DON’T NEGLECT! DON’T EVEN DRIFT!
Reading: Hebrews chapter 2 verses 1-9.
Ill:
• A little boy asked his mum a question;
• “Mum, where did I get my intelligence from?”
• She replied;
• “I guess you got it from your father… because…. I still have mine!”
Many Christians avoid the book of Hebrews
• Because they view it as being too difficult to understand.
• And there are some verses that many of us as preachers maybe wish were not included.
• But the general message of the book is clear ;
• The message from verses 1-4 is very clear ‘Don’t neglect and don’t drift’.
Quote: verse 1 William Barcley:
"Therefore, we must the more eagerly anchor our lives to the things that we have been taught lest the ship of life drift past the harbour and be wrecked."
Ill:
• If a sailor neglects just a few crucial duties,
• He can jeopardize not only his own life but the crew, the cargo, and even the ship itself.
• e.g. Say he is too tired to lower the sails or forgets to let down the anchor;
• e.g. Or neglects to properly tie his knots while mooring the ship to the dock,
• Then the boat will be in danger of drifting.
• And all sorts of things could happen if he drifts off course.
• He could become lost at sea and die a slow death of starvation.
• He could run aground on the shoals.
• He could crash into the clenched fist of a coral reef,
• Reducing his ship to debris and himself to fish food.
Transition:
• Similarly, neglecting the spiritual matters in our lives;
• Also leads to spiritual drifting;
• e.g. Where the Christian is at (a). the mercy of the trade winds of prevailing opinion,
• (b). The currents of passion, (c). and the high seas of stormy circumstances.
• The result? (a). A Christian could float away into some distant harbour,
• Far from the Lord and far from the things that please Him.
• (b). Or they could get stranded in the shallows of life,
• Never quite able to get off the sandbar.
• (c). Or get shipwrecked altogether,
• With the person going down with the ship and end up as just another statistic.
Quote: Remember verse 1 in the William Barcley translation:
"Therefore, we must the more eagerly anchor our lives to the things that we have been taught lest the ship of life drift past the harbour and be wrecked."
(this verses leads us nicely on to point one):
(1). God’s word and warning (vs 1-4)
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard,
so that we do not drift away.
• Two things to emphasise in this verse:
• (a). God’s word “what we have heard”. (b). God’s warning; “so that we do not drift away”.
• Notice also in verse 1 the word "therefore";
• Some translations have the phrase "For this reason";
• Both phrases remind us that these verses flow so fluidly from the context of chapter 1.
• (The passage you looked at last Sunday morning).
• In chapter 1 the writer makes it very clear;
• That God’s final revelation of himself has been given to us in His Son Jesus Christ.
Quote: Chapter 1 verse 1:
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son”
Jesus Christ is God’s last word.
• In other words everything God wants to say to us;
• Is found in Jesus Christ!
• He is the real deal, the full package;
• We cannot add or improve him in any way – he is complete!
• And because Jesus Christ is God’s last word.
• This makes Him superior to all previous messengers;
• e.g. the prophets (chapter 1 verses 1-2) e.g. and to the angels (chapter 1 verses 3-14).
• The point the writer is making is;
• The prophets and the angels were important but Jesus Christ is more important!
The last verse of chapter 1 (vs 14) informs us:
• N.I.V:
• “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
• N.L.B:
• “Therefore, angels are only servants - spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation”
Note:
• Don’t rush ahead and miss that little word ‘inherit’.
• It is very significant here.
• Quote: W. E. Vine (book f New Testament Words) defines this word ‘inherit’ as
• "That which is received as a gift, in contrast with that which is received as the reward"
Ill:
• It is human nature to value more what we have worked for;
• More than what has simply fallen into our laps.
• Ill: For Christmas I received a number of gift vouchers;
• And boy, are they burning a big hole in my pocket!
• I can’t wait to exchange them for something;
• If I’m honest I will probably rush in to spending them.
• Why do I treat them different to cash that I have worked to earn;
• Simple answer is they were a gift, an inheritance.
• So often we can develop a careless attitude toward a gift or an inheritance,
• Quote: “Easy come easy go”.
Note: now because our salvation is a gift (“an inheritance”):
• Now I am taking for granted you believe that!
• You realise of course that most people outside this building don’t!
• Ill: If you asked the average person; “Why should God let you into his heaven”;
• They will reply; “Because I have tried my best” or “I have tried to live a good life
• Or “Compared to others I am a good person”
• Or some other similar reason – but the emphasis is on what we can do (and that’s wrong!)
• The New Testament teaches that we cannot save ourselves;
• We are all flawed (“We have all sinned” - we don’t hit our own standards never mind Gods!)
• So forgiveness of sins/salvation is a gift from God;
• And all you can do with a gift is accept it or reject it! (ill: chocolate bar).
Now says our writer in chapter 2:
• Because our salvation is a free gift from God;
• And because gifts can often be taken lightly,
• A warning needs to be sounded – and the warning in verses 1-4 is not to drift,
• Notice: the problem is not one of lacking of knowledge.
• In verse 1 the writer reminds his readers,
• They had the knowledge they heard the information.
• This warning is not one of hearing; instead it is one of heeding!
• So often we have the knowledge, the theoretical information;
• We know what to do!
• But so often we fail to apply that knowledge, to put it into practice!
Quote:
To many Christians are carriers of truth rather than users of truth.
We hear a great deal, but we don’t act on what we hear”.
Ill:
• If at the end of my sermon your inward response is “I enjoyed or did not enjoy that”
• Then I have failed in my task of communicating;
• I want you to enjoy what I say but that is never enough!
• At the end of my sermon your first response should be “Lord help me apply that!”
• The goal of any Bible study is always twofold:
• (1). What is God saying to me? (2). How do I apply that to my life?
Ill:
• Henry Ward Beecher lived in late 19th century;
• He was a clergyman, social reformer, abo-li-tion-ist, and speaker.
• He wrote concerning a sermon by great preacher Jonathan Edwards.
• Beecher says that in the doctrinal part of Jonathan Edwards’ sermon’
• The great preacher was only getting his guns into position,
• But that in his applications he opened fire on the enemy.
• His conclusion:
• There are too many of us preachers,
• Who take so much time getting our guns into position;
• That we have to finish without firing a shot!
Ill:
• An example of this careless inattentiveness to truth;
• Can be seen every day on board any commercial airliner.
• Before the plane taxis off the runway,
• The flight attendant shows everyone how to buckle their seatbelts, where the exits are,
• And how to use the oxygen masks in case of some high-altitude accident.
• Everyone hears the attendant, but how many pay close attention?
• The problem is, we feel the danger is too remote to warrant our interest.
Ill:
DVD Clip flight attendant.
• Preachers let’s be on the ball grabbing peoples attention;
• And hearers you can respond likewise!
Verses 2-3a flows logically from verse 1.
“For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”
• The writer reminds his readers that the Law, given by God’s messengers – angels;
• Question: You might say as you read this verse, “Hold on…didn’t it come by Moses?”
• Answer: “Yes, it came by both”.
• Both the Old and New Testaments tell us angels were at Mount Sinai;
• And were also instrumental in bringing the Law. Ill: verses like Deuteronomy 33 verse 2.
Notice: The argument in this verse is from the lesser to the greater.
• If the Law, 10 commandments given by God’s messengers, proved steadfast and resolute;
• And this Law brought judgement to those who disobeyed it,
• How much greater consequence will befall those who neglect or reject;
• God’s plan of deliverance that was issued and made possible by His one and only Son.
In other words:
• Punishment followed the neglect of the Law given by angelic messengers;
• So a greater punishment awaits those who neglect the message given through his Son.
Note:
• The issue raised in these verses is not: ‘Do we have God’s revelation?’
• The issue raised is: ‘Are we neglecting it in the way we live?’
Ill:
• There were two doctors with the same name who lived a few doors apart.
• One was a Christian and a lay preacher, the other had made no profession of faith.
• One night a rather sick person, who was also a Christian,
• And wanting help from a fellow believer,
• Knocked mistakenly at the door of the non-Christian doctor.
• “Are you the doctor who preaches?” he asked.
• “No”, the medic replied, “I am the doctor who practices”.
• “Oh”, said the sick person, “I’ve always understood the two things were inseparable”.
• Good doctrine should lead to good practice;
• That is the warning for Christians in this verse!
The danger for most Christians:
• Is not that they suddenly decide to turn their backs on God;
• Instead every Christian faces the danger of day after day slowly drifting away from God.
• According to verse 3 we drift away from God in two ways:
• ‘Violation and disobedience’
• ‘Violation’ literally means; “Stepping over the line”;
• In other words; “We know something is wrong but we keep doing it anyway!”
• ‘Disobedience’ the idea behind this Greek word translated into English as ‘Disobedience’
• Is that we don’t really listen
• ill: Deaf person with an inadequate hearing aid.
• And so they only catch part of what is being said & therefore we misapply or disobey it!
Note: The writer ends this section by teaching us three things about this message (vs 3b-4):
“How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,
was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
• (1). It is unique in its origin.
• “This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord,”
• This message comes to us from the very voice of God;
• It fell from the very lips of Jesus who declared it.
• It is a divine message and not a human message
• It came from above (heaven) and not below (earth).
• (2). It is unique in transmission.
• “…was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”
• The Lord gave this message to his disciples and apostles;
• And they with his authority and guided by his Spirit passed it on to us!
• Ill: No-one reading this book should ever say;
• That was only Paul or Peter, or John who wrote that;
• This verse tells us that God spoke to the apostles and they have in turn spoken to us.
(3). It is unique in its effectiveness.
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
• The writer reminds us that this message of salvation is supernatural in every way;
• When God first gave the message it came with supernatural phe-nom-en-on;
• It was and is a message that cannot be explained away in human terms (‘wonder’):
• It was and it still is a miracle working message today!
• Quote:
• “Some words inform, some words reform, only the gospel can transform!”
• Ill: Camp text last year was Romans chapter 1 verse 16:
• “I am not ashamed of the gospel…..power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes!”
(2). Mans dominion and devastation (vs 5-8).
• Ill: This letter is a bit like a spiral staircase (round and round the same truths);
• In verses 1-4 the writer mentions the danger of drifting;
• He then moves onto his other theme - the superiority of Jesus
• Only to come back to ‘drifting’ again later in the letter.
• He then moves onto his other theme - the superiority of Jesus
• Only to come back to ‘drifting’ again later in the letter.
• So to the casual reader verses 1-4 seem to break up the flow of the bigger picture;
• The bigger picture, the theme from chapter 1;
• Is Jesus is greater than angels;
• Angelic beings play an important role in God’s plans.
• Ill: “They are called ‘ministering/serving’ spirits.
In this section we are reminded that in God’s plan to restore a lost world:
• What one writer called: ‘The unfolding drama of redemption;’
• God’s plan in Jesus Christ to redeem a lost world.
Note: Once again the writer teaches us three things:
• (1). The ideal of what man should be.
• “You made him a little lower than the angels”.
• The world teaches us: “You are made a little higher than the monkeys”.
• God says we are more than a highly evolved animal;
• We are human beings who are “Made in the image of God”.
Note:
• Through God’s plan great plan of salvation;
• Not only has God restored our state but he has elevated it!
• e.g. Human beings now have a loftier, a higher role than the angels;
• Who were once above them in God’s order of things.
• And the reason for that is:
• Only human beings can inherit God’s message of salvation.
• e.g. Only human beings can experience the joy of sins forgiven;
• e.g. Only human beings can experience the miracle of the ‘New birth’ i.e. being ‘Born again’
• e.g. Only human beings can experience the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit;
• e.g. Only human beings can experience the privilege of being adopted in the family of God.
• Question: Do you have that assurance this morning?
• Answer: The good news is that you can – “Call upon the Lord!”
Notice:
• Not only do angels miss out on the inheritance of salvation;
• They also miss out on the dominion over the inhabited earth.
• Despite the fall of man (we read about in Genesis chapter 3);
• Human beings are still the panicle of God’s creation!
• The scope of that dominion is spelled out in passages of the Bible such as Psalm 8:
• And the writer of this letter quotes from Psalm 8 to substantiate his argument.
Verses 6-8:
But there is a place where someone has testified:
What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honour
8 and put everything under his feet.
When the Psalmist looked back at the creation account (genesis chapter 1):
• He was not simply dazzled by the gigantic breadth of space;
• As he looked up to view the stars and planets;
• He was not simply awestruck by the vast array of birds, fish and animals;
• That swarm and dominate the seas, the skies and the land.
As the Psalmist looked at the created universe around him:
• The thing that amazed him was the quintessential honour given to him;
• Crowned to rule and be the custodian such an incomparable domain.
Note: The writer teaches us three things:
• (1). The ideal of what man should be.
• (2). The actual state of man (verse 8b).
“In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him.
Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him”.
• The writer reminds his readers that present creation is not under the dominion of man.
• Quote: In his commentary on this passage William Barcley writes:
• ‘Man was meant to have dominion over everything but he has not.
• He is a creature who is frustrated by his circumstances.
• Defeated by his temptations,
• Girt about by his own weaknesses.
• He who should be a king is a slave.
• As G.K. Chesterton said:
• “Whatever else is or is not true, the one thing is certain –
• Man is not what he was meant to be”’
As a result of the fall:
• The fall is the events recorded in Genesis chapter 3;
• When mankind chose to rebel against God and live an independent life.
• Not only did mankind spiritually die (be cut off from God) on that day;
• But the whole of creation was thrown into creation.
• We now live in a world gone wrong.
• Ill: Running on 3 plugs instead of four!
• As a result of the fall man became a loser in everyway imaginable:
• Intellectually, physiologically, morally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.
• When Adam and Eve disobeyed God instead of becoming like God (ill: lie they were sold);
• They became less than what they were.
Note: The writer teaches us three things:
• (1). The ideal of what man should be (verse 6-8a).
• (2). The actual state of man (verse 8b).
• (3), He shows us;
• How the actual can be turned can be changed into the ideal through Jesus Christ (vs 9).
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”
• The solution to a world gone wrong, Is Jesus Christ!
• Verse 9:
Ill:
• Kids and jigsaw puzzle.
• “When we put the man together he made sense of a mixed up world”
These later verses (5-9) in passage today; teach us three simple truths:
• (1). The ideal;
• What we should be like - Adam and Eve in Eden.
• (2). The actual;
• What we are – losers of all the glory we were originally given.
• (3). The possible;
• What we can be: new creatures in Jesus Christ.
