Drift away

Quicksand

As a kid, it seemed like in every western and a lot of cartoons I watched, someone got stuck in quicksand. It was so prevalent, I thought quicksand would be much more of a threat to my daily life.

The unerversual truth about quicksand according to all those old shows was this: The more you struggle, the deeper and the faster you sank.

Sometimes, there was a sign posted warning people of the quicksand ahead.

Hebrews

The writer of Hebrews spends the entire book elevating Christ above everything they knew as Jews. In between these times of elevating Christ, the writer gives a warning to the readers.

Quicksand Ahead

This morning, we are going to look the first of these warnings.

Hebrews 2:1 starts:

For this reason….

In the first chapter the writer, using OT references demonstrates that Jesus is greater than the angels.

Your thoughts…Of course He is.

But understand, this is all new to them, and at one time, it was new to you…..

The writer is building the Church and Christ is the foundation.

Ephesians 2:19–20 NASB95

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

Christ is higher than the angels.

Hebrews 2:1–4 NASB95

1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

Do not drift away!

Why was the writer concerned about the Jews drifting away from Christ?

There is an adage attributed to Military Special Operators, “You don’t rise to the level of your expectations, you sink to the level of your training.”

The point is, as persecution comes, believers seem to get stronger.

But when the mundane is found. In the absence of struggle, comes complacency. And we find ourselves drifting into what is familiar. For the early Jewish believers, this would have been the Jewish sacrifices and festivals.

For us that presents itself differently: We start missing gathering together to worship. Of we stop spending time in the Word. Or we stop praying regularly.

The antidote to this: “Pay much closer attention to what we have heard.” The NT letters.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:

Matthew 27:51–53 NASB95

51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

IF/THEN

If :the Law (spoken through angles) is unalterable (and) every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,

Then: How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.

IF:

Deuteronomy 4:2 NASB95

2 “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

Ezekiel 18:20 NASB95

20 “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Leviticus 4 and Leviticus 6 show that according to the Law, every sin requires a blood sacrifice.

There are no free sins:

Leviticus 4:1–4 NASB95

1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them, 3 if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 ‘He shall bring the bull to the doorway of the tent of meeting before the Lord, and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull and slay the bull before the Lord.

Unintentional Sin of anyone, or the Sin of the anointed priest.

The IF is true: The Law brought to Moses spoken by angels is both unalterable and every sin has it’s just penalty.

THEN: Rhetorical Question:

How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

YOU CAN’T.

The death rate among humans is 1 to 1.

Hebrews 9:27 NASB95

27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

The Word was spoken:

Jesus:

The Apostles:

GOD: signs and wonders:

The Holy Spirit.