Hebrews 2:1 | You Will Drift

Hebrews 2:1 says, "We must pay the most Hebrews 2:1 says, "We must pay the most careful attention to what we have heard careful attention to what we have heard careful attention to what we have heard so that we do not drift away." so that we do not drift away." so that we do not drift away." Okay. I live in a beach town, so I'm Okay. I live in a beach town, so I'm Okay. I live in a beach town, so I'm always near the beach and often I'm always near the beach and often I'm always near the beach and often I'm actually on it. A couple of years ago, I actually on it. A couple of years ago, I actually on it. A couple of years ago, I was walking and passed a mom of what was walking and passed a mom of what was walking and passed a mom of what looked like a couple of six-year-old looked like a couple of six-year-old looked like a couple of six-year-old boys. She was mad and really getting on boys. She was mad and really getting on boys. She was mad and really getting on to them. I was right there. I heard to them. I was right there. I heard to them. I was right there. I heard everything she was saying. I was on her everything she was saying. I was on her everything she was saying. I was on her side. Apparently, she had told the boys side. Apparently, she had told the boys side. Apparently, she had told the boys to stay right where she left them. As to stay right where she left them. As to stay right where she left them. As she went into the water to cool off, and she went into the water to cool off, and she went into the water to cool off, and 10 minutes later, when she stepped out 10 minutes later, when she stepped out 10 minutes later, when she stepped out of the surf, the boys had moved. At of the surf, the boys had moved. At of the surf, the boys had moved. At first, she panicked. Then she saw them. first, she panicked. Then she saw them. first, she panicked. Then she saw them. The boys were like 100 feet up the beach The boys were like 100 feet up the beach The boys were like 100 feet up the beach and her fear turned to anger and she and her fear turned to anger and she and her fear turned to anger and she marched up there and she let him have marched up there and she let him have marched up there and she let him have it. [laughter] I was thinking, "Good for it. [laughter] I was thinking, "Good for it. [laughter] I was thinking, "Good for her." as I walked by you and I just her." as I walked by you and I just her." as I walked by you and I just forgot forgot about it. I you know until forgot forgot about it. I you know until forgot forgot about it. I you know until a couple months later and I saw almost a couple months later and I saw almost a couple months later and I saw almost exactly the same thing happen. This time exactly the same thing happen. This time exactly the same thing happen. This time it was a mom and a dad. They had girls it was a mom and a dad. They had girls it was a mom and a dad. They had girls too. They looked like six or eight but too. They looked like six or eight but too. They looked like six or eight but same thing. Didn't we tell you to stay same thing. Didn't we tell you to stay same thing. Didn't we tell you to stay where we left you? What were you where we left you? What were you where we left you? What were you thinking? It was weird. Same deal, thinking? It was weird. Same deal, thinking? It was weird. Same deal, different day.

different day. different day. It finally clicked in my mind what had It finally clicked in my mind what had It finally clicked in my mind what had happened. Most people think of the Gulf happened. Most people think of the Gulf happened. Most people think of the Gulf as a big lake, but it's not. In essence, as a big lake, but it's not. In essence, as a big lake, but it's not. In essence, it's an ocean and it's connected to all it's an ocean and it's connected to all it's an ocean and it's connected to all the oceans in the world. That means it the oceans in the world. That means it the oceans in the world. That means it has a current. Sometimes it's a raging has a current. Sometimes it's a raging has a current. Sometimes it's a raging current. We call that a riptide. And current. We call that a riptide. And current. We call that a riptide. And sometimes the current is gentle, but the sometimes the current is gentle, but the sometimes the current is gentle, but the current is always there. You just can't current is always there. You just can't current is always there. You just can't usually see it. And if you don't pay usually see it. And if you don't pay usually see it. And if you don't pay attention to it, you won't ever feel it. attention to it, you won't ever feel it. attention to it, you won't ever feel it. But if you're in it, you're going to But if you're in it, you're going to But if you're in it, you're going to drift. That's what happened to those drift. That's what happened to those drift. That's what happened to those parents. They knew their kids would not parents. They knew their kids would not parents. They knew their kids would not move. So when they got in the water, move. So when they got in the water, move. So when they got in the water, they relaxed and took their eyes off they relaxed and took their eyes off they relaxed and took their eyes off their children. They began drifting their children. They began drifting their children. They began drifting immediately. They didn't mean to do it. immediately. They didn't mean to do it. immediately. They didn't mean to do it. They're probably great parents. The last They're probably great parents. The last They're probably great parents. The last thing they intended to do was create thing they intended to do was create thing they intended to do was create distance between them and their distance between them and their distance between them and their children. children. children. It's the last thing God wants, too. It's the last thing God wants, too. It's the last thing God wants, too. Distance between him and his children.

Distance between him and his children. Distance between him and his children. The writer of Hebrews explains, "We must The writer of Hebrews explains, "We must The writer of Hebrews explains, "We must pay the most careful attention to what pay the most careful attention to what pay the most careful attention to what we've heard so that we do not drift we've heard so that we do not drift we've heard so that we do not drift away." away." away." He's talking about the relationship we He's talking about the relationship we He's talking about the relationship we have with Jesus. Life on earth happens have with Jesus. Life on earth happens have with Jesus. Life on earth happens similarly in several places. Oceans have similarly in several places. Oceans have similarly in several places. Oceans have currents. So does the air in the sky. currents. So does the air in the sky. currents. So does the air in the sky. Our very lives also have a current. Our very lives also have a current. Our very lives also have a current. Sometimes it's raging and sometimes it's Sometimes it's raging and sometimes it's Sometimes it's raging and sometimes it's gentle, but it's always there. You and I gentle, but it's always there. You and I gentle, but it's always there. You and I both know what it's like to suddenly both know what it's like to suddenly both know what it's like to suddenly realize we have drifted way down the realize we have drifted way down the realize we have drifted way down the beach from God. [laughter] You know that beach from God. [laughter] You know that beach from God. [laughter] You know that feeling, don't you? I do. Look up, you feeling, don't you? I do. Look up, you feeling, don't you? I do. Look up, you realize how far you've drifted and drag realize how far you've drifted and drag realize how far you've drifted and drag yourself out of the water, wet, ashamed, yourself out of the water, wet, ashamed, yourself out of the water, wet, ashamed, maybe angry, maybe angry, maybe angry, because you know what happened. And that because you know what happened. And that because you know what happened. And that just makes it worse. The only way I just makes it worse. The only way I just makes it worse. The only way I found to hold place in a current is to found to hold place in a current is to found to hold place in a current is to keep my eyes on an anchor point, the keep my eyes on an anchor point, the keep my eyes on an anchor point, the place I want to stay. You know, when you place I want to stay. You know, when you place I want to stay. You know, when you pay close attention to that anchor pay close attention to that anchor pay close attention to that anchor point, when when you want your life to point, when when you want your life to point, when when you want your life to be and who you want to belong to is more be and who you want to belong to is more be and who you want to belong to is more important to you than that shiny thing important to you than that shiny thing important to you than that shiny thing that's off to the side whispering your that's off to the side whispering your that's off to the side whispering your name, then you'll be getting the hang of name, then you'll be getting the hang of name, then you'll be getting the hang of it.

it. it. Yeah, you you might still start to Yeah, you you might still start to Yeah, you you might still start to drift, but you'll recognize what's drift, but you'll recognize what's drift, but you'll recognize what's happening. You'll sense the current and happening. You'll sense the current and happening. You'll sense the current and turn your eyes back to Jesus. We must turn your eyes back to Jesus. We must turn your eyes back to Jesus. We must pay the most careful attention to what pay the most careful attention to what pay the most careful attention to what we have heard we have heard we have heard so that we do not drift away.