Skip to main content

Anchor House: Week 6 Buried Treasure

When I started at Anchor House I committed to write at least one blog per week. Writing is something I enjoy and a way I get to interact with God. I can recall wanting to write about Anchor House in the days before I started, but my knowledge was limited.. 

To be honest I felt like I knew three things before I joined Anchor House. First,  Anchor House was a mission at Port Manatee (the Seaport, not the jail) Second, I knew it was a mission that my church, Westside Christian Church, supported with our Show Love funds.  Third, I knew God was calling me to serve Him there. However, what happened at Anchor House day to day was something of a mystery to me.  

After being here for a few weeks I have learned quite a bit. I know where to look to find out when ships are coming in or departing.  I have learned that I am just tall enough to hit my head where most seafarers don’t. I have learned that flexibility is the key to serving at a seaport. One of the greatest things I have learned is that Anchor House is a buried treasure. Many in our community don’t realize how much they are impacted on a daily basis by Seaport Manatee.  They do not know that there is a mission with a global impact right here at the seaport. I believe one of the reasons I am here is to help unearth this treasure and share what God is doing here at SeaPort Manatee and across the world through Anchor House.  

After Jesus rose from the dead, he met with the disciples.  The first thing he told them was, "All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me."  Essentially Jesus is saying, "Listen, I just died and came back to life. I'm in charge here and everywhere.”.  Then he tells them, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Many of us know this as the "Great Commission.". Jesus telling us that we have a job to do.  We are to share the good news and create more of His followers. So, we now know what we are to do, but How?

Jesus tells us that the greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors (Luke 10:27). Love is the key to it all. John 13:34 clarifies as Jesus says that we are to love like He loves us.”  Jesus loves through relationships, complete restoration, immense grace, serving others, and difficult truth. That is the way we are to love.  That is the way we are to be known as followers of Jesus, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). 

Back to that buried treasure.  How do we uncover it? We do so by loving.  We love God and let him lead the mission and ministry.  We love our neighbors meeting them right where they are. We love them regardless of their past. We love them as His children, regardless if they have accepted Jesus as their Heavenly Father.  

Want to know what really happens at Anchor House? We are making disciples, one loving interaction after another. We are busy uncovering the true buried treasure, Jesus. 

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anchor House Week 2: Have a nice forever

The second week at Anchor House concluded with my return to State College of Florida for a very special event. I had the great honor of overseeing the celebration of life services for Robert C Wynn.  Coach Wynn was the first baseball coach and athletic director at then Manatee Junior College. Under his leadership, they won championships, expanded the athletic department by adding other new sports, and were pioneers and champions for women in sport. He was a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, coach, teacher, mentor, and friend. The fact is, he built a legacy. However, that legacy wasn’t just what occurred on the baseball field, athletic department, or within his family. It was about people's forever.  Coach Wynn was one of the most passionate soldiers for Jesus I have ever known.  He was more concerned about people's salvation in Jesus than anything else. It was the focal point of all of his relationships and decisions. His unashamed passion for s...
1 comment
Read more

A New Command

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 NIV I don't know how many times I have read this verse. Today it hit me differently. Part of it jumped off the page. If there's a new commandment, what makes this different than the old ones?  They must have love in them, right? Nine of the ten commandments have "No" or "Not" contained in them. They tell us what we cannot do rather than providing us with positive direction.  This new commandment couldn't be a more drastic change from the ten commandments. Jesus doesn't say don't do this instead He says DO THIS! Jesus could have easily followed the format of the commandments and said don't hate others or don't ignore others. Instead He gave direction and said LOVE others.   This raises the question, what does it mean to love each other as Jesus loved us and how can we do that?  Be blessed and be a blessing Matt Ennis
Post a Comment
Read more

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions.  It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them.  The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold.  He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold.  When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...
Post a Comment
Read more