Heb.2:1-3

I was asked by the sophomore class to speak on the topic of apathy. Going through Hebrews class and also studying for my self i best thought this text would fit the need of Christ to be the center need in our lives and not ourselves.

Let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…Hebrews 2:1-3
Apathy/Apathetic-is the lack of feeling, emotion, interest, concern, or spiritless, and I would say that if anyone is to be spiritless in life, it is not Gods people…let’s pray…

Background: Today I have one goal, object, and purpose of what I am trying to communicate with you. That is, I am deeply concerned about the gradual loss of interest in Christianity. So what I would like to do with the next 15 minutes is to help you all try to grasp and get a grip of the significance of your Savior. I believe with all my heart that Christ does not, I repeat does not take and I repeat will not take Christianity lightly. In no way does Jesus Christ portray apathy, in any area. Sin, or praise, Jesus Christ cares about each decision you make, and each act you commit in your everyday lives. Christ is too valuable, too important, and far too precious for us to go on through 3 more years of school, just to “get by”. Please do not commit the error of taking Christ for granted, but please live out life in constant appreciation of the one who saved, died, and bought you from the pit of hell. Today I ask you to not be apathetic (spiritless) towards your salvation, but nurture your salvation and be concerned for it.

Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
There are two areas of the Gospel that conquer apathy (“here at BBC bubble”)

I. Instructional Points-Must not become apathetic towards Jesus Christ
A. Illustration-Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard
B. Application-what does this mean?
Therefore-The “therefore” shows us that what we must listen to is in chapter one. In chapter one we see that Jesus is…Son of God is the heir of all things (v. 2), he made the world (v. 2), he is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s nature (v. 3), he upholds all things by the word of his power (v. 3), he made purification for sins (v. 3), he sat down at the right hand of God’s majesty (v. 3) and he is greater than any angel (v. 4), because angels worship him (v. 6). He is the mighty God (v. 8).
This is Christ! This is your Christ! Does this make you apathetic? Does Christ make you spiritless? And I would say to that no…but why? The rest of the verse shows us why.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard-you can not look at these attributes of Christ in chapter one and be apathetic. If the writer goes from a chapter fully on Christology, then the first command, application, is that to remember these gospel centered truths of our Christ, so that you don’t fall away. If you are apathetic in life, in school, and in Gods Word in class, then you have forgotten these truths of Jesus in chapter one. You understand that when we reflect on the gospel/Jesus as a moral remedy, it takes care of our moral disease(sin & apathy). And these truths of Jesus must be kept in front of your mind, for your everyday lives, before you go to class, before you study, before you even wake up. To just hear is not sufficient enough, but we must meditate on it, and hold to these truths of our Savior. If this makes you apathetic in your Christianity after hearing just how great your Savior is, what is the sense of being here (in the BBC bubble)? Do you understand that Jesus Christ was Gods spoken Word. To be apathetic of Jesus is being apathetic of God, and being apathetic of God is being apathetic of the reason you even exist.

II. Instructional Points-Must not become apathetic towards your salvation
A. Illustration-least we drift away from it…verse 3
B. Application-what does this mean?
Drift away- the use of this wordage (pararrhueo) is something of the use of water. Only used one time in the whole New Testament, I think there could be something about this word. The word here is used like flowing by, slip on by, or carelessly pass on by in your life. This is a real danger! It is a danger to let the Word of God pass on by. What do you pass by, or what do you lose heart for, when we become apathetic we become apathetic of our salvation. You neglect your salvation (verse 3) when you become apathetic. Many of you are neglecting your salvation. Many of you I am sure today are setting here and have drifted away from your great salvation that Jesus gave you. There is hope for that, it lies in the good news…the gospel in which Jesus Christ died for you.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
You know what the hope of the good new is, that if you to care, you can. Listen to me.
Students if you got what was coming to you, God would have killed you the second you came out of the womb. And then God, using the Holy Sprit came in and ripped down the doors, knocking over every demon in the way, wiping your sinned stained heart of every mark, giving you a new nature from that old rotten flesh, a hope to live, and most of all defeating Satan by the power of His son, Jesus Christ,…saving you from hell, saving you from Satan, and from eternal death, do not neglect that, don’t forget that, don’t stop for one second of today. Wake up remembering constantly that when your focus is on the gospel, the good news of God, which redeemed you, Jesus Christ ,you will never become apathetic, but you will then find the Great Salvation that was bought, paid for, and given to you. (2:14???) So I asked my self, why would I ever become apathetic in anything!
Sophomores it is very, easy to drift along (very easy to become apathetic in life) with the current, but it is difficult to return against the stream. Our Jesus has let us partake in a great gospel,
Read Heb.2:3-I ask you… “How can you neglect it?”-“How can you become Apathetic of that?” Student,… Christ has already defeated your apathy at the cross. Your sin, and apathy was destroy at the act of your Savior hanging on the cross. Praise be to our God who spoke to us, Praise be to our Christ that made it possible, and Praise to the Holy Spirit that dwells in us. He the (read the verses in chapter one) has given you victory in his life, death, and resurrection. The good news is not just to help you, it has already gave you its’ good news, and it has already gave you victory over apathy, it gives you victory over all sin.

Heb. 1:1-4, 13-14

http://www.summitbaptist.org/

Propositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have 3 reasons why the “Word” in Hebrews is vital to your lives.

I. Instructional Points-the importance of Gods spoken word
A. Illustration-verse one
I don’t tell my car to open my door. I might be able to explain it, but I can’t open it. I can’t tell my car to start, I know how and can do that, but I can’t just speak some command to make it start. I can’t tell my car to drive, I can have a lady tell me how to now, but I can’t just set back and let my car do everything. The point of this is that Gods word is not only explanatory, but it achieves what it is post to.
B. Application-what does this mean?
Gen.1:3- The story of creation shows Gods spoken word does more then just explain on how to do something, or show what to do. The word of God speaks and not only shows how to do something, or why, but when God speaks “let there be“ it actually happens. This shows not only what he says, but also what he is doing. John 21:24-25 there are also many other things Jesus did, not all the books could write what Christ has. And then God gave John to write only a few chapters when he could give us so much more. Gods word is not meant for reading only but to be used.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Understanding this should make us realize how important actual scripture is in our lives. Scripture is not just meant for reading, and saying, “wow”, “ahh”, or even “man that is a good story”, but it is meant for changing hearts, in a way that they will glorify God. Heb.4:12 you see scripture is what makes you who you are. The word is what instructs your life, your beliefs, your morals, you conscious, your thinking, the list goes on and on and on. To know the scripture that the Lord our savior has given us, is to know him. Know what pleases him, know what makes him known, to know what is most Glorying to him, in obedience and honoring his name, and not ours.

II. Instructional Points-the importance of Gods spoken word through His Son
A. Illustration-Chiastic Structure of Heb.1:2-3
B. Application-what does this mean?
The middle of these two verses show us exactly who the Son of God is. The outside so to speak of these verses show us how Jesus was and is our messiah today.
A. heir of all things-all of Jesus power came directly form the Father.
“The heir is lord of all” (Gal_4:1).
B. through him creation- the word and God are not separate Through his agency or instrumentality. Christ, the Logos, is represented as God’s medium in creation. See note on John 1:1.
B. who being: radiance of God-A manifestation of the glory of God.
exact imprint of the nature-In Christ we have a tangible, visible representation of the substance of God. The image of God in person. John 14:9.
upholding all things- The Son has all power, and his power was always manifested by his word. He spoke and it was done, whether it was to still the winds or to raise the dead. So in creation, the word was spoken and it was done.
A. He sat down- The right hand was always and is always the place of honor. See note on Eph_1:20.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Knowing that God spoke to his people at times, through successive generations, and in different manners, many times by personal matters, directions, dreams, visions, Divine influences on the minds of the prophets. The gospel revelation today is so much better in that we have all the Word to show us now. That is the revelation we now have in which we know and can see through Jesus from God.
When, the sin of man, the world was breaking to pieces under the wrath and curse of God, the Son of God, doing the work of redemption, sustained it by his almighty power and goodness. From the glory of the person and office of Christ, we proceed to the glory of his grace. The glory of His person and nature, gave to his sufferings such merit as was a full satisfaction to the honor of God, who suffered an infinite injury and affront by the sins of men. We never can be thankful enough that God has in so many ways, and with such increasing clearness, spoken to us fallen sinners concerning salvation. That he should by himself cleanse us from our sins is a wonder of love beyond our utmost powers of admiration, gratitude, and praise.

III. Instructional Points-the importance of Gods spoken word through His Son is better than the angels
A. Illustration- verse 13-14
B. Application-what does this mean?
Christ being better than the angels shows us how much better the spoken word of God is to us today. In the beginning of verse 13 the writer shows us that no angel has ever been held in honor by God, not one has ever been lifted high. We see in the second half of verse 13 that Christ is the only one that sets beside God. God did not call even one angel to that position, but Jesus Christ the son.
C. Interaction-what would that look like?
Knowing this, brings us to that much more of beautiful picture of how much Christ is. The only Son of God, that now speaks to us, God uses him to make a way for us to even have a relationship with the heavenly father. He uses his son, to not only make a way, but his spirit to lead us to him, where then Christ sitting at this right hand pleas on our behalf all day, all week, all year long on our behalf so that God might spare us from the pit of hell. Seeing Christ and the importance of him through speaking Gods word to us, makes us change our view not only to the fact of how great our King is, but better yet on how we are to live this out and remember this constantly throughout our everyday lives. Then we change are life not because something we want, or gain, but seeing how amazingly Christ is in love with his people.

2 Tim.4:1-2

During my past summer at Lake Ann Camp, I was asked to do devo.’s for the high-school boys that worked there. After much thought, and consideration of the post-modern world today, I had decided to explain to them how God’s Word should be used in their lives and in their churches they attend.

let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…2 Timothy 4:1-2

Background:
Last letter written by Paul, end of Nero’s reign around 67 (who had began in 54 and started killing Christians in 64).
Paul in prison(1.16), had lost most of his friends, time for him to depart(4.6), he is alone (4.10-12) talks about the condition of what the last days will look like.
Writing to His son of faith, who is his number one disciple probably coming to Paul somewhere between Acts 13-14.
Soon after this Paul would be beheaded on the Ostian way (road that lead to a sea port where now actually a RCC church is today called St. Paul), west of Rome in 67.
The reason Paul wrote this is cause he was scared for his son that he might become in danger to weaken the truth. (there was an attack on the Word) read the scripture…

I. Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have 3 instructions on the Word of God on how you need to hear it.

II. Instructional Points V.2 Hear the Word all the Time
A. Illustration-how many of you hate doing something when you don’t feel like it?
I think of the great example of the council of Elrond. Were everyone was present, elves, dwarfs, hobbits, the grey wizard, humans, all the “good guys” was present. I think of how Frodo stood up saying, “I will take it, I will take the ring” how many you think he actually wanted to and actually was readying to take the ring, as Gandalf head starts to fall and closing his eyes knows the pain and struggle Fordo is about to go into to.
B. Application-you like to hear the Word all the time?
1. In season and out of season-The dictates of popular culture, tradition, reputation, acceptance, or esteem in the community may never alter the preaching. So no matter what time it is you always are ready to hear the Word. There is going to be times when we don’t want to go to chapel, we don’t want to get into the Word. That is the problem!
What the problem might be is we don’t know it at all!!! (Jos.1:8)
C. Interaction-what would this look like?
1. How many times do we get sick of going to chapel, or going to church, youth group? We need to want (we need) and be ready even when we don’t to see how God’s Word is going to change our very lives today.
2. Some you haven’t even opened the book up in last week, summer, been months since you saw a page. Say, “I don’t have time, or I’m busy at camp, or school just to much. And you can’t stand up for the Lord if you don’t know Him! You need to know His Word, His Truth, what He says is right and wrong, and if you don’t start now you won’t ever do it! You wont ever do it, never! How your expect to know God? How you expect to know Him? You need the word to know God! You need the scriptures to show what is right in the eyes of the Lord!

III. Instructional Points V.2 Hear the Word to reprove, rebuke, and exhort you life
A. Illustration-ever put something together with instructions?
I had to put these shelves together for work right? And starting to put it together, and I never looked at the instructions once. Half way through I realized it was upside down. So I took it apart and started all over again, to only get half way again and realize I had done the same thing again. So after a little over a hour and a half I got out the instructions.
Just because I know what a shelve looks like doesn’t mean I know how to put one together, and just because I know what a Christian life looks like doesn’t mean I can prove it, show it, live it.
B. Application-you listen to the Word the way its to be given?
1. Reprove- is to prove or better word convince a man of his sins, or the Word. Convict one of their errors. When he/she already knows that they are in those sins.
1Tim.5:20, 2Tim.3:16, Tit. 1:13, 2:15, 1Thess.2:12, 5:14, 20.
2. Rebuke- The idea is, that the minister is not merely to reason about sin, and convince men that it is wrong, but he may solemnly admonish them not to do it, and warn them of the consequences. Leading someone to repentance. See difference between this and reprove is that here the sinner does not know they are in sin. Where as reproving is an individual that knows his sin and is dealt with.
Luke 17:3
3. Exhort- common word Paul uses. Meaning basically to do so with comfort. The positive side of preaching, done with doctrine and instruction.
1Tim.4:13, Rom.12:8
C. Interaction-what would these look?
1. Reprove- A sermon or when reading the Word should look on how to change my life to be in correct relationship with the Lord. Do you look for how to improve your errors when reading the scripture? Or do you look for what you want to read? What you need to feel? Get your high for the day? Like popping a pill? That is what alcoholic’s and drug abusers do, which is no difference.
2. Rebuke- When last time you heard a sermon that sent you home thinking “man I need to get things straitened up” or walked out with your head down realizing that your sin this past week has keep you from your Savior. The Word is meant for Gods glory not mine! When I try to read it for me or find what I want I rob God of His glory!
3. Exhort- So pastor need to be instructing us the church in these areas with comfort and lifting up. How many churches today are watering down the Word?

IV. Instructional Points V.2 Hear the Word given with patience and instruction
A. Illustration-how do you go about hearing the Word?
Theology means “the science of God,” and I think any man who wants to think about God at all would like to have the clearest and most accurate ideas about Him that are available.—C. S. Lewis
It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance of sound doctrine in the life of a Christian. Right thinking about all spiritual matters is imperative if we would have right living. As men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles, so sound character does not grow out of unsound teaching.—A.W. Tozer
B. Application-you listen to the Word with what its to be given with?
1. Patience-longsuffering, “Those that give into error, and oppose themselves to the truth, should be instructed in meekness; and those who are overtaken in a fault should be gently rebuked, and restored in such a spirit; and every exhortation should be pressed as persons are able to bear it.”-John Gill
2. Instruction-doctrine that has been taught, in a way that is instructive and teaching, and in agreement with the doctrine of the Scriptures, which are profitable for that purpose.
C. Interaction-what would these look like?
1. Patience-Longsuffering is to be given so that the stubborn man will not lose heart.
Rom. 2:4, 9:22,2, Cor. 6:6, Gal 5:22, Eph 4:2; Col 1:11; Col 3:12; 1Ti 1:16, 2Ti 2:24-25, 3:10.
2. Instruction- So Calvin states this at its best: “Those who are strong only in fervor and sharpness, but are not fortified with solid doctrine(instruction), weary themselves in their vigorous efforts, make a great noise, rave,… make no headway because they build without foundation.” Men will not be won to the truth by scolding. They should understand what they hear, and learn by perceiving why they are rebuked.

2 Tim.4:3-5

let me invite you to turn in your bibles to…2 Timothy 4:3-5
Background:
Paul is troubled with the last days, 3:1 he is troubled with apostasy.
What is apostasy? It is the act of professed Christians who deliberately reject the revealed truth.
This could be due to many of reasons, such as ignorance(Acts19:1-6), or I believe heresy which is a snare of the devil (2Tim.2:25-26).
A apostate is perfectly describe in 2Tim.4:3-4 which we will study today.
Apostate will depart from the truth but will continue in calling themselves Christians (2Tim.3:5).
Apostasy can not be corrected (Heb.6:4-6) and will await the Judgment of Christ 2 Thess.2:10-12, 2.Pet.2:17,21, Jude11-15, and Rev.3:14-16.
This is caused by worldliness. Example (2Tim.4:10)

I. Prepositional Statement (#, Noun, Application, action)
I have 2 instructions from the Word of God to teach you on how NOT to become an Apostate.

II. Instructional Points-V.3-4 Don’t hear the Word on how you want it (Apostasy)
A. Illustration-“there is a beautiful example of this in The Lord of the Rings”
In Lord of the Rings we see the character of Gollum and how the ring had corrupted him from his original being, Sméagol. Sméagol was a hobbit which had fell into to the path of the ring. The world and the corruption of it has blinded him from what he was meant to be/do. What happens when the ring/world has corrupted our purpose and our ears and eyes to the Word. We lose focus, and miss the original mark or meaning to Gods Word.
B. Application-since when did God tell us we could hear what we want?
1. That men have preachers preach what they want, what they feel. Its up to their own desires on what they want to hear from the pulpit. So the pastors today want numbers and so they would rather compromise the Word for the people so they don’t convict one’s soul. People want to follow their own desires and don’t want the Word to confront it.
2. People want to know today’s philosophy, they want to think for themselves what may be right or wrong. Today we have stopped preaching about abortion, gays, lesbians, we have stopped preaching about divorce, lust, we have stopped preaching to all the things that offend us, or make us uncomfortable. I ask since when did God ask you or me about how we feel?
C. Interaction-Since when did God ask us how we want His Word?
1. People today want to know Jesus. They want a experience. They want something they can feel or see and touch. They want to see Jesus looking at the sun. They need to get to know Jesus by the Word! Since when did God stop using the Word? If it was good enough for Jesus to use over 2,000 years ago its good now! (Matt.4:4)
2. They want everything that opposes doctrine! Truth! We stop preaching against sin is what our churches have done. We start compromising the Word for what we think or what we feel at the time. Sunday morning becomes a time on how many cups a coffee I can get, or donuts, or talk to that hot girl, or the worship time sounding good, or maybe today I’ll get to see a drama in stead of hearing the Word! What it means to have your ears tickled is to have them entertained. Since when did God write the Word to be an entertainment show? Its meant to change lives! Its meant to change souls, change your heart, I’ll tell you what it did, it change an alcoholic, locked up man that had no home no family like my self and grabbed a hold my heart and change my life. That is what it was meant for, and I am not about to let today’s world start abusing it and raping the Word for themselves. What about yourself?

III. Instructional Points- V.5 Don’t fulfill your ministry on how you want it
A. Illustration-have you forgotten what has saved your souls?
There is another great example of this in Lord of the Rings when the fellowship of the ring takes the path of Canadheas, the mountains (with the snow coming down as Saruman is speaking from the his tower.) Gimli wants to pass through the mines of Moria, and then Boromir wants to pass through the gap of Rohan which would be the west road to his city. The fellowship had forgotten its purpose of their journey and wanted to see their people, and do what they knew best, and what they wanted. Do not forget the purpose which saved your so. Never forget the root of what has brought your life and bought your life. That is the gospel, and when you fall off of that, is when life gets dangerous. And that is when you can fall into the snares of today’s worldliness. (reread to you Rev.3:14-16.)
B. Application-are you compromising the Gospel?
Evangelist is a preacher of the Gospel, you are all workers of the gospel. Timothy was not an evangelist but a preacher, so how could Paul say this to him? Because Paul wants Timothy to never to stop the work of the gospel. Paul doesn’t call him to be an evangelist but do the work of one. That is way this is all about. When we compromise the doctrines, and the use of the Word. We have compromise the Gospel.
C. Interaction-how much have you lessen the work of the gospel?
Listen we must first start our truth, doctrines, and the Word with what is important. That is the Gospel. When we can understand this and study this and come to the love and realization of what Paul is telling Timothy to always remember the gospel then we will not fall out of Christianly but only fall yet more in love with our Savior. Your ministry is can only be fulfilled when you do the work of the gospel. Fill your life, your work here at camp, you friends, your ministry with the work of the evangelist, the work of the good news the work of the Gospel and then there is where we find fulfillment in the Word.