Communion Message
(Our great anchor)
March 3-4, 2001
Pastor Leighton Sheley

Reading from the book of Hebrews: When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants." And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.

It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus entered on our behalf. That's a reference to the holy of holies, the place where God resides, the place where the mercy seat is where God said that he would meet with men. And this verse gives us a word picture. It says we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. A number of years back I had the opportunity to take my children to San Francisco for fleet week, and I can remember the great big AEGIS cruiser coming in and looking at those massive anchors. And that captain was a very skilled pilot for he dropped the anchor and used it as a pivot in order to maneuver his ship into port. Pastor Ralph has done some time on carriers and he indicates that one link in the anchor chain can be 6 or 8 hundred pounds, and you can imagine the number of pounds that anchor chain must be just in and of itself not including the anchor that holds it. That anchor chain is designed with such strength so that it will not break in even the fiercest of gales. It's going to hold that ship to that anchor and with that word picture in mind we read: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. This chain enters into the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where Jesus has entered on our behalf. It's a picture of an anchor chain going right to the mercy seat of God.

Romans 8 says there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. We have a high priest, Jesus, who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses for He too has been tempted. But unlike each and every one of us, He is unique in all of the world for He was the only one who never sinned. But He sympathizes with our weakness and so He invites us to come with confidence before the throne of grace, that we might receive mercy and we might find grace to help us in our time of need.

I will venture to say that there is not one among us this day who is not without need, for each and every one of us, each and every day, do something that sins against our Creator and Lord and Savior. So I'm going to invite you, if you're physically able, to join with me as we know kneel in the presence of our Savior and Lord, and we're going to take some private moments of meditation and allow God's spirit to speak to us as we prepare to partake of the elements.

(Leighton singing)
I need Thee, O I need Thee
every hour I need Thee
O bless me now my Savior
I come to Thee

Lord thank you that we can come to You in confidence by Your invitation, that we can receive grace and mercy from You Lord. Your word says that if we confess our sins You're faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So Lord, we don't have to leave this place carrying our sins with us. We can leave them here at the altar. Lord we thank you for the great love that You have loved us with. We thank you for the mercies that You have bestowed upon us, and the graciousness You have extended to us. Lord we are thankful that we don't have to deal with our sin; that You already have taken victory over it. So Lord, as the hold these elements and partake of them we are by faith excepting and receiving Your forgiveness for our sins, Your cleansing. Thank you Lord for the great price that was paid that we can enjoy this freedom. Thank you Lord. Let's partake of the bread and also the cup.

Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you Lord. Thank you for the forgiveness of our sins. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for not giving up on us Lord. Thank you for Your promise -- He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. You're not going to leave us unfinished Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord, in Jesus' name we pray, and together we say, amen.