Warnings

The book of Hebrews is known for several things.  First, we don't know the author.  There is a lot of speculation but it wouldn't solve much so let's just say the author targeted a Jewish Christian audience that seemed intent on drifting back to Jewish connections and were forgetting that Christ had called them to greater things, namely His message and story.  Second, they seemed in need of a "centering" on who Christ was and His teachings as the author cautions them to remember the centrality of their new high priest, Jesus ... greater than Moses, greater than angels, the one through which all was created and the one who is heir of all things.
Tonight I want us to focus on one of many warnings in Hebrews.  The author warns in Chapter 5 for us to listen to the message and to guard against spiritual dullness. Chapter 6 warns that those who have accepted the message and have rejected God cannot be brought back to repentance.  Chapter 10 warns us to not neglect meeting together (that means with other Christians, presumably in worship).  Chapter 12 warns that everything will be shaken and that only eternal things will remain after God causes this to happen (I'm reminded of the words in a Rich Mullins song, 'the Lord will take by its corners this old world and shake us forward and shake us free [I think from those things that falsely bind us to this world]).  Chapter 13 warns that we should be in unity with our spiritual leaders and to give them joy (lots of folks seem to dislike this chapter).
But the warning I want to focus on tonight is one that seems gentle an non-threatening.  It is in Chapter 2 and the Greek term is the word for drifting away.  That doesn't sound so bad, does it?  Until you realize the drifting away here is like being swept out in the tide or into the current of a stream ... just far enough so that the life line no longer reaches.  It may be a slow, gentle movement, but when the tide or the current has you in its grip, you are in trouble.  This is a real problem for a society that is not willing to live in spiritual reality.  Instead we see the things on TV ... we hear the things on radio ... we click on a site on the internet ... and we are very willing to accept what I believe is a false reality.  So we attack another Christian brother because it is easy to do it via email, and the conflict can't be resolved because someone can't defend against your dreams.  We see the story on TV and buy in instantly to some false premise and some false truth that inspires our ire, and we move from reality to a world we have dreamed up.  We think because one church makes a bad choice that all Christians are tainted ... and we drift.  We find some obscure belief we want to be true, so we let it into our belief structure (no matter that it doesn't fit with Scripture) ... and we drift.  We begin to construct God as we want to see Him rather than follow Him as He is ... and we drift.  The author of Hebrews says this drift can become so great that we fall away and are swept away.  That is a warning I want to heed.
So we study.  We become faithful in our following.  We serve.  We remain in the communion with outer Christians, even when they annoy us.  We try to see and do life through the eyes of our Savior, who is (in Chapter 12) the author and perfector of our faith.  We see the drift and choose not to participate.  What about you?  What will you do?  Pastor Randy