Sermon Cloud

Navigating the Course

Hebrews 2:1-4

Grace Fellowship Church

July 1, 2007

Series 3 Sermon 4

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ² For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, ³ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, ⁴ while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Introduction

Imagine with me this morning that we were all planning to go and colonize a recently discovered inhabitable planet.  We will not be the first but will join a group that is already there.  What they have found out for us already is that there is a certain path that we must follow in order to arrive safely.  But there are dangers.  Many of them as a matter of fact.  They seem to lurk around every corner.  There are those who are not happy about our journey and think that we ought to just stay right where we are.  So they keep pressuring us to not go.  There are those who tell us that what we are doing is not possible.  There are those who simply desire to see us fail and belittle the whole planet relocation plan.  Then there are the dangers.  There are many temptations along the way.  It takes a lot of energy and work to maintain the course to get there.  As a matter of fact it takes several years of travel to get to this planet.  Along the way there are easier destinations.  There is the space station and the moon.  And what we know already is that many who have tried this before have turned back before they arrived because of the difficulty of the journey. 

If I were going to try and compare the Christian life this morning it would be a lot like a trip to colonize another planet.  The trail has been blazed but that same trail is ripe with dangers.  The Christian life is one that is failed very, very often for many, many reasons.  People who begin in earnest to follow the Lord fall away seemingly in droves.   

There are startling statistics in the Christian world.  This of course is not the only statistic but one that receives quite a bit of press.  The Southern Baptist Convention boasts over 16 million members.  According to these self-compiled statistics that makes the SBC the largest protestant denomination in America.  Dr. Chuck Kelley, the president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote a book entitled, How They Did It.  In this book he outlines the methods of evangelism and church mobilization in taking the SBC from a small southern denomination to where it is today. 

But here is the problem.  According to the statistics compiled by the SBC only about 6 million of those members actually attend church.  The way these statistics are compiled they do not remove the visitors or non member children from the attendance statistics.  So to be fair and for the sake of argument I will leave the number of members present at 6 million.  What those numbers should tell us is that something terrible is taking place.  Baptists have historically believed in a regenerate church membership.  That means that every person who is on the church rolls have made what the pastor and church believes is a credible profession of faith and they have been baptized by immersion.  These 16 million people are supposedly Christians.  They have by their own testimony repented and believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ and now are part of a local church for edification, instruction, and fellowship.  So what happened to them? 

I am sure there are many who really did not understand what they were doing and were just ushered into the membership of the church and did not understand the duties involved.  But what about those that did understand?  What happened to them?  Many have had their faith destroyed.  They have been thrown on the rocks of this journey of faith and have been lost.  They have drifted off the course and never made it back. 

Satan is in the business of pulling us away from the faith.  He desires to destroy the faith of each and every one of us and before you get too confident this morning and think that you are too spiritual and too mature and too disciplined for it to happen to you then let me warn you that spiritual pride is the biggest destroyer of faith. 

They tell us in ministry that only 1 out of every 10 men who begin in ministry will ultimately end their careers in ministry.  That means 9 out of 10 men who started out with a burning passion and desire to serve the Lord through serving his people are shipwrecked on the sea of ministry life.  They burn out, they marry the wrong woman, they are injured by the flock, and in many cases they fail morally. 

In a little over ten years in ministry I can tell you that I have seen all of these things happen over and over.  Men who I was envious of their God given personalities and intellectual abilities and talents have fallen by the wayside.  And you know what?  It frightens me to my very soul and it ought to frighten you as well.  You ought to be frightened for your own soul and for the souls of your family.

There is an epidemic of spiritual apostasy in our day simply because people have decided that once they are saved or go through the man made motions of salvation that they are okay no matter what happens to them.  They have their ticket punched and will one day board the ship to Heaven.  But many will be surprised one day to find out that they have boarded the wrong ship. 

It is because they took the broad road and not the narrow road.  It is because they thought salvation was easy and free and in a non-chalant manner decided that spiritually they were fine.  Others started off well, maybe even very zealous for serving the Lord and still ended up with a dead faith.     

This is what the Epistle to the Hebrews is all about.  It is about staying the course in spite of all the dangers that lurk seemingly around every corner.  Satan desires each of us to fail in the faith.  Sin is an ever present danger to us all.  Each of us because of depravity has the ability to commit horrible sin.  We have the ability to walk away from the faith.  But these are not the most dangerous things for we believers. 

What is the most dangerous is the slow and gradual drifting away from the faith.  It is compromises that lead to more compromises.  It is letting down our guard and allowing sin and temptation to have a foothold in your life drawing you away from the faith.  It can be spiritual neglect that causes you to get more focused on worldly things rather than the things of the Lord. 

In our day I believe the tremendous amount of falling away that happens is due to a lack of understanding about the difficulty and the amount of determination that it takes to maintain the course of the faith.  Really, true biblical Christianity is a fight. 

Listen to this quote by JC Ryle about true Christianity.

True Christianity! Let us mind that word “true.” There is a vast quantity of religion current in the world which is not true, genuine Christianity. It passes muster, it satisfies sleepy consciences; but it is not good money. It is not the authentic reality that called itself Christianity in the beginning. There are thousands of men and women who go to churches and chapels every Sunday and call themselves Christians. They make a “profession” of faith in Christ. Their names are in the baptismal register. They are reckoned Christians while they live. They are married with a Christian marriage service. They mean to be buried as Christians when they die. But you never see any “fight” about their religion! Of spiritual strife and exertion and conflict and self–denial and watching and warring they know literally nothing at all. Such Christianity may satisfy man, and those who say anything against it may be thought very hard and uncharitable; but it certainly is not the Christianity of the Bible. It is not the religion which the Lord Jesus founded and His apostles preached. It is not the religion which produces real holiness. True Christianity is “a fight.”

The true Christian is called to be a soldier and must behave as such from the day of his conversion to the day of his death. He is not meant to live a life of religious ease, indolence and security. He must never imagine for a moment that he can sleep and doze along the way to heaven, like one traveling in an easy carriage. If he takes his standard of Christianity from the children of this world, he may be content with such notions, but he will find no countenance for them in the Word of God. If the Bible is the rule of his faith and practice, he will find his course laid down very plainly in this matter. He must “fight.”

Context

What we have in our text this morning is a great warning against falling away.  The readers of this letter were under intense pressure from apostate Judaism.  They had grown up in that religion and had now forsaken the previous system for the superior faith of the Lord Jesus Christ who all of that former system pointed to.  I imagine that it was wonderful to sit under the teaching of the apostles as they showed over and over from the Old Testament that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah.  I can imagine that hearing the stories of the life of Christ from those who witnessed it first hand must have been enthralling.  But happened after they believed is what the problem was.  They were forsaking the religion of their parents and now were considered apostate by those still in Judaism.  So those within Judaism were trying to bring them back to the Temple and were using persecution to do it.  Some of these early Christians were indeed returning to Judaism.  They were beginning to neglect the truth of the Gospel and were returning to their old manner and customs of life.  The pressure was on and they desired to relieve that pressure.  Instead of fighting the good fight and trusting the Lord they would simply take the easy way and return to Judaism. 

This is the warning of our passage this morning.  We all stand in spiritual danger of going back to what we came from.  The path that is wide and well traveled always is easier.   But to go down a path that few have traveled or even to blaze a new trail is the most difficult way and God has chosen the narrow path that leads to salvation.  The Lord was very plain in His words about this narrow path.  He said, “Few there be that find it.” 

There are many warnings in Scripture than many will fall away.  Remember the Lord’s parable of the seeds and sower?  The sower scattered seed all over the ground which was the Word of God and listen to Luke 8:12-15 to see what happens to it.

¹² "Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.

By the way, this is the only group that makes no claim at belief.  But the three remaining types of soils all make a claim to believe.  Listen to verse 13.

¹³ "Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away.

The trial or temptation or testing will show that their faith is not a legitimate one and they will fall away.  Then there is verse 14. 

¹⁴ "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Here are some that supposedly believe and there may even be a bud on the tree but the fruit never makes it to maturity.  They are too entangled in the affairs of the world.

But there is a small group that endures.  Listen to verse 15.

¹⁵ "But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance .

There are three characteristics of this group that endures.

1.  They receive the word in an honest and good heart.  This is a heart that has been truly changed by God.  They were not born with this heart but have had a Holy Spirit heart transplant.  As a result of this change they now have two other characteristics. 

2.  They hold the word tightly.  The words hold fast means to hold on tightly to. 

Paul used this same word in 1 Corinthians 15:2.  Listen to verses 1 and 2 together. 

¹ Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, ² by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3.  They bear fruit with that all important aspect of perseverance.

What we have in verses 1-4 of Hebrews chapter 2 is a sort of interlude.  The writer stops his argument just for a moment to drive home some much needed application.  Which is what I would like to do today as well. 

The writer of Hebrews uses language that those who were familiar with sailing would have quickly recognized.  Notice verse 1 with me especially the first word.       

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

The writer is calling our attention back to chapter one as a reminder of why he is saying this.  The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has been presented to us as the One who is greater than the prophets and greater than the angels.  So because of the greatness and superiority of Christ we as believers must be very careful.  What are we to do?  Look at verse 1 again.

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

The writer could not have used stronger language.  He literally says in the first part of verse 1, Therefore, it is necessary, that we pay more earnest attention to what we have heard.”  In other words the writer demands our attention and obedience. 

I want you to notice the verb “pay attention” in verse 1.  This is the Greek word “prosekain” and in the language of sailors to hold a ship in a particular direction to sail towards. 

Now, if you are canoeing across a creek this is not a big deal.  But if you are traveling across the sea or an ocean this is a huge deal.  If you start out correctly but get off course you could end up at the North Pole and that is not good.  The language is very appropriate for the Christian life.  As believers we are on a journey and our course is a difficult one.  Many never make it to the final destination.  There are pitfalls and dangers along the way.  Our flesh desires comfort and ease but the Christian journey seldom provides either.  Getting off course can be easier, for a time but the further off course you go the more difficult it is to get back on course.   

Notice what we are to pay much closer attention to.   Look again at verse 1. 

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,  

I want you this morning to understand how very important this is.  Did you notice the writer is not using the word you but rather the word we in the verse.  WE must pay closer attention to what WE have heard. 

What have they heard? Had they heard the words of prophets?  Yes.  Did they hear the words attested by angels in the Law?  Yes.  But remember the writer is telling them that they have heard something much greater.  Remember chapter 1 and verse 1 and 2?

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Here these believers reading this New Testament letter just decades after the life death and resurrection of the Lord were urged to pay much closer attention to what they had heard in order not to abandon the faith.  How much more do we 20 centuries removed need to pay attention to what we have heard and hold on to the Gospel? 

We must heed the Gospel message with great care.  We must hold onto the Word of God as precious and sufficient for faith and life.  We must pay closer attention to the Scriptures because they are the truth and they point us consistently to Christ the One by which God has finally spoken. 

To take a laissez faire attitude toward the things of God is dangerous. To the people being written to in the Epistle to the Hebrews, there problem was intense persecution causing them to not pay attention to the Gospel.  It was easier for them just to simply turn back to Judaism and save their lives, jobs, and reputations. 

In our day I am afraid that the things that would draw us away from the Gospel as believers are the things that make our lives easier and enjoyable.  Ease of life is a great danger to faith because when ease comes it is usually accompanied by complacency.  Spiritual complacency is the forerunner to spiritual apathy and ultimate neglect. 

I want you to understand this morning that we all stand in great danger as we walk this Christian life.  I am not sure where all of you are spiritually this morning but let me ask you.

Have you grown spiritually lazy?  Are you satisfied with the progress that you think you have made and are now in a spiritual easy chair waiting on the next phase?  Maybe there is so much deadness in your spiritual life this morning that you are merely going through the motions of worship and life and it has become meaningless.  Spiritual ease and comfort is not the clarion call of Biblical Christianity. 

All of you know the Apostle Paul described the Christian life as a fight.  At the end of his life he could make the claim, “I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith.” 

The Lord Jesus demanded that if we were to come after Him that we must take up our cross daily and follow Him.

We are commanded to be spiritually diligent in order to continue in the faith.  Listen to Deuteronomy 4:9.

Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.

Listen to Proverbs 4:23.

Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.

Paul warned the Colossian church of this very thing.  They were being bombarded by false teaching and vain philosophy and he tells them to be diligent in the faith. Listen to Colossians 1:21-23.

²¹ And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister .

Why is this so important?  Why is it so necessary for all of us whether we are adult, teenager, or child to be so spiritually diligent?  What is the great danger in a little spiritual slackness?  Look at the rest of verse 1.   

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Did you notice what the writer wrote?  He said, “lest we drift away from it.”  What are we drifting away from?  We stand in danger of drifting away from the Gospel. 

The word “drift away” in the text is a very precise and picturesque word.  When I think of drifting away I think of being out on a lake or river fishing in a boat with the wind blowing hard and that making it difficult to keep the boat in the spot you want to fish on. 

But here it is much more subtle.  The verb is in the passive tense and it means to be carried along or to drift. 

Those of you that are familiar with boating know that you have to constantly pay attention to your boat and its location in the water.  The reason is there are no roads.  You have to watch out for obstacles in the water.  You also don’t just stop the engine or take down the sail without anchoring off.  Why not?  Because the boat will drift.  What if you did that?  You decide that your tired and the boat is in the middle of the lake or river or out in the Gulf so you lay down and take a nap.  Just an hour or two goes by and you wake up and your position has changed.  You are not where you started.  If you are out in the Gulf you may have no idea where you are.  If you are in a lake or river you may have run up on the shore or are now stick on a log. 

The point of what the writer of Hebrews is saying is that if we are not diligent we are in great danger of gradually abandoning our belief in the truth and drifting away from it. 

I have seen this in people’s lives before.  They start neglecting seemingly small spiritual things and the next thing they know their problems are compounded.  Often this is a gradual almost unnoticeable drift or movement away from the faith. 

So how does this happen?  How do we as strong believers slowly drift into apostacy? 

In the context of our passage it happened because of intense pressure and persecution.  But what about in our day where this pressure and persecution is different? 

The first way this gradual drift away from the faith into apostasy can happen is through besetting sin.  Listen to James 1:13-16.

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. ¹⁵ Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. ¹⁶ Do not be deceived , my beloved brethren.

James tells us not to be deceived.  Folks, what he is saying is you can not play with sin without getting burned.  What we have to understand is that sin will ultimately destroy us.  Even what we consider small sin can lead to our apostasy from the faith. 

I counseled with a man who minimized his sin.  It was just a habit that he had a hard time breaking.  After all it wasn’t that big of a deal.  I told him it was a big deal and that it would shipwreck his life.  He did not believe me but it wasn’t too long after that he is now living as an unbeliever. 

Sin is pervasive.  It is like the creeping death waiting to destroy you.  Even what you may consider a small thing can quickly spiral out of control and ruin your life and the lives of those around you.  Sin has consequences. 

Think about David.  His sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah although forgiven by God caused the ultimate death of three of his sons and the eventual collapse of his kingdom. 

Small sins like bitterness and hatefulness and neglect can quickly spiral out of control.  Bitterness can rip apart a family or a church.  Hatefulness can drive people away that God has called you to minister to.  Spiritual pride can lead to spiritual apathy and apostasy.

But do you know where this besetting sin comes from?  It comes from the neglect of sound doctrine.  Sound doctrine is not just a by product of Christianity.  It is indeed our life.  Our doctrine dictates our behavior or at least it should.  Listen to what Moses had to say to the Israelites as he was about to die  This is Deuteronomy 32:46-47.

⁴⁶ he said to them, "Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully , even all the words of this law. ⁴⁷ "For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land,

I believe at this present time this is the disease of the church in North America and that disease is spreading to the churches around the world.  Sound doctrine is a hard thing to find and many refuse to preach the warning passages of Scripture.  You can hear all kinds of good advise in the pulpit about marriage and family all the way to how to have a good vacation this summer but all of that divorced from sound doctrine is suitable for the Kiwanis Club only.  We must have the doctrines that God has place in His Word and we need those to maintain the course that God has called us to.  Otherwise we will drift. 

The third reason people drift away is because of unsound practice.  This is a direct result of unsound doctrine.  If people don’t know what God expects of them then how can they do it?  Moses told the Hebrews to be careful to do all that he had commanded them to do and not to neglect it. 

So how does this begin in our lives?  By the slightest compromise.  Maybe we decide to do something even though we have a biblically informed conviction about it.  If you have a doubt about something then it is best to avoid it.  Take pains with these things in order to avoid it. 

As we close this morning I want you to remember something.  This gradual drift will ultimately result in an overwhelming flood that you can not pull yourself out of.  Great moving rivers usually begin with a trickle.  Try swimming against the current where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico.  You will go under. 

Sin may start small but it will cause you to drift away from Christ, the author and finisher of our faith who we are called to continually look at. 

Have you taken your eyes off of Christ?

Are you playing Russian Roulette with sin?  Are you being attacked living in unsound doctrine and unsound practice? 

Then repent and look to Christ for help.  Turn from that sin and plead with the Lord to keep you from it. 

I believe in eternal security of the believer but I also believe in the warning passages.  So may the Lord help us to pay much closer attention to what we have heard.

Let’s pray.