Introduction to the Anchor

Introduction

Welcome everyone! We are so excited you are here this evening, each of you being here really means a lot to me. As you might have noticed for those of you in 8th grade the format for Wednesday night is looking a little bit different then last year. For the first time in a while the 7th-8th grade group has our own ministry, and our team are all excited to get to know you guys. Each Wednesday night we will start with hanging out for 20 minutes, and then go into a time of a focused activity or games. At 6:40 we will meet here and share announcements for upcoming events as well as sing praise to God. After a time of a lesson, you will break up into small groups for the rest of the evening until 8 pm. Alright, let’s get started.

What is the Anchor?

Tonight I want to share with you about the Anchor. You might be thinking, why an Anchor, isn’t that for like deep sea fishing and stuff? Yes, it is used to ground a boat into place, so it wont be carried off by wind into the sea or down the river. But why an Anchor?

To answer this question let’s look at the realities of our lives. Each of us are in a different environment, we all have different pasts, different interests, and different personalities. There are things we do every single day, whether it be school, work, or hanging with friends to name a few. However, as much as we might like to say we are doing okay and things are fine, we all go through periods of time where that is not true. Every single one of us. Those moments can be scary, confusing, angering, emotional. We might feel like we are being swept down a river of emotion and situation/circumstance that feels overwhelming. We all experience this. But why? Will this confusion ever end?

Even in this confusion, even in the storm of life, there is one and only one who reaches His hand to us. Who invites us to stand with Him in the storm, to lean and rely on Him in the winds and in the waves. The feelings and confusion. He is the Anchor, and He’s calling out to you for a relationship. A relationship that is different than anything we have ever experienced.

This anchor’s name is Jesus and He is living and breathing as we speak.

Who is Jesus? Really?

We talk so much about this guy at church and in youth group but who actually was He? Was He just some guy in the past?

To answer this question let’s begin by looking at what the Bible says about who Jesus is.

John 1:1–2 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:1 reveals to us that Jesus - the Word - was with God and was God. He was in the beginning with God. That is powerful! Okay so we can take from this that Jesus is God.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 just a few passages after 1:1 reveals to us that Jesus took on human form and lived here on earth. The disciples witnessed His glory and wrote about it in the gospels, this is John writing about it here.

Okay, so Jesus is fully God and fully man. Already this is not normal. Let’s continue to look at what the Bible says about Him. What was His personality like?

Philippians 2:8 ESV

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus shows humility, by being obedient to God the father, He knew His mission and He fulfilled it.

Matthew 9:36 ESV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus is compassionate, He cares for those around Him.

Luke 23:34 ESV

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

He displayed forgiveness and mercy, He loved His enemies!!

All of these things are who He is!!

Gospel Presentation.

Why are we here?

These passages teach us who Jesus is: fully God and fully man. He is alive, seated at the right hand of God the father, and He wants a relationship with you !

Jesus is our anchor in the storm! Sweet, but why are we meeting on Wednesday nights, singing songs, and having a small group times? Why do we do these things, what are they for?

The leaders and I here are to invite you to go on a journey with us this year. We are here to glorify and honor God by doing what He called us to do. In Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We are here to make disciples of Jesus, teaching you to observe all that He commanded. So to help you in your walk with God.

The Anchor Wednesday night ministry is a place for you to come and find rest, learning about the One who cares for you and loves you the most. And you get to do this with your small group leaders and friends.

What are we going to do?

So let’s talk a little about what we will be discussing the next few weeks.

Next week we are going to be asking the question: “what is church and why do we go?” Sept 20th

After next week we will be starting a series in the book of 1 John, a powerful letter from John to the church, that can help us in understanding the answers to important life questions.

The Question

The Bible is more then just a history book, it is God’s spoken word to us. That is why we keep going back to it, so we can all understand who He is and what He says to us.

The biggest question that we will be asking this question is “what is a relationship with God?” We all have relationships, whether it be with parents, siblings, or friends. But can we actually describe what that means?

I believe that understanding what relationship with God means will change the way we look at all our other relationships, but I want to end with this question. Feel free to talk with me or one of the leaders about this afterward if you don’t know, “do you have a relationship with God?” And if you don’t know yet, it’s okay, we will help you in that process. But know that Jesus wants a relationship with you.