Jesus is Better - Hebrews
Has there ever been
a time in your life when you realized you were drifting away from your faith?
How did you catch yourself? What did you do to stop drifting?
The Point
Make
sure you understand the truth about your salvation, or you will drift from it.
Hebrews
2:1-14
Warning Against
Neglecting Salvation
Therefore, we must
pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2
For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every
transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 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, 4 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 Founder of
Salvation
5 For it was not to
angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has
been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son
of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the
angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in
subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he
left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in
subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than
the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering
of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was
fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons
to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That
is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, “I will tell of your
name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the
children God has given me.” 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and
blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he
might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil”
The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 2:1–14.
Study Notes
WEEK 2 NOTES:
Hebrews 2:1-14
The thing that
makes drifting so dangerous is that you rarely ever notice it until it’s too
late. One minute you’re safely in the harbor. Then, after just a little bit you
look up and you are miles and miles from shore and safety. That’s how drifting
works in your faith too. One day you’re close to the Lord, you’re pursuing Him
and living a life that intentionally seeks to please Him. Then, you turn your
head away for just a few moments. You take a couple of weeks off from your
devotions and prayers. You skip church a few Sundays. No big deal. No big deal,
until you look up and realize you’re not safely inside the arms of your Father anymore.
Instead, you’re firmly in the grip of Satan. It sounds extreme, but it’s not.
It’s reality.
The author of Hebrews will not allow us to drift. He’s yelling, “Wake Up! Pay Attention! Don’t Drift!” To stop our drifting, he invites us to pay attention to our salvation. The author of Hebrews knows that if we turn our eyes upon Jesus the drift stops immediately. So, he points to Jesus and invites us to gaze upon the Savior, reminding us:
Jesus Suffers.
Jesus Christ saved
us by embracing suffering on our behalf. Jesus suffered death and the wrath of
God for sin so we might not ever have to suffer death ourselves. For the
Christian, dying on this earth is just like going to sleep, because we know we
aren’t dying. We’re simply entering the next stage of life. Our eternal life
was made possible by the suffering of Jesus.
Jesus
Relates.
We can sometimes
foolishly begin to think Jesus doesn’t know what it’s like to be us. Nothing
could be farther from the truth. Jesus understands exactly what it’s like to be
us because Jesus became like us. The author of Hebrews tells us Jesus became
like us in every way. The next time you’re tempted to take your eyes off Jesus
because He couldn’t possibly relate to you, think again. Jesus can relate to
you perfectly.
Jesus
Destroys.
There are times
when we drift out of despondence. It seems like we just can’t win. We are too
sinful. Satan is too strong. The world is too appealing. Jesus kills despondence
by destroying the enemy of our souls. The devil is the enemy of our soul. The
author of Hebrew tells us Jesus, through His life, death and resurrection, has
destroyed our enemy. Don’t despair. Jesus has destroyed the one who wishes to
destroy us.
QUESTIONS
FOR DISCUSSION
What are some
things in your life that lead you to drift away from God instead of holding on
tightly?
Does the fact we
have an enemy like the devil cause you to worry? How does the truth that Jesus
destroys the devil change your life?
How does the
incarnation of Jesus, the fact He became like us, encourage you when you are
struggling?
Do you ever fear
death? How does Jesus’ death change how we face death?
END
Today, we’re
talking about the dangers of drifting.
Could we be at
risk?
In January 1977
there was a song…
Think for a minute
about your walk with the Lord.
Has there ever been
a time in your life when you realized you were drifting away from your faith?
How did you catch yourself? What did you do to stop drifting?
MOTIVATED BY LOVE,
God provided a way for our sins to be forgiven: He sent Jesus to be our Savior.
When we trust in
the Lord’s substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf, we receive the gift of
forgiveness.
Before placing our
faith in Christ, we were dead in our sins and objects of divine wrath. However,
our merciful heavenly Father sent His Son to redeem us. At the cross, Jesus
took our sins upon Himself and experienced God’s fury for our sake.
We are saved by
grace — through faith in Christ and what He accomplished. Our salvation is a
free gift from the Father.
Charles Stanley
Devotions
This is the gospel message of SALVATION. And our lesson begins with a warning about neglecting it.
Hebrews 2:1-4
Therefore, we must
pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
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, while God also bore witness by signs
and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed
according to His will.
What does drifting
even mean?
What are some
things in your life that lead you to drift away from Jesus?
Spiritual drifting
refers to the gradual movement away from one’s faith or spiritual beliefs. It
often happens slowly, over time, and can be difficult to recognize until one
has drifted far from their original beliefs. This can have a significant impact
on a person’s life, as their worldview and values may shift without them
realizing it.
What
makes drifting so dangerous?
The thing that
makes drifting so dangerous is that you rarely ever notice it until it’s too
late. One minute you’re safely in the harbor. Then, after just a little bit you
look up and you are miles and miles from shore and safety. That’s how drifting
works in your faith too. One day you’re close to the Lord, you’re pursuing Him
and living a life that intentionally seeks to please Him. Then, you turn your
head away for just a few moments. You take a couple of weeks off from your
devotions and prayers. You skip church a few Sundays. No big deal. No big
deal, until you look up and realize you’re not safely inside the arms of your
Father anymore. Instead, you’re firmly in the grip of Satan. It sounds extreme,
but it’s not. It’s reality.
Hebrews 2:5-9
For it was not to
angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has
been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son
of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection
under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left
nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in
subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than
the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering
of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
The author of
Hebrews is yelling,
“Wake Up!
Pay Attention! Don’t Drift!”
Pay attention to
your salvation.
Turn your eyes upon
Jesus and the drift will stop.
The author called
for his readers to pay attention to the truth they had heard so that they
wouldn’t drift away into false teachings. Paying careful attention is hard
work. It involves focusing our minds, bodies, and senses. Listening to Christ
means not merely hearing, but also obeying. We must listen carefully and be
ready to carry out His instructions.
He points to Jesus and
reminds us of 3 things:
1.
Jesus Suffers
Jesus saved us by
embracing suffering on our behalf. His sacrifice exemplifies the ultimate act
of love and redemption. By embracing suffering on our behalf, He granted us the
gift of eternal life. Jesus conquered death and paved the way for us to
transition to the next stage of life without fear.
Do you ever fear
death? How does Jesus’ death change how we face death?
2.
Jesus Relates
We sometimes
foolishly think Jesus doesn’t know what it’s like to be us. Jesus understands
exactly what it’s like to be us because He became like us. The author of
Hebrews tells us Jesus became like us in every way. Jesus relates to you
perfectly.
How does the fact
that Jesus became like us, encourage you when you are struggling?
Hebrews 2:10-14
For it was fitting
that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory,
should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he
who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he
is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my
brothers; in the midst of the congregation, I will sing your praise.” And
again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God
has given me.” Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he
himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might
destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil”
3.
Jesus Destroys
There are times
when we drift out of despondence. It seems like we just can’t win. We are too sinful. Satan
is too strong. The world is too appealing. Jesus kills despondence by destroying the
enemy of our souls. The devil is the enemy of our soul. The author of Hebrew
tells us Jesus, through His life, death and resurrection, has destroyed our
enemy. Don’t despair. Jesus has destroyed the one who wishes to destroy us.
The Screwtape
Letters highlights interaction between Screwtape, a senior demon and
instructor, and Wormwood, a demon in training. Screwtape lays out effective
ways to undermine the Words of God and cause those who follow God to abandon
their belief and Christian commitment. Wily Screwtape gives Wormwood this gem
of wisdom regarding the temptation necessary to cause one to abandon belief in
God:
The Drift
You will say that
these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are
anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only
thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy
[God]. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative
effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder
is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed, the safest road to
Hell is the gradual one — the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden
turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
Signposts
of the Drift
There are indeed
marks along the way that inform us of our spiritual condition. These are
signposts that tell us of our affections and desires and ultimately reveal if
we are indeed following Christ or drifting away from the One whom we once
professed to be our Lord.
1.
A Fixation on the Here and Now
An early warning
sign in a believer’s heart is turning our eyes off Jesus and a fixing them on
things that are temporary in nature. Nothing wrong in having things of this
world: a nice car, a nice house, a good job. But when they find their way into
the inner place of one’s being where identity is formed and protected – that’s
dangerous. Even supportive friends, a loving spouse, and wonderful children can
become a danger if we put them ahead of Christ. Our innermost part is where
only Christ should sit and rule; this is why Christ repeatedly told those who
followed Him that it’s impossible to serve two masters.
So, how do you know
if the things of my life have found their way into this most inner part of my
being?
Are the temporary
things in my life, including family, demanding more of my affection, work, and
focus than I am willingly and actively surrendering to Christ?
Do I spend my
energies physically, mentally, and emotionally centered on building and
protecting these things?
To gain more of
this world, am I willingly and actively compromising on the things that Christ
has called me to do and be?
These are the very
questions that Christ asked those who wished to follow Him. This signpost is
warning us of the danger of compromise. As we fixate on the things of this
world over and above the reign of Christ in our lives, compromise becomes the
practice of our lives.
2.
A Failure to Be Cautious
In the church,
there was a rather cavalier attitude developing of which the leader, Timothy,
needed to be aware.
Just as in Timothy’s
Day there is in our time a tremendous danger with the cavalier
way the truths of Scripture are treated both personally and publicly. When the
words of Christ are read as a suggestion rather than the authoritative Word of
the Creator of the universe, we will find ourselves in significant danger of
abandoning His teachings all together.
Those who have
abandoned the faith publicly have long before abandoned a healthy respect,
surrender, and obedience to the Word of God.
As Paul wrote to
Timothy to keep watch on himself and his teachings, so too we must be vigilant
in the way we interpret the teachings of God’s Word to ensure that our wayward
hearts are not compromising these truths, allowing them to become relative suggestions.
We must pour our engagement with God’s Word through the filter of God’s Word
rather than our human emotions.
3.
Dwelling in Doubt
Some assert that in
Christianity doubt is not welcome. A quick perusal of the book of John will
reveal that Christ dealt generously with one of His disciples who doubted all
that he had witnessed and experienced (John 20:24–29). So, doubt is not a
problem in the life of a Christian.
Doubt - though has
a slippery and sneaky side to it that tells us the answers to our doubts are
found in more questions and more doubt. This is the spiritually deadly side of
doubt, where answers are not the goal of doubt.
Am I saying that we
should pretend we don’t have these moments of doubt? Not at all. A
Christian’s doubts can be moments of growth as we prayerfully and genuinely go
deeper to God for the answers He will give. In Jeremiah 29:13, we are told,
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
Doubts, in the
Christian life, are not evidence of a lack of faith, but rather an opportunity
to grow in trust of the One who promises to hear His children when they cry and
seek Him. Far too often, we fall prey to the fleshly pull and don’t seek God
for the answer for which our soul is crying out. Doubt for the sake of doubt creates plenty of
intellectual fodder but is deadly for the soul.
The Screwtape
Letters remind readers of the vital truth: following Christ and growing in
affection for Him and the Words of God, requires staying intentionally focused
on the things of God rather than allowing the lesser things of this world to
control one’s heart.
A familiar refrain
is given in Hebrews 2:1, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what
we have heard, lest we drift away from it.”
If I have Jesus…
If we trust Him, we
are secure, because we stand on the firmest foundation in the universe – Jesus
Christ. A famous hymn captures this truth – you know it: “On Christ the solid
rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
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