This week, we will focus on various aspects of Christ’s incarnation—from birth to death and resurrection. We will turn our eyes to focus on the person of Jesus in all of his glory and continuously pray for a deeper understanding of who He is.

Transcript

We’re kicking off our 40 Days of Prayer with our denomination, The Alliance. It actually began last week, but we’re starting it today because Pastor Greg had a great message for New Years. I encourage you to go back and watch it. It’s going to set you on the right path for 2022.

Our desire for 40 Days of Prayer is to be reawaked. COVID showed us that many drifted from God. Church attendance decline all over the world. Humanity is at each other’s throats over everything instead of loving and caring for each other. And maybe we’ve put our hope in other things like our decisions to mask or not mask, get vaccinated or not, etc. There’s so much going on that maybe we need to stop and anchor somewhere that feels tried and true.

A couple of weeks ago, I was hospitalized, and the doctors and nurses didn’t specifically tell me why I needed to spend a couple of nights at the hospital, and I felt stuck, but I needed to anchor myself and something that was tried and true. There were times when I wanted to get up and go, but I needed to stay stuck for a bit. Being stuck helped me listen to the Holy Spirit and face the reality that I needed help to take care of myself. I needed to pause to help me realize what I needed to do. When was the last time you anchored yourself? My hope is that the next 33 days of prayer will help us anchor to God and be reawakened to see God when life gets uncertain. Today, we’re going to take a look at how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection can anchor us when things get uncertain.

We are going to be in Hebrews. It is the best book that reminds us how to stay anchored and secure in Jesus when things get uncertain. Hebrews was written to oppressed Christians who considered abandoning their belief in Jesus in difficult and uncertain times. We will be in 3 passages that encourage us to be anchored in Jesus when we are uncertain.

First, Jesus’ life anchors us because he was human and experienced our uncertainties.

In Hebrews 2:14-18 (NLT) it says,

“14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. 16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”

Jesus understands our uncertainty because he was human and experienced it too. Jesus was human in every way we are. He experienced everything that we experience. So he knows how to comfort us. We might find comfort in choices that we make or the lifestyle we live or the things we do when things get difficult, but they aren’t real solutions. We need to turn to Jesus because he experienced every hardship we experienced, and he has the solution for us to be comforted. Think of the first big or difficult decision you’ve made. Going to college, buying a car, getting married, renting or buying a house or choosing a career, I would think that most of us turned to someone wiser than us to shed light on our situation. Similarly, we need to turn to Christ when we are uncertain because he experienced it all. We can rely on Jesus’ life to anchor us in uncertain times.

Second, Jesus’ death anchors us because of our eternal hope. In Hebrews 9:13-15 (NLT) it says,

“13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.”

Prior to Jesus’ death, animals were sacrificed so that people could temporarily be right with God. Every ceremony required animals to be sacrificed, but when Jesus died, his sacrifice made it certain that we would forever be in right relationship with God if we believed in God. Being anchored in Jesus’ death guarantees us that when we experience present-day uncertainties, we are hopeful that we will receive God’s promise of an eternity with no uncertainties. Whatever uncertainty we experience now is temporary. So, when we experience uncertainties in the present, we can anchor ourselves in Jesus’ death because our future of no uncertainty gives us hope when we experience uncertainty in the present.

Lastly, Jesus’ resurrection anchors us because it allows us to be with him. In Hebrews 10:12-14, 19-25 it says,

“12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy…. 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

Jesus’ resurrection allows us to have the best solution when we face uncertainty. Instead of looking for the next solution, Jesus’ resurrection allows us to draw closer to God. There are two ways that we can do that. First, we can access God directly when we are uncertain. Jesus allows us to seek guidance directly from God so you or I can turn to God when we are in need through prayer and understanding the Scriptures. Secondly, in verses 24-25, Jesus gives us the church, a group of believers who motivates each other with acts of love and good works when we’re feeling uncertain. This is something that we should not neglect.

We went through a lot, but if there’s anything you can take away from today’s sermon it’s this: Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection anchor us.

So, what does look like for us? H how do keep ourselves anchored, so we don’t drift?

1. Pray.

   1. Prayer gives us direct access to God. We get a chance to communicate with God, who created us. This whole series is about prayer, so when we face uncertain times, simply pray. One of our spiritual exercises, the Lord’s Prayer, gives us instruction to how we should pray, and if I break down it’s there’s 2 parts:

   2. Praise God, recognize God for who he is

   3. And for our needs to be met so that we can continue to trust God.

2. Be a part of the church community

   1. Uncertainty and isolation are not a good combination. Be a part of the faith community so that you can encourage others who are experiencing uncertainty. Be a part of the faith community so that you can be encourage when you are experiencing uncertainty.

Uncertainty tends to put us in places where we feel alone. We can’t do this ourselves, and we weren’t supposed to do it by ourselves. We need God, and we need each other. Our world moves so fast that we forget to anchor ourselves. Anchoring somewhere stops us from moving, and sometimes that might be considered bad because we’re not making any progress, but there’s a purpose for anchoring. Ships anchor for various reasons, but the obvious is that they don’t want to drift away. Maybe anchoring can help us be reawakened to God. Maybe it can remind us to trust Him with everything we experience.