Hebrews
“Encouragement for a life of faith”
Part 2
“Drift proofing your life”
Hebrews 2:1
Today we are going to continue our study of the book of Hebrews
Last week in our sermon and this week in our bible study
We took a serious look at why Christianity is better
At How Jesus is the real deal
And
How any other type of religion
Or any other created being that we put our faith in
Will never live up to the standard
Nor will it be able to do the job
The writer goes to great lengths to paint us a clear picture of Jesus
Then
He continues on with his teaching with the first of 5 exhortations
That is he is by his words
Urging the readers of this book to do something
We need to remember that our writer was primarily writing to believers in Jesus
Although there is great value here for anyone who is willing to read and listen and apply God’s word
Let me read for you Hebrews 2:1
“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.”
I want to focus just for a moment on the words “listen very carefully “
The author of Hebrews is telling us to pay attention
Listen he says
More than -----that -----really listen
You all know it is possible to listen to someone without paying attention or without hearing
I mean really hearing
Right
So he begins his exhortation with
“Hey”
Listen
But then
He goes on to let us know
He is not asking us to listen to new information
He is not adding to our knowledge bank
He says Listen
To the truth we have already heard
What he is saying in common or cowboy terms
Is you guys have heard this before
You know this stuff
Now pay attention and use what you know
Or
“We may drift away from it”
Focus with me on that word drift
Drifting
When I first think of the word drifting
I tend to
Like I am sure most of you do
Think of a boat floating on the water
Bobbing around
No motor
No sails
No oars to move it in any particular direction
And this is a good picture of this word
Boats that are set adrift are at the mercy of the current
The waves
The rocks
----The obstacles in their path---
But being this is cowboy church
And being that I have fried my brain since I was a little child
With western movies
Western TV shows
And western novels
I can’t help but think of a drifter
When I think of the word drift
A saddle tramp most novels and movies would call him
Usually a dirty
Greasy cowboy of shady character
I think of Asa Watts and his crew from the movie the cowboys
A drifter is someone with no connection
They ride
Not for a brand
But for them selves
In either picture I just painted for you
Drifting is not a good thing
In a boat you could end up
Lost
Wrecked
Sunk
As a saddle tramp
You end up living a life without purpose
Without connection
Without fulfillment
Just going whichever way the wind blows
Let me say this
Drifting is not a good life
And drifting can be dangerous
But
Drifting is easy
Just do nothing
In order to drift you just have to go with the flow
Do what feels good
Stop doing anything that moves you in any direction
But especially doing anything that moves you in a positive direction
This morning I want to look at why drifting is not good for as believers us
And
In the process how we can avoid it
But first we must look at some signs that would indicate that we are about to begin drifting
I, like the writer of Hebrews am talking to believers in this first part
If you are an unbeliever here this morning I urge you as our writer urged the unbelievers in that day
to listen as well
But
I need to tell you
You can’t drift if you were never connected in the first place
I want to clarify something before I begin listing the warning signs of drifting
Neither I nor the writer of Hebrews is talking about a loss of Salvation when we talk of drifting
We are talking about backsliding
The bible paints a clear picture on assurance of salvation
Here is one of the strongest verses on this subject
Romans 8:38-39
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Back to drifting
I believe that drifting begins with a process
A boat does not just begin drifting
It first must become unconnected
Untied
Unhooked
A saddle tramp does not just start drifting
He first comes unconnected
There are many warning signs in our spiritual walk that warn us that we are in danger of drifting away from God’s word
Drifting away from our commitment to Jesus
Drifting away from God’s blessings
The first warning sign in this process of drifting
Is
Loss of Focus
Loss of Focus
The bible is clear on the fact that we are to fix our eyes on Jesus
That means we are to focus on Christ
Focus on our relationship with him
Focus on our spiritual walk
When we quit focusing
We tend to start drifting back to our old thoughts
Our old habits
Our old lives
In order to avoid drifting we must do something
Remember I said just a few moments ago that drifting requires no effort
Not drifting requires great effort
We must focus on the object of our faith
Fix our eyes on Jesus
Remember when Peter stepped out of the boat on faith
Remember he walked on water while the rest of the boys just sat in the boat looking stupid?
Remember that while he was focused on Jesus he was defying nature
He was doing the impossible
He was walking on the water
But
He lost his focus
He looked away
And at that moment he began to sink
When we lose our focus
When we look away
It is in that moment that we begin to drift
You see
We start losing our connection
We start losing our anchor
We stop riding for the brand
So to prevent drifting we must
We must focus
Focus on Jesus
Focus on his grace
Focus on where we are and where we would be apart from Jesus
The next warning sign is
Loss of priorities
Loss of priorities
Loss of priorities is often cause by a lack of focus
When we take our eyes off of what is important
And loss sight of it
Our joy
Our peace
Our Jesus
We often shift our priorities
Let me just go ahead and mash on all of us a bit
Is Jesus your priority?
Is living for him a priority
Do you make time to spend with him in prayer and study?
Do you make time to come to church and bible studies?
Time to fellowship with believers
Make time to serve him
Make time to seek him
And
Then if you do
Do you guard that time
Fight for that time with him
Making him the priority in your life
Matthew 6:33
“Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Is the kingdom of God a priority in your life?
If not
And if you are a believer
You are in great danger of drifting
So we must focus and we must keep Jesus as a priority
The next warning sign is
Loss of passion
Loss of passion
Those of us in ministry see this so often’ and it happens to new believers
It happens to mature believers
It happens to Pastors
It happens to Lay pastors
Elders
Team leaders
All believers are in danger of losing passion in their spiritual life
It often begins with a change of focus
Then a change of priority
And all of a sudden the fire seems o go out
That fire that the Holy Spirit lit inside of you
The passion that was inside of you when you gave your life to Jesus
Somehow fades
No passion in your prayer life- just going through the motions
No passion for worship
Sitting instead of standing during the song service
Letting yourself be entertained instead of praising God though song
No passion in your bible study
Maybe you still read God’s word
But the words are just words
Cold lifeless letters on paper
No longer life changing
We often see a lack of passion in those who are drifting
In the areas of service and tithing
You once found so much joy in helping and serving and giving
And not it is just too much
Or if you still do it
You do it out of obligation
I urge you to find the passion in your relationship with Jesus
Listen to what the Apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation
These words we addressed to the church at Ephesus
But have meaning for us as well
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.
4 “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first![b] 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.
They had lost their passion’ and they we drifting
So
We lose focus
We lose priority
We loss passion and then
The next warning sign is
Loss of discipline
Loss of discipline
2 Corinthians 5:17 is a verse I use often
I love this verse because it tells me that I don’t have to be the person I once was
It also tells me that I am not the person I once was
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
I am a new person though Jesus
And
If you are a believer so are you
And if you are not a believer you can be a new person too, it is available as a free gift
I preach a sermon at recovery groups called New Container
In this sermon I use a line that Mike Morrow used in a sermon years ago that touched me
He said we are all living in the same container we got saved in
This body that God gave me is the same body I had when I was lost
But then acceptance of Jesus made me into a new creation – Inside
You see salvation
Changed my heart
Salvation changed my mind
Changed my thoughts and my actions
Even my words
But I still
As you do
Live in the same body as before
We live in the same bodies we got saved in
So it is possible
That if I lose my focus
And if I lose my priorities
And
If I lose my passion
It is highly possible
Maybe even probable
To lose my discipline
What does this mean?
Let’s look at Paul’s words to the Romans
Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Giving your bodies
Your minds
Your heart and souls to God
Takes discipline
Not going with the flow
Swimming against the current takes self discipline
Not blending in with the world around us
Takes great self discipline
When you don’t have self discipline it is very easy to
Go back to the Gate
To drift back to you old life
You are a new creation
But no one can tell
Because you have drifted away from Jesus
Maybe so far away that no one can see Jesus in you
A growing, maturing Christian walk takes tons of self discipline
Buckets full
Truck loads
We must change the way we think as Romans says
That means we must have enough self discipline to avoid like the plague the old things of our old lives
The things that can cause us to turn away
Loss of focus
Loss of priority
Loss of passion
Loss of self discipline
The next warning sign that you may be drifting is
Loss of Commitment
Loss of commitment
Matthew 22:37-38
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
Hebrews 10:25
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Commitment to the Lord takes work
Commitment to your church takes work
Do you fight to build the church?
Or fight to tear it down
Are you committed to discipleship?
Evangelism
Do you get excited when you think about people being saved?
Do you get excited when you know your church is involved in worldwide evangelism?
And lives are being changed
Are you committed to the great commission?
Lack of commitment can kill a church
Lack of commitment can stifle, stunt or completely disable your personal walk with Jesus
Lack of commitment
Can destroy our outreach efforts
Lack of commitment
Can devastate our evangelistic efforts
Matthew 22:37-38
Is very clear on our commitment to God
‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
The bible also speaks of our commitment to each other
To our church
To our community
To the gospel
And lack of commitment shows sever signs of drifting
Next is loss of compassion
Loss of compassion
Lose of compassion is a late and very dangerous sign of drift away from God and his word
The bible tells us in many places
Both from the Old and New Testaments
That compassion is a mark
A sign
A characteristic
Of anyone who is striving to be more like Jesus
Jesus was compassionate to a fault
No one
Listen to me no one
Not a leper
Not the deaf
Not the blind
Not the demon possessed
He showed them all compassion
A woman that suffered for years from bleeding
Another woman trying to hide the shame of her adultery
The lame
The dirty
The outcast
The forgotten
All of these and many more came to Jesus
And asked for compassion
And all of them found that compassion
I will go even further
All of us
The born again believers
The children of the living God
Once came to Jesus in our sinful state
And we begged Jesus for compassion
And he
In his mercy
Cleansed us from our unrighteousness
He washed us
He forgave us
He redeemed us
That my brothers and sisters is true compassion
Let’s look at the compassion of Jesus from the Old Testament
From Lamentations 3:22-23
The faithful love of the LORD never ends![a]
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
The love of God never stops
His mercy is unending
Listen
His mercy is new each morning
There is always enough mercy to cover your mistakes
Your sins
This is compassion
And we
As believers in Christ are to reflect Jesus
When people look at us they should see Jesus
I talked about the new creation
A bit ago
As a new creation we as Paul says in
Ephesians 4:23
Should
24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
We are to be compassionate because Christ is compassionate
So how do avoid drifting
Tie up tight
Stay connected
Focus on Jesus and everything to do with Jesus
Focus on your spiritual walk and your spiritual growth
Make Jesus and all that he stands for and entails the priority in your life
Seek and find your passion for Christ
Seek out and rediscover your passion for ministry
Not drifting takes self discipline
Not drifting takes commitment
Not drifting takes compassion
Listen to me
Drifting away causes
A lose of the fear of sin and its consequences
Drifting causes a rebellion against a God who loves you
And
Drifting causes a lack of repentance and a lack of spiritual growth
But
Not drifting brings rewards
It brings blessings
It brings peace
It brings joy
Close from the heart
Pray
