Hebrews - Week 2, Don't Drift Away
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Intro
Intro
Why do so many Christians become baristas? its cause We identify with Moses… and Hebrews.
Continuing our study of the book of Hebrews, jumping in to chapter 2 and focusing on the first 4 verses. As we go through this book, we won’t study everything. We won’t be able to dig deeply into every possible nuance of every verse. I believe that doing that is incredibly valuable - but our time together on Sundays is limited.
Who wrote it?
We don’t know. Church history has a list of guesses, but there is no proof. We give credit to this epistle to the Holy Spirit, to God for providing it for us.
Who was it written to?
Specifically - we don’t know. Again, there are clues. It was written to people who were expected to have an understanding of the Septuagint, that spoke Greek. There are priestly matters dealt with in this book - so it may have been written to priests who converted. We don’t know for sure who - other than that they were Jews who converted.
When was it written. - Evidence says that it was written before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
Today as we continue our study of the book of Hebrews - we are going to the beginning of chapter 2, where we see the first command, the first instruction for believers, in the book. To pay attention.
For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.
For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment,
how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will.
The Messenger
The Messenger
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
God wants us to understand who Jesus is.
Jesus is greater than the angels
Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father
Jesus is heir of all things
Jesus is God.
The Message
The Message
God spoke. That was the point that we focused on last week. God spoke because he wants to be known. But what did he say?
A lot of things. He said that He created the world and he loved it.
He said that the world fell into sin and he hated that.
He said as a just God he had to respond to sin
He said that his plan for sin was salvation through his son.
He said that Jesus would die on the cross and be raised again on the third day.
He said that we could accept salvation, and have everlasting life.
Signs and wonders testified of this great message
required response - Listening.
That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.
Listening is easy to do, easy not to do.
Listening to Elaine - she talks!
Listening to Eden - She talks too!
legally binding
if you understand the old testament, The message of the angels - God always followed through with those.
They communicated the covenant with Moses
deut 33:2 “He said: The Lord came from Sinai and appeared to them from Seir; he shone on them from Mount Paran and came with ten thousand holy ones, with lightning from his right hand for them.”
Having an understanding of Jesus - who he is - what he is.. knowing chapter 1 of this book…
The message becomes law. The law of gravity and the law of christ have the same level of importance and fact.
An option in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an opposing force, and Jesus came to pay the price for our sins so that we might be reconciled.
The Earth will spin at roughly 1000 miles an hour, and you will go to hell - if you don’t proclaim that Jesus is Lord and savior.
Great Salvation
how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Began with Jesus, confirmed by those who heard Him.
Proven by signs and wonders
At some point, we understood all of that. For most of us, that is why we are here. We got excited about it. We surrendered ourselves at an altar call, or in sunday school, or in our grandmas living room.. because we got it!
And it was wonderful. And magical. We wanted to know everything we could about Jesus.
When we first fell in love, the first time… we made our lives all about that other person. We wanted to know them. We made them the center of our attention. We allowed them to consume so much of us… We wanted to know their favorite color and flavor of ice cream and and and..
and I hear stories - often - of how distant these relationships become in time.
There is a joke at my place of work that I am the only one with a good wife - because I don’t complain about mine. Some of these guys that had been around for a while - they drifted.
The author of Hebrews understood - there was a problem in the church. People were beginning to drift. Away from the church - away from the mistiry
And we have this happening today. We think - I can stop, I can take a break from it all. Thats what the evangelist said when they were trying to encourage someone else.. they could go right back to Jesus.
But eventually, you just don’t want to. You don’t want to go back to forsaking all things for the name of Jesus, because now you don’t have the money trouble that you had when you needed him.
You don’t want to go back to following him, the Lord who might ask so much of us that we give up our comforts for his namesake - because now you got a MyPillow, and a heated blanket, and you are comfortable.
You don’t want to go back to your old relationship - Because that other girl makes you feel better about yourself than your wife does.
Because that guy really seems to understand your problems. He listens.
For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.
Greek for drift - means to float by. There was no effort required. The way a stick might travel from Keokuk to the gulf of Mexico
Drift happens because of neglect. Inaction a choice to nothing.
This is a whole lifestyle today - “Van life”
because of Chapter one - we must pay attention to the Gospel, to what Jesus has said - so that we don’t drift.
The author of Hebrews knew this would be a problem.
Drift happens - almost accidentally. Drift happens - without notice. But just like a boat that is not tied off to the dock, we can float away from the truth in moments!
God has spoken and is speaking
Chapter one should have gotten us excited. BIGGER. BADDER. BETTER.
We must pay attention
Paying attention requires effort and provision
Why do we want to listen to things?
Entertainment
Education
Excitement
What do we do when we want to hear something?
Turn it up some
Silence other things
Program for it.
We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.