Acting on What God has Revealed (Part A)

Must become aggressive righteousness. Be bold as a lion in the face of such things.

This is what Paul was saying don't be cheated out of your faith.

Here the writer to the Jewish believers is warning them not to cheat themselves world wasn't cheating them. They were cheating themselves they were going backwards instead of forwards, backsliding, even careless, becoming more and more careless. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Hebrews. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now, here's Pastor Rick in Hebrews chapter 2 as he begins a new study called acting on what God is revealed. Hebrews chapter 2 therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away, for if the word spoken through Angels prove steadfast in every transgression and disobedience received a just reward. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will, for he has not put the world to come which we speak.

In subjection to angels, but one testified in a certain place, saying, what is man that you are mindful of him, or the Son of Man that you take care of him. You have made him a little lower than the angels you have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of your hands you have put all things in subjection under his feet, for in that he put all in subjection under him. He left nothing that is not put under him.

Now we do not see all things put under him, but we see Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with the glory and honor that he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone.

Acting on the revealed word.

That's where the writer is going with this. He had taken up what we know as the first chapter was making his case.

As far as the superiority of Christ goes compared to angels and everyone else and now he starts off with. Therefore, he is saying because of all that I just said you about who this Jesus is.

We should listen up. We should act upon what we have been taught. The problem with the Hebrews at this time, whom he is writing to. Not all the Hebrews, but the ones that were struggling with their identity. They didn't know who they were or they were at least being tempted or drawn backwards.

They did not know that Christ was enough, they began to tinker with thoughts that there needed to be some other things to add to their faith. So the writers going to deal with this. He is dealing with it any way he will throughout this this letter on this document but I think it would. Jesus said about going through such struggles when something new comes our way. Are we going to resist it simply because it's new or are we going to consider the truth and subject ourselves to truth whether something is new or not and so he put it this way. In Matthew nine no one puts a piece of unstrung cloth on an old garment for the patch pulls away from the garment and the tear is made worse with her. They put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break wine is spilled, wineskins are ruined.

They put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. So do what he was telling those Jews in his day that when God doesn't work afresh work. Do not resist it simply because you determined to remain in your old ways.

But consider the truth and be open to what God is saying, and if not you going to burst in these Jews that the writer is addressing here where many of them were struggling with just that.

Looking back at Judaism and away from Christ.

Wanting to go to the altar and offer a sheep or goat instead of realizing that Christ on the cross, fulfilled all the sacrifices which those sacrifices spoke of his coming in so verse two again. Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away if you lose interest you.

You will drift if you do not see the value you do not understand the glory that belongs to the things of Christ. Of course you going to drift the fact that Jesus is God the son God the creator of the universe over Angels when he created over mankind, whom he has created. Is that not enough reason to listen to him. That's what he is telling them since he is the indisputable Lord of glory. It would be foolish to not listen to him didn't not act upon what you have heard Mark put it this way, Jesus speaking Mark recording it.

What will a man give in exchange for his soul.

When you give up something and go to hell for it is, is really that thing that you are chasing after worth losing your soul for all this was the case with the Hebrews is going intensify. This is going to put pressure on them is the pressure of truth. He does this to this day. Paul had warned the Gentile believers to not be cheated from their faith. We see this all the time. Young children grow into young adults. They grow up in the church, singing songs of love to the Lord, going to the team ministry serving in the church only to go to the universities and be cheated be ripped off chipped and get nothing back for it in a sing receipt here all the time but it is taking place, often too often in churches in this church included around the world.

So we have the fight not give up to that. Not not running and say what we can beat this thing must become aggressive.

The righteous must be bold as a lion in the face of such things, but this is what Paul was saying don't be cheated out of your faith. Here the writer to the Jewish believers is warning them not to cheat themselves, the world wasn't cheating them. They were cheating themselves they were going backwards instead of forwards backsliding even they were careless becoming more and more careless and you'll get will get to that in verse three. But before we do I want to remind us of some words. Jesus said Mark chapter 4 verse 24 Jesus said, take heed what you hear in Luke's gospel chapter 8 verse 18 he says, take heed how you hear and then Peter writes, we have the prophetic word confirmed it.

Sure, it's indisputable what God has spoken to us what he is gone and he goes on which you do well to heed the light shines in the dark place. All of this, the audience needed to hear in all of this, they would hear preached in this Hebrew document. All of this, we need to be reminded of. We must either if if we have it and don't need to be reminded that we must look for opportunity to share because there certainly are a go a boatload of people who will benefit from these truths from Scripture, have your Christian you love the Lord God the Word of God has value. That's why we cross-reference it is the authority it makes it clear and official if you're not a Christian you may scoff at these things. Or you may want to inquire more. Either way, that all men be a liar.

God is not mocked his word assure rightly dividing truth from error, soul and spirit, joints and the marrow deep down it goes.

He says, lest we drift away. Here in verse one. This is the drift of negligence and it is very real and it will damage soul and the opportunity it gets. It can be the quietus, easiest, most delightful experience to the carnal nature.

It is a fun way for the soul to die. According to the flesh will open up the flesh.

The difference between the flesh and the spirit momentarily. As we know that we have a sinful nature, even we who were saved were born again. Still, we have a fallen nature that we are saddled with in this life, one lifetime only and that's this one will jettison it when we leave this life, but this nature it will cause us to drift along towards earthly things away from the truth away from her. That is right and righteous.

Some craving some unanswered desire that competes for our attention, placing us at risk of drift.

So when we sing prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love singing about that sinful nature of hours. I believe that when Christians get to those verses. They know firsthand what it means.

Psalmist wrote this way. Psalm 119 which is a song about the word with my whole heart I have sought you all let me not wander from your commandments. You look at the life of David. More than likely wrote that some didn't write it. He sure, influenced, and here was a man that didn't wander drifted into sin almost lost his life in his soul because of it. God is merciful God is present and he is always willing to help us but he will let us go into deep waters will navigate them with us for some of the drift is due to the forces of window occurrence tides a natural drift and I take up a boat on the on the water.

That's not on the role of a captain, but of its environment. Very dangerous condition and every born-again Christian has to experience this our environment, our culture surroundings. The problems the issues before us can cause us to drift.

We can stop wanting to pray for something because we been praying for years.

God is not answered and we give up Jesus said men ought always pray and not lose heart. How long is always how often is always God's perspective to we get home in heaven. No matter what the fighters we must be determined to take it to the Lord. No matter what these two natures, the old unregenerate nature. That's the one I'm born with. I'm born distant from God. I am born a sinner. I must say so in this it is my inheritance as a human being. The line of Adam is referred to as the flesh of the old man. The new nature is that Christlike nature that comes from being born again that one has God's hand all over it. The character that is shaped by the Holy Spirit is only for those who submitted to Christ, but because of the sinful nature.

How far can my soul drift. What is the potential of drift in me as far as I led all the way to destruction, so I am alarmed by this should be the Bible alerts me to it was thought of saying that these are warnings here, the people of God based on who God is and what he is said to act upon what is revealed to us through his word, and so when a person is born, the unnatural Bible refers to them as natural. That's the flesh, they can be a moral individual, but still have nothing to do with Christ that will damn their souls. It is the academic nature. It is referred to by the theologians because it comes from the fall of Adam through Adam and through Eve natural man is the man whose spirit is void of God, the true God and he may do many things to try to make up for it, but if he tries to do it without God, they are false. This is the whole story behind idolatry. Every idolater is very religious and very wrong in their religion it will do nothing to help the spirit. It will do nothing to form Christ in us. It will do absolutely nothing to please God. It will pretend to perhaps but it will not spirit. On the other hand, is the regenerated side. We are born again. Again we are born fallen with a fallen nature. We are born separated from God in iniquity as the Bible says, but when we are born again we have a second life in a new nature is "to us, which we otherwise would never have had this has to be part of the message that we share with the lost souls of the world you have doing that what you have one nature and to you come to Christ. You just natural. That's not good enough for spiritual and holy God, then there is 1/3 experience of about character in the Christian, the natural fighting the spiritual.

Then there's the carnal carnal Christian is one that is that believes in the salvation of Jesus Christ but is under the Lordship of their urges of their natural self, not the influence of Christ with the influence of things that Christ would rather them not do the writer to the Hebrews is saying to these Jews that there are severe consequences for this. If you neglect the things that God has given you.

There's going to be consequence a reason why God gives them to you is to protect you the reason why God gives laws is to protect. In fact, the rabbis referred to the law of the Jew as the fence of the law because it blocked them from self-destruction. That's what it was intended to do relations and Paul writes about those Christians who have succumbed to a carnal nature too much to the point where they are deeper and deeper in sin and then he says that church this is how we can rescue those who stumble this way. He says in Galatians 61 brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Scripture never lets us wiggle into sin comfortably. It always throws it at the mercy of God before us the grace of God and then the warnings of what sin will do and that it's opportunity resides in each and every one of us keeps us sober keeps us and helps us from becoming self-righteous and indignant towards others who may have stumbled acts 242. Most of you know it at the early church continued steadfastly. That is, even against the wind and the apostles teaching in prayer and fellowship and communion with the Lord and I don't think in that sense of the communion table only. Beyond that is more than that and that oneness with the Lord.

But when the Christian begins to succumb to carnality through neglect, they depart from Scripture.

They don't want to hear it lost their their center their balance in the word of God you can be in the Scripture and be struggling. How much worse is it outside of the Scripture is one who names Christ as Lord you come to Christ you to be into the Scripture and into prayer.

Rest your life. The other departure from that happens with the drift is not only from Scripture would fellowship fellowship with those who are into the word. Oftentimes Christians will look for church that will preach the word so they can get away from the conviction so that sin could be made easier beware if you feel the desire to be apart from Christians.

Now they're not going to make it always easy for you. Christians are not the there's always the easiest people to be around.

Sometimes they can be the most difficult but you have to look at the book, the big the big picture as we say the whole picture take it all into consideration is more to it than the struggles that you meet with it's not all about you getting blessed every time you're about around Christians. Sometimes God wants to bless through you if you will let him. I think it is more blessed to receive then to give. That's what my flesh tells me. But Jesus says it's more blessed to give than receive their the war, the fight is on departure from prayer don't want to be in the presence of God neglect his presence. Get away from and against those of you who are strong at the moment we need to be stirred up with these things reminded about them so that we can use them as the Lord calls upon us, and so that we can guard our way and then the communion communion has in it the departure not from Christ but to Christ and from the world and the flesh. That's the communion. It is partnership with Christ is sharing his views whether our flesh objects are not communion is sharing our view as Christ is given to us it means to draw near to God. I'm going to give you some Scripture verses because this will be a good good exercise after service. I hope you don't start looking right now but when I give you a list of verses that that give us a picture of what communion is a give you five or maybe four Exodus 35 when this was when Moses was told to draw near to the bush that burned has a picture of that of the beginning of communing experience and Moses did not have with God. Previously, Psalm 73 verse 28 Zephaniah 3 verse two and Matthew 15 82 communion, or rather to not commune is to stand afar off Ephesians 217. I like to quote the verses but we would never get out of here quoted a verse for every statement I made, but there you have it to not commune is to stand away from God. Distance oneself with God. Neglect will bring it. So let's go back to verse verse one.

Put it in perspective. Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

So verse two for if the words spoken through Angels prove steadfast in every transgression and disobedience received a just reward. We could stop right there is not complete. The thought is not complete but it begins complete because he says if if that air as we know it is built upon what he's been saying and that's enough. We understand it, but of course is is more to it to be brought out for if the words spoken through Angels.

Now these are the angelic messengers. These were those who are spiritual beings. They have not gone through sin like we have that matters matters much for our destiny and the planet God has for mankind that a man that is saved is no indication in Exodus, the giving of the 10 Commandments and the law of God that angels were active in this, but the Scripture makes it clear that they were without detail just tells us simply makes it clear we see it in acts we see that other places in the book without writers explicitly stated God's word to man frequently delivered by messengers angelic message of Solomon Gomorrah house and lot know the place was going to go up in smoke, likely within hours. If not minutes out of the no the Angels came they told him how did Daniel get these in incredible visions of the future, much of which is been fulfilled to the letter and much which remains to be fulfilled. Angels then there was Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist. There was Zacharias, the father was Mary God uses his angels where the writer is going with this of God use those Angels to speak a word and the consequences of those words were severe. How much more important coming from Jesus Christ himself who is the son of God.

That's what he is trying to tell these Jews who are in danger of slipping so he says the words spoken through Angels prove steadfast in every transgression and disobedience received a just reward.

And so here is the point again. If the message of created beings who would dispatch to speak the mind of God prove to be sure and reliable and devastating. How much more when it comes from God himself better not neglected. I don't know what his oriented audience was doing in their heads when they were hearing this document read you notice I keep referring to it as a document because as we did in the introduction it it it has the feel of a letter, though it does not have is not addressed to anyone as a letter would be his other letters in Scripture are.

It has the feel of a letter nonetheless but it also has the feel of a very theological statement of doctrine and exposition is both. It is quite powerful. And here again he's telling them these these very things God warns you through Angels or prophets serious business. He started out in the beginning God in various ways will be various times to the fathers by the prophets as in these last days spoken to us through his son better watch. You've been listening to cross reference radio the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick asked Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply log on to cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Hebrews right here on cross reference radio