Greater
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GREATER
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
SERMON 1
THE DANGER OF SPIRITUAL APATHY
INTRODUCTION:
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THE WIRELESS PHONE SERVICE COMMERCIAL WHERE A MAN IS SITTING AROUND A TABLE WITH CHILDREN, AND HE USUALLY ASKS THEM A QUESTION LIKE, “WHICH IS BETTER, BETTER OR WORSE?” TO WHICH THEY INVARIABLY ANSWER, “BETTER!”
ONE OF THE POINTS OF THAT COMMERCIAL IS THAT IN THE WORLD OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS, THERE IS AN EASY, OBVIOUS CHOICE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CHOICE IS SO EASY, THAT EVEN A CHILD CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
THAT COMMERCIAL GIVES US SOME IDEA ABOUT ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS, WHICH IS WHERE WE WILL SPEND OUR TIME TODAY.
THE TITLE OF THE SERMON SERIES IS “GREATER” AND THE IDEA IS THAT JESUS IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING ELSE, GREATER THAN THE ANGELS, GREATER THAN MOSES, GREATER THAN ANY RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, HE IS GREATER THAN ANYTHING.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE, PEOPLE SHOULD HEED HIS MESSAGE, FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS, MATURE IN THEIR FAITH, AND SO ON…
TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO HEBREWS, CHAPTER 2.
WE WILL TAKE VERSES 1 THROUGH 4 AS OUR TEXT THIS MORNING, AND TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT BECAUSE JESUS IS GREATER, WE MUST GUARD AGAINST SPIRITUAL APATHY.
LET’S READ HEBREWS, CHAPTER 2, VERSES 1-4.
READ – PRAY
GEORGE GUTHRIE, IN HIS COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS WRITES THE FOLLOWING:
“WE HAVE BECOME A SOCIETY OF CONSUMERS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY “SHOPPING” FOR EVERYTHING FROM NEW MATERIAL GOODS TO NEW PHILOSOPHIES AND EXPERIENCES.
WE MAINTAIN COMMITMENT TO VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS ONLY AS LONG AS THEY FULFILL OUR NEEDS OF THE MOMENT.
SADLY, THE CHURCH HAS NOT BEEN IMMUNE TO THESE TRENDS.
MANY PROFESSED CHRISTIANS FLOAT FROM CONGREGATION TO CONGREGATION IN SEARCH OF THE RIGHT WORSHIP SERVICE, BIBLE STUDY, CHILDREN’S CARE, OR TEEN MINISTRY, SOMETIMES PARTAKING OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AT DIFFERENT CHURCHES AT A GIVEN POINT IN TIME.
WE IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY TOO OFTEN MIRROR THE BROADER SOCIETY, LIVING AS SPIRITUAL CONSUMER-DRIFTERS WITHIN THE BROADER CULTURE OF CONSUMER-DRIFTERS.”
IT IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT HE WRITES HIS COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS.
AND IT IS IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS CULTURE THAT THE CHURCH NOW EXISTS.
THE CHURCH IS EXPERIENCING UNPRECEDENTED LOSSES IN ATTENDANCE, IN BAPTISMS, IN GIVING, AND IN GENERAL COMMITMENT, AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN BE CHALLENGED AND ENCOURAGED THROUGH THIS SERIES OF MESSAGES IN HEBREWS TO EVALUATE OUR OWN PERSONAL WALKS WITH CHRIST, AND REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO BE SOLD-OUT SERVANTS OF CHRIST AND PRODUCTIVE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
SO LET’S SPEND OUR TIME THIS MORNING WALKING THROUGH THIS PASSAGE AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE OF HEBREWS AND HOW IT APPLIES TO OUR OWN PERSONAL WALK.
THERE ARE FOUR TRUTHS THAT I WANT TO TRY TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THIS MORNING.
HERE IS THE FIRST TRUTH…NOTICE
1. THE SERIOUS DANGER OF DRIFTING. (VERSE 1)
a. LOUIS KRONENBERGER IS CREDITED WITH SAYING, “THE TROUBLE WITH OUR AGE IS THAT IT IS ALL SIGNPOST AND NO DESTINATION.”
b. WHAT HE MEANT WAS THAT PEOPLE IN TODAY’S CULTURE HAVE BECOME MORE MIGRATORY AND LESS AND LESS STABLE IN RELATION TO EXTENDED FAMILIES, HOME, PLACES OF RESIDENCE, WORKPLACE, POLITICS, AND CHURCH.
c. OUR CULTURE IS ONE THAT HAS SLOWLY DRIFTED AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE ONCE CONSIDERED IMPORTANT.
d. WE HAVE BECOME A PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW ANY SIGNPOST, IF WE THINK IT WILL LEAD US TO SOME PLACE OF FULFILLMENT.
e. IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHRISTIAN WALK, THE WRITER OF HEBREWS INTRODUCES HIS READERS TO THE CONCEPT OF DRIFTING…
f. AND THE WORD HE USES IS A TERM THAT IS USED TO DESCRIBE A SHIP SLOWLY VEERING OFF-COURSE.
g. IT’S THE IDEA OF AN ALMOST UNNOTICEABLE SHIFT AWAY FROM THE TARGET.
i. IT IS THIS PASTOR’S OPINION THAT THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR CULTURE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.
ii. AS WE BECOME MORE AND MORE DESENSITIZED TO THE COMPROMISE AROUND US AND WITHIN US, IT NO LONGER FEELS WRONG, AND BEFORE TOO LONG, WE TURN AND LOOK AND FIND OURSELVES INCREDIBLY FAR AWAY FROM WHERE WE FIRST INTENDED TO BE.
iii. WE HAVE DRIFTED DANGEROUSLY OFF-COURSE.
iv. THE WORD THAT IS TRANSLATED “DRIFT AWAY” HERE IN VERSE 1 IS A NAUTICAL TERM THAT SUGGESTS A GRADUAL, INCREMENTAL COURSE CHANGE THAT BRINGS DEVASTATING RESULTS.
v. AND YOU MAY THINK, WELL, A SMALL COURSE CHANGE IS NO BIG DEAL, BUT LISTEN TO THIS.
vi. IN NAUTICAL MEASUREMENTS, WHETHER IT IS BY SEA OR BY AIR, A ONE-DEGREE COURSE MISTAKE CAN BE CATASTROPHIC.
1. EVERY 1 DEGREE OFF COURSE EQUALS TO 92 FEET FROM THE TARGET FOR EVERY 1 MILE TRAVELED.
h. THAT ACCUMULATES TO A LITTLE OVER 1 MILE OFF-COURSE FOR EVERY 60 MILES FLOWN.
i. THE TRUTH IS THAT THE SMALL THINGS MATTER.
1. CATACLYSMIC FAILURE, WHETHER IT IS MECHANICAL FAILURE OR LIFE FAILURE, USUALLY RESULTS FROM A SERIES OF SMALL, CORRECTABLE FAILURES.
2. 1 DEGREE FAILURES CAN ADD UP TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
ii. THIS IS WHY THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS IS ENCOURAGING HIS READERS TO “PAY MUCH CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.”
1. BECAUSE THE PRESSURE ON US TO COMPROMISE IS INTENSE.
2. THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS WRITTEN TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO HAD BEEN A PART OF THE CHURCH FOR A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME.
3. BUT THEY WERE FACING MOUNTING PERSECUTION.
4. MOST SCHOLARS BELIEVE THIS LETTER – SOME ACTUALLY BELIEVE IT MAY HAVE BEEN A SERMON THAT WAS DELIVERED AND RECORDED – BUT MOST BELIEVE THAT IT WAS WRITTEN SOMEWHERE AROUND 65 A.D.
5. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST A FEW YEARS BEFORE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE, AND RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF NERO’S PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS.
6. AND SO THERE WAS MOUNTING PERSECUTION.
7. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE WRITER OF HEBREWS REFERS TO A PERIOD OF PERSECUTION THAT THIS GROUP HAD ALREADY ENDURED IN .
i. (ESV) - 32 BUT RECALL THE FORMER DAYS WHEN, AFTER YOU WERE ENLIGHTENED, YOU ENDURED A HARD STRUGGLE WITH SUFFERINGS, 33 SOMETIMES BEING PUBLICLY EXPOSED TO REPROACH AND AFFLICTION, AND SOMETIMES BEING PARTNERS WITH THOSE SO TREATED. 34 FOR YOU HAD COMPASSION ON THOSE IN PRISON, AND YOU JOYFULLY ACCEPTED THE PLUNDERING OF YOUR PROPERTY, SINCE YOU KNEW THAT YOU YOURSELVES HAD A BETTER POSSESSION AND AN ABIDING ONE.
j. MANY OF THESE BELIEVERS WERE LEAVING THE FAITH AND RETURNING TO JUDAISM OR TO NOTHING, TO BE RELIEVED OF THIS PERSECUTION.
k. AND THE WRITER BASICALLY ASKS THE QUESTION, “WHERE IS THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU ONCE HAD, YOU ENDURED SUFFERING YOURSELVES, AND YOU ENDURED IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER AND ENDURING POSSESSION.
l. WHERE IS THAT COMMITMENT TODAY?
m.THAT’S THE QUESTION…
n. AND THIS IS WHY HE ENCOURAGES THEM TO “PAY MUCH CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT WE HAVE HEARD, LEST WE DRIFT AWAY FROM IT.”
o. BUT NOTICE THE PROGRESSION IN THE PASSAGE…
p. THE WRITER STARTS WORKING BACKWARD FROM THIS ENCOURAGEMENT, AND BUILDS HIS CASE FOR NOT DRIFTING.
q. AND HE REMINDS HIS READERS OF…
2. THE STRONG DECLARATION OF THE LAW. (VERSE 2)
a. THE WRITER OF HEBREWS HERE IS REFERRING TO THE GIVING OF THE LAW ON MT. SINAI.
b. AND HE IS LEADING UP TO THE TRUTH OF VERSE 3 THAT SPIRITUAL APATHY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WILLFUL AND DIRECT DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD, IN LIGHT OF THE SUPERIOR MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL, CARRIES A SEVERE PENALTY.
c. THE POINT HERE IS THAT THE LAW, WHILE ONLY BEING A PRECURSOR TO THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, CARRIED WITH IT HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN.
d. - 30 “BUT THE PERSON WHO ACTS DEFIANTLY, WHETHER NATIVE OR FOREIGN RESIDENT, BLASPHEMES THE LORD. THAT PERSON IS TO BE CUT OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE. 31 HE WILL CERTAINLY BE CUT OFF, BECAUSE HE HAS DESPISED THE LORD’S WORD AND BROKEN HIS COMMAND; HIS GUILT REMAINS ON HIM.”
e. THIS PASSAGE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT GOD HAS NEVER WINKED AT WILLFUL SIN, AND TO DRIFT AWAY FROM THE TRUTHS OF THE GOSPEL CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF ONE WILLFULLY IGNORES THOSE TRUTHS.
f. AND IF THIS HAPPENS, THERE ARE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES RELATED TO DRIFTING…
g. HE THEN GOES A STEP FURTHER…AND HE POINTS OUT…
3. THE SUPERIOR DELIVERY OF THE GOSPEL. (VERSE 3)
a. THE WRITER OF HEBREWS MAKES THE CASE FOR THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS CHRIST.
b. JESUS IS GREATER!!!
c. HE BASICALLY SAYS THAT THERE IS NO DISPUTE THAT THE MESSAGE DELIVERED AT SINAI BY THE ANGELS WAS A VALID MESSAGE.
d. AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN WERE REAL.
e. BUT NOW, WE HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED WITH THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL, DELIVERED BY THE SON OF GOD HIMSELF.
f. AND HE IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS.
g. SO THEREFORE, HIS MESSAGE IS TO BE REGARDED AS SUPERIOR TO THE MESSAGE THAT THEY DELIVERED.
h. IN OTHER WORDS, GO BACK TO VERSE 2, “SINCE THE MESSAGE DECLARED BY ANGELS PROVED TO BE RELIABLE…VERSE 3…HOW WILL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SUCH A GREAT SALVATION???
i. THE WORD TRANSLATED “NEGLECT” IS THE GREEK WORD THAT MEANS “TO BE CARELESS, OR TO PAY NO ATTENTION TO.”
j. THE AUTHOR CONTRASTS HIS EARLIER STATEMENT TO “PAY MUCH CLOSER ATTENTION TO” () WITH AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO NOT “NEGLECT” THE MESSAGE DELIVERED BY JESUS.
k. AND THE TRUTH IS THAT WHEN WE ARE APATHETIC ABOUT OUR FAITH, NOT ONLY DOES IT SHOW IN OUR COMMITMENT, BUT IT IS BORNE OUT IN THE LOSS OF EFFECTIVENESS IN THE CHURCH.
l. SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE SUPERIORITY OF THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL, AND THEN PATTERN OUR LIVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE AVOID SPIRITUAL APATHY…
m.THERE IS ONE MORE REASON THAT THE WRITER OF HEBREWS GIVES FOR HEEDING THIS MESSAGE AND ALLOWING IT TO BE EVIDENT IN OUR LIVES…AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF…
4. THE SUPERNATURAL DEMONSTRATION OF THE GOSPEL. (VERSE 4)
a. THE WRITER OF HEBREWS STRENGTHENS HIS CASE FOR THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS CHRIST BY OFFERING EVIDENCE TO VALIDATE THE GOSPEL.
b. HE STATES THAT AT THE SAME TIME THAT JESUS WAS DELIVERING THE SUPERIOR MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL, GOD WAS REINFORCING THAT MESSAGE THROUGH SIGNS AND WONDERS, THROUGH VARIOUS MIRACLES, AND THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
c. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE TODAY AS A CULTURE IS THAT WE HAVE NO PROBLEM BELIEVING THE SUPERNATURAL, AS LONG AS THE SUPERNATURAL IS SEPARATED FROM GOD.
d. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT GOD’S POWER IS NO MORE LIMITED TODAY THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN, BUT WE HAVE ALLOWED THE WORLD TO REDEFINE THE SUPERNATURAL TO MEAN SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE WORKS OF OUR SUPERNATURAL CREATOR.
e. BUT GOD HAS VALIDATED THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL THROUGH HIS SON, AND THEREFORE, WE MUST HEED HIS MESSAGE.
CONCLUSION:
THE CALL IN IS A CALL TO BELIEVERS TO INCREASE THEIR PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY.
HE POINTS OUT THE DANGERS OF LIVING ON THE FRINGES, AND CALLS FOR BELIEVERS TO PAY “EVEN MORE ATTENTION TO WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.”
HE EMPHASIZES THE FACT THAT THERE IS THE THREAT OF PUNISHMENT FOR WILLFULLY DISOBEYING THE LORD AND THAT HISTORICAL DATA BACKS UP THIS FACT.
AND HE REMINDS THEM THAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS GREATER THAN THE MESSAGE DELIVERED THROUGH ANGELS, AND THAT WE SHOULD HEED THIS MESSAGE.
THE MAIN MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS THAT BECAUSE JESUS IS GREATER – GREATER THAN THE ANGELS, GREATER THAN MOSES, GREATER THAN SOME SYSTEM OF RELIGION – BECAUSE HE IS GREATER, THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES HIS FOLLOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A GREATER WAY.
OUR LIVES ARE TO REFLECT HIS CHARACTER.
WE ARE EXPECTED TO MATURE IN OUR FAITH; WE ARE EXPECTED TO PERSEVERE – EVEN IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING – BECAUSE JESUS IS GREATER.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS THIS…
BECAUSE JESUS IS GREATER, WE SHOULD PUT OUR FAITH IN HIM…
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE PUTTING YOUR FAITH IN?
IF IT IS ANYTHING EXCEPT THE ONE WHO CAME FROM HEAVEN AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SIN, THEN YOUR FAITH IS IN SOMETHING THAT CANNOT SAVE YOU.
ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE YOU, AND TODAY MAY BE THE DAY THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AN ETERNAL DECISION.
WILL YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH IN HIM TODAY?