Drifters

Frame:

I. Introduction:

II. Exegesis: Drifters

Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”

A. Drifting Away

The author writes that believers must pay close attention to what was heard or the result will be to drift away from it.

Now is this meant to spook us or exhort us?

Hebrews 2:1 (KJV): “Therefore we ought to give more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”

I think the KJV’s translation can get more to the heart of the author’s intention.

Heed (or attention) — Greek: Prosecho — take care; pay attention to

Sense: to give heed

Drift away (or let them slip) — Greek: pararreo — be washed away; drift away

to disbelieve gradually or slowly, conceived of as being carried along due to a water current

KEY: you need to take heed of the ship at the dock or it’s going to drift away to open water.

We need to pay close attention to what we’ve learned or we will drift away from it.

Parable of the Sower:

Matthew 13:3–9 “And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.””

Matthew 13:18–23 ““Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.””

KEY: Christ is clear that not everyone who receives the Gospel is given faith to believe the Gospel.

The idea here in our text is that if we don’t pay attention we’ll drift and I would imagine we’ve all had the experience of seeing someone drift.

Perhaps you’ve drifted yourself but got reeled back in.

B. The Law heard and Salvation Neglected

Hebrews 2:2–3 “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 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,”

What is the message in view here?

It’s the Law.

Acts 7:53 “you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.””

Galatians 3:19 “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.”

The Law was given to Moses and yet angels as ministering spirits and messengers were facilitators of the reception of the law.

We also see through our cross-references that the Law was given, received and not obeyed and also that the Law was given because of transgressions.

The Law was given but the Law was not obeyed and this creates a problem.

There are consequences for breaking God’s Law — generally speaking in two types of death.

(1) First consequence is spiritual death which we see in Genesis 3

(2)Second consequence is physical death

Leviticus 20:1–2 “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.”

Leviticus 20:6 ““If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.”

Leviticus 20:9 “For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him.”

Leviticus 20:10 ““If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

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

Some interpret the passage to mean: the Law proved reliable, but also every transgression or disobedience against the Law was carried out in one of the two above ways.

But I would read it in conjunction with verse 3 like this:

The Law accomplished it’s purpose and for those who believe all of their Lawbreaking has found their just retribution in Christ.

He took all the punishment for our Lawbreaking.

If Christ did not take our punishment then we are absolutely cooked.

Which means THERE IS NO ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SUCH A GREAT SALVATION.

How shall we escape if neglect such a great salvation?

We won’t.

C. The Gospel Confirmed:

Hebrews 2:3–4 “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, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”

The only way of salvation has been confirmed:

(1) It was declared by the Lord

(2) It was attested by those who heard

(3) The Holy Spirit Confirmed

(1)

III. Theology: Perseverance of the Saints (an Introduction)

IV. Application: The Heart of Pursuit and Rest