Hebrews 2:1-4
ANCHORED? A.M. 11/30/03
Imagine yourself fishing. You have steered your motorized fishing boat into a tidal inlet on the California coast. You find a good spot, and let down your anchor. But as you fish, the winds and surging tide imperceptibly lift the anchor from the bottom the sea. As you concentrate on fishing, your boat starts to drift towards the rocks on the shore. Suddenly you look up from your fishing and discover yourself several hundred yards from when you let down your anchor and close to the disaster of running into the rocks. This very thing happened to R. Kent Hughes. R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word, Hebrews Volume 1, (Crossway Books, Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1993) p. 48
What was the problem? Hughes had thought that he was anchored, but neglected to pay attention. He wasn’t trying to drift. He wasn’t trying to head for the rocks. He wasn’t trying to leave where he thought he was anchored. Tides and winds had almost done him in.
We who are Christians, or who think we are Christians have a similar problem. We figure that we know Christ as our Savior. We have the truth of Christianity and all that it provides. We consider ourselves to be anchored. But we don’t practice our Christianity the way we should. We don’t work at our relationship with Christ. We start to drift away, and we often don’t realize it, until adverse winds and tides move us right towards some personal disaster. We become alert and find that we have drifted far away from the Lord! We don’t have the closeness to Him that we once had.
As we continue our study of the Book of Hebrews this morning, we find the first of five warnings that the author of Hebrews gives us. He teaches us about the superiority of Christ in chapter 1. Christ is the better messenger with the better message, who has the better ministry at the right hand of God, and who is better than the angels.
The author of Hebrews suddenly stops teaching for a moment in order to apply to our lives what he has just said. It is as if he is saying in Hebrews 2:1-4, “You say that you are anchored in your salvation. You had better make sure that you actually are.” In these verses I find:
A CHALLENGE
A CAUTION
A COMMUNICATION
A CONFIRMATION
A CHALLENGE
Hebrews 2:1 - Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
You probably know by now that when you see the word “therefore” you need to see “What it’s there for!”
In chapter 1 we are told that God has spoken to us through His Son.
· His Son is the heir of all things.
· His Son made the worlds.
· His Son is the …the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
· His Son is …upholding all things by the word of his power, His Son …had by himself purged our sins,
· His Son …sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
· His Son is better than the Angels.
· His Son will one day rule in righteousness.
· His Son hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: (Vs. 10)
· His Son is eternal and therefore can give us eternal life.
· His Son, is the one to whom the Father has said, …Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Because all these things are true of the Son we are challenged …Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard,
To give more earnest heed to the things which we’ve heard is to “Pay Attention” earnestly or closely.
Don’t you just love it when you are talking to someone and their mind is on something else like a football game or a soap opera?
And don’t you just love it when you are trying to teach your children what is right and it goes in one ear and out the other?
And don’t you just love it when you explain to someone how to do something and they do it in the exact opposite way because they were not paying close attention?
How pleased do you think God is with His children when they don’t pay close attention to the one who is Almighty?
· He tells us not to fear but do we pay attention?
· He tells us to witness but do we pay attention?
· He tells us to be baptized but do we pay attention?
· He tells us to attend church regularly but do we pay attention?
· He tells us to read and memorize Scripture but do we pay attention?
· He tells us to anxiously wait for the coming of His Son, but do we pay attention?
· He tells us to live Godly lives, but do we pay attention?
· He tells us that we must make a personal, heart commitment to Christ if we want to be saved, but do we pay attention?
What happens if we don’t pay close attention?
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
According to Louis H. Evans Jr., the words let them slip can be used pictorially or allegorically in the Greek in different ways.
· “Slipping away” can be like evaporation. Things of God which we don’t pay attention to, just slowly evaporate from our lives.
· “Slipping away” can be like a slow leak, dripping, dripping, dripping, until the contents are gone.
Evans says, “Truth leaks out of a mind that is sloppy in its lack of discipline, or unclear because of insufficient mental activity toward understanding.”
· “Slipping away” can also refer to drifting, as we mentioned in the beginning of this sermon. If we don’t pay attention to be anchored in Christ, we will drift like a boat that is not anchored or moored.
Louis H. Evans Jr., The Communicator’s Commentary Vol. 10, Hebrews, Lloyd G. Ogilvie, General Editor, (Word Books, Waco Texas, 1985), pp. 66-67
So what’s the point?
We must not simply believe that the Bible is God’s Word. We must pay close attention to obey it.
We must not simply believe that the preacher is preaching God’s Word. We must pay close attention to obey it.
We must not simply believe in Jesus in our heads, we must have a heart to heart relationship with Him by abiding in Him!
The challenge is to “pay attention” lest we let the things which we have heard “slip”.
A CHALLENGE
A CAUTION
Hebrews 2:2 - For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
In some way the angels were involved with the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai. They were involved with the giving of the Ten Commandments and other laws.
Galatians 3:19 - Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Acts 7:53 - Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Now, according to Hebrews 2:2 this word communicated through angels was steadfast.
The word was final! It stood as the law!
And as the Law every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward.
If a person stole, he was to be punished.
If a person murdered, he was to be punished.
If a person blasphemed against God, he was to be punished.
And often, as in the case of blasphemy and murder, it was punishable by death!
Now if the words communicated by angels from God were so important that stiff judgment was meted out to violators, the author of Hebrews goes on to say in verse 3, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
I see the big word here as neglect.
We are surprised when we see someone neglect the care of their home.
We are saddened when a student neglects to apply himself to his schoolwork.
We are distraught when a husband neglects his wife, or a wife her husband.
We are appalled when parents neglect their children, or when children neglect their parents.
It is even worse however when a person has heard the Gospel of salvation time after time, and even believes it to be true, but has never personally committed himself or herself to Christ as Savior. That is neglect with a capital “N”.
· And those of us who are born again, how much neglect have we shown to God’s Word?
· And how much neglect have we shown to loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds?
· And how much neglect have we shown to prayer?
· And how much neglect have we shown to doing what we know God wants us to do”
· And how much neglect have we show to abiding in Christ?
· And how much neglect have we shown to being filled with the Spirit?
· And how much neglect have we shown to fellowship with God’s people?
· And how much neglect have we shown towards memorizing and meditating on Scripture.
· And how much neglect have we shown towards actually doing what the Scriptures we have memorized say?
The author of Hebrews asks, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.”
Why is salvation great?
· Salvation is great because of God’s great love.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
· Salvation is great because of the price Jesus paid to secure forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
· Salvation is great because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead which assures our resurrection from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:20 - But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
· Salvation is great because of the change it brings to the lives of true believers.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
There are many other ways salvation is great, but these are some of them. And we will not escape if we neglect them.
If you have heard the Gospel, but have never made a heart commitment to Christ by faith, you will not escape.
John 3:18 - He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Revelation 20:15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
If you have been “born again” and have drifted away from Christ, not doing what you should, you will not escape.
2 Corinthians 5:10-11a - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. [11] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
Every Christian must stand before His Lord and give account. As the Lord reviews our lives and points out the neglect that we never repented of, I don’t believe that we’ll weep. I believe that we’ll ball or wail. We will not be condemned to Hell, but we will suffer embarrassment and the loss of rewards.
Thankfully, the Lord will have something good to say about every Christian.
1 Corinthians 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
But there is such a high price to pay, Christian, for neglect.
We need to heed the caution found here.
Hebrews 2:2-3 - For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; [3] How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
A CHALLENGE
A CAUTION
A COMMUNICATION
Hebrews 2:3 - How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,
Who communicated the Gospel to man?
· The very Son of God left the splendors of Heaven to communicate to us.
· The very Son of God walked this earth teaching the way of salvation.
· The very Son of God walked this earth and taught us how to live.
He is the one we call “Lord”.
He is the one we call “Master”.
He is the one who deserves to be called these things.
John 13:13 - Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
And Jesus’ miracles actually proved that what He was saying was true. The miracles proved Him to be the Son of God!
He is also the one who said:
Mark 13:31 - Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luke 6:46 - And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Oh my friend, if the very Son of God has communicated to us, should we not listen, and strive to obey with all our hearts?
A CHALLENGE
A CAUTION
A COMMUNICATION
A CONFIRMATION
Hebrews 2:3 - How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Not only did Jesus come and speak, but there were those who heard Him, who confirmed that He had spoken them.
We know these people to be the Apostles.
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter and the other Apostles boldly confirmed the message of Salvation. Then they eventually took the Gospel to the world.
They also wrote what they were confirming down so that we have the Gospels, Epistles, and Book of Revelation.
And God got involved in the confirmation process.
Hebrews 2:4 - God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
It was important that the world knew that what the Apostles were saying was true. Therefore He confirmed that their message confirming Jesus message was true. He confirmed their message by allowing them to do signs, wonders, divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His will.
These miracles are no longer needed because we now have a completed Scripture. But until the Scripture was complete, God often confirmed the authenticity of the Apostles word’s with miracles.
So, how anchored are you?
Have you been paying attention to the things you’ve heard, or are they slipping and you are drifting?
Are you pretending to be something you’re not?
Have you been neglectful?
Matthew 23:28 - Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Is it time to come back and make things right with the Lord and to start paying attention?
A CHALLENGE - Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
A CAUTION - For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; [3] How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
A COMMUNICATION - which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,
A CONFIRMATION - and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?