TITLE: The Dangers of Drifting

TEXT: Hebrews 2:1-4THEME: The believer should remain faithful to the basics of his faith.

C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity “

“We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who had lost their faith in Christianity”

C.S. Lewis “Mere Christianity “

“I wonder how many of them would turn out to have reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most people simply drift away?”

Why should you regularly reaffirm the basics of your faith?

I. To Keep from Drifting Away, (1-3)

Hebrew 1:1-3

“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,”

Hebrew 1:1-3

“3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”

Galatians 1:6-9

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ”

Galatians 1:6-9

“8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

I. To Keep from Drifting Away, (1-3)

A. The word spoken by angels was binding.

I. To Keep from Drifting Away, (1-3)

A. The word spoken by angels was bindingB. The Word for Jesus is even more so.

Hebrews 1: 2-3

“2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word…”

I. To Keep from Drifting Away, (1-3)

A. The word spoken by angels was bindingB. The Word for Jesus is even more so. C. If there was a consequence rejecting the one, how much more so for rejecting the other?

Gordon McDonald

“Twenty or twenty-five years ago I was in Japan on a speaking tour with a very close personal friend. He’s now gone to be with the Lord. He was a number of years older than me. We were walking down the street in Yokahama, Japan, and we were in a conversation and the name of a common friend came up. I said something very unkind about that person

Gordon McDonald

“It was sarcastic. It was cynical. It was a put-down. It was really snappy. My older friend stopped just like that, and he turned and faced me until his face was right in front of mine. And with very deep, slow words he said, “Gordon, a man who says he loves God would not say a thing like that about a friend.”

Gordon McDonald

“Since then I have often thought, he could have put a knife into my ribs and the pain would not have been any greater. I hurt that moment because he had me. He did what a prophet does. But you know something.”

Gordon McDonald

“I would bet you there have been ten thousand times in the last twenty years I have been saved from making a jerk of myself; for when I’ve ever been tempted to say something unkind about a brother or a sister, I hear my friend’s voice once again say to me, “Gordon, a man who says he loves God would not speak in such a way about a friend.”

Why should you regularly reaffirm the basics of your faith?

III. The Basics of our Faith are based on solid evidence. (4)

Hebrews 2:4

“4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”

III. The Basics of our Faith are based on solid evidence. (4)

A. It was confirmed by those who heard Christ

I John 1:3

“1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life

I John 1:3

2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

III. The Basics of our Faith are based on solid evidence. (4)

A. It was confirmed by those who heard Christ.B. It was confirmed by signs, wonders and miracles.

III. The Basics of our Faith are based on solid evidence. (4)

A. It was confirmed by those who heard Christ.B. It was confirmed by signs, wonders and miracles.C. It was confirmed by the Spirit.

John 14: 26

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 15: 26

“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

John 16:8-11

Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

John 16:8-11

9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Mount Rushmore

• Mount Rushmore is the brainchild of sculptor John Gutzon Borglum. Borglum wanted to create a memorial of America's most revered presidents (intention).

Mount Rushmore

• Mount Rushmore is the brainchild of sculptor John Gutzon Borglum. Borglum wanted to create a memorial of America's most revered presidents (intention).

• Borglum and his four hundred workers devised an ingenious method of removing more than eight hundred million pounds of stone created by the blasting (planning).

Mount Rushmore• Mount Rushmore is the brainchild of sculptor John

Gutzon Borglum. Borglum wanted to create a memorial of America's most revered presidents (intention).

• Borglum and his four hundred workers devised an ingenious method of removing more than eight hundred million pounds of stone created by the blasting (planning).

• Before the blasting could begin, designers mapped out the size and shape of each president (forethought).

John Adams

"Facts are stubborn things and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictums of our passions, they cannot alter the state of the facts and evidence."

Dr. Michael R. Licona

“No matter how much one may loathe the idea that Jesus rose from the dead and fantasize about other outcomes, the historical bedrock remains the same …. Jesus' resurrection is the best historical explanation of the relevant historical [evidence]."

APPLICATION

1. It is New Years and a time for resolutions. We should resolve that we will regularly reaffirm our faith by ready scripture and sharing with others- both believers.

APPLICATION

1. It is New Years and a time for resolutions. We should resolve that we will regularly reaffirm our faith by ready scripture and sharing with others- both believers.

2. Get grounded in your faith. Know what you believe and why. We have classes to help with that.

APPLICATION

3. Make church attendance a regular part of your life so you have regular exposure to God’s Word.

APPLICATION

3. Make church attendance a regular part of your life so you have regular exposure to God’s Word.4. Get involved in a small group where there are people who can encourage you in your spiritual journey.