"Pay Attention" Sermon: Hebrews 2:1-4

“Pay Attention”

[Hebrews 2:1-4]

April 15, 2012 Second Reformed Church

            “Therefore.”

            The text to which we return to in our look at the book of Hebrews begins with the word “therefore,” and whenever we see the word “therefore,” remember, we need to ask ourselves what the “therefore” is there for.  When we see the word “therefore” in a text, we are being alerted that a conclusion in being made.  We do well to recall the premises that made up chapter one of the book of Hebrews:

            Since God has spoken to us through the prophets, since in these last days God has spoken to us through His Son – the Incarnate God, Jesus, since the Son is God, since the Son is the Son of God, since the Son is the Heir of all things, since the Son created everything that exists, since the Son upholds and reigns over all Creation, and since the Son is far superior to the angels – “therefore.”

            “Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,”

            Why?  Because what we have heard – the Gospel – what is the Gospel?  Jesus came to earth, lived, died for our sins, and physically rose from the dead.  Right?  The Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone is the greatest news a human being who understands that he is a sinner – and God is angry with him – can hear.  We have heard the greatest news that there will ever be in all of Creation – might we not want to spend time understanding it and rejoicing in it?

            How do we pay close attention?

            First, come to worship and come regularly.  We can’t pay attention if we’re not here.

            Second, pray that God will help you to understand the Scripture that will be read and preached.  Although I need to do everything I can to make sure we can all understand what I say, only God the Holy Spirit makes us able to understand what God has said.  I can preach an excellent, comprehensible sermon or a clutter mess, but only God the Holy Spirit enables us to hear and understand God’s Word.

            Third, use whatever means works best for you to be able to remember what was said.  Take notes.  Record me.  Draw pictures, diagrams, etc.  Write in your Bible – not in the pew Bibles – in your Bible.  And if you don’t have a Bible or don’t understand the Bible you have, let me know and I will get you one.

            Fourth, sometime after worship, look at the text and your notes and make sure what I said is what the text says and that you understand it.  Paul commended the Bereans:  “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11, ESV).  The Bereans had the apostle Paul preach to them, and Paul was glad that they checked his sermon against the text.  I am not offended – I am glad – if you check the text to make sure I am preaching what the text says.  And if you are unsure about what I said or if it is there, feel free to ask me about it.  (But make sure you do check the Bible – I won’t be happy with everyone suddenly telling me I’m wrong, but not be able to back it up with the Scripture!)

            Fifth, ask God to help you to understand and to put the Scripture into practice.  The sermon does not exist just so there is some reason to pay the pastor.  The sermon is supposed to explain the Scripture and lead us to do something with it.  We are called to live out the Scripture.

            “Who cares?  They’ll be a sermon next Sunday – probably.  Why does it matter if we pay close attention to this one?”

            We ought all to always pay attention to the Scripture and the sermon, for several reasons:

            First, persevering in the faith takes diligence.  Being a Christian is work.  That does not mean that we are saved by our works or that we can “lose” our salvation,   What it means is that the Christian life is one of hard work – by the Power of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us – to become holy – to be sanctified.  That’s why Paul writes, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12, ESV).  Paul was not saying that they had to earn salvation, but rather, that a person who truly receives the Gift of Salvation – the person who believes is Jesus Christ Alone for Salvation – that person understands that he is not yet holy, and he wants to show love to God by working hard to become holy.  And we do that by knowing and living out all of the Scripture.

            Second, God promises that we will be blessed for our deep study, our meditating, our mining the depths of the Scripture, as the Holy Spirit leads us to understand more and more and as He guides us in further obedience and joy in our salvation.  David wrote:  “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,        nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2, ESV).

            We ought to use every means possible to hear and understand what God has said in His Word – read it, listen to sermons in worship, on the radio, on the computer, buy sermons series, get the Bible on tape, CD, MP3, DVD.  We listen to background music to relax, might we not also listen to an audio Bible.  The more contact we have with it, the more it will stick, and by God’s Grace, the more we will understand it, and the more blessed we will be – the greater our joy will be.

            And, thirdly, as the author of Hebrews writes, “lest we drift away from it.”

            Understand, the author of Hebrews is addressing this to Christians.  There are non-Christians who attend worship services, and there are people who think they are Christians, but are not.  John explains that when push comes to shove, people who are not Christians will walk away:  “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19, ESV).

The author of Hebrews is not talking about salvation, so much, (since we don’t save ourselves, we cannot lose ourselves), but he is warning Christians that we can fall away, we can “back-slide,” we can follow after sin – for a while, and do so happily.  Paul warns the Corinthians:  “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12, ESV).

The devil searches for ways to lead us into sin.  His favorite times to tempt us include:  when things are going well and we don’t believe anything could cause us to fall, when we are being persecuted for the faith and think we ought to be excused for our sin because it was done in the line of proclaiming the Gospel, when we fall in love with the things of the world and think we can serve two masters, when we love a sin and make excuses that it is not a sin, when we embrace false teaching, heresies, and lies and don’t care to pay close attention to what God has said in His Word, and so forth.

If we do not pay close attention, study diligently, and pray that God would help us to understand and follow His Word; we will start to slip away.  No, not eternally, be we will back track in our sanctification – we will become less like Jesus, we will lose our joy in Christ, we may find ourselves under the rod of the loving discipline of God.

Do you want to maximize you joy?  Or would you prefer to suffer?  If that is such a silly question, as some of you are no doubt saying to yourselves, why don’t we pay close attention to God’s Word and God’s Word preached?  Why do we leave our Bibles to collect dust all week?  Have you been reading it?  I don’t ask to shame you, but to let you know, you could have more joy, you could be making progress in becoming holy, you could be seeing the greatness of God’s Love for you in all of the Scripture.

When I am in my right mind, and I spend time in God’s Word, studying – always trying to make more time to be in His Word and live it out – and as I truly look at myself and know how far I am from what God has called me to be, as I look at my sin and disobedience and lack of knowledge of what God has said, I find myself compelled to go to God – because God is my Abba, Father and the Abba, Father of every Christian – He invites us to come to Him as children to their Loving Father.  I can come into the Throne Room and repent of my sin and pledge to follow all the commandments of God and pray that God would give me more of His Joy.  And God delights in my coming to Him, because I am His adopted son, the brother of Jesus.  And He gives me what I ask, because it is what He wants me to have.  Don’t you want more joy?  Don’t you want more joy?

“Well, you’re the pastor.  You don’t have anything else to do but read the Bible.  You’ve been to school, so you understand it.  But I don’t have time to read it – besides, I don’t understand it.”

You’re wrong.

First, you have at least twenty-four hours a week that you could be reading and studying and pursuing the understanding of God’s Word.  God said one day in seven in His.  You do what is worthwhile to you – what you believe is worthwhile.

John Wesley said, “I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.”  When John Wesley had an especially busy day, he spent more time in prayer – using what he had read and preached from the Scripture to guide his prayer because he understood that the Christian life is hopeless if we are not coming before our God again and again and again.

Second, “I don’t understand” is a cop-out.  There are so many books and people and tools to help us understand the Scripture.  Plus, God the Holy Spirit Who will help you to understand – living right inside of you!  If you wanted to make a batch of brownies, would you just throw up your hands and say, “I can’t do it!”  Or would you look up a recipe?  If you really want to do or understand anything, you will take the time to find out as much and as well as you can.  Is it worthwhile to spend that kind of time learning about the Person and Will of the God Who saves you?

We have Sunday morning Bible study almost every Sunday morning at 9 AM.  We have topical and biblical studies right now on Tuesday evenings at 7 PM.  We have prayer meeting most Saturdays at 3 PM.  And you can talk with me or call me or e-mail me.

The author of Hebrews continues:  “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable,”

Although not much is said about it in the Scripture, we do have Scriptures that tell us that the angels took the Word of God that He spoke and gave in His Name and confirmed it by their ministry.  As Stephen was martyred, he said, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it” (Acts 7:51-53, ESV).  The idea is not that the Word of God is actually the word of angels, but that God spoke and commanded His Law, and the angels confirmed it through their actions.  Everything the angels do confirms what God has spoken.

And, then angels of God are reliable – they do not sin.  What they do in the confirming and witnessing to God’s Word through their actions is always true and holy and reliable.  We have every reason to believe their witness to God’s Word as they fulfill their purpose – (as opposed to human beings, who sin and act against the purpose for which we were created).

The angels are reliable confirms of God’s Law.

“and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,”

We know the Law:  “For the wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23b, ESV).  Anyone who breaks any of God’s Law must pay for that transgression – that disobedience.  God rewards sin with retribution – with punishment – with suffering.  We see throughout the history of God’s Word that God punishes sin.  And we have the promise that God is a Good and Just Judge and all sin must be punished – eternally – because God is Holy – the punishment must fit the crime.  The only question for anyone throughout history is whether Jesus will pay the debt for you or you will pay it yourself.  And we know that no mere human being can pay the debt and survive, so it is the height of arrogance – pure stupidity – not to have Jesus pay the debt.

 “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?”

Do you get the argument?

The author of Hebrews says that we must be diligent in hearing and reading and understanding the Word of God. 

Why?  Because the angels sinlessly confirm God’s Law that anyone who sins receives eternal punishment.  And we have seen sin punished throughout history to one degree or another.

But Jesus – through the Glorious Gospel – tells us that He has paid the debt – through His Death and Resurrection – of all those who will ever believe.  If we believe in Jesus Alone for Salvation, we are forgiven through Jesus and will live eternally with Him in His Kingdom – we will received the restored earth as our inheritance, we will be raised from the dead in these bodies – then glorified – as the adopted sons and daughters of God, we will eternally be free from the fear of death, and we will experience the fullness of the privilege of coming into the Very Presence of God for worship, because He will be there with us, and we will be able to see Him and touch Him and talk with Him – in the Persons of Jesus.

The author of Hebrews is telling us that through Jesus, there is forgiveness for every sin under the Law.  But – without Jesus – there is no forgiveness for neglecting – denying – not believing – the Gospel.  Jesus said, “but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— (Mark 3:29, ESV).  He is the Holy Spirit Who witnesses the Truth of the Gospel to us, and if we tell Him, “no,” there is no way to be forgiven.

The author of Hebrews pleads with his readers and tells them to hear and read and study and mine the depths of the Scripture to stay as close to God as possible and to continue in as straight a line as possible in progressing in sanctification – in becoming holy like Jesus, as a witness to the fact that every sin against God’s Law may be forgiven, but sin against the Gospel – unbelief in Jesus Alone as Savior – will never be forgiven.

Peter puts it this way:  “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10, ESV). 

Don’t be satisfied with thinking you understand or thinking you believe or thinking you believe or understand enough.  Don’t be misled:  the question of whether or not Jesus is the Only Savior is the most important question in all of history and in your lives, and if you are the least bit unsure – understand the enormity of the consequences!  Don’t take any chances.  Make absolutely sure you really believe, or on that last day, Jesus will say, “It was nice that you came to worship, and gave in the offering, and volunteered around the church, and were basically a good person, but I never knew you.”  “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41b, ESV). 

“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.”

God Himself declared that the Only Hope is Salvation through Jesus Alone.  

First, God declared the Gospel through Jesus’ Life and Works:  As Peter explained, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—“ (Acts 2:22, ESV).  And Nicodemus testified, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him” (John 3:2, ESV).

Second, God declared the Gospel though the apostles:  Peter explained that the reason he wrote his letters and recorded what he did so was that after he was put to death, there would be an eye-witness record, “And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things” (2 Peter 1:15, ESV).

Third, God declared the Gospel through signs, wonders, and miracles:  “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20, ESV).

Fourth, God declared the Gospel through Gifts given by the Holy Spirit, Who distributes them as He wills:  “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, ESV).

The author of Hebrews tells us, if we do not hold on to God’s Word with everything we have – if we do not diligently pay attention to everything that God has said, we will surely fall into sin, and suffer for it – and if we have never really believed the Gospel, we may fall away all together and be lost to everlasting Hell.

Understand, in Jesus, every sin against the Law of God may be forgiven, but the sin against the Holy Spirit, the sin against belief in the Gospel, can never be forgiven.

Do you believe – truly believe – that there is Only Salvation in Jesus Alone?  Do you want more joy, more life? – and that does not mean that your life will be perfect, but that in comparison with the glory that we shall be received into when Jesus returns – we can endure it through Him and for Him.  Then pay close attention to what you have heard read and preached.  Seek to understand God’s Word and live it out.

If you do not, how will you escape the Just Judgment of our God?

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we ask that the Holy Spirit would make us desire to hear and read and understand Your Word and You with every fiber of our being.  Cause us to desire You and Your Word above everything else.  Drive us to Your Word that we would know and confirm our calling and election – that we would have all assurance from You that You have saved us through Jesus.  Help us to love You as You so loved us that You gave Your Only Begotten Son that we would be saved.  Increase our joy in You.  Let us be never satisfied, but always want more of You.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.