and

anxious and

concerned

here's the

answer

the anchor

the anchor

for your

soul

it will

change your

life

it will

change your

destiny

change

everything

you ask

Jesus

tonight

to become

the anchor

of your

soul

tonight

let's

pray

Lord our

God we

pray to

bless us

and we

give thanks

for your

tender

mercies

and for

your love

towards us

we pray

that we

might all

know that

anchorage

in you

we pray

that nobody

will go out

of here

and say I

have no

idea what

it is to

have Jesus

as my

saviour

we pray if

there are

any who

don't know

you yet

that you

will implant

a growing

desire within

their heart

to fulfil

so that they

will come to

know you

to come to

know that

hope and

that peace

that is

found in

Jesus

Christ

bless us

tonight

then we

pray

part us

with your

blessing

do us

good

and take

away our

every sin

in Jesus

name

amen

we're going

to conclude

singing in

Psalm 107

these words

of the storm

and then making

the way into

the shelter

Psalm 107

Psalms 107:26–30

verses 26

to 30

the tune

is Loch

Broom

it's on

page 384

Psalm 107

Psalms 107:26

verse 26

they mount

to heaven

then to the

depths

they do

go down

again

their soul

doth faint

and melt

away with

trouble

and with

pain

they reel

and stagger

like one

drunk

at their

wits end

they be

then they

to God

in trouble

cry

who them

from

streets

doth

free

the storm

is changed

into a

calm

at his

command

and will

so that

the waves

which raged

before

now quiet

are and

still

then are

they glad

because at

rest and

quiet

now they

be

so to

the

haven

he then

brings

which they

desired

to see

26 to

30

the

Tunis

love

broom

they

mount

to heaven

then to

the

depths

they do

go down

again

their

souls

of

faith

and

melt

away

with

trouble

and

with

pain

we

will

and

stag

are

like

one

throng

at

them

with

send

they

be

then

they

to

go down

in

trouble

cry

who

them

from

saints

are

free

the

storm

is

changed

into

account

they

they

come

they

come

and

will

so

that

the

ways

which

reached

before

now

quiet

are

still

when

are

they

glad

because

are

blessed

and

quiet

thou

may

be

so

to

thy

heaven

he

em

brings

which

any

start

to

see

after

the

benediction

i'll go

to the

door

on my

left

now

may

the

grace

mercy

and

peace

of

god

the

father

son

and

holy

spirit

rest

and

abide

upon

each

one

of

you

now

and

forever

more

amen