Are You Drifting? | Sunday Message With Tony Clark

Hey there, thanks for listening to the Greg Laurie Podcast, a ministry supported by Harvest Partners. I'm Greg Laurie, encouraging you.

If you want to find out more about Harvest Ministries and learn more about how to become a Harvest Partner, just go to harvest.org. Hebrews 2, looking at verses 1 through 4, and the title of this message is, Are You Drifting? Are You Drifting?

Now, we have all heard this phrase before, when we were either drifting asleep during a movie, and I'm going to try not to bore you so you don't drift asleep in here. But we've all been distracted where we have drifted into the other lane as we have been driving. However, we can drift in our marriages when we have allowed other things or people to take our attention away. But what do we do when we have drifted away from the Lord, when we have allowed other things or people to rob us of our attention and affection for the Lord?

Are there some warning signs that we are drifting? And I believe there are, and we're going to look at them this morning. Now, by way of background, because you're well taught here, the book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who left Judaism and came into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. However, they were being severely persecuted for their faith, and they were contemplating on going back to Judaism. So the author of Hebrews, I believe it's Paul, was showing them that Jesus Christ was superior over anything and everything that they can go back to in Judaism. So in chapter one, Paul, I believe, I'm just going to say Paul, is telling them that Jesus Christ is superior over the angels that the Jews looked up to. Now, continuing the subject in chapter two, because in chapters one and two, he talks about how Jesus is superior over the angels.

And so here we are in chapter two. Look what he says there in verse one. It says, Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. Now, the word therefore there is a transitional conjunction that always takes us back to what was previously said. It means for this reason.

OK, for what reason? For the things said in chapter one, that Jesus Christ is superior to the angels because he created them. In Hebrews one, verse two, it said that God spoke to them through the prophets, but is now speaking to the world through Jesus Christ, whom he has appointed heir of all things to whom he has made the worlds or the universe. Therefore, or because of all of this, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard. I want to draw your attention to the phrase earnest heed. Prosecho is that Greek word, and it means to beware. It means to anchor, anchor a ship or boat.

For you people who have boats out there, you understand this term. And he said, he tells us why this is important that we anchor ourselves in the things of God. He says, lest we drift away. Now, I want to draw your attention to the word drift. Peraao is a Greek word, and it also is a nautical term that describes a ship passing the safety of the harbor. So the writer, who I believe is Paul, is warning us to carefully anchor ourselves in the things notice we have heard.

Why? Let's at any time we find ourselves drifting. Drifting carries the connotation of letting go, putting it in neutral and allowing the currents of this world to take you either out to sea or into the rocks, crashing in your walk with Christ, crashing in your marriage or crashing emotionally or spiritually. Paul used the same terminology in First Timothy chapter one, verse 19, for you note takers, when he said that some believers have rejected the truth and suffer.

Here it is. Shipwreck. Now, this can happen to any of us. Notice how Paul said, lest we drift.

The plural pronoun Paul uses means that he is even including himself in that. So now we begin to have some fun. Ask yourself, have you drifted or are you drifting? Have you drifted in your Christian walk? Have you drifted in your marriage?

Now we get to have fun. There are four warning signs that you're drifting. Four warning signs. Number one, no longer making progress as a Christian, as a Christian man, as a Christian wife, as a Christian husband.

No longer making progress. We used to before the events, I like to call it the great reset of a few years ago. We used to judge our Christianity about how often we went to church.

We don't do that anymore. Now we have to look at it a little bit deeper. We judge our Christian walk by the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5, 22 and 23. Are you growing more in agape love, God's love, this month than you were last month? Are you kinder today than you were yesterday? Are you more patient with your children and your spouse men this morning than you were last night? See, these are ways that you got to ask yourself, are you growing? Are you growing more self-control or are you still having that fourth cheesecake?

Now I'm kind of with you with that. Or are you still as out of control? Because see, when people say, I just can't help it, I'm like, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control. You call yourself a Christian, right? Then self-control, we should be growing and being more self-control, being gentle.

Sometimes we can be rough and gruff with the way that we talk to our spouse. Are you more gentle? Are you growing as a Christian? See, this is a sign that if you're growing, great, amen. But if not, it's a sign that you're drifting because you're no longer growing in these things. You're actually regressing, you're going back because you're not growing in these things. That's the first sign, the first sign that you're drifting. Because the Bible says in 2 Peter 3, 18, but grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Are you growing in the grace, watch this, and the knowledge?

I'm going to come back to the knowledge part. So that's number one, the first sign that you're drifting. No longer progressing as a Christian.

Number two, oh, here's where the fun comes. Always are reintroduced back into your life again. Those things that you begged the Lord to save you from. Those things that you cried out to God for Him to deliver you from, and He did. Now you're starting to slowly reintroduce those things back into your life again.

For example, drinking alcohol. You had a problem. And you cried out to the Lord and He saved you. Because whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

He saved you, He brought you out of belately the stress of money, the stress of marriage, the stress of kids, the stress of trying to keep whatever roof over your head. And that's the stress out here. Now all of a sudden you're starting to tip again. Trying to hide the bottles like you once did.

The breath mints in your mouth. You know the routine, you used to do it. And you begged that God would save you from it, He did. And lately you pop the seal, little sip, little sip. You're reintroducing those things back into your life again.

What about abusing prescription drugs? I understand you had an accident. I understand your back really hurts. And the doctor gave you the good stuff. And you've been on the good stuff. And now you're at a point where a couple of Aleve or maybe a couple of Tylenol can do it. But you're insisting on more of the good stuff. And the doctor said, no, no, you're good, you don't need any more of that.

And now you're going to another doctor to try to get them to write you some of the good stuff. I understand you had an accident. I understand with the craziness of driving in these highways, especially the 55 nuts. Nuts.

That thing is, they ought to be ashamed of themselves. That 55 between what, drive and the five, that's just nuts. And then we parking lot, parking lot, parking lot. Then we get past there and zoom free. I said, what was that then? What was that?

Reintroducing things back into your life again. Now someone may protest and say, well, you know, I see nothing wrong with those things, Pastor Tony. We're recreational drugs a little bit. See nothing wrong with that.

Prescription gun, you know, I got a problem. You know, I have liberty to do those things. Oh, okay. Pastor Tony, I know, you know, 1 Corinthians 6, 12 says, all things are lawful for me to do, Pastor Tony. Yes, but that verse goes on to say, but all things are not helpful. Which means help you in your walk with Christ or help us to become more Christlike. Then it continues, all things are lawful for me to do, but I will not be brought under the power of any or anything. Then 1 Corinthians 10, 23 says, all things are lawful, but all things do not edify. Or build me up in my walk with Christ. So yes, you can do whatever it is you want to do as a Christian. But you must ask yourself three questions based upon these two verses. Number one, whatever it is I want to do, you fill in the blank, will it help me become more like Jesus Christ?

1 Corinthians 10, 31, as well as 1 Corinthians 1, 31, it talks about, it says that everything that you do be done to the glory of God. So can you say, oh, Lord, as I smoke this, I give you glory. Oh, Lord, as I drink this, you're just so good. Oh, I lift your name on high. I love to sing your praises as I'm drinking this.

Oh, Lord, as I sleep next to this person I'm not married to. Oh, Lord, I just give you glory, Lord. Just glory. The Bible says everything you do be done to the glory of God. Paul told the church of Colossae in chapter 3, verse 17, he said, whatever you eat or drink, do to the glory of God.

So can you say, God, I'm going into this ABC store, whatever y'all call it out here. Lord, as I come out with this six pack, Lord, I'm going to give you glory. Each can I drink.

Glory be to God for providing such liquids. Just glorify you, Lord. Everything that you do, everything you eat or drink be done for the glory of God. The Bible is clear on that. It makes it clear. So, yes, you're at liberty to do whatever it is you want to do, but you've got to ask yourself, whatever it is I want to do, will it bring me under its power? Okay. Well, alcohol was abusing prescription drugs or recreational drugs. Does it, well, pornography, will it bring, does it have the potential to bring me under its power?

You have to ask yourself that. Paul said, all things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

And while we're talking about it, let's just keep it real. Food can bring us under its power. So it's not just drugs, alcohol, porn, food can. And as you can see, I like food. Food is just a great thing. And the more processed, the better. Why is it that we got to be a millionaire to eat healthy? I don't get that. Processed food before a buck, you can just fill up.

Barely just crazy. So Paul said that. Whatever it is that you want to do, will it edify or will it build me up in my Christian walk? And if you will be honest with yourself, you will have to say, well, no, doing these things will not aid me in becoming more like Jesus Christ.

Then the question would be, why would you reintroduce those things back into your life? Why? Here's a bonus one. I was talking to a brother after what was second service and me being on the screen.

But then I was live in the lobby. So I was talking to him after second service and he said, this is the one that got him. Because here's a bonus one. Bonus number four. Whatever it is that you want to do.

Here it is. Four. Will it stumble someone else? See, because I know how you are. Many of you are like, oh, you know, those things are my Christian liberties.

I exercise at home in the privacy of my home. Okay, first Corinthians eight, nine says, if our liberty becomes a stumbling block, then it ceases from being the liberty. And now it's a stumbling block. It is stumbling your children. Do they have to push past the beer cans to get to the milk for their cereal? Many of you, as adults, you drink or used to drink because of the example of your parents. And many of you, you know how it was. You know, you growing up, had an open beer can in the refrigerator and you look to the left, look to the right. I had a family member, he thought he was slick. See, back in the Midwest where my wife and I grew up, everybody had a bar down in the basement.

Everybody had a bar. So the relative, he used to go downstairs, drink his daddy's liquor up and then fill it back up with water. You know, but notice where did he learn and to this day as an adult, he has a problem with drinking because of the example of his parents.

So the question is, the question is, here's the question. Are you stumbling your children? Are you stumbling your spouse? Maybe your spouse came out of alcoholism and you feel, well, I can just have a little wine with my dinner. And all of a sudden he sees your liberty and he falls back into drinking because of your liberty. See, it's no longer a liberty now because it stumbled somebody. And then First Corinthians 8 12 says, if you sin against your weak brother, you sinned against Christ. Wow, that's heavy stuff right there. But that's what that good word says.

Got to go with that good word. So that's the thing. You have to ask yourself these questions.

Whatever it is you want to do, you can do anything you want to do, anything you want to do. But you've got to ask yourself these four questions. So the first sign of drifting is no longer progressing as a Christian, no longer growing, loving, patient, gentleness, kindness, self-control. Number two, old ways are reintroduced back into your life. Number three, a loss of a desire and reverence for the word of God. Loss of appetite for the Bible, loss of appetite for church and spiritual things. No longer heeding the word of God like Hebrews 2 1 said, no longer taking heed nor anchoring yourself in the word of God like before.

No longer doing that. You don't have a heart for spiritual things. Sunday used to be for church, now is Sunday fun day. And then now a lot of Christians who used to sit next to you in front of you, behind you, who used to be here, they're now, well, you know, you don't have to go to church to be a Christian.

Begin to talk that kind of talk. And Jesus is the one who established the church. On this rock, I will build my church. He says, do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the matter of some. I mean, some were doing it, but exhort and encourage one another and watch this and so much more as you see the day of the Lord approaching. So we can see the signs that the Lord is approaching.

He says, how much more should we be getting together, exhorting and encouraging one another in the things of God? We see Jesus is coming back. I think the events of a few years ago kicked off the great apostasy.

I think it kicked it off. You have a lot of people, they had one foot in the church and the other on a banana peel. And all the events a few years ago just pushed him right out the door.

They went out with great ease. And it's amazing that we see this today. The Bible says, the Spirit said in a lot of times that some would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. First Timothy 4, 1. Depart from the faith.

Apostasy is that Greek word. The fallen away. I think there's a great fallen away that's happening. And I think the events a few years ago kicked it off.

But watch this, watch this. The Bible says where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. We saw it last night. God is still saving souls. Even though people are moonwalking out of the church, the Lord is still saving and bringing in over 3,500 last night. That's just amazing. That was just before fire marshal Bill said, can't nobody come on the field anymore.

Not counting folks online. Last night was just like, okay, just say the sinner's prayer in the aisle, you know. Near the restroom, you near the restroom. Okay, you can say it back there too.

It was just, it's just incredible. I was just telling my wife, I said, they just won't stop coming. I said, look, they just won't stop coming. And I said, uh-oh, I'm seeing less and less green.

The outfield is filled up. I'm seeing less and less green. And then I said, they stopped coming. And all the time, fire marshal Bill is, no more, you know. And no more come to Christ right now, you know.

Nuts. I didn't know fire marshal Bill was behind the thing. I thought they just stopped coming, you know.

He said, can't nobody else come. Okay. God is still saving souls. That's the thing that is still exciting.

And my man said, he's excited about that. Good guy. So here we see, oh, my time is, my time is running out. Okay. All right. Okay. So here we go.

Here we go. No longer, number one, the signs of drifting. No longer progressing as a Christian. Old ways of being reintroduced back into your life. Number three, a loss of a desire and reverence for the word of God. No longer taking heed to the word of God, like Hebrews 2, 1 says, no longer taking heed nor anchoring yourself in the word like before.

And number four, here it is. No deep concern for the lost or for those far from God. This is a huge sign that you're drifting.

Watch this. How did you feel when all of us have come up here and said 3,500 people gave their lives to Christ and then those who are progressing in their walk, they started clapping and you didn't want to look like you were the only one not clapping. Were you really excited? The Bible says, heaven rejoices over one.

There were 3,500. Heaven was partying. And you're just sitting, sitting, you know. Yes, I've heard that before. It's been 35 years I've been hearing it.

Do you get, do you get tired of hearing it? See, that's a sign that you're drifting because you used to be excited. You know why?

Because you were one of those 3,500 at one point and you were excited that your sins were forgiven. And now the appetite isn't there. You know, as you can see, my wife is a tremendous cook.

Hands down. And if my wife told me that she was going to make my favorite dish, which is almost anything, but I don't want no veggies, no veggies. Okay, that's my sin, you know. And on the way home, I stop and get me a number one Big Mac value meal. And I plow that down as I'm pulling into the driveway.

It doesn't matter what my wife made. I won't have an appetite for it because I've been pigging out on the junk food of McDonald's. And many of you don't have an appetite for the things of God for lost souls because you've been pigging out on the junk food of this world. And you have no appetite, you wonder where the appetite for the things of God, the word of God, lost souls. That is the heart of Jesus. Luke 19 verse 10 says, He came, Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. This has been your pastor's heart for over 50 years and it still burns bright today.

And if you don't have that kind of heart and it's so easy to grow indifferent being at this church where he pastors for over 50 years, it's easy to grow indifferent. It's like, it reminds me of the Jewish people. It reminds me of the Jewish people during the time Jesus was born in Matthew chapter two. They've been looking for their Messiah for centuries. And finally they hear from the wise men. Where is he born King of the Jews? Well, we're seeing this star in the East and we've come to worship him. So they said, well, what, what, what, what Herod is like, what, what, what you talking about King of the Jews?

I'm the King of the Jews. So he goes to the scholars. He said, what is this Messiah stuff? He said, he is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written. They quote the scripture.

Just a little town, five miles south of where they were. They were not even willing to go five miles south to see their long awaited Messiah because they had grown indifferent. Don't let that happen to you because you get the privilege of sitting in such a church where your pastor's heart burns for lost souls that all of a sudden you find yourself under his teachings indifferent.

Don't let that happen to you because you're in the wrong place. I can tell you that because his heart burns for lost souls, even after over 50 years, it still burns to see one lost soul come to the Lord. So that's a sign that you're drifting, the sign that you're drifting.

So here's the thing. Look at verses two through four so we can wrap this thing up. It says for if the word spoken through angels proof steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how should 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 hearing, bearing, should I say witness both for signs and wonders with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will. So Paul in verses two through four is warning them that those who neglected Moses' law received a just punishment. He says, how much greater punishment will be received who neglected salvation brought about through Jesus Christ?

See, it is believed that the law of Moses, the 10 commandments were given to him through angels. Paul hints at this in Galatians three verse 19. So if this is the case, those receiving punishment for neglecting the law of Moses, he said in verse three, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? In other words, how shall we escape punishment if we neglect so great a salvation?

The point is we want to escape. I love the description of salvation being so great a salvation. The adverb so means to such a great extent. It is used in John three 16 for God so loved the world, meaning that God didn't just love the world, but he so loved the world, meaning the word love falls short in how he feels about the world world.

So the adverb so gives the word love more punch to it. He so loved the world means to such a great extent. And the same thing is described here of our salvation, so great a salvation. The Greek word, it can also be translated so large or vast a salvation.

Why? Because how it covers everyone who puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Here it is just with Pastor Greg, 50 years, it's been covering, it's been saving souls for 50 years and prior to him, it's been saving souls. And after all of us gone, if the Lord Terry, it's still going to be saving souls.

That's why it's so great. It's to such a great extent, it's vast, it's large. The salvation that cost Jesus is life on the cross. The salvation that cost Jesus coming here to this earth, you're talking about the ultimate of claustrophobic. Talking about an omnipresent God squeezing into human flesh.

That's claustrophobic right there. And he died for our salvation. The salvation that caused Jesus to take the wrath of the father meant for all of us. Because God is holy.

Please understand God, he has more attributes than just love. God is holy and because he's holy, his holiness must punish sin. And we all born sinners for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. So because we're all sinners, the wrath of God against us was hurled at us and Jesus jumped in the way and took what was meant for all of us. What a great salvation.

And he took it for you, he took it for me. That's why it's so great a salvation. And he says, how should we escape if we neglect? Amaleo is that Greek word. It comes from the word a, which means not and mellow, which means have concern. So putting it all together, it means to not have concern for or viewing something as being without significance. Pay no attention. How can we do our so great a salvation like this?

Easy. We have allowed church hurt, broken relationships, drifting, old habits, and the list goes on and on. I believe that the unfortunate circumstances in our lives have caused us to neglect our salvation, viewing it as something without significance. And this is why we have paid, this is why we have paid our great salvation, no attention, which is what amaleo means. So if you're here and you say, well, Pastor Tony, that's me. I have drifted or I am drifting.

What can I do? Well, Jesus told us, he gave us the remedy in Revelation 2, 5, he says, remember therefore where you have fallen, repent and do your first works. In this verse, we see three R's, remember, repent and return. Number one, remember how it used to be when you were on fire for God. Number two, repent, metanoia is that Greek word, it means to have a change of mind and heart. In other words, change the way you think and feel about your drifting condition. And number three, return, return to doing those things you were doing when you were on fire for God.

Start back waking up to read, start back praying on your lunchtime, start back talking to people about Jesus Christ. Every time you think, well, they, people don't want to hear it today. Yeah, they do. We had 3,500 last night, they wanted to hear it. So there's some that still want to hear. Let me, let me conclude with this because in this message, are you drifting? We, we have to be honest with our evaluation of ourselves. The Bible says, examine yourself to see whether you're in the faith.

Prove yourself. Do you not know yourself unless you failed the test? Second Corinthians 13 five and ask yourself, am I drifting? Have I lost my spiritual passion?

Have I allowed old ways to come back into my life? Do I really have no appetite for Bible study or spiritual things? And once you're honest with your evaluation of yourself, then it's time to cry out to God by remembering, repenting, and returning, or you can leave here to go back to what you were doing, drifting past the safety of your, of the harbor and just know that you're going to crash into the rocks and suffer shipwreck. And let me say that Jesus loves you.

He does, and he wants you not only to be safe, but safe in his arms is where he wants you to be. I'm going to just lead you in a prayer. Many of you are going to be accepting Christ for the first time.

Many of you are going to be just coming home from, from, from drifting. And so just, just, just repeat this prayer after me. Say, Lord Jesus, forgive me. I believe you died on the cross and was buried and rose again just for me. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Help me to live for you by the power of your Holy Spirit from this moment forward. In Jesus' name, amen.