“Raise to Life, Called to Climb”

ANCHORED Sunday:

The Analogy Comes To Life

A Way Has Been Made

Jesus free-solo’d the perfect climb that we could not.

Why The Carabiner?

The symbol for our hope.

To The Believer:

1. A reminder that our hope is secure in Jesus Christ, who’s gone before us and lived the perfect life.
2. A challenge to have the confidence and assurance that hope brings - and to live like it! We no longer fear death.

To The Unbeliever:

1. An invitation: You do not have to go solo. You can have hope in the face of the challenge ahead of you.
2. A warning: No one is exempt from the challenge ahead, and without hope, you will surely not make it.

Raised To Life, Called To Climb

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, 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 empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us
in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:1-10

Discussion Questions:

Getting to Know Me

1. What stuck with you from the sermon?
2. What experience have you had with rock climbing?
3. What did you think of Alex Honnold free-climbing El Capitan?

Into the Bible

Read Hebrews 4:14-16.

1. What does it mean to “hold fast our confession” or “hold fast to the faith we profess”? What is the
   faith we profess?
2. According to v.14-16, what makes Jesus a particularly good anchor point for our faith and hope?
3. In addition to holding fast the faith we profess, what are we told to do?
   Read Ephesians 2:1-10
4. Why is the truth contained in this passage (that we are sinners, but saved by immeasurable grace)
   so important to living an “anchored” life?

Application

1. What was your main takeaway from this week’s worship service? What will you do about it?
2. Remember, a carabiner, or our faith, is only as good as what it’s anchored to. What is our faith
   anchored to? How can we come to be more firmly attached to Jesus as our anchor point?
3. What is one thing God is asking you to do, or one prayer God is calling you to pray, as a result of
   listening to this sermon?