Scripture
Hebrews 6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Decorations
Decorate using a nautical theme. Cover the tables with blue plastic tablecloths, place fish netting in the center of the table with sand and seashells scattered throughout the netting. Put a framed picture of an anchor as the centerpiece on each table. You can find nautical and beach décor at TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Marshalls. You can also try Hobby Lobby or Michael’s Art and Craft Store.
Refreshments
Let’s set sail cupcakes (place a blue/red sail on a toothpick in each cupcake.)
Fish and chips (goldfish crackers and potato chips)
Driftwood (pretzel sticks)
Anchors away donut holes (with the toothpick sails)
Sailor knots (garlic bread knots)
Seaweed Dip (Spinach dip w/crackers)
Rice Krispies®Rafts (with the toothpick sails)
Under the sea party punch (1 can pineapple juice, 1 bottle blue Hawaiian punch, 2 liter bottle of sprite, 2 handfuls of Swedish fish)
Craft
Anchor Canvas Painting
Watch this video as a guide and stop intermittently for visual instructions. Also, follow the step by step instructions below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH1aq0HFRr0
Supplies
Canvas size of your choosing
Painters tape
Variety of paint colors
Sponge paint brushes
Sharpie markers (coordinate color with chosen paint colors)
Anchor cut out (you can find templates online)
Scripture verse (any of your choosing… a suggestion is Hebrews 6:19: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul.”)
Stencils (optional)
Hope
When the word hope is mentioned, more times than not the context is “I don’t know what is going to happen, but I hope …” I’m sure you’ve said at one point in your life, “I hope I get that job, I hope my children behave, I hope my car starts.” While hoping in this way isn’t a bad thing, there’s a definite difference in this and Biblical hope. These are examples of wishful thinking. Hope in the Bible is the Christian hope that when God has promised something is going to happen and you put your trust in that promise and your faith in action, it will happen.
The reason this distinction is so important is because oftentimes we have the tendency as Christians to believe that we will be free from problems. Our wishful thinking motivates us, and when things don’t go the way we hoped, we believe God’s not listening to us.
We find an example of this in Mark 4 starting at verse 35. Jesus had a long day teaching and was traveling to the other side of the Sea of Galilee with His disciples. While they were traveling, a fierce storm developed. These were fisherman who were accustomed to storms, but this was a fierce storm. They were scared and Jesus was sleeping. Oftentimes when we experience storms, it’s easy to think Jesus isn’t paying attention. “Lord, why are you sleeping while I’m suffering? I’m afraid, I’m scared, I don’t know how I’m going to get through this and you’re not helping me.”
The disciples learned an important lesson that night on the sea. They learned to trust in Him with their faith. Jesus slept, not because He didn’t care, but because He was in control. At the command of His voice the wind calmed down and the sea was calm.
Following Jesus doesn’t mean we’re never going to experience trials. What it does mean is that we will have the opportunity to cling to Him in the midst of our troubles. This is the hope being referenced in Hebrews 6:19. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.” It is the certainty that in amid our troubles Jesus is there as an anchor for our soul.
