I. Introduction
A. Ghost Ships
1. Ghost ships are real, but not like many think.
2. When a ship loses its crew (for whatever reason) but is not recovered, it often continues to drift with the ocean currents.
3. According to the International Maritime Organization, there were 132 cases of abandoned vessels in 2023. There are a lot of ships out there with no one at the helm. The Mary Celeste is one of the most famous.
4. There are still ghost ships today that end up adrift after large storms or after being abandoned by their owners (think hurricanes).
5. Ghost ships have no one to direct them.
B. Review of Chapter 2
1. The author writes to warn against neglecting salvation.
2. We discussed a few ways they were ignoring important ideas pertaining to what God says about salvation:
a. They were neglecting the witnesses to salvation
b. They were neglecting the will of God in how salvation came
c. They were neglecting the way that God had chosen to bring salvation; Jesus had to come in the flesh.
C. Background on Text
1. The author of Hebrews warns against drifting away from what has brought salvation to mankind—Jesus.
a. The Greek word for drifting (παραρρέω) is only used once in the NT and means, “to drift away, flow past, slip away.”
b. In one sense, the word can be used to talk about neglect.
c. Neil Lightfoot uses the familiar imagery of a boat slipping past its dock and being carried downstream.
2. Like ghost ships and untied boats, if Christians do not anchor themselves to something immovable and steadfast, we too are in danger of slipping downstream. How do we prevent that?
II. The Danger of the Drift
A. (2:1)
1. The world is full of that try to take our focus off God.
a. Illustration: When we fail to pay attention to issues in our relationships, homes, cars, etc., there is usually a sign along the way that warns us to pay attention. It can be a warning light, a sigh, a look, a statement, etc. Something grabs our attention.
2. God understands that life is full of distractions. His Word calls us to refocus and pay attention to what is most important.
a. Matthew 6:21, 33
b. Luke 12:15
3. What are some warning signs of being spiritually distracted?
a. Worship is just something you go to, not experience.
b. Calls for involvement in the church never reach your radar.
c. You don’t find yourself searching for spiritual insight on complicated issues in your life.
d. Things you would never have accepted before you don’t think twice about anymore.
e. All of these are matters that should give us pause, but if they don’t, there is a good chance something is distracting us.
4. One of the biggest distractions we face as Christians today is apathy.
B.
1. It matters what we and teach.
2. Our faith is the core of our worldview; it determines how we see, experience, and interact with the world. It should guide us in all our decisions and .
3. The author spends a great deal of time proving Jesus is exactly who He says He is because there is always the danger that we forget.
4. Spiritual apathy is not intentional. It is a byproduct.
a. In his book, Apatheism, Kyle Beshears makes the observation that many people in our world aren’t fighting against Christianity; they just don’t care. They’re too busy to be bothered by deeply reflecting on life in general, let alone reflecting to the point of asking questions like why we exist and what our purpose on earth is. They just don’t see the point in God.
b. “In this distracted world, God isn’t merely unneeded; he’s unnoticed.”
c. Kyle points out that two key things feed our apathy: and .
d. If we are apathetic, our faith will become pathetic.
5. The fact that Jesus endured what He did so that you will know that He knows what it is like to be you speaks volumes about the passion and love God has for you.
6. He has been so passionate about saving you; what He asks in return is simply for us not to lose our passion for Him.
C.
1. God’s way is not a ; it is THE way.
a. Notice that the Hebrew writer reminds us that EVERYTHING has been subjected to Christ, even that which we do not yet see.
b. The author is reverting back to Hebrews 1:2 where we learn that it is now through Christ that God has spoken to us; therefore, we must acknowledge the source from which we are receiving our instruction.
2. In verse 13, the author quotes from Isaiah saying, “I will put my trust in him.”
a. Martel Pace observes that this passage reflects that Jesus had to trust in God to do His will while in human form on earth, and that now He expects us to do the same.
b. He has shown us the way to live, even during the most challenging of times.
3. Times of trial and testing can us if we look to the One who has endured what we must persevere through.
III. Conclusion
A. Ghost Ships
1. Don’t let your life be directed by the winds and waves of this life’s distractions; set a purposeful course.
2. God has shown us the way; we just have to follow it.
B. Invitation