The Danger of Drifting
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good evening and welcome back!
Tonight we are going to be looking at a short passage from Hebrews 2, specifically the first four verses of that chapter.
And the idea for the title “The Dangers of Drifting” actually came from an old sermon I read written by a man named Miles Simmons, sometime in the 1950s.
It is funny how topics about the Church revealed so many years ago are still relevant and fresh today, over 70 years later.
But, one of the problems with so many of us today is that we are out in the world drifting about.
Paul warns us about this in Ephesians, he tells us . . .
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
Paul tells us that we are not to be like children, and you know how kids are.
One day they are into this and the next it is something else.
Whatever catches their fancy is what they want to be involved in at the time.
Today I want to be a musician, tomorrow a football star, the next a pilot, and so on and so on.
Paul says that we are to be different.
Our doctrine shouldn't be so fluid that it ebbs and flows with whatever whim society deems appropriate or "right" at the time.
We are to be grounded in the Word, in God, and not in the ways or wisdom of mankind.
In fact, Paul tells us that . . .
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
And, instead of giving into the ways of man and the ways of the world, we are to . . .
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
This is what we want to do here tonight.
We want to speak the truth, but in love.
And the truth of the matter is this, some of us may just be drifting.
Drifting along in the wind and along with the tide.
Imagine the ocean and how the tide carries you out to sea.
If we are not careful, we may just drift so far away from shore, so far away from God, that we may never be able to get back.
So, let’s get into it tonight, starting with our focal passage.
Hebrews 2, starting in verse one says . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Reasons We Drift Away
Reasons We Drift Away
Now, the writer of Hebrews is pretty explicit in that we must pay careful attention…so that we do not drift away.
But, what are some reasons we would drift from God?
Well, there are many, but I thought of four specific ones:
We neglect our relationship with God
We are too busy for God and the cares of the world interfere
We harbor bitterness and unforgivenness
We get too comfortable
So, let’s look at each one of these, first, we neglect our relationship with God.
In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us . . .
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
And we all know from this that Jesus is telling us when we pray and not if we pray.
Implying that we are to pray and that prayer is vital to our healthy relationship with God.
Paul also says in Ephesians 6 . . .
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
And finally James . . .
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
All of these things are a roadmap to tell us that in order for us to avoid drifting away from God we must nurture our relationship with God.
We must be active in the relationship.
We must do something—namely praying and communicating with God.
And unfortunately we fail to do this on many occasions; we neglect our relationship with God.
But why? Why does this happen.
Well, that goes right into the second thing…we are too busy for God and/or the cares of the world are interfering with our relationship with God.
Jesus also tells us in Luke that . . .
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
And then in Luke 21 . . .
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
And that is exactly what life does to us.
It weighs us down.
It chokes us out.
And we fail to turn these things over to God.
We get into the mindset that we have to deal with all of these things and that God doesn’t want to deal with us until we have dealt with everything else.
Which is completely backwards.
God wants us to bring everything to Him.
God expects us to bring everything to Him.
So, those are the first two and they are pretty big issues, but what about the third one, we harbor bitterness and unforgivenness.
In Mark 11, Jesus says . . .
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
And Hebrews 12 . . .
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Bitterness, hard feelings, anger, unforgivenness.
All of these things will harden your heart.
All of these things will turn you off to God.
All of these things will cause your ultimate destruction.
And we have to deal with all of these things before it is too late.
And finally, the one that I think is most prevalent of all, we get too comfortable.
And when we are too comfortable, we end up not worshipping and serving God, but rather develop a form of godliness without power, without authority, and without the Holy Spirit.
Paul again, in 2 Timothy 3 . . .
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
Which is almost a perfect picture of what we see going on today.
We have a lot of people walking around, demonstrating a “form of godliness.”
Making it up as they go, with no clue as to what is true and righteousness.
And things are a mess because of it.
Results of Drifting Away
Results of Drifting Away
Which in itself results in some major issues.
We lose our ability to be discerning and our ability to watch and pray as Jesus told us to do.
We also:
Become complacent
Our very conscience is seared
And, we don’t even realize we have drifted.
And these are not just some things that I made up off the top of my head.
Some scripture on these very points.
First, we become complacent . . .
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
And . . .
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
And . . .
That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’
Second, our conscience is seared . . .
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
And finally, we don’t even realize that we have drifted away . . .
Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.
Samson had drifted so far from God.
And he had been so deceived by Delilah and the flesh he didn’t even realize that God had departed from him.
And one more example from 1 Samuel . . .
She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. She said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
And the sad truth is, I have seen several instances, where all that was left was to put the name “Ichabod” over the church door and call it a day.
And it wasn’t because of some dramatic event—it was a slow fade, a slow drift away from God and toward the world.
What To Do About It
What To Do About It
So, what can we do about it?
How can we make sure it doesn’t happen to us?
Or, how can we reverse it, if it is already happening?
There are many things, but a few of the most important . . .
Watch out
Study and Prepare
Seek God’s Face
First, watching out.
Jesus tells us alot about this . . .
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
And . . .
“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”
And . . .
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Also, the Apostle Paul . . .
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
And . . .
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Second, studying and preparing.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
And . . .
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
And back to Paul . . .
and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
And finally, seeking God’s face . . .
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
And the words of Jesus . . .
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
And . . .
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
So, what about us?
Where do we stand?
Have we been taken in by the cares of the world?
Have we gotten to "busy" for God?
Have we gotten caught up in all of this other stuff?
Have we started to drift away?
Let’s pray . . .