Pay Attention to the Warning Signs!

Open: Show the students a series of signs and ask them to identify them one by one. When finished, ask, “what type of signs were all of these?” Expected answer is: Warning Signs

Transition: Each of these signs is designed to be helpful, so that those who see the sign can avoid physical harm or even death. Warning signs are for our good!

God also gives us warning signs that are for our good! His warning signs will not only keep us from physical danger, they are designed to keep us spiritually healthy. God’s warning signs are given so that we might avoid spiritual death and destruction.

The NT Book of Hebrews contains five (5) warning passages that provide much-needed guard rails for the Christian life and this morning, we are going to look at the first one, which is found at the beginning of the 2nd chapter.

Read the Text: Hebrews 2:1-4

Introduction

The book of Hebrews is a message to the church about the Excellence of Jesus. In this book, Jesus is shown to “be better” than everything else. Jesus is superior to the angels; He is superior to Moses, He is superior to the high priests, and He is superior to the Old Covenant.

The Church group that first heard this message were starting to experience persecution for their belief in Jesus. Some of the members, probably Jewish Christians, were talking about leaving Christianity and going back to their Jewish beliefs. The author of Hebrews is sharing a message that there is nothing to go back to because Jesus is the only Savior.

The Church is to heed (follow) the teaching it has been given (2:1)

Explanation: This chapter begins with the word therefore, which serves as a call to action. Because of these previous things, you are to do such and such - so the reader is encouraged to look back to discover the content so they can act accordingly. In the first chapter, the author of Hebrews shares the inspired truth that Jesus is better than angels. Jesus is better because He is the Eternal Son of God, the Creator of everything, the One who holds together the creation, and the only One who was capable of paying the sin debt for Humanity. In summary, Jesus is THE most excellent and the only One worthy of our worship!

Therefore, because of the Truth of who Jesus IS and what He has accomplished, the readers are to pay attention! Not only are they called to “hear” the message, they are to “heed it!” This means to hold on to it, to embrace it and cherish it.

Here is the first warning: if we do not hold these truths tightly we will drift away from them.

Illustrate: being in the ocean. Go out about 30 yards in the ocean and just float. Pick a landmark on the beach (someone’s umbrella) and see what happens. In a few moments you will be down the beach from where you started.

Argument: There is no neutral in the Christian life. We are either moving forward or we are sliding back. Being students here at MCA is an important part of the process that is designed to assist each of you in moving forward in the Christian faith. One of the purposes of this Academy is to equip you with a biblical worldview and to challenge you socially, spiritually, and academically.

Just as the writer of Hebrews was challenging his listeners to understand spiritual truth and to cling to it, so your teachers and administrators are challenging you with the same claims. And what are those claims? Let’s look back to the first four (4) verses of Chapter 1 where we read that Jesus is the radiance of the Glory of God because He is God in the Flesh and He is the One who holds this Universe together. He is also the One who voluntarily served as the sin substitute to pay for humanity’s sin debt! In summary, the foundation of your education is based on the Superior nature of Jesus, the Son of God. That truth has implications for ALL of life and you are being challenged to learn them and to follow them

What happens if you don’t?

Explanation: The writer of Hebrews tells his audience that ignoring (or neglecting) the truth has consequences. This letter is actually a sermon that was preached to a church in the first

Ignoring the Warning has consequences (2-3a)

Application: The process of becoming more and more like Jesus is just that - a process! We have to work to grow in holiness. We don’t however, work by ourselves - we are to rely on the help of the Spirit of Grace.

verse 2

drifting (losing ground) in some areas of life are not overly important (soccer or basketball). losing ground in our Christian walk is crucially important!!

neglect comes with a price

Meredith taking the summer off from hard-core physical training. First soccer practice in the fall was brutal!

Verse 3b

“attested to us by those who heard” refers to 1st generation believers. They were eye witnesses to the glory of Christ and they shared the hope of Jesus with others. These eyewitnesses were intentional about sharing with the next generation. (cf., 2 Timothy 2:1-2)

This is the mission of MCA. This school exists for the purpose of transmitting the faith to the next generation. As students, you are being trained to hold a biblical worldview.