Drifter’s Beware
Hebrews 2:1
Introduction:
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrew 2:1
There is nothing more pitiful to see than a drifter. Just drifting along – aimlessly, thoughtlessly, hopelessly just drifts along from day to day. He has no concern or thought for tomorrow. He is just living for today. Kind of like the old western song, “drifting along with the tumble weeds”.
If you drive along the coastline from Louisiana to Alabama – after you leave the tourist area – you can see all kinds of broken down boats just drifting. All of these boats use to be somebody’s pride and joy, their fishing or pleasure boat. But somehow they broke loose from their mooring. Now after drifting along with the waves and ripples of the gulf they lie broken, deserted and useless.
What an awesome snapshot of the situation that some church members find themselves in. There was a time when they were tied down to the church program, they were happy and useful, they were somebody’s pride and joy. But look at them now that they lost their mooring and drifted away from their Christian support and the Gospel truths.
Oh, they may still attend. But they do not take a part in the programs of the church. They are just drifting along. They fail to accept responsibility but would rather drift along in the spiritual breezes or as a spiritual tumbleweed. To be quite frank, they’re a has-been when it comes to their church life.
This message is to those who are drifting, those who are not anchored or tied down to any church program. Maybe you are in the community and not even a member of any church. Maybe you are living elsewhere and your membership is back at the little church where you joined and you are just drifting along spiritually.
This message is to some of our own people who ought to be actively engaged in the work of the Lord through the activities of this church; but you will not accept responsibility and instead you are drifting to and fro.
This message is to those of you who are elected already by your church to do a job. However you have grown tired and neglectful of it. Just drifting along until the end of the church year where you will be given another job to neglect and get tired of.
This message is to those of you who need a revival. You feel like you need something to revitalize you and re-fire you. Because the fires in your soul, your supply of spiritual energy, has become diminished. You are just drifting along from day to day.
This message is for those of you who have accepted Christ Jesus but have never joined a church. You try to reason that you can be a Christian and not be an active member of a church. You are weak and need spiritual nourishment but instead Satan has convinced you that you don’t need Church and you decide to just drift along.
SPIRITUAL DRIFTING – What a pitiful sight!
I. A classic example of spiritual drifting is that of Peter.
A. Peter was at on time well anchored in his faith.
1. He was actively engaged in the work of the Lord.
a. He was quick to defend his Master.
b. He boldly confessed his own faith.
c. Then Peter started drifting.
i. Started with his denial of the Lord.
ii. Then a flat refusal to be counted in the number of followers.
B. Notice the three steps to Peter’s drifting. (Because these are the same three steps that all drifters take.)
1. FIRST – he followed his Lord from far off.
a. Beginning with Jesus’ arrest in the garden through his trials before the Sanhedrian and the Roman government and continuing to those dark hours on the cross.
b. Peter was the first absentee member of the church.
c. The first step to drifting is that of absenteeism.
i. Those that are drifting today began when they first stayed out of the services of the church.
ii. They begin by missing on Wednesday night.
(1) Their conscience hurt them.
(2) But after a couple of weeks they started feeling better.
iii. Next they missed Sunday night.
(1) Again their conscience bothered them at first.
(2) After a couple of Sunday’s they began to justify themselves in what they were doing.
(3) Finally they begin to think that it didn’t really matter.
2. The second step in Peter’s downfall was in the courtyard –He didn’t want to be associated with Jesus.
a. This is your next logical step.
b. You say things like:
i. I don’t like Sunday School.
ii. I don’t like the way the preacher preaches.
iii. I don’t want to do things during the week.
c. You don’t mean anything you say.
i. You’re just trying to justify your unfaithfulness.
ii. The truth is you begin to love the company of Satan more than you love the company of those who remain faithful to Christ’s church.
3. The third step is out right denial.
a. When pressed Peter denied he ever knew Jesus.
b. Some people drift so far away that they begin to even deny the existence of God.
II. It is so easy to drift.
A. Isaiah 53:6 is a perfect picture of a drifter.
1. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
2. The sheep is, perhaps, the dumbest of all animals in many respects.
a. He always has his head down and follows his nose to the green grass.
b. Always after something to eat without ever looking up to see how far away from safety that he has wandered.
B. That is why Isaiah says that we are like sheep.
1. We are wandering around with our head down looking for the green patures of life.
a. Money
b. Pleasure
c. Popularity
2. Whatever your greenery is – if you are drifting away from the safety of the church, seeking with your nose down and are unaware of the dangers – You had better look up before it is too late.
III. Reasons for Drifting.
A. We do not appreciate the COST of salvation.
1. Of course - it didn’t cost you anything.
2. However; because of what it cost God – It became the most precious thing in the world.
a. When we lose our evaluation of this most precious salvation, we begin to drift.
b. When we begin to put a higher value on material things, we begin to drift
B. Another reason for drifting is INGRATITUDE to God for what He has done for us.
1. What is the reason behind:
a. Children disobeying their parents?
b. People who mistreat veterans (after Vietnam)?
c. Ingratitude for what they have done for us.
2. The same is true here.
a. When we forget God, what He has done and what He is doing through His church we become ungrateful.
b. This causes us to begin to drift.
3. Spiritual drifters are ungrateful to God for what He has done and is doing for them.
4. LISTEN TO ME – God is not going to continue blessing ungrateful people.
a. One of these days He is going to withdraw His mercy.
C. Third reason for drifting is THE LOVE OF THE WORLD.
1. Paul writes that his friend and brother (Col. 4:14; Philemon 1:24) in Christ Demas has forsaken him because of his love of the world (2 Timothy 4:10).
2. People go where they want to go.
a. If they love church and going to church they will be at church.
b. If, on the other hand, They do not love church and love going to church – they will not come to church.
3. A love for the things of the world and places of the world will cause people to drift toward them.
D. Another reason for drifting is THE LACK OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISE.
1. Why do people not come?
a. The reason some people do not like to go to church is because they never pray or study scriptures.
b. The reason some people don’t like Discipleship Training is because they don’t take part.
c. The reason some people don’t like Sunday School is because they never study their lesson.
2. It is not the leaders of the church that are keeping you away from church, S.S., D.T., Prayer meeting, WMU, and Brotherhood.
3. It is your spiritual weakness – your lack of spiritual growth that is keeping you away.
4. A person who is spiritually strong is not going to stay away because of trivial issues like who the leader is, how it is run or because they don’t like it.
a. This person comes to get refreshed.
E. A final reason is THE NEGLECT OF DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY will lead too spiritual drifting.
1. Many indifferent church members are that way because they began to absent themselves from the church programs and organizations to get out of responsibility.
a. Maybe they had a class on Sunday night that was hard to work with.
b. Or Sunday mornings class that they didn’t really enjoy teaching.
c. Maybe they had a committee position that they were not happy about.
d. Or the church completely overloaded them with different activities.
2. Instead of resigning, they got out of their responsibility by being absent.
a. Not only do they hurt themselves, but also they hurt the group they were leading.
b. They even cause others to drift.
3. I have heard people say, “What happened to so and so/ They use to be such wonderful workers”. This could be the reason they are not around.
IV. What Happens When We Drift?
A. Very simply – God punishes you.
1. You can count on that.
2. The tragedy is that so many times we do not connect our misfortunes with our spiritual drifting.
B. God is not going to bless us fully here on Earth.
C. Our heavenly reward will be marred.
V. What Shall We Do?
A. Confess our backslidings.
1. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
B. Be sorry for your sins.
1. We read where Peter was sorry for His denial.
2. 60 Peter replied, "Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60
C. Return to God.
1. Peter denied Christ three times.
2. However, Peter also came back to Christ and reaffirmed his love three times.(John 21:15-19)
3. God said, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
4. Heed the words of the Lord in Malachi 3:7, “Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you”.
Conclusion:
Will you answer this invitation?
