"Warning Signs"

Intro: Have you stopped to notice lately that everyone is trying to get our attention? And there are all sorts of ways people are trying to do this. There is a message people want us to hear. We see this through the billboards in our city to the commercials on T.V. to social media, political campaign ads and the entertainment world. These things are all around us everyday trying to grab us and make us think. The key to understanding what to pay attention to is knowing which messages are worthy of our focus. What is important?

This section of Hebrews today is a warning passage or appeal from the author to his readers. In fact, the author here pleads for us to pay attention to the most important message and then focuses on the consequences of failing to do so. God has spoken and He has spoken to us through His Son. This truly is the most important message that we can hear and know. God revealed himself and made a way for us to be saved through faith in the person and work of His Son. This is the good news of the gospel. So, what could possibly be better news to hear than that?

Over the last 2 weeks we have addressed from chapter 1 of Hebrews that (Christ is superior than the angels, and anyone else for that matter.) As we begin chapter 2 this is why the chapter begins with therefore. So we need to take notice of this and understand what is it there for? The author here urges, pleads, for his readers to respond to the good news of the gospel. Some of these Hebrews had the head knowledge of the Messiah’s superiority to the angels, but had not fully commited themselves or submitted themselves to Christ as Lord.

Today I want to share with you 3 warning signs on why we must not ignore God’s Word, and what we can do about this. So, lets dive in and look at verse 1.

Hebrews 2:1 ESV

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

1. Pay Attention to God’s Word!

Notice in verse one the use of the word we. The author includes himself in this warning. This was to the recipients of the epistle, but also for the author. We must pay attention, we need to listen to the God who speaks. We would be foolish to ignore God and not listen. So, this message is for all of us today!

I do want to quickly state that we don’t just listen to God and His Word because we want to puff up ourselves theologically, and think that we are better than everyone else around us, but we pay attention to God’s Word here so that we don’t drift away from Him, that’s why!

Both of these main phrases here in verse 1 have a nautical meaning.

”Pay closer attention” The first refers to a ship which would be tied up at a dock or in the port. The second phrase here, “lest we drift away” would have had the meaning of a ship that was allowed to drift past the harbor. What is so interesting here is that not only do those who row or sail in the wrong direction drift away, but also the ones who don’t row or sail at all. We can’t just stand still. The meaning the author wants us to see here is that we must secure our lives to the truth of the gospel. Be so careful not to pass by or drift away from the message of salvation. The readers here, as well as all of us have a potential to make a shipwreck of our lives if we become lazy and apathetic.

1 Timothy 1:19 ESV

19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,

Proverbs 3:21 ESV

21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,

Don’t lose sight of sound wisdom and good godly advise.

Sadly, I feel that over the last several years we have see a theological and spiritual drift in many churches, denominations, families, and individuals. Churches that were once solid and held true to God’s Word have slowly minimized and relaxed in their theological convictions until they become unwilling to draw boundaries or speak clearly on the essential issues and truth of God’s Word. Churches have drifted away from God and His Word so that they can become culturally relevant.

So, how do we avoid the danger of this spiritual drift??? We must pay attention to what we have heard. The Apostle Paul reminds of this in Romans 10:17.

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Hearing God’s Word is a spiritual hearing that involves believing, obeying, and then submitting to what is heard. Let me ask you this morning. Do you trust God and His Word? Are you obeying it, and has there come a time where you died to yourself and submitted to the Lord?

Church there is not perfect formula or plan, however we can avoid drifting away from God when we read God’s word everyday, and as we read it we hear it and meditate on it, which leads us to obey Scripture.

B. B. Warfield once said, “When Scripture Speaks, God speaks.”

I have seen way to many people drift away from the Lord and it saddens my heart. Friends and family of mine. This drift doesn’t happen all at once but ever so subtle and over and over again. That is why this message today is so urgent and important. This is the one warning that we must pay attention to before it’s too late. Let’s jump to verse 2.

Hebrews 2:2 ESV

2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

What can we do to not ignore God’s Word? What do we need to know?

2. Understand God’s message is Trustworthy!

What is the message here? What was the message that was spoken by the angels?

Angels were part of God’s wonderful plan to bring many messages including God’s law to His people. Remember when Moses and his people are in the wilderness and they were gathered at Mt. Sinai? This is the place where the law is given to them. Here are just a few references to help us see this.

Acts 7:38 ESV

38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.

Galatians 3:19 ESV

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

So, under the Old Covenant that we see from the Old Testament, every transgression (sin) or disobedience to the law demanded a just penalty. This happened when God’s people would turn away from God and His Word and close their ears to His commands. These are willful and serious and require a just judgment.

Example: How many times did the nation of Israel forsake God and he gave them over to punishment? In the wilderness they doubted God so they wondered around in the wilderness till all of those who were 18 and over died off. God would give them over to their enemies and eventually Israel went off in exile to Babylon and Assyria.

The point the author wants us to see here church is that how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This was a rhetorical question. We can’t. We see this in verse 3. God has moved from the lesser (which are the angels and the Old Covenant) to the greater (which is Jesus and the New Covenant) If the Old Covenant that came from God and was delivered by angels demanded retribution for sin, how much more will God judge those who have turned away from the gospel delivered to us by His own Son? We see this judgment in Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation 19:15 ESV

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Church, the true danger of drifting away is that we abandon the gospel message and find ourselves under the judgment of God. We should have a healthy fear of God today. We see this theme over and over again in the book of Proverbs.

But, there is good news today. In fact, that is exactly what the gospel means. It means good news, and it is only good when it is accepted in place of the bad news. The bad news is that because of our sin we all deserve hell and the wrath of God. So, the seriousness of the gospel cannot be overstated. The gospel is good news for those who repent of their sin and trust in Christ. It is terrible news for those who do not! Let me ask you today has there come a time in your life where you have submitted to Christ and repented of your sin? I urge you and plead for you to do this today!

Here are the last two verses I want you to see.

Hebrews 2:3–4 ESV

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.

So, again what can we do and understand so that we don’t ignore God’s Word?

3. Know that God’s Message has been Confirmed!

God’s Message has been validated, certified, or authenticated. Again we see the author’s seriousness when it comes to drifting away from God. Don’t neglect this wonderful and reliable message. This message that has been declared by the Lord himself. The author here wants us to see that this message of the new covenant started by Christ, this great salvation is superior to the message delivered by angels, and we see that it has been confirmed in several ways.

-First of all it was confirmed to us because it was spoken or declared by the Lord. God has now spoken to us by His Son. These words are essential for understanding the core truths and theology in this book of Hebrews.

-The second area here that we see God’s message has been confirmed is “By those who heard him.” This statement shows us the missionary work or the evangelism work of the apostles who went out and took the gospel message into all parts of the world. The present generation of Hebrews would not be hearing the message of salvation without these faithful witnesses passing this good news along. Think about Paul’s life.

1 Timothy 2:5–7 ESV

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Church we don’t have to believe in myths and legends about Jesus. The message of the gospel has come down to us from the credible eyewitness testimony of the apostles.

-The third area God’s message has been confirmed to us is by signs and wonders and various miracles. The author of Hebrews here reminds us that miracles do not exist for their own sake. They do not ultimately point to themselves. Instead, miracles validate God’s work in redemptive history. In the New Testament, miracles attest and confirm the truth about the identity and work of Christ. Because of what He did, He is the Son of God.

-Finally, the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What is this talking about? These gifts attest to the truthfulness of the gospel message and it’s superiority over the message delivered by angles. Spiritual gifts are not an end to themselves to be used for our personal, private enjoyment. Spiritual gifts are too edify the church. We see this in (1 Cor. 14:3-5 and Ephesians 4:11-12) and they are used to testify that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Ephesians 4:8 ESV

8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

Gifts within the church, show or bear witness to Jesus Christ as the resurrected Lord.

Conclusion: This wonderful message of salvation was given to the Hebrews and now they have been faced or confronted with God’s Word and deeds. Over and over again ancient Israel choose to disobey God and His laws and drifted away. So the author is pleading with this community of faith here to pay attention to the warning signs. Be careful to not drift away from what they know is true. He calls for a response from his hearers that is consistent with the character of the message of salvation.

Hebrews 3:8 ESV

8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.