1Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,3how 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, 4while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:1-4. Read the rest of the chapter here.)
We must pay much closer attention to Jesus’ message than any other, or we’ll drift away into disaster.
There is no message as important as Jesus’ message.
In context, Hebrews 2:1-4 means that because Jesus is superior to angels, we must pay much closer attention to his message than theirs. We can extrapolate that because he is superior to every other messenger, we must pay much closer attention to his message than any other message.
Think of your sources of input: news programs, blogs, books, conversations, etc. We must pay way more attention to Jesus’ input than all of those sources combined–an exaggeratedly higher level of attention, because Jesus is so far above them all in importance and authority.
We are either docking or drifting.
The Greek words translated ‘pay attention’ and ‘drift’ in verse 1 are nautical words used to indicate docking or floating past the dock. We must remember that we live in a strong current that is constantly pulling us away from Jesus. We must intentionally steer toward his harbor and dock or we will drift away.
Like our cell phone batteries die, we drift. Like our waists grow fat, we drift. Like our grass and weeds grow, we drift. Like our clothes wear out and become dated, we drift. There is no standing still in this world. As you read this, you are either tying yourself to Jesus’ message by attentively listening and living in light of it, or you’re drifting away from him.
We don’t need more message; we need more engagement with the message.
The contrast here is not between hearing enough and not hearing enough. It’s between paying attention and neglecting what we’ve heard. Even pastors can drift away from Jesus, while spending everyday studying the Bible. You probably don’t need to read more Bible every day. You probably need to act more aggressively on what you already know every day. Otherwise one day you may hear those dreaded words, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46).
Neglect is as dangerous as transgression and disobedience.
When I first began studying Hebrews, I thought it was originally written to an intensely persecuted church. As I study it though, it seems that persecution was not the problem. It was neglect. Lack of concern. Numbness. Mildly taking their hands from the wheel and drifting away on their own. The writer puts this in league with transgression and disobedience. All three trigger “a just retribution.”
Similarly I believe neglect is our greatest danger. My fear as your pastor is not outside aggression, but inside apathy. Not spears but sports. Not prison but Pinterest. Not arrests but entertainment. Not violence but mildness. Not bombs or boiling oil, but busyness. These are the currents that threaten to pull us away from Jesus. If we’re not careful, we will be gently, cozily, comfortably distracted to death.
We must take our time and be specific, concrete and practical in listening to and responding to the message of Jesus. We must pay much closer attention to Jesus’ message than any other, or we’ll drift away into disaster.
(Listen below for a fuller explanation of how I arrive at these four points from the text.)
Discussion Starters
- Have everyone go around and share briefly the best and worst part of their week since your last meeting.
- Read Hebrews 2:1-4.
- Think of your top three sources of ‘message’ input (thing like TV, newspaper, conversations, etc.). Have each person share with the group.
- Read verses 3b-4 again (starting with “It was declared…”). Based on this, what exactly is this message to which we are supposed to “pay much closer attention” than any other message?
- What are some ways in which you are often tempted to “drift away from” Jesus’ message, to “neglect such a great salvation?”
- What are some specific, practical steps you will take to “pay much closer attention” to Jesus’ message than all those other messages, and avoid drifting away?
- Describe briefly for one another your devotional practices.
- Take some time to share personal prayer needs and pray for one another.
