Do not drift away… (3 points)

• 1^st – Do not DRIFT… vs. 1
  • 1^st – THEREFORE…
    • In light of the incredible truth that Jesus is BETTER than the PROPHETS / ANGELS…
      • The author pauses for FOUR verses to CONSIDER how we should RESPOND…
      • He will continue to discuss Jesus being BETTER than ANGELS – Hebrews 2:5-18
      • But we are given here the FIRST of – FIVE WARNINGS – in the book of Hebrews!
    • Who the WARNING was given to…
      • WE must give the more earnest heed to the things WE have heard…
      • WE – suggests the people being written to are in the same GROUP as the writer…
      • The author was a JEWISH CHRISTIAN – so there are TWO possibilities!
    • A warning to CHRISTIANS…
      • But if this was written to CHRISTIANS – it has some powerful implications…
      • It would suggest that those who are SAVED – need to KEEP their FAITH to the end!
      • There are those who believe ONCE saved ALWAYS saved…
      • They point to verses like John 10:28 – no man can take you out of My hand…
      • Or Romans 8:39 – nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus…
      • Arguing that we are BORN again – John 3:3 – and there is no way to be UNBORN…
      • The problem with this is – people DO walk away from their FAITH – APOSTACY!
      • Even in the Bible we have examples like Demas – who loved the world – II Timothy 4:10
      • Those who hold the ALWAYS saved view – argue these people were NEVER really saved…
      • But this misses the point – I do not care about SEMANTICS – why are they NOT saved!
      • Hebrews 3:12-13 – “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
      • There is a DANGER to living a lifestyle of SIN – it will harden our hearts…
      • And if we are NOT careful – we might not KEEP the FAITH until the end…
      • Not that we can LOSE our salvation – but it appears we can REJECT our salvation…
      • We are not SAVED the DAY we believe – it is the DAY we go home to be with Jesus!
      • II Timothy 4:7 – “I have finished the race, I have KEPT the faith.”
    • A warning to unsaved JEWS…
      • This could also be written to Jews who did NOT believe in Jesus…
      • Those who were trusting in their own GOOD works to save them!
      • A man came running up and knelt before Jesus – Mark 10:17
      • He wanted to know what GOOD thing he should do to inherit heaven…
      • Jesus answers his question with a question – to establish the definition of GOOD
      • The definition Jesus gives – No one is GOOD but One – that is God!
      • We all think we are GOOD people – few if any of us would say we are bad…
      • Yet what or who is it that we compare ourselves to – GOOD compared to…
      • If the definition GOOD was being better than – a murderer – OK….
      • But since the definition of GOOD is God – that means I am not GOOD!
      • To be GOOD by His definition I would need to be PERFECT – Matthew 5:48
      • It turns out none of us are GOOD after all – Romans 3:23
  • 2^nd – Give heed…
    • We MUST give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard…
      • MUST – die 106x in NT – it is necessary or needed – VERY important to give…
      • EARNEST – all / HEED – our attention – we might say to be DEVOTED…
      • To the things we have HEARD – Jesus is BETTER than everyone and everything…
      • Because it is not ENOUGH to just HEAR – we must also OBEY!
    • Lest we DRIFT AWAY (subjunctive) …
      • DRIFT AWAY – only here NT – carries the idea of a boat drifting past its dock…
      • Meaning once we have HEARD – Jesus is better than the PROPHETS / ANGELS…
      • What do we do with it – do we LISTEN and choose to BELIEVE…
      • Or are we like the FIRST soil in the parable of the seed and sower!
      • Mark 4:15 – “These are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
    • There are two ways that we can approach the Bible…
      • It can either be an instructions manual – or it can be a mirror…
      • The person who is not DEVOTED to WORD – treats the Bible like a mirror!
      • James 1:23 – “If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”
      • When I get up on the morning – I DO NOT like mirrors…
      • They are TOO honest – they tell me EXACTLY what I look like…
      • But I find the solution to the mirror – is to walk away – then I can FORGET what I saw!
    • When we LOOK at the Word – we are clearly told EXACTLY who we are – and what to do…
      • But the moment we put the Bible down – we immediately CHOOSE to forget!
      • The word FORGET come from the root word – to HIDE – an intentional act!
      • That way we get to go on with living our life OUR way!
      • The problem we go BACK to the same broken life we had before we READ the Bible!
      • We are the same kind of person we were before – there is NO CHANGE!

• 2^nd – Do not NEGLECT…  vs. 2-3
  • 1^st – Word of angels… vs. 2
    • If (since) the WORD spoken through angels (messengers from God) proved steadfast / true…
      • The WORD spoken through angels was the LAW of God – Acts 7:38 / Galatians 3:19
      • And every TRANSGRESSION – open rebellion against the WORD of God…
      • And DISOBEDIENCE – 3x in NT – to REFUSE to listen to the WORD of God…
      • Received a JUST REWARD – those who break the LAW – PAY the price!
    • The price of SIN…
      • Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin is DEATH.”
      • For those who TRANSGRESS / DISOBEY the WORD of God – there is JUDGEMENT…
      • Where the last thing they ever see will be God on His throne – Revelation 20:11
      • Then cast into the Lake of Fire – created for satan and his angels – Matthew 25:41
      • Revelation 20:10 – “The lake of fire and brimstone… tormented day and night forever…”
      • This is the Second Death – and the worst part of all – ETERNAL separation from God…
      • There is NO purgatory – there are NO second chances – NO hope of release…
      • They are left to weep and gnash for ETERNITY with NO hope – NO salvation!
      • Matthew 8:12 – “Outer darkness… weeping [sorrow] and gnashing of teeth [angry].”
  • 2^nd – Word of Jesus… vs. 3
    • How shall we ESCAPE…
      • ESCAPE – the idea being how can we AVOID the Lake of Fire…
      • The book of HEBREWS is written to the JEWS – who trusted in the LAW to save them!
      • The LAW is perfect – it is HOLY / JUST / and GOOD – Romans 7:12
      • The problem is we are NOT perfect – we are sold under SIN – Romans 7:14
      • And it only takes one sin to keep us out of heaven – James 2:10
      • The purpose of the Law – is to show us all our flaws – we are sinners…
      • Romans 7:7 – “I would not have known sin except through the law.”
      • The LAW is meant to be our TEACHER – that points us to Jesus!
      • Galatians 3:24 – “The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ…”
      • There are a lot of different ideas about how to get to heaven…
      • The world tries to convince us – ALL roads lead to heaven…
      • Partially true – ALL roads lead to the White Throne Judgement – Revelation 20:11
      • Wide is the path that leads to destruction – many go in by it – Matthew 7:13
      • If all roads lead to heaven – then the cross was a waste of time…
      • Jesus suffered and died for no reason – and the Gospel is just news – not GOOD News!
      • Galatians 2:21 – “If we could be saved [another way], there was no need for Christ to die.”
    • NEGLECT so GREAT a SALVATION…
      • NEGLECT – 5x in NT – to treat something as if it is NOT important…
      • GREAT SALVATION – the WORD – FIRST given to us by Jesus Himself!
      • Mark 3:28-39 – “All sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”
      • All sins can be FORGIVEN – with the exception the BLASPHEMY of the Holy Spirit…
      • This verse has caused a LOT of confusion / questions – what is the UNFORGIVABLE sin!
      • If we continually NEGLECT – the conviction of the Holy Spirit – John 16:8
      • HARDEN our hearts and refuse to receive the SALVATION spoke by Jesus…
      • Then there is NO HOPE of salvation for us – there is only one way to heaven…
      • The unforgivable sin is to die without knowing Jesus as our personal Savior!
    • FIRST spoken by the Lord…
      • The good news is there is an ESCAPE – God does NOT want us to go to HELL!
      • II Peter 3:9 – “[God] does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.” [NLT]
      • God made it easy – because He desires for everyone to be saved – Romans 10:9-10
      • It does not matter who we are – God makes salvation available for all!
      • But God is a gentleman – He will not force us to do anything we do not want to…
      • God does NOT make anyone go to heaven – He only provides the way – Ephesians 2:8-9
      • Just because He offers us the gift – it does not mean we have to take it…
      • We still have a choice – we still have to choose to ESCAPE!

Because where God has ANOINTED – called / equipped – there will be JOY!

3^rd – Salvation confirmed…  vs. 3-4

1^st – By those who HEARD… vs. 3

Our salvation was CONFIRMED by those who HEARD and were SAVED…

CONFIRMED – to be established as TRUTH / verified…

If someone asks what PROOF we have that Jesus is REAL – the Gospel TRUE…

The answer is look at our LIVES – SINNERS transformed into SAINTS…

Does that mean we are PERFECT – not yet – we are a WORK in progress!

Ephesians 2:10 – “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”

The Gospel does NOT rehabilitate our sinful nature – it crucifies it!

We are CLEANED from our PAST sins – given a NEW start – CHANGED for the better…

All by the POWER of the WORD spoken by Jesus – our lives are transformed!

We were given NEW LIFE – freed from sin – so we can live for God!

II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

2^nd– By SIGNS and WONDERS with various MIRACLES… vs. 4

Our salvation was CONFIRMED by the miraculous signs…

Jesus raised healed the sick / cast out demons / raised THREE people from the dead…

Jairus daughter – Mark 5:42 / son of the widow – Luke 7:15 / Lazarus – John 11:43

Acts 2:43 – “Many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.”

Paul healed people with his shadow – Acts 5:15 / Paul with his handkerchief – Acts 19:12

God still do SIGNS / WONDERS / and MIRACLES today – Hebrews 13:8

If we have the faith of a mustard seed – nothing is impossible – Matthew 17:20

Jesus also said we would do GREATER works than these!

John 14:12 – “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and GREATER works than these shall he do.”

What could be greater than healing / casting out demons / raising the dead…

If we heal – they will get sick again / if we raise the dead – they die again one day…

The greater work – is giving the Gospel – bringing eternal life that never fades away!

I Corinthians 15:1-2 – “I declare unto you the gospel… by which also ye are saved…”

3^rd – By the GIFTS of the Holy Spirit… vs. 4

Our salvation was CONFIRMED by the GIFTS of spirit…

GIFTS – merismos 2x in NT – literally division – also Hebrews 4:12

In context we interpret this to mean the GIFTS of the Holy Spirit…

Speaking of the supernatural GIFTS – God gives to believers in the church…

GIFT – from the root word – charis – meaning GIFT or grace…

The idea being the GIFT are not earned – they cannot be purchased – Acts 8:20

A total of 23 gifts listed in the NT – Romans 12 / I Corinthians 12 / Ephesians 4

Including the gifts of healing / miracles / teaching / evangelism / wisdom / faith!

There are denominations that argue the gifts of the Spirit were only for the first church…

Because the Bible was not complete – God gave the Spirit to empower the church…

But once the Bible was finished – no need for the gift!

I Corinthians 13:10 – “When that which is perfect [the Bible] is come, then that which is in part [the gifts] shall be done away.”

The Holy Spirit is a vital part of the church / necessary for the Christian walk…

Which makes it SAD we do not hear more about the Spirit in churches…

Peter makes it clear – the gift of the Spirit is for every generation – Acts 2:38-39

All we have to do is ask and the GIFTS of the Spirit is available to us today!

According to HIS will…

The word HIS – GSM – connects back to the word God at the beginning of the verse…

God gives us GIFTS according to His WILL – as He DESIRES!

All believers who are filled with the Spirit have at least ONE gift – I Peter 4:10

We do not decide what gifts we receive – the Holy Spirit gives them to us…

We are not defined by our gift – I am a prophet or I am a healer…

The Holy Spirit can give us any or all of the gifts as the need arise!

I Corinthians 12:11 – “The same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills…”

To find out our gift – step out in faith…

Paul was stirred to share the Gospel in Asia – the Holy Spirit said no – Acts 16:6-7

Then he tried to go into Bithynia – again the Holy Spirit did not let him…

In the Greek when it says he TREID – it is in the imperfect tense – he KEPT trying….

As Paul was looking for where to go next – he stepped out and tried…

Not just once – he tried again / and again / and again!

Not sure of our gift – want to find out what gift God has given to us…

Step out and try – try to teach / try to evangelize / try to give / try to help…

If it does not work – if there is no fruit – then try something else!