Resurrection Strength

As we move on through the Easter Season we are going to look at the anchors that strengthen us as Resurrection People. We start with words from Hebrews 6:19-20 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.”

For the disciples, the immediate after-effects of the horrific death of Jesus were all to vivid and cast a haunting shadow over their present circumstances. Their anchor had gone and they were adrift on the sea of despair. 

Today, I want us to concentrate on the expression, "an anchor for the soul." The anchor was an important symbol to the first Christians. If ever you have the chance to visit the catacombs in Rome, those tunnels under the ancient city where many of the early Christians were buried, you can see the symbols of faith on their tombs. Three common symbols appear: the dove, the fish, and the anchor.

The dove symbolises the Holy Spirit. The letters of the Greek word for "fish," ichthus, stand for the words Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour. The anchor came from the idea that, as Christians were going through difficult, insecure times, their hope anchored their souls.

Hope is called the anchor of the soul because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a ‘wish’ - I wish that such-and-such would take place - rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of realising the resurrection presence of Jesus.

You call us,

Wanderer of seashores and sidewalks,

inviting us to sail out of our smug harbour's

into the uncharted waters of faith

to wander off from our predictable paths to follow You

into the unpredictable footsteps of the kingdom;

to leave the comfort of our homes and accompany

You into the uncomfortable neighbourhood's we usually avoid.

As we wait,

in our simple, sometimes crazy,

constantly uncertain lives,

speak to us, Spirit of Grace:

of that hope which is our anchor;

of that peace which is our rock;

of that grace which is our refuge. Amen