The Letter to the Hebrews
Overcoming Satan’s Lies About The Word
Hebrews 2:1-4
Let’s turn to Hebrews chapter 2. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Hebrews 2 is on page 1001 in the Bibles we are passing out.
Here’s what we’ve seen so far. The author has argued that since God has spoken to us in His own Son Jesus (1:1-4) – and since Jesus God’s Son is superior to the angels (1:5-14) – therefore we should pay much closer attention to this Word about Jesus (ch.2 vs. 1).
This book is the Word about Jesus – the Old Testament pointed toward Jesus, the New Testament explains the coming of Jesus. And we should pay much closer attention to this Word about Jesus.
So how are we doing in that? I’ve heard reports of many of you who have taken new steps in your own personal life to pay closer attention to this Word about Jesus. And that’s very encouraging
But the author of Hebrews is not done with this topic. He knows that Satan has two devious lies he uses to make us stop paying close attention to this Word about Jesus. One lie is that there’s no harm in neglecting this Word about Jesus. The other lie is that there’s no certain truth in this Word about Jesus.
And in ch.2 vv.1-4 the author destroys both of these lies.
Let’s start with Lie #1 – there’s no harm in neglecting this Word about Jesus. I would guess some of us are falling for this lie. And you can tell you are falling for this lie if you say things like “I already know what the Bible says – I’ve read it before -- I don’t need to read it again.” Or – “I’m doing all right spiritually – I don’t need to study God’s Word. It’s not like I’m tempted to rob a bank or anything.”
If you talk that way then you have bought the lie that there’s no harm in neglecting this Word about Jesus. But what does the author of Hebrews say? Start with v.1 --
1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Here he says there IS harm in neglecting this Word about Jesus. What’s the harm? If we don’t cling to God’s Word we will drift away from it. It’s like you were in the river above the Niagara Falls – being carried by the surging power of the river to the edge of the Falls where you will plunge to certain death. That’s a picture of our lives – the surging river is our sin and the pull of the world and the powers of darkness which carries us towards God’s judgment.
But in great mercy God has thrown us a rope – the word of salvation given in Christ and contained in this book. So when we grip this rope – this book by faith – we are stopped from going over the Falls. And as we continue to cling to this rope we will be pulled away from the Falls until Jesus Comes back or we die and go to heaven.
So what happens if we stopped clinging to the rope of the Word? You don’t stay where you are. No – if you are not clinging to the rope of the Word your sin and the world and demonic powers will cause you to drift away from the Word toward the Falls.
But at this point Satan sidles up to you and says – it’s awesome that God has thrown you that rope. And when you cling to the rope it pulls you out of the river and on to the beach. You aren’t still in the river. You are on the beach. You are saved! So – let go of the rope – lay out the beach towel – put on some sunscreen – and chill until heaven. There’s no harm in neglecting the rope – you’re safe on the beach!
But that’s a lie. You are not safe on the beach. Until heaven we saved people are still in the river. Our remaining sin is pulling at us – the world is pulling at us – demonic powers are pulling at us – so if we are not clinging to the Word – then we are headed downstream toward the Falls. We are either clinging or drifting. If you are not clinging – you are drifting.
And why is drifting so serious? Look at what he says in vv.2-3a --
2 For since the message declared by angels [that’s the Old Testament] 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?
Notice that word “neglect.” The danger the author is talking about is not that we turn from salvation – it’s that we neglect salvation. It’s not that you turn from Christ and follow Buddha or become an atheist. It’s that you think you are still in Christ but you have stopped clinging to the Word. It’s not outright apostasy – it’s subtle apathy. It’s not that you say – “this isn’t the Word of God!” It’s that you don’t open the Word of God. It’s not that you deny the Word of God – it’s that you neglect the Word of God.
And what will happen if we neglect the Word of God? Read vv.2-3 again --
2 For since the message declared by angels [that’s the Old Testament] 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?
Here’s what he’s saying. Both the Old and New Testaments are the perfect Words of God. But the New Testament is greater – because it involves God revealing this perfect truth by coming to the earth Himself in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is not as great – because it did not involve God coming to the earth Himself.
So if the Old Testament – which did not involve God coming to the earth Himself – brought punishment to those who neglected it – what will happen to us if we neglect the New Testament which involved God coming to the earth Himself? Notice v.3 -- “how shall WE escape if WE neglect such a great salvation?” We won’t.
Think again about the river above Niagara Falls. During the Old Testament God saw people drifting towards destruction – and through angels he threw them the rope of His perfect Word. But what happened to those who neglected this rope? Saul stopped clinging – and went over the Falls. Ahab stopped clinging – and went over the Falls. Jezebel stopped clinging – and went over the Falls.
So how much more – when God sent His own Son to earth – and His own Son has thrown us the rope of God’s perfect Word – how much more will we face destruction if we neglect His Word?
So let this sink in. If we neglect God’s Word – if we stop clinging to God’s Word and nothing changes – then our sin and the world and demonic powers will take us from Christ and we will go over the Falls. We will be punished by God.
Now this raises a crucial question. Does this mean you can be genuinely saved – and end up going over the Falls? No. But listen carefully to why. It’s not because saved people can neglect God’s Word and still be saved. No. Notice that the author includes himself in this warning – “how shall WE escape if WE neglect so great a salvation.” Answer: we won’t.
So why will genuinely saved people not go over the Falls? It’s because when God saves you He changes your heart so you pay heed to these warnings. So when you hear that if you neglect your salvation you will not escape – you say – I’m not going to neglect my salvation. And when you hear that if you stop clinging you will drift to destruction – you say – I’m going to keep clinging.
So if you have been saved then right now you are thinking – I want to cling to God’s Word. I’m going to stop neglecting my salvation! First thing in the morning I’m going to open God’s Word. When I find myself worried I’m going to cling to God’s Word. When I feel lukewarm I’m going to pray over God’s Word. When I become fearful I’m going to run to God’s Word. When I’m tempted I’m going to fight with God’s Word.
Satan’s lie is that there’s no harm in neglecting this Word about Jesus. Hebrews says – there is great harm – you are either clinging – or drifting toward the Falls. So keep clinging.
The second lie is that there’s no certain truth in this Word about Jesus. Think of how this lie would affect you. There you are in this river and the only thing keeping you from destruction is this rope. But what if this rope is frayed and ends up breaking? What if holding to this fraying rope keeps you from finding a rope that won’t break? Or – what if what this book says about being in a river leading to destruction isn’t true at all? What if we are all evolving into better and better creatures – so we don’t need to worry about this book?
Can you see how that would sap your motivation for clinging to this Word? Why not just sleep in – or check Facebook – or head to the gym?
And in vv.3b-4 the author destroys that lie – by showing three ways God has confirmed that this word about Jesus is true. Look at what he says –
3b 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.
So first – it was declared by the Lord. What’s the clearest way God could show Himself to humanity? By coming to earth Himself. And that’s exactly what He did. He came to the earth in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ – the second person of the Trinity.
2,000 years ago God walked on this earth. And to show us He was God He worked miracles –
- Jesus was on shore while His disciples were in a boat in the middle of a violent storm in the Sea of Galilee. So Jesus walked to them on the water – and calmed the storm. (Mark 6).
- Jesus came upon a man oppressed by an army of demons – so he lived in the tombs, running around naked, screaming and cutting Himself. Jesus commanded the demons to leave – and they left. And the man was restored.
- When 5,000 people were hungry and needing food – he multiplied 5 loaves and 2 fish into enough for all of them with leftovers.
And all through His life He said He would end up being crucified – to pay for our sins so we could be forgiven by God – and that He would then be raised from the dead.
And it all happened – just as He said. He was crucified – and He rose from the dead.
So step one is – this was declared by the Lord Jesus Christ. God Himself was on the earth talking to us. That’s all the evidence we need.
But then step two is at the end of v.3 -- “it was attested to us by those who heard.” Here’s the question. How do we know something actually happened in the past? The best way – the clearest way -- is eyewitness testimony.
And what the author of Hebrews says is that step two was eyewitness testimony of Jesus. The apostles heard Jesus with their own ears. They saw Jesus with their own eyes. They saw Jesus walking on the water. They saw the demonized man freed. They saw the 5,000 fed. They saw the Cross. They saw the empty tomb. They saw and touched Jesus after He rose.
Eyewitnesses. And the truth about Jesus was attested to us by those who heard – and their words are written here in the New Testament. This book is full of eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life, miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection.
So Jesus’ life, death, miracles, teaching, and resurrection is historical truth. We have all the evidence we could ever need. So we can cling to Him with confidence.
But God doesn’t stop there. He gives us even more evidence. Step three is in v.4 --
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.
God worked through these apostles with supernatural miracles to give us even more evidence that what they were saying was truth from God Himself. So one day Peter and John were going to the temple and saw a man lame from birth – who could not walk at all – who had to be carried everywhere he went. And Peter looked at this man and said – “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
And to show everyone around that Jesus was God, and that what Peter and John taught about Jesus was from God – God brought His power upon the lame man and he was walking and leaping and praising God.
That happened all through the book of Acts. To show everyone that Jesus was God, and that what the apostles taught about Jesus was from God – God worked through the apostles to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead.
Satan’s lie is that there is no certain truth in this Word about Jesus. But Hebrews says this rope – the truth of Jesus Christ – was declared by God Himself in the person of Jesus. It was confirmed by eyewitnesses who saw His life, miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection. And it was confirmed by God working supernaturally through these eyewitnesses.
Questions?
Satan says there’s no harm in neglecting this word about Jesus. But the truth is that you are either clinging – or drifting toward the Falls. And Satan says there’s no certain truth in this word about Jesus. But God Himself has come to earth in the person of Jesus, as verified by eyewitnesses and astonishing miracles.
This is all true.
And we are either clinging or drifting to destruction.
So – cling. Mercy Hill Church, cling!