This message was preached by Colin Dcruz at Word of Grace Church on January 6th 2019. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here.
We’re privileged to cross over from 2018 to 2019. We need to ask what is God saying to us for 2019. We want a fresh word for the year.
Hebrews 2:1-4
We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 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. God also testified to it by science, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Hebrews 2 begins with a command. He’s referring to chapter1. It’s an important chapter telling us who Jesus is.
Hebrews 1:1
In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways.
The writer is writing to Jews saying that God spoke to them in various ways like cloud, angels, voice, etc., in these last days, God has spoken through his Son. The next fourteen verses tell us who this son is.
Verse 2 also says that Jesus is the heir who has inherited all things. Verse 3 says that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. If you want to see what God is like, look at Jesus. He is the sustainer of all things, the entire universe. He provided purification for our sins through his sacrifice on the cross. The Jews held angels in awe but Jesus is superior to the angels.
From verse 5 onwards, it tells us what Jesus has done. In Verses 6 & 7, we see that angels worshipped Jesus. From verses 8 to 12, we understand that Jesus’s rule and throne will last forever and ever. It’s talking about his great might and power. Verses 13-14, meditate on this and what all Jesus has done. There is no command in chapter 1 but it comes here in chapter 2.
The first command is to LISTEN. Jesus is God’s final WORD to humanity, so we need to listen. We often don’t listen to the flight safety instructions on the aircraft. We need to pay careful attention so that we will not drift away. Let’s not be casual about it because there is a consequence to it.
If the boat is not anchored and moored to the dock, it will drift away. It’s not about an accident happening in our lives but being careless and thoughtless about our life.
Two people are being addressed here.
1. Those who are part of the church but not paying careful attention and not yet put their faith in Jesus.
2. Christians in church who do the religious stuff ( read their Bible, give their tithes etc)but are not paying careful attention. We have an example in the Bible. His name is Demas.
Philemon 1:24
And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. Demas was part of Paul’s team and with Luke.
2 Tim 4:10
For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.
Because Demas loved the world and was drawn towards the world, he has deserted Paul and gone to Thessalonica.
Are we the people who love the world and not love Jesus? If yes, we won’t lose our salvation but will shipwreck our faith.
Why should we listen?
Hebrews 2:2
In the past, angels and prophets spoke and nobody escaped if they disobeyed. So do you think you’ll escape if you disobeyed Jesus the Son?
Acts 7:38
He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mt. Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us. (Deut. 33:2)
Angels spoke to Moses. The Ten Commandments came from God through angels and people were punished for disobedience.
Lev 24:14
The Old Testament law was so strict.
Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.
The Old Testament talks of disobedience and violation. Violation is doing something you should not do. Disobedience is not doing what you should do.
Hebrews is writing to New Testament Christians.T here are serious consequences to disobedience. He is not talking about your salvation. Your salvation is secure. We can miss out on the great blessings of God and miss the favour of God. We need to take this warning seriously.
How do we pay careful attention?
Heb 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our Apostle and High priest.
We must fix our thoughts on Jesus, meditate his word and think about who Jesus is.
How did Jesus view the world and what do I do and not do?
Heb 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
If we want to change in 2019, we must fix our eyes and thoughts on Jesus.
2 Cor 3:18
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the spirit.
Paul says as we look at Jesus, we’re transformed into his image and likeness.
If you are proud, look at Jesus who is meek and humble at heart.
Col 2:3
In whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and knowledge (Christ)
Col 2:9
For in Christ, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ, you have been brought to fullness.
How do we do this?
1. Every day, have your spiritual breakfast. Read the word daily.
2. Pray daily ( Psalm 90:14)
3. Get a journal and record what God is saying to you.
4. Listen to messages and feed yourself.
5. Have Christian friends. Stay in community. Have someone who will speak into your life.
6. We want to see another dimension in our lives, i.e., Heb 2:4 –signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. As we pay heed to God, God will testify it by signs and wonders. Ask God to use you.
The word came during the worship about drifting away. May 2019 be a year when you anchor in God. Make Jesus first, follow him and pay careful attention.
Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again), Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.
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